Biography, Autobiography, Memoir discussion
Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir read in 2018
Finding Gobi: The True Story of a Little Dog and an Incredible Journey
Author: Dion Leonard
3 Stars = I liked the book. I enjoyed it. I'm glad I read it.
Very sweet book about a man who falls in love ... with a stray dog ... and all the dramas he went through in order to bring that dog home with him.
Dion was running in a 5-day marathon across China's Gobi Desert when he first met the canine love-of-his-life. She attached herself to him at the start of the race, and kept up with him for almost 80 miles (128 km). He is soon wrapped around her little paw, and can't even consider abandoning her when the marathon finishes. So, the process of bringing the newly-named, Gobi, home to Edinburgh, Scotland begins.
Until all the intricate arrangements can be made, he is faced with leaving her in the care of Chinese locals ... and she disappears ... hence, the title "Finding Gobi". Thankfully, the incredible journey ... and it certainly has its mysterious moments regarding the disappearance ... has a positive ending.
If you like nonfiction dog stories, you'll probably love this one.
Mod
4 stars
If you like country music or if you are a Tammy fan you will like this book. I am not a Tammy fan but I like to read about the country music business. The research in this book is impeccable and the book ends with 29 pages of source notes. I really liked how the author points out things from his sources that dont jive with what Tammy wrote in her own autobiography, although I think that is a difference in perspective and not because it was not the truth. While Tammy is given the title 'tragic country queen', a lot of the tragedy in her life was because of choices she made, so I would say it was tragic that her life should have been a lot happier but wasn't.
Ghost Boy
Author: Martin Pistorius
4 Stars = It touched my heart, and/or gave me much food for thought.
"Have you ever seen one of those movies where someone wakes up as a ghost but doesn't even know they've died? However much I tried to beg and plead, shout and scream, I couldn't make them notice me. I was invisible. The ghost boy."
Great book. When Martin was 12, he became sick. The doctors didn't know why. Within 18 months he was a 'vegetable' ... unable to speak, or move. A couple of years went by, and he began to slowly 'awake'. But no one noticed ... for ten long years ... until a carer named Virna van der Walt became convinced that Martin was more aware than anyone realised. She's the real heroine of this story. "She was the catalyst who changed everything. Had it not been for her, I would probably either be dead or forgotten in a care home somewhere." She convinced his parents to take him to the Center for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Then the rest of his life began. Finally, he had a way out of the silent world. Things began to happen ... at long last. A wife. A business. Joy. Peace. Love. Good stuff.
Just a warning for those who would appreciate one ... he was abused in the day care centres. Sexual abuse. Physical abuse. Emotional abuse. Sickening. He is very open, honest, and lays it all out there.
Diane wrote: "
Ghost Boy
Author: Martin Pistorius
4 Stars = It touched my heart, and/or gave me much food for thought.
(Photo provided, since the..."
What a sad story-so glad he recovered.
Diane wrote: Ghost Boy 4 Stars = It touched my heart, and/or gave me much food for thought.Julie: What a sad story-so glad he recovered.
Me, too, Julie.
Hank & Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart
Scott Eyman
4.5/5 stars
Being a huge movie fan, when I saw this at the bookstore, I knew I had to buy this book and I was not disappointed. The two met in New York as stage actors and became friendly and ended up as roommates. This book follows them through that period to the end of their lives even discussing their time in the military during WWII and their movie and stage careers. So interesting, this will be one of my top books this year.
Mod
Hank & Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart
[author:Scott Eyma..."
I will look for this. I love both of those guys.
One of the books I'm reading now, The Crate: A Story Of War, A Murder, And Justice, is much more a memoir than anything else. It's a very good read. So nice to read about a nice, close-knit, hard-working family that came through tough times together instead of the usual KarTrashian stuff.
Mod
4 stars
What is it like to be an intern in a big hospital in New York? According to this doctor it is not much fun. I cant imagine a job being more stressful than what these future MD's go through. This book is at its best when he is talking about individual patients and I wish he could have gone deeper into their histories but the truth is he does not have time to treat the whole patient and is often dealing with several emergencies at once. He does not have confidence in his abilities and often questions if this is what he really wants to do. He eventually takes a lot of heat for writing to the newspaper to protest the terrible conditions that doctors were expected to treat patients. I will look to see if he has a book about his experiences after internship to see if things got better for him.
