Biography Books

I also enjoyed this book as much as A Child Called "IT". This also made me cry as much as as the first one. I could not put it down as well.

This book among others written by Dave have left me riveted. I can't put them down. All I see is a man who has overcome the circumstances placed before him. He is such an inspiration, I only wish more people would read his books and make something out of their lives, instead of playing the victim (which is much easier to do)

The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family by Dave Pelzer is a sequel to the heartbreaking memoir, A Child Called "It". Pelzer explains what happened after he was taken away by his abusive mother and neglectful father. This book is really uplifting and moving. I highly recommend this fascinating story and his quest to find a foster family who will love him unconditionally. Enjoy!

This book helped open my eyes to what children go through in Foster Care. It helped me to relize that you can't judge a book by its cover. That the struggle for acceptance,love acknowledgement or to be recognized can consume & overwhelm a child...to even the point of doing something you know in you heart is wrong. This book makes me want to work hard, so I can buy a big house, Just so I can provide enough love and support and room for not only my three children, but for those children in need of a place to call home & to know that they have someone who care about them.

This is a story about a young boy who gets abused and treated unfairly. He doesn't have any clothes besides the ones he caries in a brown paper bag. He runs away from the world he hates. He has no home to go to, then he finds hope. To find out more information about this book find it and venture into it.

In my opinion this book was excellent and amazing.Why? Because it made me cry on the first page, some parts I felt like going in the book, because the suspense never ends. I would recommend it to those who love to read soppy, exciting books that are true.

Jen is a truly deplorable woman. She's a spoiled brat who feels justified in going off on anyone who questions her.

She lost a job - boohoo.
Hubby got snootfaced on her honeymoon - boohoo.
No one wants to hire her - boohoo.
Her dogs eat stuff and run up vet bills - boohoo.

In this book she describes in mindnumbing detail why the whole world is against her. Well, she made it obvious to me and the whole readership and it's quite apparent that she also sees the light - you can't spend like a drunken sailor on leave and then expect to have dough for smokes when the ship leaves port. Economics 101. The trouble is that I kept laughing at her hideous life choices. When Jen toddled her plump little self into the health fair only to find herself surrounded by marathon runners I laughed out loud. I'm ashamed to have liked this book - I think I should hate Jen but that's always been my downfall. I'm just a woman who loves (this book) too much! ....bg

I read a review for Jen Lancaster's newest book in some entertainment magizine. I loved the sound of her writing and her personality seemed somewhat familiar.
Being the freak I am - I had to make sure that I read her work in order and checked to see if she had any previous books. BingO! I started hunting around the fiction isles and was getting miffed when I finally surendered and asked the store clerk for some assistance. To discover that her writing is also nonfiction floored me!!
I grabbed my copy and headed to the nearest chair to give it a gander. I read the first few pages and was hooked. Jen writes so much of the stuff that really goes on in my head but I would be too chicken to write (anywhere other than my journals). She's funny and real! I can't wait to read her other books!
I liked her so much that I checked out her website and was hoping she might make some southern bookstores for signings. I highly recommend this book and have been shamelessly pushing it at family and friends ever since! (Although, I threaten their lives when it comes down to my copy and demand that they purcahse their own :-)
MUST READ!!!
Love, Loved, Loved it!!!!
e.

I actually read this book for a book club, and I'm so glad we picked this book! This book is made up of short stories that give you a very real and funny look into Lancaster's life after she is fired from her job. During this time she applies at every company imaginable, gets married, adopts a couple of dogs, and even loses her apartment steps! This book was laugh out loud, and I can't wait to read her other books!

Book club selection. Felt compelled (for unknown reasons) to finish. Painfully bad. Not funny and as a Chicagoan, the picture painted in this book of my city is unrecognizable. Watching beige paint dry would be more enjoyable than this book I have to say...

While I loved the book and found myself laughing out loud, I really felt like I would despise her in person. She comes off spoiles and entitled. But, I felt like I was listening to a funny friend talk about life. I would recommend as a beach read.

A very readable and excellently researched and written account of the life, adventures and discoveries of the Cambridge don, Joseph Needham

wo hen xihuan zhege gushi (I really liked this story)! Again a fascinating account of a fascinating man forgotten by history.

Should have been called the Biography of Joseph Needham. And if it were, it would still be a poorly written one, though it would benefit from a more accurate title.

You don't learn about China enough in this book to appreciate the man or his work. I wanted to gleam about the wonder that is china. Failed there.

