5 comments about My Emily Dickinson (New Directions Paperbook).

1. I have been pretty much obsessed with Emily Dickinson since 1980, and have enjoyed reading many treatments of her life and her poems, while enduring many other books about her. She is quite a mystery, and shall always remain so, becoming the kind of woman and poet that each generation seems to need. I did not like this author's prose style, which seemed to me to have many sentence fragments and many abrupt transitions which did not seem logical. However, it does contain one of the best meditations on Emily's literary and theological influences, including the preacher Jonathan Edwards, and the Brownings, and the Brontes, and Shakespeare. For that reason, it is worth reading if you care about the Belle of Amherst at all. I found myself drawn to her poetry from high school on, but over the decades, becoming much more fascinated with her life choices and experiences. We will never know for sure how many poems are autobiographical, how many actually describe her take on the experiences of her small but intense social circle, and how many are pure fiction. What an impact she has made on the literary world, by living the life of a fairly affluent New England spinster who did not get out much. That is endlessly fascinating to me. Unfortunately it is not the thrust of this volume. My recommendation is to start with Richard Sewell's huge biography of Emily from the 1970's. It covers the life AND the poetry in a reasonable and accessible manner. Some think Emily a secular nun, some think her a deeply closeted lesbian and/or incest victim, some feel she had many love affairs but was discrete about them. Some think her insane, some believe her to be the sanest of us all. Some find her an early feminist, and others see her as an oppressed woman. This book is one fellow female poet's appreciation of Emily's talents and circumstances. Wait another year and another scholar will present a different view. Emily left us 1,776 poems, give or take a few hidden in the text of letters, and someday there will be 1,776 books about her.



2. This book is not for the faint of intellect. It is a challenging book for most readers, I believe. Ms. Howe takes you on a poetic journey well worth taking.



3. This book does more than just explore Dickinson's life and poetics, although it does that expertly. It falls in line with a tradition of books of poets writing about poets who have intensely figured in their conception of poetry. This is more personal than a biography in that it is a writer's concern with Dickinson's place in history and what she was trying to do with her poetry. Howe does a wonderful job of trying to get into the poems through playing with language. It's a place to meet Dickinson at as she was a lover of games and words.



4. I was tempted to give it a lower score, but that wouldn't be due to its merits; it wouldn't be fair. See, this book is pretty much average. There are dozens of books on Dickinson that are more insightful, balanced, and intelligent--but wherever you meet the adepts of certain poetry schools, you hear things like "This is the best book on Dickinson ever." It's truly remarkable to hear this, since none of these people have ever actually read any other books on Dickinson; they're acolytes of the witless schools of poetry called L=a=n=g=u=a=g=e, which means they exalt their own. Be assured, anyone who gives high praise to this fiercely unexceptional book just doesn't know all the other Dickinson books that are so much more stimulating.



5. This is a serious and personal literary study of Dickinson's work by a scholar and fellow poet who appreciates both the art and the attitude of one of her American literary forebears.

   Howe points out how Dickinson's poetry has been overlooked in light of her character and biography. It seems that in the 19th century, it was remarkable for a woman to be a poet at all, let alone write original, rebellious, and quite modern poetry. Hence, the work itself, though enjoyed by schoolchildren all over America, has been little understood.

   Delving into Dickinson's reading lists, her notes and letters, and analyzing a few poems, Howe explores the workings of an intricate mind. She uncovers connections between Dickinson and the Brownings, the Brontes, and James Fenimore Cooper, and she shows how seemingly submissive, soft spoken poetic lines are actually rebellious and even at times angry. What Howe does not do is confuse the image of "The Belle of Amhearst" with the vital workings of the mind of this remarkable woman.

   This book is an enjoyable read filled with Howe's admiration for her artistic predecessor and written in straightforward language, not literary jargon--a tribute from one poet to another. For anyone who enjoys Emily Dickinson's poetry, it is not to be missed.

5 comments about Everything About Me Is Fake-- And I'm Perfect.

1. This is an autobiographical work in which the self-absorbed author likes to refer to herself as the world's first super model. Well, Suzy Parker, Twiggy, and Jean Shrimpton may well take umbrage at that, as they were super models who preceded Ms. Dickinson. Better looking and classier, they leave this author eating their dust.
   
   This book is mildly amusing, at first, as the author cattily takes jabs at her former lovers, naming names. Let me tell you, Mick Jagger and Sly Stallone do not fare too well in this book. In general, the author talks about men in such a derogatory way that, if men were talking about women in this way, they would be called sexist.
   
   The author routinely engages in trash talk, and some of it is acerbically funny. Yet, so often is it repetitious that it begins to pall on the reader. A more shallow, vain, and self-absorbed woman than the author would be hard to find. It is no wonder that she is unable to have long-term relationships, as she seems so one-dimensional.
   
   Still, her book is a no-holds-barred look at her life and the wacky world of modeling, as well as the lengths one needs to go to stay on top of one's game. There is little enjoyment to be had from this book, and a measure of boredom will eventually seep in, as the author repetitively drones on and on about herself. The book is replete with photographs, which show the author in varying stages of her career, including before and after her breast implants.



2. This book is so good! You either love her or hate her, if you love her, read this book! I love her sarcasim, bold, blunt, funny personality. I loved the first book and I love this one as well. She is not just some obnoxious woman and if you cannot think past that thought and see her as a whole, dont read it. She is so many things and sometimes so honest people hate her for it, i guess hate her for saying all the things we think and you just cant say. If you cant think past it and enjoy her as a person, then this book is not for you. I Stayed up two nights just to read as much as I could and laughed a lot.You can gain insight into her true feelings about modeling, her life, family and so much more.



