No comments about A Black Woman's Odyssey Through Russia and Jamaica: The Narrative of Nancy Prince.

5 comments about The Pumpkin Patch: A Single Woman's International Adoption Journey.

1. The Pumpkin Patch: A Single Woman's International Adoption Journey is a compilation of the author's journal entries about her adoption experience. The author started writing this journal when she started the paperwork to adopt two children from the Ukraine. In the early portions of this journal, the author explains her reasoning for wanting to become a mother and why she chose Ukrainian children to adopt. The author also gives details of every step of her journey including the amount of paperwork, costs, and waiting times during the application process. She also honestly and straightforwardly expresses days when she can't wait to become a mom and days when she is terrified at the mere thought as well as days when she is sure she is fighting a never-ending battle of bureaucracy.
   
   The middle portion of this book looks at the author's experiences in Ukraine as she searches for her future children through the actual adoption processes to bring her two boys home. The author learns in this section that the painfully bureaucratic application process is nothing compared to the actual adoption process. Each step of this journey was stalled by more paperwork, complete with the appropriate donations and inflated fees.
   
   The final section of this book looks at life after adoption. This section details the extreme lifestyle changes that the author had to make, her triumphs, and her challenges. This section also outlines some of the unique problems and special health issues associated with adopting international children.
   
   The information contained in this book will be invaluable to any person or couple thinking about adoption, either domestically or internationally. Not only will the reader get a detailed step by step view of the paperwork and fees that must be completed but they will also realize that doubts and delays are just part of the process. Moreover, they will be reminded that though the process is extremely difficult, time consuming, and expensive that in the end it is worth the effort.



2. The Pumpkin Patch: A Single Woman's International Adoption Journey is Margaret Schwartz's true account of her travels to Ukraine to adopt two boys from an orphanage there.
   
   Written in journal style, Schwartz presents a day-by-day account of the little joys and heartbreaks along her long journey in search of her "forever children". Loaded with detail, the adoption process is laid out from the first decisions through the travel to Ukraine to Schwartz's first months as a single mom. Along the way, she deals with foreign cultures, labyrinthine bureaucracy, political corruption, and unexpected health and emotional complications.
   
   This is a very personal book, and Schwartz has invested a great deal of emotion into it. She captures the little joys and disappointments wonderfully, and it's hard to take issue when she lapses into sentimentality, although she does so quite frequently.
   
   International adoption is changing so rapidly that it's impossible to hold up any one experience as "typical", so readers (myself included) who are considering adopting a child should not look to this book as a guide to what they will experience. It is, however, an inspiring story of courage and perseverance in the face of adversity, and contains wealth of little insights about parenting.



3. This book called to me as I sought information as part of my decision making process on whether to adopt a child as a single-parent. Determining whether to adopt as a single draws out many unexpected emotions and concerns, and it is often a lonely process with few people who truly understand the magnitude of the decison and of the bureaucracy. The author described herself and her emotions--grappling with concerns about how to raise children alone, finances, and the potential for future relationships. Her concerns were similar to my own, and undoubtedly to many singles considering adoption. Yes, the author was a bit naive in working without an agency and also in adopting two toddlers at once on her own. However, she also had developed and nurtured a strong social network, was incredibly strong and was endearing in her positive hopes for herself and her world. The book also shared some unexpected lessons to me about not sharing adoption plans too widely too soon, the real financials of adoption (post-adoption medical expenses, time off without pay, and also thousands of $$ cash while traveling), the medical issues encountered, and certainly about the depths of love a child brings into your life. From her beginning description of a successful, single, professional in her forties, I felt a connection



4. My husband & I are prospective international adoptive parents (also through Eastern Europe). As we go through the preparation, gathering paperwork, etc, it is helpful for us to gather real stories from people who have actually been through it. With this book, I had hoped to read a detailed account of firsthand experiences, and I was not disappointed. Of course, each family's journey is unique, but there will undoubtedly be some common ground. I am glad that Ms. Schwartz did not end at the point of bringing her boys home but continued to describe the process of growing together as a family back in America.



5. It always strikes me that most memoirs about the adoption process feature the struggles of people who entered into the process blindly, innocently, and naively then were amazed at the difficulties they encountered. This book is no exception to the pattern. What is surprising is that the author seems to have had a good outcome despite her near ignorance of what she was doing.
   