What year was that book published, Koren? I know there was a bit of an uprising after too many patients died being treated by inexperienced, sleep-deprived med students and they changed things across the country. I hope this book came out before the changes...
Mod
2008 and it came out after the changes because he does talk about it and basically said he cant imagine what it was like before the law changed because it was bad enough being on call 24 hours, he couldn't imagine what it was like being on call 72 hours.
The Stowaway: A Young Man's Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica
Laurie Gwen Shapiro
4/5 stars
This is a wonderful true story about William "Billy" Gawronski, a young man who longs to go to Antarctica with Admiral Byrd who had a soft spot in his heart for stowaways. After 3 attempts to hide on the boat, he has been allowed to stay and work on one of the ships on the trip doing odd jobs. Shapiro does very nice job writing about Gawronksi through his life and highlighting the time period which included the beginning of the Great Depression that rocks Gawronski’s life and the lives of millions of people.
Koren wrote: "Fishface wrote: "What year was that book published, Koren? I know there was a bit of an uprising after too many patients died being treated by inexperienced, sleep-deprived med students and they ch..."Those are their improved working conditions? Unbelievable.
Escape
Author: Carolyn Jessop
5 Stars = It made a significant impact. I won't forget it.
Carolyn was born into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). She never knew any other way of life. But, fortunately, she was 'allowed' to attend college, and rubbed shoulders ... just a tiny bit ... with outsiders. Also, as she was studying for a teaching degree, her education exposed her to concepts about child care, etc. that she had never encountered. After living a life where every move she made had to be 'approved' by her husband for 17 years, and after bearing this (and I use this word loosely here) 'man' eight children, she escaped her prison.
I, too, was 'born into' a fundamentalist religion, and Carolyn has my utmost respect for escaping, and for writing all of it down for the world to read. People need to realise that some so-called 'religions', and some so-called 'men of God', are dangerous ... or, at the very least, emotionally crippling. The damage done to a person ... mentally, emotionally ... in these situations takes YEARS to crawl out from under. And, in some ways, you're never really 'out'.
If you want to know what the FLDS really does behind its closed/locked doors, read this. And, the next time you see a 'strangely dressed' woman in the grocery store, try to quietly, kindly chat to her. You may be the only outsider who ever has.
Triumph: Life After the Cult--A Survivor's Lessons
Author: Carolyn Jessop
4 Stars = It gave me much food for thought.
Carolyn's first book, Escape, was about her life in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), and her eventual escape from its brutality. This book is a follow-up.
The first half of the book is about the raid, by Texas law enforcement, on the FLDS Yearning for Zion Ranch near Eldorado, Texas USA. I didn't find this to be very riveting. Obviously, she was concerned, she received phone calls, she was interviewed, etc. but I felt it lacked depth. In Escape it is all immediate, first-hand, and compelling stories of her tortured life, and scary escape. To spend half the book watching-her-watching-the-raid was dreary. I am not making light of the fact that she knew many of the folks at the Ranch, and was emotionally involved, but it didn't make for a page-turning experience.
The second half of the book was more interesting. She relates stories of events that helped her begin to break the FLDS mindset, and prepare for escape. A black man stood up to her husband, regarding abuse directed at Carolyn, that he had just witnessed in a restaurant. She suddenly realised that men on the 'outside' might actually treat women with respect. She listened to Dr Laura's radio show, secretly behind a locked door, each night. This, too, really opened her eyes to how life should be, and that women weren't just possessions, or baby-factories.
She's goes on to make a list of pointers to use, if you're trying to survive/escape a traumatic life. She talks about role models in her life, her grandmothers, who were strong women and managed to keep a sense of self despite the FLDS.
She talks about how life was after they escaped. The places they lived in. How her children reacted. How she felt she was on an alien planet.
All in all, I'd have to say this book wasn't as good as her first one. But I am all for anyone putting more info into print about cults, and how to get out of them. So, based on my feeling that any book that covers this topic is an important book, I am giving it 4 stars, despite its shortcomings.
No Time for Fear: How a Shark Attack Survivor Beat the Odds
Author: Paul de Gelder
3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.
One February morning in 2009 Paul was attacked by a 3 metre (9.8 ft) bull shark in Sydney Harbour. As a result, he lost part of his right arm, and his right leg from the knee down.