3. In only the candid, cocky, no holds barred way Janice can she reveals her own personal struggles. Yes, of course, (it's Janice Dickinson) she does take every opportunity to brag about herself too!
   
   Janice starts by telling how she was an awkward teenager and how she clawed her way to supermodeldom. Janice is very frank about how even as she was gracing the covers of "Cosmo" and "Vogue" she was still full of self-doubt. She fought that self-doubt by having plastic surgery, doing drugs and having sorrid affairs. She further tells how the image the industry sells to the average woman is totally unattainable. Unless, of course you're willing to starve yourself and undergo plastic surgery. Even then she tells how many of the photo's of even supermodels are airbrushed. She also says many times that cosmetic surgery isn't an option that everyone should persue and it seems at times she discourages it, even tho she's doing it left and right. Her reasoning from the book is that she is an extreme person, who overdoes everything in her quest for perfection.
   
   Janice also throws in some juicy personal anecdotes about her personal life. Sometimes she gives a little too much information! Among her tales are Mick Jagger, JFK Jr., Donald Trump, Jerry Hall, Sly Stallone and many more. Another plus included throughout the book, are several pages of photos from Janice's career and her personal life.
   
   Also, she tells her readers of yoga tips, beauty tips, fitness tips and nutritional advice. She offers the reader lots of straight advice on how to feel and look their best on their own terms. I liked the tips on skin care using household items in everyone's pantry. I've tried them and they certainly work.
   
   The latter chapters of the book are Janice's best. In these she shows her softer side. She writes like she knows she shouldn't be so obsessed with tring to find perfection with surgery, but she says she will continue. Still, she says to other women- don't be so hard on yourselves, that true happiness comes from within.
   
   Overall, this is a fun, fast and at times insightful read from an over-the-top lady, who isn't afraid to let it all out. Tho, as other readers stated she does overdo the four letter words, her sexual life info, and she does contradict herself by being so hard on herself and other women as well. Tho, if you like Janice- the good, the bad & the ugly- you'll probably enjoy this book.



4. Book came brand new as described & the present was a hit for the birthday girl.
   Seller highly recommended



5. This woman is a joke. No talent. I know her personally and she didn't even write this book.

5 comments about The Honest Courtesan: Veronica Franco, Citizen and Writer in Sixteenth-Century Venice (Women in Culture and Society Series).

1. I was hoping to find out about the remarkable life of Veronica Franco but instead was pummeled with quotes, references, repetition, and a string of Italian phrases. There's no doubt that this book is Rosenthal's dissertation. Hopefully one day it will be edited and condensed to 1/5 of its size.



2. Unfortunately I bought this book hoping that it would uncover more historical data and the actual works of Veronica Franco translated by a scholar in the field.
   That was not the case.
   The author used her college dissertation to make a book on a very important aspect of history when her dissertation would have been best served if it stayed at her college.
   The author takes liberty to interpret Ms. Franco's works and for the reader it is a logistical nightmare. She first gives her statement as if fact at times which makes the facts (Veronica's actual works) seem secondary. Then she would have the Italian verse, followed by a translation.
   Wow! do I feel very side tracked here.
   I wouldn't even accept this for a dissertation!
   Sorry, it doesn't work out in terms of literary flow, factual data or interesting storyline.



3. After seeing "Dangerous Beauty" I became curious about the distinctive life style of Renaissance Venice, and hoped to learn a lot more. This book was just a bit too dry and scholarly for casual reading. A great deal of space is used for both the Italian and English translations, which must be interesting to some readers. Although Veronica comes across as intelligent, determined and brave, I would have wished to know more about her and her society in terms of food, clothing, houses, daily activities, etc. Perhaps not enough is known about Veronica herself, but I would hope that a gifted author somewhere could make her story into a novel and breathe some warmth and life into her legend.



4. This book is a must read if you're interested in 16th century Venice, Veronica Franco, or the world of the famous Venetian courtesans. It's also an EXTREMELY dry read. The book is quite obviously a doctoral dissertation, and could have used an edit to made it more accessible (something more along the lines of Stephen Ozment's books). I'm glad I read it. I tracked it down because I wanted to see just how accurate the movie Dangerous Beauty--which is LOOSELY based on this book--was. The answer is: Not very. Oh well. For those of a scholarly bent, this is a great resource book, for those looking for a light, romantic read (a la the movie) look elsewhere.



5. I greatly enjoyed this book, but I found that wading through 16th century Venetian dialect was difficult. If you are looking for an entertaining story biography, look elsewhere, but if you want a dissertation-style biography, you will enjoy this, as I did.

5 comments about One Writer's Beginnings (The William E. Massey Sr. Lectures in the History of American Civilization).

1. I just recently read this again--each time it grows on me even more. It's a deceptively simple memoir that grows more complex in its structure and style with each re-reading. It's subjective memory at its best, and W's style is just a joy. I'm just back from Jackson, the best place to go after reading the book.



2. I spent my vacation absorbing this book. I had heard of Eudora Welty, but this was my first opportunity to read her writing. I sat in Kentucky, listened to the cicadas singing, and read the words of Miss. Welty. Glorious!



