Biography Books

I will admit to not being an expert on Queen Isabella. I have never read a biography on her before, so when I picked up Alison Weir's book in the store I had nothing to compare it to and enjoyed it immensely. There is wonderful period detail here, especially in the beginning, and I think the reader feels a measure of sympathy for Isabella, whose husband wasn't interested in her sexually (or emotionally it seems). My favorite part of the book was when Isabella (finally) took a lover and decided to make a stand against her husband with him. Part slighted young woman, part Lady Macbeth, Queen Isabella is a very interesting read with a few theories about Edward II's "death" I hadn't heard before (whether or not they could be accurate I can't say).

This is a History book. So it has just the facts, M'am. A very good History book and therefore lots of niggling details...and every detail has multiple perspectives gathered from letters and writings of the time and are based on the authors religious or nationalistic views. It is a slow read that you can put down and easily pick up again, as you will want to work your way through this beautifully written and richly informative history as seen through the mind of a very interesting queen. It covers the period of English History from the late times of Edward I (late 13th century) to Edward II and the the beginning of the reign of Edward III (mid 14th century. There is no plot so the fun is in the interesting details and analysis of those Medievil times.

This was a great read. For those who have read the author's other books on British monarchy this one will not disappoint. It is a compelling and engaging narrative that sheds light on a historical character I knew very little about. The story of Queen Isabella's reign in England is well worth the effort.

The book is heavily laced with facts to establish a place in the Medieval World. While the character of the heroine stands out clearly, sometimes the factual context surrounding events is daunting.
It's a good read although a little too heavy on historical detail particularly in lists of "guests" or of "persons in attendance."

I really tried to like this book. Inasmuch as I am an avid student of history and enjoy the tangled web of early to mid twentieth century English history, this book seemed right up my alley.

I can't say that it is a bad book, but upon reflection, perhaps the most telling fact is that it took me so long to finish it. A book of this size generally takes me about a week to finish, reading for an hour or so each night before bed. Most nights, however, found me nodding off in less than half the time. Weir's style can best be described as a dry recitation of historical facts with frequent asides in which she injects her own analysis. Hardly scintillating entertainment and simply not lively enough to keep me awake.

From the standpoint of substance, I can't say that I agree with her efforts to rehabiltate the universally condemned Queen Isabella, the wife of Edward II of England. Isabella conspired against, overthrew, cheated on and likely participated in the murder of her husband and sovereign. According to Weir, she was simply misunderstood and unfairly judged. To my knowledge, she is the only one that believes so.

In order to back up her position, Weir not only spins facts to the benefit of the Queen, but she weaves many out of whole cloth and disregards the numerous facts which clearly implicate her in the crimes for which history has condemned her. In an attempt to absolve the Queen of the crime of murder, she even trots out the old, roundly rejected canard that Edward II escaped from his captors and lived the remainder of his life as a hermit in France. This despite the public, state funeral in which the body and face of the King were clearly displayed and visible to thousands. As if an escape somehow lessens the crime of ordering the murder in the first place.

Even in the cases where she concedes guilt on the part of the Queen, such as her adulterous relationship with Mortimer, she pardons the Queen, holding her to current standards as opposed to those in which she lived. In this regard, she clearly states that were Queen Isabella alive today, she would be viewed as a strong, independent woman, deserving of praise and not scorn (You go, girl). Nice theory, except for the fact that she didn't live in current times. In her day, regicide was perhaps the greatest crime and sin of the day, and adultery by a royal woman was universally punishable by death.

I've read several of Weir's works and to date am not impressed. She seems to be on a personal crusade to rehabiltate the reputations of various women of the Middle Ages that for some reason or another have been judged harshly by history. I've never been a fan of revisionist history and particularly when the revisions are politically or socially motivated. This book is not only not particularly entertaining, but it's not even good history.

Nice read--a bunch of short stories--so you can read one, not pick the book up for a couple of days, read another...however, relative to other augusten books (esp. running with scissors, dry, magical thinking), it is not QUITE as good.

...and though it left me less-than-amazed (as a friend promised I would be), I am mostly definitely intrigued when it comes to this author now. I can see myself reading some of his other works, even if this collection of memoir/essays are simply "okay".

All right. "Possible Side Effects" is a pretty good book. It's light and serious simultaneously, at times downright hilarious, and sometimes kind of boring. Fact of the matter is, it's pretty disorganized. Some of the story/essays made me grin, others grimace, and some were just kind of pathetic. At times, Burroughs managed to create the perfect mood - light, but important. Other times, stories were kind of scattered and pointless. Understandable in a memoir, but still somewhat annoying.

This seems like the kind of book you could really like if you just like reading other people tell you semi-funny, semi-sad stories about their lives. And while this memoir is humorously written, it's at times a bit... boring. And while lives are great and all, too much is just too much. Maybe I shouldn't have started here?

It's a pretty good book on the whole, but it's still not all that much. I'm sure I won't detract true Burroughs fans nor those curious about this author as I was, but keep in mind that this is not a stunning memoir, simply an okay one.

Excellent book! Loved everything that I have read by Augusten so far. Not as great as Running with Scissors, but still a really good book that held my interest the whole time.

