Memoirs and Biographies We Love discussion
What'cha readin'?
Katie, that is what is so nice about GR - we all talk books to each other!
I am dumping Shark Dialogues. Here is why: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...I am so relieved to not have to open that book anymore.
I get all excited every time I open a new book! But wouldn't you get excited?! Check out The Tale of the Rose: The Love Story Behind The Little Prince. Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote The Little Prince, definitely one of my favorites. Probably one of yours too! Well, here is the memoir of the woman behind the tale, Exupéry's muse, the inspiration for the Little Prine's beloved rose! Consuelo de Saint-Exupéry died in 1979, 35 years after her husband. The manuscript for this memoir was discovered in a trunk in 1999 by an academic doing research for the biography of her husband.
Hi, I'd like to invite all of you to the 4th Annual Savannah Book Festival, February 18-20, 2011, in and around Telfair Square in downtown Savannah.Most of our events are FREE and open to the public, and we've got some fabulous authors coming this year, including biographers and memoirists: literary brothers Tobias Wolff (This Boy's Life) and Geoffrey Wolff (The Duke of Deception); UGA football legend Vince Dooley (Vince Dooley's Garden; Robert Goolrick (The End of the World as We Know It); Rolling Stones keyboardist and sustainable tree farmer Chuck Leavell on his life as a rocker and environmentalist; memoirist and hip-hop critic Thomas Chatterton Williams (Losing My Cool); Crooked Road Straight, Tina Brown's biography of AIDS activist Linda Jordan; Randi Davenport (The Boy Who Loved Tornadoes, a memoir about her autistic son); Beverly Donofrio (famous for Riding in Cars With Boys as well as her new book, Looking for Mary); Savannah State prof Chad Faries (Drive Me Out of My Mind, a memoir of moving to 24 homes in 10 years); Lauretta Hannon (aka the Cracker Queen!); and tons more amazing, critically acclaimed authors.
Hope some of you can make it! Check it out at http://www.savannahbookfestival.org/ !
Best, Katherine Oxnard Ellis
Board Member
Savannah Book Festival
http://www.savannahbookfestival.org/
info@savannahbookfestival.org
P.S. And please help spread the word among your book-loving friends and family about this great, FREE, three-day literary event in one of the most beautiful and historic cities in America!
I am just starting Between Two Seas. Why? Well, because I very much liked another novel that I read by this author, entitled The Homecoming Party. Maybe you remember how much I liked it?! I believe I have already posted a link to my GR review here. This author was born in an Italo-Albanian community in Calabria, Italy, I loved his style of writing.I just finished The Tale of the Rose: The Love Story Behind The Little Prince. I think it is wonderful, absolutely wonderful. It will be appreciated by anyone who truly loves The Little Prince. I felt that many of the reviews here at GR were unfairly negative, so if you are interested in reading another pov, here follows mine: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I just got the "Paranormal Romance eReader Bundle" http://bit.ly/fFsiuefor my Kobo eReader sent as a gift...I am a luck valentine this year :)
I will be starting Ava's Man. It looks terribly inteeresting, being about the author's grandfather and mother growing up in the Appalachian foothills during the Depression. I think I am going to like the grandfather. Also it was available for my new Kindle :0)I just finished Nicholas and Alexandra. The book description is incorrect - this is the whole book, not part of two books! I chose this becuase I wanted to try a book by the author Robert K. Massie. I am terribly pleased. I must read more by Massie. He is one of those authors that makes history and people's lives so darn interesting, and never, ever dry. Don't read a crime novel, read this instead. I gave it five stars! Here is my GR review which explains why!
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I will now start The Confessions of Catherine de Medici because a group of which I am a member is reading this now, and I have had it waiting to be read for ages! Oc course I am curious about her, living myself near France! She has been so maligned, and I believe this book looks at her with a more balanced view. Furthermore, I have read another book by the author, and I loved it!I just completed Ava's Man, which I very highly recommend. My GR review explains why: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... It is about the author's grandfather, who lived in the Appalachian foothills during the Depression.
Ijust finished reading Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi. It was a very graphic picture of dealing with anorexia and bulimia and I found myself glued to it in morbid fascination.
Oh Yes, I forgot to say - I finished The Confessions of Catherine de Medici and here is my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...I disliked the the portryal of love as it was presented in the book, but by the end I was rooting for Catherine and had learned a lot. The author did an excellent job of teachig a very complicated time period and doing it in a manner that pulled the reader in. I ended up giving the book 4 stars.