3. "Listening," "Learning to See" and "Finding a Voice," Eudora Welty entitled the three chapters of her autobiography "One Writer's Beginnings." And while these may be steps that most writers will undergo at some point, Welty's compact memoir is notable both because it allows a rare glimpse into the celebrated writer's otherwise fiercely protected private life and it illustrates the roots from which sprang such extraordinary protagonists as "The Ponder Heart"'s Edna Earle and Daniel Ponder, Miss Eckhart and the Morgana families in "The Golden Apples" and, of course, the anti-heroes of her Pulitzer Prize winning novel "The Optimist's Daughter," Judge McKelva, his second wife Fay and (most importantly) his daughter Laurel.
   
   A native and -- with minimal exceptions -- lifelong resident of Jackson, Mississippi, Welty received her first introduction to storytelling as a listener; and early on, learned to sharpen her ears not only to a story's contents but also to its narrator and its protagonists' individual nature: "[T]here [never was] a line read that I didn't hear," and "any room ... at any time of day, was there to read in, or to be read to," she notes in "One Writer's Beginnings," adding that the discovery that all those stories had been written by someone, not come into existence of their own, not only surprised but also severely disappointed her. Equally importantly, family visits to relatives brought out the born observer in her; each trip providing its own lessons and revelations, each a story onto itself -- the seed from which later grew her manifold unforgettable literary creations. At the same time, her father's interest in technology introduced her to photography as a means of capturing visual impressions, one moment at a time; and when traveling around Mississippi as an agent for a state agency (her first job) she learned to use that camera as "a hand-held auxiliary of wanting-to-know" and discovered that "to be able to capture transience, by being ready to click the shutter at the crucial moment, was [then] the greatest need I had." Not surprisingly, her photography was published in several collections which have found much acclaim in their own right.
   
   Thus, from early childhood on, Eudora Welty not only had a keen sense of the world around her but also, of words as such: of their existence as much as the interrelation between their sound, physical appearance and the things they stand for. Encouraged by her mother, a teacher, and over her father's worries (he considered fiction writing an occupation of dubitable financial promise and, worse, inferior to fact because it was "not true"), Welty embarked on a writer's path which would lead her to award-winning heights and to a reputation as one of the South's finest writers, with as abounding as obvious comparisons to fellow Mississippian William Faulkner in particular; a literary debt she acknowledged when she wrote that "his work, though it can't increase in itself, increases us" and "[w]hat is written in the South from now on is going to be taken into account by Faulkner's work" ("Must the Novelist Crusade?", 1965).
   
   An approach that Welty herself developed early on was to consider the publication of her short stories in periodicals merely a step towards each story's final shape, and she generally revised her stories before including them in their various collections. -- Not only a keen observer, she was also a writer endowed with a sharp sense of humor and satire, and with the gift to brilliantly use location, localisms, accents, patterns of speech and customs to make a point.
   
   Yet, "[t]here is no explanation outside fiction for what its writer is learning to do," Eudora Welty maintained in "Writing and Analyzing a Story;" explaining that each story references only the writer's vision at the moment of the creation of that very story, and the creative process itself: nothing that can be "mapped and plotted" but a product taking shape within the process of its creation as such, thus giving each story a unique identity of its own. And considering her reluctance to comment on, or to explain her own fiction writing, the insights into that creative process's origins she allowed her readers in "One Writer's Beginnings" are all the more to be treasured.
   
   Also recommended:
   Eudora Welty : Stories, Essays & Memoir (Library of America, 102)
   Eudora Welty : Complete Novels: The Robber Bridegroom, Delta Wedding, The Ponder Heart, Losing Battles, The Optimist's Daughter (Library of America)
   Flannery O'Connor : Collected Works : Wise Blood / A Good Man Is Hard to Find / The Violent Bear It Away / Everything that Rises Must Converge / Essays & Letters (Library of America)
   The Heart is a Lonely Hunter/Reflections in a Golden Eye/The Ballad of the Sad Cafe/The Member of the Wedding/The Clock Without Hands (Library of America)
   To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Perennial Modern Classics)
   To Kill a Mockingbird (Universal Legacy Series)



4. For someone like myself, who is fascinated by the writing process, there is no book I value more than this book by Eudora Welty. The book, beautifully illustrated with family photographs, consists of three lectures delivered by Miss Welty at Harvard University in April 1983. A paragraph written by Miss Welty and inserted at the beginning of the book, in my view, perfectly illustrates the eloquence and subtleties of biography:
   
   "When I was young enough to still spend a long time buttoning my shoes in the morning, I'd listen toward the hall: Daddy upstairs was shaving in the bathroom and Mother downstairs was frying the bacon. They would begin whistling back and forth to each other up and down the stairwell. My father would whistle his phrase, my mother would try to whistle, then hum hers back. It was their duet. I drew my buttonhook in and out and listened to it - I knew it was 'The Merry Widow.' The difference was, their song almost floated with laughter: how different from the record, which growled from the beginning, as if the Victrola were only slowly being wound up. They kept it running between them, up and down the stairs where I was now just about ready to run clattering down and show them my shoes."
   
