Biography, Autobiography, Memoir discussion
Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir read in 2020
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Mike
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Apr 27, 2020 12:48PM
I have been a Goodreads member for quite a few years but haven't actively used the service for a long time. In this COVID-19 environment I decided that I was better off here than spending time on Facebook. I joined this group where I have been lurking for a few weeks.
I just finished Parisian Lives: Samuel Beckett, Simone de Beauvoir, and Me by Deirdre Bair. It was a fascinating account of the effort it took to complete her biographies of Samuel Beckett and Simone de Beauvoir. She also describes her challenges in juggling researching the material while giving proper attention to her family and surviving in academia. A very enjoyable memoir.
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Glad you decided to spend your time off with us. So your book is a memoir about a biography author?
Mod
4 stars
A look at what goes on in a medical examiner's office in New York City. I thought it was very interesting when he compared the real-life job to what you see on television. Doing a search for the author I learned that he is a consultant for the TV show Prodigal Son so that it is as true to life as possible. I am going to check out that show. He was in New York and in charge of the forensic department during the 9/11 attacks. It was amazing how much work went into identifying as many bodies as possible, even though most bodies were in fragments. The only thing I wish is that he would have gone more in depth with some of the stories, but I think what he told was what he knew from the medical's examiner's standpoint.
Koren wrote: "Glad you decided to spend your time off with us. So your book is a memoir about a biography author?”Indeed, a highly-regarded author of biographies...
Schulz and Peanuts: A BiographyJust started this one. Surprised how depressing it is. Has anyone read a lot of the Peanuts comic strip?
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Schulz and Peanuts: A BiographyJust started this one. Surprised how depressing it is. Has anyone read a lot of the Peanuts comic st..."
I read Peanuts every day in our local paper. It's all repeats now that the Schulz has died but they are new to me. I will look for that book.
Koren wrote: "Donna wrote: "Schulz and Peanuts: A BiographyJust started this one. Surprised how depressing it is. Has anyone read a lot of the Pe..."
I have read a decent amount of the comics as well and now reading the book and the story behind it all is rather interesting. I hope it becomes happier further in the book lol
Mike wrote: "I have been a Goodreads member for quite a few years but haven't actively used the service for a long time. In this COVID-19 environment I decided that I was better off here than spending time on F..."I agree that this is a better environment than FB during this time (plus for me, than in election years in general because I come online to a social group for a break from all of that).
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We try really, really hard not to talk about politics here. Sometimes it is hard and we are not very successful but we try.
The Hungry Heart: Journeys with William Colenso by Peter WellsNo not a foodie memoir...its about an early nz missionary who printed the Bible in maori translation and had a mission station set up in the Hawkes Bay but fell from grace when it was found he fathered an illegitimate son with his Maori maid while he was married.
This made me think he wasnt a true convert as the biographer, who is not a believer doesnt give any of his testimony as to how he became a missionary in the first place, and made him out like to be an opportunist who was randy and lonely. And possibly fathered more children BEFORE he got married.
I liked learning about the history but I felt the biographer was rather intrusive and tried to insert himself in to the narrative all the time, even to the point of speculating that William Colenso was gay or bi when there was no evidence that he was, just because the biographer himself is gay?!
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Schulz and Peanuts: A BiographyJust started this one. Surprised how depressing it is. Has anyone read a lot of the Peanuts comic st..."
I just read a review for this book that said the Schultz family was very upset with this bio and pointed out the inaccuracies and felt that the author took advantage of them to perform psychoanalysis that they did not feel was true. Do you agree with this? I was going to order this book until I saw this review so now I'm not sure.
Koren wrote: "Donna wrote: "Schulz and Peanuts: A BiographyJust started this one. Surprised how depressing it is. Has anyone read a lot of the Pe..."
I cant remember if I read all of this one...I think I did but found its take on Peanuts depressing, Charlie Brown being Schulz himself...but thing is he found gentle HUMOUR in in it otherwise he wouldnt have made him into a comic strip character...maybe the biographer missed that aspect of it.