This book evidently was released with the primary reason of cashing in on the news item that China is in the wake of the Olympics. It hardly has anything substantiative in it.

For somebody who had read Winchester work on Krakatoa, which was obviously Superb, this one make one want to blow the top off in disappointment.

He fails my expectation.

This wonderfully written biography of the British scientist Joseph Needham tells two stories - one of Needham as a "renaissance" man and the other of China and its amazing contributions to our world. Perhaps most compelling is the story of Needham and his love of China, of life, of women, and learning.
Simon Winchester writes gracefully and honestly. It was hard to put this down.

This is a fascinating book about a person I had never heard of. Joseph Needham was a brilliant British scientist who made significant contributions to biochemistry while still in his early twenties. He was also a boisterous character -- a nudist, progressive Christian, committed socialist, Morris dancer, fluent in several languages and believer in open marriage. Above all, he was full of energy and intellectual curiosity.
The turning point in Needham's life came when he met a young Chinese scientist, Lu Gwei-djen, in 1938. He not only fell in love with her, although he'd been happily married to a fellow scientist for several years, but made the decision to learn fluent Chinese. Lying in bed together, she was his first teacher. This led Needham to his life's work, the compilation of a huge, multi-volumed work on the history of science in China which transformed the way the world looked at Chinese history and civilization. Incidentally, Needham managed to a sustain loving relationships with both women until the end of their lives, aparently with all three getting along comfortably with each other.
During the Second World War, Needham was sent by the British government to China to formed links with Chinese universities, then under terrible pressure from the invading Japanese, to help them with supplies of books and materials. During his years there, he was able to make several epic journeys, well described by Winchester, penetrating far-flung corners of the huge country, making interesting discoveries along the way.
His massive study, which began appearing in the 1950s. It had grown to 18 volumes by the time Needham died in 1995 and now stands at 24. Needham was the one who informed the world that the Chinese had invented gunpowder, printing and the compass centuries before the West and also blast furnaces, arched bridges, crossbows, vaccination against smallpox, toilet paper, wheelbarrows, stirrups and a thousand other things.
This book is a wonderful window on one of the great minds of the 20th century. For anyone who wants to understand more about China and meet this brilliant and captivating man, I recommend this book.
For more on me and my latest book, The Nazi Hunter: A Novel go to www.alanelsner.com.

Those looking for a Dave Pelzer-worthy nightmare of parental abuse can look elsewhere. Instead, what is most horrifying about Augusten Burroughs' father is what he DIDN'T do. By virtually withholding all love and affection from his younger son, he created a hole that Burroughs in turn tried to fill with improper relationships, alcohol, and drugs.

Burroughs conveys the horror of his childhood with stark vividness, successfully portraying the emotions and desires of the child he was. A pet dog forced to live outside and refused medical care, a guinea pig left without food and water, a son denied even the barest scraps of love, until he is forced to snuggle with a "father" he has created from old clothes sprayed with aftershave.

This is truly a heartbreaking work of staggering genius, gut-wrenching in its honesty.

are people like Burroughs' father allowed to procreate? This story was so sad, but there were amusing moments. I am amazed that one can come through a childhood like his and still feel such obvious love for his parents (I blame his mother too). It's a tribute to his character that he was able to survive and be successful in his life after the madness he was exposed to. Disturbing as this book was, I have always loved his writing and look forward to his next book.

First,I should disclose that I am a fan of Augusten Burroughs. I even have a desire to meet him someday, perhaps in Northampton,MA, near where I live. I envision lively discussions and comical observations being shared-but I digress....

Having read all of Mr. Burroughs books except for Sellivision, I was eagerly looking forward to this admitted 'change' in tone. I was looking forward to reading a straightforward yet harrowing tale about a difficult father. The cover of the book is menacing enough what with animated, red fork spikes reaching towards some imaginary prey (Augusten?).

I wasn't looking for a laugh, so I'm not disappointed that I didn't laugh out loud every few paragraphs as I did while reading his other books. I am disappointed though. More to the point, I feel deceived. While I'm sure each of the stories presented here started as an authentic memory, the embellishments are just too impossible to swallow.

For one, these memories are supposedly told from the perspective of a child (as young as 1 and 1/2!) but are so impossibly detailed that truth gets jettisoned for the sake of drama: "Sitting in my high chair, I held a saltine cracker up to my eye and peered through the tiny holes, astonished that I could see so much through such small opening...." Really? (And that's just one example).

