Book Description

"An autobiography is a book a person writes about his own life and it is usually full of all sorts of boring details.

This is not an autobiography. I would never write a history of myself. On the other hand, throughout my young days at school and just afterwards a number of things happened to me that I have never forgotten." -- Roald Dahl

As full of excitement and the unexpected as his world-famous, bestselling books, Roald Dahl's tales of his own childhood are completely fascinating and fiendishly funny. Did you know that Roald Dahl nearly lost his nose in a car accident? Have you heard about his involvement in the Great Mouse Plot of 1924? If not, you don't yet know all there is to know about Roald Dahl. Sure to captivate and delight you, the boyhood antics of this master storyteller are not to be missed!

Reviews (99)

The Boy
BOY
BY: Roald Dahl

This book is an autobiography about the author's life.

In addition to his mother and father, Roald had five siblings, two brothers and three sisters. His father became wealthy selling ship supplies. He died when Roald was a baby.

Roald went to a preschool and kindergarten close to his home. The headmaster beat him with a cane after he and two classmates played a prank at a candy store. After this event, his mother was determined to send him to an English boarding school because his father had always believed that English schools provided the best education.

Roald had a difficult time at the boarding school because he was sent there at such an early age. One time he broke his pencil while taking a test and asked to borrow one from a classmate. He was accused of cheating and was beaten by the headmaster. Another time, he was so homesick he faked being ill. His mother came and took him to the doctor. The doctor advised him not to pretend to be ill and to return to school. The doctor never told Roald's mother that he was pretending to be sick.

One of the highlights of his stay at boarding school was that the Cadbury Candy Company sent samples of new candies they were testing. The students had to fill out a survey to tell the company which candies they liked best. Also, he learned photography and took pictures for the school. He even had his own darkroom.

Roald's boarding school experience was difficult but he learned to be a great writer of children's books as a result of the education he received.

The book was well written and easy to read with some exciting parts. It was not a book I enjoyed a whole lot. I really don't like autobiographies and it was hard for me to identify with the characters.

A Good Read
BOY was a good read because I never got bored with reading it. Scenes such as the adenoid removal, his sister's operation when the Boy smelled the sweet smell of the chloroform, the mouse in the candy jar, the goat droppings in the pipe, the canings, were all full of detail and interest. I didn't expect Dahl to have such vivid, sour memories of his childhood. He suffered beatings and pain at his boarding schools, and this must have had a huge effect on his life or he wouldn't have mentioned the canings in such detail. The headmasters were mean old farts, who seemed to enjoy beating boys; they would smile and laugh and take their time about the punishment, most of which ended in a caning. Some parents might not like their children reading this book because of some of the gruesome scenes, which might affect their children's mental state. But it's the truth, and the truth hurts sometimes. Dahl makes fun of everything, especially stupid old adults, who cause all the problems in the world.

Boy by Roald Dahl
Boy, by Roald Dahl, takes place in Norway, England, and Wales. His family lives in Wales and vacations in, his parents' former home, Norway. When Dahl was a kid, he was schooled in England. An important person is his beloved mother who raised him, and his sibling, single-handedly. Dahl's siblings were also important to him. Important childhood events are: when he dropped a dead mouse into a sweet shop jar owned by an evil woman; getting bullied by Boazers, which are like school prefect if you didn't know what a Boazer is; getting his adenoids removed; getting a job in Africa as a young man; and almost having his nose cut off in a car accident.
Our opoinion is Boy by Roald Dahl is boring, if you're like us, who like fiction books; it's an autobiography. It was also very boring because, he gave small details, and not all of our questions were answered. But, if you like non-fiction books, you'll probably like Boy.

BOY by Roald Dahl
BOY is the most incredible book you could ever READ!!!If you haven`t read this book,then you don`t know very much about Roald Dahl,do you?BOY is about Roald Dahl as a child with his Papa and Mama,his brothers and sisters:Alfrild,Ellen,Elsa,Astin,and Radyr.It starts from the time he was born to the time he left school.There are some gross parts in this book but I can assure you that there are many,many silly parts in this book.I hope you will read and enjoy this book because it is an awesome book and you will enjoy this wonderful book,Boy.

Terrific!
Usually, if an author writes really hilarious and original books, you don't expect their life to be just as great. And Roald Dahl's life isn't that way- his life is way more exciting!

When I first read this book, I couldn't believe that anyone's childhood could be that interesting. By the end, you'll believe... from The Great Mouse Plot to putting goat droppings in a pipe and smoking it,there's never a dull moment. A fantastic thing for a kid to discover, and for all who are a true kid at heart. ... Read more

Book Description

Long Quiet Highway Natalie Goldberg

From bestselling author Natalie Goldberg, here is the story of her life as a spiritual seeker struggling to "free the writer within." Threaded with the story of Goldberg’s 12-year relationship with legendary Zen master Katagiri Roshi, Long Quiet Highway illustrates the challenges – and rewards – that unfold when a Western student seeks a teacher of Eastern wisdom. Observant and relentlessly honest, Long Quiet Highway is a reflection of the people, places, and experiences that helped Natalie Goldberg discover the transformational power of writing and the truth of the spiritual life. Original author adaption of the book with commentary and exclusive interview. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Banality, Boredom and Buji Zen Make for a Looong Ride
I came to Goldberg's eight hour audio work with high anticipation. I'd read, reread and shared Writing Down the Bones with anyone who cared to listen about my enthusiasm for it. One of my treasured memories is that of riding in the dead of night through West Texas landscape and unexpectedly coming upon a taped interview with Golberg just after she published her book of paintings. I felt a connection with Goldberg's experience as a Soto Zen practitioner, having launched my own practice with the benefit of time spent in a tiny Soto sect Zendo.

None of this prepared me for the disappointment of Long Quiet Ride. Goldberg's reading voice traced and retraced the same four-note drone with mind-numbing precision for six and one-half of the eight hours of listening. The only thing that saved the last hour and one-half was that she was not reading, but being interviewed. I almost cried to hear her natural speaking voice in that interview. Despite its fancy packaging, this Sounds True production bears the marks of no effort, not in the Zen sense, but in the simple sense that NO ONE cared to bring Goldberg's drudge of a reading voice to this poet's attention, and Goldberg HERSELF evidently did not care or was not awake enough to really hear herself reading in a voice that would have made Mr. Clemente (a former English teacher) groan aloud.

This book's effort (or lack thereof) at clear, descriptive and inviting prose is largely confined to banal descriptions like that of Goldberg eating a sandwich in a deli after witnessing the cremation of Katagiri Roshi's body. Don't get me wrong. It could have been a profound moment in the history of prose, but Goldberg refuses to press even one inche below superficial description to any semblance of specificity. Such is the case again when she visits Katagiri's grave in Japan. "I saw a bird, a brown bird," she states and then repeats the statement. "What kind of bird is that?" she asks someone. No reply is given. Goldberg drops the observation, half-baked, unexamined and unresearched- essentially undenoted- and moves on to more banal descriptions punctuated with lots of adolescent angst and hysteria. Yet we are asked, by the author's insertion of this bit of trivia, to treat the presence of this "brown bird" as somehow significant. If the writer is aiming at mystery, then her attempt fell miserably short of the target. To create a mystery (or to evoke a sense of the mysterious), one must awaken interest in the reader.

Such basic mistakes in writing were so numerous in this work that I stopped counting. After three hours I even stopped feeling embarrasment or pity for Goldberg, the teacher of writing who can't seem to write. Much more serious than the above stylistic concerns (and I say this after having spent eight hours in a car being assaulted by that droning monotone GoInG Up aNd DoWn with maddening precision)are my concerns about Goldberg's understanding of Zen and her ethics in allowing Sounds True to hawk this book as a legitimate look into Zen.