Selina wrote: "Koren wrote: "Donna wrote: "Schulz and Peanuts: A BiographyJust started this one. Surprised how depressing it is. Has anyone read a..."
Koren, I agree with Selina on this. I am not very far into the book but it is a rather depressing read so far. It is hard to tell if the author is psychoanalyzing, but the way Sparky's upbringing is described and the comic strips to match it are just sad to me. Based on that so far, I can see where that review makes sense. It is a rather long book, I think over 600 pages, and I do want to continue to read on and see how things play out. I have only gotten up to his life into his teenage years.
Policewoman One: My Twenty Years on the LAPD, Gayleen Hays4 stars!
Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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Schulz and Peanuts: A BiographyJust started this one. Surprised how depressing it is. Ha..."
Let us know how it turns out. 600 pages is a little daunting to me.
Mod
4 stars
"In the space of a hundred days, a million Tutsi in Rwanda were slaughtered by their Hutu neighbors."
We can tell from the title and reading the back cover that this is going to be both a sad book and an uplifting book. This is the story of a strong woman who overcomes terror and the deaths of her husband and family during the genocide in Rwanda. I was surprised to learn that there is a strong Christian religion in Rwanda and faith plays a large role in this book. I had a hard time connecting with this book and was glad it was short, but that's just me. Judging from other reviews here most people liked this book and most reviews are 4 and 5 stars.
Scorsese by Ebert
Roger Ebert
3/5 stars
This was an unusual book. It is not a linear biography of Scorsese, in fact it is not a true biography at all but a look at his life amid his film work. There are 6 discussions/chapters in this non-fiction work - 1) Beginning, 2) Achieving, 3) Establishing, 4) Reflecting,(which is an interview with Ebert) 5) Venturing and 6) Masterpieces. I think the book is interesting and I learned a lot about Scorsese’s filmmaking but the problem I have with the book was that there was a lot of repetition in the book and a rehashing of the movie plots that have been gone over in previous chapters. However, if you are a big film fan or Scorsese fan, I will think you will like this book.
Mod
3 stars
When I first started this book I wasn't sure what all the pictures were about. I try not to read the synopsis on the front inside or back of the book because too often they contain spoilers. So I kept seeing these pictures of people in foreign countries that obviously weren't the authors family. I finally had to look and then it all made sense. The book starts off good. The author is born perfectly normal, except for one thing...he doesnt have any legs. But he went on to have a fairly normal childhood. He doesn't like artificial legs or wheelchairs and finds it easier to get around on his hands. He seems to get in fights occasionally with kids that tease him and I find it hard to believe that even a kid would tease someone about not having legs, but who knows. Nothing seems to hold him back from life and he leads a fairly normal life. As a college student he was able to travel to several countries and found it was easier to get around on a skateboard. He decided to take pictures of the people he caught staring at him. This is where he kind of lost me. A guy with no legs going all over on a skateboard and he is offended by people staring at him. And in one country he even got offended by a guy that came right up to him and asked him what happened to him. So I was kind of confused exactly how he wants people to react to him. But he never really tells us. He is upset when people stare and upset when people try not to stare. I think people are uncomfortable with people with disabilities because they dont know how their reactions are going to come across. Hence, the 3 star rating, but could have been 4 or 5 stars if he had told more about the pictures and the people's reactions, maybe interview some of the people, and less about his being butt hurt about how people look at him in public.
Koren wrote: "From Red Earth: A Rwandan Story of Healing and Forgiveness by Denise Uwimana 4 stars
"In the space ..."
This looks good, but I am not sure if emotionally I can handle two of these books. I read one by a woman who spent months with a number of other women hidden in a tiny bathroom. Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington
Alexis Coe
3.5/5 stars
This is a very interesting short biography of Washington geared to those who don’t want to read some of the tomes on him. The author writes about his childhood, marriage to Martha, his war service and his time as president and afterwards. The author intersperses the book with odd facts and topics which include the diseases he survived, the lies told about him, the animals he raised and much more. I really enjoyed this book!
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You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington
Alexis Coe
3.5/5 st..."
Interesting title!
