I Can Barely Take Care of Myself, by Jen Kirkman

When people find out Jen does not want kids, they insist that she will change her mind, or they try to change it for her.  Being childless by choice is baffling to some people, and greatly misunderstood.  Jen uses her humor to power through most situations, explaining that she has a hard enough time keeping herself on track without being responsible for another, smaller, human.

As a person who is also living a childless life, I cannot fully express the extent to which I identified with this book.  And there are parts that are really really fun.  But there are also parts that broke my heart, and made me mad, because they were situations I have also faced.  I am not sure at which point it became culturally acceptable to not only ask personal questions about one's reproductive plans, but also to pass judgement on someone because of their choice to not have children.  But apparently it now IS culturally acceptable, because it happens all the time.

I will admit, I did expect the book to be a little bit funnier.  And maybe if I were not dealing with the same situations myself, it would have translated into sidesplitting laughter to me.  But really, nothing is funny about being judged, belittled, or patronized over one's reproductive choices.  However, what the book lacked in hilarity it made up for in relatability.  So, I still think, overall, the book is great.

Those who are fans of humor memoirs, or those who are also childless by choice, will appreciate the book.

This book is from my personal library; I wrote an honest review by choice.

Pain, Parties, Work, by Elizabeth Winder

During the summer of 1953, Sylvia Plath spent a month in New York City, as a guest editor at Mademoiselle.  The month ended up being a pivotal point in Sylvia's life, and affected her mental state in ways she never imagined.  She saw this as an opportunity to meet people, socialize, and drink in the sites of Manhattan.  Instead, she ended up overworked, exhausted, and disenchanted with the city.  In this book, we see an entirely different side of Sylvia.

I absolutely loved this book.  My first experience of Sylvia Plath was in a college literature class, where we studied some of her poetry.  Like many who experience her in a literary sense, I always thought Plath was so dark, and melancholy.  And while there is no denying that, later in life, she was both of those things, this book gave me a chance to see a lighter side of Sylvia, buoyant with hope and vitality.  She was barely an adult when she went to New York, but she was mature beyond her years.

I really loved that this book showed the readers Sylvia from other people's perspectives.  Many of the other women who were guest editors that summer were interviewed for the book, not only about their own experience, but also about their views of Sylvia.  I really enjoyed getting such a robust portrait of Sylvia.  There was something slightly decadent about this book, like a guilty pleasure.  I felt very wrapped up in the story, completed transported to mid-century Manhattan.

I think fans of Plath will really love this book, as it gives such a different view of her.  But I also think that fans of biographies in general will appreciate this book.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

 

Dianna's Way, by John Catenacci

John knew his life was forever changed when he met Dianna.  Even though she was in her 20s and he in his 40s, they quickly built a strong relationship rooted deeply in love and respect.  They marry, and have a life full of light and peace.  Suddenly, their lives drastically change when Dianna is diagnosed with breast cancer.  The next 17 years will be filled with highs and lows, joys and sorrows, and a battle they never expected to have to fight.

This is an extremely emotional book to read.  It is so clear, from the way this book was written, that John deeply loved Dianna, and loves her still.  But beyond love, his words are full of respect, pride, and amazement for the woman he married.  Cancer is never an easy subject to read about, and John certainly does not pull any punches.  This is a really honest view of what cancer can do to a person, and how it affects the relationships in that person's life.  As the book progresses, it becomes more and more difficult to read, but John never writes in a way that makes Dianna lose her dignity.

John and Dianna had a really unique relationship, of that I am certain.  I think that, for some people, the relationship may not translate to paper in a way that makes sense, because both John and Dianna have quirky senses of humor and unusual aspects of their relationship.  But the reader must remember that this book tells the stories of both Dianna and John, and strives to do so in a way that accurately honors Dianna's memory.  The only thing I was not terribly interested in was the self help new age pop psychology that John studies.  But it certainly seemed to help him cope, and played a part in his story.

