5 comments about The Georgetown Ladies' Social Club: Power, Passion, and Politics in the Nation's Capital.

1. EXCELLENT BOOK ABOUT GEORGETOWN AND WASHINGTON DC. WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE READ MORE . THE LIFE OF THE GEORGETOWN COMMUNITY AND GREAT LADIES OF POWER CLUBS AND GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON POST TO JFK AND MANY MANY MORE. THE SOCIAL SIDE OF THE LADIES OF GEORGETOWN AND THE WASHINGTON DC AREA AS LIFE IS LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY OF SUCH AN ELITE FEDERAL CITY WITH ITS PASSION IT'S POWER MAKES THIS BOOK AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF INFORMATION OF LIFE IN OUR NATIONS CAPITAL AND GEORGETOWN............



2. Spectacular view of how politics was played out in the 50's and 60's Washington DC. A really fascinating book.



3. I like The Georgetown Ladies' Social Club very much. I have always been fascinated by the rich and/or famous, and this fills the bill very well. All of the women portrayed are or were interesting in their own right but were first actually noticed for their husbands instead of themselves. I believe any of these women could have accomplished anything in business, just like the men did, but unfortunately women didn't count for much in the past except for decorating the husband's arm, raising children and throwing parties. I love this book and recommend it with five stars.



4. This book falls into the "guilty pleasure" category, and does it ever succeed on that level! It's forty years or so of American political history -- the McCarthy era, the Cold War, Vietnam, Watergate, the Reagan years -- told from the perspective of the Georgetown social set. It doesn't purport to be a comprehensive history of the period. Instead, it chronicles the lives, the successes, and the follies of five wealthy, highly connected hostesses in the nation's capital. Above all, we learn about the spectacular social events that they put on.
   
   This book is like People magazine on steroids. Nasty spats, unsolved murders, extramarital love affairs, lifelong vendettas -- all here. As can be imagined, JFK and his women play a role, as does Elizabeth Taylor in her John Warner years. (Remember the late 1970s?) Some of the sourcing is a bit dubious. Of course, most of the main characters are now deceased and can't sue for libel anyway. Pamela Harriman would not have liked her characterization, it's fair to say.
   
   All in all, lots of fun, and if you learn something about power and privilege in America, all the better.



5. THE GEORGETOWN LADIES' SOCIAL CLUB is a fascinating read.
   
   The title of this book actually was a phrase first coined by then-President Ronald Reagan, according to author C. David Heymann.
   
   Heymann has attempted the unusual: A group biography which interweaves the stories of the different members of one discrete, if informal, group.
   
   Heymann does a good job in exploring the personal histories of the members of this club, a troop which primarily included Katherine Graham, Evangeline Bruce and Pamela Harriman. Of this bunch, only Sally Quinn, the youngest, still is alive.
   
   Heymann offers the standard versions of their lives, but he also dishes some dirt about their affairs, promiscuity and family suicides.
   
   It is amazing how much power these women had yielded over the highest ranking members of the federal government. This power was gently applied during socializing at various festivities which ranged from barbecues to black-tie dinners.
   
   The heyday of the ladies was during the Kennedy administration and, in consequence, THE GEORGETOWN LADIES' SOCIAL CLUB re-acquaints its readers with the Camelot myth.
   
   Perhaps unavoidably, in the effort to be scholarly and thorough, the prose in this volume is less interesting than the women it is describing. To paraphrase an old joke, these were no ladies. Bluntly, they sound like witches, every one of 'em. Yet probably just because of this personality trait, their stories make for an fascinating read.

5 comments about How We Survived Communism & Even Laughed.

1. This collection of essays on life under Communism in Eastern Europe provides a unique perspective on the failure of the Communist system. Particularly memorable anecdotes include the author's misgivings over buying her daughter a Barbie doll and the actions and behaviors which became commonplace in a society in which (and this is emphasized) everyone lived in moderate to extreme poverty.
   It is extremely difficult to find any personal narratives concerning Communism which are more or less politically unbiased. The author of this work seems to hold a sort of nOSTalgia for the days under Communism as a time of equality, even though this equality set the standards of living extremely low. The perspective of which this book comes from seems to be predominantly a feminist, as opposed to left or right wing, perspective, making for an enlightening read.
   The bare bones downfalls of Communism are extrapolated and explored with an eye and mind which rarely condemns Communism, but rather identifies problems with an air of disappointment. The most striking shortcoming is the lack of tampons or alternatives, demonstrating the government's inability to deal with even the most basic needs of the female population.
   I recommend this book as a valuable primary source for the study of the Eastern Bloc, the disinitigration of the European Communist regimes, and for a feminist perspective on some of the most glaring political issues of the 20th century.



