Biography Books

shirley mclaine writes another book about her life, interesting first half, second half full of aliens, if thats your cup of tea, by all means, buy it.

This is yet another wonderful book from an inspiration to us all. I also loved the video Out on a Limb and hope that they put it on a DVD soon.

Yes, Shirley is still out on a limb. I loved this paragraph from the first chapter:

"I've decided to believe everything I hear. Why not? It's all unbelievable anyway. I mean, most everything these days challenges what I grew up knowing and believing was a kind of sane truth."

In Chapter 2 Shirley reveals some of her memories and experiences with some of Hollywood's other stars and that makes for some entertaining reading but she also tells us something about her relationship with her father. That was quite illuminating when it comes to understanding just why Shirley ended up out on a limb and remains there to this day. To venture out on the shakey end of the limb one must be daring. Her daring nature came as a direct result of doing just the opposite of the way her father lived his life. As she says, "He had been taught not to dare. So he didn't".

When you get to Chapter 3, hold on and strap yourself in. This is where the ride really begins and doesn't stop until the last word is read. She covers it all: her past life in Atlantis, alternative medicines, psychoactive drugs (although the only "illegal" drug she's tried is a little marijuana), synchronicity, reincarnation, prayer, prophecy, pyramids and bible codes, ufo phenomena, ghosts, freemasonry, the works of Zecharia Sitchen, quantum physics and... well, you get the idea. But she doesn't just pull these topics out of a hat at random to fool the uninitiated into thinking, gee, she must be really smart. She is genuinely interested in these topics (has been for many years) and she actually knows a great deal about them. She's done her homework and she shares her thoughts and insights on these subjects with her readers. That is not to say, however, that she considers herself some sort of a guru. On the contrary, she sees herself as a seeker still out on that limb, still searching ever deeper for the Truth, whatever that may turn out to be.

Sage-ing While Age-ing is the quintessence of the Shirley MacLaine many of us have come to know and admire after all these many years.

Gary Val Tenuta
Author of
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Video trailer, [...]
"2012 is coming...The clock is ticking...The code must be deciphered...And only one man can save the planet...If he can just figure out how...Before it's too late."

"Entertaining and enlightening."
-- Jay Weidner, documentary producer and co-author of Mysteries of the Great Cross of Hendaye

"An amazing feat."
-- Peter A. Gersten, editor, PAG eNews

Shirley Maclaine appeared on the view last month to promote her new book Sag-ing while Ag-ing. During her interview, she advertised this book as a resource for bettering yourself as an individual by using the power of gemstones to heal your inner-self. She advertised this book as a one-all, be-all resource for better living to all who read it, but when I started reading the book, I realized this book was nothing of the sort. The book is full of affairs with actors like Jack Nicolson, and it hardly mentions anything that could benefit me as a person. Where are the remedies you promised to the fans of the View? The explanation of the colored gemstones..? The homemade recipes that are suppose to replace the medications that you claim are killing us? None of these are present in any detail. This book is a complete misrepresentation of what Shirley claimed it was on Television.

At seventy-four years of age, there's a good chance that SAGE-ING WHILE AGE-ING will be Shirley MacLaine's last book about her own life and the spiritual journey that she's been on for the last two-and-a-half decades. In many ways, this new book sums up what was begun in OUT ON A LIMB, DANCING IN THE LIGHT, and GOING WITHIN. The author continues with her diligent research into mind, body, and spirit, while attempting to answer the most important questions about life and why we're here. This isn't to say that her journey for understanding is over. No, not by a long shot. Ms. MacLaine will continue to ponder the mysteries of the universe right up until the very moment she dies and then maybe after.

SAGE-ING WHILE AGE-ING covers a large number of topics that prove to be rather interesting for those who are consciously on the their own spiritual journey. In it, Ms. MacLaine discusses the hatred and anger that seems to permeate most societies in our world today, wondering if this aspect of humanity is necessary in order to have love and insight and a strong desire to know God. The pondering of this question enables her to look at her own fears with regards to growing older and perhaps even dying alone, which in turn leads her to examine the field of alternative medicine in relationship to her own health problems and what needs to be done to insure that everyone receives the best possible health care in the world today. But, that's isn't all. Reincarnation is discussed as well as the heavy UFO activity on our planet and how every country except the United States seems to accept and acknowledge these somewhat friendly visits from other solar systems. The author also takes a hard look at religion and spirituality and the affects that both have had on humanity over time and what changes may be necessary in order for mankind to survive.