Perhaps it is in this most profound disappointment that I actually do feel great connection to Goldberg, and real empathy for her task. She wrote the book in a self-admitted effort to keep her teacher alive, much as John Krakauer wrote Into Thin Air to exorcise the demons of his participation in the Everest disaster of 1996. I can and did hear this book as a grief journal of someone who was quite undone by the death of a surrogate father figure. I only wish that Goldberg was awake enough to realize the depth of her own grief, or that she exhibited some signs of having com to insight in the course of her writing. I only wish that Goldberg had somehow found the courage of Nanzen's students and kept her peace (you'll have to listen to about four hours of the tape to get this story- sorry) when she was tempted to speak where she had no knowledge or experience. As far as I could tell, Goldberg never once said "no" to that temptation.

She witholds much about the true nature of Zen, but is unabashed in her eagerness to claim the mystery, the specialness, and the fantastical elements that lie on the periphery.

Krakauer's work towers over Goldberg's attempt in mastery of language, eye for detail and pure poetic concision (compressing feelings too big for words into a single sharply focused image). Both works, however, are fundamentally flawed. Krakauer sacrifices truth to his anger, need to blame others, and his own self-loathing. Goldberg sacrifices Zen to her loneliness and need for a father. Thus it is only in the last half-hour or so of the tape, in the interview, that we find that Katagiri was guilty of the same sexual predation of his students that Goldberg decries in others. She knew this information when she taped the book, but leaves it up to the interviewer (whose voice, by the way, saved me from insanity) to unearth this fact.

Goldberg's portrayal of Katagiri is fleeting, vague, constantly clouded by her obssessive description of her inner world. Indeed, every object external to Goldberg is portrayed in this way. No clarity of vision here. No big mind. Only hypnotic fascination with the fermentation of her quest for . . . well, something. Goldberg titilates us with visions of Katagiri after death, reveres her teacher and claims a kind of relationship with him that is difficult to swallow even after the most determined attempts to suspend disbelief. She does all this in clear contradiction to Zen teaching.

And this, dear reader, is what I am writing to warn you of. If you are looking for dependency relationships, if you want to risk your spiritual and sexual well-being by brokering your trust, if you seek fantastic visions, then by all means read and "eat" Goldberg's long quiet highway. That is what she's selling. This approach to spiritual practice has long gone by the name, "Buji Zen" that is crudely translated as "bullshit zen." Fascination with the experience, a quest for the special moment and the special relationship so that one may enter the lineage of THOSE WHO ARE SPECIAL.

If you seek Zen, however, my advice to you is to take the path less often traveled by the author and reader of this work. In short, look elsewhere.

Eclipses the Book
Natalie Goldberg's reading of her book Long Quiet Highway truly enhanced the amazing content of her work. Her wonderful New York accent, complete with its dry wit, wonderfully transformed the recollections of her search for true direction in her life through both her writing and her Zen Buddhist practice.

The motion and rhythm of her voice as she describes the depths of her great love for her teacher makes for both warmth and a riveting story. Her travels take her from the suburbs of New York to New Mexico and beyond. The greatest of her travels, of course, proves to be the journey into herself as she continues her challenging Zen practice. ... Read more

Book Description

Read by
4 cassettes6 hours

A companion audiobook to the 4-hour PBS television series.

From the authors of Jazz, Baseball, and The Civil War: a biography of one of the central figures of our literature—the American titan who gave us Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, and Life on the Mississippi.

Using material from Twain's works, diaries, and letters, Mark Twain follows the great writerhumoristlecturerpeople's philosopher from the Hannibal, Missouri of his childhood, to the Europe and Middle East of his travels (and hilarious travel books); from his beginnings as a newspaperman to his storied life as (in his own words) "the most conspicuous man on the planet."

The essential companion audiobook to the upcoming public television series, Mark Twain also stands on its own as an enthralling biography. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A Treasure
This illustrated biography of one of America's most memorable and beloved authors holds quite a few surprises for the unsuspecting reader. Anticipating anecdotes from Mark Twain's life that would portray him as a kind, altruistic, and loving man, I was shocked to learn he was also an irrascible, guilt-ridden, tight-fisted lover of alcohol and cigars who was often looking for ways to get rich.

He was born in 19th century Missouri and raised during a time when major political, economic, social, and cultural issues were forging America's identity. The rugged 19th century also molded Twain into an outspoken critic of those forces, providing him with an unending stream of material for his cogent and waggish observations.

Amid a collection of excerpts from his novels and speeches, articles and essays, as well as numerous pictures and illustrations, the authors present an insightful analysis of the man best known for writing TOM SAWYER and HUCKLEBERRY FINN. What becomes obvious is the relevance, creativity and importance of all his work, not just the books we were assigned in high school.

This book is a treasure; the kind of book that can be referred to often. It can give food for thought for hours of reflection. It is Highly Recommended.

A rich & rewarding biography
Finally! A "coffee table" book that has top-quality photos and an excellent text.

MARK TWAIN: AN ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY is a companion to a two-part, four-hour documentary film, directed by Ken Burns, on the life and work of Samuel Langhorne Clemens and his "famously, irrepressibly rambunctious alter ego Mark Twain."

Ernest Hemingway once said that Twain is "the headwater of American fiction" and called THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN "the best book we've ever had. There was nothing before. There's been nothing as good since."

George Bernard Shaw referred to Twain as "America's Voltaire."

William Dean Howells described Twain as "incomparable, the Lincoln of our literature."

Susy Clemens once wrote of her father: "He is known to the public as a humorist, but he has much more in him that is earnest than that is humorous. He is as much of a Philosopher as anything, I think."

In this reviewer's considered judgment, Twain is the greatest literary genius America has produced, a thinker of remarkable depth and substance.

Twain's life was filled with many travels, adventures ... and tragedies. Born in 1835, when Halley's comet made its appearance, he lived for 75 years, until 1910, when Halley's comet returned. He survived, and suffered, the death of his beloved wife "Livy" (Olivia Louise Langdon), and three of their children: Langdon, who died in infancy; Susy, who died of spinal meningitis at age 24; and Jean, who died of a heart attack evidently brought on by an epileptic seizure.

"The secret source of humor itself," wrote Twain, "is not joy, but sorrow. There is no humor in heaven. ... [Our] race, in its poverty, has unquestionably one really effective weapon--laughter. Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand."

Laughter and sorrow: Twain was well acquainted with both. Known superficially to many admirers as merely a humorist or funny man, Twain was essentially, as he described himself, "a moralist in disguise" who preached sermons to "the damned human race."

Twain's literary corpus abounds with excoriating criticisms of racism, anti-Semitism, religious hypocrisy, governmental arrogance and imperialism, petty tyrants, and Philistine culture. His often deadpan humor bristles with barbed satire and withering sarcasm.

In addition to its narrative text, this volume includes five bonus essays: "Hannibal's Sam Clemens," by Ron Powers; "Hartford's Mark Twain," by John Boyer; "The Six-Letter Word," by Jocelyn Chadwick; "Out at the Edges," by Russell Banks; and an interview with Hal Holbrook, "Aren't We Funny Animals?"

MARK TWAIN: AN ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY is a rich and rewarding book.