2. I would have given this book three and a half stars if I had the option; but I don't, so I am giving it four, all on account of its good narrative and occasional wit.
   I keep hearing and reading about what an "eye-opener" this book has been for readers in Western countries. That is all well and fine; many of the things she describes are valid information.
   The problem is that this book, by empathizing (and rightly so) with the everday noodle-and-darning plight of "sisters" in other so-called Communist regimes (all of whom had a MUCH harder time than we in the former Yugoslavia ever did) tends to blur not only the HUGE political and social nuances and distinctions among the various "Communist" countries, but also inside ex-Yugoslavia itself. In short, the so-called Communist "block" was never really a "block" - it was a tapestry of many nuances and textures, depending on the country.

   Admittedly, I belong to a different generation than Ms. Drakuliæ. Furthermore, I was born and grew up in the northern part of the country, called Slovenia (now, an independent state), which was, incidentally, the "richest" part of Yugoslavia. (And BTW: I don't recall any of her interlocutors in the book being a Slovene... Why not? Maybe because the situation in Slovenia wouldn't fit in with the utterly dismal picture that she is painting?)
   Here are some facts: often, there were (usually short-term) shortages of different things: sugar, bananas, chocolate, detergent... I even remember a shortage of toilet paper, once. But never all at the same time, and never for very long. We never queued, like the unfortunate peoples of the Soviet satellite states. I for one DID have dolls, very pretty ones (no, NOT rag dolls) - 18 of them! If there ever was a shortage of tampons (I never use them), I certainly don't remember any shortage of sanitary towels. We were always nicely dressed and made-up; and if the clothes on offer in our own country didn't suit us, we'd make a 2 hour trip to nearby Italy, where we could buy more trendy attire. (Nobody in my family ever did that, BTW.)

   No, I am not one of those short-memoried "nostalgics" who mourn the demise of the Titoist regime and the fallacy of the infamous "unity & fraternity" slogans of those days... In fact, I did every thing that I could to help erode it and bring it down.
   I just resent history - ANY history - being "tailored" to suit the prefabricated expectations of foreign readers.

   Had Ms. Drakuliæ decided to include a "girl talk" with a Slovene or two - who were even her "compatriots" in those times, after all - a picture slightly more complex would emerge. And maybe then people elsewhere wouldn't have been surprised by the news that Yugoslavia was falling apart... It already WAS - always had been - several different countries within one artificial structure.

   In short: enjoy this book, for it tells the truth - and it tells it well! Just not the ENTIRE truth.




3. I have read Drakulic's later book Balken Express, and thought this book far better. Drakulic's book is a series of essays about the difficulty of life in Eastern Europe from a woman's perspective. Communism collasped because it could not satisfy the demands of the population. Drakulic details many of those shortcomings in her book. Not only did Communism produce poor paint and bad toilet paper, it did not even produce tampons or other products for women. That is why Communism failed. Few history books will detail this perspective, but from a humanistic point of view, it is true.
   The other perspective Drakulic tries to point out is that of a journalist pointing to the failures of both Communist and Western society. Drakulic portrays the homeless of NYC with the fact that in Communist society everybody is poor but not homeless. These perspectives are needed as well, because some aspects of Communism were indeed noble.
   A good book about the failure of Communism. This book was a short informative read about a doomed political system.



4. I will read this eye-opening book again and again. Historical accounts of communism can't paint the picture that this book has painted. This reads like poetry and is real.



5. A fascinating collection of poignant vignettes on being a woman in communist Yugoslavia (with stories of the author's friends and acquaintances in other Eastern European countries.) Ms. Drakulic shares with the West the reasons whereby 40-plus years of communist-engendered habits and viewpoints and tendencies cannot undergo an overnight "attitude adjustment". This book is a must for anyone who seeks to begin to sympathize and understand the thoughts and roots of people (especially women) who were born and raised in Eastern Europe. I bulldozed through it, and am now reading her "Cafe Europa". Eye-opening!

No comments about The Cone Sisters of Baltimore: Collecting at Full Tilt.

5 comments about The Lonely Empress: Elizabeth of Austria.

1. I enjoyed the book. It was well written and obviously well researched.
   I like the way it had info from personal writtings from the time, also.
   
   I enjoyed the gallery of pictures included in the text, as well.
   
   I will probably read the book at least one more time.



2. to me she should never married franz joseph i,she was to much of a free spirit.austria court was to old fashion for a soul like hers.she had the mother -in law from hell didn't help.



3. I was dreading that this book would be like all other's in that it would portray Elizabeth as a poor little spoiled, mis-understood rich girl. It didn't and I found that very refreshing.
   My only critism of this book is that there is only one occasion when the author translated the french, german, russian, etc. quotes that were used and I found that mildly annoying as I don't speak or read any of those languages.
   Overall a very good book!



4. I really enjoyed this book, there was only a minor matter which rather annoyed me. I wonder why nobody seems to have taken the trouble of checking the proper spelling of all those European names?
   As a native speaker of both German and Hungarian, I was quite
   distracted by reading Gödollo instead of Gödöllõ, to name just one of many blunders.
   Crenneville sometimes becomes Grenneville, Marie Vetsera turns into a Mary, Maria Theresia is always Maria Theresa, robbed of an i, the Ballhausplatz is shortened into Ballplatz, and while Hapsburg is not exactly wrong, it was apparently never used officially - and you don't often come across it even in Austria.
   Perhaps in future editions someone might provide corrections? I think the book is worth it.