Needless to say, I found some of the subjects to be fascinating and thought provoking, while others did little to stir my interest. I think most readers will encounter this. You'll have to pick and choose what's of value for you. I have to admit to enjoying her discussion on synchronicity and how it has affected her life and work. The chapters on the famous 1947 Roswell crash in New Mexico and UFO activity around the world since the late forties also proved to be an eye-opener. I didn't, however, care much for the information about alien abductees, nor the secret code to the Bible and the unusual event that seems to be coming in December of 2012. Still, I would recommend this book to those of you who've enjoyed Ms. MacLaine's previous books just to see where she's at in this particular stage of her spiritual growth. Whether or not you agree with her views, Ms. MacLaine definitely lays it on the line as she once again goes out on a limb to discuss the subjects that seem to be gaining in popularity. This is certainly a book that will have you asking your own questions before the final page is reached!

I've rarely read as gripping, horrifying, and inspiring a book as Ken Wells' story of what happened when The Storm hit the low-lying bayou parishes of St. Bernard and Plaquemines. As a reporter for the "Wall Street Journal," Wells, himself a Louisiana native, saw the devastation in the two parishes immediately after Katrina. His The Good Pirates of the Forgotten Bayous is an oral history of sorts of what happened to them, a story that got "forgotten" by a nation focused on New Orleans proper, and how the folks in the parish have fared since.

St Bernard and Plaquemines are shrimping parishes, and Wells' story focuses on the Robin clan, a shrimping family that's lived and worked in the area for over 200 years. Ricky Robin, captain of a 70 ton trawler called the "Lil Rick"--a ship built by hand--sails up the Violet Canal hoping to weather out the hurricane. But surges whipped up by the 140+ mph winds get him in trouble almost at once. In one of the book's most harrowing passages, Ricky remembers seeing a 20 foot skiff blowing through the air and then skidding across the roiling waves like a thrown stone.

In the three days following the worst of the storm, Ricky gives shelter on the "Lil Rick" to hundreds of homeless survivors, sometimes hammering out dixieland tunes on his trumpet to keep up their spirits. Disasters can bring out the worst in frightened and desperate people. But it brought out the very best in Ricky Robin.

Although Robin is the star of the book, Wells also introduces us to others who weathered the story-- such as Ricky's cousin Ronald Robin. Ronald, a veteran hurricane survivor, also tried to weather the storm in Violet Canal. But like so many others, he was stunned by Katrina's ferocity and swiftness. "Damn," he remembers exclaiming, "that SOB is coming up fast!"

Wells stayed in touch with the St. Bernard and Plaquemines survivors, and the second half of the book tells the story of how they've coped since the disaster. It's not been easy. The parishes are still pretty much devastated, and inhabitants are bitter--they call Katrina the "federal storm," convinced that the government could've prevented the greater part of the destruction had the levees been more carefully maintained. Ricky, for all his outward easy-going nature, suffers from flashbacks.

But at the end of the day, the story that Wells tells is one of astounding courage, human fellowship, and old-fashioned pluck. As Wells himself asserts, the story of the "good pirates" is "a narrative of the human spirit, a story about a decidedly blue-collar, ruggedly independent people whose decisions to face down Katrina lay in deep cultural anchors. It is a story of a people who--when they realize no one is coming to save them--rise up to save themselves and their neighbors in the face of raw peril and a disaster of unimaginable proportions."

Oh yeah: Wells is one heckuva writer too. Readers will be captivated by his style. Six stars.

I'm stumped. This memoir is considered a classic, yet there are platoons of unsung memoirs out of Africa that are far superior. Granted,Mathabane wrote this when he was barely out of high school. But still. The writing is laborious and, worse, many of the scenes, particularly those from his very early childhood, feel embellished. A different shade of James Frey? That said, the book gives a sobering, stark picture of Apartheid-era township life in all its horrors and occasional joys.

I really enjoyed reading about this mans triumph to overcome the odds and to follow destiny (getting to America).

KAFFIR BOY is a must read for anyone interested in what life was like for a young boy coming of age in Apartheid South Africa. Mark Mathabane describes in vivid detail the horror of poverty and brutality which was a way of life for black children and families living in the squalor city of Alexandria near Johannesburg, the affluent suburb in South Africa. His account is heartbreaking. Yet, Mark was able to do the unthinkable. He was able to escape (thanks to the support of men like Stan Smith), and lived to write about his horrifying experiences. KAFFIR BOY is interesting and important because Mark Mathabane writes in a style as if he is talking directly to the reader, thereby allowing the reader to fully understand what it was like coping with the cruelty and injustice of apartheid.

