Betsy liked a trivia question:
In Maggie O'Farrell's After You'd Gone, John's father is opposed to his son's match on the grounds that Alice is... see if you know the answer »

Betsy read and liked Sarah's review of Outliers:

"I listened to the unabridged copy while driving to/from Thanksgiving. Gladwell's books are often controversial because he tends to present only one side -- HIS side -- of an argument and gloss over anything that doesn't jive with his view. That sai...more I listened to the unabridged copy while driving to/from Thanksgiving. Gladwell's books are often controversial because he tends to present only one side -- HIS side -- of an argument and gloss over anything that doesn't jive with his view. That said, the guy knows how to write and how to tell a story. His examples of why our success may be due to random uncontrollable factors like birthdate, family upbrining, and cultural background never fail to make me think "huh...that's interesting!"(less) "

Betsy read and liked Jen's review of The Year of Magical Thinking:

"I completely agree with the previous review - the excessive details of Didion's privileged lifestyle really detracted from what was an otherwise well written and thoughtful book. In her defense, Didion was simply writing about her reality - one fill...more I completely agree with the previous review - the excessive details of Didion's privileged lifestyle really detracted from what was an otherwise well written and thoughtful book. In her defense, Didion was simply writing about her reality - one filled with suites at expensive hotels and well-educated, influential people. Nevertheless, the esoteric references and name dropping lessened my empathy for her as well as my enjoyment of the book.

I also couldn't relate very well to the book because I've never experienced a major loss (ironically, toward the end, Didion herself recalls having read a similar memoir when she was in her 20s and being unable to relate). Maybe I'll appreciate it more in the future. (less) "

Betsy read and liked Jessica's review of The Year of Magical Thinking:

"For me this book was all about the tension between my hateful, all-consuming envy of Joan Didion for being a rich, brilliant, famous, cool, successful writer with the perfect life, and her obvious point that none of that stuff really matters.

...more For me this book was all about the tension between my hateful, all-consuming envy of Joan Didion for being a rich, brilliant, famous, cool, successful writer with the perfect life, and her obvious point that none of that stuff really matters.

I mean, okay, it is way better to stay at the Beverly Wilshire hotel while your only daughter's bruised and swollen brain and dying body are scalpeled apart by the best trauma doctors in the country. This is better than, say, having your daughter get only treatment Medicaid allows and visiting the city hospital when you finish the second shift at your dead-end job, which you have to go to, even though you're insane with grief and terror, because you're one paycheck away from homelessness. As people on here seem fond of noting, yeah, it is way better to have money during such events, and really it's probably nicer to be Joan Didion, rather than somebody else, in most situations, especially ones like these.

But it still sucks. A lot.

Being Joan Didion and having all her giant heaps of money, brains, and talent, is not currency with much value in the places she travels to in this book, which is part of what makes it such an interesting read, instead of just a well-written and deeply personal description of grief, which, of course, it also is.(less) "