Not recommended: confusing.
The book is confusing. What is the reader supposed to believe? Clemens was a genius, or, Clemens was an imbecile? "Mark Twain an Illustrated Biography" starts with a preface that says: Sam Clemens was a "genius." Next comes the prologue, which states "his own overreaching drove him and his family into exile oversaes."---That statement could not be farther from the truth. A book that starts by rejoicing in Twain's genius and, then proceeds completely to ignore Twain's genius and portray an imbecile is confusing.To understand the confusion and, put the narrative on page 177 in context, review this sentence: "When she died, she was only twenty-four years old." What is the purpose of the word "only" in that sentence? Putting "only" in the sentence confuses facts and, by that confusion makes a biased sentence. Susy was twenty-four years old: An age by anybody's standards where she is old enough to be responsible for her own health. By combining that sentence with "only" and the pictures of a young Susy on pages 87, 94, 99, 103, 105, 119, 132, 146, 150, the book alleges that Susy was very young when she died, which is not true.It was the family publishing business alone that went bankrupt, not Clemens, a fact previously canvassed on page 157 but by page 177 forgotten; The financial recession of 1893, which was responsible for making the tour necessary and separating the family, was not Clemens fault and he would have to be an absolute fool rather than a genius to think otherwise, a fact previously canvassed on pages 155 & 156 but by page 177 forgotten; Clemens knew that he was in no way whatsoever responsible for the death of Susy; When Susy died, she was not the first child that Sam and Livy had buried; What Sam includes in his letter on page 177 are emotions experienced after losing their first child a son, not emotions consistent with losing their second child Susy. Canvassed initially, the book describes how Sam becomes inured to death by experiencing so many deaths in his life. Then on page 177 it is as if death is a brand-new idea, which Sam, has no familiarity with at all? It cannot be both ways, either he was inured or he was not.Sam's writing was so powerful that he easily conveyed feelings that he did not feel; Sam's writing conveys feelings that he does not feel to relieve Livy's feelings of responsibility and grief: Clemens is magnanimously taking responsibility for things that he knows he is not responsible for to soothe his ailing wife (Sam wrote a similar letter after the death of his brother Henry, see page 20, only an idiot would believe himself responsible for too much steam when he was not even on the boat with Henry.); Livy had been diagnosed with heart problems, which forced the family move to Europe in 1891, a fact previously canvassed on page 145 where it incorrectly states "They [doctors] recommended rest and treatment for Livy in Europe," the facts being rather that Livy was "ordered" to Europe by her doctors, but by page 177 the facts after being distorted are forgotten and without thorough study or instruction, the facts are presented with a vagueness that makes' them impossible to understand.Unequivocally, Clemens in 1906 stated for his autobiography, [Edited by Charles Neider, page 428], Livy was "ordered" to Europe by her doctors. If Clemens knew, Livy was ordered to Europe in 1906, it's only fair to assume he knew Livy was "ordered" to Europe when he wrote that magnanimous letter on page 177 taking responsibility for things that he knew he was not responsible for in 1896. And just as fairly, without any assumption, we may know that Clemens knew he did not cause the financial recession of 1893. Sam's stay in Europe, which he loathed and called exile, was never exile at all, but concession to his love for his wife, Livy, and the requirements mandated by her heart trouble.In all honesty, Clemens was being magnanimous when he wrote "Reproaching myself for laying the foundation of all our troubles. . . . Reproaching myself for a million things whereby I have brought misfortune and sorrow to this family."---found on page 177. Clemens was being far from honest, unless he was responsible for the financial recession of 1893, responsible for Livy's heart problems that forced the families move to Europe in 1891, and responsible for Susy's health when Susy was of an age to be responsible for her own health and had been living on her own separated by half-a-world from Sam and Livy for most of a year.For an entertaining book that does not confuse these important issues I recommend: MEET MARK TWAIN, published by Xlibris.

The Bitter And The Sweet
I wonder how many people could have led the life that Samuel Clemens did and kept their sanity. He went from riches to rags (even though it was his own fault...he spent money like it was going out of style and made some horrendous investments), which forced him, at the age of 60, into making a 10 month long physically and mentally draining around-the-world lecture tour. The tour enabled him to pay off his debts and regain his financial footing. Unfortunately, money was the least of his problems. The authors do not specifically state it, but it is clear (to me anyway) that Clemens suffered from manic-depression. At various times, and not coinciding with anything bad going on his life, he considered suicide. He had lifelong moodswings, as well as a volatile temper. (His daughters were afraid to be alone with him, as his behavior was so unpredictable. They made sure to visit him as a group.) The authors recount one incident where Clemens, angry over a missing button, opened an upstairs window and tossed all of his shirts out into the street. Saddest of all, Clemens outlived almost all of his loved ones. His beloved wife, Livy, who was almost 10 years younger than him, predeceased him, as did 3 of his 4 children. His one surviving child, his daughter Clara, suffered a nervous breakdown when Clemens was almost 70. A heavy load to bear, indeed, but somehow Clemens bore it and carried on. One thing that helped was his worldwide fame. Clemens was hungry for fame, even as a young man. He became well-known early in life, and remained famous and popular right up until he died. (He was a bit of a "ham." He would purposely time his walks for when people were emerging from church, and would then saunter past in his trademark- pun intended- white suits.) This book is an absolutely perfect blend of narrative by the authors, liberal excerpts from Clemens's many writings, "guest essays," and page after page of terrific period photographs. (The research done for the photographs, alone, must have been backbreaking.) The narrative and essays made this a good book. The addition of the excerpts and the photos turned it into a great book. The excerpts are not just from Clemens's well-known works, either. He was once asked to address an organization which consisted of descendants of the Puritans. The written text is reproduced in the book. Twain skewered the original Puritans for killing Native Americans and for kicking everyone who wasn't a Puritan out of Massachusetts, even though, as Clemens makes sure to emphasize, they left England under the banner of religious freedom. (You have to think that when the organization invited Clemens to speak, this wasn't quite what they had in mind.) One of the many interesting items included in the book is a list of the famous sayings "Mark Twain" supposedly uttered....but didn't. (He was so famous that it was assumed that anything clever originated with him.) Unfortunately, one of my all-time favorites was included in this list: "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years." On the bright side, he DID say "The rumor of my death has been greatly exaggerated." One caution: the excerpts will make you want to read or re-read all of Twain. I've already ordered a copy of "The Innocents Abroad" as somehow, in my youth, I missed that one. Hats off to Geoffrey Ward, Dayton Duncan, and Ken Burns for this wonderful book!

An informative survey of Twain's life
Mark Twain: An Illustrated Biography is an informative survey of Twain's life which gathers material from a variety of published and unpublished sources, from his novels and lectures to his letters and photos. Students and fans of Twain thus receive much more illustration than in competing titles, in the form of vintage photos and color ads and drawings, along with a lively biographical sketch surveying Twain's life and times. Highly recommended; much more accessible than most. ... Read more

Book Description

In the first volume of an extraordinary autobiographical series, one of the most inspiring authors of our time recalls--with candor, humor, poignancy and grace--how her journey began.... ... Read more

Reviews (255)

compared to To Kill a Mockingbird.....
Our 8th grade English class was required to pick an independent reading book. I picked I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou. At the same time, my class was reading To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is similar to To Kill A Mockingbird in many ways. Both books portray a girl and her brother growing up in a Southern town. The main character represents the author as a young girl learning about prejudice and the hardships of life. Both authors express their views and opinions through the main character. The key difference between the two books is "as simple as black and white." Maya is black and sees the whites as a group of prejudiced rich people. Scout is white and sees how her classmates and her town is prejudiced against Tom Robinson and other blacks. An interesting observation that I made was that although both books are against prejudice, both authors are partly prejudiced themselves. Maya Angelou seems to see all whites as evil and prejudiced, while Harper Lee shows kind whites like Atticus. Lee makes the blacks seem accepting of prejudice and docile while Angelou sees blacks as people who are very aware of their situation and rebel against prejudice as often as possible. I think that each of these books only show half the story. To get a complete picture of growing up in a racist town you have to read them both.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
This is an enjoyable, easy-to-read short book written by Maya Angelou about her childhood in the segregated deep south. She skillfully decribes both good-times and bad in Stamps, Arkansas where she and her brother, raised by her grandmother and uncle, took on many childhood adventures in and around her grandmother's general store in the Negro section of town. She devotes several chapters to a time when she and her brother lived in Long Beach, California with her fast moving mother and indifferent father. When things go bad, she describes her return to a simple yet orderly life in Stamps.