Mod
5 stars
Every now and then I read a memoir where I wish I could have known the author personally. Carolyn Goodman is one of those people. She overcame the suicide of her father, the murder of her son, who was an equal rights activist in the 60's and was killed in Mississippi, and the natural death of her husband, to become an activist herself and a mentor to young activists who advocated for human rights for all people. She was even arrested at a protest when she was 83 years old. I loved what her son said when told his mother had been arrested. He said "That happens from time to time." She passed on before the book was published. She planned her own funeral and famous people delivered eulogies. A short book. I didnt get much done that day because I couldn't put it down.
Koren wrote: "My Mantelpiece: A Memoir of Survival and Social Justiceby Carolyn Goodman5 stars
Every now and then..."
Nice review!
Mod
5 stars
Ever..."
Thank you!
I recently finished the new memoir by Rebecca Solnit, Recollections of My Nonexistence. The first chapter evoked some powerful memories. The rest of the book was a series of highly readable reflections on various aspects of her life and work.Here is the review of the book I posted on my blog:
https://mypointbeing.com/2020/05/27/r...
Koren wrote: "My Mantelpiece: A Memoir of Survival and Social Justiceby Carolyn Goodman5 stars
Every now and then..."
OMG, TY for telling us sbout this book! I had no idea Andy Goodman's mother ever wrote a memoir. Andy's utterly tragic story, in Three Lives for Mississippi, was the 2nd true crime book I ever read and it changed me for life.
Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests
Tom Shales
3.5/5 stars
This book is definitely for fans of the show and goes over each season (up till 2014) and includes all the members, writers, producers and Loren Michaels talking about their roles on the phenomenon of SNL and how it affected them.
This book was the updated version for their 40th Season in 2014 (originally published in 2004). I am not sure if it has been updated since then but it would be interesting to read about the changes to the program due to the coronavirus. I enjoyed this so much but be warned it is over 700 pages.
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[book:Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History..."
I think I have this but I'm not a huge fan. Some years are better than others. I'm a huge fan of Kate McKinnon but she probably isnt in the book.
Koren wrote: "Julie wrote: "[book:Live From New York: The Complete, Unce..."
Yes, she is in this version.
West of Eden: An American Place
Jean Stein
3/5 stars
Jean Stein’s book covers five unusual true stories of Los Angeles, particularly focusing on Hollywood by using the interviews of the actual relatives and players of Hollywood that have shaped Los Angeles history for good or for bad. Stein covers the stories of the Dohenys, the Warner Brothers family, real estate heiress Jane Garland, actress Jennifer Jones, and her own family. I am mixed about this book, some of it I raced through and then others parts seemed to drag on forever. I knew that Hollywood was a free for all but never knew, especially in its early history, that everything was up for grabs in terms of morality.
Mod
3 stars
Malala is an amazing woman. I so admire women who stand up for other women and she did that at a very young age. Most of us cannot imagine what it is like to not have the freedoms that we do. Malala fought for the right for girls to get an education. She is a remarkable person but I wasnt so crazy about the writing style. I found myself skimming quite a bit. But I do admire her for what she did.
I haven't been reading many of these lately, but just finished 
What's So Funny?: My Hilarious Life by Tim Conway
4 stars
Tim Conway--funny on stage and off. This was a good biography (more of a biography than a memoir, since it covers his life, so perhaps an autobiography). I have to say that I did enjoy this and there were some moments where I didn't just laugh out loud, I kept on laughing and it slowed my reading pace down. That said, I have a remarkable ability to keep a straight face most of the time and made it through with my stomach muscles pain free and my bladder didn't fail me, unlike a few of the people in his book.
This was Tim Conway, warts and all, and while he probably didn't exaggerate too much about his parents, he carefully selected plenty to show us what a colourful pair they were and he credits them and his upbringing for helping him to be funny. His dyslexia didn't hurt, either, but you have to read the book to understand. Like Carol Burnett, he never hits below the belt nor demeans people, which I appreciate. His story is interesting and, of course, I have seen him on TV, so know who he is.
Mod
What's So Funny?: My Hilarious Life by [author:Tim Conway|2..."