I thought that parts of the book could have been penned more concisely. Also, it was difficult at times to understand the character of Mark's mother and father. Yet, Mark Mathabane's powerful and profound account/message of life in Apartheid South Africa far outweighs the minor flaws of this book. I highly recommend this book.

Stark and poignant, Mark Mathabane shares his autobiography of life under South African apartheid until the miracle of his escape to the United States in Kaffir Boy (Free Press, 350 pages). Mr. Mathabane's story is told in three parts. The first, The Road to Alexandra, offers a description of the appalling squalor and violence found in a black ghetto under fourth-class citizen status. How children learn to survive, let alone attempt to carry on any type of hopeful existence, defies any common understanding of humanity and pulls at the reader's heartstrings. The challenges, frustrations, and sacrifices that confronted Mr. Mathabane and his family are documented throughout the second section, Passport to Knowledge, where education, religion, and tribal affiliations swirl as possible solutions to combat the Influx Control Law and other forms of white-minority separatist rule. Passport to Freedom, the third section, narrates Mr. Mathabane's discovery of tennis and the difficulties of making dreams come true.

Despite the repetition of incidents and the infusion of seemingly inconsequential moments, Mr. Mathabane's autobiography is readable and moving. It is hard to imagine anyone living through the impoverished conditions he describes. Confrontations with his tribal father, local gangs, missionaries, and white authorities suggest hope of a better future is nothing short of a lottery ticket. The most effective sections of the text share Mr. Mathabane's inner turmoil in deciding his place as a black South African and an agent of change. The tumultuous history of apartheid is drawn with an effective narrative voice as violent uprisings and responses are juxtaposed with tender sacrifices and determination. With the assistance of liberal whites, Mr. Mathabane turned hard work and good fortune into a plane ticket to freedom. Kaffir Boy joins Cry Freedom and Master Harold & the Boys as yet another powerful depiction of South African life.

I picked up this book after watching the movie "Tsotsi". I was looking for a book about apartheid in South Africa and stumbled upon this one. And I am so glad I did. The author has done a great job in detailing his childhood and the struggle he and his family went through. Half-way through the book I found it extremely depressing and decided to stop. Later that night I realized that people have courage to actually go through and I can't even complete reading the book? People in Africa still go through horrifying experiences...Yes, it was a depressing read but a definite MUST. An absolute eye opener...

You don't have to be a kid 9-12 years old to giggle, shake your head in disbelief, and cry while you read this book--an adaptation of MARLEY AND ME. This is a testament to author Grogan's writing skill.

Grogan never underestimates his readers' vocabulary and comprehension of complex ideas. He doesn't "sugar coat" anything; kids and adults appreciate that. He relates his story through a full range of emotions--frustration over Marley's destructive behavior, worry when Marley is sick, and awe every time Marely does the un-doable.

I challenge newbie juvenile writers to craft their books as well as Grogan has.

Note: If you don't have time to read the longer MARLEY AND ME, read MARLEY: A DOG LIKE NO OTHER instead. You'll be glad you did.

Marley is a great book about a dog. He is crazy but still very cute. He is not obedient at all and when he's in public he is very naughty. This book goes from the beginning of Marley's life to when he gets really old. Marley is a golden retriever. He is so big that everyone is scared of him. When anyone walks into the house Marley dashes up to them and jumps up on them. This book is so good I couldn't put it down. These are some of the reasons I liked the book:

1. The book has to do with animals being treated fairly and I like that.
2. It taught me how much a dog can connect with its owner. It was touching.
3. The book was thick but I couldn't get enough!

There is just one thing that made me sad. I won't tell you what it was but I will say that it was so sad I actually cried. I hope this review helps you decide if this book is for you or not.

(Review written by Tysha)

This book is excellent for dog lovers. It spans the gambit from laughter to tears. A MUST READ!

In this condensed version of John Grogan's best-selling Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog, the author has written an adapted version of his life and times with his Labrador Retriever, Marley, that's perfect for younger readers.

Having read and fully enjoyed Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog when it was first released, I was a little anxious to see how Mr. Grogan would handle a shorter, easier-to-read version for the middle-grade set. Fortunately, MARLEY: A DOG LIKE NO OTHER is a fun, vibrant, and compelling read that even older elementary school students will enjoy.

When John and his wife, Jenny, first pick Marley out from a litter of pure-blood Labradors, they have no idea that their small bundle of fur with the big paws and blocky head will eventually turn into a 97-pound drool-machine full of nerves, excitement, and limitless energy. This short story (196 pages) is a testament to the trials, tribulations, and ultimate loyalty of a dog who ended up starring in a feature film.