The reader is touched by the difficulties overcome by Maya Angelou and has a new appreciation for those who were raised in a different place and time. Her upbringing filled with discipline, hard-work and solid roles models had a positive impact on her as a person. She was able to overcome the negative influences.

Most of all, the key to her success is contagious and when finished, the reader is left with a glimmer of hope that if she can do it, so can I.... no matter what my walk of life. Very inspirational book!

literary brilliance
<br /> <br /> Ms. Angelou writes with literary brilliance, and "I Know Why The caged Bird Sings" is no exception. Part poetic, part memoir...she brings her life in to full view for all to see, read and feel. She has triumphed.and isn't afraid to tell about it. I rate this highly with books such as "Nighmares Echo" and "The Color Purple" among other wonderful memoirs written in the past year or so.

Machiavellian
Not a man to judge others by their Christian names, I opened this book expelling my prejudices and bias. I admit, however, that my history has caught up to me, and I will be unable to complete the undertaking. It is now obvious to me that the author, like the central character of the novel, is an insidious rebel and a Negress who will never belong here. Shut your mind - and your soul - from this treason.

Impressionable
This is an amazing autobiography. Ms. Angelou is a beautiful story teller. She leads you in with beautiful words, but don't get the impression that it is simply a sweet book because its not. She tells the way it really was for her growing up and all the courage needed to survive.

Also recommending highly: Nightmares Echo (courage and determination in the life of a child of abuse,self-healing)Running With Scissors (deals with abuse,dysfunction,also courageous) ... Read more

Book Description

This heartfelt and revealing account of Paul Theroux's thirty-year friendship with the legendary V. S. Naipaul is an intimate record of a literary mentorship that traces the growth of both writers' careers and explores the unique effect each had on the other. Built around exotic landscapes, anecdotes that are revealing, humorous, and melancholy, and three decades of mutual history, this is a personal account of how one develops as a writer and how a friendship waxes and wanes between two men who have set themselves on the perilous journey of a writing life. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Paul theroux never fails to amaze me
This book was actually a page turner! Paul's memory, perception, and generosity towards his great friend was a special gift to those of us who love VS Naipaul's writing as well as that of Paul theroux. His writing is so perceptive that I feel as though we have a sort of relationship. I knew Naipaul before I knew Theroux, but became addicted to theroux soon after reading My Secret History. What a joy to see a mutually beneficial friendship between two such artists. We celebrate your ability to reveal so much of yourself and the world to us. Also, I know what it is to lose a great friend and yet have a feeling of liberation. It also seems as though people misunderstood your use of the word Shadow. I was shocked to read some of the negative reviews by critics. Perhaps they were trying to be clever? they seemed to be telling more about themselves than Paul Theroux or Vidia. I like thinking that someone who has brought so much insight and pleasure into my life might read this review! thank you! Melissa

A fascinating look at two unlikeable people
Neither Naipaul nor Theroux seems to be particularly likeable, but the book certainly is. It's also quite funny, which seems to be overlooked by most readers. We probably learn a little more about Theroux than we do about Naipaul (no one's going to tell ME not to write about Vidia), but whether the portrait of Naipaul is true or not, he's a terrific literary character in this book.

If Theroux's travel books were as entertaining as this one, I'd read more of them. His usual mean-spiritedness is kept in check until the end and is more than offset by the wonderfully offbeat descriptions of politically-incorrect Naipaul throughout the rest of the book.

Unofficial Biography
This may be the most interesting book that Theroux has ever written because he delves deeply into what makes Naipaul tick. He also reveals much of himself and what he drew from the relationship. This is a story of the mentor turning against his protege.

Theroux seems to be saying to Naipaul: you don't want me anymore. Okay, but I'll write a book. He also mentions the official biography of Naipaul. Now the official biography of Naipaul will be much more difficult as the biographer will have to spend time on what Theroux said.
It seems to me that by writing Sir Vidia's Shadow, Theroux will always be Naipaul's shadow. The two will be linked forever. This will bother Naipaul very much, and it will be very amusing to Theroux.

Beware loss of respect for the author.
My first discovery of Thoreux was through his travel novels -- such works as The Old Patagonian Express, and Riding the Iron Rooster. Like many people, I was amazed by his facility with language, his seemingly perfect memory for detail, and his wide-ranging knowledge of literature. I was hooked.

I started to doubt my preferences when I read 'The Pillars of Hercules'. I'd purchased two copies, one for myself, another for my grandmother to share my interest in this excellent writer of travel literature. Woe to me! I purchased the copy for my grandmother because she'd toured the Mediterranean, but giving it to her unread was a mistake. The Pillars of Hercules contained several vulgar pages detailing Salvador Dali's bizarre sexual predelictions, the excuse for which was Thoreux's visit to the Dali museum. There were other passages, similar in tone. Then I read Fresh Air Fiend, where Thoreux complained - vociferously - when a fellow author wrote an autobiography and stated he would not be discussing his sex life.

How does this apply to Sir Vidia's Shadow? It applies because the entire book is an exercise in the common, a vulgar slog through Thoreux's memories during his days with Naipaul in Uganda. As much about Thoreux as it is about Naipaul, after reading about their misbehaviour the years (Thoreux describing the lust he felt for Naipaul's wife, then repeatedly sleeping with African prostitutes, Naipaul calling people 'infies' - inferiors - and generally acting like a petulant child), I didn't want to meet, much less know more about, either one of them. The revelations were disappointing. After reading Bryson, I know I would enjoy the man. Horowitz, the same. Barry, yes. Thoreux - no.

So was this useful to you? If you think me a prude, then you might find the book enjoyable, even if you disagree with me. If you'd just as soon avoid the sort of writing I mention above, then I'm sure you'll find the review equally useful. But if you rate my review 'Not useful' simply because you disagree with it, then you're being dishonest to yourself and others.

Good for Several Rereadings
An opinionated writer is often a pleasure to read. A diplomat is always a bore. SIR VIDIA'S SHADOW contains two writers, fully opinionated, and no diplomats. There is much about VS Naipaul in this portrait by Paul Theroux that is the sort of thing that is normally obscured by diplomacy: ambition, egotism, overbearance, intransigence, candor...Naipaul is a real piece of work, and Theroux shows him in all his glory. Perhaps he went further into the personal than was proper, but that is Naipaul's misfortune, not ours.

I've read many other books by Theroux and Naipaul, some good, others less than that. I like the nonfiction of both better than their fiction. But never have I read anything by either of them as compelling as this. I tore through SIR VIDIA'S SHADOW in two sittings. I don't know whether it's due more to Naipaul's charm or the skill of SIR VIDIA'S author, Theroux.