Possible Side Effects

Augusten Burroughs has the ability to to tell experiences at all stages of his young life and turn some not so great memories into side-splitting laughter. Who doesn't embellish (a little) once you have grabbed the attention of your audience? Well that is what he does, just enough to make the story humorous. If you need a little laughter READ THIS BOOK. After my eyes would dry, I had to go back and read that paragraph or page again - only to have the same result. These are all short stories so you don't feel (too) frustrated having to put the book down. My favorites were "The Wisdom Tooth", "Getting To No You", and "Moving Violations" . I loved this book and will soon be reading his others. I am glad my first read was "A Wolf at the Table" as it explained to me more about his quirky family - immediate and extended - although "..Wolf.." does not have the humor this book does. Not a book for youngsters - maybe not teens either. A few stories are quite liberal with language, but it is not offensive in the sense that it works with that particular experience. Would I recommend this book to my twentysomething son or daughter? YES.

Augusten Burroughs has a way of making mundane events laughable. Possible Side Effects has no plot. It's a series of recollections, but it's his cynical/naive/self destructive point of view that makes the work even more addictive than a continuous storyline.

I found this book facinating and I enjoyed it. My only complaint is it was much to short considering the author had lived in the swamp Ten years. Perhaps she kept a few things for her next book on the same subject. I sure hope so! A good albeit short read.

Having lived in Louisiana all my life, this book caught my attention last summer when it was first released. I had wanted to read it on the beach during a family vacation, but after many failed attempts to find it in a Florida Bookstore, I had to give up. So this year it was the first book I thought of when our August beach trip was scheduled for Destin, and this time I found it at the local library. The book has captivated me and makes me think of time spent canoeing the Atchafayala swamp & staying overnight at Betty's Wildlife Gardens and stay in a Trapper Cabin with alligators at the doorstep. Gwen Roland's writing style envelopes you and pulls you in further with each chapter. You can't help but want to visit the places and meet the people (except most have passed on to the great swamp in the heavens). My interest was captured. The book inspired a trip to the local library where I borrowed a copy of the lpb documentary by Bill Rodman, where he interviews Calvin Voisin & CC Lockwood. I'm become a fan of CC Lockwood's and would love to read the subsequent unwritten (or unpublished) chapters of a life well-lived by Mrs. Gwen Roland. If you liked this book check out :It All Began with Daisy

I absolutely loved this book. I found it in a quaint little book shop in Zebulon, Ga close to Gwen Roland's current home.

It is now on our "library bookshelf" at our lakehouse because I want everyone I know to read it.

The language is glowing, the story beautiful and serene. I was a little disappointed to read that she is currently working on a novel. I wish she would write more non fiction. Surely she has so much more to tell about such a rich life!

This is a sweet book that will have you longing for a simpler life. A quick, easy read full of colorful language and a peaceful tone. I wanted to run away to the Louisiana Swamp after reading this! Enjoy!

I came across 'Atchafalaya Houseboat' when tasked with an extra credit book report for my Louisiana History course during my undergraduate studies at Louisiana Tech University. Although it began as an assignment, I absolutely fell in love with it! I immediately fell in love with Gwen and Calvin and the simple life; enjoying the many beauties of the Louisiana swamp they desired.

I was a bit disappointed with the fact that Gwen did not go into more detail about her life and express more of what she was actually feeling and her relationship with Calvin during those years on the swamp. I felt it was there but she chose to keep it to herself, almost as if not wanting to relive those feelings vs. exposing them to the reader. I would love to someday see another version where Gwen is willing to open up a bit more and expand on the life she and Calvin experienced while living on the Atchafalaya.

Since reading this book I have passed it on to many friends who have all fallen in love with it as well.

i thinks.. This Book Is very Incredible book, Have Ever i Read Before.
this Book Tall About, Many stories About Il Divo, And Them Personal Carier And Life,,
And I Thinks... We Can Learn Many More.. From They..
" Before His Succes...
They Faight.. They Wise Word.. And They.. Life Experience..
anyone Never, Succes.. Before.. Fail Happen To Theirs Life.. Firts..
Thanks

The four hunks,known as Il Divo, are to be commended for the honesty in which their book is written. So many artists today will not release info on their private lives but Carlos, Seb, David & Urs spoke from their hearts. The thousands of fans know these guys are entitled to a private life off stage and hearing about their wives, girlfriends and their lives growing up make them all the more human. No wonder they are so popular. I highly recommend this book for reading and the pictures aren't bad either. Great book guys, you did a fantastic job.

The book is well written and the individual stories of each Il Divo singer brings the reader closer to a better appreciation of their music.

First, anything Il Divo is and excellent investment. Second, it is written by the group members themselves which makes the book an accurate telling of their lives rather than an edited second hand version. The pictures are great as well.

What a wonderful book. A GREAT READ!! I've enjoyed reading the individual comments. I have more respect for each of the guys and how they relate to each other and to their fans. The early childhood comments are most interesting. I recommend this to any fan to better understand the guys on a personal level. I've read it several times. I especially like the portraits and group pictures.

The interaction among them is interesting as they come from completely different backgrounds. The different cultures must have been difficult to deal with, however, their maturity shows they all compromise. I especially like reading about their interests 'outside' Il Divo...

Very funny, very well written book on kind of a dry subject!

