Memoirs and Biographies We Love discussion
What'cha readin'?
Just read Gerda Weissmann Klein's "All But My Life"
. Really excellent memoir regarding what this remarkable women endured under the control of the Nazis and what she has done with her life after her years of enslavement.
I just read Michael Perry's _Population 485_. I thought it was truly amazing. I really recommend it. I've ordered the rest of his works & can't wait to read them.
Thanks for explaining about the Kennedy book, Cheryl. I also have All But My Life: A Memoir waiting to be read. I just wonder a bit if I should tackle another holocaust book, but so many say this one is rally excellent.
I do recommend listening to the audiobook version of The Children's Book narrated by Rosalyn Landor. Best narration I have ever listened to. What a book. Stuffed with information. It does drag in the middle, but do stick it out to the end. It is worth it.My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Tomorrow I will start Life After Life
I just started Michael Perry's _Truck: A Love Story_. It's great so far. he has a fabulous sense of humor.
I completed: Life After LifeMy review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have started Truman. I always appreciate books written by David McCullough! :0)
Hi, folks! It's Sexual Assault Awareness month. I have a relevant memoir coming out titled _College Girl_ with Excelsior. I'm now an English Professor. But twenty plus years ago I was the victim of a brutal attack that I've never written about. All of these years I've published scholarly works-- but I've never written anything like this.
The book is available now. I would love folks' thoughts on it, particularly people who have experienced traumas or who have family/friends who have.
The story is ultimately not only my story-- but so many other people's as well. And there are some real heroes and heroines in this story. I'm not the protagonist-- even though the story has to be-- for the mostpart-- told through my eyes. So, it's not your typical trauma narrative. It views trauma as a communal, not an individual thing.
I'd love to know your thoughts about it.
Best wishes,
LauraCollege Girl: A Memoir
I finished The Places in Between set in Afghanistan. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have begun A House for Mr Biswas, while I also listen to Truman which is very long! Actually, I find the non-fiction book more engaging than the fiction one! McCullogh is such a good writer.Truman is biographical. Biswas is fiction but based on the author's father.
I have been reading _Truck: A Love Story_. It's very Pirsig-esque to me. Actually, it's like Pirsig meets Michael Pollan meets David Sedaris. I am really liking Michael Perry's work. Totally recommend it.
Finished A House for Mr BiswasMy review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
This is fiction, but is partially based on the author's father. A Nobel Prize winner not to my liking!
Now reading Resistance: A French Woman's Journal of the War
STILL listening to Truman. This is long but very, very interesting.
I really , really do think you should check outResistance: A French Woman's Journal of the War!My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
OK, now do not laugh. I am reading Forever Amber. I know it is a love story, but heck I like trying different genres. I bought the book so now I have to read it. Also it is about the Restoration period in England the big fire in London, so hopefully I will learn something too. I have read a bit, and it is so blatantly a love story that I in fact like it. Amber is so plucky. There is no hiding what is important to this gal. I also like the wonderful description of the surroundings, be it cute English villages filled with flowers and shrubs, birds and starlit skies or London in the 1600s. So far I find it fun.
I just finished Ehrlich's A Match to the Heart: One Woman's Story of Being Struck By Lightning. The language is so powerful, as is her story. I sooo recommend it!
I have listened to all 54 hours of Truman, and loved every minute of it. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
What audiobook should I choose next? I figure I have to pick one that has a chance of competing with McCullough's. A book by Steinbeck is my choice: Cannery Row
Finished Cannery Row. Loved it. The only problem was that it was too short. I guess I should continue with Sweet Thursday, but instead I have started Freeman. This starts immediately after the Civil War and fits with my previous read Truman. My review of Steinbeck's winner: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have just completed two audiobooks: The Whale Riderand enjoyed it very much. Good YA literature is even for adults! My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
and
Freeman
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
This is GOOD historical fiction.
Both were very good, i.e. four stars.
Now I will startWashington: A Life. This is my first by Ron Chernow. I have heard he offers even more depth than McCullough. I don't care what the critics say, I think David McCullough is a really good writer, but now I must try Chernow too.
After 267 pages of Forever Amber, I gave up and dumped it.My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Moved on to: You Have Given Me a Country: A Memoir. It is about a family that lived through the India Pakistan Partition and how it feels to have a mother and father from different cultures. The author's mother is Irish-Catholic and her father is Sindhi-Indian.
Reading a good old fashioned trashy Hollywood bio. Ok, it's not trashy, per se-- Bette and Joan: The Divine Feud
but it is fun...