Loved him. Loved the book.
Great tips... going to be a great Father's Day gift! We all need to laugh more!
Mod
3 stars
The author's mental illness causes her thoughts to race and that is the way the author writes. The cadence was so fast it seemed almost like a stream of consciousness and made me feel tired just to read it. When her illness is under control the writing cadence slows down a bit. If you want to feel how a bi-polar person feels the author does a good job of taking you inside her head.
Kelly - The Adventurous Life of Kelly Tarltonby E.V. Sale
4 stars
This book is so old and out of print that Goodreads doesn't have it listed. It was published in 1988 and I found it in my library's stack collection.
It's about New Zealander Kelly Tarlton who was a deep sea diver who went and found many shipwrecks including the treasure. He made a museum of shipwrecks to share his finds and then opened an underwater aquarium in Auckland called Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World.
Although some of the descriptions of different shipwreck dives I skimmed for a bit I liked finding out more about this man who was a real force of nature. If you like sea adventures and treasure hunting, this is a fascinating account. Sadly he died aged only 47 as he had a heart murmur.
Life as a Casketeer: What the Business of Death Can Teach the Living By Francis Tipene
4 stars
The Casketeers is a tv reality show about the life of a Maori family funeral business..which is just up the road from me in my home town. I actually haven't seen the tv show, but my former boss used to rave about it, he said it was funny. This is the top selling bio at the bookshop, possibly because of not just the tv show but family members (whanau) are buying the book.
The book is not really that funny it's just about how Francis and his wife came to be in the funeral business and explains a bit about his Maori and Pacific background and some of their funeral customs. I enjoyed reading it though he doesn't go into heaps of grisly details about it, and I had read other memoirs by funeral directors so I conclude it must take a certain kind of person to be one.
Mod
3 stars
This book is not really a memoir. Apparently she has already written a memoir. I havent read it. Maybe this book would have been better if I had. There are some elements of a memoir here, but mostly it is her thoughts about women and how they perceive beauty. Diane seems to have some esteem issues because she is not a classic beauty and does not like a lot of the things women like, such as feminine clothes, hair and make-up, preferring more masculine things. The book is ok, but I think it might be better if I had read the memoir first.
Mod
4 stars
The author suffered great emotional abuse at the hands of her father, but this is not a 'first this happened and then this happened'. The author takes a look at how the abuse and neglect and poverty of her childhood effected her entire life and also how poverty and drug use effects the lives of everyone that lives in impoverished areas of rural America. The only thing I didnt like about this book was how the author goes back and forth in time, sometimes with no warning.
Mod
3 stars
Kind of a sad story. The author was born in London. Her family moved to Kenya. Her husband's family was Italian. She gets divorced and moves back to England. Along the way it seems like she doesnt have much luck with relationships, both family and romantic. It seems like everyone treats her poorly. I wanted her to be a stronger person. I suppose towards the end she did become stronger. The situation with her horse made me sad.
A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley. His memoir recounts how he became lost at a young age in India, got adopted by an Australian couple, and found his biological family 25 years later. My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/3365335405
It's All About Him: Finding the Love of My Life by Denise Jackson with Ellen Vaughn3 stars
My husband knows of this singer, but I have to say that not being a huge country music listener, I hadn't hear of Alan Jackson before that I can remember, even though the song he wrote after 9/11 made it onto mainstream charts (but my kids were tiny, so I was oblivious to the music scene at that time), "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)."
This book is co-written by his wife and an actually author; it's about their marriage, which I knew, but it turns out it is also about her journey back to her faith when he left her for a while. It's not brilliant, but it's interesting many times. There is a 2 song CD included in the hardcover edition I borrowed from the library, so I listened to one of those songs (not the 9/11 one) and realized that yes, he has talent.
I finished "A Land of Sheltered Promise" by Jane KirkpatrickI had lived in the Oregon area for a short time and was thrilled with the people and history that Jane shares in three eras of time. Her research is deep, her stories believable and her writing is colorful. The land taken, the land cursed, the land blessed.