Definitely worth reading, because as the quote goes:

Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.

Elizabeth Pisani's The Wisdom of Whores - Bureaucrats, Brothels and the Business of AIDS is a great book (along with a great website). Elizabeth Pisani is an epidemiologist with years of experience working on HIV/AIDS (or sex and drugs, as she puts, which sounds a lot, well, sexier) at a variety of agencies, including UNAIDS. The book is the story of her frustrations at the way the international community, national governments, NGOS and AIDS activists have dealt with the epidemics, as well as her hopes in some of the progress made.

I got interested in the book when I read an interview Pisani gave to the Guardian. The interview kinda billed the book as a controversial work where Pisani would be the mean lady who said people got AIDS because of their stupid behavior and not enough was being done because of political correctness. So, I was ready to get really pissed off with the book. That has not been the case at all.

Elizabeth Pisani is a scientist and that perspective is pervasive in the book. That's a good thing. I much prefer sober, "just the facts" perspective to touchy-feely stuff. Actually, one of the main frustrations that Pisani deals with in the book is the fact that AIDS had to be made about innocent wives and children for the international community to gear into action, as opposed to the real populations at risk in most parts of the world (except Africa, and she shows that even in Africa, the innocent wives and children trope does not work, as the data show): drug injectors and people who buy and sell sex.

To me, precisely because the book is data-driven, it was not controversial. My reaction was more, "well, if that's what the data show, so be it." But also, I think, the book was billed as controversial because Pisani calls things what they are: penises, receptive or insertive anal sex, etc. and she does spend a lot of time describing her study in red light districts of Jakarta and other (mostly Asian) place. She discusses the brothels, the warias (transgendered male prostitutes) and rent boys, the drug injectors. She does spend a lot of time describing that world that a lot of people would rather never hear of: the stigmatized, the marginalized, those we can safely ignore and those that don't get politicians votes come election time. Doing nice things for whores and junkies carries no political rewards. Doing things for innocent wives and children does. So, that's what has been done with HIV/AIDS and this has been a tragic mistake.

But these descriptions are unvaluable and fascinating because we never read about them. If you read about HIV/AIDS, you will read a lot about Africa (which does make sense since the high rates of infection in the general population are to be found in Eastern and Southern Africa). The problem is that the African patterns of infection have been assume to apply everywhere, especially Asia, where that is just not the case. So, the solutions and programs suggested are inadapted.

The programs needed in Eastern and Southern Africa are not those that are needed in Asia. In these parts of Africa, AIDS does affect the larger population but that's just not the case in Asia where most of the solutions described by Pisani involve programs to distribute condoms, lubricants and clean needles. It is also one of Pisani's other frustrations: we know how HIV is transmitted (biologically, that is), we know the types of behavior most likely to facilitate this transmission, so, we know what kind of prevention is needed. And yet, there is too much focus placed on treatment, rather than preventing people from getting infected in the first place.

Another thing that definitely comes through as Pisani tells the story of her peregrinations through Jakarta, trying to collect good data to design good public health policy, is that, whether she likes it or not, she comes across as someone who really does care about all the junkies, whores and warias she meets along the way. Her scorn is reserved for other people: UN bureaucrats who do not want to call things what they are because of who might get offended, religious conservatives who lie and work their hardest to prevent good prevention or good policy. But don't think the liberal crowd, the NGOs or activists are off the hook either.

Pisani has no patience for distraction, a major one being that AIDS is a gender / development / poverty issue. Pisani shows that this liberal idea, favored by a lot of NGOs and UN agencies and other donors is a distraction. First, it's a distraction because first, you may have the causality wrong (AIDS causes development / gender issues rather than the other way around), second, as shown in the book, even in Africa, that's not always the case, and third, because, again, that gets in the way of common sense prevention which should be the main focus, along with treatment for the already infected population. But again, focusing on women and children makes the AIDS issue more palatable to donors than those filthy whores, junkies and fags, so, Pisani and her colleagues at the AIDS Mafia, as she calls them, played that game too. After all, once you have the money, you can still get stuff done.

And, of course, I particularly enjoyed the chapter blasting the Bush administration and its faith-based initiatives and PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). Although she does credit the Bush administration for putting money on the table, Pisani makes mince meat of the Bush and his religious nuts crowd for their hypocrisy and nonsensical attitude. She deals swiftly with Virginity Pledges and the creepy Virginity Balls and the whole family values crowd.

Finally, Pisani has also no patience for the workings of the international community and civil society, the demands that donors put on local activists, the circuits of money distribution which end up sometimes producing ridiculous policies: like having an AIDS program in East Timor when there is no AIDS problems in East Timor (although there are other problems that would need funding but don't get it).

Again, let me state: when was the last time you read an epidemiology book that was a great read, straight to the point, data-based, sometimes fun, but always informative.

