1 comments about When Montana and I Were Young: A Frontier Childhood (Women in the West).

1. This is a remarkable book. It is a primary account of a child's life growing up in Montana and Canada in the early part of the twentieth century. Margaret (Peggy) Bell's life spanned some 94 years, from 1888-1982, and her story is as exciting and troubling as any account one is likely to read, fiction or non-fiction. That the book is edited by Mary Clearman Blew makes it not only highly readable but lends it undeniable credibility.

   Bell's account of growing up on the high plains of Montana and Canada is a rare, first person account of life on the frontier with it's numerous hardships, grinding poverty, and ultimate struggle to retain her mind and spirit that will break your heart and make you shout for joy...sometimes within a few paragraphs or pages. In a straight forward, honest, almost stoic manner she describes the many life lessons she learned and discusses a subject that is rarely seen in print in the literature of the period: the abuse, sexual and otherwise, she experienced at the hands of her uncle and stepfather. This is an amazing book that chronicles the life experiences of a resilient woman in a man's world that lived to understand who she was, where she came from, and what it all meant. That she could tell such a story without self pity or sentimental, touchy-feely themes is remarkable. Brutally frank, honest and ultimately uplifting.

1 comments about Winter in Taos.

1. Ms. Dodge Lujan wrote this book in 1935, from her home in the Taos valley. She spoke from the heart, describing everything around her, from the beautiful Sacred Mountain outside her bedroom to the geraniums wintering in her windows. You are there with her, especially if you've had the good fortune to experience New Mexico in person. Mabel had an enthusiasm for her life, a fresh perspective that touched me deeply. She moved in quite a famous circle of artists, many of whom she introduced to the area. She referred to them on a first name basis, so it was a little difficult to understand who these people were, but fun, too, as I tried to match "Georgia" or "Freida" with a legend. I highly recommend this book; it's a perfect snowy afternoon read. Make sure you curl up on your sofa and have a Kitty or a Pooch at your feet - and don't forget a marvelous cup of coffee!

2 comments about Madonna: Like an Icon.

1. I've almost reached the end of this book. I feel kind of cheated. This was supposed to be the "definitive" Madonna biography. Instead, what you get are the same old stories re-hashed with maybe a bit of extra totally extraneous information. For example, I don't really care to know the exact address of Madonna's family home in Pontiac, but would've liked a bit more insight into what really makes her tick. This book basically runs methodically through every album release, every tour and throws in comments from some people who knew her. It's lazily written, there's no real analysis going on here. O'Brien makes statements about Madonna and just leaves it hanging (or makes comparisons to herself). I did kind of enjoy reading the book anticipating some new information - and there were a few morsels, but not nearly enough. Her family are barely mentioned, but we get what seems every detail of every album she's ever recorded! It just feels impersonal - I wanted to read about Madonna, not about everything I already knew about her career. Only buy this if you know almost nothing about Madonna's life and career. You'll end up knowing alot about her career and chart positions etc. But you'll learn almost nothing about the woman herself. This is the biography of a career, not a person. I think I'll wait for the autobiography....



2. 
   Who can properly explicate the woman who is arguably the most famous female pop artist of our time? Many have tried; some have failed. Music critic Lucy O'Brien has a good go at it with Madonna Like An Icon.
   
   O'Brien has been researching the phenomenon that is Madonna since the 1980s, fascinated by what appears to be unbridled ambition and the ability to repeatedly reinvent her image. This biographer's summary judgment is "The only place where she seems truly herself is when she is doing her work. Away from that she can be self-conscious, status-conscious, everything-conscious. Only in performance are those layers stripped away and it's just her."
   
   Whether or not we agree with O'Brien's assessment this biography is meticulously written and researched, taking readers from Madonna's childhood in Detroit, Michigan, where she later danced at gay clubs to her almost fearless pursuit of success, through her tumultuous marriage to Sean Penn, to her Like a Prayer video, her movie roles, her stage appearance as Evita, her embrace of Kabbalah, and finally her marriage to Guy Ritchie.
   