In this book, he goes back over his childhood, teenage years, and young adulthood. He sowed a lot of wild oats, cut himself off from his family, and was living a life with no direction whatsoever. So, to try to stop his downward slide, in 2000, he joined the Australian Army. Despite the odds, given his background, it turned out he loved it. He prided himself on working hard, and excelling. He finally found his real niche when he became one of the elite Navy Clearance Divers. Which was why he was swimming in Sydney Harbour on that day in 2009 ....
Some reviewers found him to be egotistical, but I didn't take it that way at all. He knew he'd thrown away a big hunk of his early life on stupid things, and he had worked damn hard in the ensuing years to better himself. After the attack, he made up his mind that he wasn't going to lose out on life just because some ol' bull shark tried to have him for breakfast. He pushed himself HARD to recuperate, to get fit again, to return to doing a lot of the things he loved to do. So, yes, he has an attitude ... but it's not ego driven ... it's survival driven.
"There really wasn’t one or even just a few things that were the most challenging. Every single thing about life became a struggle. From the moment I woke up in the morning after a horrible, sometimes drug-induced sleep until the time I went to bed and laid there trying not to think about the pain I was in, I was struggling. But I couldn’t show that a lot because I was desperately trying to reclaim my life and convince everyone around me that I could still do my job. I was literally fighting through every single day with as much fake positivity as I could muster. Training as hard as I could, practicing and relearning everything from tying shoelaces to eating and cooking, showering on one leg, walking, weight training, running, driving, swimming, brushing my teeth, housework. Every single thing in life with only one leg, crutches and then prosthetics and a hand which wasn’t even my master hand. It was the worst thing I’ve ever gone through, and I cried myself to sleep many a night. But I had to succeed because I wanted my life back so I just kept pushing the limits even through many follow-up surgeries that would take me back to square one."
"Negativity is a vacuum in which nothing else can exist. It has no usefulness, and I decided to ban it from my life. I had no fear of failure because, if I wanted something enough, I’d bite into it and hold on like a rottweiler at a dog fight until it was accomplished. I’d do all that I possibly could not to fail."
"Life is here to be lived. And with the right attitude and willingness to deal with the hurdles, it can be bloody awesome."
Several photos ... including a couple of graphic ones showing his injuries.
Mod
3 stars
Loved Gabourey Sidibe in Precious. Love her in Empire. Not a big fan of this book. It made me a little crazy how she skipped around in time and was repetitive at times. And guess what---- she was bullied for her weight as a child and had low self-esteem! I know...it was hard to believe! Actually, it was no big surprise. The girl has some sass and uses a lot of cuss words- be warned. Still a fan of her- just not her writing.
Head Gardeners by Ambra EdwardsThis book is a series of chapters profiling a dozen Head Gardeners in England. The gardeners talk about their background and livelihood running some of the largest and most famous gardens in England, for example, Sissinghurst, The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, Merton College in Oxford, Great Dixter and other grand estates, as well as public gardens etc. I found it very interesting the mixture of personalities and different types of gardens each one is in charge of, and the challenges involved in such a complex undertaking.
Perfect Stranger
Author: Kay Schubach
3 Stars = I'm glad I read it.
A 40-year old professional woman, with a live-in partner, great job, and beautiful home, allows herself to be wooed by a handsome stranger, who turns out to be a sadistic bastard. By the second date, red flags are waving. She ends up throwing away all of the above-mentioned good things in her life, in an effort to please him.
Hard to review this one. I didn't really care for it, and I've tried to analyse why that is. I think it is the way she wrote it. To me, she seems quite immature for a 40-year old professional. On the other hand, we all do stupid things, even at the age of 40. I still make stupid mistakes, at the age of 62!
I wish someone else had written the book. It would have had more clout, I think. I find her 'voice' to be too shallow.
I read some interviews where she says, "Simon ruined my life." Now, I understand what she is driving at here ... that you have to watch out for psychos, and not be taken in by them, like she was. But she had a part in that 'ruining my life' bit. Yes, stand up and warn other women about the 'Simons' lurking out there ... but also make it clear that you are responsible for your own actions, too.
Anyway, I don't want to 'judge' her. I'm no stranger to domestic violence, trust me. Enough said.