I received a review copy courtesy of Tribute Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

 

236 Pounds of Class Vice President, by Jason Mulgrew

Jason Mulgrew spent his formative years growing up an an area of Philly that was more an extended family than a neighborhood.  He discussed the lonely and dangerous terrain of middle and high school, discussing such things as puberty, academic achievement, rites of passage, such as getting a driver's license, and the rocky terrain of teenage relationships.  And he does this all in a bawdy, tongue in cheek manor that appeals to fans of snarky humor.

Every now and then, one comes upon a book that changes the course of man kind, that appeals to the greatest minds of our time, that sends man on a soul searched trek in the desert.  This is not that book.  But what this book did, instead, was leave me laughing my butt off.  Mulgrew tells the stories of an awkward childhood, one to which I think most of us can relate to.  One reviewer suggested if one has a happy marriage or a healthy view on sexuality, this book will be disappointing.  I disagree. I read a particularly bawdy section regarding masturbation out loud to my husband, and we both laughed until tears rolled.  And the reason it is so funny is, we have all experienced these embarrassing, ridiculous, uncomfortable, and completely real moments in life, whether it is regarding masturbation techniques or failing your driving test.

As with his first book, I think that if one looks past the raunchy (and hilarious) stories, one sees a whole lot of earnestness in these stories.  We all knew kids like this in school, and in some ways, we were kids like this in school.  One certainly must have an open mind and a sense of humor to enjoy this book; luckily I have both.  I think the book will appeal to readers who like humorous memoirs, as well as anyone who suffered a few awkward childhood moments of their own.

I received a review copy courtesy of the Amazon Vine program.

 

The Bronte Sisters, by Catherine Reef

How did a family produce not one, but three, stunningly talented writers?  And how would these talented women fit in to Victorian ideals of femininity?  We learn the family history of the Brontes, as well as the life experiences that so clearly colored the sisters' writings?  Known originally as Acton, Currer, and Ellis Bell, the girls would end up writing some of the most groundbreaking literary works of the times, and their stories would last throughout the ages.

Jane Eyre has always been one of my favorite pieces of classic literature.  There is something so universal to the story, aspects that resonate with modern readers despite the fact that it was written in a much different time and social climate.  So, given the chance to read more about the live of the author, and her sister, I jumped right on.  And typically, I love biographies, particularly of people I admire, but for me, this book just seemed flat.  I found very little in the book that would be engaging to the intended age group (ages 10 and up).  As an adult, with a vested interest in the subject matter, I was quite bored for the majority of the book, so I imagine many kids would be as well.  The facts of the Brontes lives were presented in a straightforward manner, but it was not until the book discussed the writings of the girls that I became the least bit interested.  The book is almost 200 pages, at the middle grades reading level, yet it took we an entire weekend to read, not because it was difficult, but because I just was not engaged at all by the writing.

Even as a child, I was a voracious reader.  I read any and every thing I could get my hands on.  I had a knowledge of classic literature, and while I was too young to read the works themselves, I adored film adaptations of many classic literary works, even before I was of school age.  So, as a child, this type of literary biography would have certainly appealed to me.  However, I was an unusual child, and kids today have so many other options in terms of reading, I am not sure that this book will appeal much to kids.  Certainly parents would encourage their children to read this, and it could be a great supplement to public school or homeschooling curriculum, but I do not see a child going out of their way to read this, as opposed to more engaging books.

I received a review copy as part of the Amazon Vine program.

My Father at 100, by Ron Reagan

Ronald Reagan would have been 100 years old in 2011.  As a celebration of his father's life, son Ron sought to learn more about family history, and glimpse the often unseen side of our 40th president.  In learning more about family history, Ron learns a great deal about himself, as well as what shaped his father into the leader he seemed destined to become.

It is not often that I write a harsh review of a book, because I know that is most cases, an author has poured his life's blood into the book, eating, breathing, and sleeping the all consuming work for many months, only to put it out there for all the world to see, like their exposed inner child.  So, normally, I try to respect authors even when I do not like the book.  The exception to this is when a person with a famous name masquerades as an author, cashing in on that name, with a piece of pure schlock.  And that is totally the case with this book.