Here's what happened to me while reading this book: I felt so much here was fabricated for dramatic effect that I went online and googled information about Augusten's father and mother. John Robison (Augusten's father) was an adored professor in the philosophy department at UMASS, Amherst where I have done doctoral work. Margaret Robison, his mom, is still alive and lives in Shelburne Falls,MA where she writes poetry and is working on a memoir herself.

Here's what I also learned: Mr. Burroughs actual name is Chris Robison, even though there are (supposedly) direct quotes in this book where people refer to Chris as Augusten (he didn't change his name until well after the events of this book). This is problematic enough but the fact that 'Augusten' hasn't seen his (sick, stroke-ridden) mother in 8 years so decisively shifts my sympathies to her-and even to his father. There are "memories" here so specific that he would have HAD to have consulted his mom to verify if he had the story straight. But...

It seems, unfortunately, that sobriety (and stability) have left this pseudonymous writer with little material with which to work with except questionable 'memories' of his childhood. Recently, he's resorted to viral marketing via the use of You Tube and a blog and has even promoted his brother's book (about Asperger's Syndrome) in this manner. At some point, the author-as-victim theme grows tired-especially in this case, where most of the memories here are 30+ years old.

Still, I don't begrudge his success and comfortable new life- he is bold to have shared so many potentially embarrassing details of his life.
Whatever his true name, he has certainly paid his dues but the "wolf" at the table was more likely a stressed-out professor dealing with alcoholism, a difficult marriage and poor health. That the wolf didn't pay enough attention to his young son is tragic but I am doubtful, given Burroughs's creative mind, that the neglect morphed into life-threatening scenarios time and again.

In the end you will empathize with him because a hole will always remain in his life where a father's love should reside. This is what's real about this book and Burroughs's life, and always will be (a fact that he has tattooed on his arms lately, to wit: "the scar remains").

This book is far darker than "Running with Scissors". Very little humor, dark or otherwise, throughout the entire book, yet still a good analytical read about the relationship (or non-relationship) between one boy and his father. Delves quite well into the childhood perceptions children have of the adult world.

I disliked this book so much that I didn't even finish it. Mr. Burroughs has clearly run out of material from his own life and seems unable or unwilling to try fiction again. The thing I find most disturbing about this 'memoir' is that I saw Mr. Burroughs at a book reading when Magical Thinking was released and he spoke about his father and how they had reconciled. He also mentioned that he was working on this book at the time and that it had already been optioned to be filmed by a major studio, which was pretty impressive considering the book hadn't even been completed. I wonder how much of his recollection was influenced by the notion that A Wolf at the Table was going to be a movie (although that seems unlikely now, given the critical drubbing the book has received and the poor box office performance of "Running With Scissors.") In fact, during the Q&A, an audience member asked what he thought of "creative nonfiction" writers like David Sadaris (a writer who admits to changing his stories based on audience reactions at readings) and Mr. Burroughs said he had no problem with either the term or concept as long as the book is entertaining. Unfortunately, this book is not.

Brenda Wineapple's expertise as a biographer is evident on every page. She knows how to handle her massive research without intruding on the main narrative. She knows how to balance conflicting views of her two protagonists, evoking sympathy and admiration for both. She is able to place them deftly in the context of their moment in American history. She reads Dickinson's poems with sensitivity and skill. White Heat deserves the great reception it has received so far, and even surpassed expectations I had after reading reviews in the NY Times and The New Yorker.

If you love Emily Dickinson, you will love this book. If you're not familiar with her work, get this book and prepare to become a fan.

At first glance, even from the old photos, they seem like vastly different people. Thomas Wentworth Higginson was a man of various talents. He was a well-traveled writer, yes; but he was also involved in public service and the reform movement, and he was intent on seeking out a certain amount of fame and celebrity for himself. Emily Dickinson was the quintessential homebody who saw the world mostly from her bucolic Main Street window. She wrote poetry that she shared only with close friends or tucked away in the bottom drawer of her dresser. Higginson grew up in the realm of liberal Unitarianism and Harvard College. Dickinson's conservative grandfather was a devout Congregationalist who founded Amherst College. Their families represented the opposite edges of life in New England in the 1800s. Yet it was WORDS that brought these unlikely correspondents together.