   One Writer's Beginnings is divided into three sections, representing the three individual lectures: Listening, Learning to See, and Finding a Voice. As I read "Listening," I felt another good title for it would be "Observing." Miss Welty knows her two parents as, I believe, few children know their parents. Her acute powers of observation--the differences and similarities between these two important people in her life, their separate tastes and talents, the daily habits of their household--are insightful and fascinating to read. This section makes clear how reading and being read to were as regular a ritual in her life as eating three meals a day. I love her observation that "It had been startling and disappointing to me to find out that story books had been written by people, that books were not natural wonders, coming up of themselves like grass." The author's observations about her life and the people around her are both sensitive and incisive. I quickly realized her reason for calling this chapter "Listening." She does not merely take in the literal content of words. Since childhood, apparently, she heard the cadences of words and the less obvious message of their inner meanings. This has been a particularly helpful revelation for me. With my strict German background, I tend to respond literally to what I hear and see, to what I read and write. Even journalism today does not limit itself to mere reporting, and I gained enormously from reading Miss Welty describe this aspect of her writing. What she does so well is to convey her own feelings inherent in words rather than merely their factual content. In short, she trusts what she hears, she trusts her inner voice that listens... and this is the source of all her writing.
   
   Thus, it is not surprising to learn that Miss Welty was unable to feel comfortable with organized religion, that her reverence for the holiness and mystery of life was found in the great churches she visited and her contemplation of the King James Version of the Bible with its beginning offering: "In the beginning was the Word."
   
   In the section "Learning to See," Miss Welty describes her love of traveling--road trips in the car for shopping sprees, to visit grandparents. She writes of how Ohio (where her father grew up) had her father "around the heart" as her mother adored West Virginia from whence she came...before her parents settled in Jackson, Mississippi, where Miss Welty lived her entire life. She observes and gives examples illustrating that her father, the optimist, was the one prepared for the worst, and her mother, the pessimist, was the daredevil. How many children see their parents that clearly? In this chapter, we learn a bit about the personalities of Miss Welty's grandparents. Her observations are replete with her love of them...not merely factual recountings of their backgrounds.
   
   Perhaps it is here that another of Miss Welty's distinctions lies--her love of the people about whom she writes. Her love and respect for them is as plain between the lines as it is in the words she uses to define herself and her family in this revealing biography. My heart opens as I read her memories on the page, so filled with love are they.
   
   It is clear I love every page of this small book, but I confess that my favorite chapter is the last one--"Finding a Voice." I love it best perhaps because it tells of one particular rail trip Miss Welty took with her father and reveals how the support for her becoming a writer came from her mother. She shares her feelings about her college experience, her discovery of poetry, and a host of helpful comments to do with her writing. I love that she writes: "I was always my own teacher." She shares her belief that a writer should remain "invisble," not "effaced" but invisible. A good example of this is her description of a soldier who had unexpectedly stepped off a halted train and was walking across a field into the distance. Rather than describe what she felt in watching him disappear, Miss Welty writes from the soldier's point of view: "...I felt us going out of sight for him, diminishing and soon to be forgotten." Another helpful reminder for me was her discovery that "...all begins with the particular, never the general."
   
   There is too much of value in this book for any review to convey it adequately. However, I cannot end before quoting her last brief paragraph: "...I am a writer who came of a sheltered life. A sheltered life can be a daring life as well. For all serious daring starts from within."
   
   There could be no better ending to this treasure of a book.
   
   by Duffie Bart
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   reviewing books by, for, and about women



5. I was assigned this book twice in college, when it first came out, and I still don't know why. It's a very nice memoir of growing up in the south, but there's little that has to do with actual writing. The same can be said for a documentary I saw of the same title - Welty is a very intelligent and charming lady, and the book and documentary tell a good deal about her early life, but that's about it.
   
   If you wish to learn how someone actually became a writer, and all the challenges of living such a life, you'd be much more rewarded by Somerset Maugham's "The Summing Up," Louis L'Amour's "Autobiography of a Wandering Man," the letters of Keats, Irving Stone's biography of Jack London, and "Women Writers at Work," in which there's a twenty-two page interview with Welty. (In fact, you can find it in the Interview archives of the Paris Review website.)
   
   So again, nothing against the author or this book as a memoir, and if you love her stories, then definitely go for it, but if you're thinking of assigning it for a writing class, or simply looking to see how someone became a writer, there are better books to learn from.

5 comments about Baby Love.

1. As a mother of a child who spent his first ten days of life in the NICU of a hospital, reading another mothers journey to have her baby was such a blessing. Through all the questions before the baby is born , to the saddness over her relationship with her mother, to the birth and hospitalization of her beautiful boy, we watch a warrior formed before our very eyes. Its an important book for mothers, and especially single mothers, where sometimes the lonliness of our job can be overwhelming. It is in Baby Love that we find out, single or not, all first time mothers are in the same boat. I am buying it for all of my friends. Walker's book makes me feel powerful. It made me feel like a member of a very strong army of mothers.



2. I love this book. It gives a very interesting view of conception, pregnancy and all the worries and wonders that are involved.
   came on time.



3. I loved this book. As a woman of about the same age having a child at the same time of year, reading BABY LOVE was for me like reading my own story at times.
   
   Like Anne Lamott's OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS, BABY LOVE traces an independent woman's choice to bring a child into a frightening world, defying that very world with hope against realism. However, there's another aspect that figures prominently, one that I'm certain many women experience but rarely acknowledge to themselves, or at the very least to any beyond their own close circle: the baggage of becoming a mother after a difficult childhood themselves. Raised by mothers who came of age in the 1960s--the first generation to fully, clearly focus on the repercussions of family over freedom, obligation over instinct--Walker examines her choice to even want to start a family, and weighs her experience against her own mother's input. If nothing else, we children of those women have learned what NOT to do to the next generation.
   
