5 comments about The Woman at the Washington Zoo: Writings on Politics, Family, and Fate.

1. I used to read Marjorie Williams in the Washington Post, and was reminded of her work when her exceptionally moving essay "Hit by Lightning" was in a "best of" book by multiple authors. It was so good that I simply had to read this collection of only her work.
   
   The finest essays and profiles here are wonderful. The writing is outstanding, and ranges from great insight to humor and sadness and to the biting remark that takes down somebody famous a notch or two.
   
   My favorites were (besides "Hit by Lightning"):
   
   - "The Alchemist", a previously unpublished profile of her mother. What an exploration of a mother's relationship to her daughter and (presumably) perceptive view of her mother's life!
   
   - "Scenes from a Marriage" - oh, my, how it drills into the relationship between Clinton and Gore, after the 2004 election and back into their time in office. This essay was justifiably well-known.
   
   - "Bill Clinton, Feminist" - Ms. Williams shreds the feminists who defended President Clinton in his sexual escapades, while disregarding the women involved. She doesn't even break a sweat. Brutal and delightful reading.
   
   - "The Halloween of My Dreams" - her final column, about her daughter's Halloween, the last Halloween Ms. Williams would see.
   
   - The profiles of Jeb Bush and Barbara Bush, both of which offered fresh insights and information.
   
   - Of the columns, many of which are first rate, I particularly liked the one on Princess Diana's death (I'm not sure why, to be honest) and one on assisted suicide.
   
   The book actually got off to a slow start for me. The first two profiles were relatively dated and uninteresting, and the third, on Richard Darman, was wonderfully crafted, but I found myself not that curious about someone who moved rapidly into footnote status. However, Darman's profile had one of the best lines in the entire book: "As always, the vapor of self-certainty leaks off him like rocket fuel". Didn't these people know who they were up against in Marjorie Williams?
   
   The short columns included are mostly very good, yet they also suffer from the usual fate of newspaper columns, in that they don't age that well, as the topic in hand often quickly becomes old news. Ms. Williams is far from alone in that fate, of course, so some of these pieces serve as a reminder of past news to reconsider with hindsight and contemplate what has happened since.



2. This book made me realize how painful it could be to at sometimes for the lack of a better word be a " dubmass " It took me a lot of brushing up on my reading skills to fully appreceiate this book and it was very insightfull just as the other books that were recomened to me to be read if I liked this one were. It also taught me that caring=sharing which can cause mass confusion sometimes to people who need to improve there reading skills which in turn = understanding and then ultimatly joy and happiness for many years to come. However this just could be a hopeful thought, but I would like to think it holds true for all readers especially the ones that would enjoy reading A year of Magical Thinking, where I think it says something about country boys being of big hearts are stubborn and rarely give up on anything.



3. No, this isn't about the typical zoon--but about the "Zoo" that is Washington, D.C.
   
   Marjorie Williams, a journalist for the Washington Post, had a sense of unrelenting refusal to deal with just the surface reality--but find the truth beneath.
   
   Sitting here in the Midwest, some of these stories, some of the people are not players we hear about every day, but some were.
   
   Marjorie and Tim Noah (Senior writer for Slate) were married in 1990. In 2001, happy and healthy, Marjorie discovered a lump in her lower abdomen and after much effort, died in 2005 from liver cancer at the age of 47. Tim has selected what he feels are her most revealing columns written about politicians, the shakers and movers of Washington's social ad business life, and about her family.
   
   As an outsider I enjoyed reading about insiders like Ambassador Lucky Roosevelt and her long marriage, and other characters that made good reading.
   
   Jennifer Senior, New York Times Book Review said, "Williams was a crowbar, prying great quotes from her sources, and she found herself face to face with rather intimate details of their life."
   
   So true, whether she was writing about Bill and Hillary, the couple that always give us something to talk about, her own illness, her mother's illness, or her children--her observations were always sharp and often sweet.
   
   Some of my favorites were her most personal stories, like The Cat Race about how she was "going to raise her children," that is, until she actually had children. This felt very familiar.
   
   The Art of Fake (and Useful) Apology, (in the news again as I write this) used by politicians reminds us that this happens far too often.
   
   With another Presidential campaign heating up, Williams takes us back to 1992 when Al Gore was running for President (without hitching his star to Clinton). Her article, "Scenes from a Marriage" is about that time, and the end of that "marriage" and the not-too-obvious divorce of Clinton and Gore.
   
   Sadly the world will never again read about current events from her.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: This book was a New York Times Bestseller.



4. Really two books. One, a series of pieces about inside Washington stories, often with characters who are largely off stage but important in how things get done in the seat of empire. Rather than the usual insider's view, Ms. Williams has an extraordinarily keen eye for seeing what is there for all to see, perhaps along the lines of I.F. Stone's insistence on using only attributed sources. The second book is an account of her diagnosis and subsequent experiences with an ultimately fatal cancer, its impact on her life, outlook, work, as well and an account of her medical care.