I personally have no strong feelings one way or the other in terms of Ronald Reagan.  I was too young during his presidency to remember much of it, and am too disinterested in politics now to devote too much time learning about him.  However, I thought a biography would be a good way to slightly expand my knowledge base regarding the former president.  And in that way, the book was successful, as I did learn facts about his life.  But I had to learn them in the most boring way possible.  This book is so boring, and poorly written.  It tries to be both a historical genealogy about generations past and a memoir of growing up as the son of the president; it fails at both.  The book starts out ok, if not a little slow, tracing the family roots back to Ireland, and telling how the family made their way to, and across, America.  However, the book kind of tanks about 60 pages in, when the author starts interjecting childhood anecdotes, often unrelated to the overall topic of the chapter, in a way that confuses the narrative.  In one chapter, he discusses himself as a teen, his dad as a teen, then his dad at his first inauguation, his dad as an adolescent, himself as an adolescent, and his grandfather as a young adult, pretty much in that order.  It was awful.  The same chapter included the following obnoxious (and what I suspect to be inaccurate in terms of current alcohol consumption) sentence about his grandfather Jack: "He drank during an age when men imbibed far more alcohol, on average, than in today's more abstemious climate."

I think that this book could have benefited from a heavy handed editor not so intimidated by the Reagan name that he was scared to tell Ron he cannot write.  Either an editor like that, or a ghost writer.  I cannot even speak to the factual nature of the content, because I could not get past the awful awful writing to even devote any energy to the content.

If I felt this were a book by someone who really tried, or that this was an earnest endeavor to write ones memoirs, I would probably not be so harshly critical.  However, I feel like this was just an attempt for Ron to cash in on his famous dad.  I would imagine there are many biographies, and even memoirs written by other Reagan family members, that are written better than this, and would tell more about Ronald Reagan in a clear, concise, logical manner.  I doubt I will go looking for them, however, as this one kind of soured me.

I received a review copy courtesy of the publisher.

A Century of Wisdom, by Caroline Stoessinger

At 108 years old, Alice Herz-Sommer is the oldest living Holocaust survivor.  She prefers to not talk much about those days, her time in Theresienstadt, because it fills her with sadness.  But having lived over a century, Alice has seen much more than just the Holocaust.  She has lived in several countries, has met amazing people, and lived an exceptional life.

For a long time, I have been fascinated by survivor stories.  What gives someone the will to survive over someone else?  I thought that, given the title of this book, I would learn a new perspective on survivorship.  But the book does not touch much on the Holocaust in all actuality.  Clearly having survived the concentration camp affected every aspect of Alice's life, but we never hear a whole lot about her experiences there.  I understand and respect this, but still, as a reader, I found it disappointing.

My biggest complaint about this book is that the writing is choppy and the book's organization is very scattered.  There are unexplained time jumps that took me a while to figure out.  The book just did not flow very well, and I had a very difficult time reading it.  Alice's stories themselves seem quite fascinating, but the author really writes in a way that, to me, was very dry.  Having a musician write someone else's memoir would be like having me finish a symphony.  Technically, it could be done, but it is not going to be the most brilliant thing composed.

The concept of the book is a good one, I simply found the execution lacking.

I received a review copy as part of the Amazon Vine program.

MacArthur, America's General, by Mitchell Yockelson

At times, MacArthur was the most popular man in America, and at times the least.  But there is no disputing he was dedicated to serving this country, and dedicated to the military.  Having come from a famous military family, everyone expected success from young Douglas.  But they got was more than success, it was excellence.

So, I am not really all that interested in the military, but I received this book in error, so I decided to go ahead and read it.  I am supremely glad I did.  It seemed like in high school history classes, we never got past WW I, or if we really pushed it, WW II.  I was happy that this book covered some areas of American history with which I was unfamiliar.

Also I liked that this book touched on MacArthur's personal life, both in his youth and his elder years.  Students certainly never hear a lot of personal information about historical figures, so this was pretty refreshing.

As I mentioned, I am not all that into military books or military history, but for someone who is, I think this book would be a great addition to their library.  Similarly, this would be great for a high school student or home school student to use to supplement history curriculum.  It was not a difficult book to read, which would make it a good fit for high school readers.

I received a review copy of this book courtesy of the publisher.