They begin in Uganda, sparring, as writers do, over other writers. Theroux mentions his admiration for Nabokov, whom Naipaul rejects: "Forget Nabokov. Read Death in Venice. Pay close attention to the accumulation of thought." This dismissal was surprising because as the persona of Vidia the Great Writer was developed through the book I was reminded constantly of Nabokov, particularly Nabokov's volume of criticism called STRONG OPINIONS. And Nabokov's scorn of Mann was second only to his scorn of Freud. But Naipaul and Nabokov have in common their legendary erudition, their strong opinions expressed elegantly, seldom dipping into vulgarity, their rootless lives lived mostly far from their natal homes, their wary eyes kept peeled for the brutes of the world--Naipaul sees at once that Uganda is on theverge of anarchy and goes around asking the people what they will do when the "crunch" comes. Just five years later the crunch does come in the form of Idi Amin.

Coming from Third World squalor himself, Naipaul has no patience for the make believe that constitutes Ugandan government, universities, and newspapers. He marries, 30 years later, the same female about whom he says, in a spasm of vituperation, "What a horrible child!" Then the irony becomes still heavier when Theroux, a lover of children, is harshly abused by the new wife of his longtime friend.

Theroux reveal nearly as much of himself as of Naipaul while playing a sort of straight man to his friend's winsome incorrigibility. The pair could hardly be more dissimilar: while Naipaul is driven into a foul mood just by the nearness of African families laughing and playing music on a Sunday, Theroux revels in their society, speaking Swahili, teaching English, and coupling with African women with joyous abandon. Somewhere in Theroux's other writings I'd gotten the impression that he was a bit of a New England puritan. But next to the fastidious Vidia, who is paralyzed with revulsion merely by a workman sitting on his (Naipaul's) bed, Theroux looks positively sybaritic.

The writing is so fluid and well-timed that it looks easy. But there is so much, such exquisite renderings of dozens of day-to-day encounters over the course of 30 years, that Theroux must either have the memory of an Intel chip, or the exuberant creativity of the finest writers of fiction, or both. SIR VIDIA'S SHADOW rises far above mere biography or memoir to become a marvellous work of art. ... Read more

Book Description

Reflections on America and the American experience as he has lived and observed it, by the bestselling author of The Greatest Generation.

In this beautiful memoir, Tom Brokaw writes of America and of the American experience.From his parents’ life in theThirties, on to his boyhood along the Missouri River and on the prairies of South Dakota in the Forties, into his early journalism career in the Fifties and the tumultuous Sixties, up to the present, this personal story is a reflection on America in our time.Tom Brokaw writes about growing up and coming of age in the heartland, and of the family, the people, the culture and the values that shaped him then and still do today.His father, Red Brokaw, a genius with machines, followed the instincts of Tom's mother Jean, and took the risk of moving his small family from an Army base to Pickstown, South Dakota, where Red got a job as a heavy equipment operator in the Army Corps of Engineers' project building the Ft. Randall dam along the Missouri River.Tom Brokaw describes how this move became the pivotal decision in their lives, as the Brokaw family, along with others after World War II, began to live out the American Dream: community, relative prosperity, middle class pleasures and good educations for their children. "Along the river and in the surrounding hills, I had a Tom Sawyer boyhood," Brokaw writes; and as he describes his own pilgrimage as it unfolded–from childhood to love, marriage, the early days in broadcast journalism, and beyond–he also reflects on what brought him and so many Americans of his generation to lead lives a long way from home, yet forever affected by it.


From the Audio Cassette edition. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The young life of Tom Brokaw.
I can relate to this book. My parents lived through the Depression and raised their children in the prosperous sixties and seventies. They live in northern Wisconsin where most of the population was white. The similarites with Brokaw's South Dakota is basically the same. As a product of the Midwest, Brokaw is more similar to me than Rather (Texas) or Jennings (Canada).
I enjoyed this simple story. Tom relates how he made it in televison journalism and New York. Despite where he lives now, he considers himself at home in South Dakota rather than New York. Tom chronicles his early life and relates how and where he was raised even now determine his outlook on life. I feel the same way and that is why this book struck home. I would rather tramp the forests of northern Wisconsin than see the lights of Chicago. People make their way in life in some measure because of who they were born to and where they lived. Tom's rural life and his parents survival of the Depression determined a lot of what Tom eventually turned out to be. A great story.

Integrity
I've always sought out Tom Brokaw's reporting through the long list of high quality news anchors. At an early point, if asked, I could point to the fact that Brokaw was just a touch more honest or unbiased, just a bit more believable in his reporting.
Brokaw and his family's circumstances weren't that much different than others. But, it was how his family was able to handle the hardships through hard work, ingenuity, and integrity that stuck with Brokaw and what made him successful and more importantly happy in life. An important lesson for today's families.
This book is a great view of what made America and the family of that generation important. This is an articulate, uplifting book about an American icon's childhood.

Superficial
Tom Brokaw may have always been a chatterbox, too bad he didn't have much to say. This book basically skims the surface of a child of the fifties. There are not many amusing anecdotes, not much detail, and no depth of feeling, and as a result not much to relate to. A disappointment because it could have been so much better, if the author would have dug a little deeper.

Boring
This book was written for simpletons by a simpleton. Reading from a teleprompter is not exactly brain surgery. But if you want to hear more from a self-important blowhard, then read this intriguing book about an egomaniac who pretends he doesn't have one. Seriously, there couldn't be a worse book.

A Long Way From Home
Review of Tom Brokaw's A Long Way From Home

Tom Brokaw's A Long Way From Home: Growing up in the American Heartland provides a fascinating look into the roots of one of America's most beloved television newsmen. Brokaw's story about his humble begins in rural South Dakota and the life lessons learned during his childhood delivers a theme of how the formative years will impact the rest of people's lives--no matter how far from home life takes them. Brokaw narrates how dependent all his life's successes have been on the values taught to him by his upbringing in the American heartland.
Brokaw begins his novel by telling the story of the evolution of his family since they settled in the South Dakota. He tells of great-grandfather's role in shaping the town of Bristol, SD and of his father's day's delivering coal and ice to support himself at age 10. The Great Depression's impact on both his father's and mother's lives is explained and is never forgotten, as it is a familiar theme throughout Brokaw's childhood.
The novel then moves on to the various stops in Brokaw's South Dakota childhood. From Igloo, the site of his first Public speaking performance, to Yankton where he graduated high school and landed his first broadcasting job. Along the way, Brokaw tells of childhood mischief and misadventures with his younger brothers and childhood friends in the great outdoors. Brokaw openly and honestly reveals his struggles with failure as young man after high school and the rocky relationship that developed into a marriage to the love of his life, Meredith Auld.
The issue of race and the importance of his mother also warrant entire chapters in the book. Brokaw explains his view of Native Americans as a child and of his realization the injustices done against them in his home state. Brokaw's mother, Jean Conely Brokaw, had the greatest influence on Tom's life. Her work ethic and even her political consciousness and news acquiring habits were passed on to her eldest son. Brokaw beautifully illustrates her role in his family and in his life.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with Brokaw's memoirs. I was expecting a soppy, romanticized version of his life, but it was definitely not that. The book is a page-turning, relatable collection of funny stories and life lessons. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent
The best parts of this bio are the interviews with Callas: you get a feeling for her emotions about events as they unfolded in her life. This is especially true close to the end of her life where the grief from her failed relationship with Onassis is so evident in her voice. Generous samples of Callas's key performances are also woven into the bio. I had never heard Callas sing so these samples were welcome and helpful in understanding Callas. (Her antics on the stage and behind the curtain are how you get to know Callas best. Not to mention that the samples allow you to witness firsthand the fiery, brave voice that made her famous). Overall, this was a strong, unconventional bio on a tragic heroine of the stage. I enjoyed it in its entirety. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Despite years of reporting on tragedies around the world, Dan Rather is clearly an optimist. His take on the American dream, as personified by more than 30 Americans, is an inspiring reminder that the ideals the nation was founded upon are still alive and well. Rather first looked at how Americans pursued the American dream in a yearlong feature for his CBS Evening News show. His book takes off where the series ended, with more in-depth stories of those successfully pursuing their version of the dream.