Marley is the type of dog that you love, despite his flaws (and there are many!), and even the youngest of readers will be overjoyed to read about the trouble that he finds himself in on a daily basis. And, I admit, I shed a few tears towards the end of this book, but they were well worth it, because Marley was worth it.

One great benefit of this version of Marley's story are the numerous full-color photographs that the author has included. This addition alone makes MARLEY: A DOG LIKE NO OTHER an asset to your home library.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Loved the book --it made me laugh, smile, cry. I bought three -- two were gifts and one for myself, which I also loaned to all my dog loving friends.

I could identify with many of the issues that Joan Anderson was facing; the life changes, my choices and life fulfillment. It is a beautiful book at times, but at other times the author comes off a bit whiny. Still, overall, I give Joan Anderson a thumbs up for having the courage to leave the familiar and to take risks in finding something more and ultimately in the end, finding yourself and your own voice.

As a woman who just turned 30 years old, I found this book incredibly relevant to my life even with the distance in age and outward life circumstances from the author. The book is beautifully written... poetic, moving, deeply meaningful. I read it over two days and look forward to reading it again. There are many passages that resonated with my so deeply, I look forward to going back and highlighting. I would recommend this book to any woman at a point of transition or questioning in her life - surely it will be like a lighthouse for your rocking ship.

I bought this book after reading a raving review and I was totally disappointed. The style is bland and common, the topic - finding and understanding oneself, which I believe is one of life most important feat - is treated in a shallow manner. In our day and age, I also found it difficult to relate to a fifties' American housewife type of issues. But, it could have all been bearable if the book had been well written. It isn't, and it never managed to stir a bit of passion, beauty or compassion. I was bored from beginning to end, and I only kept reading the book in hope that it might improve. There are many better books out there that deal with introspection, meaning of relationships, being oneself, or surrounding oneself in nature and discovering life.

This was a well written book with many ideas that resonated within me. I especially liked how she started each chapter with a quote, a poem, some bit of writing from another author. I feel this book can help any woman looking to "find herself". While I've learned there is no treasure map that leads us to the "X marks myself", there are several good books that are guideposts, and this one could be counted as one of them.

It was the year 2000, I'd been married almost 20 years -- the kids were pretty much grown and I stood at the edge of my marriage - terrified that I'd jump off and terrified that I wouldn't. Okay, maybe terrified is a dramatic term, but that is how I felt. I truly did not know WHAT to do with my "self" even after many years of intentional inner growth, happiness and many blessings. I didn't know if I needed to be REALLY alone or how to be the ME emerging AND be married. There was no other man - no big outer change I sought...I just felt trapped. Thankfully, a friend told me about this book and I devoured it with gratitude. Joan Anderson is a ballsy, brave wayshower -- she's HONEST about the details I wondered about and I can't begin to say how grateful this wasn't a story about another man. Eight years later, I am HAPPY in me--my life and my marriage AND I am still learning - still growing. And now, Joan has THE SECOND JOURNEY out -- her story about the 10 years after writing her first book. Again, she helps so many as she helps her own life. For those who have found A YEAR BY THE SEA inspirational and helpful, please write to Meryl Streep (or her agent/publicist) or your favorite strong 50's actress to consider pushing this story to be made into a movie. This book has helped so many women, men and their marriages! Thank you Joan Anderson!!

Good read. What war is like from the grunt point of view. I respect our troops more than ever after reading things like this book. Hoooh.

This memoir is a graphic reminder of just how personal modern warfare can still be in an urban environment. The book does a good job at portraying the battle for Fallujah from the combatant's perspective, not from a journalist or a historian's perspective. His thoughts, struggles and personal issues are all wrapped up into this narrative of combat like no other book I've read on the subject. Although the author is a bit "too eloquent" at times with his portrayals, this book is still definately a must read for anyone interested in combat in general or the modern War on Terror.

This book grabs you right from the start and does not let go until the end. I litterly let go a sigh of relief, when I finished the book.

These men know how to fight and had a willingness to carry the fight to the enemy. Being a disabled combat "Nam" vet, I was so proud of them.

The story was factual all the way. The insight into how combat really is, was of great importance to me. No john Wayne heroics, just in your face, guts and glory, with the attitude of getting it done. It was not about officiers, but the real reason a war is won. The man behind the weapon, ready, experienced and willing to use it. I would give this book six (6) stars if I could.

The men in the story are tough, focused, dedicated, and a rare breed of soldiers. Their human side comes through in so many different ways that you fell as if you know them somehow.

The best book I have read in years.

TDAnderson

Best read this year. I could not put the book down. It is a war memoir not a literary masterpiece.