Thankyou Donna, I might add this one (picking cotton) to my reading list. Thanks for recommending it. Donna wrote: "https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Picking Cotton
Just finished this book an wow! A great story. I really like how what was going on in both Jennifer and Ronald’s lives wer..."
Middle of the year update.So far this year I have read a few books but I must admit that I haven’t really enjoyed many of them. I don’t know if I have just chosen badly or if it reflects my mood. So looking back on this years reading challenge and the books read so far, these are the outstanding ones For 2020:
Paris and Other Disappointments really made me smile - it’s my favourite of the year
Farmer Boy this was a pleasant surprise. I spent a recent driving holiday in upstate NY state and it was nice to read about the same area through the eyes of a little boy 150 years earlier, what a fun read going back to the 1870s
War Doctor: Surgery on the Front Line: Surgery on the Front Line what an interesting and dedicated man, with stories of interest from around the world
Open Book a surprisingly good read. (Actually audio book) Self aware and very well written, I didn’t even really know who she was before I read the book and glad I picked it up on a whim (it was at the library and available, I coukdnt find anything else)
My Sister Milly beautifully written, awful story. Shows the many complex layers of grief and the complex story of losing a family missing member to murder, and the press and trial that drag out the pain. It could break families, but did not break this one
Oh I remember seeing him interviewed on 60 minutes around the time the book was released, and I later saw the movie. Amazing storyWoman Reading wrote: "
A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley. His memoir recounts how he became lost at a young age in India, got adopted by an Australian..."
Rebecca wrote: "Oh I remember seeing him interviewed on 60 minutes around the time the book was released, and I later saw the movie. Amazing storyWoman Reading wrote: "
[book:..."This was a buddy read in a different group. Another member had said that the movie was significantly better than the book.
I just read
Reba: My Story by Reba McEntireI actually became familiar with Reba not through her music, but from her sit-com when my kids and I would watch it in reruns. However, she is a very talented singer, and I was slowed down in reading this because every now and then I would unlock my computer screen and listen to a song on Youtube (not all of them, of course), and of course stumbled across her latest video.
Her biography starts when she is small--her dad was a rodeo star, so she grew up around horses and cattle. Who knew? Not me, although no doubt her long time fans know all of this sort of thing. It has a good balance. It is overall positive, but obviously not everything is great (her career had a fairly slow start, she wrote this while married to her second husband, etc) but she doesn't resort to scathing gossip or nastiness. There was also tragedy, but I don't want to give any spoilers, other than the one that was all over the news when 8 members of her band died in a plane crash.
What I would like is if she'd write a sequel and bring us up to date from then until now, but of course that wouldn't be the same kind of tale.
Mod
4 stars
Having worked with dementia/memory/Alzheimer's patients for a long time, I would say this memoir of a daughter dealing with her mother's Alzheimer's disease is true to life. You can tell the author loves her mother a great deal but at times it is just too much to deal with. Her mother led an interesting life and loved her husband so much that when he died her dementia escalated. Kudos to the author for trying to keep her mother out of a facility for as long as she could and not giving up until she found the best place for her mother. If someone is dealing with this horrible disease in their life I would recommend this book as an affirmation that they are not alone in dealing with this disease. Sometimes it helps just to know you are not the only one.
Mod
Reba: My Story by Reba McEntireI actually became familiar with Reba not through her music, but from her sit-com when..."
I love Reba. You are right, a sequel would be nice. Since the book, Her son has grown up. Her stepson married Kelly Clarkson and Reba has become a grandmother and she has divorced. She also is quite the businesswoman. It's been a while since I read the book so I dont remember if she touched on her businesses. She might not be that involved anymore for all I know.
Biography, Autobiography, Memoir
Books mentioned in this topic
Where Am I Now? (other topics)Where Am I Now? (other topics)
Girl A: My Story (other topics)
The Price of Fortune: The Untold Story of Being James Packer (other topics)
My Sister Milly (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
John Colapinto (other topics)Fred Kaplan (other topics)
Ólafur Egilsson (other topics)
Monica Dickens (other topics)
Sam Staggs (other topics)
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