For me, this is a 2 Stars = Blah. It didn't do anything for me bumped up to a 3 Stars=I'm glad I read it, simply because it may serve as a warning to others.
The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese-American from Number Two Son to Rock 'n' Roll by Ben Fong-TorresOf interest for two things, growing up Chinese, and also American during the 60s. The childhood stories growing up in Chinatown, Oakland were the most interesting, after that my interest waned a bit as Ben got into the rebellious Bay Area counter-culture of the 60's, becoming a reporter for Rolling Stone magazine. He goes into great detail about all the women he dates and does name drop several rock stars, which I didn't really care that much for.
After his big brother Barry, the number one son is killed in a Chinatown raid, Ben finds himself thinking more about family connections. I was under the impression that Ben found it difficult to date due to parental expectations, which were not helped by the language barrier. Returning to China opened his eyes to where his family came from. This Gum Sarn (Golden Mountain) immigrant story is not so much different from others out there, but to read it from a males perspective, was unique for me. Also I found that filial piety and birth order rankings play a huge part in Chinese families something I'm keenly aware of, being a 'number two' myself.
Alone: The Triumph and Tragedy of John Curry
Author: Bill Jones
5 Stars = It made a significant impact. I won't forget it.
I loved this book. It did exactly what I want a biography to do - open the person's life to me, so that I walk away feeling as if I knew them.
I am a big fan of figure skating, but in 1976, when he won his Olympic gold medal, I wasn't following the sport. All throughout this book, I kept pausing to go watch John's skating videos online. WOW. I say again, WOW. He was magnificent. He truly brought ballet to the ice. I have never seen a more graceful skater. I am totally enthralled. Totally.
The book covers his life, from birth to death, and I think the author did a fantastic job. He has laid it all out, the good, the bad, and the in-between.
John was an artistic genius, but like so many geniuses, he was very complex, and his dark side could be devastating to others. But most folks stayed near him, no matter the downside, just to absorb his creative talent ... which was immense.
Unfortunately, John was, like so many thousands of others (dear Freddie Mercury RIP), an actively gay man before AIDS, before anyone knew the distinct danger of unprotected sex. Sadly, AIDS took his life at the age of 44. "Only the year before, during a holiday in Cornwall, he’d told Alan Bates that he’d never wanted a long life, to grow old. What mattered to him was a life lived well. ‘I just hope I have done something with it,’ he said." He most certainly did ... and then some.
I have come away from this book wishing I had paid attention to him while he was still alive. Since I did not, I very thankful to be a fan of his posthumously. John Curry ... like Freddie Mercury ... a LEGEND. RIP dear ones.
Selina wrote: "Head Gardeners by Ambra EdwardsThis book is a series of chapters profiling a dozen Head Gardeners in England. The gardeners talk about their background and livelihood running some ..."
I think I might really like this book, but I confess the title throws me. I picture all kinds of weird horror-movie and sci-fi scenarios from the title...
Really enjoying Ian Brady: The untold story of the Moors Murders. It is the Moors Murders story told from Ian Brady's POV but is above all a bio of Brady, who is a remarkably complex character absolutely nothing like the man I have been led to expect based on having read...let me count them up...10 previous books related to this notorious case. This author actually got to know the guy, unlike many others I could mention, and apparently does not have an axe to grind, or a desire to just get famous writing about the Moors Murders. REALLY nice change of pace. I love to find a book that is all about finally clearing away the nonsense built up around a subject -- any subject -- that has become a legend, and is this ever a great example of that. On that basis alone I cannot recommend this story too highly. I'm only halfway into the book but I want to pause to tell everyone to read this one!!! Also, the author's mullet alone is worth the price of admission.
If I am Missing or Dead
Author: Janine Latus
2 Stars = Blah. It didn't do anything for me.
I gave this book a low star rating because the title, and blurb, are misleading. You are led to think that the book is about Amy's murder, but it is really all about the author. Amy's murder doesn't even appear until page 307! Up until that point, we are subjected to listening to the author's thoughts, feelings, and actions, from childhood until the present day ... including her current marriage, wherein her husband has been abusive towards her.
Fishface wrote: "Selina wrote: "Head Gardeners by Ambra EdwardsThis book is a series of chapters profiling a dozen Head Gardeners in England. The gardeners talk about their background and livelihoo..."
I think in America they call them Master Gardeners.