I definitely enjoyed You Have Given Me a Country: A Memoir. It is not your typical autobiography, and it does have some fictional parts. I would suggest it to those curious about bi-racial marriages, multi-cultural themes and philosophical musings. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Have begun: Genghis: Birth of an Empire. This is a book of hf, easy to read and so far better than my expectations. Nice, it is the first of a series!
I have completed Washington: A Life and I do recommend it. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Moving on to Eventide, which I have chosen b/c I enjoy the author's writing. Immediately I am sucked in. In the first chapter, someone is leaving. The writing perfectly depicts how one feels when someone dear to you leaves..... Dam, this guy can write! The audiobook narration by George Hearn has instantaneously captured the mood.
I have completed Genghis: Birth of an Empire.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Will move on to Samarkand, another book of historical fiction.
Finished Eventide. I highly recommend the audiobbok format narrated by George Hearn. Working class, small town life in America - that is what you get. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Having just finished Genghis: Birth of an Empire and having found it too cinematic in tone for my liking, I have now begun Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. MUCH more information and yet at the same time it is easy to follow. A good balance to my previous read. Written by an acclaimed anthropologist - good stuff, although it is a bit controversial.
I have completed Samarkand. Boy am I glad. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... Everybody loves this, except me, it seems. Or am I brave enough to say that it is difficult to comprehend?Now I will begin A Furnace Afloat: The Wreck of the Hornet and the Harrowing 4,300-mile Voyage of Its Survivors.
I have finished Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. I absolutely loved it. 5 stars. I recommend it to anyone and everyone who has any interest in world history.My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Have started Cloudstreet. I wasn't all that drawn to the book description, but many of my friends say it IS really good. We will see what I think!
If anyone is looking for anything new to read, the book I wrote last year, which was #1 bestseller in it's category just yesterday morning is now available for FREE.I can't speak about my own work objectively. I can only say that it was a lot of hard work. I wrote it during a very emotionally and physically difficult time in my life but I hope that it will inspire everyone who reads it.
I will post a link and reader review below for everyone that is interested:
"This Book will make you question everything you knew or believed you knew about your life growing up. It is a first person account of life, a memoir in diary chronicles attentive to the stresses and strains of a childhood life into adulthood and beyond. One that doesn't allow its small troubles to take over but instead takes you on a cosmic journey into the complexity of human thought, a journey best traveled in your mind. A grand story of a simple existence with compulsive human behavior that grows to learn, enjoy, understand, value and love its own company and life. A story that grows parallel with your understanding of the story itself in its evolution into abstract thought, deviation of routine, empathy, interaction and communication with others. A story written in clear expression, great concentration, precision, simplicity and beautiful, self-realization."
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CLXBOEK
Just finished A Furnace Afloat: The Wreck of the Hornet and the Harrowing 4,300-mile Voyage of Its Survivors. I can recommend it if you are looking for a book with an exciting adventure story, also chock full of historical and scientific details.My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have completed Cloudstreet.My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
It is like an immersion course on post Australian lif -e the colloquialisms and words used can be confusing, but I am glad I read it. It is also about family. Here I would warn that you must not be in a depressed mood when you start. Bad things happen.....and good too.
I have begun One Corpse Too Many. Well, I began reading the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters. The first one was not wow, so then I hopped around between others and began to love the people living in the abbey. So now I want to read the books in order so I know every little tidbit about each figure. The above mentioned is the second in the series and it gives good historical background to the Civil War between King Steven and Empress Maude, England 1138. EVERYBODY says these books need NOT be read in order, other than that books 6 and 10 must be read before book 20. I agree, BUT once you fall in love with the whole setting you will not want to miss anything because there are small details that are nice to know. So my advice is start with book The Leper of Saint Giles, b/c it is so good. Then if you are sure you love the series, start from the beginning. I read a couple before I felt motivated to read all of them. We are having a buddy read on this book here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
I kind of think one has to like comfy historical mysteries more centered on the characters and accurate historical detail than sleuthing to appreciate these books.
Just finished and absolutely loved, particularly the ending, One Corpse Too Many.My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have already started The Hopkins Touch: Harry Hopkins and the Forging of the Alliance to Defeat Hitler. So far it is good. I want to know more about this interesting and so very important guy, how he coped with his illness and how he was satisfied to not stand out there in front. He intrigues me.
I am reading Red Azalea, simply b/c I am determined to read the books sitting here on my wooden shelves. I think I got it from my Mom. Neither I nor her knew that it has a central lgtb theme in addition to it being a memoir of the life of the author during the Cultural Revolution in China. The writing is extremely simplistic with short straight-forward sentences relating what happens, particularly in the beginning of the book. Little introspection. Maybe this will come later. Do you understand what I am saying? The text reads like: she did that and then he did that. I don't really think this is a result of English not being the author's native language.