   Noting that Madonna's theatrical shows have made her a "quasi-religious icon", O'Brien cites friend and actor Rupert Everett who called Madonna the "Immaculate Conception." He describes his impression upon first meeting Madonna: ".....there was an energy field around her, like a wave, that swept everyone up as it crashed into the room"
   
   Madonna once said of herself, "I am the work of art."
   Who is the "real" Madonna? The answer may not be found in Madonna Like An Icon, but it is fascinating reading and sure to be devoured by her legions of fans.
   
   - Gail Cooke

1 comments about Pocahontas: The Life And The Legend.

1. The author carefully examines all the evidence of the life of Pocahontas - through anthopological, psychological, sociological analysis as well as the historical record. Of course much of what is commonly known is taken from the extensive and self-serving journals of John Smith, which the author takes with an appropriate grain of salt.

   This is an excellent antidote to the Disney version and a must-read for students of pre-colonial U.S. history.

   This book provide a fantastic glimpse of what life was really like in Jamestown in the very early days, as well as what sort of political milieu was present in tidewater Virginia at the time of settlers' arrival.

1 comments about Fruitful: A Real Mother.

1. Just completed Roiphe's memoir 1185 Park Avenue- and loved it so much had to read what she was thinking about modern motherhood. As a working mother or two living in NYC Roihe speaks to women like me who are indeed struggling with career and family. For readers who are in this position, I think they will find the book most supportive and soothing. Roiphe makes the point well that working families with children do not have enough community support needed to sustain the demanding life of working mom -that America is too "nuclear". At the same time manages to debunk alot of of fervent feminist rhetoric that simply does not speak to most women's reality. However, Roiphe may have spent too much dissecting the old feminist rallying cries of anit-men and motherhood. I think most women living real life as mothers/workers in the current times realize that much of the feminist movement rhetoric are outdated. Recommended for those interested in a woman's very sensitive and thoughtful journey through motherhood.

3 comments about Smoke over Birkenau (Jewish Lives).

1. Gripping and beautifully written. Another powerful holocaust story of survival in the most extreme and terrifying conditions. Liana is to be praised for her courage and deep inner strength. Her story is one of tragedy and hope.



2. Set down in the middle of Birkenau, an infamous concentration camp, Lili (Liana) tells readers her story of pain, hope, and dispair. Time is lost, and that loss causes many amazing things to happen. Truthful tales of death, life, and living death wrench the reader in every direction manageable. Easily read by any person in their teenage years or older.



3. i guess i'm confused. i am sitting here with a copy of "smoke over birkenau" by seweryna szmaglewska, translated from the polish by jadwiga rynas. henry holt and company n.y. copyright 1947. first printing. Did she change her name?

5 comments about Puppy's Tales.

1. Using the email format of the previous book but also expanding into some essays, "Puppy's Tales" continues the journey of Puppy and her master Steven. The book covers the period of April 2004 to August 2005. During that time, Puppy and Steven have to deal with mundane issues such as her divorce, the realities of being poly, finding more partners, and deepening since of property and ownership as well as partnership they discover. I was particularly pleased that we see more of Steven in this book because it is very rare for tops, dominants, and sadists to share their motivations and feelings -- most of the time they discuss how-to do an activities or push their bottom, sub, masochist to explore an explain themselves. The result of such openness on both Puppy's and Steven's part is a good example of real life BDSM in action.
   
   I will note that I am mentioned a few times in this book but I did not allow that to affect my review of it. I put this book through the same expectations I do every book I review.



2. Great read, I enjoyed this book very much. It is different then the first book which I also enjoyed. The first book was puppy and Steven's written communications which leads into her telling parts of her life growing up. In this book it stays in the present, their life and thoughts together. Most books are descriptive in their writing this book is conversational with narrative thrown in every once in a while, which I liked.
   
   Some of the things I enjoyed were puppy's thoughts on BDSM events like International Mr. Leather and other BDSM events, since I've never been to anything like these events. Their discussion of love, which I felt Steven needed to explain himself better and I then the surprise, and what a surprise it is, Puppy's husband finds and reads her book the puppy papers to discover his wife's infidelity in detail, is mind boggling. So now a divorce is part of their life.
   