Mod
This book is a series of chapters profiling a dozen Head Gardeners in England. The gardeners talk about their backgro..."
Actually, in America, a Master Gardener is a bit different. Instead of being in charge of large gardens, a Master Gardener is just a regular person who knows a lot about gardening and other people can call to ask gardening questions. I checked into it at one time and was told you have to take classes and then your name is on a list for people to call or you can even put on your own classes. It is all volunteer and in order to maintain your Master Gardener status you have to keep track of how much time you spend helping people and you have to volunteer a certain amount of hours a year. Yeah, it wasn't something I wanted to do.
Koren wrote: "Selina wrote: "Fishface wrote: "Selina wrote: "Head Gardeners by Ambra EdwardsThis book is a series of chapters profiling a dozen Head Gardeners in England. The gardeners talk abou..."
Interesting Koren, so sort of like a garden advisor or consultant?
It is interesting that today garden designers get more kudos than the people that actually do the labour. Or they call them landscape architects. A lot of gardening can arguably be called collectors mania too, once you start something you cant stop, and it creates more work lol.
Mod
This book is a series of chapters profiling a dozen Head Gardeners in England. The garde..."
I suppose you could call it that, Selina. Master Gardeners have different areas of expertise, so if you consulted the list of master gardeners one might be more of an expert in flowers and one might be more of a vegetable gardener so you could pick who you wanted to call.
Mod
5 stars
Loved this book about a woman who overcame a traumatic and cult-like childhood to earn a Phd. Her family were fundamentalist Mormon and did not believe in doctors, modern medicine or government interference in their lives. The lived isolated in a mountainous region of Idaho and did not go to school. Her family claimed they were home school but the author feels that her home schooling was largely neglected because her mother spent more time with her midwifery and developing her business than educating her. But she had a love for learning and largely taught herself. Then there was the abusive brother...and the accidents and tragedies that her family faced that were largely resolved with homeopathic remedies. Some seemed so over-the-top you wondered if it actually could have been true. Even still, I found her story to be inspirational. She overcame many obstacles to get where she is today.
Mod
3 stars
You probably wouldn't think a whole book could be devoted to just one topic, having a headache. And you probably cant imagine a headache that was constant for over a year. I wanted to like this book more, but I wanted something more to happen other than going from doctor to doctor in search of a cure. I thought it was interesting that a lot of doctors didnt search for the cause, but instead threw pills and treatments at it. I was kind of frustrated with the ending, but I wont give it away.
Fairytale Interrupted: What JFK Jr. Taught Me About Life, Love, and Loss by RoseMarie TerenzioThis memoir is another of those Kennedy tales. This time it's told by the secretary of John Jr Kennedy. She gets booted out of her office when he swans in to partner with someone in her PR firm, and then she becomes his assistant/secretary when he starts up this 'Random Venture', originally to sell kayaks, but then turns into George magazine, a glossy celeb/political monthly.
It reads kind of like the Devil wears Prada, except with John Jr as the boss. The fairy tale, isn't as you might assume, John and Carolyn's marriage, its more about RoseMarie's role that I suppose a thousand girls would kill for, answering phones and opening mail. But for John Jr. So that means crazy fan mail, crazy stalkers, craziness in general as everyone swooned all over him. She, a tough Italian American from the Bronx and he, political royalty. She basically has no life except devotion to John Jr's life. Making his travel arrangements, making sure he doesn't forget anything, screening crazies and all the other things secretaries do (including, keeping girlfriends happy and other secrets, like their wedding from the press)
Of course, tragedy strikes and she takes it hard. Not only does she lose her idol, but her livelihood, which came with a lot of perks. This was an interesting read, as you might expect from an employee perspective, although I think she might have a few insecurities and grandoise illusions about her role in his life.
Koren wrote: "Chocolate Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn't Go Away by Jennette Fulda3 stars
You probably wouldn't think a whole book could be devoted to just one topic,..."
I have a headache every day myself. I suspect this book would be a bus driver's holiday for me.
Fishface wrote: "Koren wrote: "Chocolate Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn't Go Away by Jennette FuldaYou probably wouldn't think a whole book could be devoted to j..."
I'm so sorry to hear that, Fishie. hugs
Mod
3 stars
You probably wouldn't think a whole book could be devoted to j..."
Then you would probably be disappointed in this book if you are looking for answers.