Nosrat Scott came to the U.S. in search of freedom of religion. She was so persecuted for her Bah'ai faith in Iran that she was moved to tears when she realized she could speak openly of her religion in her English-as-a-second-language class. For many, of course, the American dream is all about making it rich. Some traveled long distances only to be surprised by fortune, such as Trung Dung, who escaped Vietnam at the age of 17 and became a multimillionaire with his Internet start-up company. There are those who covet the pursuit of happiness as an end in itself, such as the couple who gave up their high-paying jobs in Southern California to move to a small town in Oregon in order to meet their "not rich criteria"--that is, time for family and community. And there are those who have to swallow their pride to get there, like the chef from Georgia who learned to read at age 26. Other dreams are organized under the headings of fame, family, innovation, and service, which could just as easily have been titled the pursuit of justice.

There are few recognizable names here, but the stories of these everyday heroes are a spirited antidote to a creeping national cynicism and a vigorous challenge to seize on the opportunities--and responsibilities--that the dream implies. --Lesley Reed ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Oh Danny Boy...
First off, I love Dan Rather. He's a wonderful, passionate man whom I love to watch on the news. The problem is, he's not a writer. Not a very good one at least. This book is a noble attempt, but there is just so much that's wrong with it.

For one thing, there is just some bad writing in it. It has a lot of errors in fact and a lot of typos. Among others, he writes that Texas A&M University (rather than Texas Tech) is in Lubbock, and he says that Ryne Sandberg in in the Baseball Hall of Fame (he just should be soon). There is also bad grammar (this is beyond the Texas colloquialisms in the book which I think are fine-I'm a Texan myself). These are fairly small problems, but they are oftly annoying, and they are not good signs in a book written by a journalist who's supposed to report facts. Furthermore, he just has few narrative talents, at least not those required for a book. He tells the stories as a journalist on Headline News would--concise, to the point, and without much flavor. They're just there; the reader is rarely drawn in.

The most glaring flaw, though, is that there are a lot of flaws in logic in the book. For instance, one of the stories is about a ten-year-old boy who realizes that many of the underpriveleged at his school cannot afford school supplies, so he works together an organization that collects and disperses those needed supplies. This is all obviously a good thing. But then, Rather relates a joke told by the boy's mother who said she needed to haul the school supplies around so she "traded in [her] Lexus for a Durango, and now [she's] getting a Yukon because the Durango isn't big enough." My problem is the huge contrast here. On one hand, there are all of these kids lacking necessities and the heroes who are helping them are laughing about purchasing one expensive SUV after another for themselves. How is this inequality emblematic of the American Dream? How does this book manage to lament the rising poverty rates and terrible living conditions and still manage to promote excessive materialism? There are some people in the book who are praised for having overcome hardship to make millions (some of them stepping on other people's heads to do so) and others who are praised for having given up millions to help those in need. Frankly, these two "ideals" don't go together. Nevertheless, these people, according to Rather, have all attained the American dream. There are a lot of contradicting ideas expressed in these stories. Furthermore, I don't really think Rather has a great concept of what the American dream is. When Sister Sylvia Schmidt founds a homeless shelter in Tulsa, OK, I don't think she is following the American Dream. I think she's following dreams that go far beyond the American Dream, and I think she's rejecting the prevalent, primarily materialistic, concept of the American Dream of today's society.

I'm giving the book two stars because I like Dan Rather, and because some of the stories were rather inspiring. Neverthess, it's not a good book. I will continue to watch Dan Rather on tv, but I'm quite sure I won't read a book by him again.

One of America's Great Journalists
This was a very inspirational book.It brings to life the work of dozens of heroes...people who love America.There is SO MUCH greatness in the country.It is time we concentrate on that instead of dwelling on the negative stories.Don't tell Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh, but Dan Rather will go down in history as one of the great broadcast journalists of all time. He walks the walk and talks the talk.

I never understood why some people hate Dan Rather so much. What a great book!!

Jeffrey McAndrew
broadcast journalist and author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

Reality vs. Illusion
Clearly, an inspirational book - well written, cogently presented - all in true-to-form Dan Rather style. Whilst telling us about many "American Success" stories, Rather seems to suggest that the right idea at the right time, combined with hard work, stamina, and perhaps a little bit of luck will ultimately get you there - to riches (material and otherwise). Sadly, it's also part of the American Dream that the rate of failure is much higher than one expects, and occasionally, the reason for failure is also rooted in the "American Dream".

Nevertheless, it's good to know that the Dream continues - a refreshing reminder amongst often too much bad news.

A good read - but don't get too carried away.

Great stories, too much Rather
A more appropriate subtitle for this book might be, Those who achieved despite America's wrongs. Readers like me who come to this book expecting patriotic success stories of Americans aided by their nation's greatness will be disappointed by Rather's cynical view that hangs over this book.

The book is chock full of success stories that were not broadcast during Rather's "American Dream" segments on the CBS Evening News program.The stories, due to Rather's fine writing skills, are inspiring, moving and heart-warming. The Americans portrayed are certainly deserving of the praise and attention this book brings them. Their stories alone make this book worth purchasing.

But, caveat emptor, Rather brands this book with his cynicism of what is wrong with America and how the U.S. Constitution should be viewed. He profiles the successes of the heroes in this book against the failings in American society that they had to overcome. Rather's favorite American sins? Greed, big business, the wealthy, and white men in the less-enlightened past. Word of mouth will not be good among Republican readers.

Rather, for the most part, shies away from famous household names in this collection. Even the people profiled in the "fame" chapter (with the exception perhaps of author Jacquelyn Mitchard) are not household names.While the subtitle of the book indicates these people come from the "heart" of the nation, most of those profiled here come from decidedly urban environments. But that should not detract from the fine stories presented here.

This is a good book that could have been great if Rather would have checked his ego at the keyboard.

Outstanding!
CBS News anchor Dan Rather gives us a truly fascinating look at 30 American Dreamers, their struggles and triumphs, and I can honestly say that the book doesn't lag in any single spot throughout, which is quite an accomplishment, when dealing with so many diffrent people's stories.

Also, Rather proves to be a very solid writer, sprinkling levity and personal anecdotes in just the right amount, in my humble opinion.

The first woman astronaut, a Food Network chef who remained illiterate until age 26, exceptional teachers, and author Jacquline Mitchard are but a handful of the folks Rather covers.

Well worth the read. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

A slice of Southern history
This is one of those rare biographies that transcend its subject. The rise of Elvis is fascinating and true Elvis fans will find a wealth of information in the book, but there is also much more to take from this well researched tome. The discussion of the music of Memphis, the sources that influenced Elvis and the rise of rock and roll make this book a terrific addition to anyone's library who is interested in music or the south.

The relationship between Presley and his many women is discussed here and so is the complex interaction between him and his family. Perhaps his most interesting relationship is with his manager, Colonel Parker. How that relationship shaped his career certainly makes for an interesting read. The author does as fine a job as I have ever seen of documenting his sources and treating his subject with respect, but not awe. This is one of the best bio's I have ever read. I highly recommend this book to students of Elvis, pop music, the south or to anyone looking to be exposed to a world that no longer exists.