5. I bought this book primarily because I enjoy memoir and it was represented in the media as a collection of personal essays by a woman who fought what was eventually a losing battle with cancer.
   
   In fact, the personal essays comprise the smaller part of this collection. Most pieces are in-depth political commentary or profiles of Washington, D.C. personalities. I'm not interested in that subject matter at all.
   
   To correct one of the other reviewers, this collection was compiled after Williams' death by her husband. It contains material that she apparently never intended to publish. But long-time fans of Williams should not fault *her* for what was and was not included in the book, since these decisions were made posthumously.
   
   Williams was a gifted writer -- insightful, precise, and painfully honest. I enjoyed the personal essays immensely (particularly the piece about her complex relationship with her mother) and even found myself reading and enjoying the political essays.

5 comments about Nordie's at Noon: The Personal Stories of Four Women "Too Young" for Breast Cancer.

1. I read about this book in People magazine and just had to get it. The book was even better than I could even imagine. Would recommend buying the book for all your girlfriends. A real tear jerker!



2. I have been a long-time supporter of breast cancer research and really enjoyed the tales of these women who were all diagnosed much younger than anyone thought possible. This book made me laugh and cry. While I was sad when it was over, I walked away inspired and uplifted. Would make a perfect gift for any woman in your life!



3. 
   
   I had the pleasure of meeting Kim at a Komen event where she was the keynote speaker. I of course bought the book after her talk.
   Nodies at Noon is a very honest account of breast cancer in young women. The four women each write their experiences on several poignant topics. While some issues are universal to all women going through the breast cancer experience, this book highlights certain issues unique to young women. Child birth and motherhood are two examples.
   The book is bittersweet with one of the authors losing their battle with the disease, and one giving birth to a second child. Like Kim herself, the book is warm and thoughtful.
   I would recommend it to anyone going through breast cancer or supporters of breast cancer patients.



4. I bought this for my mom, a breast cancer survivor. I had read a bit of it before I gave it to her and really like the style, very clever and real. My mom did say she is enjoying the book but would have rather had it while she was going through her treatments. She says that it is hard to go back to that place in time be it in films, tv, or books. She is very involved in helping other women going through treatments and says that she plans to use this book to help her new friends. Best of luck to those of you out there facing this horrible cancer or have loved ones in this situation, but you are never alone and there are always angels when you least expect it.



5. I bought this book because the four authors are from Kansas City and I am really glad I did! I enjoyed reading their courageous stories and it was a real eye-opener about living with cancer and the toll the treatments took on their bodies. Their stories were a real-life account of what living with cancer is like. The book was a little repetitive at times, but overall very well written. Highly recommended!

5 comments about The Bipolar Advantage.

1. The title of the book initially put me off. It was recommended by a friend. As I read it, and recognized the bare-all honesty, down-to-earth reality that is bipolar, I found hope in the pages. I learned practical ways to use aspects of bipolar disorder to help my life. Solid suggestions to make my life better. It's not a dry textbook like a lot of books about bipolar are. It's a real life testimony of how one man makes it work. I am grateful for it.



2. Iam 60 years old and just learned I am Bipolar because one of my sons is.I raised 3 teenage sons as a single parent. I was the Black Sheep of my original family. Sure, this fellar is out there sometimes but we are supposed to be. God wants us to be what he meant us to be... that is different. WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THE SAME. AND HE WANTS US TO ENJOY WHAT HE GAVE US!!! I DO ALLOW MYSELF TO ENJOY AND I ALLOW OTHERS TO ENJOY BEING DIFFERENT. I do not feel the badness in me now. I used to tell my mom at 3 years old, I'm just NO GOOD! I never knew why I felt so BAD. Also the author would be voted into office if everyone knew the SECRET HE TELLS ON HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT!!! Tricking your body DOES WORK! I lost 53 pounds and being BiPolar I like the tricking part and that is OK. You be you and I'll be me. It is just a different POINT OF VIEW.
   
   
   Trish McKown



3. I cannot tell you how excited I was to happen upon the book THE BIPOLAR ADVANTAGE. The idea that someone had written a book with that title seemed enough, but I figured since Tom Wootton had gone to the trouble to write and publish more than just that phrase, I should give a read to something as dear to my heart as what was implied by his title.
   
   I am a 56-year-old, 6' 11" (sic), bipolar, gay male. I was first diagnosed in 1978 at the age of 28 (and committed), and later (1990) jailed for 14 weeks until my parents hired a lawyer who filed a Writ of Habeas Corpus to force the judge to deal with my case. That was it. I resolved to take care of myself, and I have not lapsed once since then.
   
   The two bipolar support groups I joined in 1990 were composed almost exclusively of people who jumped on each other to hear the latest rumors of new medications that might "cure" all their ills. They gave nary a thought to how changing their habits of thought might help in the meantime, regardless the degree of effectiveness of their current medication. While my heart went out to them, it was too depressing for me to continue with them. (I'm very glad to read that Tom's experience/work with support groups has been so much better than this.) I also found the published literature to dwell on the down side almost exclusively. This was not good enough for me.
   