I am seldom found without at least one book close at hand, and end up trying to give books away in order to keep my shelves from collapsing. But I'm not ready to give this one away, I intend to read it again in a while. What I might do, however, is to order a few extra copies and have them delivered to people I know. Why just this one? Because it is one of those books that you come across once in a while, that works on more than one level. It is a book that keeps me turning the pages, with the energy that comes from a genuinely engaging story. Then there is the author's solid knowledge of the topic, and her ability to present it in an accessible way. This is a writer who knows her tools: she knows how to structure a presentation and how to juggle angles to keep it interesting, all in a style that gets the message across clearly and simply, with a strong personality and sense of humor. But the main reason why I want to gently blackmail my friends into reading it by buying it for them, is the information it contains and the message that it spells out. It is an important book. It untangles the facts about HIV and HIV prevention from the myths, which is good. It also shows clearly how ideological/religious/political/economical agendas often play a bigger role than science, which is depressing ... but essential to know. Getting the facts straight, about the infection and about the HIV/AIDS industry, is vital. And in my mind, Elizabeth Pisani is exactly who you should turn to for those facts

I read a lot, on a wide variety of topics. If it has words on it, I'll try to read it, even if I _don't_ know the language, I'll try to decipher it. But some books are much more rewarding than others, and this is one of the most rewarding books I've ever read.

The other reviews cover the topic well: she's a great writer, a person who really cares about people and not just people who are like her, a scientist who can understand numbers and make them make sense to others. She has a wide-reaching understanding of how AIDS is transmitted, and how that transmission is partly biologically determined and partly culturally determined. And she can convey that complex and detailed understanding in a simple way. Repeatedly, so if you miss it the first time, you get a lot of additional chances. And with hilariously shocking illustrative stories, so there's no remote chance of boredom ever setting in.

I know there's no way she's going to slog through bureaucracy for a second cause -- that would be unfair to ask of anyone. But I hope global warming/climate change/peak oil/etc. gets someone half as brilliant as Pisani. Hopefully several someones.

For sheer accuracy of synopsis, maybe "The Wisdom of Whores"'s subtitle ought to be "Practical Epidemiology, What We Know About Solving the AIDS Crisis, and How the Politics of International Aid Complicate Matters." Though Pisani probably wants to sell a copy or two.

This is one of the few books I've read that actually lives up to its jacket blurbs. One author describes it as not only a work of science, but also a page-turner. And indeed it is. Pisani holds a Ph.D. in epidemiology, and you can tell from reading The Wisdom of Whores that she has the chops to do serious data analysis. It's data analysis in the service of a practical end, namely figuring out the most efficient ways to stop AIDS. Pisani has been on the ground interviewing prostitutes and junkies for a couple decades now, so she's learned a bit about how the disease actually spreads.

Part of the answer is just common sense: HIV spreads when an infected person's blood comes in contact with an uninfected person's blood. When heroin users share needles, the risk of HIV's spreading rises. Unprotected sex is riskier than protected sex. Unlubricated sex is riskier than lubricated sex, because the risk of causing tears is higher. Uncircumcised men are at higher risk than circumcised men. Prostitutes and their johns are at higher risk than non-prostitutes, because they have more partners.

This much should be common sense; the fact that this common sense often doesn't translate into policy is where the "bureaucrats" in the subtitle come in. The Bush administration and many other nations have changed the conversation: we don't talk about the actual mechanics of sex and drug use, in part because prostitutes and drug users are considered wicked, and it helps no politicians to aid the wicked. From a public-health perspective, most of our effort ought to be focused on the populations that are most at risk: addicts, gay people, and prostitutes. But that doesn't sell. What sells is to talk about "neutral" topics: pretend that consumers of prostitution come home to their innocent wives and unwittingly give them the disease, which then spreads to their kids. When you frame the issue as "AIDS hits everyone," surely you can get votes. Likewise with international aid: if you tell your voters that "poverty and gender disparities" cause AIDS, you can sidestep the icky topics of sex and heroin injection.

Once the money flows, there's a great risk of corruption and waste. Fortunately, Pisani tells us, there are a lot of people on the receiving end of that money who are really trying to do right by the world's taxpayers. And there are organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that seem to disburse funds more efficiently and measure programs' effectiveness better than a lot of governments do. And the governments are learning from their mistakes, in no small part because the epidemiologists on the ground are pushing back on them. Pisani never takes the step that a lot of libertarian fanatics do, namely jumping from the observation that foreign aid can be wasteful to the conclusion that all foreign aid should end. That's because Pisani isn't a libertarian fanatic. She's a hardworking, nose-in-the-details scientist who, like a good disciple of Herb Simon, tries to assume as little as she can before she starts gathering data.

Indeed, the big takeaway from The Wisdom of Whores is that reality is complicated, and that the only way to actually help solve the AIDS epidemic is to dig into the details and be honest about how the disease actually spreads. Don't let ideology, for instance, blind you to the virtues of free condom distribution. Don't let ideology stop needle-exchange programs. At the same time, don't let ideology convince you that needle-exchange programs always work: look at the data first. This book is what happens when a truly scientific worldview merges with the passion of an activist.

I just finished Final Exam.

Three weeks ago, we marked the fourth anniversary of my son's death. In a week, we will remember him on what would have been his thirteenth birthday.

I found Andrew having seizures and called the paramedics. After seven hours of surgery, the neurosurgeon could not find a way to tell me that Andrew had died. Instead, he described in horrible, excruciating detail what he had done to try to save my son and what we could expect if Andrew survived. I have only been able to repeat his words to others twice since that night, but they have been repeated in my mind many times. I could tell myself that he had been physically and emotionally exhausted by his night in the OR, but I still felt angry that he had used that level of detail.