5. Top of Form
   
   
   I was somewhat reluctant to first start reading The Lonely Empress because, from the some of the biographies I've read (but certainly not all!), they tend to start out interesting but then become dull and boring. It usually takes a talented author to write a biography on a boring royal. But even an unskilled author would have no trouble about sounding fascinating if their subject matter was Elisabeth of Austria.
   
   Born a mere daughter of a duke in Bavaria, Elisabeth had a fairytale (ish) romance. The emperor of Austria, Francis Joseph, was already engaged to Elisabeth's sister Helen when he fell in love with her. All of a sudden, to everyone's surprise, the Emperor started to rant about the grace and beauty of this younger sister, much to the dismay of his mother, the archduchess Sophie, who thought that Helen would become the perfect empress.
   
   Elisabeth was still a child when she became engaged to the Emperor. Suddenly, she wasn't allowed to run wild, like she had been when she was younger. Elisabeth had been known to skip her lessons and go out riding for hours. She inherited her father's peculiarity and was known to be her happiest when surrounded by less than royal people. Her father, Duke Max, was renowned for his strangeness. He was known to travel the Bavarian countryside to escape his duties and delighted in circuses. The poor Duchess Ludovica, Elisabeth's mother, must have had a terrible time with her daughter and equally childish husband. Because of her strangeness and wild country ways, the Viennese court look down upon Elisabeth.
   
   What makes this book more interesting is how the author has portrayed Elisabeth. She doesn't try to make her into a selfish, spoiled woman yet she doesn't spend the whole book describing her flawless beauty. Elisabeth seems to be a difficult topic to write about. As many people who have met the Empress say about her throughout the book, "She could be quite charming when she wanted to be. Yet she could also become cold and haughty."
   
   Elisabeth has you admiring her at times, like when she tries to help the Hungarian people regain their Constitution, and at other times hating her, the way she treated her husband and children, the woman whose husband spent fortunes building her three homes around Europe and who still wasn't grateful or satisfied. This woman traveled to countries far away so she could escape her duties as an Empress and her husband.
   
   But one feels for Elisabeth at how much misfortune she had dealt with in her life. She seems to be a caged bird, she seems to have those natures that cannot be trapped or caged. She needed wide spaces so she can spread her wings. The author portrayed Elisabeth excellently and made the book an enjoyable read.

5 comments about Memories of a Catholic Girlhood.

1. In this memoir Mary McCarthy's childhood appears to be marked by two contradictory principles: orphanhood and board study at a Catholic convent. Convent life appears to her as a revelation of the aristocratic principle in life. The Catholic nuncs she encounters are dazzling intellectuals, preoccupied by themes such as purification through sin and the fate of the romantics. The identification of the nuns with the romantics is stressed, and is based on their shared antimodern nonconformity, the spirit of loss and failure flickering at the side of the happy, straight road of Protestant civics. The exact opposite of the romance of Catholicism lies in the prototype exemplified by Uncle Myers, the "rootless municipalized man who finds his plasures in the handouts or overflow of an industrial civilization." The purposeless emptiness of modern municipal life is contrasted with the beautiful heroics of medieval European history.
   
   Yet from the pretty orderliness among the girls at the convent isnot only derived romance, but at times also misunderstanding. When Mary rehearses a "loss of faith" drama to gain popularity, her faked doubts lead to a real breach of faith: "Why can't the universe be self-sufficient?" In order not to disturb the expectations of the nuns, she will be forced to fake her period. The limits between the real and the pretended, both spiritual and organic, seem troublesome inside the convent.
   
   Mary McCarthy's love of Latin language and culture came about at college, where she represented the opposing forces of law and anarchy in the classic play "Marcus Tullius" as a reflection of her own mixed heritage. To her surprise, though, she sides with the Protestant, "law and order" Preston side of her family, which is hardly shocking to us if we take into account the abusive, stingy character of the McCarthys she knew: "The injustices my brothers and I had suffered in our childhood had made me a rebel against authority, but they had also prepared me to fall in love with justice, the first time I encountered it."
   
   As a minute analysis of a developing psychology, we find in Mary McCarthy's memoir a description of her central conflict betwen that which she can give and that which her community needs and expects. Either with the nuns at the convent, at the boarding school before graduation or with her Protestant relatives, Mary finds the need to take refuge in pretension and lying so as to repeatedly restore the precarious balances of peace of the communities she seeks to inhabit. From this psychological need of absolute, unconditional integration we can perhaps trace the origins of her vocation as a novelist: "My whole life was a lie, it often appeared to me, from beginning to end, for if I was wilder than my family knew, I was far tamer than my friends could imagine, and with them, too, as with my family, I was constantly making up stories..." In her view this dilemma is also a designing feature of adult life, or "the trap of adult life in which you are held, wriggling, powerless to act because you can see both sides."