   I had already studied New Thought: thoughts become things--a new one can change your life--and later the Abraham-Hicks spiritual material, and have based my pragmatic beliefs/approach on their ideas that resonated with me. I have begun work on a memoir about my own experience. Like Tom's, my mind-work rests on a foundation of proper medical care and medication--something I learned the hard way by trying it first without proper care and having my life blow up completely. My adventures include delusions and adventures/misadventures proportional to my height--but reading about Tom's adventures, you might think he is taller than I am.
   
   However, have you ever seen a sex-crazed, 7-foot giant in high mania?
   
   Four years ago, after 14 years of feeling trapped by my illness, I decided that despite everything, I would have to learn to trust myself and follow my dream--to write. So through a lot of mental work in line with Tom's exercises (which I had not yet come across), eight drafts, and 3.5 years, I taught myself to write and completed a manuscript on a different subject. I now have an agent trying to sell that book to a publisher.
   
   I have been so encouraged by discovering THE BIPOLAR ADVANTAGE and the positive, practical emphasis of the book--as well as what I have read on Tom's website about his workshops and lectures. I have begun some of Tom's exercises--they fit perfectly with what I've already proven to myself, and are the perfect step for me to take now. There really is an advantage to bipolar illness, and Tom's book is both a chronicle of his groundbreaking personal turn-around and a practical guide to the beginning of the adventure of a fulfilling life that awaits those who learn to love themselves--and their illness.



4. This book gave me one man's positive insight into living with a mental illess, which usually is a sentence to a life of pain and confusion. Tom Wootton realizes that there is a reason for everything and everyone in this universe, it's up to us to find how to cope and enjoy ourselves and others in our lives.



5. Tom Wootton's personal experience of bipolar and his career path have led him on an interesting road to discovery, recovery and wellness. Quite a good read with lots of food for thought. Along with the right medications and treatments there's something in his theories to really think about. Enjoy the read on your road to recovery!

5 comments about What I Know Now: Letters to My Younger Self.

1. some authors included in this work give you enough background to understand why they advise their younger selves the way they do. Other authors are just vague. It's nice to compare their experiences and roads to self-development to mine and for that reason it's a good read to keep on the shelf; besides the awesome women included in it.



2. I read this book and it was comforting and validating for me to know that so many famous women have experienced many of life's struggles that us everyday women are challenged with. Many of the letters give important insights and inspirational advice in an honest, approachable and down-to-earth manner. I will definately refer back to many of the letters in this book that struck a cord with me. Great advice for all women of all ages, in all walk of life.



3. We should all take the time to reflect on what we have learned through the years. And reminisce about how naive we once were. It took courage for these women to share their most vulnerable moment and I thank them for that. Their stories have helped me in accept the beauty of maturing and accepting who I have become. I have given this book as a gift to several girlfriends for their birthdays. I just wish I would have had the foresight to read a book like this when I was younger...but then again, I may not have really understood it.



4. Loved reading these letters and learning about the lives of those who wrote them! Excellent and inspiring!



5. This is a great book. I got really inspired by these letters. Think about the title and before you read it and ask this question to yourself.

4 comments about Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverent Iris Apfel.

1. Fabulous book. I saw the exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum 3 times, and I was so disappointed that there was no catalogue. I was thrilled to see this book whole browsing at The Strand. The price on Amazon was a real bargain.



2. This book reminds all its readers that true style grows from individuality. In a time were you would recognize a stylist's style easier than the style of a designer, Iris Apfel's approach to and interpretation of fashion is the light at the end of the tunnel, she certainly has nudged me into the one or the other "true to myself experiment". Iris Apfel's witty introduction perfectly accessoirizes the clothes and jewellery presented, not only poviding background information on how this exhibition came to life but also shedding light on a certainly most interesting and colorful life in a warmhearted and humorous way. This book most certainly will be a longterm occupant of my coffee table.



3. Loved, loved this book. The comments, the photography and most importantly the crediting of designers to each style was extremely well done. This rare bird of fashion serves us notice that we should embrace our individual style and glory in it and not follow the herd or be shy about manifesting our true "feathers".



4. I was lucky enough to view the exhibit 'Iris Apfel - Rare Bird of Fashion' at the Norton Museum in Palm Beach, and what a visual treat it was... Not only is she an icon of fashion, but her style, her combinations of colors and her very different approach to the matter is something everybody should see and study. I have seen and met her in New York, she is the most terrific person!!! The book is amazing as well, great photography!!! I will always treasure this book and every time I open it, there is something else to marvel at or read about... An absolutely great source of inspiration, that simply makes you smile! One could only wish there will be other 'rare birds' to follow her lead.

5 comments about Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne.

1. Neither my wife nor I could put this book down with its fascinating description of the challenges of the royal Japanese household, also known as the "Chrysanthemum Throne".
   
   It reads almost like another Princess Diana story, but hopefully with a far better ending. At any rate, the potential is there for Princess Masako to make more of her life and position- it is now down to the royal court to allow this.