Mod
3 stars
I found this book at a library book sale and it caught my eye because it takes place in the town the sale was at, about 15 miles from me. I believe it is written by a granddaughter about her grandmother and was probably self-published and meant just for family as their is no bar code or ISBN number. It was kind of cute and I enjoyed seeing place names that I was familiar with, even though she spelled the name of my town wrong. I wish I had met her grandmother. She sounds like someone I would like to know.
The Corpse Walker: Real Life Stories, China from the Bottom Up
Liao Yiwu
3.5/5 stars
Liao Yiwu interviews the citizens of China about life in China following the rise of Mao and beyond. The chapters highlight the jobs these people held and the changes that the revolution had on their lives. It is a sad book about the way the people of China were treated by their government and their fellow citizens who were forced to turn in their neighbors for any offences perceived whether true or not. Disturbing content but well-written.
When Worlds Collide: The Shari Davies Story
Author: Shari Davies
4 Stars = It gave me much food for thought.
A true crime book that took place in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Shari, and her co-author, did a good job of telling Shari's story. It covers exactly what happened to her during the abduction, rape, and attempted murder. We then follow along with her, and her family and friends, into the weeks following her amazing survival. She wrote this book 10 years after her attack, and she talks about those years, too.
I liked that there were paragraphs of quotes from interviews with her family and friends sprinkled throughout the book. They were artfully intertwined with the main narrative, and really added a lot to Shari's story.
"This is the story of what happened to me on the night of my abduction from King George Square car park in Brisbane on 5 November 1986, and of how I am recovering and healing. From that night my world changed irrevocably. I grew up in a loving, giving environment where kindness and compassion went hand in hand with joy and laughter. When my world collided with that of Darren Osbourne, I came into contact with ugliness, horror and cruelty, the likes of which I had never before encountered."
An Outback Nurse
Author: Thea Hayes
3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.
Very nice book about a young woman who moves from a big city (Sydney, Australia) to a HUGE cattle station in the Northern Territory. Many aspects of her life are woven throughout the book, it's not just about nursing. She talks about the land, the running of the cattle station and outlying stock camps, the Aboriginals, events attended, and a lot more. If you've read much about the outback, you'll recognise some of the people, and stations, she mentions, too. I enjoyed the book.
Roberta Williams My Life
Author: Roberta Williams
3 Stars = I'm glad I read it
I was going to give this book 2 stars, but I've bumped it up to 3 stars, mainly because the author gave me a look at a lifestyle I've never been involved with, nor do I follow these types of criminals in the news, etc. Just so you know, the events in this book are based in Melbourne, Australia.
Roberta is the ex-wife of notorious underworld gang leader, Carl Williams. He was a kingpin in the gangland war which killed 36 criminal figures between 1998 and 2010. They had one child together, a daughter named Dhakota.
She takes you through her life, beginning with a horrendous childhood, up to the time of the book's publication in 2009. I felt she was being pretty straightforward in this memoir. She admits that a life of crime is wrong, and that it isn't as glamorous, or thrilling, as it is often made out to be.
Apparently, a TV show called Underbelly was made about Carl and his family/friends, but no one ever contacted them for any info, and as a result the show is full of errors, and fabrication.
Eventually, Carl was found guilty of several murders, and sentenced to 35 years in prison. Roberta has gone legit, and is making a new life for herself.
(Since publication of this book Carl was bludgeoned to death by fellow inmate Matthew Johnson in 2010.)
Mod
3 stars
What teenage girl in the 70's didnt have a crush on David Cassidy. I mostly read this book hoping to read behind the scenes of my favorite teenage television show and crush. I didnt really find out much I didnt know except that he was amazingly well-endowed. Not sure I needed to know that. Reading the reviews for this book, it looks like a lot of people didnt really want to know about how highly sexual she and her husband were or all their affairs or how proficient she was at masturbating. When I was a kid I always wished my mom was more like Mrs. Partridge. I think I would have preferred to continue thinking of her as the all-American mom. The book was written in 2015 so is already a little out of date as her husband Marty Ingals and her step-son David Cassidy have passed on since she wrote this book.
That's a funny coincidence. I was thinking "Whatever happened to Marty Ingles?" all the way over to work this morning. I resolved to look him up and then forgot about it. Thanks for filling me in!