Washington: A Legacy of Leadership, by Paul Vickery

Sure you know that George Washington helped lead troops to victory in both the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.  Yes, you know that he was also our first president, and many would argue the father of our country.  But do you know what led to all these victories?  Do you know about loves lost, and bitter defeats, lessons hard learned, and the incredible personal risks he took in battle?  If not, you shall.

I have to admit, I am not one much for historical biographies, but having just read some works of fiction set in the Revolutionary War, I decided this book would be interesting to me.  And was it ever.  First, I have to say that I was fascinated by the early portions of the book, which focused on the French and Indian War.  Having lived in both Ohio and Pennsylvania, many of the battles mentioned took place in settings which are familiar to me.  And while I learned about some of it way back in 7th grade, this book served not only as a good refresher, but as a wonderful addendum to the things I had learned.  Similarly, with the rest of the historical information in the book, I was able to recall the facts I knew, and supplement with ones I did not know.

The only thing I had hoped for was a bit more personal information about Washington, a look at the human side of the story.  I suppose it is difficult to write that, as I am sure history recorded very little of this information.  Sure, facts are given, but I really longed for some little anecdotes.  I suppose when going back to this point in history, those are few and far between.

This book is a perfect book for someone interested in history, whether their passion be military, political, or just general history.  It would even serve well for young adult readers looking to supplement their studies, or additions to home schooling curriculum.  All in all, a nice read that helped me expand my knowledge.


I received a review copy of the book courtesy of the publisher.

Unsinkable, by Abby Sunderland and Lynn Vincent

All her life, Abby has loved sailing.  In fact, as a child, a great portion of her life was lived at sea.  After watching her brother circumnavigate the world by boat, Abby set the same goal, with the additional hope to be the youngest person to sail nonstop around the globe.  After lots of preparation and sacrifice by her whole family and sailing team, Abby struck out to face her goal.  She was pushed to lengths and in ways she never knew existed, and came to rely on God in a way she had never experienced.

I remember when Abby was in the news for her attempt.  At the time, I thought the whole endeavor ridiculous and negligent.  I read this book in the hopes of understanding Abby's motivations, as well as those of her parents.  And the book certainly did clear things up for me.  I now understand and respect Abby's choice, for the choice truly was hers, and it does seem as though she was well prepared for her attempt.

That being said, I found the book somewhat boring.  It is chock full of nautical information that I really did not care to understand.  Reading this book felt like work.  I really expected to see more about Abby's emotional and spiritual journey, and am disappointed that the book did not deliver.  A lot of the book is highly technical.  Sure, I could have worked a little harder to understand the nautical aspects, but the book just did not make me care enough to do that work.

As far as memoirs or autobiogrpahies go, I think readers who enjoy those genres will find this a little shallow on the aspects we typically expect from memoirs.  However, for people who enjoy more technical reads, or for those readers experienced with and in love with sailing, this book would be a fantastic match.


I received a review copy of this book courtesy of the publisher.

Promise Me, by Nancy G. Brinker

Nancy and Suzy Goodman were more than just sisters, they were best friends.  They grew up together, had adventures, they went through everything together.  So when Suzy (Susan G. Koman) developed breast cancer, Nancy went through it with her.  And when Suzy realized she was losing the battle, she made her sister promise her that she would fight the disease long after Suzy was gone, to make sure no women would suffer the way she did.  From this promise, and empire rose, all in the name of Susan G. Koman.

When I first decided to review this book, I was not sure what to expect.  I did not know if it would be frightening, or depressing, to read an entire book about fighting breast cancer.  What it ended up being was tremendously uplifting, and empowering.  To be sure, my eyes leaked mutliple times during the reading.  Not all these times were caused by sadness however.  There is so much beauty in this book, based on a sister's love.

I am ashamed to say I was pretty uninformed about breast cancer, despite having watched one of my aunts survive her own battle against it.  This book is an eye opener in terms of learning about the history of reported cancer patients, the evolution of treatment methods, and the importance of prevention and early detection.  I like the way the book is set up, with fact based information woven into the tales of real people, while having Suzy and Nancy's stories intertwining.

The book is powerful, and so is the movement all in the name of Susan G. Koman.  I think this book is a must read for all women, but it may prove a bit more emotional for survivors or family members of women who have battled breast cancer.  This book gives voice to so many women; it is important that we listen.