2. Think of the word princess, and more often than not there's the image of a lovely young woman, dressed in a long flowing gown, usually with a pretty little crown or tiara on her head, and a smitten prince at her side. Rarely this romantic view ever goes on to reveal what happens when the celebrations are over and the reality of life settles in.
   
   While the monarchies of the western world have managed somewhat to balance the public's curiosity about royal life and the royal's own need for privacy, there is one monarchy that has remained firmly shuttered to prying eyes. This is the last Imperial house in the world, that of the Japanese. Australian journalist Ben Hills takes a look at one of the more tragic stories of royalty gone awry, and tells it with equal measures of compassion and anger.
   
   Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne tells the unusual story of a young woman, Masako Owada, the daughter of a diplomat who grew up in various cities around the world, and seemed to be heading for an outstanding career of her own. She had been educated at Harvard, spoke more than six languages and was a pretty, rather popular girl who was intent to be the very best. While she was certainly very different than the typical Japanese woman, no one suspected that her life would take a very dramatic turn.
   
   That would occur in 1993, when after a rather stilted courtship following a chance meeting, Crown Prince Naruhito was finally accepted by Masako and she married him in a tradition laiden ceremony in Tokyo. And suddenly, Masako found her life surrounded by protocol, religious duties and the overwhelming pressure to have a child -- specifically, a male child, something that hadn't happened in the Japanese Imperial family for more than forty years.
   
   Ben Hills delves rather far into the mystery surrounding this family, at least as far as a Western journalist can dig, given the interference that the Kunaicho, the Imperial Household Agency, a bureaucracy that controls every aspect of daily life for the Japanese royal family. Hills refers to these shadowy bureaucrats as The Men in Black, a rather sinister connotation. And as we see in the story, the pressure to conform, and not to sully the image that the Kunaicho want to project, is pretty potent.
   
   The ultimate tragedy of the story is Masako herself. It's sad to watch this vital young woman being crushed by a system that simply does not care about her, except as her role as royal broodmare and a pretty picture to wave in front of the masses. We watch her struggle to concieve a child -- and after nearly nine years of disappointment, and possibly through the use of In-Vitro Fertilization, finally gives birth to a daughter, Aiko. There is the pressure to remain silent and self-effacing, and the toll that takes on Masako's health. While rumours persist that she may be in the grip of major depression, and Hills presents convincing evidence that she is, nothing can be really certain if she is or not.
   
   Which gets right down to the criticism of this book. The Japanese publishers suddenly pulled out of various publication deals for a translation once it was announced that the Kunaicho did not approve of it, and censorship reared it's ugly little head. Hills has received death threats, and the response to the publication is detailed in the epilogue that is in the trade paperback edition. Indeed, anything that can be deemed detrimental to the Japanese government, morals, or the Imperial family is regularly censored, rewritten or whitewashed by those in power -- a situation that most Westerners won't, and don't, tolerate.
   
   And regularly Hills makes backhanded swipes at his subject. His description of the Japanese ceremonial and dress verges on the Oh, isn't that cute!, and at times his narrative goes as far as mockery. That's something that I tend to deplore in writing of any kind, showing a snobbish attitude that is downright rude. Too, he litters the story with Australian slang, which is unfamiliar to most American readers, and while there is some sympathy for Masako, there isn't much left over for anyone else caught up in the drama.
   
   Besides the story itself, there are two inserts of photos, one in black and white, the other in colour; as well as a genealogy chart, a map, a list of resources, a glossary of Japanese terms, and an index.
   
   While I was certainly very interested in this story, it comes across more as a gossipy expose rather than a serious study of Japanese court life. So much is left out that all that remains is a damning screed against a culture that seems to be firmly fixed in medieval traditions, liberally laced with restrictions and corruption. It's interesting, but surely, there must be something better than this out there on this topic.
   
   Three and a half stars, rounded up to four. Somewhat recommended, but only to those interested in modern Japanese life and celebrity.



3. It is quite obvious that this author has little knowledge of Japanese culture and he makes many snide comments belittling the sacredness of some traditional Japanese customs. This arrogant style is used throughout the book and is highly disrespectful of Japanese traditions.
   He scoffs at the ancient Japanese religion of Shinto of which the Imperial family follows aspects of, and undermines the Shinto symbolic rites that accompany marriage. For Japanese people, Shinto represents the religious part of Japan's unique history, and many still observe Shinto practices such as visting Shinto shrines to pray etc. The author dismisses all this as archaic and antiquated and presumes it will be laughed at by "modern people such as Masako". I think only the author himself laughs as most people are able to respect the religious traditions of others.
   The author further shows his ignorance through mistaking the Japanese symbol of the crane with the Western Stork. He ignorantly translates the very traditional Japanese wedding symbol of the crane, which symbolises "celebration" to be the stork which only in the West means "Birth" and therefore as pressure on Masako to concieve.
   He also extensively quotes Yukie Kudo, who is of rather dubious repute, and the author has obviously has not conducted a background check on this source.
   I think this is worth two stars, because at least the author has collected a lot of information into one source. But it is only worth two because of the condescending tone he uses throughout the book.
   This book was translated into Japanese, but 60% of the information was deemed unsuitable for publishing and edited out of the Japanese version therefore this book is only available in English. I think part of the reason for this book not making it into Japanese print is not only because of the Japanese wanting to protect the reputation of the Royal Family, but also because this book comes off as ignorant and therefore not completely truthful.