   She has a compelling story to tell. Unfortunately, her choice of writing the book as a journal leads to alot of repetition of thoughts and emotions. No doubt she experienced them every day, but reading the same brief description many times over is not as interesting as if she described the thought process just once in detail (ex: giving thanks to her sister almost every day). The book ends quite abruptly, without any closure.
   
   Having just adopted 2 toddlers from Russia last year, I was looking forward to reading someone else's journey. I was left quite dissappointed, however.

5 comments about City of One: A Memoir.

1. This book moved and enlightened me. Cournos' story of surviving what every child fears most--the loss of both her parents--is raw, vivid, and remarkably compassionate given that she became a foster child through willful neglect on the part of her extended family. Cournos succeeds in transforming her own particular journey into a roadmap for others who want or need to understand what it is to be an orphan. Brave and beautifully done!



2. As a psychiatric social worker this book gives an excellent perspective on the foster care system, how we would knew it and what it has become. In addition the book Dr.Cournos writes sheds an enormous light on the alienation of family and the reasons that alienation might occurr. It is a sad tale with a shinning light ending. As a mother who has almost lost a child to cancer, this book has inspired me to look ahead and consider all the possibilities, as Dr. Cournos has. It is a book that all should read.



3. As a psychiatric social worker this book gives an excellent perspective on the foster care system, how we would knew it and what it has become. In addition the book Dr.Cournos writes sheds an enormous light on the alienation of family and the reasons that alienation might occurr. It was a sad story with a shinning light ending.



4. It didn't occur to me that I would be so touched by Francine Cournos's book. I have an interest in child welfare issues, which is why I read it. She deals with a much bigger issue than foster care -- she writes about the voluminous effect that the loss of parents can have on a child throughout his or her life. Brava, Dr. Cournos. Thank you for sharing your life with us. This is a must-read for anyone who works with children in any arena.



5. As a writer, and as someone whose own experiences of childhood loss and its aftereffects closely parallel those of Dr. Cournos, I found City of One both deeply moving and comforting. We who have the hole where the loving parent should be, we who deal with the myth and the anger and the quest for wholeness, understand every word. Not only does Dr. Cournos evoke the pain of the loss, but her honesty and her search for the strengths that can come from a tragic early life goes beyond judgment and pathology. It goes to the things that define our lifelong sense of who we are. I highly recommend this memoir to anyone who wants to understand or who struggles with these issues.

5 comments about Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman.

1. This is a good book to get into the Queen's life and see what she went through rising to the top, her ups and downs, and the painstaking loss of her brother. Very interesting.



2. ... you're going to love this. This book candidly reveals a lot about Latifah that you probably didn't know. Did you know QL doesn't like celery? Well, Chapter 6 is devoted to finally telling you the whole story. Ever wondered why Larry Storch and Queen Latifah have never worked together? Well, QL tells all in Chapter 28. Ever wonder what hip-hop's first lady likes to think about while shaving her armpits? Look no further than Chapter 87. Refreshingly honest, like the woman herself, Ladies First isn't just about the rise of one strong woman to entertainment's pinnacle, it's also a gripping account of Pete Gray, the first and still only, one-armed man to play in the Major Leagues.



3. I have Queen Latifah's autography and I LOVE IT and I know almost everything about Queen Latifah that there is to possibly know. Just in case you all don't know her real name is Dana Elaine Owens.Queen Latifah's career has blossomed a whole lot. She has had her own synicated talk show and she also had an acting career and she has starred in movies such as:Brown Sugar, Beauty Shop, Bringing Down The House,Barbershop 2:Back In Business, Set it off just to name a few. I'm a huge fan Of Queen Latifah because she has had to endure the terrible pain of her brother which I think is horrible and sad. But inspite of all of the things that has happened to her in her young life she still strong as she has ever been before. Queen Latifah is also the President of own company Flavor Unit Inc.
   
   Your #1 fan,
   Tiffany Miller



4. I purchased this book initially to get to know more about Dana Owens but instead I learned more about myself. I took my time reading the book because after every chapter or so I had to stop and check myself. I felt as though Queen Latifah was seated in front of me and reading pages from my life. My life does not come close to hers but yet I felt as though it did. I agree that every now and then as women we must stop and do our own personal inventory. Am I who I want to be and is God pleased with who I am?