I already had a high view of infintry soldiers as I have a former Army warrior who is my partner and manages the business. My appreciaion of the training, commitment and sacrifice of the FEMF,to modify an acronym from the book, increased ten fold. Thanks David, thank you Deanna, Evan and Aiden. Exodus 15:3

This book was well-written and easy to read. The subject was engrossing, so it was hard to put down. He did this all without demonstrating political prejudice, too. I will read it again.

As the book's subtitle suggests, this is an account of a President who had an enormous impact on the contiguous 48 states. He was a brilliant visionary and leader. The author has done an excellent job of research and tied it all together into an enjoyable, fascinating account of a critical period in US history.

James K. Polk always shows up on the best Presidents' list along with the obvious Washingtons, Jeffersons, Lincolns, etc. Mr. Borneman delineates why this is the case, in a clear, concise writing style, and illuminates both Polk's personal and political life. This book is a must-read, not only for would-be historians, but also for people like me, who had never had a complete understanding about this important period in American history.

Polk
The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America
By Walter R. Borneman


If asked to name those who have served as President of the United States, few average Americans would be able to offer more than a handful of names. Among those least likely to be named is that of James Knox Polk our eleventh president. Yet, in a 1948 poll of leading historians conducted by the late Arthur Schlesinger, Polk ranked tenth in a list of twenty-nine. Why, one wonders, would a former president rank so highly among historians, while remaining comparatively unknown to the average American? In his new biography of Polk, historian Walter R. Borneman (1812 The War That Forged A Nation and The French and Indian War) takes a fresh look at Polk, the man and his presidency.
The period between the administrations of Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln has sometimes been seen as something of a drought, lacking a forceful, dynamic president. Yet as Borneman skillfully points out, Polk proved, by far, to be the strongest of the pre-Civil War presidents, greatly expanding the executive powers of the office and acquiring a huge chunk of territory for the U.S. Interestingly enough he accomplished all of this as a one-term president, having vowed at the outset not to run for reelection.
The author's captivating style illuminates Polk's life and his not inconsiderable accomplishments as president. It was Polk who, in 1844, finally settled the long disputed Oregon question that brought the present states of Oregon and Washington into the Union and in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War it was Polk's political adroitness (through the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo) that also added California and virtually all of the Southwest. Thus, with the exception of a small strip of extreme southern Arizona and New Mexico (added five years later in 1853 with the Gadsden Purchase), Polk completed the formation of the contiguous United States. No president since Thomas Jefferson added as much territory to the U.S. as Polk: more than a million square miles of territory. Polk also played an active role in bringing Texas into the Union.

Polk The Man Who Transformed the Presidency is an insightful and beautifully written biography that will doubtless move Polk from the shadows of history into the forefront of those chief executives who have had a dramatic impact on the development of the United States.

While I would recommend "Polk" to all fans of the period I would caution that it seems to lack a little in the life of the man. While I doubt that this is the fault of the biographer since outside of his presidential diary - Polk did not leave a large written record. Borneman deicated less than 20 pages to Polk's early life, and hardly mentions his times growing up in Pineville, N.C. - my question is this because there is little known or was it left out to help the book flow?

Having mentioned this fault, I do find the book to be both readable and entertaining. In fact, Broneman has written one of the best political accounts of the turmaoil that lasted between the end of Jackson's term and the end of Polk's.

My final tally - if you are looking for a biography that is an equal of "John Adams" you may be disappoined, but if you are looking for an interesting overview of the 1830's and 1840's.. you probably have found the very best possible book!

Score "B+"

Istanbul: Memories and the City


Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk's Istanbul, like Samuel Peyps' London, Proust's Paris, and Borges' Buenos Aires, is a collection of childhood memories informed by adult intellect. Born into a once prominent but lately downwardly- mobile family, Pamuk is preoccupied by the sense of lost glory that infuses Istanbul:
"The city into which I was born was poorer, shabbier, and more isolated than it had ever been before in its two-thousand year history. For me it has always been a city of ruins and of end-of-empire melancholy." It is this melancholy, or
`huzun' that infuses the city and his memories.
How to refer to the change in political control of the city from Greek to Ottoman is the subject of a fascinating chapter: "Conquest or Decline? The turkification of Istanbul." During the 500th anniversary ceremony in l953, the government downplayed the "Turkish' factor, partially because of Turkey's new membership in Nato. Out of fear of alienating the Greek population, the government chose to ignore the anniversary of the "Conquest of Constantinople."
But there were anti-Greek demonstrations and violence, leading Pamuk to conclude that "the government allowed mobs to rampage through the city, plundering the property of Greeks and other minorities. A number of churches were destroyed during the riots and a number of priests were murdered, so there are many echoes of the cruelties Western histories describe as the "fall" of Constantinople. In fact, both the Turkish and Greek states have been guilty of treating their respective minorities as hostages to geopolitics."
One of the attractive features of Pamuk's memoir is the generous use of archival, black and white photographs dating from the 1920's, thirties, and forties.
The original Turkish is ably translated Maureen Freely. I am now encouraged to read more of Pamuk's works available in English, "The Black Book," "My Name is Red," and "Snow," which he describes as his only political novel.