   Surrounded by a devoted circle of friends and enveloped in warmth, Walker and her partner enlarge their chosen tribe, and in doing so draw us in. Readers who find the telling 'narcissistic,' I'm afraid, are missing the point; it is absolutely true that you must love yourself before you love another, and sometimes it takes tremendous self-examination to bring forth that rawest, barest emotional place to make that home for a person sharing a space that's more intimate than a heart.
   
   BABY LOVE is honest, funny, cathartic, intimate and REAL. And, like childbirth itself, its touch can be brutal at times. But choose to read it, and be enriched.



4. Rebecca Walker's _Baby Love_ is a fine articulation of the process a third wave feminist must undergo in her decision to have a child. Ms. Walker's honesty and mystification are akin to the feelings reflected in Peggy Orenstein's _Waiting for Daisy_. Her economic skepticism is echoed by Nan Mooney in _Not Keeping Up With Our Parents: The Decline of the Professional Middle Class_. Her ginger approach to coupling her existing identity with that of 'parent' is as intense as Judith Warner's _Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety_. A wonderful, contemporary read for women contemplating family life - and their mothers.
   Cheers!



5. Narcissistic? She's writing a book about her experiences. I think honest is a better word. Being a mom over 35 myself, I related to much of Ms. Walker's experience with being a first time mom. Though I don't share all of her views, I do appreciate her honesty. Pregnancy wasn't easy for me and though I wanted a baby more than anything at the time, I can't say that I enjoyed being pregnant. I do not share Ms. Walker's view on non-biological children, but I understand how it is to love your biological child so much, it blinds you from pretty much any other kind of love. I do have friends who have adopted and I see as much love in their eyes for their children as I have for mine. Maybe it is different for those who have had both a biological child and a child from another relationship. I really don't understand why so many people were so harsh with their reviews of this book. I really enjoyed it and would have given her more stars if it were possible. I look forward to reading much more from Rebecca Walker!

5 comments about Not Even My Name: A True Story.

1. What an amazing story!! I would recommend it to all my friends.
   
   This is the first book I read on this subject matter.
   
   It was a very emotional read for me as my paternal ancestors are from this part of the world, and they themselves lived through the same hell.
   
   What a strong and amazing woman Sano Halo is!!
   
   Too bad the human race doesn't learn from these tragic events, or doesn't care to.



2. Extremely well written and oh so true! Many of us heard these stories from your yiayias (grandmothers) and/or mothers who experienced the exile of Greeks from Turkey. Women, desparate for a better life, would willingly marry whoever to get out of the turmoil and economic depression of their countries. Well worth the read.



3. This poignant memoir written in such astonishing detail is an unforgettable story that will capture the reader from the start. Sano is like a small but sturdy flower growing in the most unlikely and least advantageous of garden spots. In her we see goodness and love survive heart rending loss and the cruel displacement of senseless war. I could not put the book down once I began to read it.



4. This is not a book to read if you want to be cheered up, yet I will never forget the story. I wept off and on reading of the author's mother's experience on the death march. I have traveled to Greece and Turkey twice yet had no knowledge of the genocide of the Pontic Greeks. I thank the author for the courage to live through her mother's amazing journey as she told her unforgettable story.



5. I am also of Pontic Greek and Assyrian origin. Even though our lands were taken away, our people still exist, we still maintain our language, and the gospel is still spreading which is a blessing. I am glad to see someone wrote a book on the Greek/Assyrian/Armenian Genocide. The Turks tortured and massacred millions of Greeks, Assyrians and Armenians. I am happy to see you raise more public awareness about this. I pray for the Greeks, Assyrians and Armenians still living in Asia Minor that deal with constant persecution for their Christian faith. Great Book Thea!

5 comments about On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker (Lisa Drew Books).

1. This a wonderfully written biography on Madam C.J. Walker's life. I felt uplifted and inspired by her success as a business woman, as a human rights activist and as a philanthropist. A'Lelia Bundles, Madam Walker's great-great granddaughter, did an excellent job of transporting readers to 1867-1919 to experience the politicial, social and economical issues during Madam Walker's life time.
   
   A'Lelia Bundles was very clear and truthful regarding the fact that Madam Walker did not invent the hot comb. Madam Walker's business provided hair and skin care products to women of color not only in the U.S., also to women in the Caribbean and in Cuba. It is my strong opinion that Madam Walker was one of the first people to develop the concept of self-empowerment and financial independence for women of color because she provided the opportunity to become a Walker sales agent to thousands of women across the U.S. Madam C.J. Walker's work as a human rights activist and her contributions as a philanthropist, impacted a countless number of institutions, organizations and individuals. On Her Own Ground is powerful, moving, enlighting and it is filled with courage!



2. Before I read this book, I knew Madam C.J. Walker must have been one tough cookie! And she certainly was. But her story is more than just "daughter of slaves makes good."
   
   Madam Walker was orphaned at 7, and went to live with her sister and brother-in-law in what was apparently an abusive household. She married at 14 to escape the situation and, at 20, was left a widow, with a child to support. Leaving Mississippi for St. Louis, she began an extraordinary journey, one that would lead her not merely to wealth and fame, but to a position of influence and importance in the affairs of her race and her nation. She overcame obstacles of race, gender and class to found a business that would help give independence and financial stability to thousands of women. From the very beginning of her success, she used her money to help others, not merely through employment, but by setting an example of charitable giving that lasted throughout her life.
   
   As a woman rising from poverty, attempting to establish herself as a leader, she often met with resistance even in her own community (it took quite some time, for instance, for Booker T. Washington to acknowledge her as a leading businesswoman). But she persisted, and, even more to her credit, was able to walk a fine line between the supporters of Washington and those of W.E.B. DuBois, who took Washington to task as not aggressive enough in fighting for civil rights.
   