Elvis 101
"Last Train to Memphis" and its sequel, "Careless Love", make a deeply engrossing, carefully researched, finely written biography of Elvis Presley.

Author Peter Guralnick took eleven years to exhaustively research sources and interview people who knew Elvis personally and would tell their firsthand experiences. Guralnick's scholarly approach automatically eschews any hint of the fan adoration that can taint celebrity biographies. Guralnick might even have erred on the dry side rather than the juicy or dishy side of the story. This is all to the good, because Elvis' life story, a fantastic, zany, epic arc through American pop culture, is one that needs no embellishment and is served well by a measure of journalistic restraint.

Guralnick made a wise choice with the two-book format, because in Elvis' life there was a distinct "Rise and Fall." "Last Train to Memphis" is the rise: "Careless Love" is the fall. In each volume, Guralnick reveals much not just about Elvis, but about the people who were his family and closest friends and how their actions and relationships to him and to each other shaped Elvis into the man he became.

Accounts of his school days, his early days as a musician, his early girlfriends, and his family life all flesh him out as a human being and penetrate the shell of celebrity to offer a three-dimesional glimpse of the individual and his own ideas and aspirations and insecurities. The first volume ends with the death of Elvis' mother, a loss that sent him into the first tailspin of many, from which he never seemed to recover.

After reading this volume, you will be hooked on the story and will want to immediately begin the second volume, which is much darker and sadder as the King's world starts to unwind, chronicling his spiraling drug habit and his battles both public and personal. The second volume is catalogued and reported as dispassionately as the first, so that the same unblinking honesty that gave "Last Train" such sparkle and joy reveals the true depth of Elvis' isolation without having to resort to hyperbole.

Guralnick said it himself; that the rise to fame and the person were larger than life, and so too was the decline larger than life. It's an ending that leaves you feeling sad that what began so brightly should end so awfully.

I read these books because I knew very little about Elvis and wanted to know his life story, and they are a deeply satisfying and very credible account of the King's life. I can't imagine that there is a better bio out there for anyone who wants to study Elvis 101.

Guralnick Gives Us Back the Music!
Peter Guralnick -- with both love and meticulous scholarship -- has written a supremely ethical work of cultural archaeology.

With meticulous care and fairness -- but with no sugarcoating whatsoever -- he excavates Elvis out of the layers of rumor, innuendo, and mystery that have conspired over the years to make him a caricature and a joke rather than a human being.

Gurlanick gives us back the artist (who first thrilled me on 78s) and exorcizes so much of the snobby and dismissive trashy gossip (Goldman) that has obscured Elvis for almost 40 years.

I don't mean that a saint emerges. No way. But in Guralnick's telling, a brilliant musician and excruciatingly vulnerable human being pushes aside the fat guy in the gold Vegas suit.

The result? The music -- in all its glory and raw excitement -- returns to take its rightful and deserved place.

The best books (with Guralnick's 2nd volume) about rock and roll ever written.

Fascinating History
This is a book for those who love American music, not those looking for lurid scandal. Guralnick's respectful yet honest history of Elvis's rise to fame is endlessly engrossing. Not only do we meet Elvis, Gladys, and Vernon in the years before the myths took over, we meet lesser-known yet facsinating characters as Sam Phillips, the idealistic founder of Sun Records, and Dewey Phillips, the eccentric DJ who first played Elvis on the air. As Guralnick presents Memphis in the 50's, it seems so real one almost feels as though it could be visited today.

You don't have to be an Elvis fan to enjoy this biography.

Outstanding - as if the author and Elvis were Siamese twins
One of the best biographies I have ever read. Detailed, sensitive, written with just the right mix of empathy and detachment a biographer needs. I know two people who are about Elvis' age and grew up with him. Both of them say that the chapters dealing with the King's upbringing in Tupelo and his years at the Lauderdale Courts read like they have been written by someone who grew up with him. If you have only the slightest interest in Elvis, Memphis, Southern history, or American popular culture, buy this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Karen Armstrong begins this spellbinding story of her spiritual journey with her departure in 1969 from the Roman Catholic convent she had entered seven years before -- hoping, but ultimately failing, to find God. She knew almost nothing of the changed world to which she was returning, and she was tormented by panic attacks and inexplicable seizures.

Armstrong's struggle against despair was further fueled by a string of discouragements -- failed spirituality, doctorate, and jobs; fruitless dealings with psychiatrists. Finally, in 1976, she was diagnosed with epilepsy, given proper treatment, and released from her "private hell." She then began the writing career that would become her true calling, and as she focused on the sacred texts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, her own inner story began to emerge. Without realizing it, she had embarked on a spiritual quest, and through it she would eventually experience moments of transcendence -- the profound fulfillment that she had not found in long hours of prayer as a young nun.

Powerfully engaging, often heartbreaking, but lit with bursts of humor, The Spiral Staircase is an extraordinary history of self.

Reviews (29)

Outstanding, worthwhile, best I've read
This book is one of the best I've read in a very long time. Ms. Armstrong's account of her life after leaving the convent and her search for her life's meaning was compelling and beautifully written. I learned so much from her struggle and her courage. Such difficulties could have led many people to suicide, but she toughed it out and never gave up. In the end, her reward and ours was a life lived in study, comtemplation, and sharing her wisdom through her writing. Anyone who has ever grappled with the meaning of religion and life will benefit from reading this book. It reads like a novel and will draw you in as it did me. Thank you Karen Armstrong for this beautiful, heartfelt memoir. I absolutely loved your book.

ENCOURAGING AND INSPIRATIONAL
Karen Armstrong speaks to the seekers - seekers of truth, seekers of wisdom, and those who are engaged in a search for God. It's a given that we learn from the lives of others. Yet few have experienced this author's profound spiritual journey and been able to share it so articulately.

It is not that her powerful story needs added luster for it stands alone. Yet, hearing this reading in her voice does very much enrich the listener's experience. In addition, it is well worth replaying - a journey one would wish to hear related again and again.

For those not familiar with her best-selling hardcover book, Ms. Armstrong spent 7 years in a Roman Catholic convent. She left that protected place in 1969, deeply disappointed that she had not found God there. The world she reentered was vastly changed, and she fell prey to panic attacks and inexplicable seizures - enough to terrify the bravest soul.

She turned to psychiatry for help but that was a dead-end; her search for work was fruitless. At last, in 1976, it was found that she had epilepsy and she received appropriate care.

Next, she turned to writing and an exploration of faiths other than Christianity, much to the benefit of a world anxious for words of reassurance. She is not only a role model but a splendid teacher as well. All who listen to her words are her beneficiaries.

- Gail Cooke

To Thine Own Self be True
I love this book, thank you Karen Armstrong for the amazing honesty of your journey. It has given me the insight, courage and conviction to "follow my bliss" and to accept the "cloud of unknowing". Being in recovery from two major mental illnesses, I strongly identify with the pain, rejection and mystery of not being sure of one's own mind at times. I do hope Ms. Armstrong will continue to write more as she continues her wonderful exploration.