2. This is the type of book that I think of as a conglomeration but not really a book. That is, she had published several magazine articles, then gathered them together and made a book. I find that style difficult to get into. She glossed over too much; so many years were packed into just a couple pages.

   It irritated me after I kept reading and reading, and she kept criticizing and criticizing the people who raised her after her parents died. I sure didn't blame her for criticizing her father's side of the family. But her criticism didn't end with them. She didn't have many kind words for anyone.




3. That Mary McCarthy's childhood was difficult and unpleasant is well recognized. She has created a worthy and literary memoir from the material gathered during the years before she was claimed by her benevolent Seattle grandparents from the truly draconian aunt and uncle who kept her for 5 years prior to that. Somewhere along the way, this child who was probably difficult and moody - and certainly intelligent and scathingly witty - developed the ability to step outside herself, observe what was happening, remember it, then later write about it. The result is a classic memoir that deserves to be read by writers as well as the general reading audience. Funny, heartbreaking, sarcastic, bitingly acerbic - and always excellent.



4. I have always held a fascination for people who grew up with a real sense of religion that later fell away from the faith. I bought this book expecting something akin to the movies that are so prevalent nowadays about the catholic schoolboys smoking and getting caught by the nuns and hit with a ruler across the wrists. Instead, I was greeted with an amazing tale of Mary and her sad loss of her parents, pitiful existence with her aunt and uncle and twisted "saving" by her West Coast relatives.

   The childhood she had was less than perfect, I agree, but the fact that she survived it and lived to create such a wonderful literary account of it almost makes me appreciative of her having to go through it. The chapter on her grandmother is so reminiscent of my own mother that I had to laugh out loud at times.

   Well worth the read and the struggle through the many latin references and unfamiliar religious practices.




5. As an off-again, on-again admirer of Mary McCarthy, I sometimes wondered if she ever had a childhood or just appeared full-blown, rapier-witted and sword at her side. While never doubting her talent, reading her was frequently as pleasant as drinking a glass of vitriol.

   Mary indeed had a childhood, and unusual it was. I am sure it marked her forever to lose both her parents within a week of one another to influenza at age six. To add to the horror, the family was traveling by train to start a new life in Minnesota. Mary, herself, was deathly ill with the virus, and that colored her impressions of the tragic event.

   Some reviewers and the book jacket describe her childhood as "Dickensonian," I presume referring to Oliver Twist. I disagree, as Mary came from a well-to-do family that didn't lack for the material things of life. She lived with an aunt and uncle from her 6th to 11th year and was tremendously unhappy, claiming she didn't have enough to eat, was dressed in hand-me-downs and frequently beaten. Yet all photos of this time depict a well-dressed, well-fed child. At age 11, she was taken to live with her benevolent, wealthy grandparents in Seattle. From that time on, she received the kindest attention and was expensively educated. My doubts about those five early years are because Ms. McCarthy all her life was an implacable, unforgiving enemy when her feelings were aroused.

   The memoir is beautifully written with sharp and fascinating characterizations of her family. She appends each chapter with an epilogue taking an adult's eye-view of her childhood impressions. It is most effective. You are constantly reaffirming her brilliance. Well worth reading.

5 comments about Blackout Girl: Growing Up and Drying Out in America.

1. .
   
   
   
   Is it just me or is the 'recovery memoir' genre dying?
   
   Perhaps it's the fallout over James Frey and that 'Million Little Pieces' fiasco. Since then I've approached books like Blackout Girl with a skeptics eye. Not that I have any inside knowledge about what's true and false in these pages, but there are several sections that strain credulity. Maybe this is to be expected. After all, most drug addicts and alcoholics lived in a fog and thus have a hard time separating what they believed happened with what actually happened. It comes with the territory.
   
   A major drawback of 'Blackout Girl' is that the book relies heavily upon events. This is a common weakness in many memoirs...the author believes you'll find the events interesting in and of themselves. But they arenot. What's missing is the interpretation. Good memoirs include reflection about why these things happened and how they shaped the writer's life. It adds the necessary meaning to the story (See Kurtz's 'The Spirituality Of Imperfection')
   
   Finally, the writing is a bit halting and the narrative does not flow easily. In far too many places the narrative jumps to the next point without fully exploring the current current topic. Gives the book a herky-jerky feeling. A good editor could have done much with this.
   
   Kudos to the author for revealing what she did.



2. Jennifer Storm is a true survival story...one that breaks the heart, captures the soul, and defies the odds. Having known Storm only in sobriety, I was stunned to read of the horrible events that shaped her past, as well as her unrelenting descent into addiction and self-destruction. This woman of such charisma, intelligence, and spirit could not possibly have been so close to complete and utter disaster. And yet, she was...thankfully living to tell us about it. I am so grateful that Storm shared her story with me, with our student-athletes, with our educators, with all of us. For a person to know with certainty that he or she is not alone is the ultimate gift; with a brutally honest account of her past, Storm has given a voice to countless others. Anyone who has the privilege and courage to read this book or to hear Storm speak will feel the hope and energy that fuels her indomitable spirit, and can also help to fuel their own journey through recovery.
   