I have now read all of Orhan Pamuk books available. I have learned so much about another culture because of this brillian author.

The book is personal, moody, altogether a very lovely snapshot of an enigmatic city which hangs between East and West. Vintage photographs add their atmosphere to the text.

Orhan Pamuk is a master at his craft; for further reading after this, I suggest "My Name is Red."

I finished this on a flight from Izmir to Istanbul. It's a good thing I did: it provides an excellent preface to visiting that amazing city.

Pamuk has three guiding ideas in this book. First is that all Istanbullus share a sort of melancholy which Turks call huzun. The idea is that they all lament the decline of their city since it was the capital of the Ottoman Empire, and that they lament their servitude to the Western world. Secondly, Pamuk wants to harness this huzun and create an artwork that is distinctively Turkish -- not Western, not Muslim, but a harmonious blend of the two. Thirdly, Pamuk believes that the city inhabits the man just as much as the man inhabits the city: Pamuk feels Istanbul's moods and it feels his. Huzun is thus a strictly collective emotion. One cannot feel this sort of melancholy on one's own; one can only experience it in a collective way along with one's fellow-Istanbullus. (Indeed, it's not clear to me that residents of any other city -- Vienna, maybe? Pittsburgh? -- can feel huzun; it may be a nostalgic melancholy that only Istanbullus are logically entitled to feel.)

I didn't feel the huzun in Istanbul, but then I was only there for a few days; Pamuk doesn't believe that anyone can understand his city without living there for ten years or more. It may also be impossible for a new generation of lifelong Istanbullus to feel the huzun: those born into today's Istanbul may not realize that there's anything other than the Western model to follow.

This is all his perspective as an insider to the culture. As an outsider to it, my perspective says something altogether different. When I visited Istanbul, there was at least one mosque, minaret, and muezzin per quarter square mile. One block off the main drag in Beyolu (Istiklal Caddesi), our cab had to stop to let a flock of sheep and their shepherd pass. One block off on the other side was a warren of little streets filled with conservative Muslims. I felt distinctly foreign there, both in nationality and in culture. If this is "the West," Istanbul-style, then Pamuk has nothing to worry about.

At times -- certainly over the last fifth of the book -- Pamuk's melodrama about huzun gets to be a bit much. He haunts the miserable streets of a lost empire, collar upturned against the snow, trying to shake off his own desperation at a lost love and make an art form that doesn't just ape the West. On and on he goes, trying to beat us over the head with the idea that the city inhabits the man and the man the city: we cut back and forth between his furious wanderings in the streets and his fight with his mother over what he'll do with his life. Pamuk thinks he is terribly clever. He wants us very much to know how clever it is; earlier in the book he drops hints about its "hidden symmetry." This symmetry, so far as I can tell, is just the symmetry between the man and the city. So now you know. If you were paying attention during the first half of the book, you already knew. I'd rather not be bludgeoned with the Cleverness Stick.

Still, it's a fun read. It's peppered with (deliberately) black-and-white photos of old Stamboul, from an era when people flocked to the shores of the Bosphorous to watch the Ottoman pashas' wooden "yals" (waterfront mansions) burn to the ground one by one. There's great romance in this book, great love for the Bosphorous, and delicious history. Worth reading, but not worth owning.

I remember the Boston of my childhood, though I remember Marblehead (a small town to the north) much better because I actually lived there. The two places had certain sights, sounds, smells, and "feelings" that, for the most part, have vanished like a morning fog off the Atlantic. But anchoring all those sensory aspects of the places was history, a giant kaleidescope of shifting people, institutions and events that created the then present, that created the new present, and will create the next present. I can't imagine Boston or Marblehead without that history.