   I was fascinated by the section discussing Madam Walker's involvement in the efforts of the African-American community to have the issue of race placed on the table at the Versailles Peace Conference after World War I. This was a part of our history that I had not been aware of before reading this book. It does not surprise me that the government was spying on prominent African - Americans and community organizations (plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose!). And anyone, black or white, whom the government perceived as not being completely behind the official point of view was denied a passport to travel to the conference. The issue never came to the table.
   
   Unfortunately, as with a lot of strong, determined women, Madam Walker was not as successful in her choice of men (a difficulty her daughter also had!). But she did not hesitate to do what needed to be done in her personal life. Her daughter, Lelia (later A'Lelia), whom she raised with the usual mother-daughter conflicts, grew up to become an important part of the family business, though not an artist in any field herself, a key supporter of artists of the Harlem Renaissance.
   
   The author, A'Lelia Bundles, is her subject's great-great-great-granddaughter, and is a journalist. Her experience in that field surely was a major factor in the quality of this book. The woman knows research and documentation! She has provided endnotes, as well as a lengthy bibliography. Madam Walker is fortunate in her biographer and Ms. Bundles is fortunate in her ancestors!



3. Mrs. Bundles,
   I just wanted to let you know, I got an 'A' for my presentation on your great- great grandmother. My teacher told me that my speech was on a 2nd year speech class level and that I was like a piece of brass, I just needed some fine polishing. I may have a future in motivational speaking and I just had to thank you. The information in your book was not only factual and informative, but interesting to me as well as my mother and sisters. Our family history could be parallel to yours, except we have yet to find the key to financial success, but we will.
   I have fully enjoyed your book and reading what you yourself have been able to accomplish has been an added inspiration to me.
   Thank you for your time in guiding me to my 'A'



4. The author tells the amazing rags to riches story of her great great grandmother, while at the same time providing a detailed account of a fascinating time in American history. This was a delight to read. Highly recommended!



5. This book helps you to appreciate our past generations and how their struggles were not that different from our own. Madam CJ Walker is more than a shinning example of what anyone with determination can accomplish. A'Lelia Bundles is truly blessed that her great-grandmother and grandmother left so much documentation her to quench her love of family history. The experiences and stories of those that knew them take you back in time. This book helped me to look at my grandmother's antiques differently. I used to view them as beautiful things I have grown up with and am comforted by, but now I realize that they hold the key to what I may have been searching for all of my life. Just as she was drawn to the her grandmother's dressing table so was I. We are blessed as black women to have such a rich heritage to share. A'Lelia carries with her the dignity and pride of her family that I wish all of our young people could express. I think reading this book will help everyone to look to their past in a quest for the future.

3 comments about Mary's Voyage.

1. Desperate Voyage by John Caldwell is a terrific book, and his widow Mary deserved no less. Sadly, due to her advanced age, she has entrusted her tale to "Dr." Matthew Douglas, my current choice for the most inept author on the planet. Grammar errors. Horrific sentences. Even has her on the wrong boat at one point. As a fan who has spoken with Mary and son Johnnie to convey my respects, this book is an especially sad end to a memorable saga.



2. Circling around the world is a feat in itself, doing it with your entire family is an adventure. "Mary's Voyage: The Adventures of John and Mary Caldwell" tells of the Caldwell family and how they began their long journey around the globe. Starting in California, Mary pregnant, one of their own was born during the trip to join their toddler and infant son to their crew. Facing the long sailing trip and the wrath of nature, "Mary's Voyage" is a true life adventure sure to please fans of unusual feats by common people.



3. a truely daring and adventereous read... not to mention humerous,
   I enjoyed every page of this book and envied the great life they endured!

5 comments about Composing a Life.

1. I really wanted to love this book. It came highly recommended. The first 15 pages were great--I thought this would be a seminal read. But then things took a nosedive. Ultimately, this book felt to me like a self-indulgent intellectual ramble, and excuse for author to vent her bitterness toward Amherst College and get even by airing her story. (Which she has every right to do, but I thought I was reading a different book.) In the end, my only takeaway is that wearing multiple hats, perhaps in succession, can be a positive thing. I still don't understand what the plight of the homeless has to do with figurative improvisation. Perhaps I'm just not smart enough to appreciate the nuances--but I definitely didn't. Original? Yes. Uplifting/inspiring? Nope. I really tried!



2. I agree with the previous reviewers that mentioned the scope of the book is narrow focused, in that it certainly deals with the life of 5 successful women all middle to upper class. Still, if you are in the situation of dealing with multiple tasks at the same time - and so many women nowadays are, independent of the country where they live or how they came into it - this book is really helpful in giving a different and flexible approach to the way we ought to view our career and marriage choices, and what not to think when faced with adversity.
   The novelty for me (and the help in it) was the author's approach in the fluidity of our choices, and how deleterious the idea that we should always be doing the same thing (job, marriages, etc.) might be. The main point of the book is that change and fluidity are the normal standards for a succesfull and fulfilling life in the 20 (21) century, and how the idea of always doing the same thing for the rest of one's life is generally doomed to failure. So, the author focuses on the changes these women have made to come to terms with their (very succesfull)lifes. Very interesting read.



3. This book was, I'm sure, timely 20 years ago, but you will struggle to get anything out of it this day in age. Plus, the author states in the introduction that she is not bitter about her time at Amherst, but the text of the book makes her seem extremely bitter.