I finished Red Azalea. :0)My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have started Under Fishbone Clouds, also set in China. I like the folktale that it begins with. An innkeeper is kind to a passing old traveler and in payment he draws cranes on the inn wall. When music is played the cranes come alive. The description of those flapping cranes is beautiful and fanciful all at the same time.
I am listening to The Hopkins Touch: Harry Hopkins and the Forging of the Alliance to Defeat Hitler and sometimes it annoys me. Statements are made and conclusions drawn that seem unvalidated.
However Long the Night: Molly Melching's Journey to Help Millions of African Women and Girls Triumph is a great read. It tells the incredible story of Molly Melching, a mid-western woman who went to Senegal to study abroad and ends up staying there for the next 40 years helping the girls and women in Africa. It's truly inspiring.
I can take just so much of gross, crude writing. First I read Red Azalea, and stuck it through to the end. Then I picked up Under Fishbone Clouds, which I have dumped after 91 pages. Just my opinion of course!My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I am enjoying The Hopkins Touch: Harry Hopkins and the Forging of the Alliance to Defeat Hitler, but reading about war strategies is hard. There is humor and it is terribly interesting, but I need some lightness, at least relatively. I will start Some Sing, Some Cry. The audiobook is narrated by Robin Miles and she sings some of the songs. She did a fantastic job with The Book of Night Women.
I have finished The Hopkins Touch: Harry Hopkins and the Forging of the Alliance to Defeat Hitler, and I am totally amazed at how much I enjoyed it!My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
So now I can really begin Some Sing, Some Cry,narrated by the talented Robin Miles. I simply had to finish the other first.
Finished The Queen's Vow: A Novel Of Isabella Of Castile
and a good old fashioned trashy Hollywood bio-- Bette and Joan: The Divine Feud
. Liked both but loved neither.
Jennifer, I thought The Last Queen by Gortner was super and so went on to read The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, which was good but still not at all as good as the first. Maybe you want to try "The Last Queen". For me this one made royalty into people with emotions ad feelings like everyone else. I didn't feel this way with the second book.
Read "Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure The World" for my memoir book club and loved it. Interesting, entertaining, funny and heartbreaking. Recommend to anyone who enjoys reading about social issues.Also just read "The End of Your Life Book Club" which was my Memoir Club's selection for January. I lost a very dear friend to cancer that month and just couldn't read it at that time. Some of it was hard for me to get through but I'm glad I read it and would give it 4 stars.
Chrissie wrote: "Jennifer, I thought The Last Queen by Gortner was super and so went on to read The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, which was good but still not at all as good as the first. Maybe you want to tr..."I read his book about de Medici and really liked it. And I have The Last Queen-- I think the problem for me with the one I just finished is I don't find Isabella sympathetic.
Jennifer, it definitely improves a book if you empathize with at least one of the principle characters.
I just finished Some Sing, Some Cry by Ntozake Shange.It is a book of historical fiction about Black-American history and music, following seven generations of one family. I enjoyed it, and gave it three stars, but it tries to do too much. It is worth listening to, and I recommend the audiobook format over the written book since you get to hear the dialects and numerous songs incorporated into the story. The narrator is Robin Miles, and most of it she does excellently. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I will now move on to
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
I have heard that this is the best book about the Shackleton story. The setting is Antarctica.
Hi, I'm Micky. I try to read at least three biographies or memoirs a year. I will read about anything, but my book list is heavy with American Revolution War, 20th Century Ireland, and polar expeditions.The last bio I read was Henry Knox: Visionary General of the American Revolution by Mark Puls
Hi I'm Kim I enjoy reading memoirs as well. My most recent one was
which was very good.I probably read memoirs of favorite celebs the most but I like other types as well. I've been adding my suggestions to some of the threads asking for them.
Chrissie wrote: "I just finished Some Sing, Some Cry by Ntozake Shange.It is a book of historical fiction about Black-American history and music, following seven generations of one family. I enjoyed it, and gave it..."I read this years ago. Shackleton is an amazing man. He never lost a member of his crew.
"Dean and Me" and "Gracie" are memoirs that I really want to read - must add them to my wish list :-)
Chrissie wrote: "Michael, have you read Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage?"Yes, this and Shackleton by Roland Huntford.
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I don't think I c..."
I felt like I got a more intimate look at Jackie through Clint Hill's eyes. Also a very interesting perspective on what he went through not just during and after the assignation but from the beginning of his duty as Jackie's Secret Service Agent.