Biography Books

I love Laurie Notaro's books and this is my favorite yet. I was laughing out loud reading it in the car. So much so that my husband was getting annoyed, wanting to know what I kept laughing at!

This book was great! It made me laugh! If you have any insecurities you will love this book!

I love love love Laurie Notaro. While her first is still my favorite, this one does not disappoint!

The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death ranks right up there as one of my all-time Notaro favorites. Great read as Laurie tackles aging, sex offenders and the new hippie enclave she has moved to. I was so happy she had a new book out that I devoured it in two days. It was a great follow up to There's a Slight Chance I Might Be Going to Hell, which I also loved and re-read twice before passing it on to everyone I knew and having my book club read it. It's great that she can switch back and for the between genres--I look forward to seeing more fiction from her as well as her traditional essays. This book had me laughing and guffawing the whole way through, enough to get weird stares from people passing by me on my lunch hour. My favorite essay: Death of a Catch Phrase. I never expected anything like it from this writer, but it's clever and sharp. Great book.

I have the whole collection, but this one didn't make me laugh out loud :(

Good Book. Helpful. I come from a nursing background and I found this book quite helpful.

The book was recommened for an into class in Psychopharmacology. I read through all of it! The information is presented in easy to ready formats. It aslo includes practical case studies to help demonstrate concepts. It stresses that the information presented is in basic overview and some topics can be further researched. Yet, the material covered is indepth for most work in family therapy. The most commonly used psychotropic drugs, their primary uses and side effects are given in easy to use format. This is a great reference book for anyone going into counseling/therapy.

The book is written in clear practical way for clinicians across many disciplines to use easily.
I will certainly recommend it to anyone who wants a simple yet thorough coverage of the material for clinical puposes.


R. S. Ellecom, Psy.D, Dr.P.H

This book gives a wealth of clear and concise information regarding psychotropic medications. Included is a good write up of the history of medications in the mental health field. There are also descriptions of public and media perceptions of medications as well as historic attacks on psychotropic drugs based on rumor, politics, religion, and incorrect information. Anyone in the mental health field may benefit from having this book on their shelf.

I have found this book to be an excellent resource and reference for any one in the psychotherapy business. The simplification of the psychopharmacology is extremely useful, especially a novice practitioner.
This should be a read for all therapists wishing to practice psychotherapy. You could not help your clients any better then to have read and utilize this book as a desktop tool.

This was a very well written and entertaining book. It was not dry and historical. I was very engrossed in it and found it a very good read if you are interested in Tudor history. I am glad she she spent time on Mary Tudor, because not as much is written about her or her brother as Elizabeth. I found this to be a very good book.

Once again (I bought three books related with Henry VIII) the contents were the expected, the conditions in wich I received the book were perfect, and in a very reasonable lapse of time

The author demonstrates meticulous research in this book. This is the fourth of her books I have read and find her style clear,dull and somewhat easier to read than the Congrsssional Record.If you are seeking an accurate history with overmuch detail, Alison Weir is the author for you. I prefer a history book with a theme which holds my attention and doesn't wander into taxing paragraphs of detail,dull detail.

From the moment I picked up this book, I got glued. I have never read anything about Henry or his children in the past. I had been wanting to read about Elizabeth but it took awhile for me to find the right book. I read many reviews on the books written about her and based on those reviews, Alison Weir was the biographer I chose. Many have commented how she has put this book and the book on Elizabeths adult life together very well. And she has by my opinion. I'm still reading the book and look forward to reading about Elizabeth's adulthood.

As usual Alison Weir has written a great non-fiction. The research that she does makes her my number one author.

In Home, A Memoir of My Early Years, Julie Andrews reveals a difficult childhood in war torn Britain. Born to a mother with dreams of stardom of her own and a father prone to drink, she weathers the German's Blitz that ravaged London. Her parents eventually divorce and her mother remarries. Julie begins her performing career locally and eventually branches out to radio, music halls and eventually a command performance before the Queen (the youngest solo performer age the age of 12). Continuing to draw audiences Julie eventually accepts an offer to perform on Broadway and leaves for the US at age eighteen.