Truth is in the finding, not in the giving
In 1970 I did what Karen Armstrong did: I left a Roman Catholic order of nuns. My encounter with the "religious life" lasted for 16 years and one of my own burning questions since then has been to ask myself why I stayed so long.
I tried to leave three times. Once before profession, once at the time of final vows and again after a teaching career of seven or eight years. Each time I discussed it with a superior, I was warned that I was being tempted by the devil and that my very soul was at risk.
One morning in June of 1970, I bypassed the superior and called on of my former students. I don't remember why I told him but it must have had something to do with a need to say it publicly to someone who was not that concerned about my immortal soul, but who was in fact very concerned about my ability to survive in the world. His challenge that I would never last "outside" was just what I needed to motivate me to move on.
Since that time I have tried in many and varied venues to come to terms with that part of my life and to intergrate it into my present experiences. Almost always I have been only slightly successful. Earlier this month I attended the golden jubliee of the "band" with whom I entered. The liturgy was very welcoming and I felt a certain closure for my experience.
I had ordered The Spiral Staircase earlier this spring after hearing Ms. Armstrong speaking with Bill Moyers. When I got home from the jubilee I decided to begin reading her account of a shared experience.
Her story drew me in. I had lived the same life.
I have always wondered how the RCC had managed to indoctrinate some many young American women; we who had been raised in a country of freedom of thought. I am amazed that the program was universal!
I recommend this beautifully written book to anyone who continues to struggle with the rigid training that has left us living and feeling outside of the norm.

Karen Armstrong's bias?
On p. 281, referring to 1991, Armstrong writes, "the U.S.-led coalition began the air offensive Desert Storm against Iraq."
Armstrong overlooks the fact that this 1991 "offensive" was IN DEFENSE of the country of Kuwait, which had been invaded by Iraq several months earlier. ... Read more

Book Description

Even as a young girl, growing up in the Bronx, Mary Higgins Clark knew she wanted to be a writer, The gift of storytelling was a part of her Irish ancestry, so it followed naturally that she would later use her sharp eye, keen intelligence, and inquisitive nature to create stories.

Along with all Americans, citizens of the Bronx suffered during the Depression. So when Mary's father died, her mother opened the family home to boarders and placed a discreet sign next to the front door that read, "Furnished Rooms. Kitchen Privileges."

The family's struggle to make ends meet; her days as a scholarship student in an exclusive girls academy; the death of her beloved older brother in World War II; her marriage to Warren Clark; writing stories at the kitchen table; finally selling the first one for one hundred dollars, after six years and forty rejections -- all these experiences figure into Kitchen Privileges.

Her husband's untimely death left her a widowed mother of five young children. Determined to care for her family an& to make a career for herself, she wrote scripts for a radio show. In her spare time she began writing novels. Where Are The Children? became an international bestseller and launched her career.

When asked if she might consider giving up writing for a life of leisure, Marv has replied, "Never. To be happy for a year, win the lottery. To be happy for life, do what you love." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful!
A soothing journey through a wonderful story, made even more wonderful by being her story. Mary Higgins Clark has the right style when it comes to telling her memoirs.

I recommend this book wholeheartedly. I listened to the audiobook, which I also recommend. Listen to it first if you can!

Rick

A GENEROUS SHARING OF LIFE EXPERIENCES
Does any reader have to be told who Mary Higgins Clark is? I think not. But, now with this remarkably candid and affecting memoir the author of 27 bestselling novels tells her personal story. Not only that, this recollection is related in her own voice, making it all the more meaningful. Rather than through a fictional protagonist she speaks directly to us with words of encouragement and hope.

Beginning with a childhood in the Bronx during the Depression Ms. Clark had dreams - she dreamed of becoming a writer, and her mother encouraged her even though the older woman struggled to make ends meet by renting out rooms. A sign was placed by the front door reading, "Furnished Rooms. Kitchen Privileges."

Ms. Clark's days as a student at an exclusive girl's school came to an end; she lost an older brother whom she deeply loved during World War II. She tells with affection and sensitivity of her marriage to Warren Clark, and the birth of their children. A devastating blow occurred when he died unexpectedly leaving her widowed with five young children.

Nonetheless, she soldiered on, writing at a kitchen table. For her labors? Forty rejections. Determined to reach her goal and support her family she wrote radio scripts and began work on a novel.

The rest is literary history. Ms. Clark generously shares her life experiences, reminding us that dreams can come true when someone is willing to persist and fight mightily for them.

- Gail Cooke

It should have been longer
A surprising glimpse into the world of Mary Higgins Clark from her childhood which took a sad turn with the early death of her father. Her mother then was forced to rent out rooms (with kitchen privileges)in order to try to make ends meet. Some of their tenants were interesting to say the least.

Before marrying, Ms. Clark was an airline stewardess and she has a few interesting stories about that. She married the man she had had a crush on and was blissfully happy until he suffered a fatal heart attack leaving her with 5 children.

She writes about her struggles to become published and also of her fantastic life since.

The only thing wrong with the book is that it is so brief. Like I said at the beginning, we only get a glimpse into the life of this fascinating woman. ... Read more

Book Description

Are You Somebody is a moving and fascinating portrait of both Ireland and one of its most popular and respected commentators. This gem of honesty and insight had its first life as the introduction to a collection of Nuala O'Faolain's Irish Times columns that became a number-one bestseller in Ireland. It now stands alone. Ireland has fallen in love with this memoir of an Irish woman of letters, and now this country will too. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

middle-aged conventional man finds Nuala valuable
You either love this book or find it a tedious whine. Why would a conventional, middle-aged English teacher like myself find it worthwhile, even riveting? It helps that I have visited Ireland several times in recent years, and have gradually seen beyond the Irish Tourist Board conception of the emerald isle. And I have enjoyed Dublin, despite its scruffy character. I also have spent most of my professional life working with single women, and though none of them have faced life situations as tough as Nuala's, I still found connections with her life and their's. I also teach English, and I love her affection for poetry and books. But most of all, I love her truth-seeking, and despite some of the personal complaints on this list of reviews, this is a crafted book that never left me confused. We all have parents, and conflict between us seems to be just a part of living we can't altogether avoid. I thank Nuala for bravely writing her memoir. I read it straight through in two chunks of time over two days.

A fascinating view of Irish women of a certain age
I was quite moved by this book, by O'Faolain's honesty about her sexual development, failed relationships, and her struggle with the life of her parents and their effect on her and her siblings. It helped me understand present-day Ireland better, and also some of the religious strife - for example, the fact that as a college student she was "shocked" to discover other religions beyond catholicism that had similar tenets. It's hard for us to imagine being so sheltered from the rest of the world.

I admired her courage in examining why she is alone and how she feels about it. The postscript was particularly interesting. When I finished this book I started reading it over.

sad and so very true
I have once again made the mistake of reading the other customer reviews before writing my own review. Generally when I happen onto a one or two star review that really comes down on a book that I like, I will go to the "See All Reviews" page and order the reviews from "Lowest First". I will then read through review after review by readers who simply wanted this to be another book rather than the one it is.

I suppose that my repeated exercise of this masochistic procedure is part of my own Catholic background, which was far less complete, administered twenty years after O'Faolain's and in the New World rather than isolated, entrenched Ireland. Perhaps it helps to be Catholic when it comes to understanding Nuala O'Faolain's nearly continual struggle to lead a full and worldly life and not feel badly about it.

A lot of readers still seem to expect a 'Whig history' from a memoir with triumph leading to triumph, interspersed with set-pieces of 'struggle' to make it interesting. Are You Somebody? is something much braver, truer and scarier: an honest recollection.

O'Faolain very clearly describes the historically maintained cultural institutions that caused her to have certain beliefs and take certain actions that led her repeatedly into disaster. Forty years before her, Virginia Woolf had described the need for women to make lives that were expressions of their own desires rather than fulfillments of the needs of men. O'Faolain is acutely conscious, looking back in middle age, that she had not internalized Woolf's wisdom and that her