With "White Heat," Brenda Wineapple follows the current trend of studying history through dual biography, or vice versa. Odds are good that much of the reading public will recognize only one of the two names listed in the title, for Emily's storied reputation precedes her. Even those who cannot recite her lines by heart "know" that she was a recluse who wasn't published much during her lifetime. But what parts of her myth are true, and which are not? Wineapple does her best to unravel the life of the real Emily Dickinson -- or, at least, as close to reality as we can guess.

Fans of the Transcendentalists know well of Wentworth Higginson, the former minister who was a disciple of Thoreau and one of John Brown's Secret Six. They will have heard something about him becoming Dickinson's literary agent of sorts, publishing her work posthumously. But how did he come to be so involved with her? How did he gain access to her poetry? What's the rest of the story?

Here we learn that Emily sent her first letter to Wentworth in 1862, prompted by an article he wrote in the Atlantic Monthly, and thus began a correspondence and friendship that lasted until her death in 1886. (She initially asked for writing advice and included samples of her poems; he was so awed that he knew he had none to give.) We follow their lives chronologically and discover much about their personalities through their letters and other writings. Wentworth even visited Emily on several occasions, and she greeted him at the door with bouquets of flowers. Thus is it easy for the romantics among us to imagine that the two were in love. But Wentworth was married, and Emily was coquettishly playful but kept her distance. Only in her cryptic verses did she allow a glimpse of her thoughts and emotions. And after she was gone, her best friend did his best to share her gifts with the rest of the world.

(As if having a book published today isn't challenging enough: How difficult must it have been to try to assemble a volume of someone's poems with both her sister and her brother's mistress demanding involvement in the process and the proceeds? And who edited those stanzas, anyway?)

"White Heat" should have wide appeal to fans of Dickinson, fans of the Transcendentalists, students of American lit and the writing process, and anyone who admires insightful Civil-War-era biographies. This outstanding work deserves as much success as John Matteson's Alcott bio, "Eden's Outcasts," found this past year.

This was another wonderful, tearful book from Tim Russert. How much we will miss him... I just wish he had written a book about his mother.

Tim Russert was a very humble, everyday man who serves as a role model for young men in his professional and personal life. Great book.

this is another book by late tim russert- he is truely gifted- sad for america that some one so passionate is gone.

I enjoyed lstening to this book very much, it gives a great lesson and tells us how important our fore fathers were and still are in our lives today.

The book is 297 pages & is divided into 21 chapters. The most crucial ones for me were "Honor, Being There, Forgiveness, Missing Dads, The Protector, Discipline, & 75 Reasons."

What was so refreshing about this book was the theme of basic normalcy & decency that most people seem to have. This book should appeal to most people, but it is not only or truly a book about a "father-son relationship." It came across more as a memoir of intimate vignettes, some of which are negative. One of a son whose father missed out being a a dad because of his drug addiction which eventually killed him.

Two of the more positive stories were when a father comforted his son after he told his dad that he was gay, & Kerry a girl who grew up with a stutter, whose dad held her hand & told her "it's ok". There are many life lessons in these stories that are very applicable to people regardless of their own individual backgrounds, beliefs, & experiences. All in all a very inspirational & intimate read.

Very, very funny and well-written. Ms. Tsing-Loh does satire, irony and self-deprecation much better than she does anger. The book is hilarious up to the last two chapters which fall flat and should have been omitted and one does sense in them more than a faint whiff of sour grapes. The NPR ending is in retrospect inevitable, but buy the book and enjoy it!

In this book Sandra Tsing Loh recounts her efforts to get her daughter into a kindergarten that she (Sandra) considers to be of acceptable quality. Being a denizen of the NPR set, she expects her daughter to be in a much better school than average kids end up in even though her income doesn't support the quest, and even though she doesn't really seem to believe that money should buy educational opportunity (except for her kids).

The book is largely a series of linked stories, which is good, as Sandra is at her best as a miniaturist. In fact, the book lags a bit toward the end when she finally has her daughter in school, and narrates an extended session with her therapist. For the most part, however, this book is an amusing send up of the pretensions of wealth, fame, and the educational community, and of the fear of achieving parents toward the vast, "unwashed" mass of real children out there. Some good laughs are on offer in this book, and it will certainly appeal to fans of Sandra's earlier works.