4. This book examines the lives of five of the author's friends, all highly educated, high-achieveing women from the East Coast who went through the normal ups and downs of life that the rest of us share. It is well written, but the focus is so tight--how many of us get entangled with academic politics at elite Eastern colleges?--that is tells more about the writer and her choice of similar friends than about the rest of us. It does a fine job of focusing on issues of gender and race of 20 years ago.



5. How refreshing - a book about 5 entrepreneurial women who had 'normal' lives - marriages, children, divorce, earning an advanced degree in their 40's! This is real life - and each of the stars in this book invited life to get in the way rather than lamenting how life's events prohibited achievement of dreams, goals and aspirations.
   
   A great read for every woman contemplating her future!
   
   Susan Bock
   Business Coach
   Susan Bock Solutions
   [...]

4 comments about Sweet Mandarin: The Courageous True Story of Three Generations of Chinese Women and Their Journey from East to West.

1. For Lily Kwok the world did not seem to offer much hope. In addition to being a female in a male-dominated society, she was also born into a severely poverty stricken village in rural China. In 1918, there didn't seem to be much of a chance for a different life. SWEET MANDARIN is the story of how three generations of women, beginning with Lily, made their way out of the oppressive confines of culture and poverty to become successful businesswomen in their own right.
   
   Lily was born in a small farming village near Guangzhou. She had one thing that many other young girls of the time didn't-- a father who cherished his daughters. He also had the desire to provide a better life for his family and set about to improve their lives by making and selling soy sauce. While Leung was very successful, he also drew the envy of others in his village. Before he had the opportunity to secure a completely comfortable life for his family, Leung was murdered, leaving his wife and daughters to the mercy of family.
   
   Lily worked hard to help provide for her mother, sisters, and eventually her own husband and children. Through a twist of fate, Lily had the chance to make a difficult choice for her family. She would follow her employer to England, and be away from her children, in order to secure them a better future in the West.
   
   When Mabel and her brother, Arthur, finally joined their mother, Lily, in England, they were strangers to both the country and their own mother. Lily opened a take-out restaurant in Manchester. Not only were they the only Chinese family in the neighborhood, they also offered a service that nobody else did-- a fast, affordable, and tasty meal that could be taken home to the family. The work was hard and the hours long and Mabel learned the skills and recipes that she would one day pass on to her own daughters.
   
   Helen and her sisters grew up under the wings of both Lily and their mother, Mabel. The two generations of women that preceded them gave them opportunities that a young Lily may have only dreamed of. Helen grew up to go to an ivy-league school and become a lawyer, and her sisters shared similar successes. But they found that their heritage called to them and they opened Sweet Mandarin, a restaurant that serves the recipes that guided the lives of all three generations of successful, Chinese women.
   
   SWEET MANDARIN is an inspirational account that proves that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles like poverty, murder, addiction, and oppression, if you have the determination, you can achieve your dreams.
   
   Reviewed by: JodiG.



2. When Cambridge-educated Helen Tse and her two sisters opened their trendy pan-Asian restaurant Sweet Mandarin in Manchester, England in 2004, many (including their family) were taken aback to see three accomplished British-born young women turn their backs on hard-won careers in law, engineering and executive recruiting in favor of the wok. But as this sweeping family memoir reveals, their entrepreneurial spirit upheld four generations' tradition in the business of food, which eventually lifted the family out of brutal poverty in southern China to hard-won stability in England.
   
   Grocery shopping for Chinese ingredients with her grandmother Lily, the author gradually teases out the anecdotes and, later, the painful buried secrets of Lily's Chinese childhood that are the most compelling parts of this story. Born in 1918, Lily was one of six daughters of Tai Po and Leung, the rare Chinese man who did not consider his daughters "subhuman" --- a burden and a curse. The early days of industrialization in China saw silk factories employing children like Lily, as young as five. In a breathtaking glimpse of the mores of the day, Lily fainted on the factory floor, and a ruthless foreman thrust her hand into a vat of boiling water to make an example of her for the other workers. Lily's father broke out of poverty by becoming a soy sauce producer, finding modest success as an entrepreneur selling his product in Hong Kong restaurants.
   
   When jealous rivals murdered Leung and burned his factory, Chinese tradition forbade his wife or daughters from inheriting, leaving them at the mercy of an obscure nephew who announced he would only support the women of the family if one of the sisters became his cousin's concubine. To escape that fate, and the nightmarish Hong Kong slum her family was forced to live in, 13-year-old Lily found work as an amah, a servant for British families living in luxury on the Peak in Hong Kong. Scrubbing floors, nannying youngsters and waiting tables, Lily still managed to marry and have children. In Hong Kong, she saw them for literally minutes each week; when her employers took her with them to England, they were separated for years. By the time she brought her kids to England, they were nine and eleven, and her husband was an opium addict, involved with the Triads (China's criminal gangs), bankrupting her while living with a prostitute.
   
   Perhaps the only reliable source of comfort, identity and life-affirming pleasure throughout the story is food. From her great-grandfather's soy sauce business, to her grandmother Lily's special chicken curry recipe, perfected during the six-week ocean liner trip to England, to hours spent working in her parents' fish-and-chips shop, to her own authentic and innovative creations at Sweet Mandarin, financial freedom and a sense of self all flow from cooking, feeding others and enjoying food. As Tse puts it, "cooking is at the heart of the Chinese family and for a Chinese woman it is at the very core of her identity." Lily taught her that "when you cook you are sharing your heart, so cook enthusiastically."
   