Then I read A Child al Confino: The True Story of a Jewish Boy and His Mother in Mussolini’s Italy and here is my review of that: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... Spoiler free as usual! Nobody classifies this as a young adult book. I do. I think a boy of 10-14 would go bananas for this book. It is not bad for adults either. I llearned a lot about the specifics of Italian racial laws in WW2. I do recommend the book. Maybe it should have gotten four stars rather than three.
Now I am reading Thanks to My Mother and have started a running spoiler-free review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
At the beginning I was confused about who was who and had to start over a second time writing down all the family members. This was a bit tedious. In retrospect, maybe this wasn't necessary. From around page 60 the tempo took off and it became very exciting and moving. I have read about half. This and the last book have wonderful photos.
I'm reading Decision Points by George W. Bush. Wasn't a fan during his presidency, but am becoming one through this book.
I just finished Thanks to My Mother. I recommend it to just about everybody! So why three stars? Well, I have explained in my GR review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...I will now start Smuggled. Why? Well because the book description drew me in. It also has a cool cover. I know this is particularly stupid since I am reading an egalley, but you sell a book by its cover too. It does play a role. Cross your fingers for me. Will my hunch prove right?
I just finished Running in the Family. I did have to struggle a bit, but by the end I was enjoying it and very happy that I had read it. It is a memoir about the author, Michael Ondaatje's family and living in Ceylon. My GR review follows: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I just finished Chris Jericho's Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps and loved it! His first book was great and this one was just as good. I couldn't put it down, his writing is just so funny and easy to read. I hope he comes out with a third.My Review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT0Kkq...
I recently finished Portrait of a Turkish Family. I simply adored it. This does for WWI what good holocaust books do for WWII. Here is my GR review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...Remember to first go to Amazon and look inside at the prose style. Me, I adored it!!!
Just finished an ARC of Half a Life: A Memoir So many emotions reading this. Just started John Adams
Personally, I am riveted by memoirs of African lives. On my sofa-side couch are two memoirs I can't wait to get to: Scribbling the Cat, by Alexandra Fuller (who wrote Don't Let's Go To The Dogs Tonight), and Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa, by Peter Godwin (who wrote a follow-up to this first part of his life in Zimbabwe, called When a Crocodile East the Sun). Both Fuller and Godwin are superior writers, who layer their personal stories with a compelling view of the socio-economic times in which they lived/live.
I loved Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood! Maybe I should read Scribbling the Cat too, but I wonder if it is really as good?!And I have When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa sitting here on a shelf, still unread!
Good you remind me.
This is pretty funny! I could not put down When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa. When I learned there was a predecessor to it--Mukiwa-- I was ecstatic. Godwin writes eloquently and passionately about a country he loves, but at the same time is able to present factual information about socio-politico-economic realities under Mugabe that sound, to me, fair-minded and compelling. I will have to get back to you on Scribbling the Cat. Or if you get to it before I do, let me know what you think of it! I know it's definitely a different subject than Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, as it's about her travels with a soldier....
Dina, I haven't read Mukiwa either. My problem is TIME!!!! I always sort of give priority to topics and writers that are new for me. What if I am missing an excellent one?!
Time, time.....And I'm not even mentioning all the books downloaded to my Kindle, awaiting my next long trip overseas. I expect to get to Mukiwa in another few weeks and will post back here with my thoughts.
Dina, Where are you going? Have tons of fun!!! When a Crocodile Eats the Sun IS available in Kindle format, but not in europe. I thought maybe I could borrow it from you for the allowed two weeks, but that only works if it is available for purchase in Europe. It isn't. My paper books are getting harder to read due to lousy vision...... Neither is Mukiwa available for me in Kindle format. That is one reason I haven't grabbed WACMTS. Reading books about places you have been,both before and after trips, is SO much fun.
I have kind of a random thought. Have you noticed that you can tell whether your tastes are similar to someone else's on GR just by looking at the cover art on the books they like? Like really, without even seeing the titles? Very interesting.I also just finished Willie Nelson's book called, I think, "The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes." It's over half song lyrics and corny jokes, but the little stories he tells are great. I also loved Keith Richards' autobiography. Oh, and I also really, really liked "Girl in Translation," though I read it a few months ago.