The author has taken her comedy routine on motherhood and fleshed it out into a book length memoir (a la Lily Tomlin). Her humorous obserations on the desire to be the perfect parent for fear of failing her infants forever is so American, for those parents who can afford $20,000+ for kindergarten. She fearlessly exposes her neurotic tendencies upon the reader and one wonders how her children will make out when they are teenagers. The book flows in a stream of consciousness conversational style that the reader needs to buy into or the reader will be annoyed. Overall "Mother on Fire" is a funny book.

Once again, Sandra Tsing Loh has massaged her very specific life into themes that touch the heart, providing plenty of laughs but also a lot to think about. With witty side trips, the author takes us on an invigorating journey from the sweet exhaustion of keeping up with small children through the frantic exhaustion of trying to find a decent school, and ends up with a new sense of purpose and community. Buy it; read it aloud if you can stop laughing; buy more for your friends!

Favorite theme: "It seems there's no rite of female passage that can't be marked, in some vague way, by a little hay-strewn basket of bath items. As if to say 'Happy Graduation! Have a bath.' 'So you're thirty-seven! Have a bath.' 'Wishing you a fabulous divorce, and menopause! Rock on, sister, and ... try a bath.'" Watch how deftly this becomes a manifesto against Women as Mere Consumers.

I read all the "motherhood" books, and they're usually so serious and dry. This one is hilarious! It's like the books my mom used to read about the subject - really funny, and (I know this sounds kind of sappy) uplifting. I'm going to suggest it at my next book group meeting - we need a laugh!

Let me start by saying that this book has been recommended to me by Christian friends for a long time. And in my own atheist circles, I've heard Strobel criticized pretty rampantly. So, in the interest of fairness (although I wasn't expecting much, to tell the truth) I picked it up.

I didn't get beyond a couple of pages. Strobel presents an interview with an academic in which the claim is made that we can attest to the historicity/authenticity of the Gospels because Papias SAYS they are authentic in the early second century! Said academic then CONFOUNDS his egregious error by tacking Irenaeus, who lived much later in the second century, on there!

Let me explain for those of you who may not know: the Gospels are generally accepted to have been written in the late first century, with Mark being the oldest at ca. 70 CE--because it mentions the fall of the Temple of Herod in Jerusalem. Matthew and Luke are later, maybe 75-85 CE or thereabouts, and seem to draw on Mark but in their own way. John is believed to be the very last, maybe 90-100 CE.

So, the Christian tradition that the Gospels were written by the apostles of Christ is an old one, but it is just that: a tradition. And given the dates it's thought by credible historians that the Gospels were not written by Christ's apostles. For Strobel's authority to claim that they ARE based on a LATER source and a STILL LATER source is an absurd and transparent appeal to authority: 'X is true because so-and-so says X is true'.

I put the book down because frankly, anyone who's going to butcher something that badly has destroyed all credibility with me. Read it if you must, as a lesson of what NOT to do when arguing about the Gospels. Otherwise leave it on the shelf.

I was expecting this to be biased since the author is christian. And biased it was indeed, but not as much as I thought it would be. As an agnostic this book was very interesting and helpful at times. I had some doubts about the bible and surprisingly enough after reading this book now I have even more doubts. So it certainly isn't as biased as some would like to say. If you have questions about the bible and Christianity this book is a great place to start. It makes you believe and doubt at the same time. I liked it and recommend it, although the last 2-3 chapters were a waste of time

This book offers a great (if introductory) challenge to anyone who is of the modern, rational mindset and questions the historical and authorial integrity of the New Testament. Christian readers who are unfamiliar with the issues surrounding the authenticity of the New Testament are likely to be pleasantly surprised by how reliable and trustworthy its documents are. Non-Christian provocateurs have their work cut out for them if they wish to undermine scripture's integrity. In fact, as some groups have unsuccessfully been trying to do for thousands of years, "wishing" for a scripture killer that does not rely on faith itself is probably their best bet. Just don't ask them who might grant such a wish.

My criticism of this book is that it does not offer a great apologetic resource for individuals of a postmodern mindset. For those of postmodernity, claiming or demonstrating that something is "true" is not sufficient grounds to take up its cause. It must also be lived out in a way that harbors peace and reconciliation. This is surely an area were Christians need to improve on and remain steadfast in its application. Nevertheless, this text should lead honest inquisitors to ask, "If the disciples and related NT authors were accurately reporting on these events, what will we do with this information?" This represents the lion's share of opportunity for Jesus' message to continue changing the world. Believing in him requires more than mental assent to a list of propositions. We must also be committed to following his lifestyle to the best of our ability and let his grace cover the rest.