   The journey from hunger in the rural village of Guangzhou to stylish abundance in Manchester in three generations offers a tantalizing glimpse into China's journey and the amazing resilience and sacrifice of an immigrant family, through the lives of the tough and talented women of the Tse family.
   
   --- Reviewed by Elliott Walker



3. In Sweet Mandarin, Helen Tse gives us the intelligent multi-generational saga of three enterprising and resourceful Chinese women who faced incredible odds to make their dreams and fortunes come to fruition. The story begins with Lily, Helen's grandmother, in a rural village in China. Facing incredible poverty and with a family to provide for, Lilly's father, Leung, has the initiative to break away from his traditional role as a farmer and strikes out to create his own business, which soon begins to prosper. Moving his family from the destitute village to the more bustling city of Hong Kong, Lily and her family seem to be moving upwards. Then an unspeakable tragedy occurs, leaving the family penniless and at the mercy of inhospitable relatives. Lily realizes the situation she and her family face and searches for employment as a housemaid to the affluent British expatriates in China. Soon Lily immigrates to Britain and restarts her life as a small business owner, the proprietor of a Chinese restaurant. Through the struggles of operating the business and raising her children alone, Tse acquaints us with this remarkably strong woman who must face overwhelming trials in order to give herself and her children a better life. The story continues through the tale of Mabel, Lily's daughter, who is raised mostly in Britain, working long hours from childhood at her mother's restaurant counter. Eventually, Mabel takes up the family business and creates her own Chinese restaurant with her husband Eric. Interspersed with these two women's stories is the story of Helen, Mabel's daughter. Helen begins her career as lawyer but ultimately finds her happiness in opening her own Chinese restaurant, Sweet Mandarin, from which the title of the book is based. In elegant prose, the three women's stories are woven together to create a beautiful tapestry of a bold and valiant family of women who never let their struggles get the best of them.
   
   Of the stories in this book, Lily's was featured most heavily. We see the whole picture of her life, from her humbling situation as a child to her rise as a beloved housemaid, the triumphs and ordeals are painted with compelling energy. I was particularly struck by her forced involvement in the Japanese occupation of China in the 1940's, and her eventual departure from China, where she left her family while she built a new life for them. Though sometimes reserved in her expressions of love for her children, her outward resolve to give them a more hopeful future was inspiring. Sometimes it seemed as though she was a tough nut to crack, but in reality, had she not had the boldness to act as she did, her family might not have survived some of the situations that they faced. Some parts of Lily's story were more difficult to digest, for Lily was not always the admirable woman that some would wish she would be. The situations regarding the loss of her first restaurant were upsetting, but I appreciated the author's candor in addressing the fact that her grandmother was just as human as the rest of us, with flaws that any of us could have had. Much less was revealed about Mabel and Helen, and I choose to see this book as Helen's tribute to the sacrifice and success of her grandmother Lily. The legacy that she built for her family sustained them and drew them closer together as a group.
   
   One of the wonderful things in this book was the description of various foods that were a hallmark to the family's home and restaurants. The intricacies of Lily's Curry recipe, and the depiction of Mabel's Claypot Chicken were indeed mouthwatering. I also liked the way the narrative shifted between the stories of the three women. It made the story less choppy and episodic, while still describing the aspects of all three's lives. The author did a very good job of painting the political and societal aspects of China from the 1920's to today, including the focus on why male children are particularly valued above female children in that part of the world. As I was reading, I really felt I understood the sacrifices and joy of the main characters, which is a true measure of success in any book.
   
   This book was an involving story spanning many years and situations. I very much enjoyed the peek into a story that I think many would enjoy. There are many books about China and it's culture, but this book is unique, not only in the story it tells, but in the spirited strength of it's characters. Great book. I have included a link to a television interview with the author, who talks about the inspiration for this book and gives more information.



4. For three generations of Chinese women, a restaurant is the key to their livelihood. It starts with Lily, who is born in a small Chinese town, moves to Hong Kong, and eventually to Great Britain to make her fortune for her two small children. Lily's daughter Mabel opens her own restaurant in an attempt to recoup family fortunes, so her daughter Helen, the author of this book, grows up in a takeaway. Though she graduates from Cambridge and earns a law degree, Helen and her two sisters decide to open a restaurant of their own - Sweet Mandarin.
   
   I enjoyed the story of these three women. More of the book is dedicated to Lily than to Mabel and Helen, but that seems almost the way it should be, since it was Lily who really made the biggest changes in her family's fortunes. Lily's story is also the most interesting, because her life reads like a novel, full as it is of twists and turns of fate. Beyond that, it is absolutely fascinating to witness the changes in China, Hong Kong, and British imperialism in general throughout the book. It is astounding to witness the vast differences in some areas of the world, while other ways of life in China remain basically the same as they were when Lily was a child. For this reason, my favorite part of the book was their visit to Hong Kong towards the end.
   
   Helen Tse writes the story of her family's fortunes as a memoir, which made it a pleasure to read. I felt for Lily, Mabel, and Helen throughout their stories and really enjoyed the way cooking and restaurants tied the whole book together, with the exception of some of Lily's experiences (although I enjoyed those too, and they're necessary to set up the rest of the book). The common thread of food ran through and it's admirable that Helen and her sisters have embraced and retained their heritage in this way.
   
   I'd recommend this book, especially to people who enjoy memoirs. It has a solid, interesting story and Helen's family is a memorable one.