4. the very real story of a princess who is not living happily ever after, why do all royal families seem to attempt to strip princesses-in-training, expecting them to relinquish their creative minds, goals and imagination, all attributes that would enable them to serve a royal family, as well as a country to their highest potential...did they not learn anything from the tragedy of the loss of Princess Diana, who was finally beginning to breathe again...



5. First of all,as a Japanese,I will not sit here and watch as an affair of my country is terribly distorted and misunderstood.Let me start by pointing out the most important fact unbeknownst to Western people:The majority of the Japanese people DO NOT sympathize with Princess Masako any more,because we already know the truth all too well.
   
   Although we used to regard her in the early days as an efficient but "unfortunate" princess just as this book claims to be,now almost every Japanese inwardly thinks that she is just a loathesome,power-hungry upstart with gilded academic backgrounds and a seemingly remarkable diplomat's career who married into a highest and noblest family she never really belonged to.We also think that she should be deprived of her title and dismissed from the Imperial Family as soon as possible--not because she is a "modernized" woman who is alien to our society,but simply because she is not doing her duty at all.In fact,also unbeknownst to overseas media,she keeps on betraying the people's expectation for her to live up to her title by refusing to attend almost all the public functions out of faked sickness,seeking only fun,squandering the taxpayers'money without a reflection.
   
   In other words,all she ever does is to pretend that she's so "mentally ill" that she needs "a long rest" and to "shop till she drops" on the people's back as she goes on needless vacations.(For example,she immensely enjoyed her visit to Tokyo Disneyland with her husband and daughter by riding various attractions this March,and shortly after it was reported in the media,there appeared many weblog entries denouncing her act.)
   As you know,a real patient of depression or of any other mental illness is never able to go out not only to work,but also to play however hard he or she wants to.Even though there is yet no clear evidence that her illness is false,there is a revealing fact that the Princess has never undergone a thorough mental health check by a third-party doctor,nor has her doctor in charge officially held a press conference to announce the proper diagnosis to this day.With all the inappropriate behaviour of the Princess above in mind,we have come to a conclusion that she is an utterly ineligible Crown Princess,a Marie Antoinette-like tax-spender,a sheer disgrace to our nation and to "the Chrysanthemum Throne" in the true sense of the term.
   
   So the point here is as follows:She is no "prisoner" to be "liberated" at all;all we have here is one delinquent who would universally be dismissed should she be a princess of some Western country,and that Japanese traditions or "the way of the Kunaicho(the Imperial Household Agency)" has nothing to do with the so-called "unfairness" of the way she has been treated.We only think of her as we naturally do,and the Imperial Household Agency has been only doing its job.
   Suppose an agency of Royal or Imperial affairs did not try to admonish a troublemaker in the Family,or it did not try to defend their lord in the face of a malicious slander,then of what use would it be?Naturally,if it takes the above actions when needed, that would be NO "violation of human rights" or "violation of freedom of speech" as the author Ben Hills alleged regarding the treatment of Princess Masako and the Kunaicho's protest against his book.
   Therefore,all the author's accusations against the Kunaicho and the other members of the Imperial Family are groundless,because those accusations are made on an unsound premise that they should be blamed for their own unique "inhumanity" and "feudalism" that never really exist in this particular case.Needless to say,a tradition should never be judged from an insufficient research or a subjective,narrow-minded viewpoint like the author's,especially when the allegations are untrue.
   
   
   Finally,please DO NOT ever be deceived by this bogus story of some Imperial oppression of a well-intended,"liberated" individual which never took place,not only for our sake,but also for your own sake,because this is apparently a book of propaganda full of intentional errors designed to undermine Japan's and the Imperial Family's reputation.With Japan being a former Axis and a defeated nation of WWII,it is not uncommon for the rest of the world to demonize the Emperor or the Imperial system of Japan by deliberately depicting it as a thoroughly inhumane existence despite its now-pacifistic nature.So,all wise and conscientious readers out there, stay open-minded,for an ignorant,unsuspecting "good intention" misled by malice could lead to true unfairness such as racism and destruction of a culture that is different from your own.

5 comments about Surprised By Truth 2: 15 Men and Women Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons For Becoming Catholic..

1. This book puts together a collection of powerful testimonies from people who discovered or re-discovered the True Faith laid out by Christ (the Catholic Church and its teachings). I was most inspired and deeply moved by these testimonies. I will contact at least one of the contributors to this book. I felt particularly identified with his story and will seek advise on how to follow the path he took to "Rome". Buy and distribute among your friends the Surprised by Truth series. I did give away my copy of the preceding book of this Surprised by Truth series and I am pleased to inform that it helped to convert my friend to Catholicism. I am looking forward to read the third book of the Surprised by Truth series.