For truth-seekers looking to explore further, I also highly recommend Paul Eddy's and Gregory Boyd's book, "The Jesus Legend."

thanks for reading,
-C. Lambeth

Jesus Legend, The: A Case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Jesus Tradition

I grew up going to church, but never really understood God's purpose for sending Jesus. When I went to college I took a Women's Study class. Which, is not studying women at all. It is a very liberal focused feminist class intended to sway women's views toward the extreme feminist position. I left that class very confused about the truth of life. I searched for several years looking for the truth, not sure if I believed in God anymore. The Case for Christ was given to me as a Christmas gift. I listened to all ten cd's within a week. I wanted evidence, not just blind faith. I'm happy to say Lee's research has certainly provided that. With Lee coming to the table as an atheist, I feel that the research was unbiased and thorough. I have been able to pass this onto others who are searching for the Truth. Praise God for Lee's diligence and desire to know the Truth.

1 July 2008 - Great Book...a friend gave me this book years ago but after reading The Case for a Creator I read it and thought it was amazing. It was the abridged version.

The sex. The drugs. The rock n roll. And that was even before she met Eddie Van Halen.
The shock value not the writing--which has a breezy, high school girl's diary quality--is the reason to read this book.
She claims to be an emotional eater -- by the end you understand what she had to be so emotional about.
For the longest time VB was on the side of the angels. Presented by the media as America's Sweetheart; the good girl who would tame the bad boy; the suffering wife who tried and failed; kind but unhappy fat woman -- these are the monikers she could have continued to milk for sympathy. Instead she put it all out there without a trace of vindictiveness. This alone keeps her on the side of angels.

Valerie, You lived in "Clarkston", Michigan--not Pine Knob, Michigan. Pine Knob is a ski resort in the winter and a concert venue in the summer. There were other references in your book which clearly indicate you and your editors did not do their research.

For the most part, I agree with reviewers that said she's so insecure. I also didn't appreciate the democrat slant and comments. Too many celebrities, especially women, expect all or most women to be democrats. It ain't so. You surround yourself with so many sycophants and not enough real people to realize that. There are plenty of right-wingers on the coasts too.

Each time I thought she really was a grounded person, something would lurk around the corner proving otherwise. While she never talks money and how much she made while acting or even their household expenses, it would have been nice to read about to enable the reader to put things into perspective. I wasn't left with the impression that they were spend-thrifts (with the exception of drugs) but again, perspective would have been an added bonus.

Like everyone else who seems to have posted a review here, I was interested in reading this because Valerie Bertinelli is about my age and I liked her as Barbara Cooper on "One Day At A Time".

Anyway, I was expecting a lot more depth and insight in this book. It jumps around a lot and we rarely get any thoughtful, mature introspection. Another reviewer said that it was like a school girl's diary, and that perfectly describes it. There are loads of experiences summed up in half a paragraph, without the background, the impacts, and so on.

Throughout the book Valerie constantly says that she can't stand criticism, but I wish her editors had pushed a bit and tried to get her to focus on a few events and give us more - especially on her weight loss, since that was the point of the whole book. She should also have been encouraged to give us less of her politics. A trite bio by a television actress is hardly the appropriate platform for politics.

Valerie Bertinelli has led a very full life and she is still young! The book describes her climbing the ranks of television and how food has played a very large part in all of that. She was very candid about her struggles in her younger years with food and also how she was not as innocent as people believed as her character on "One Day At A Time"

Where I got a little lost and where I felt she was not being as candid is when she describes her relationship with Eddie Van Halen. Everyone knows he is no poster boy for Husband or Father of The Year, but I felt she placed all the blame of their marriage on his infidelity and drug and alcohol use and did not take any of the blame on herself. She did fess up to her infidelity as well, but I felt at parts she painted herself to be the saint of the marriage, when she had her faults as well.

I did enjoy this book, but I just took some of the parts that pertained to her part in their marriage with a grain of salt since she did a lot of finger pointing, but did not look in the mirror that closely.

But if you want a Hollywood tale of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, you will definitely enjoy this book.

I'm only a few years younger than Valerie and grew up watching "One Day" and emulating her hairstyles as a kid. I've always found her likable and entertaining and frankly, to be a little envied (before I knew better) when she married Eddie Van Halen, which was the talk of my high school at the time.

Her book, while not exactly cerebral, is an interesting read, and actually confirmed what I surmised from watching her interviews over the years: She is a good person with a natural sweetness but is much more edgy and a spitfire than one would believe from watching any of her work. It certainly makes her more interesting.