Hi Craig,You are right about that with the cover art. At least generally. You look at a cover and you often know if the book is crime, sex, science fiction, history biography, romance - you get that all in a glance. Not always but usually! Just by seeing the cover of The White Woman on the Green Bicycle: A Novel, I guessed that this might be a book about a different culture. Yup, I got it, but haven't had a chance to read it yet. First I must read The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe and finish the book I am reading now. I am still debating whether to dump Mistress of the Art of Death. This is my attempt to try and like mystery crime novels. I haven't even decided if I am "reading" it! It is just so darn "fictiony".
I have wanted to read The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe from the moment it caught my eye. I have received an egalley. I am really excited to start. It is a memoir about a family living in Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. It is a true story. I have read several books without mentioning them here: I wanted to try some books that were different from those I usualy pick up. I don't usually enjoy short stories but I did like the novella Babette's Feast. Nevertheless, I could not give it mùore than 3 stars because, as usual, it was just too short. I loved it, and then the door slammed shut and I wanted more. The movie is great too. I recommend both reading the book and seeing the movie. You will be surprised by the ending. The book has an ending that is more nuanced than the movie. I don't quite know which ending I prefer.... Both are good. Here follows my spoiler-free review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Then today I read a book of three short stories: Dog Tails: Three Humorous Short Stories for Dog Lovers. You will laugh all the way through. Fabulous! Really, really funny! My review gives some snippets: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have been trying to read Mistress of the Art of Death. I stuck in the dog book as an evasion. It is a group read at Historical Fictionistas. I had it sitting there on my shelf, and I was on a binge of trying to read books from genre I don't usually pick up, so I figured now or never. Well I gave up after 137 pages. My review explains why: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Nice, now I can go back to my tried and tru genre! I am expanding my views. Some short stories are fabulous! Yay for Dog Tails: Three Humorous Short Stories for Dog Lovers by Tara Chevrestt
Chrissie,If you figure out how to like mystery crime novels, please let me know!
I just don't get them.
Craig, I feel so relieved after shutting that book. Now I can concentrate on something I like - a memoir. The other was pure, pure fiction and I didn't give a darn who had done it!
Chrissie, you are a trooper for finishing. I probably would have abandoned ship.
You can do roughly the same thing if you can see someone's music collection. Of course, in a totally nonjudgmental way.
Craig, I didn't finish! I stopped after 137 pages of Mistress of the Art of Death. I can always return to it, but I doubt I will. That makes me feel less guilty. I HATE not finishing a book that I have bought. My husband will not go near it. I made a mistake! I admit that, but if you never try to widen your horizons.... I tried, it didn't work in this case. It did with those short stories.But I am loving The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe. Back to the tried antrue genre of memoirs.
whichwaydidshego? wrote: "Tell us about any memoirs/biographies you have read recently or are in the process of reading. Did you like it or no? Why or why not? "
I absolutely loved "Southern Fried Rice" by John Jung. Imagine being the only immigrant Chinese family in predominately Black and White Macon, Georgia!
I read a Colossal Failure of Common Sense.A Colossal Failure of Common Sense: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Lehman Brothers
If you're interesting in learning about the financial crisis of 2008, I recommend this book.
Chrissie wrote: "Craig, I didn't finish! I stopped after 137 pages of Mistress of the Art of Death. I can always return to it, but I doubt I will. That makes me feel less guilty. I HATE not finishing..."Chrissie, I think you got 75 pages further than I would have. And... I have a really good friend who told me that when she turned 40 she decided that she was going to abandon ship on any book she wasn't enjoying after the first 100 pages. Life's too short, etc.
I concur.
Randy wrote: "I read a Colossal Failure of Common Sense.A Colossal Failure of Common Sense: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Lehman Brothers
If you're interesting in learning about the fin..."
I'm adding this one. I loved The Big Short too.
Thanks, Randy.
Craig, having switched to the biography The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe, I feel right back in my element. This book I love. Some people have such a fit if you criticize book unless you finish it. I think that is wrong. You do not have to wait until the end to judge a book. I knew very quickly I did not like Mistress of the Art of Death, just as I knew very quickly that The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe was good! I just have a hard time accepting that I foolishly purchased a bad book.
I just finsihed The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe which, being a biography, was right up my alley. This book truly inspires hope for the future of Afghanistan. Kamila Sidiqi is a woman you should know of. This book is true, while A Thousand Splendid Suns is fiction. Here follows my spoiler-free review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...Hopefully, after reading the review, you can better judge if it is a book you want to read.
On the subject of Afghanistan, I just want to put out there a suggestion that you read The Swallows of Kabul, an exquisite book by an Algerian officer writing under the pseudonym Yasmina Khadra. This is a novel, so I realize may not be up everyone's alley, nor entirely appropriate for this group. However, it is one of the more memorable books I've read, not very long, finely written.