Eight months later, I was helping my mother through the last stages of her cancer when she fell at home and her neighbor called me to tell me that she had been taken to the hospital by ambulance. At that point she had lost about a third of her normal weight. When I got to the hospital, she was in pain and seemed different in her behavior. It took a day for me to realize that she had no short-term memory. If I was not in the room and the nurses asked about me, she would tell them that I lived too far away and could not come. Every time that I entered the room, she greeted me like she had not seen me for a long time. My sister-in-law believes that she had a minor stroke. Within a day, it was obvious to me that she was failing. I called my sister to tell her to come now. My mother's oncologist saw her in the hospital, and then started calling me to make appointments to start a new course of chemotherapy. I finally told him that she would no longer need his services. He could not seem to understand. My mother died four days after her fall, the day after I dismissed her oncologist. I was baffled by his attitude to her care.

Pauline Chen's book has helped me to understand and appreciate how both doctors responded to these deaths. I have found a new peace with two men who had to face the fact that they could not save everyone. I am grateful to her for helping me to find a new perspective.

My only quibble with her book is the use of the word "harvest" to describe the collection of organs for transplant. We donated Andrew's organs and I now volunteer for our transplant organization. Many donor families dislike that word and the California Transplant Donor Network does not use it.

Her writing style drew me into what she experienced. Sometimes, I could visualize what she was seeing as if I was there. I sometimes found her descriptions of liver surgeries difficult, as we have met our liver recipient. Some reviewers have disliked the graphic style of her writing, but I believe that it is important to help us see the emotional turbulence that medical students and practitioners go through just to do their work day after day.

I cannot say enough good things about how organ donation has helped our family. Meeting one of our recipients and his family has been a special gift that came from Andrew's death. They have become part of our family. Please go to donatelife.org, find the donor registry in your state, and sign up.

We live in a lucky time and place when many people do not see the immediacy of death on a regular basis. Reading this book is an important reminder that this is an everyday occurrence and that those who have to see it everyday pay a deep price.

Autobiographical, well written and organized, sensitive and upbeat, Dr. Chen shares with us her experiences as a medical student and as a doctor. I enjoyed the chapter on dissection of the human body and the stories of patients. It reads as if one were talking to a friend. Thanks for the lovely book.

This book is an excellent resource for caregivers who work with terminally-ill people: clergy, social workers, hospice volunteers, family members, etc. It provides a clear picture of the daily world of professional medical personnel, offering a rare insight into the personal dilemmas and struggles they encounter, but which are not shared with others.

Very moving at times. The medical profession is a world of its own. Power is too concentrated. The education process is to dehumanizing. It's difficult for human beings to emerge from the process.

This book is a call for doctors to provide comfort to patients when cures are no longer viable. She urges doctors to engage with persons as a complex, integrated whole rather than as an impersonal clinical case. The book is a heart felt philosophical argument against medical deconstructivism that illicits almost knee-jerk "do something" responds to illnesses. Complicated ritualistic processes or treatment algorithms focus on the disease rather than the person who suffers. Dr. Chen is amazingly courageous in writing this much needed book and she openly questions herself as well as the medical culture and educative process that "made her."

As a lover of M*A*S*H I jumped at this book and I'm glad I did.

Alan Alda paints the portrait of his life with beautiful detail. I learned about the relationship he had with his parents. I didn't find the relationship he had with his dad to surprising. I sensed that a lot of who he is today comes from the foundational relationship he had with his dad.

His mom on the other hand was very interesting to read about. I could sense his pain as he described what their relationship was like and at times how he wished it could have been.

I wish he had spent more time on MASH memories and such, but I don't think he should have taken out anything that was in there.

In short you sense the person he was that made him the person he is. I really enjoyed it. Anyone who loves MASH, or is just an Alan Alda fan should grab this book.

First of all, let me start out by saying that I have been in love with "Hawkeye Pierce" since girlhood. I grew up watching reruns of M*A*S*H and wishing I was a nurse, girlfriend, or anyone who could be close to this dynamic persona that was Alan Alda. I purchased the book, eager to know more of my childhood crush and was not disappointed. Alan Alda has a sincere writing style that makes you feel like you are in his living room as a trusted friend--rather than as a mere reader trying to find out more about his life. Many times, I laughed out loud at his wonderful stories and recollections. I am very eager to start his next book--which could not be disappointing if only half as good as his first. Thanks Alan Alda--but you will always be Hawkeye to me.

This tale contains much more about lessons of life than a famous TV star's autobiography. Alda discusses everything from his best moments on the road with his father's traveling stage-show to dealing with the mental illness of his mother. This is a must for any MASH fan who wants to know the unique journey of its star. You will not want to put this one down.