While her performing career was on the rise, Julie was not as secure at home. Even though she traveled and performed with her mother and step-father, her mother was prone to black moods and struggled with Julia's rising fame. Both her mother and stepfather had drinking problems. There are family secrets that could shake the family apart. Julie becomes the partial caretaker and support of the family at a young age and depended more and more on people outside the home to provide comfort and support for her. When opportunities to move on and go to America, these are the people who assure her that home will be taken care of, it is her time to go. This is a tender memoir that doesn't shy away from difficult memories. What makes this so heartwarming is the care she takes with her story. Clear eyed and honest, she tells an engrossing tale of a difficult childhood and the ability to find humor and good in those times.

Even though I was born 6 years after the release of Mary Poppins and this book is about Julie Andrew's life up to being hired for Mary Poppins, I enjoyed every single page! I have always been a huge Julie Andrew's fan; however, I had no idea about her life prior to her films. Her grace and humor shines throughout the book. It is also evident how much work went into it as the memories are described so wonderfully. I really hope she will follow up with another book to bring us to date to where she is today!

I adore Julie Andrews so this book was a huge disappointment. I was so looking forward to getting lost in her words. By page 5, I was beginning to skimread over her tedious and depressing genealogy. Only halfway through the book does she begin describing her acting career. The book ends as she signs up for Mary Poppins. Where was an editor to suggest that anyone other than a devoted fan would find the minutiae of her family troubles a dull read?

This memoir reads as if it were two different books. The part dealing with her early work in British musical theater (after her emergence from the dying music hall tradition) reads mostly, but not entirely, like a stereotypical "show-biz" memoir, full of good friends, great colleagues and generally lovely people. It is saved from utter cliche by two things: First, Andrews clearly portrays the hard, wearing and sometimes humiliating work that goes into performing at the highest levels (particularly while trying to establish one's self). Second, she portrays some of the nastiness that can go on in this world where your status rises and falls with each performance and your ego and self-esteem with it. Fear of failure is powerful and all-pervading.

Andrews provides a number of startling vignettes that are distinctly not of the "beautiful person" school. There is Rex Harrison trying hard to get the very young (around 21) Andrews fired from My Fair Lady during rehersals while she was struggling to find herself in the role. Harrison did not care one whit who (including Andrews) might overhear him or the obscene and abusive language that he used. There is Richard Burton dealing with the pressure of performance in Camelot by the occasional heavy drinking binge and appearing on stage while totally drunk. Burton, a famous and successful womanizer, also tried to seduce the younger Andrews and did not scruple to try to manipulate her into his bed by undermining her sense of security as an actor in working with him. Nasty stuff and there are other such stories involving lesser known people. It is worth noting that Andrews does not mention receiving any help from other cast members while Harrison was busy trying to destroy her. The great director Moss Hart, however, showed enormous faith and patience and worked one-on-one with her to save her confidence, her role and probably her theater career. She says that she loved him for it, and I do not doubt her.

The other book, though, is about her childhood; and the events that it relates are often bleak and occasionally harrowing. Born in 1935, Andrews clearly remembers the bombs falling on London during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz of 1940-41. Her mother was an accomplished pianist and her Dad (as she always calls him) a working man. Her mother was working as a pianist at a resort when she met another man and left the family to live with him and eventually marry him. The two of them formed an act for the British music halls (vaudeville). Her mother insisted that Andrews come to live with her and her new husband and Dad acquiesced. This was a terrible blow to Andrews because Dad was essentially the only source of love in her life that was reliable, responsible and unconditional.