2. I highly recommend this book and the first "Surprised by Truth" book. Very inspiring testimonies by a wide variety of people who write about their search for religious truth. If you have questions or doubts or just want to know the facts, this is the book to read.



3. This book was as good as the first. I think it gives a good understanding as to why someone would convert. As a Catholic myself it has made my faith stronger. I bought the book to then pass on to someone who is considering becoming Catholic. I would not however try to force my beliefs on someone but if someone is interested to understand more it is a great book to read.



4. Conversion stories are always a fun read, when one is reading the stories of those who convert to their own faith.
   
   Of course, when the conversion is one away from one's own tradition, that is another thing entirely.
   
   However, fair is fair, and evangelicals have been publishing and telling conversion stories about how people were "saved" from the Catholic Church since the beginning of their movement some 400 years ago. It is remarkable therefore that some would criticize these humble and powerful stories of people who "swam the Tiber" in the other direction as "triumphalist" (whatever that word means) or inappropriate. Yet that is exactly what many evangelicals have done regarding the renaissance in Catholic apologetics that has occurred over the last 20 years.
   
   However, in my opinion, this renaissance is neither "triumphalist" in a negative sense, nor inappropriate. For, in theology, the only way to get at the truth is to use the time honored tool of philosophical reasoning when discussing Divine Revelation. That means making arguments from Sacred Scripture. Arguments invite counterarguments. Reformationists reject the authority of the Church to settle arguments when they get out of hand, or threaten unity. Therefore, we will continue to argue with each other, even while we often work side by side in the trenches fighting things like abortion.
   
   This book clearly shows that ideas have consequences, especially when those ideas are religious ones. Every person whose story is in this book is someone who had the courage to not only challenge received "dogma" but also live their life in a way in conformity with their ideas, regardless of the consequences.
   
   Luckily, these brave individuals are not building their houses on the sand of their own understanding, but rather on the rock of Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church.
   
   This book and its companion volumes are a great tool when one needs the support they provide. They are also useful for explaining to reasonable non-Catholics why people would find it necessary to call the Catholic Church their spiritual home.
   
   I struggled with whether to give this book series 4 or 5 stars. As collections of conversion stories go, these are excellent. However, conversion stories are monologues, not dialogues, and are therefore less interesting to me than a good discussion of various theological issues. I feel good editing and inclusion of other ideas (perhaps a commentary?) could have addressed this weakness to some degree. However, fair is fair, and most other faith traditions (especially Fundamentalist Protestantism) don't extend the same intellectual courtesy when discussing the conversion stories of those who choose to leave the Catholic Church.
   
   At the very least, these books prove that the Catholic faith is compelling, and reasonable. I, of course, believe it to be true. However, until He comes again, I fear that debate will continue. When we are Christian it will be a good discussion. When we fail, it will be shouting match. Such is the Christian experience post the reformation.



5. I have read both the first and second book of Surprised By Truth. Both were excellent. Anyone reading them objectively, with an open mind and heart, will learn a lot about the Christian faith in general and Catholicism specifically. I could say a lot about these essays; they are so well-written. What is most important is that they are written from the point of view of love and truth-seeking. I recommend Surprised By Truth.

5 comments about Eleanor Roosevelt : Volume 2 , The Defining Years, 1933-1938.

1. In the first volume of her series on Eleanor Roosevelt, Blanche Wiesen Cook, a historian and women's studies professor, introduced us to a compelling historical figure who, after years of living in passive submission to her husband and mother-in-law, had finally broken free to create her own "independent life" - a life filled with careers (teacher, writer, public speaker) and fulfilling private friendships. In volume two, Eleanor Roosevelt faces the challenge of keeping her independent life as she assumes the traditionally social (and passive) role of First Lady. "Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume Two, 1933 - 1938" contemplates Eleanor Roosevelt's life during the first five years of her husband's presidency.
   
   In her first volume on Eleanor Roosevelt, Cook took a feminist approach in asking questions about power, relationships, and identity. Unfortunately, volume two falls short of the first volume, in leaving many of these questions not only unanswered, but sometimes even unasked. Whereas the central theme of volume one was Eleanor's struggle to assert herself as an "independent power," in volume two, we are not just reading the story of Eleanor Roosevelt, but also the parallel story of her husband and his presidency, which places Eleanor Roosevelt in a dependent role as she must work her way into her husband's political circle to gain influence. In fact, too often, volume two devolves into a story of FDR's presidency and Eleanor's reaction to it, rather than the story of Eleanor Roosevelt as an individual, independent agent. Eleanor is often portrayed as dependent on FDR for power, her moods uplifted when his speeches reflect her views and depressed and cold when they don't, particularly when she is shut out from the inner circle and has to learn about what is going on from her own son. While she occasionally dissents from the administration's talking points, her writing and speaking career is now primarily aimed at advancing FDR's policies. The most disappointing example of Eleanor's capitulation to her husband is on the subject of the Holocaust, where she remains silent from 1933 to 1938. When a German refugee appeals to Eleanor Roosevelt's sense of justice, asking, "Can you really stand by and watch this? Can you stand and see us more or less all gassed? I should like to have your word, you will do something," Eleanor Roosevelt replies, "Unfortunately, in my present position I am obliged to leave all contacts with foreign governments in the hands of my husband and his advisers." Obviously, Eleanor Roosevelt does gain power within FDR's political circle, but it is never clear what the extent and significance of this power really is.
   