Alan Alda titled his new book Never Have Your Dog Stuffed -- and Other Things I've Learned. But rest assured he didn't write it as a guide for self-improvement. He doesn't aim to be your guru. "I tried to tell as good a story as I could," he sums up. The resulting narrative, at 224 pages, is as lean as its author, and as engaging, and as flush with ideas and observations. "There are things that were very, very difficult to put into words," says Alda, at 69 an entertainment veteran actor who had written numerous screenplays but never a book. "That was what I had the most fun with - the things that don't want to go into words. "But the hardest part was how to take a life and make it one simple story, not just a bunch of anecdotes. I didn't like the idea of writing a memoir or an autobiography. I only put in stuff that moved the story forward." The story: One man's advancement toward accepting the uncertainties of life. Letting go, notes Alda, is a drawn-out process, "so you don't just decide to do it. You have to creep up on it. Practice it. Get used to it. "I think the guy who winds up at the end of the book would say, 'Destiny is just what happens. " Alda should know. A lot has happened for that guy this year. He got an Oscar nomination for his role in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, a Tony nomination for his Broadway performance in David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross, and an Emmy nomination for The West Wing, in which he plays flinty Republican presidential hopeful Arnold Vinick. He continues this season on the NBC political drama, and, for its Nov. 6 episode, Sen. Vinick will square off against the Democrat (Jimmy Smits) in a debate aired live. Which candidate will succeed President Bartlet (series star Martin Sheen) by season's end? " I wouldn't spoil the surprise even if I knew," Alda replies when pressed for details about his contractual commitment to the series. But then, flashing his incandescent grin, he pledges to remain "as long as necessary to turn this great country around." When he isn't shuttling to Los Angeles to shoot the series, Alda leaves his Long Island home to hit the campaign trail for Never Have Your Dog Stuffed. Its first sentence establishes the book's matter-of-fact, often darkly witty tone. "My mother didn't try to stab my father until I was six, but she must have shown signs of oddness before that," Alda writes. He was the son of a mentally ill mother and an actor father, Robert Alda, who was subject to the vagaries of show business during a career that ranged from the hardscrabble vaudeville circuit to Broadway in the original production of Guys and Dolls. All in all, it was a dizzying childhood for Alan. But by age nine, he had decided he would be an actor, too, setting the stage for his push-pull life of embracing make-believe while defiantly inquiring into how things really are. He is a man in love with facts and verifiable truth (his decade as the gung-ho host of Scientific American Frontiers makes that clear). But he has also studied what it means to yield control to forces beyond reason.

I've been a fan of Alda's work for a long time. The man is so talented it's unreal. Now to be able to see where he came from and how he got into the spotlight is amazing. He uses certain elements in his life where, had it happen to you or someone you know, it would be depressing, and turns them into amusing learning experiences. I am a constant reader, however 99% of what I read is fiction, nonfiction never grabs my attention. But I could not put this one down. Please read it. You wont regret it.

I read this tongue-in-cheek memoir years ago, and was happy to discover that it is still a good read. I recommend this as a light-hearted look at a deadly serious business.

Really enjoyed this book and often found myself laughing out loud. Too funny to put down, read it in one sitting. Have loaned it out to several friends and they also enjoyed it.

I have to admit that it has been some time since I read this book, but it's hysterical. I can still remember (from 1966) quite a bit of the dialog. Unfortunately Roger Hall's obituary was in the paper this morning and I started to look for another copy of it. It's a shame that he didn't go into the CIA, it would have been a much funnier world.

Even though it looks like I won't be able to find one, I'll still wait in line for a copy I"ll remember his medical examination. "What's your name"? "Call me candy bar, I'm half nuts"

I'm going to miss you Roger.

I grew up with this book in the house. I purchased this copy for my Father to replace the old copy he had, as it was literally falling apart. This book is so much fun. An absolutely insightful, delightful book about the beginnings of the OSS. The author has a truly unique sense of humor that even young readers will be able to appreciate. I really love this book!!!

I first read this book when I was in England, in 1958,
enjoyed it greatly, it was very well done..

I had been looking for this book for the last 20 years, and over joyed
I found it. Thank you, Amazon

Russ

In response to your comments on Janet Wallach's writing in "Desert Queen": Her wriing made a colorful biography and her sources fill pages at the back of the book. You noted there were no footnotes: Who wants to read footnote after footnote like in a textbook? This is a story of a very vibrant woman and why not have the author envision what Gertrude Bell might have been thinking or seeing at different times e.g., "...his dark eyes were flashing..." You could not understand why she was against women's sufferage: She was a traditionalist; she might also have thought women were not well informed enough to vote or because she thought more like a man and was so involved with men she might not have given women much weight in her world. Must everything have to be explained and analyzed in a book? Exercise your mind. This discussion from my good friend Jane Kosut, Atlantic Beach, FL> Harvard '77

I enjoyed learning about the fascinating life and accomplishments of Gertrude Bell and the delicate and complex Arab culture and political history. I sadly realize that the knowledge and lessons that the history provided for us so abundantly are not being applied by our current government. Should we make presidential candidates take mandatory history tests in order to qualify for their candidacy? I am not much of a history reader, but this book certainly inspired me to learn more. Also it is a shame that a person as influential as Gertrude Bell has not been well known to us as much as she deserves. The writing of this book was complex but coherent, very easy to follow and enjoyable.

This was my book group's pick and I could hardly wait to get it and read it; it sounded timely and fascinating. Unfortunately, it was like reading a textbook, interesting but WAY too dry. No one in our group finished it and even the brilliant woman who loves a book best if no one else understands it, didn't want to read it. I only stuck with it to page 50. Maybe it gets better as you get the author's rhythm, like Dickens. As much as I would like, I can't recommend it.