   I absolutely recommend this book to all young women...and young men. If you are looking for a speaker to reach your young people, bring Storm to your campus or school. Our student-athletes (and coaches and administrators) were completely taken not only by her message, but also by her charismatic presence. I have no doubt she started the healing process for many, and most assuredly saved a few lives.



3. I had the priveledge of knowing Jennifer as a teenage friend, as well as both of her brothers. I believe that this book took an incredible amount of courage to write and I also feel that this book will prove to help those faced with the same problems, fears and addictions. If we could only help our youth today by letting them know that "Yes. We have gone through some of the same emotions as teenagers as you do now!". This is what this book is doing and will do. Please if you feel that you know someone who will benefit from this book, I would suggest buying it for them. She gives a tremendous amount of insight into the thoughts of uncertainty that all teenagers and young adults go through on a daily basis as they try to make sense of it all. Thank You Jennifer, Thank You.



4. This story is not unique. And that's unfortunate. It doesn't mean, however, that this isn't a valuable book and another reminder of the dangers American children face, particularly when they're left unsupervised. Alcohol and drug addiction, an equal-opportunity disease, remains a menace in this society, and I think the true purpose of this book is to alert parents of adolescents and teens to what's beyond their suburban fences and to PAY ATTENTION.
   
   When an addict lives to tell the tale, it's always cause for celebration. Jennifer Storm writes with a simple, disarming style, wears it all on her sleeve, and bares little if any residual shame--just the ugly truth of her life as an addict. She illustrates the three distinct paths ahead for anyone drinking and drugging to that degree: jail, death, or recovery. And in spite of spending a good portion of her teen years experiencing blackout, she remembers and relates quite a bit about being raped (more than once) and her foray into intoxication to escape "the pain," from simply stealing sips of her mother's green liquor to becoming a suicidal crack addict.
   
   There's room for these stories outside of AA meetings and in commercial fiction, with the hope that anyone who stumbles upon this book will find information, solace, and perhaps, steps toward recovery for themselves or someone they love. Storm also touches on why recovering addicts feel the need to share, when she relates a scene during the ride to rehab in "a druggie delivery car with a stoned crackhead" to her right, who acknowledges her in a way that shows he understands. It puts her at ease.
   
   I recommend this book for parents of at risk children. If you know someone who fits this description, hand him or her a copy of Blackout Girl and suggest they read it cover to cover. Given the generally selfish and disengaged nature of these types of parents, you might have to read it out loud.
   
   From the author of A Line Between Friends and The Things I Wish I'd Said.



5. Jennifer Storm's first book is a poignant memoir of her battle with addiction and sexuality. Her journey takes us from the beginnings of her downward spiral to rock bottom to living proof of successful recovery and battling one's own demons. Jennifer is a strong, courageous woman who bares her soul to all in hopes of reaching others who've traveled down this road. Her book encompasses how to go about getting help and how she did so rather than just a happy ending.
   
   As parents, her story speaks volumes of the great world of "enabling" in which we live by and do not even realize in thinking we're trying to "help" our children who are lost or struggling. I strongly encourage all parents of teenagers to read Jennifer's story. The amazing work Jennifer has done and continues to do daily in the field of victim services is only a portion of the extraordinary woman she's become. To revisit these places in her life, reliving the memories of her past, takes a person of great courage and strength to realize where she's come. I am anxiously awaiting her next book!
   Vikke

5 comments about Cuando era puertorriqueña.

1. En este excelente libro Esmeralda Santiago nos introduce a sus recuerdos de la infancia en Puerto Rico como se desarrolla hasta su adultes. Utilizando su especial manera de escribir Santiago relata la dura vida que sufrieron miles de puertoriquenos a mediados de siglo, y los eventuales cambios y transformaciones sociales que le precedieron a este periodo. Cualquiera que lea este libro podra imaginarse a Negui y su familia en sus que haceres y ocurrencias. Puerto Rican or not you can read this book. It's excellent. A must read.



2. This is the Spanish text edition of "When I was Puerto Rican", a rich and evocative memoir of the author's chaotic childhood. Growing up in rural Puerto Rico, while often living in primitive conditions, the author's lush and lyrical prose paints a vivid picture her early life. The flavor and rythms of her island home come alive under her expert hand, creating an unforgettable picture of her early childhood.
   
   The author grew up in a poor family. During her childhood, she lived in Puerto Rico with her unmarried parents, who were always at war with each other, as her father was a somewhat irresponsible philanderer. It was her mother who centered the family and who always sought a better life for all of her children. When an irrevocable break occurred between her parents, her mother moved to New York during the nineteen sixties, eventually settling with her seven children in the mean streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn in New York City.
   
   The author details her life's journey from rural Puerto Rico to Brooklyn. The author was transplanted to Brooklyn at the age of thirteen, and her description of her life in Brooklyn is every bit as interesting as that of her life in Puerto Rico. Her oftentimes bewildering transition from her native, Spanish speaking Puerto Rico to an English speaking environment is engagingly chronicled. The author takes the reader on her journey through Brooklyn's public school system to the prestigious High School of Performing Arts, where she graduated and went on to attend Harvard University on a scholarship.
   