   Another central theme in volume one was how Eleanor Roosevelt's relationship with a new circle of feminist and lesbian friends helped her create her own life apart from FDR. After Eleanor discovered FDR's infidelity with Lucy Mercer, and they began living separately, Eleanor established her own new life at Val-Kill, a residence she shared with Nancy Cook and Marion Dickerman. In addition, Eleanor made her first true friend in Lorena Hickok, an established reporter with the Associated Press. In volume two, these relationships all dissolve, as Eleanor acrimoniously splits with Cook and Dickerman and drifts apart from Hickok. Hickok, in fact, is the key figure in volume two, as her relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt is chronicled in painful detail. While their relationship is clearly the most important in Eleanor's life during her time as First Lady, it unfortunately takes a bit of a tragic turn as Hickok gives up her job with the AP, and along with it, her self-respect, becoming dependent on Eleanor Roosevelt for work, in addition to financial and emotional support. As Hickok grows increasingly depressed and resentful of Eleanor's other friends and busy schedule, they continue to drift apart, to the point where, when they do share a vacation alone together, Eleanor is miserable, missing her work and eager to return to her life as First Lady. As Eleanor Roosevelt drifts away from the friends who were so important to her in first creating her own independent life, it is clear that her interests and priorities have changed. Her political life is now the most important thing in her life.
   
   What does this say about Eleanor Roosevelt's identity? This is the final question then left to be answered. Unfortunately, the question is never even posed to readers. Does it matter that Eleanor Roosevelt depends on her husband for power and she no longer has an independent role of her own? What does it say that she pulls Lorena Hickok into a dependent relationship where she retains all the power? Why is her public life more important to her than her private relationships? What, in fact, is her new identity? While in volume one, we are left with the image of Eleanor Roosevelt as an independent woman, pursuing her own career interests and developing her own loyal set of friends apart from FDR, in volume two, we are mostly left with an image of Eleanor Roosevelt not as an independent force, but as the First Lady, a woman who keeps a busy schedule and cares for a lot of causes and people, but none in particular.
   
   In focusing on the day-to-day details of Eleanor Roosevelt's life and FDR's administration, "Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume Two, 1933 - 1938" reads more like a timeline from a boring history text - a list of dates and facts - than a compelling biography of Eleanor Roosevelt the person, her priorities and main accomplishments. In trying to tell two stories - first, of the political movement behind the New Deal and, second, of the role Eleanor Roosevelt carves out for herself within her husband's administration - ultimately Cook fails to tell either story.



2. I have to admit that I gave up on this book. I'm hoping to find a more readable biography of Mrs. Roosevelt. Cook's style and grammar are just too jumbled for me.
   
   Look in the "look inside this book" section here and go to page 14. This is a prime example of Cook's overuse of quotes. I appreciate that she did her research, but if she was going to quote so much, she should have just included one whole article. As it is, the whole page is a mish-mash of sentances and words taken from various sources creating a confusing unreadable mess.



3. I was shocked to discover that volume 2 only covered 5 years, albeit 5 important years. However, that should serve as a caveat for a potential reader.
   
   This volume is a much harder read than volume 1 as this version grinds to a screeching halt in places. While I agree it was important to document ERs long, tortured relationship with Lorena Hickock, too much emphasis (and repetition) was placed on what looks to be a normal parting-of-the-ways as ER ascended.
   
   There are some very intriguing and thoughtful moments in this book (which makes its a worthwhile read), but they are broken up by too many abrupt harbringers of moral/political doom or redemption with sparse or no follow-up.



4. This is a very well-researched and meticulously written book. However, I never felt I got to know Eleanor Roosevelt. I found the reference to Mrs. Roosevelt throughout the book as "ER" off-putting. It put an emotional distance between the reader and the subject. While we are treated to many details of Mrs. Roosevelt's life, we are never really let in to her emotional life. BWC (the author) goes into such detail about everyone else around Mrs. Roosevelt and she tells us what happened, but she doesn't let us see things through Mrs. Roosevelt's eyes. I still have no idea what the relationship between FDR and his wife was. Nor do I really understand why she remained with Lorena Hick so long. This book really amounts to a laundry list of who, what, where. A really effective biography will let us into the personal lives of the subject and let us feel as they feel as the story of their life unfolds. I never found that emotional resonance in this account. Eleanor Roosevelt left behind copious amounts of source material. I think that the author could have done a much better job of letting us experience Mrs. Roosevelt more fully as a person and not just as a public figure with a lot on her agenda.