Orhan Pamuk chose to write his great love for his city in a strange form. He weaves himself and his personal history into the picture, but completely avoids any historical details. I wonder whom he wrote for ? If for that "western audience" he refers to so often, there is not enough history to make sense of why Istanbul became such a melancholic, declined, fallen, poor, neglected place (at least he says it was). Fires and accidents, rain and snow, the hiss of tires slipping on old cobblestone alleys in a city that once ruled a big part of the world. If he wrote for a Turkish audience, his style of describing his family and his personal behavior would probably turn them off, along with his emphasis on Turkish cultural poverty. Maybe he wanted to "send a message" to those who insist too much on "Turkishness", by mentioning the now-mostly-disappeared non-Muslim minorities quite often. Maybe, but I conclude that he wrote it for himself---full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes to come. Pamuk writes of western painters and travellers and their views of the city in the 19th century and how they influenced him. He also writes of Turkish authors and how they viewed the city, though I have never seen any of their work in translation (meaning I have no idea how they would resonate with me). I liked this gambit, though I knew nothing about those Turkish writers. What I liked best is how he describes the city itself, how he walked around it as a child and a youth, how he steeped himself in the decay of the old Ottoman heritage before all the old mansions burned, before concrete apartment blocks sprang up like toadstools to sweep away the sad wooden houses that had seen better days. I loved the chapter on smoke from the funnels of steamships in the Bosphorus, and above all I liked the dozens of black and white photos of bygone days that fill the pages. It's a world class essay of nostalgia, but done in a very new way.

It's an interesting way to describe a city and write the first part of an autobiography. It's not a travelogue. There's not a single map---as if all the readers would know the geography of Istanbul. This is not Istanbul for visitors, this is Istanbul for those who loved it (who could AFFORD to love it) back in the Fifties and Sixties, when it had not been inundated in a huge tide of immigrants or refugees from the countryside and abroad, when Turkey was a poor, slow country. I saw it, once, briefly then, when Pamuk was an eleven year old kid. The dynamic, vital, amazing city of 2008 bears little resemblance to that other Istanbul. I understand why he wrote the book; I know a little of what is lost. To know that, you couldn't find a better book than this.

I'd only heard her story in snippets; she was a Panther, a revolutionary and a wanted woman. She has been lauded and lambasted and I believed that she was someone that I needed to learn more about. My education started by reading her biography.

From a literary standpoint, the book is beautiful. Well written, easy to follow and interspersed with her own poetry. For it's beauty however it is still a difficult story to read. Because it is a story of a woman whose eyes, mind and heart were wide open to the possibilities of freedom and equality but was faced repeatedly with inequality, injustice, persecution and racism. Most times her story was horrifying, particularly her imprisonment, sometimes she kept it light, when speaking of her childhood, her friendships, etc. But through all times, I would suggest that her story remains relevant and inspiring and makes the reader thirst for more knowledge of her and the movement for which she sacrificed so much for.

Even if you have never heard of Assata you should pick up this book. It's the autobiography of a woman who now lives in exile in Cuba, telling her story of how she was arrested in the U.S. and charged with murder. When you pick up this book you can easily read it cover to cover. You will love her style; the book reads as if she is speaking to you one on one and telling you what happened. Her story is something that will show readers a view of society and government that they may have not seen or heard of before - the other side of the Black Power movement in the 1960s-1970s. The book speaks out on the corruption of the justice system and the government. Follow up after the book with materials and resources on her website for more information. Assata's few published books are difficult to find but well worth the read. She is a strong figure that is still active in making change in our society today. As a person who had not know much about the Black Power movement I was absolutely blown away by Assata's book, her work, and her continued vigilance and courage.

This book is a must have for revolutionary minds of the next generation. Assata illustrates the life and times of the struggle. She also reveals what black women had to go through and endure. This book is worth the purchase. Young brothers and sisters need to feed their brains with this one.

Wow...When you read this book you feel in another era , in another world but the sad part is that is not, it is our world and what hapened to this woman was real.I recommended to everyone regarding your ethnic gropu, but specially to blacks and whites in this country.

This is by far the best autobiography I have read so far. It was an easy read and extremely expressive. In many ways it is disturbing if you think of what the character goes through. The explicit racism, abuse, pain that Assata had to endure is decribed really well. You get to in fact life in her era, in her life when you read this book. I literally could not put it down and read it in 2 days.

It pretty much gives you and idea of how things were in the 70's, what black people went through especially women, what the black panther party was really all about, the dirty system we call law, explicit racial comments and treatment etc. If you like stuff like that, then you'll love this book.