   There is plenty of S/M and erotic sex, both private and public that I found very exciting. The sex scenes were not written as I expected as erotic stories, they were different, they were described, recounted in conversation; wow, very different. I loved the oral sex lessons and the Maid and Butler correspondences. I like the fact that S/M is very sexually exciting to sadistic Steven and his masochistic puppy. Puppy herself is very kinky; the scenes in the public dungeons and at Steven's sex club are hot. Now with all that is going on in puppy's life, Steven decides to bring another woman into their relationship that becomes part of their S/M sex scenes. I liked the fact that puppy talks about the reality of being a woman, in having periods. I also liked the fact they don't preach or try to justify what they do and why they do them. Believe me, there is a lot going on in this book.
   
   I've never read a book that opened up people's lives and relationship as completely as this one; it's kinky, offbeat, just plain different, it's truly fascinating. I really got to know puppy and Steven and I like them, she is an intelligent, highly train professional woman who needs to be a submissive/slave to Steven. I like Steven even though he is hard to relate to. So I went on the Internet and looked him up, he is who he says he is, which made me trust what they were saying, because for me truth and honesty is the point of this book.
   
   I found this book to be well crafted and very well written, I highly recommend Puppy's Tales.



3. I just happened to stumble across this book in a search and was intrigued by the cover which is an interpretation of a Helmut Newton photo in his book White Women. I read a lot of books and most don't leave much of an impression. I am not into BDSM in fact I don't understand it, but I enjoy reading books that are not in the main stream, looking for those books that are over looked, that are in the vanguard (which there isn't many of).
   
   Wow, Puppy's Tales is extraordinary, I feel it's better and more important a book then Jack Kerouac's On the Road. The authors mix everyday life with their SM philosophy and lifestyle and let the reader into their thought process through open and honest communication, this blew me away. The ease that the authors have conveyed the complexity of their relationship with their in depth discussion of their SM philosophy is spellbinding.
   
   I have to say that SM scares me and I would normally never approve of what Steven and puppy do, I found the SM scenes wildly hot and the sex was the best I have ever read. I have never read sex scenes from two points of views, it was brilliantly constructed. The intertwining of job, marital problems, everyday life, working on book projects together, having other women in their life, plus, plus, plus all revolving around their Master/slave lifestyle relationship was fascinating.
   
   I was surprised at how good the writing was, there were no lulls, Puppy is a great writer, she has the ability to put her thoughts and feeling into words and makes you see, feel, and understand where she is at every moment. As for Steven at the very end of the book there is a piece that he wrote about the death of two of his dogs that make you realize the depth of this man. You can't make a book like this up. Puppy's Tales is without a doubt extraordinary, different, in a class of its own, on the cutting edge of life.



4. "Puppy's Tails", by Puppy Sharon and Steven Toushin, reviewed by Mistress Jenn
   
   Despite its title, "Puppy's Tails" has nothing to do with puppy play and despite the cover art it also has nothing to do with pony play. Rather, it is a book about the development of a complex D/s relationship between the authors. "Puppy's Tails" is a sequel to the "Puppy Papers" which was released several years ago.
   
   "Puppy's Tails" is a deeper, more sophisticated, and more interesting work than the earlier book. It continues to follow the format of the original book, which is a series of e-mail exchanges between a Master and his girl. Like the original work, "Puppy's Tails" has a definite feel of voyeurism and exhibitionism about it. In reading it, I felt like I was in Sharon's computer, rummaging through her personal files and finding some things of interest, some not.
   
   In her e-mails, Sharon talks about her job, about suffering through a dinner with her brother-in law, and, of course, about BDSM and the psychology involved in a D/s relationship. Running through almost all of Sharon's messages is a strong D/s thread and an awareness of the increasing centrality in her life of her Master.
   
   This book definitely benefits from the increased contribution of Steven Toushin, who is Sharon's Master. Toushin writes not only about what he does with Sharon, but why he does it. He explains why Sharon responds the way she does and makes clear what he is trying to develop in their D/s relationship. He gives a focus to "Puppy's Papers" that otherwise would be lacking.
   