5. She's been through it all to stand the test of time. She instantly became smart and wise from her mistakes and moved on to become the Blessed and Strong Queen of the Millineium. All Hail to the Queen.

5 comments about Molly Brown: Unraveling the Myth.

1. This book was requested and purchased for a retirement center library. I manage the retirement center and the library committee was most anxious to get this book. I had toured the Titanic in Branson in July and saw the book on display in the gift shop there. When I was telling of the Titanic Tour, all the residents were so interested in having Ms. Iversen's book for our library. So far, we have given it RAVE REVIEWS!



2. I bought this book at the Molly Brown House and Museum in Denver, a few weeks ago. I like biographies, autobiographies, and well-written historical fiction about the lives of women, so this one caught my eye. I was not disappointed.
   
   Dr. Iverson brought Margaret (Molly) Brown to life in context with the Victorian Age she part of. I delighted in all the little details of family and friends, fashions, travel, politics, and society that enriched this biography, for none of us exist in a vaccum.
   
   Margaret Tobin Brown, an interesting philanthropist and activist who was way ahead of her time, has at last been given the respect she deserves, rather than trivializing her as merely Molly Brown, the crude, opportunistic, unsinkable wife of Mr. Brown.



3. I thoroughly enjoyed this book on the "unsinkable" Molly Brown, probably the most famous Titanic survivor. There are some many myths out there about this woman, hopefully this book will help to set the record straight. For one thing, Mrs. Brown was never called "Molly" while she was alive, but "Margaret". She was a very generous, caring and compassionate woman and was definitely ahead of her times. She was independent and was not afraid to stand up for her rights and worked tirelessly toward women's equal rights. She also spent a lot of time, energy and money in helping the not so fortunate people. She was involved in many charities and philanthropic organizations. She even worked toward proving miners better working conditions even though her husband owned mines. She loved to travel and was passionate about learning different languages especially French, as she loved the French culture. Also, it was very interesting to see how the upper class lived, traveled and entertained in the turn of the century in Colorado and Newport, Rhode Island.
   
   The author Kristen Iversen does a splendid job in researching the life of this amazing woman and putting together all the facts without making it boring. A very interesting book on a very interesting lady!



4. As another reviewer points out, it is good to read a book with the facts on Margaret Tobin Brown. Iversen writes well. There is some academic women's studies-type jargon that doesn't fit in well, and makes me wonder if Iversen felt obligated to put it in.
   
   I would have liked to read more about her time in Leadville and her last years in Europe, both of which are covered pretty sparingly. The Titanic episode seems to be retold about three times, but I guess that's how you sell books.



5. This book reads like a good novel, but is footnoted at every turn. It has an astonishingly large bibliography for a character in history who was relatively unknown -- even by her own family -- before this book was written. I loved the structure of the book, and the way she placed the body of it between two creatively written accounts of Margaret's adventures on the Titanic and after. I literally could not put it down and became engrossed in the story of this courageous and astounding woman. Anyone interested in the lives of women at the turn of the century, and/or in the history of the Denver region should take the time to read this book.
   
   Mrs. J.J. Brown in no way resembles the myths that sprung up around her, and Iversen does a good job of replacing those myths with a real human being. However, I did find myself reading certain parts of the book and asking if she didn't take her debunking a bit too far in the opposite direction. Would a conventional Edwardian society woman jokingly invite her butcher into her bathroom while in the tub? Read carefully, and you will find that Mrs. Brown thoroughly enjoyed mythologizing herself. She was a tale-spinner and public actress as much as she was an altruist and heroine. That is my only caveat about this book. Although accurate, it de-emphasizes her idiosyncrasies and therefore doesn't seem to give a full characterization.
   
   It's a fantastically GOOD book! Well-written and exhaustingly researched! I can't imagine anyone complaining that there's filler in it. Meatloaf? It's unusual to see so much proof for information even in a biography. I am not surprised that her descendants love it.

No comments about Full Court Quest: The Girls from Fort Shaw Indian School Basketball Champions of the World.

4 comments about She Got Up Off the Couch.