I do have to say, though, that she might have been better off had she kept her politics out of the book. I'll say up-front that I am somewhat of a conservative and therefore my exegesis is slanted right, but I cringed when she states she hasn't "forgiven" her dad for his conservative views and is encouraging him to become a Democrat, yet she voted for Clinton because she liked his wife. This sort of superficial, knee-jerk, bumper sticker politics is typical of Hollywood and frankly, sounds dumb. She is obviously trying to sound politically aware but comes across childish and naive. She owes Mr. Bertinelli an apology for the public condescension and frankly, more respect,as she could certainly learn a few things from him.

I was surprised at the number of grammatical errors, many of which were obvious. What was the proofreader thinking?!

All in all, though, the books is fairly engaging and she is very frank and honest about her own role in the events played out across its pages. She appears to have brought up a good kid and made a real effort to make a difficult marriage work, so I have to give her props for that, her silly political musings notwithstanding.

And let's face it...she still has great hair.

His Holiness brings a tremendous wealth and background of academic knowledge to the subject of Jesus which is clearly evident from his writing. But most importantly, he describes the beginning of the life of Jesus as chronicled in the Gospels from a perspective that is neither the liberal reconstructionist so popular among academia and the media today, nor the unquestioning faith of those who adhere to a literal translation of the Bible ("Sola Scriptura"). Instead he reflects the Catholic affirmation of the divinity of Christ, but uses historical criticism to bring perspective to the narrative of the Gospel-writers. The only reason I would keep it from being a 5-star rating is that the writing is likely way over the heads of many people who might be interested in exploring the subject from a Catholic perspective, but lack the background His Holiness assumes the readers bring.

I do not usually listen to audio books, but I made an exception when I ordered this one because I have a friend whose sight is fading who could only enjoy the book this way. I have already read (and marked) a copy of the print version, so I ordered an additional audio version for myself to listen to in the car and then maybe give away to someone else. What a surprise! The reader has the right voice and cadence to make it something like listening to a fine lecture--and I've heard a few that were truly top notch in my time. I have no doubt that I will listen all the way through the 11 CD's in this set. Even if you've already read the book, get this CD set. I hope that other titles from Pope Benedict XVI will become available in this form, and I hope they will keep this reader on retainer.

Bert Harrell
Jacksonville, Florida

One expects the Pope to know the Gospels, the question becomes whether he can write about the Gospels in an involving way, making it seem intrigubning even though you know most of the stories by heart.

After reading this the skills of Benedict at writing(as well as the translator) is methodical, crisp, and efficient. There's little dallying with meaningless words, Benedict making his point clearly and succinctly. He goes over the primary concern of each of the gospels and gives the various interpretations involved with each of the passages. This is really where the book shines, in that he gives interpretations others gives and then states his own and how he came ot his conclusion. You never get the feeling he's attacking a straw man and always states a conflicting stance fairly. He's a lot like Aquinas in this regard, which is one of the highest compliments I can give.

There is some pretty heavy material in here to ponder, as another commendation is that it never feels he's talking down to you. This isn't a book you bring for light leisure reading.

Note that this is the first part of what Benedict hopes to write, so there's little about the end of Jesus's life. Here's hoping the aging pontiff can get that written also.

Book arrived promptly and in the conditon advertised. I would purchase from this vendor again.

WHITE LIGHT DARK NIGHT: THE REVOLUTIONARY LIFE OF JOHN PAUL I

I've been a doubter most of my life. Benedict came close to entrapping me. The only thing that saved me was I knew I was dealing with the world's macro-genius of theology. Yet, although I did not come away as a believer, I did come away with a profound respect for this good man who so many accept as the Vicar of Christ on earth.

If you like pope-books, try John Cornwell's `The Pope in Winter', a wonderful record of the ups and downs of John Paul II. Also, get your fingers on Lucien Gregoire's `White Light Dark Night' a newly released biog of another of Benedict's predecessors, the 33-day Pope. We've heard too much of his death. Finally someone brings John Paul I back to life: his struggles as an impoverished child, as a rebellious seminarian, as a revolutionary priest and as an outspoken bishop/cardinal. John Paul I had a very different definition of `Jesus of Nazareth' than did either of his successors.

WHITE LIGHT DARK NIGHT: THE REVOLUTIONARY LIFE OF JOHN PAUL I