QF32
Author: Richard de Crespigny
4 Stars = It gave me much food for thought.
At 7400 feet there was an uncontained engine explosion. Everyone heard two big 'bangs'. Shrapnel hit the left wing, the fuselage, the underbelly, and 2 fuel tanks. Of the 22 systems on the plane, 21 were compromised! The flight deck crew was Captain Richard de Crespigny, First Officer Co-Pilot Matt Hicks, and Second Officer Mark Johnson. In the passenger sections, Customer Service Manager Michael von Reth, was in control. All of the above men performed with exceptional professionalism, courage, and intelligence, on that day. I won't go into details about their crisis, that's what the book is for! ... lol
I will give you an example of what an outstanding Captain does. Despite having just spent over 4 hours in a total crisis situation, when the crew, and passengers, finally exited the plane, he spent the next two hours talking to the passengers. He answered a multitude of questions, in several passenger lounges, and stayed there until there were no more questions! He explained what had happened and why it happened, what would be happening next, and disclosed everything he knew. "When you fly Qantas you’re flying with a premium airline, and you have every right to expect more. An army of Qantas staff are right now finding you hotel rooms, and working out how to get you to Sydney as soon as possible. But right now I want you to write down this number – it’s my personal mobile phone and I want you to call me if you think Qantas is not looking after you, or if you think that Qantas does not care." Now, that's what I call customer service!
Another tidbit about this amazing man, on long haul flights he walks the cabin, and talks with passengers. He believes a good leader has to be seen, and nothing typifies 'friendly service' more than exposing himself to the customers. When was the last time you saw a Captain strolling the aisles of your plane? On my flights ... never.
The only downside about the book (to some folks) is the fact that he doesn't get to the engine explosion until Chapter 14 on page 155. The preceding chapters are about his life leading up to that moment.
As a side note, the Qantas A380, Nancy-Bird Walton, is back in the air after what was reportedly the longest and most expensive aircraft repair in aviation history.
Mod
Coincidence- my current bio I'm reading is about Doris Day. She also had a husband named Marty- Marty Melcher- and he has also passed away.
Mod
Fishface- do you remember Shirley and Marty being on a game show called Tattletales? That's the only place I remember seeing Marty Ingalls.
Mod
If you are a big Doris Day fan I think you will love this biography. The book is well-researched and detailed. While I am not a huge fan, I do remember watching her television show in the 70's and it so happened that Pillow Talk was showing on the classic movie station while I was reading the book so I watched it and enjoyed it. Anyone that is around my age is sure to remember her most famous song- Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be). I was hoping there would be more about her son's involvement with Charles Manson, but there was very little and maybe that was all there is to the story. Basically, Charles was trying to go through him to get a recording deal and he owned the house and rented out the house that Sharon Thate was killed in. For me, the book was very tedious and I skimmed a lot. At 540 pages, I think it could have been about 100 pages shorter.
Joan of Arc: A Life Transfigured by Kathryn HarrisonI could not finish this one, the must be better biographies of Joan of Arc out there. It focuses too much on legends and literature about her so you dont know whats fiction and whats true, but then treats the gospels, which Joan believed in, as fiction. Plus too much psychoanalysing of pictures of Joan making out everything she wears as phallic. One for obssessed academics, but not for your average reader who just wants to find out about Joan, not what other people imagine about her.
Koren wrote: "Fishface wrote: "That's a funny coincidence. I was thinking "Whatever happened to Marty Ingles?" all the way over to work this morning. I resolved to look him up and then forgot about it. Thanks fo..."I never saw that show. the sum total of what I know about Marty is that he had a complete meltdown one day on a talk show and had to be driven home. He appeared on another talk show more than 20 years later -- which I happened to see -- and told the story of his nervous breakdown and how a neighbor lady saved his life by feeding him soup and sandwiches when he was completely nonfunctional. He said he came out of it rather suddenly one day, after what sounded like a period of years, and went out walking in his PJs and found Shirley at some garden party or something, and from there they fell in love and got married, and from there he started a company and fixed it so the woman who saved his life would never have to work again. He seemed like such a positive guy (in contrast to the footage of the talk show where he was in a total state of collapse) I could see why Shirley would fall for him.
My Girls: A Lifetime with Carrie and Debbie by Todd FisherFinally got a hold of this book, for anyone familiar with famous Hollywoodites Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, this is all about their famous lives told from son and little brother Todd's perspective.