I received this as part of the Amazon Vine reviewers program.

Joe DiMaggio: The Long Vigil, by Jerome Charyn

Joltin Joe.  The Walloping Wop.  Mr. Marilyn Monroe.  These were the ways the American public viewed Joe DiMaggio.  But only a select few really new him, knew his impact on the game of baseball, knew his fears and his pains, saw him at his rare moments of weakness.  So come, learn more about one of the silent heroes of the great American pastime.

Baseball is in my blood.  You see, my maiden name is Niekro.  To many, that name means nothing, but to baseball fans, it means knuckleballs, pitchers, brothers.  My cousins Phil and Joe Niekro played pro ball years before I was born.  But that legacy has stayed with me, and given me a love for all things baseball.  I hoped this book would feed my love affair.  It did so much more than I could have ever expected.

I did not know much about Joe DiMaggio, since he was also well before my time.  I knew of his greatness, without specifics.  I knew of his marriage to Marilyn, without realizing the tragedy.  Now, I know, I realize, I adore, and I mourn.  This book made me wish I had been alive to see Joe play, to see him at his best, and his worst, through his streaks and his slumps.  This book made me fall a little in love with Joe DiMaggio.

Clearly, Jerome Charyn has love for Joe as well.  Because this is not written as a stiff, cold biography.  No, these are words filled with love, the romance of the times, and pure, unadulterated joy at the privilege of getting to see Joe play.  Charyn never denies Joe's faults, he simply loves him despite the faults.  If you read the book, chances are you will too.

I think this book is wonderful for all baseball fans, as well as fans of biographies.  If, like me, you adore both, then this book is certain to hit a home run with you.


I received a review copy of the book courtesy of the publishers.  View the book's tour website here.

Marika, by Andrea Cheng

Growing up in Hungary, Marika never gave much thought to the fact she was Jewish.  She celebrated Christmas, went to Catholic religious education classes, and attended Mass.  But when Hitler began redefining what it meant to be a Jew, Marika found herself, and her family, in danger.  Suddenly, her family is torn apart, and thrown into hiding.  Marika's future is uncertain.

This story was almost like a memoir, since Cheng tells the tale of her mother's life during WWII.  Marika's character is well developed, it is her voice we hear, but in some ways I still found her to be very removed.  The whole book was like this, more like hearing someone talk about a book they read than actually experiencing reading the book.  It is hard for me to explain.

The book is intended for a young adult audience, most likely middle grades, and I think that it is artfully written for this age group.  It seemed to me that it would not translate as well for older readers (perhaps that is why it seemed so detached).  I think that the Holocaust is an important topic for children to read about, but it must be handled delicately.  This book does a good job of approaching the subject in a way that is not terribly traumatic for young readers, and would make a wonderful introduction to the Holocaust for middle grade students.

Overall, it was a good story, blending literature with history, part memoir, part fiction.  It may not resonate as much with adults, but for it's intended audience, it is right on the money.


This book is from my personal library.

The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson, by Jerome Charyn

Before she was a well known poetess, Emily was just a girl.  She was a student at Mt. Holyoke Seminary, a beloved daughter, a sensitive sister, and a great romantic.  Read all about the various loves and losses of Emily, and her time in Amherst.  She was unlike anything the town had ever seen, a truly unique woman.

Long a fan of her poetry, I sadly know very little about the life of Emily Dickinson.  So, much of this amazing book went over my head I fear.  Jerome Charyn does a masterful job of weaving established facts about Emily's life and the people in it with his own imaginings of what it was like to live in her mind.  Charyn slips into the mind of Emily, and write a novel full of wonder and heart.

Rarely does a modern author capture the same rhythm and flow of a classic writer, and attempts to do so are typically unconvincing.  But Charyn defies the law of averages, and makes one forget they are not reading straight from Emily's diary.  He channels her spirit brilliantly, and we really feel as if we know Emily by the end of the book.  We share her pain, as well as her pleasure.

I think this is a wonderful novel that weaves together elements of classic literature with modern literature in a new, fresh way.  I recommend this to every fan of Dickinson's poetry, nay, of all classic poetry.  Charyn talks about reaction to the novel in this video.