It's remarkable that a book written about events that took place 100 years ago has direct relevance to today, but that's just one of the many strengths of "Desert Queen." When you read about Gertrude Bell's political savvy about Iraq and the stubborness of the male politicians who ignored her advice, well, the parallels are obvious.

The biggest takeaway for me was imagining Bell's life traveling through the desert to meet sheiks who were truly living in a different world. The Middle East of the 19th century still had huge populations of nomadic tribes that measured their wealth in camels. They were not a part of the Western world -- though they were highly intrigued by it. With incredible bravery and an astounding ability to overcome exhaustion and discomfort, she worked her way into the tents of sheiks who would not let another woman sit in their presence. And then after a few months of visiting and gossip, she'd take a several-week journey back to the luxury surroundings of her family's home in England. There was probably only about a 50-year window in which a person could do what she did -- the heyday of British wealth, might, and arrogance -- and she took advantage of that period perfectly.

Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn about how Europeans thought about and influenced the Middle East. And, in fact, that's also the source of my only criticism of the book. If you don't know a lot about Middle East geography and history, the names and places mentioned in this book can sometimes be a blur. The maps and photos are very helpful, but for someone like me who has only a superficial knowledge, it's still hard to figure out at times.

Janet Wallach's history of Gertrude Bell (1868-1926), Desert Queen, was read by my book club at least twice over the years, and several members have remarked that this was one of the best books the group has ever read. Hmmm. I guess they forgave the author her writing style...

Without question, Bell is a fascinating subject; a woman who played a major role in Middle Eastern politics, and yet whose story has rarely been told. A brilliant, curious female, she was the first woman to earn a first-class degree in modern history at Oxford, she wrote seven influential books on the Middle East and, following WWI, was named oriental secretary to the British High Commission in Iraq. She spoke several languages fluently, including Persian and Arabic and was an expert on Arab affairs and Middle Eastern politics. She created detailed maps of the country that would become Iraq, wrote travel books, served as an intelligence agent, was instrumental in creating present-day Iraq, maneuvered to put King Faisal on the throne of the new kingdom of Iraq, became an accomplished historian and archaeologist, and founded the first museum for antiquities in Baghdad.

All this she achieved while facing the obstacles and prejudices of being a woman in a man's world. She enjoyed a challenge and defied all social customs for women of her day. Being a woman was both her greatest asset and her biggest barrier in a lifetime of unusual ambition. She found women insufferably dull, and at parties she would head straight for where the men were gathered discussing important topics. Needless to say, she offended the wives and annoyed the men wherever she went. Yet she had a unique ability to endear herself or make herself indispensable to all levels of male Arab society. As a woman, she understood the subtleties of the culture, which were crucial to political success. This ability enabled her to build relationships with the people, helped her reach her goals, and gave her an important advantage over her team members.

Unfortunately, what should be a lively and exciting account of one woman's incredible achievements is impeded by Wallach's dry, tedious, academic prose. Though the book's academic tone might seem to lend credibility, Wallach's level of research itself seems questionable and not as thorough as her subject deserves. While Desert Queen offers biographical information on a praiseworthy woman and an important perspective on the situation in the Middle East, it should not be considered a definitive work for either or an afternoon's light reading. Put on your hip boots, Myrtle. The slogging is heavy.

I've taught an interdisciplinary course entitled "Cathedrals and Other Great Churches of Medieval Europe" a dozen times (twice in England), had Malcolm Miller as a guest lecturer (and tour guide at Chartres in one of my three visits there) and Peter Gibson of the York Minster Stained Glass Workshop as a guest lecturer (and tour guide at York Minster twice), visited more than a hundred medieval and renaissance great churches, and read at least parts of more than half of the books and articles listed in the seven-page bibliography of this book, and, in my judgment, no other book comes close to this one in providing real insight into understanding the great medieval churches. For my course, I used a reader I developed comprising excerpts from dozens of different books to give my students the breadth of ideas, opinions and knowledge needed to understand these great churches. Like many other compilations it suffered from wide variations in the "voices" of the various authors and from unevenness in coverage of the diverse subjects that students needed to grasp the significance of these monuments. I dreamed that some day I would have the time and energy to assemble a coherent anthology -- maybe one with a title like: "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Medieval Churches . . ." but, alas, retirement reared its ugly head and the motivation to do so disappeared. Now, however, Philip Ball has fulfilled my dream, and although he has done so in the context of a single great church, much of what he has written is applicable to most of them. His book makes me wish I hadn't retired so I could use it as a text. Not every reader will understand all of the nuances of the many subjects Ball covers in this book, but every reader with any interest in medieval churches will find this wonderfully well-written book to be not only a fascinating read but also a great addition to his or her library.

While I've read many books on Romanesque and Gothic architecture, and have visited Chartres, I've always been frustrated by the lack of information available about the actual people who created the monuments. What a pleasure to finally find a book that focuses both on the intellectual movements that fueled the Gothic age, and the clergy and builders who were instrumental in the creative process.

While the book is excellent and well-written, I refrained from giving it five stars only because I think a reader would benefit from additional sources highlighting architectural details and comparisons with other cathedrals.