   Overall, "Puppy's Tails" is a worthwhile and enjoyable read. Mixed in with the rest of Sharon's life are discussions of serious D/s relationship issues and general questions of BDSM philosophy. The book has a definite sexual focus with frequent intercourse, vaginal fistings, and many hot scenes. What makes this book most rewarding is the fascinating details it provides of the interaction between a Master and his girl.



5. This second installment of puppy's story used the same device as the first (Puppy Papers), a series of email correspondences between Steven and puppy Sharon over a period of a year. We are privy to the developing and deepening trust between these two as sharon explains how it feels to be exposed for the first time to public sex, being pierced & tattooed (see the gorgeous pictures at the end of the book), and delving further into intense sexual play. The effects of puppy's unflinching faith and willingness to submit to Steven does something unexpectedly nice, it brings Steven from out of the shadows. The more she is willing to share about her burgeoning life in BDSM the more he begins to reveal himself as well. It is through her we get to know him, a very symbiotic relationship. The reader becomes witness to a relationship maturing in a way that most of us only dream about.
   
   
   
   Recently a co-worker was reading the personals during a break and scoffed at one in which a BDSM top (man) was looking for a submissive woman. She rolled her eyes at the idea of it. The idea of a man looking to control a woman, to inflict pain, and or use humiliation is taboo indeed. I almost suggested she read Puppy's Tales. It is the antithesis or the antidote (however you want to look at it) of the stereotype of a man using rough sex as a way to release his hate for women. It is very clear that Steven and puppy are truly enjoying themselves and each other. Hey...how can one argue against something that produces regular multiple orgasms. I mean really...what more needs to be said?!
   
   
   
   These two are intimate with each other on many levels, have great sex, and work hard on communicating. Here it is folks...the manual to a long healthy sex life with a partner! Read and learn. As with the first installment, all the juicy details of their play are interspersed with details of daily life: dinners with family, hassles at work, and the end of sharon's marriage (which plays out in the most fascinating way).
   
   
   
   I was surprised to find this book touching, sweet really. Steven and puppy open up their lives to us. They show us two successful mature individuals who work damn hard on their relationship and reap the rewards. The moral of the story? All relationships need the same ingredients to be healthy: communication, trust, and desire. Oh, and by the way, you'll be able to get off on this book too. There is an excellent section on the art of fellatio and sharon explains on more than one occasion how she ends up wet and throbbing.
   
   
   
   Sequels are rarely better than the original. I think perhaps Puppy's Tales is an exception. Really though, the two books build upon each other. You will feel like these two are your friends by the end. Hell, you probably know more about them than any of your friends! A brave and juicy book.

1 comments about Warrior Poet: A Biography of Audre Lorde.

1. Alexis DeVeaux presents a comprehensive account of self-described feminist, lesbian, and poet warrior, Audre Lorde. The author pulls together a myriad of published documents, unpublished journal entries by Audre Lorde herself, and a host of interviews with personal friends and family members to create a well documented look at the poet's life. The book is divided into two major sections called "lives." The first life begins prior to Audre's birth, and highlights some aspects of her parent's early life, their eventual marriage and move from the Caribbean to the United States. This family background helps readers understand Audre's nearly lifelong quest to come to terms with her relationship with her often emotionally detached parents. This portion of the book also details information about Audre's childhood, educational background, and young adult life. We learn about Audre's marriage to a white, gay, man and their eventual divorce and follow her process of "coming out" regarding her own lesbianism. Her long-term relationship with a white woman, Frances Clayton, and the challenges associated with raising a bi-racial son and daughter in a lesbian household during an era of rampant, overt racism and sexism was also discussed. DeVeaux also takes time to highlight some of Audre Lorde's flaws, thus providing a somewhat more balanced view of the author. Her professional career as a poet develops slowly, and the evolution of her writing career parallels the evolution of her political views and personal growth.
   