OK, here's a great memoir that just came to mind for no particular reason: Positively Fifth Street, by James McManus. The book chronicles his participation in the World Championship of Poker, in Vegas, along with all the arcane rules of the game, what's so addictive about poker, the players, and more bits and pieces of fascinating trivia than you could possibly imagine. The lead-up to the final round is as riveting as the best mystery or spy story.
Dina, I have no added Swallows of Kabul. I have heard of this book before, I just cannot remember why I chose not to add it. Isn't it very dismal. Totally without hope? Well this time I added it. I took the time to read the excerpt at Amazon. How many stars did you give it?
I just finished The Forgotten Highlander. It is a book that should be required reading for all. It does not cover an easy subject, but the book is clear and relates the facts in an unsentimental fashion. It is about the building of the "Death Railway" between Burma and Thailand, about the Japanese hellships of WW2, about the "Fat Man" of Nagasaki. It should be read b/c the Japanese deny the veracity of these events. It is an autobiography of one man who survived. What a man!Oh and here is my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Has anyone read Zeitoun? I have read other Eggers books and found them more engrossing than this one. The subject was meaningful and the details enlightening, but the writing and presentation were, how shall I say this, off-putting. Am I missing something or is this sort of ultra post-modernist writing just not for me?
I'm currently reading Silencing the Voices by J.D. Cline. It's quite intriguing despite the fact that I know first-hand about dissociative identity disorder.
Chrissie wrote: "Dina, I have no added Swallows of Kabul. I have heard of this book before, I just cannot remember why I chose not to add it. Isn't it very dismal. Totally without hope? Well this tim..."Sorry not to answer you sooner Chrissie. Swallows of Kabul is indeed an intense story. But I was captivated by the writing and the craft of the author in creating a precise and evocative world. I have to say that I am not the sort of person who has to read bright, sunny books all the time. Perhaps because I'm a trained victim's advocate, I seem to have the ability to absorb books that are dense and profound in sometimes shattering ways, which others find too disturbing. I do always look for books, fiction or non-, that pull me utterly and completely into another world. Swallows did that for me.
I just finished reading 'Raising Blaze' by Debra Ginsberg - Bringing up an extraordinary son in an ordinary world. If you have a child who doesn't fit into the school system, you will relate to this book. I could relate to being a square peg trying to fit into a round hole!
I plan to read Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman, about her year in the penitentiary in 2004, following conviction for her part in a drug operation. She's a Smith grad who sought adventure (of the wrong kind perhaps), then brought a discerning eye and an ear for a story to her time in The Camp." Here's the link Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison
Just finished Tahar Ben Jelloun's Palace in the Old Village. Almost couldn't bear to turn the page in this profoundly sad tale of a hardworking, honest man, immigrant to Paris from Morocco, who completely loses touch with his assimilated children. The book becomes surreal by the end, yet one can imagine that what happens is indeed the way this good man, who cannot understand his children, actually feels at the end of his life. Worth the read, but don't expect to be laughing your way through it.
Chrissie wrote: "Sol, I went to the site and read the introduction text to your firts book - and I really enjoyed it. I like books that include humor. I am always saying - if you don't laugh well then you will cry!..."Hi Chrissie, I send books to Europe nearly every week, since I'm a bookseller on Amazon. But it does cost me $12 to do it. Otherwise I'd pop some books in the mail to you!!
I agree with the "humor in the face of trouble' idea you have, I read tons of memoirs & bios. Recently:
Beyond Mud & Vines/Jorgensen
Shattered/Pastore
Accidental Millionaire/Fong
Polar Dream/Thayer
Ocean of Fire/Christopher
Jungle/Ghinsberg
Chosen by a horse/Richards
Still Alice/Genova(not nonfiction, but a compilation of her many Alzheimer's patients)
....and there are more! Lots more!
Memoirs and Biographies We Love
Books mentioned in this topic
Farmer Boy (other topics)The Girl Who Ran Away (other topics)
Without Precedent: Chief Justice John Marshall and His Times (other topics)
The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain (other topics)
James Dean: Little Boy Lost - An Intimate Biography (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
H. Alan Day (other topics)Mark Twain (other topics)
Michael Ondaatje (other topics)
Wendell Berry (other topics)
Edmund Morris (other topics)
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Thanks for the recommendation, I'll definitely have to check that out.