Anyone who wants to write a memoir, let alone a graphic memoir, could learn a lot from reading this or Bechdel's other graphic memoir. She is amazing!...moreAnyone who wants to write a memoir, let alone a graphic memoir, could learn a lot from reading this or Bechdel's other graphic memoir. She is amazing! For more:
I adore Winterson's prose which is more poetic than some of the poetry I have read. The review includes some quotes to give a small taste of how she d...moreI adore Winterson's prose which is more poetic than some of the poetry I have read. The review includes some quotes to give a small taste of how she dazzles.
Amazingly eloquent (and probably knows how to pronounce nuclear!). Very interesting to read even if you don't agree with everything he has to say. For...moreAmazingly eloquent (and probably knows how to pronounce nuclear!). Very interesting to read even if you don't agree with everything he has to say. For a full review:
I actually would give this a 3.5. While not one of my favorites by the author it is still great writing. For a full review:
http://satia.blogspot.com/2...moreI actually would give this a 3.5. While not one of my favorites by the author it is still great writing. For a full review:
I enjoyed this book although the inspiration behind this collection is heart breaking and tragic. Patricia Smith is, herself, dazzling and my awe cont...moreI enjoyed this book although the inspiration behind this collection is heart breaking and tragic. Patricia Smith is, herself, dazzling and my awe continues to grow with each collection I read. For more, including one of the poems from this wonderful books:
I preferred this volume in the series to the previous one. They can't all be great but this one was definitely a winner.
http://satia.blogspot.com/2009...moreI preferred this volume in the series to the previous one. They can't all be great but this one was definitely a winner.
Because this book is a three-in-one volume, I'll be sharing three links to the separate reviews.
The Dance of Anger is a re-read for me, a book recomme...moreBecause this book is a three-in-one volume, I'll be sharing three links to the separate reviews.
The Dance of Anger is a re-read for me, a book recommended to me by my counselor when I was in college. I enjoyed it then and still enjoyed it now. For more:
The Dance of Intimacy shares a lot of the same wisdom as the first book in this collection but good advice is still good even when it is repeated. For more:
The Dance of Deception departs from the more narrow focus of familial and partner relationships to community and societal ones and explains Lerner's own psychological perspective of the use and abuse of honesty. For more:
As a collection, I don’t think these three books fit as tightly together as they could. The first two are a seamless fit. The first introducing many of the themes that will be further explored and expanded upon in the second. Both focus on familial and spousal/partner relationships. Because the third book doesn’t focus as narrowly on relationships, the themes common to the previous two are merely alluded to with a presumption that the reader has already learned about them from the previous two books.
While it makes sense that the publisher would want to create a book that includes more than one book by Lerner, in choosing the first three books she had published, they weakened the intention. Had they only combined the first two books, perhaps adding a book published later, the single volume would have been better. Or if they chose to add a third book that, like the third, focused on a broader definition of relationship. But in committing to combining the first three books Lerner published, the publisher took an easier and less effective path. Each book stands on its own merit and even stands better alone than when forced into a single book.(less)
One of the things I really liked about this book is that, if you look closely, some of the sample pages are flawed, with spelling or grammar errors. I...moreOne of the things I really liked about this book is that, if you look closely, some of the sample pages are flawed, with spelling or grammar errors. I suppose that should be a detraction but, for me, it showed that a beautiful scrapbook page didn't have to be flawless to be lovely. For more:
This is a good book whether you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or not. The meal plans are enough to keep almost anyone satisfied and the recipes we tried...moreThis is a good book whether you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or not. The meal plans are enough to keep almost anyone satisfied and the recipes we tried were so good we made them a permanent part of our daily diet. For more:
For anyone who is living with vertigo or a balance disorder, this book is simply the best I've found. He covers everything from the many reasons why a...moreFor anyone who is living with vertigo or a balance disorder, this book is simply the best I've found. He covers everything from the many reasons why a person feels dizzy, the differences in how it can be experienced (room spinning, floor moving, etc.), the many different tests that can be used to diagnose the cause, and both traditional and complementary medical approaches to alleviating the sensation. The fact that he lists the only things that have worked for me (Qigong, Tajiquan, and Yoga) and lists practically every test that could be done (and all were done to me) further testifies to this book being an invaluable resource. I highly recommend it.(less)
This is a cd and dvd collection which includes a book. For a more audio/visual learner, this is a must have. Even for a person who prefers to read, th...moreThis is a cd and dvd collection which includes a book. For a more audio/visual learner, this is a must have. Even for a person who prefers to read, this course lives up to its adjective: essential. If you do not have access to a face-to-face teacher, whether in a class or one-on-one, and you want to explore qigong then this set becomes all the more essential. For more thoughts:
I read this book back in 2007, I think. I was in a book group and this book was chosen as our second choice, I believe. I fell in love with it before...moreI read this book back in 2007, I think. I was in a book group and this book was chosen as our second choice, I believe. I fell in love with it before I was even halfway through. Bechdel's intelligence shines through her perfect illustrations as she tells her story in a way that circles around the truth before driving it home. Her candor and her humor are beautifully balanced and I don't think there is a single panel or word wasted in this memoir. It was the first graphic memoir I read and I was blown away. A hard standard by which I now compare all other graphic memoirs. I cannot say enough how much I loved this book. Now if only my daughter would return it to me after I foolishly lent it to her thinking I might get it back. *sigh*(less)
I liked this more than most of her books which, lately, have left me underwhelmed and almost disappointed. For a full review:
http://satia.blogspot.com...moreI liked this more than most of her books which, lately, have left me underwhelmed and almost disappointed. For a full review:
I almost want to give this five stars because really it deserves more than a four. A wonderful book. For a full review:
http://satia.blogspot.com/2009...moreI almost want to give this five stars because really it deserves more than a four. A wonderful book. For a full review:
I'm rereading the series and this one, along with the first, was my least favorite. Unlike the first, it did not improve upon rereading but I still li...moreI'm rereading the series and this one, along with the first, was my least favorite. Unlike the first, it did not improve upon rereading but I still liked it well enough then to want to read the third book which I am now rereading. For more:
For me, this is where the Harry Potter books really took off and I was completely and irrevocably hooked...moreI read this before I had a goodreads account.
For me, this is where the Harry Potter books really took off and I was completely and irrevocably hooked on the series. The first three are more gentle although by the third book you know it is going to get more intense. It is in this fourth book that Rowling's writing really takes off as her characters mature and come into their own.
Edit
I've read these books before and am rereading them now. So why do I think this book is so much stronger than the first three? For more:
Many say they cried when they read this one. I did not. I was numbed by how it ended and merely passed th...moreI read this before I had a goodreads account.
Many say they cried when they read this one. I did not. I was numbed by how it ended and merely passed the book onto my son who was similarly . . .
Well, not really surprised. Truth is, I knew the ending was coming. I just didn't know when. I actually had expected the ending in book 5 but that is one of the things I like about these books. When I first read them, even if I thought I knew what would happen, I was always surprised by what actually ended up happening. Rowling was able to fulfill my expectations by not meeting them in a way that I could easily anticipate. Wonderful!
Edit 2012
I recently reread this book and posted a review here:
I remember a lot of people complaining about Harry being a bit whiny and petulant in this book. I cannot...moreI read this before I had a goodreads account.
I remember a lot of people complaining about Harry being a bit whiny and petulant in this book. I cannot disagree although anyone who has lived with a preteen or teenager will tell you that there does seem to be a phase of temper-tantrum-like behavior that makes one wonder if there isn't some serious emotional regression going on. And the addition of Luna Lovegood to the series is brilliant. I found parts of this book very disturbing, reinforcing one of the things I love about the books. The content matures as would the reader. If read by a younger person I would definitely make sure that the reader is ready for some darker and more emotionally intense material before encouraging them to finish the series. Savor the stories over time rather than rush through them would be my word of advice. As for those of us who are "too old" for Harry Potter, I have nothing to say. I love young adult literature. Always have (even when I was "too young" for it) and I always will.(less)
Up until this book, I could have easily stopped reading the Harry Potter books and not really cared. I wo...moreI read this before I had a goodreads account.
Up until this book, I could have easily stopped reading the Harry Potter books and not really cared. I would have waited for the movies and saved myself the bother. However, in this book I began to see the talent of Rowling's story telling. Her ability to take something seemingly insignificant in one book and making it pivotal in another is remarkable. This is the type of writing you want and hope your children will grow with. (less)
This is the book that, when I first read the series, started making me rethink the series as a whole. In other words, having not especially liked the...moreThis is the book that, when I first read the series, started making me rethink the series as a whole. In other words, having not especially liked the first two books, I rather liked this one. I am rereading the entire series to see how my feelings may or may not have changed. For more:
Not a book I would recommend to just anyone but if you have the patience to listen deeply, to sit quietly, and trust both the writers and yourself, th...moreNot a book I would recommend to just anyone but if you have the patience to listen deeply, to sit quietly, and trust both the writers and yourself, there is much that can be carried away.
I can't even say how many times I've read this novel but I read it again in May. I am waaaaay behind on writing my book reviews. Sorry.
http://satiasre...moreI can't even say how many times I've read this novel but I read it again in May. I am waaaaay behind on writing my book reviews. Sorry.
I really enjoyed this book. While it is not great poetry, the themes resonated for me on a very personal level and I enjoyed it far more than I had an...moreI really enjoyed this book. While it is not great poetry, the themes resonated for me on a very personal level and I enjoyed it far more than I had anticipated I would.
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