Nonetheless off Andrews went. She neither liked nor trusted her stepfather whom her mother insisted that Andrews call "Pop." Her new parents were busy working on their music hall career and became successful enough to be "second top" performers, especially after they discovered Andrews's amazing voice and other talents. She became part of the act and traveled with them. Success did not last, however, because Pop had ever growing alcohol problems which eventually affected his work and made him unemployable. Money became scarce, and he reacted in a very typical way: he began first to have flaming arguments and then to beat first his wife and eventually their two younger sons. Andrews, in her room, overheard many of these episodes and felt guilt for not somehow intervening. She is certain that her mother, whom she believes was abused in her own childhood, sometimes deliberately goaded Pop until he exploded into violence.

Pop apparently never beat Andrews but did make sexual advances to her at least twice, once when she was about ten and again when she was about 16. Each time she successfully forestalled him; but after the second occasion her mother's sister had a lock installed on Andrews's bedroom door, a necessary precaution as the drunk and befuddled Pop tried the door just after the lock was installed. He never tried again.

Andrews's primary sources of love and comfort during these times were her Dad, her aunt (she of the bedroom lock) and her voice teacher. Only her aunt had some periods when she was around Andrews more or less constantly. Her Dad could not be, but he seems to have simply suffused her with love when he was able to see her.

Andrews now became the main breadwinner for the family as her mother also slipped into alcoholism. Her mother informed her that if she failed they would lose their house, so there was plenty of pressure on a very young child. Her mother also one day took her to a house party and had her sing for the guests there. The party's host then questioned her closely. On the way home her mother informed Andrews that this man was Andrews's actual biological father. Her Dad, who loved Andrews's mother, had married her while she was pregnant and raised Andrews as his own child. This must have been shocking to Andrews but she does not make much of her reaction, and it certainly did not affect her relationship with her Dad.

We now know how deeply unsettling, indeed devastating, this sort of family background can be to the emotional life of a child and the adult that they grow to be. Some people can be emotionally stunted in various ways for life. Andrews herself is unlikely to be unscathed. The prose style that she employs in discussing these events is telling in this regard. She writes frankly and clearly about them, but she is guarded. Her tone is matter of fact, much as if she were describing what had happened to someone else. It is a tribute to her that she was able apparently to be not merely functional but greatly successful as an actor, a mother and a wife.

Julie Andrews' new autobiography, "Home," is a must-read for anyone who loves Disney, entertainment, England and great family stories. She is a consummate writer -- yes, she is one of the celebrities who writes her own books -- and evokes the mood, settings, and even the smells of her early life, from a dysfunctional but loving family and the last days of British Vaudeville to Broadway stardom and getting the role of Mary Poppins.

I was not aware that two Disney legends crossed paths twice in their careers. Julie Andrews performed in her first big stage variety show with none other than Disneyland Golden Horseshoe fixture Wally Boag. Boag also figures prominently in Steve Martin's autobiography, in which he fondly recalls Disneyland as his haven from an unhappy home life.

Julie's childhood had tough times, but she remained very close to her family over the years despite the bumps in the road. I'm glad she chose to focus in so much detail on her early career in this book, since many of us know little about the theatrical world she came from. Mary Poppins makes an appropriate stopping point since she suggests that her early experience led to her being uniquely qualified to play the part, which had a lot of music hall-style set pieces. The life she led after the movie made her an international star is really another story for another book.

I listened to the book on CD. Hearing Julie Andrews herself spin her tale in a warm, friendly way is a remarkable experience. Some of my friends chose to read the book first. I also bought the book to share with family and friends, and to have on hand for quick reference.

The US State Dept website's description of Perkins' previous book (Confessions of an Economic Hit Man) works here, as well: "an exciting, first-person, cloak-and-dagger tale that plays to popular images about alleged U.S. economic exploitation of Third World countries."