The author sets the bar high: a book that describes the design and building of the cathedral at Chartres while putting it into the context of medieval philosophy, theology, technology, science, politics and economy. In theory a laudable goal, but in practice a muddle. This reader was alternately bogged down in overly-long and involved chapters discussing the differences between scholastic Platonists and Aristotelians and disappointed that there wasn't more about the cathedral itself. Ball is a journalist who has obviously done his homework -- there's an extensive, multi-page bibliography and he quotes from dozens of experts -- but in the end this feels like a well-written overview of other people's writings on the subject, rather than an original look by a writer with any strong convictions himself. About halfway through this book I had the nagging thought I would have done better by re-reading Thomas Cahill's lively "Mysteries of the Middle Ages" and my nephew's illustrated copy of David Macaulay's "Cathedral." There's no shortage of wonderful books on Chartres and the building of the cathedrals and the curious reader should consider them seriously before investing in this book.

Why would someone write a biography of a BUILDING? Well, if you've ever been to Chartres Cathedral about 45 miles south-west of Paris, you'd know why. Chartres continues to provoke us with its emotive power, and its place in the history of Gothic architecture is firmly secured at "page 1" in our texts. That's why it was so exciting when we found out that there was a new treatment of Chartres being released this summer, and many reviewers, including those at The Economist and The Financial Times, took time to present the book to their reading audiences worldwide.

Ball's treatise on Chartres is a truly wonderful additional to the evolving library of Gothic. As a person who is familiar with the literature, I can easily say that his work here will make possible the introduction of this topic to an entirely new generation of people who are captivated by this most evocative of art forms. Ball has done what can be classified as nothing less than a superb job of collating, digesting, and then restating in clear, meaningful words the voluminous amount of material that is available on the subject. And this is no small task: the topic is the subject of attention of everyone from mechanical engineers, masonry experts, art historians, medieval historians, and even education historians. Most of these works are undeniably fascinating and tremendously enjoyable to read. But you will find yourself having to put on your "engineer's hat" to read Heyman's The Stone Skeleton: Structural Engineering of Masonry Architecture, then put on your "art historian's hat" to read Coldstream's Medieval Architecture (Oxford History of Art), and your "photographer's hat" to read Schultz's Great Cathedrals. There are dozens and dozens more books still on the open market just like these, and they all play an important role in helping us further understanding this fascinating topic. But Ball's book deftly summarizes and explicates many of the major themes of this content, and allows us to absorb it all in one text. I must confess that the book exceeded any expectations I had, and I am thoroughly impressed.

Ball's book covers far more than the physical elements of Chartres cathedral. We peer into the world of medieval scholasticism and Platonic thought in the cathedral schools of the 12th century to investigate what role, if any, such thought had on the development of the Gothic style. We read about Chartres' predecessor building, St. Denis basilica, just north of Paris, and the impact Suger had on this form there, and consider the potential linkages between these structures. We also take a quick course on medieval construction techniques, and listen to some of the hypotheses which engineering architects have devised to explain how such buildings could be constructed without electricity or power tools. We see how stained glass was manufactured, why the blue windows of Chartres are so unusual, and even hypothesize that "Chartres blue" may have been imported from other glass foundries outside of France. We also review the varying theories of the sequence of Chartres' construction that may explain its physical irregularities (for example, was the building constructed from east-to-west, or from west-to-east, and why are there "mismatches" between sections of the structure?).

There is much, much more. But all along the way, we are provided a wonderful, comprehensive introduction to the times, history, and settings of that "vulgar style called 'Gothic,'" which is regarded as one of the pinnacles of architectural and artistic achievement. If you are a Gothic enthusiast, get this book to enjoy and savor, the first new book on the subject in some time. But also buy a copy for a friend. There is probably no better way to introduce Chartres cathedral and Gothic architecture to a new generation of enthusiasts.

Philip Ball's "Universe of Stone: A Biograpahy of Chartres Cathedral" seeks to explore and explain the philosophical roots of a society and culture that produced Chartres Cathedral, an archtypical masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Balls himself admits the hurdles he faced: "Arguably, then, it is a foolhardy eneavour to say anything about 'why' Chartres Cathedral was built, which in the end what this book attempts to do. But to my mind, it is only by confronting that question that we can fully experience what this most extraordinary, most inspiring building has to offer."

Ball is inevitably limited in his efforts by the lack of extensive detailed records from that distant era, as well as by the profound differences in our perceptions of the world than those held by people of the 11th and 12th centuries.

The first half of "Universe of Stone" is especially challenging to the reader as the author lays out the background to the medieval mind: Aristotle and Plato and Augustine and Bernard of Clairvaux and Peter Abelard and the rise of Neo-Platonist philosophy with its emphasis on rational order. The pace of the book's narrative picks up when practical matters of design and finance and construction are considered, with the author citing records of numerous other Gothic building projects to explain what must have happened at Chartres. Along the way, Ball addresses and discards many popular myths, such as the design of the Cathedral incorporating mystical knowledge and that cathedral-building was a manifestation of popular civic enthusiasm.

The attentive reader of "Universe of Stone" will be rewarded with a better understanding of the medieval mind as well as the practical realities of constructing such marvelous buildings.