Todd captures Debbie's unbridled optimism, his mum went through a lot, and married some incredibly bad bad husbands..and also Carrie's relationship with her mum in her shadow, and her battle with drug addiction and mental illness.. This was not your normal dysfunctional family remember, Eddie Fisher ran off with Debbies best friend Elizabeth Taylor? Todd was named after Elizabeths husband who died?
Todd, who preferred behind the camera, shares his inside story, for all those curious fans this is the closest you might get to being a fly on the wall of all the drama...and there is plenty. Well, theres no business like show business, and both gals were troopers. Their deaths, one day apart from each other, shows their close bond, and Todd it seems was the glue that held them together in good times and bad. There is a lot of detail in this book although its more about Debbie than Carrie...Carrie comes across as sister who went astray although Todds wild life was definitely not tame before he was reportedly born again. Todd clearly adored his mother. Interestingly Todd never fathered any children (although he was a stepdad to three) maybe because his own dad was no shining example. Todds growing up years were fascinating, describing a lifestyle that was incredibly lavish till it all ended in recriminations and tears when his first stepdad divorced, and Debbie, yet again relying on sheer chutzpah, I suppose you can call it, to get back on her feet again.
Theres a documentary, Bright Lights about 'my girls' Todd produced, so, am quite keen to see that after having read this memoir.
Biography, Autobiography, Memoir
Books mentioned in this topic
The Gardens That Mended a Marriage (other topics)Fortunate Isle: A Memoir of Tenerife (other topics)
I Am Matthew (other topics)
A Cat in the Window (other topics)
Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Derek Tangye (other topics)Jennifer Grant (other topics)
Derek Tangye (other topics)
Howard Carter (other topics)
Jan Ruff-O'Herne (other topics)
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Red Sea Peril
Author: Shirley Billing
3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.
(Synopsis and Table of Contents appear below my review)
The book reads like a diary. It's Shirley's voice that tells the story, with comments from her husband, Peter, and others. It's not just about their drama in Eritrea (a northeast African country on the Red Sea coast - Asmara is the capital city), but she details the sightseeing adventures that occurred before their arrest, and after they were released. The table of contents shows you the places they visited. For those who are interested, their yacht is a 35 foot Endurance ferro-cement ketch named "Clypeus". At the time of publication, they had been sailing around the world for 15 years.
(Synopsis taken from the book's back cover.)
"Red Sea Peril records in extraordinary detail the dramatic events of an episode which grabbed headlines across the world. Written from a highly personal perspective, Red Sea Peril is a compelling tale for all who go to sea in foreign waters.
On March 19, 1996, exactly on the thirteenth anniversary of their departure from St. Katharine's Dock, London, to sail around the world, Peter and Shirley Billing were taken at gunpoint from their yacht in the Red Sea. Fortunately they were keeping a regular radio schedule with other voyagers so their disappearance from the radio waves was immediately noticed.
Accused of spying, the Billings protested their innocence at every turn, yet it was the efforts made on their behalf by fellow sailors, friends and relatives in England, press coverage and eventual assistance from British authorities that achieved their release.
It was a month before they were eventually returned to their yacht and continued their circumnavigation."
Table of Contents
Foreword by Basil d'Oliveira
Author's Acknowledgements
Description and layout of ketch CLYPEUS
1 Andaman Sea and Indian Ocean
2 Sri Lanka
3 Eleguma Island Maldives
4 Al Mukalla
5 Aden
6 Perim Lighthouse
7 Baraisole Bay--Day 1
8 Baraisole Bay--Day 2
9 Baraisole Bay--Day 3
10 Assab--Day 4
11 Assab--Day 5
12 Asmara--Day 7
13 Asmara--Day 8
14 Asmara--Day 9
15 Asmara--Day 10
16 Asmara--Day 11
17 Asmara--Day 12
18 Asmara--Day 13
19 Asmara--Day 14
20 Asmara--Day 15
21 Asmara--Day 17
22 Asmara--Day 18
23 Asmara--Day 20
24 Asmara--Day 23
25 Homeward Bound--Saturday 13th April
26 Saturday 20th April
27 Sunday 5th May
28 Wednesday 8th May
29 Suez Canal
30 Israel
31 Cyprus
Index