In an easy to read style, Perkins weaves his personal stories around generally established events from around the world that one can usually trace to sources other than Perkins. Although it certainly doesn't hurt to have such incidents brought to mind again, his inclusion of them end up leading the reader in a way that make his behind-the-scenes stories feel more plausible, seeming to simply fill in ground level details of US/corporate exploitation. Together it goes down more smoothly as narrative, a great format for popular consumption.

Yet, as other reviewers have already pointed out, the lack of verifiability really limits the book. The "secrets" Perkins is trying to reveal are, of course, based on personal or anonymous testimony. On the one hand, the circumstances he describes warrant such anonymity, and we should not dismiss singular personal testimony out of hand (especially when regarding such alleged clandestine incidents, where scattered personal testimony may be all there is). On the other hand, since readers' cannot cross-examine his evidence, many of his claims simply must remain unproven, which is unfortunate. Perkins' work would be a stronger contribution to informing the public if it could do so objectively.

At best, perhaps his stories (along with the more established incidents he mentions) should be kept in mind as what powerful corporations and countries are capable of, causing us to be all the more on our guard against corruption.

John Perkins, a former "economic hit man", revealed his emotional turmoil in Confessions of an Economic Hitman. He illustrated from an insider's perspective the evils of the modern-day empire building of corporations or "corporatocracy" in action. He lifted the veil on the military-industrial complex, which partners with Government in bewitching consumers with guile, corruption and big marketing budgets, whilst carrying out gross environmental and human rights abuses.

In this sequel, Perkins has a more mature view of the world. Gone is the continuous guilt and egotistical self-reflection, and in its place, is more depth, plenty of anecdotes, solutions for a better world, and many exciting world travels thrown in. Not only does it read like a spy novel at times, but also a travel book. Perkins is no journalist, and there is an opportunity here for a follow-up research piece on his vignettes. There are also times when unsubstantiated conspiracy theories run a bit far. His sources are not always vetted for quality. However, I believe Perkins' heart is in the right place and he should be forgiven for less than perfect journalism.

One major faux pas is in his discussion on the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. He mentions that Israel launched an attack on Beirut, as if they were making afternoon tea, and faced international criticism. Perkins conceals the major facts of this war - that Hizbollah instigated it by kidnapping an Israeli soldier from sovereign Israel, and launched a missile attack on Haifa. This error of omission calls to question many of his other theories. I wonder what the book could have been if he had employed a fact-checker.

There is no doubt that corporate hegemony is casting a chilling shadow on our world, and the more aware people become, the more we can do. Whilst this is by no means, a 5-star book, it is redeemed by the solutions provided, and Perkins' open-minded approach. Everyone with an interest in why the world is in the situation it's in, why we're so dependent on oil, politics, economics, and the environment, will find this book worthwhile. I would recommend it to everyone interested in the future of humanity and the world we inhabit. This is a must-read for anyone wondering why so much of Asia, Africa and the Middle East hate America.

The Secret History of the American Empire by John Perkins author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.
P. 283; "The world is not in danger. We are. If we don't change our ways, Mother Nature will shake us off like so many fleas."
This fast moving book is packed with historical revelations and profound thoughts.
Read it!

Perkins once again tells it like it is. We are part of the problem. Our addiction to cheap clothing and exercise equipment (put together in tropical sweatshops by people living only marginally better than inmates of Nazi prison camps) fuels the system. We have to change, to live sustainable lifestyles. Read the book. Once you understand the problem, you will want to be part of the solution.

Wow, I can't believe the reviews have been so favorable for this writers books. It's as though people just stop thinking for themselves. Let me save you 15 bucks. Down w/ capitilism, people who make money are bad. No mention that, perphaps, it's government interference and manipulation of fiscal programs around the world that cause corperations to act as they do.

I highly recommend this book. Some may say that Rodrigues gave herself too much credit for what others have done. But I have to admit, that I for one would never go to Kabul. So regardless of how much she did, or did not achieve, she was there, and we weren't. To be a woman in a repressive society is beyond difficult, it's torturous. I applaud her courage, and her determination to initiate change in a world where women's voices are meaningless. I wish the best for the women of Kabul, and for the few good men there who help them in their way.