   This coming of age memoir is so engagingly written that I was left with the desire of wanting to know more about the life of this remarkable woman. I was also very taken with her writing style. So, I went ahead and bought every book that this author has ever written and look forward to reading each and every one.



3. I bought this book at a fair. There was a "Spanish Only" book stand and I started a conversation with the lady about how homesick I was and she said this is what I needed to read. I'm a younger generation, but I loved it because my Grandmother was not from the city so I read a lof of things that reminded me of her. But there were even some expressions and cultural aspects that have obviously remained the same. The book was extremely interesting and I cried and laughed (and I tend to read in public so I got a couple of weird looks). It really hits home and gives a very accurate view of life in "el campo" in Puerto Rico during the times of depression, but does it in a way that still allows you to notice the beauty of our culture, our people. I am reading the sequel right now and already ordered the last of the three. She's an amazing narrator. Enjoy!
   
   [...]



4. este libro esta escrito en una sinplesa que cualquiera lo puede leer lo que esta muy bien, me gusto mucho este libro lo compre en espanol y lo lei en una semana, me parecio un libro muy entretenido y lo recomiendo



5. I give 5 stars, not because I was necessarily challenged in weighty intellectual "profundities" (as one of the critics above states), but simply because the quality of story-telling (at least in the Spanish version) is insurpassable. I was able to see right into the heart of Esmeralda's thinking. She was almost always eloquent beyond her years; at first I thought that this wasn't accurate for a girl of her age; but in retrospect, I think that the author knew this beforehand and realizes that her character is indeed representative of the many children or tíneyers who are absolutely brilliant but are perceived to be not so bright because of a spoken language. I would like to find out if this was a subtility that she wanted to communicate.
   With that said, my favorite aspect of Esmeralda's eloquent subtilities is her honest, authentic anger towards haughty and egotistical people. I believe that E. Santiago was intending also to disfrazel the machista haughtiness that existed in Po'rico. I wanted to reach into the story and punch her Papi in the face. What a pig! I grieves me to think that such a man really existed! Another thing, the move to New York, wonderfully contrasted with Macún - and the innocence of perceiving the jews, italians and blacks throught the eyes of a sweet girl with no prejudices - a brilliant girl indeed! How was she able to dislodge herself from all of the enticements of having prejudices so quickly formed? The best part of the entire novel - a definite tear-jerker - is the rapid dénouement punched at me (the first sentence of the epilogue). I didn't expect it; it had sort of a Great Expectations twist there at the end; if there were ever a movie based on this story, I think that that would be the brilliant finish of the story. The human spirit inside of each of us hopes and believes: "Un día de estos, un día de estos." We all relate so well with Esmeralda that I strongly suggest that this book be included in ethnic-american/hispanoamerican classes and reading circles. This is a must. It's already been successful at Pittsburg State University (KS) with Greg Brown and Dr. Edmée Fernández; try it.

5 comments about The Pleasure's All Mine: Memoir of a Professional Submissive.

1. Though the author seems to wield the background, humility and mindset to deliver the goods, this one stumbles straight out of the gate. Sadly, there isn't even enough titillating material to craft a decent Penthouse Letter. In sum, to go from "Carrie's Story" to "Pleasure's All Mine" is to slouch from wicked black leather to a plaid settee covered in plastic.



2. A well written book and it was a fast read. Here is the the problem I had with this book... she presents herself as a submissive for hire/professional submissive in the summery and in the book it reads more like a woman in search of a husband/Master. She lacks the objectivity to do the job, falling in love with her clients, feeling depressed when they don't stay longer than what they have contracted her for. As disappointing a story as The Puppy Papers but better written.



3. There is nothing I can say about this book that will improve it. It is a memoir and shouldn't be viewed as anything but that. One cannot learn the lifestyle from this book.



4. A page turner. I couldn't put it down. If you are looking for a graphic description of etreem sex this book isn't for you. The author does, however, skillfully reveal to the reader her hopes, fears and vulnerablilities as she pursues her career as a professional sub. Erotic enough to keep my attention, and then some. A great book for a nervous partner to read.



5. When does a person go from asking why to why not? In a way, that is what Joan Kelly asks through out this memoir of her professional submission. At first, I wasn't so sure I liked Joan Kelly; she came across as aloof and subdued but then she is a submissive. Of course, you realize that she does have a strong will and certainly many personal opinions. I still don't know if I like her but I am most certainly intrigued by her.
   
   "The Memoir of a Professional Submissive" begins with Joan's search to fulfill her desire to submit by attending a BDSM club demonstration. Unlike some, Joan already knows she needs to pursue a submissive role to gain sexual gratification. She's seeking out her fulfillment unsure how to go about it. After stumbling through a few awkward situations she finally ends up at a commercial dungeon for BDSM as a professional submissive. Joan Kelly grants us the privilege of sharing in her journey as a professional submissive. You might not like the journey she takes or the situations she puts herself in but you will certainly be compelled to read each page with pensive interest.
   