   The second section of the book, "The Second Life," continues to explore her career development, chronicles her battles with cancer in more detail, and ends with her death. Audre Lorde supported freedom and equality for all, regardless of race, gender, class, or sexual orientation. However, because of her strong views and personal lifestyle, she often found herself on the fringes. Many white feminists were uncomfortable with her views on race, while those involved in the black power movement tended to be uncomfortable with her feminist ideology and her lesbianism. Yet she used her own struggles, particularly her battle with cancer, as a means to educate, motivate, and inspire.
   
   I enjoyed WARRIOR POET and was impressed by Alexis DeVeaux's attention to detail and the time she spent helping readers understand the social and political climate of the times. There were times when I felt she went a little too far "setting the stage" and wanted to read more about Audre and less about other poets, or politics. Audre seemed to use her identity to take on very public battles for women's rights, gay rights, and so forth. But I found myself wanting to know more about how her children handled their mother's public persona. I also wondered how her very conservative, Catholic mother and her other siblings responded to Audre's lifestyle, and this issue was surprisingly never addressed. In spite of its sometimes academic feel, this is a must read for anyone that wants to learn more about an important literary figure.
   
   Reviewed by Stacey Seay
   of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

5 comments about Your Heiress Diary: Confess It All to Me.

1. I've read through all of the pages and written in quite a few. I would haven given 5 stars but some of the things (like top 5 favorite millionares to date ...or something like that) didnt relate.
   A colorful and girly diary that is fun to fill out.



2. It's bucking the trend of beauty minded America. It proves that looks don't matter... just money and connections.



3. This as stated is more of a journal than a book, hence the title "YOUR heiress diary" It is fine for young girls and doesn't contribute to their delinquency as so many would have you believe. Teenage girls write in their diaries about boys, clothes and less meaningful aspects of life, it doesn't make this book bad nor does it make Paris vapid and useless. There are several pages devoted to careers, role models, family and inspirational quotes. My niece loved it!



4. This diary is so fun! It's awsome for someone who dreams of fame and fortune. It allows us to feel rich and famous, if only for a moment. Writing in this diary is so fun! It also cool that you have little questions on each page. If you love Paris Hilton, you WILL love this diary!!



5. i think that the book is very cute had alot of pics of paris i gave this as a present to my friend and bascailly it's a questinare book about yourself great as a present.

4 comments about When I Was a German, 1934-1945: An Englishwoman in Nazi Germany.

1. This was a good deal at the time, and by shipping it with more priority, was able to obtain it in the amount of time I needed.



2. Fascinating account of life in Nazi Germany as told by an Englishwoman who had married a German aristocrat in 1934. Not as profound as Victor Klemperer's "I Will Bear Witness" but still one of the best of its genre. I liked it even more than Iris Origo's "War in Val D'Orcia" which I also highly recommend.
   
   Bielenberg writes beautifully, and although the narrative can be a little confusing at times, certain passages of "When I was a German" read to me like bits of "found poetry." Unfortunately a few typographical errors mar this edition; an historical document this important deserves better.
   
   There was a British television series produced in 1988 based on this book, called "Christabel" and shown in the United States on Masterpiece Theater. Bielenberg also testifies in various episodes of the "World at War" television series, which I am now looking forward to seeing again.



3. Until I read this book I never realized there were British (and American) women who had married Germans prior to the outbreak of WWII and actually lived in that "enemy" country while we were at war with them. The author suffered along with the German cicil population as the allies methodically bombarded Nazi Germany into submission. The constant fear of daily aerial bombings,hunger, and the fear of the Gestapo make this an epic story of survival.Better than fiction!



4. Victor Klemperer's "I Will Bear Witness". Christabel informs and entertains us, her writing is engaging and a world beyond the simple "diary entry" accounts. She is very perceptive, and her impressions from inside Nazi Germany, as a non-German, help us to better understand the people who brought Nazism to the world. Her writing style puts you right there in the minds and hearts of simple villagers, Nazi officials and those opposed to them. It also brings us a fresh perspective, one perhaps not encountered in other books on the subject. I have read numerous books, diaries and accounts of life in Nazi Germany (and Europe in general) and can highly recommend this one.