TV and news reviews make war feel distant, un-human and entirely male-centered. This book beautifully captures a glimpse of Afghan life. Every page was enlightening and touching in the same way. Written in a refreshingly simple way, this book allowed me to think about complex issues in a digestible (and dare I say, whimsical) manner.

I enjoyed this book very much. It gave a look into the lives of Afghan women trying to make a positive step in their lives, sometimes when their husbands couldn't provide. They took it upon them selves to take a step toward financial independance for themselves and their families.

What was a bit contradictory, perhaps, was how Debbie Rodriguez mentions a few times that the Afghan people were the warmest and most endearing people, however, it seems like most of her students and women there in general were being beaten by their husbands. It seemed every time she brought it up, somebody was getting beaten. So what's the deal?? Are the people only nice to women outside their families, or did she miss something in her writing to differenciate the two.

Well I really enjoyed this book. The author writes in a way that makes it seem she is talking directly to the reader. She gives many situations that are sad, funny and difficult. She points out how ahrd it is for Afgan women, and all the "rules" they must follow(this is upsetting for us westerners) but also enlightens us about what other women have to endure. Her funny incidents are really light and show a comradary with women as women. All in All I found this a very enjoyable ready and I learned a lot and this is a women who at least tried to do some "good" for women under the worst situations.

FASCINATING INSIDE PICTURE OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN A PLACE THAT IS AN ENIGMA TO MOST AMERICANS. VERY ENTERTAINING BESIDES.

I bought this book after watching the episodes on cable. I was pleased that the filmed episodes were accurate to the book's accounts. The book itself was based on the experiences of an embedded reporter traveling with an advance unit of Recon Marines at the very beginning the invasion of Iraq. A war that, sadly, we are still fighting, apparently with the same degree of confusion as when we started. In any case, or by any road, the experiences, and attitudes of the soldier seem to be universal, though this generation's soundtrack seems to be rap & heavy metal, with a soupcon of country. What is interesting is that thanks to the methods of training used nowadays is that more soldiers seem eager and willing to kill, than in previous wars. Though the statistics show that there are still of fair number of returning vets who have a hard time dealing with the aftermath. I found the book to be interesting and engrossing, for any one unfamiliar with what it is like to be a combat soldier, this book should be illuminating.

Great book, should be a must read for anyone interested in the mess we call the Iraq war.

The Book is great, I got into it after watching the first few episodes of the series. The book goes into further detail, obviously, than the series. It makes the reader see the difference between the command and the actual grunt and how different the war is to what we perceive. All in all I recommend the book for an eye opening read about the beginning of the Iraq conflict.

Since HBO just finished running a seven part miniseries based on this book, I decided I would probably get more out of the miniseries by reading the book. As is the case in situations like this, you definitely get more out of the book than the television show. And in this case, it makes for a excellent, first person account of the opening months of the Iraq War.

Generation Kill, by Evan Wright, is the result of his time in Iraq, embedded with the Marine Corp's First Reconnaissance Battalion, Second Platoon of Bravo Company, during the first three months of the Iraq War. Recon Marines are highly trained, very close to Special Forces, to work behind enemy lines. In the opening months of the Iraq War, they are used as the point of the war spear, driving quickly toward Baghdad in an effort to fake Saddam Hussein's army into thinking that it is the main military thrust. Wright, the only reporter embedded with First Recon, Second Platoon of Bravo Company, tells the story of this small group of Marines as they head toward Baghdad. In doing so, you get a much better understanding of the people that fight for our country, their thoughts on the ultimate taboo, killing, and an inside look at the 21st century US Military machine.