   Joan Kelly writes of her journey with wonderful ease and a tempered pace that lends itself nicely to the gradual penetration in to the lifestyle of a professional submissive. This is not some pumped up porn fantasy but a small opening into an alternative lifestyle one woman takes to feel gratification and pay the rent. You can't help feel that this woman was no victim of circumstance but an explorer of self, which brings us back to the question of why or why not. Some of the actions in this book goes beyond what is accepted by the majority and at the same time you read it and societies morality isn't all that important to the discovery of self.
   
   I felt a lot of emotion reading this book. Joan Kelly emblazons her every whim, care, opinion, and most of all her vulnerability into the pages of her memoir. There is a casualness to her writing that lends itself to an intimacy that is rare and delightful.
   
   girldiver:)

5 comments about North of Ithaka: A Granddaughter Returns to Greece and Discovers Her Roots.

1. I had high hopes for this book in view of the rich experiences of Nicholas Gage and his two fine books so worthy of that experience. Sadly, this book struck me as superficial and, as often happens these days in writers who drawing on personal experience, narcissistic. I gave the book a chance, but really had to stop before I was half finished.
   
   It's not enough to be a good writer; you need to have a mature sensibility and not leave the impression that you've spent too much of your life shopping. Disclosure: I am of Greek descent and we need more worthy attention to be paid to Greece in the modern era, books like those by Miller and Patrick Leigh Fermor are an antidote to this one.



2. As a Greek-American, I've been looking for a memoir about the Greek-American experience that I could identify with. Over the past few years, I've read several memoir-style books, but none really hit home...until now. Even thought my family is not from Epiros, I did not grow up in Massachusetts, and my family did not have such a traumatic post-WWII experience, I could totally identify with Eleni Gage's story of straddling two countries and exploring the duality of her persona. This struggle to "fit in" in both Greece and America is something that I have dealt with and am continuing to deal with, and Eleni is able to describe the emotions and process more eloquently than I ever could!
   
   Eleni's elegant prose makes this book easy to read, and I especially enjoyed the sprinkling of folk lore and traditions that she included. By the end, I wanted to read more, to find out what happened afterwards...always a sign of a great book!
   
   I will recommend this book to all my friends, Greek and non-Greek alike! Bravo, Eleni!



3. This book is a rare treat.
   
   I loved reading it - I was mesmerized by it and during this snowed-in weekend when I read it, I was transported to Lia, where I lived under its magnificent sky with the changing sunset colors (enjoyed from the vernada of the Haidis house); observed up close the house reconstruction project; and came to know an entire village, feeling if not a Liotan myslef, at least like a frequent visitor.
   
   What also springs out of the book, perhaps more than Lia and its people, is the author herself: nice, smart, mature, perceptive and talented.
   
   And a note to her father: you're a great author but she is at least as good a writer as you, not to say better. So please give up the comparisons with her at the Thanksgiving table, there are genetics out there and there is also evolution -- and she has both aplenty. I'm sure you glow with justified pride having her as a daughter. Anyone would!
   
   Bottom Line: A SUPERB BOOK - NOT TO BE MISSED!



4. The star is still her grandmother, Eleni, killed during the Greek Civil War for trying to save her children. In a word, it's the story of Eleni returning to Lia, the family village, to remember her grandmother close up and rebuild the family house. Without the memory of reading ELENI by her father, Nick Gage, I would never have read or understood NORTH OF ITHAKA. So that's the review: first read Nick's book about his mother, most likely the most riveting and compelling of my 55 year reading career. You should read ELENI, and you must have to understand NORTH OF ITHAKA.



5. As a half-Greek American, I was moved when reading "Eleni" and "A Time For Us," two books by Eleni Gage's Dad (Nicholas Gage) that detail the atrocities committed against her family during the Greek civil war, which was fought immediately post-World-War-2. Eleni's grandmother (also named Eleni) was ultimately murdered by the communists who were trying to take control over Greece during that war (thank God they did not win) -- she was executed for the crime of helping her children to escape war-torn Greece and ultimately to emigrate to America. "North of Ithaka" is a timely follow-up to this family's story.
   
   Eleni recounts leaving her lucrative job in New York City (around the 2001-2002 timeframe) to move to her family's remote village of Lia, in the province of Epiros in northwestern Greece. There, with financial backing from her Dad, she undertakes rebuilding her grandmother (and namesake) Eleni's home, which was used as a prison during the Greek civil war and had fallen into disrepair over the years.
   
   This book illustrates how even small village life can hold love and meaning to modern, cosmopolitan Americans. I do recommend reading her Dad Nicholas's book "Eleni" before reading "North of Ithaka," since many events discussed in "North of Ithaka" relate to the story of her grandmother's murder, to her family's hardships in Greece, and to their eventual emigration to America. However, it is not essential to read "Eleni" prior to reading this book.
   