I am among the faction who love the novel, and am grateful for the chance to learn more about my dear Emily.  Take this opportunity to do the same.

I received a review copy courtesy of the publisher, as part of the book tour.

Cleopatra, by Stacy Schiff

Oft portrayed as the most evil, salacious, manipulative woman in history, Cleopatra may instead be greatly misunderstood.  A great Ptolemic ruler, a strong intelligent woman, and the lover of two of Rome's most respected leaders, Cleopatra accomplished more than many men could even dream of, in a rule twice as long as Alexander the Great's.  Love her or hate her, one has to respect her.

It is always difficult to review an award winning author when you do not like the book.  This book was so hyped up; perhaps I am just not meant to read historical biographies.  We learned a lot about Caesar, Antony, and Octavius, as well as the Ptolemic dynasty, but as for Cleopatra herself, we learn very little, certainly not enough to justify the 300 plus pages I had to plod through.

I find the Hellenistic period to be fascinating subject matter, so it befuddles me why this book was so boring to me.  I found the book to be disorganized, and had a lot of difficulty following the timeline; it seemed to lack continuity.  I am no student of history, so I can not speak to the quality of her research, it may be completely sound.  All I know is, it seems there is more that is unknown about Cleopatra than there is known.  And I was probably more knowledgeable 10 days and 300 pages earlier.  For dyed in the wool historians, this book may be a perfect fit, but for your everyday reader, reading this just because the New York Times tells you to may result in a huge disappointment.


A touring review copy of this book was made available by Crazy Book Tours.

William F. Buckley, By Jeremy Lott

Well known as a conservative, William F. Buckley Jr. served as the editor for the National Review, as well as the host of the show Firing Line.  An Irish Catholic, with Protestant roots, Buckley's faith factored heavily into his moral and political stances.  He considered liberals and communists enemies, not only to himself, but to the nation as a whole.  Buckley was always one to ruffle a few feathers, whether it was calling Yale to return to orthodoxy, or running for mayor of New York, while publicly declaring he knew he had no chance of winning.

Before reading this book, I was not terribly familiar with William F. Buckley.  Sure, I had heard of him, but I did not really know much about him.  Jeremy Lott did an excellent job with this biographical book, making me want to learn more about a man that I never knew I never knew.  Suddenly, I want to read Buckley's books, I want to watch clips of his shows, and I want to learn a whole lot more about Communism.

I find most biographies to be a bit stale, but such was not the case with Lott's book.  This is part of the Christian Encounters series by Thomas Nelson Publishers, and I can only hope that the other books in the series come alive as well as this one did.  It read almost as well as a novel, literally playing like a movie in my mind.  I am sure this is partly due to the colorful nature of Buckley's character, but I believe there is also praise due to the writing.

I would certainly recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about Buckley, to anyone interested in learning about historical figures, particularly during the Cold War era.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Cleopatra Rules! by Vicky Alvear Shecter

Most of what we have learned throughout history regarding this Egyptian princess has been flawed and skewed at best.  For exampled, she was not even Egyptian, she was Greek!  But Cleopatra was the original Queen Bee, and this book helps dispel some of the erroneous information, support some of the correct information, and allow us to see Cleo in a whole new light.

If more people wrote historical books for kids this well, more kids might be interested in history.  Written in biographical style for middle grade and young adult readers, this book does an excellent job of reaching its intended audience.  There is just the right amount of historical information mixed in with the perfect amount of "teen speak" to connect home with kids.  I found it to be incredibly informative, and I actually learned a ton from this book!

I loved the format of the book, in that it was broken down into traditional, chronological chapters following Cleo's life; however, within each chapter, there were little "break out" sections with additional tid bits of information in them, much like the structure of textbooks.  It helps break up the text on the page, which is important for young readers and highly visual learners.  The accompanying photographs were high quality, and gorgeous.  The book is complete with a glossary and index.

All in all, I found this book not only highly informative, but entertaining as well.  I think this is a great book for educators and parents to share with their children, and I for one would love to see more young adult biographies written in this style!

A review copy of this book was provided courtesy of the author.