About a year ago, I was exploring a relatively undiscovered island paradise in the South China Sea when I received a call telling me my father (age 92) and his wife (86) had been in an accident and both were in the hospital. As the only child, I naturally said I'd be there (rural western Michigan - more than 8,600 miles away) as soon as possible. When I commented something like "must have been a bad accident" the response was "the accident isn't the problem." Having an unstable VOIP connection, I let that comment drop and began making arrangement to head there (stopping off briefly at my home in Nevada). As soon as I got to the states, I had to confront the harsh reality: the accident wasn't the cause of the problem - it was the result of both of them having what was now diagnosed as "Senile Dementia of Alzheimer's type."
Flash forward 9 months. My life has adapted to a routine of flying to Michigan to spend a week or so each month with them -- while a couple wonderful paid 24/7 caregivers allow them the freedom to stay in their home. I'm fresh off a red-eye, driving a rent-a-SUV full of food and flowers and Depends heading to my parent's home when I hear on Diane Rehms' NPR show some woman addressing a challenging issue that I was also facing at the time (how to get an Alzheimer's patient to eat). Damn! She had some extremely helpful suggestions. As soon as I arrived, I implemented her concepts -- then went on-line with my laptop and ordered her book (Measure of the Heart) from Amazon. And I'm so glad I did.
More than merely a compendium of useful tips (even though it is also that) Mary Ellen Geist's book is an insightful and thought-provoking first-person perspective that will strike a resounding chord with anyone who has a friend or family member with this disease - as well as being a fascinating, touching story for any reader.
It is her very personal narrative of leaving the fast-paced, high-profile world of broadcast journalism in New York City to come home to Michigan and help care for her father who has suffered from Alzheimer's for 10+ years. With a delicate balance of humor and profound sadness, Mary Ellen gives voice to the heart-wrenching challenges that hundreds of thousands of us baby boomers now face in caring for our aging parent.
It is obvious from her book that her father was a brilliant, charming and gentle man. It also shines a light on the heroism of spousal caretakers like her mother, Rosemary. It weaves together this family's story with a very readable account of his slow transformation and deterioration. She addresses the complexity and array of emotions surrounding issues such as the loss of independence, unwanted personality shifts, struggle to communicate, and the unique power music sometimes has to transcend the pain.
This book is hard to put down. Then, on the other hand, there were times in reading her story (such as dealing with refusals to eat or patiently listening to the same story over and over) that touched me so deeply and personally, that I had to stop reading and put it down.
Mary Ellen acknowledges the difficulty of these situations honestly, while at the same time providing simple concepts that can help diffuse the issues by emphasizing a strategy of relating to patients in their own reality.
She used her fine journalistic investigative skills to learn everything she could about the disease's history and treatment options. The book is user friendly. It shows easy, day to day activities that can help patients feel a sense of connection and accomplishment.
This is book of courage, instruction, empathy and family loyalty. Certainly, there are numerous challenges that other families face which it does not address. Yet, it is what it is: her personal revelation of her family's story. This appears to be an exceptional family - she is certainly an extraordinary woman - and this is a book I can whole-heartedly recommend.

After reading Mary Ellen's book, I started thinking about a photo I took a few years ago that shows a Buddhist monk sweeping away a Tibetan sand mandala that had taken a week to painstakingly create. The act of destroying that beautiful and sacred work of art is a lesson about the impermanence of life, which is best lived in the moment.

For me, that image sums up MEG's book.

"Measure of the Heart" tells the story of how Mary Ellen Geist left her high-profile media career in New York to return to her childhood home in Michigan to help care for her father Woody, an Alzheimer's patient. Mary Ellen recounts that while she used to introduce herself to strangers with her name followed by radio station call letters; these days it's "the measure of the heart that matters most."

Alzheimer's has touched my life, if only obliquely; my 76-year-old mother has at least three friends whose families have someone diagnosed with the disease. And, then, there's MEG's story about her father's experience. Sad to say, these stories won't be the last.

I highly recommend this book; it's full of great information, insight, humor, wisdom, comfort and compassion.

(Total disclosure: MEG is a friend and former colleague).

Mary Ellen leaves her successful radio broadcast journalism career to earn the real Pulitzer Prize of life with this frank account of helping her mother deal with her father's Alzheimer's disease. Becoming a caretaker is challenging more than one can imagine, especially when it requires living 24/7 with the patient one loves. Mary Ellen and her sisters discover that their mother can no longer handle her husband's health care on her own, leaving the only single daughter to return home to Michigan. With vivid detail and description, Mary Ellen provides almost a daily journal of her and her family's desire to give Woody Geist, a life with dignity. Her emotional and sometimes humorous account offers the reader what it's really like to care for a loved with one, offering many practical questions and tips to consider when taking on the responsibility. The book is well-written and takes reveals what it's like to be one of the 10 million people caring for a person with dementia. "Measure of the Heart" is a must read for anyone considering or caring for a loved one. Mary Ellen, who has covered many difficult stories in her award-wining journalism career, discovers the most challenging one is right in her own family.