5. Although not being an American, I'm aware that there are many in the States who are not too fond of ER and who are very critical of her. This second volume of Blanche Wiesen Cook's series on America's former First Lady is as remarkable and absorbing as was the first. There is no doubt FDR was a man of character,courage and great personal charm and warmth, there is equally no doubt that his wife suffered great personal trauma (and embarrassment) at his refusal (doubtless for political reasons)to speak out against the racial problems (in particular lyching in the South) and the Hitlerites treament of Jews in prewar Germany and Austria whilst the US continued to trade with the Germans. The same could be said of his stance during the Spanish Civil War. Eleanor was a nag (as was mentioned here in other summaries of this book) but never without good reason.
   And all of her dire predictions came true. ER's passion for life, her beliefs, her love and respect of her husband, come through over and over again. Her ability to manipulate people, a less attractive aspect of her character - is also here for all to see (as her relationship with Lorena Hickock so aptly demonstrates).
   Was there too much of Hick in this book ? I didn't think so. The relationship was a long term, on going one. The letters were not destroyed by ER, who I believe must have realised they'd become public after her death. Finally, ER's energy levels must have been extraordinary - her ability to criss cross the country seemingly non stop was remarkable considering that travel and the mode of travel was nothing like it is today. What an absolute bonus such a partner was to FDR's re electibility !
   I look forward to the next "installment" with great anticipation.

1 comments about Being in Pictures: An Intimate Photo Memoir.

1. Library Journal Review
   
   Leonard, Joanne. Being in Pictures: An Intimate Photo Memoir. Univ. of
   Michigan. May 2008. 252p. photogs. ISBN 978-0-472-11402-3. $35. FINE
   ARTS
   Leonard's (art history & women's studies, Univ. of Michigan)
   autobiographical photographs and photo collages, evocatively and
   eloquently reproduced here, explore the themes of family, childhood,
   life stages, and woman as nurturer. This photographic and textual
   journal covers 40 years of Leonard's life, from early photos she took in
   West Oakland, CA, in the 1960s to her family and friends, relationships
   and separations, a chance encounter with Diane Arbus, the 1972 Sapporo
   Olympics, motherhood, feminist influences and tendencies, and the 9/11
   terrorist attacks. Imagery ranges from cozy familial scenes to harrowing
   and violent series on sex, male domination, and miscarriage. The text
   carries Leonard's story along and helpfully comments on the images. An
   artist's chronology, with exhibitions and publications, concludes the
   work. Leonard is a leading artist, scholar, and educator, and this first
   book-length examination of her life and work resonates both poignantly
   and artistically. Recommended for contemporary photography and women's
   studies collections; at $35, a real bargain.-Russell T. Clement,
   Northwestern Univ. Lib., Evanston, IL

5 comments about The Best of Friends: Two Women, Two Continents, and One Enduring Friendship.

1. Do you need to know how people cope with immigration, or do you want to understand the strength and power of woman? Do you need inspiration to realize your dreams or do you want to see the wonder of the animal instinct humans have in friendship?
   Do you know anybody that immigrated? Then if you value that friendship, read this book now. It does not matter how wonderful the country is to which one immigrates, your longing for your original home, family and friends can never be alleviated. It becomes part of who you are. One does not need to be depressed or wingy about the matter, but it is always there. Pulling at the very strings of your heart. And one try to justify it on a daily basis.
   Ginger and Sara lives this globalization. Sara's office is the world. While she has a family at home. Her friend and support system is at least 3 long haul flights away. Ditto with her in laws.
   Ginger lives the dream, finds the love of her life at a price. Though her office is confined to one country, she is vulnerable to the excruciating elements of this desert.
   My admiration of these two woman knows no bounds, and on top of all of that, they can write!
   Best gift ever for your best friend.



2. I read this book because these authors went to school with my daughters. As I read, my interest went far beyond my connection. The candid sharing of both triumphs and let-downs of each woman was unique and interesting.
   The lessons learned, the sacrifices and wisdom gained from following their dreams was fascinating. I highly recommend this book and hope they will continue writing.



3. How refreshing to read about two loving, smart, independent women and how they realize the need for loving interdependence between friends! The idea of writing a book together over time and many miles is a perfect illustration of their connection. Their stories of being there for each other -- in spirit and when possible in person -- through the best and worst of times are inspiring. They remind us that the realities of adult life are best viewed through loving eyes -- our own and those of our friends and families. I have read it and shared it with friends with joy and confidence that they will enjoy it as well. Definitely add it to your summer must read list.



4. Usually, I'm not a non-fiction reader, but the story of Sarah and Ginger's enduring friendship kept me glued to the book. I'd suggest this to anyone who has a friend of any length of time. Loved it!



5. It's a great read - the intertwining lives of two childhood friends and how they have cleaved together over the decades. What's rare about this book is that each woman has her say and tells her own story - yet the sum is much more powerful than the two parts. Wonderful to see how these two young girls evolve into women as they nurture each other along the way. I loved it.