   As a bonus, there is a collection of traditional Greek recipes at the end of the book. I bought a briki (Greek coffee pot) and now make 1-2 cups of traditional Greek coffee every day! As Eleni mentions, we call this coffee Greek, never Turkish.

5 comments about River of No Return: Tennessee Ernie Ford and the Woman He Loved.

1. I really enjoyed this book. The author, Jeffrey Buckner Ford (his son) gave a very thoughtful and insightful history of Tennessee Ernie Ford's life and how it affected him. I have to admit that I never knew that Mr. Ford and his wife had such struggles with alcohol, or that Mrs. Ford died the way she did. I also was not aware of the family issues after he re-married. Tennessee Ernie Ford has always been a favorite of mine, and even though his life was troubled, he was still a great entertainer and a great man. He left a wonderful legacy for his sons and his fans. It's also nice to read a heartfelt story written by his son without bitterness or hate. You can tell his son loved him very much and will always have fond memories of his dad. I would highly recommend reading this book if you are interested to learn more about this wonderful human being. I was just sorry that Mr. Ford was not able to find the peace he had seeked before he crossed over. Stories like this are a testament that celebrities are people just like everyone else. Thank you for writing such a sensitive story.



2. The Tennessee Ford Shows were regular viewing events around our home when I was growing up (the day time shows and the history making night time show) in smalltown Circleville, Ohio. Ernie's shows represented the tops in tasteful entertainment for the entire family...and we especially enjoyed the courage it took for him to go against network brass, record executives and sponsors to make it fashionable (and very popular) to sing sacred songs. We were especially excited when family favorite Gisele MacKenzie would make an appearance with Ern (between the daytime and nighttime shows, she appeared four times), and became the only artist other than Ernie to sing the hymn of the week, and even did Ford commercials with Ernie! We only had thoughts of what a happy homelife Mr. Ford must have. How on earth did the dark side of the Ford family remain so covered up for all these years!?? I purchased this revealing book with great caution...I was fearful that I'd be getting another 'parent dearest' type book by a disgruntled relative! The book tells the heartbreaking story of a legend and his family and what booze can do to it and how things can become so ugly and out-of-control, like when Ernie's second wife had the legend's children banned from the superstar's funeral. The image of Ernie lying on air port floors, bleeding and drunk was almost too much for me to imagine or handle, but there it is in all its horrific detail. Although I thought I knew much about Ernie's life, I never dreamed that his 'beloved' first wife, Betty, hadn't died of natural causes. Jeffrey Ford masterfully and tastefull tells the dreadfully exasperating story of a broken family living a lie in the public spotlight...I felt his sons' pain...and I experienced personal pain myself as I tried to reconcile the life of the great entertainer and hymn singer with gory reality, along with Mr. Ford's wondrous achievements that won him a place in The Country Music Hall of Fame. Nothing, not even facing the facts of the real Ernie Ford, his family and life, can take away my grand memories of coming home from school on a daily basis to find my own Mother working in the kitchen and singing along with one of Ernie's dozens of sacred albums. He brought us all so much grand entertainment, personal hope and grand memories, while suffering a living hell of his own. Bless your heart, Ernie Ford, and I wish both your sons a happy life. Thanks, Jeffrey Ford, for a most remarkable and informative book.



3. This book is for anyone who grew up with Tennessee Ernie Ford records spinning on their hi-fi. Thankfully it is not an ugly expose but rather a very candid and honest memoir of the private lives of a family the public thought they probably knew. Unbeknown to the adoring public the Ford family dealt with 16 Tons of pain and torment for many decades. Not only could I not put it down, but I found my thoughts returning to its content for many days after finishing it. I was left with two thoughts.... It should be required reading for every celebrity before they check out of rehab (preferably the first time) and, Buck Ford is clearly as gifted a writer as his father was a singer. I have no doubt that his parents would be incredibly proud of his work.



4. I purchased this book with some apprehension. Tennessee Ernie Ford's performances on TV and recordings were a staple in my home during my childhood. In 1959, when I was ten, I was asked what famous person I would most like to meet. Without hesitation I answered, "Tennessee Ernie Ford." Hearing him sing hymns of faith still moves me deeply. I was troubled to read of the realities he faced, but I truly admire the author's ability to tell the truth and still honor Ernie and Betty Ford. The Tennessee Ernie Ford of my imagination must now make room for the Ernest Ford of reality. This book has transformed my idolizing into true admiration for a man of complexity and talent.



5. Tennessee Ernie Ford was one of the world's most beloved performers - 16 tons of talent who could do it all! In this remarkable book, his son Jeffrey Buckner ("Buck") Ford has written a poignant love letter to his parents, telling their story with unflinching honesty and candor.Their journey together as a family wasn't at all what the world thought it was, showing yet again that life is not always what it seems. The highs, the lows, the joys, and God knows the pains are all here - told in an extremely well-written book that's impossible to put down. I guarantee you'll need some extra Kleenex as you see how the pressures of super-stardom and unbelievable success were too hard to bear and changed them all forever. I can't recommend this book highly enough - truly one of the best books I've ever read!