Whether you agree with the war in Iraq or not, this is an eye-opening book. Since Wright had access to all of the men of Second Platoon of Bravo Company, including the commanders, you are witness to the conflicting orders, poor commanders, exposed to what it is like to go days on end without sleep, and how the men deal with killing other human beings. It is mentally exhausting reading as Wright describes how these Marines live, work, and interact with each other. Some of the best scenes take place within the confines of the Humvee, as the soldiers pass time by singing songs, rip on each other, and talk about their life back in the States. One interesting point is that there are rules to riding in certain Humvee's; no singing of country songs, no Charms candy (thought to be bad luck). You may think that the US has one of the best equipped military's, but as Wright shows you, Second Platoon is plagued by lack of lubricant for their weapons, causing them to jam at the most inopportune times, and batteries for their Night Vision Goggles and Thermal Imaging Devices. These deficits can have very tragic consequences. Finishing this book, you should have a new appreciation for the men and women in the Armed Forces. As Wright notes:

I am not always confident most Americans fully appreciate the caliber of the people fighting for them, the sacrifices they have made, and the sacrifices they continue to make.

This book will provide you with some appreciation.

My father was an Army medic in Vietnam so I've always been partial to reading about the military experience of war because of the stories my dad told me as a boy. This is the best book about those experiences I have ever read. It's almost as good as my dad's stories. Pick it up and read it now.

Leee Iacocca gives a brash view on the current politics of the United States. 'Where Have All the Leaders Gone' is an all-out, hard-hitting view of all the problems of the U.S. economy; from someone who's seen it first hand. This book is a fast read, and I would recommend it to anyone.

I have enjoyed reading Lee's Autobiography even though I did not agree with everything he said. In "Where have all the leaders gone" I am wondering if he has gone off the deep end. He makes some good points about leaders have to listen, and that leaders should keep people of various opinions around, and that leaders are made by having quality people around them. This is good stuff, but what in the world are we to make when we read that Lee is hob knobbing with Fidel Castro! He likes the man. Fidel is a murderer Lee! We are not to blame for the state that Cuba finds itself in, Castro is to blame. Quite frankly it sounds like Lee is just really upset that he cannot get Cuban cigars. Come on Lee grow up for goodness sakes.

I can get past Lee's dislike for Bush, heck I am not all that fond of the job he has done, and I voted for him, twice. But come on Lee, "Bush lied and people died" this is about as original as a burger and fries at McDonalds. I am not inclined to defend Bush, but at least he did listen to the Generals and sent in more troops and guess what Lee, we are winning.

It would seem that Lee has gotten his undies in a bunch and is letting off steam. It is too bad because we are short on good leaders these days, and I really thought Lee would shed some good and practical light on the subject, but all we get is just more of what is on the New York Times Editorial page. It's a shame that trees had to die to print this drivel.

Mr. Iacocca is now on my short list of the ideal lunch date. What a fascinating, intelligent and entertaining guy! I feel depressed that big business in America is no long controlled by people with his level of integrity. This book's hidden gem is that it presents great business lessons. Of course the running theme happens to be an echo chamber of my own left-leaning politics (President Bush supports and promotes thieves, medicine is a human right), so there was happy reading. But you also get some advice from a very successful salesman on how to succeed in sales, hire and manage great people. The book starts out with perfect pitch, is entertaining, sharp, witty, and offers solutions rather than just opining. I only object to some world-class name-dropping in the last third; I don't see how it adds anything to the discussion. Otherwise, as a practical manual of how to fix major issues we are having in this country, it is worth buying to refer to again and again.

Lee Iacocca is correct in the observation that "smoke and mirrors" politics and mis-information in America is how big business has taken over our democracy. Wish Lee was running for President.

If you ever felt, "Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening?", please read this book. I read the book recently, little late since it was published more than a year ago, but I am glad I picked up a copy from the local library and read it finally.

From time to time we need Lee's doses to wake up, get our act together and put our money where our mouth is. The book will give you that and so deserves a 5-Star rating.

The book was very useful to my needs. With that, it was in good condition & it arrived right on time!