1. I have both books on Audio CD. Loved them both, and now I am hoping for another sequel. Ms. Kimmel writes with such love and definition and humor, she is just a joy to read and to listen to. There is never a dry spot in her books. Now I have passed on these books to several friends, and we are all wanting to know more. Thank you Ms. Kimmel for a fantastic journey into your smalltown (but never dull) life. Linda Glick



2. 
   A legion of readers responded warmly and enthusiastically to Haven Kimmel's memoir, A Girl Named Zippy. Warmly and enthusiastically may be an understatement as it became a New York Times best seller. If the Times had rankings for audio bestsellers She Got ff The Couch as read by Kimmel would surely be there.
   
   While her second reminiscence about growing up in 1970s Indiana is every bit as witty and affecting as her first, this time we learn a great deal more about her mother, Delonda. Mom's story is one of empowerment for women. She is the "she" who got up off the couch. She did, indeed, and went to college and grad school.
   
   Delonda buys a VW bug that has seen better days without knowing how to drive it. Tales of her learning to operate a motor vehicle are some of the most smile provoking segments.
   
   And, education results in a changed woman - not at all the gal Dad married. How does he react to this?
   
   We're also treated to reunions with some of our favorites from A Girl Named Zippy - sister Melinda and best pal Julie. What a pleasure that is.
   
   A seasoned actress could not have given a better voice performance than Kimmel whose timing is on target and interpretation of other character's voices always entertaining. After all, who knows the speech patterns of her near and dear better than Kimmel?
   
   Quite often, for me, the audio version is more enjoyable than the book That's true in this case.
   
   Highly recommended - enjoy!
   
   - Gail Cooke



3. This is an autobiographical account of a womans' childhood and although 'Zippy' is the main character of the story, the book is also a story outlining her Mothers' transformation from a housewife, making the best of things as they were setup for her by her own preconceived ideas, to a well-rounded person in charge of her own life. Ultimately, the entire family feels the impact, both good and bad from the changes that occur. This book is both entertaining and thought-provoking!



4. Such a funny book, made my rides to work SO much easier! :o)

5 comments about Butch Is a Noun.

1. This book was recommended to me and i enjoyed reading it. I would definately recommend it.



2. I purchased this book not knowing what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the author's emotions. Bear is very articulate as ze describes the warmth, comfort, and safety within the queer community versus the dangerous and painfully hurtful rest of the world. This book is educational but delightfully entertaining at the same time. I highly recommend it.



3. I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in understanding the unique mystique of the butch woman.



4. I found this book absolutely delightful. The author did a wonderful job of delving into topics that are generally spoken about, and ze did a wonderful job of painting an undiluted portrait of butches in general. A must read for all, especially parents with butch daughters.



5. As a self-identified femme who has always loved women of the butch persuasion, I have been asked a million times, "If you want to date a girl who looks like a boy, then why don't you just date a boy??" This book finally gave me the words to explain what I already knew I loved: the compassion, the cockiness, the fear, the struggles, the toughness, the sensitivity, and the oft-hidden inner world that makes butches who they are. My very favorite paragraph explains it best... a butch is "someone who has taken on the best gendered characteristics of both woman and man, left a lot of the stuff born of misogyny and heterosexism behind, and walked forward into the world without apology."
   
   I think that from now on, THAT will be my answer to the question I am sure I will never stop hearing.
   
   Thank you, Bear, for this great book!

2 comments about Cleopatra (Life & Times).

1. This book was informative, entertaining and well written. For someone who wants to explore little known details about ancient Egyptian life, or wants a thorough description of Cleopatra's life and times, this book was great. I purchased it for my daughter, but it piqued my interest as well.



2. I highly recommend Cleopatra The Last Pharaoh by Prudence Jones. If you're looking for a balance interpretation of Cleopatra's life based on the ancient sources and the author's insight into the propaganda that was influential in that day this book is for you. This is not the story of a sexual alluring one dimensional Cleopatra. This Queen is multidimensional and smart. Another plus for the book is the choice of illustrations making this volume particularly attractive. It is an excellent read.

1 comments about Twenty Thousand Roads: Women, Movement, and the West.

1. Though it's not clear why these essays together make a book, each one is a well-researched piece about an interesting woman. While the author throws in a few theories that aren't particularly well researched or supported, she has a real gift for writing that makes many of the pieces a joy to read. Her essay on Grace Hebard is superb, and is probably the best short piece written about this remarkable woman.