Book Description

"FALLING LEAVES, Yen Mah's first book, reads as a fresh and haunting account of a childhood that nearly paralyzed its author for life."(The Sunday Oregonian)

"It's hard not to admire her [Mah's] persistence and perseverance..."(The New York Times Book Review)

Reviews (286)

Falling Leaves: Book Review
Adeline Yen Mah begins her autobiography with the events leading up to her life that would eventually have an effect on either herself or her family. She painted a vivid picture as to the historical background of China, before beginning the story of her life. The events preceding Communism, which she depicted, helped one to gain a greater understanding of her life story and the effects of Communism on the Chinese. From here Adeline went on to explain her life story.

Being the youngest child, a girl, and having her mother die when she was born basically made Adeline an outcast and unwanted child to her father and her step-mom, Niang. Despite the oppression she faced from her family, Adeline became a physician in America. The heart-wrenching autobiography, Falling Leaves, evoked more emotions from me than any other book I have read in my life.

Adeline's stories were described with such emotion that would make one sympathize with her situation. For example, in one scene Adeline had been elected class president, in order to celebrate her feat her friends secretly followed her home. The family maid admitted Adeline's peers into her home. The party ended abruptly when Niang summoned Adeline to her room and began to demand Adeline to admit that she had invited her classmates over so they could see their fancy home. Adeline was being falsely accused and refused to admit to these accusations. Niang, in response, began to slap Adeline, until her nose began to bleed. The whole book overflows with emotion, however although a large portion of the emotions are focused on Niang's malevolence the feelings are not of hatred and vengeance, but rather of worry about what she can do better to please Niang. Adeline is a respectable person who could be considered a role model, because no matter how much hate and inequality was turned loose on her she would always be forgiving and strive even harder to please people. Her forgiving attitude reminded me of a young girl, Anne Frank, who also faced oppression throughout her childhood, as she stated, "It's a wonder I haven't abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet, I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart." Adeline seemed to live by this quote. Upon reading her autobiography the reader can learn a great deal about life and one's attitude towards the world.

_FALLEN LEAVES: THE MEMOIR OF AN UNWANTED CHINESE DAUGHTER_
Adeline Yen Mah's, _Fallen Leaves: _The Memoirs of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter_... is an incredible story. _Fallen Leaves_, would be a perfect book for adults who are very interested in the Chinese culture. However, teenagers with an interest in different cultures would also be able to appreciate the difficult life Adeline Yen Mah encountered. I would not recommend _Fallen Leaves_ for sensitive or extremely emotional adults.

_Fallen Leaves_ was written in chapters. Each chapter includes another extraordinary tale of Adeline Yen Mah's life. Throughout the story, Adeline Yen Mah describes what it was like growing up in an unwanted family. Her mother passed away after giving birth to her and her family blamed and recented Adeline for her mother's death. Later, her father remarried. Adeline's step mother was controlling and emotionally abusive towards her. Her parents eventually sent her away to boarding school. Adeline Yen Mah was so unloved that people at the boarding school just assumed that she was an orphan. The story may seem, at this point, incredibly depressing but there was hope for little Adeline. Her one true positive feminine role model was her Aunt Baba. Adeline's Aunt loved her and helped her overcome the hatred and abuse from her childhood. Remarkably, with strength from her Aunt Baba, Adeline Yen Mah was able to become a physician and a writer. If that is not strength and determination, then I don't know what is.

The one problem that I encountered with _Fallen Leaves_ was not knowing the exact order of events taking place. Although Adeline Yen Mah attempts to stay in chronological order, I often find my self having to look back at the chapters to determine when exactly an event was taking place.

Overall, I enjoyed reading _Fallen Leaves_, by Adeline Yen Mah. The book was extremely inspiring and interesting at the same time. Reading _Fallen Leaves_ has given me a much greater appreciation for my parents love and respect....

Darkness and light
The writing is not spectacular: Mah after all is a doctor, not an author. But the, episodic narrative, while plain, is well written.

This book presents the story of a girl who endured unbelievable cruelty at the hands of her father, siblings, and most especially, stepmother, and yet grew up to be a kind and forgiving woman.

The enormity of Mah's stepmother's cruelty left me in shock at times. "How could someone be that emotionally abusive?" I thought. How could any child grow up to be a well-adjusted adult when she was forbidden to go to visit the few friends she had, or to invite them to her home; when she was dropped off at an orphanage as punishment for some triviality; when her rich parents suggested she go to a bank to get a loan so she could afford to buy a plane ticket to the States, where she had a job waiting for her. These are just a few of the many examples that come to mind as I type this. Mah 's stepmother was, in short, pathologically cruel.

And yet, as if to disprove all the nurture advocates in the nature/nurture debate, Mah grew up to be a forgiving, generous woman. As she reached financial security as an anesthesiologist, she used her money to help her siblings (and their children), though they'd done nothing but torment her for most of their lives.

"Falling Leaves" is a example of how good people are simply good people, no matter how society treats them, and that evil people can be unbelievably dark.

Importance of Family
Adeline was born into a family that did not want her. Her mother dies two weeks after she was born. Afterwards, her father then marries a seventeen year old beauty named Jeanne and treats her like a queen. All of the children's names were changed. Sadly, soon enough Adeline was sent away to school wishing for so much more than she had. The novel had a very big impact on me.

In the beginning of the novel i was grasped in. I fell deep into the depressing words of Adeline. Her strive for a family that would love her made me want to read more. The suspense had me wondering what was going to happen next. As i read more, it got better and better.

I did not dislike anything about this novel. I would not stop reading until i got to the end. This book was very heartwarming to me and made me think about how important my family is. It will make you think of your closest to you and what they are doing at that exact moment. In Conclusion I recommmend this book to anyone who enjoys reading.

It was kind of neat
My opinion of this book was that it was alittle alright if you love to cry. But then many parts of it seemed to be alittle to farfetched. Like how she cried because all she cared about was to be accepted by her father when she lost everything. Even though that is the right thing, she acted alittle to "good" and it was just annoying. She wouldn't admit that she was actually hurt that she didn't get that ownership to what her father had left her. But then she could've been AT least telling us that she wanted those things.

But then what I had just said was a bit too mean. But sort of true. Plus the fact that if you read this book you would JUST have to give sympathy to her and her childhood. For since she had been through something so rough and hard that you could not believe it. Awesome. Just simply. Awesome. ... Read more

Book Description

MESSAGES FROM MY FATHER "The man was stubborn," says Calvin Trillin -- the second most stubborn member of the Trillin family -- to begin his fond, wry and affecting memoir of his father. Abe Trillin had the western Missouri accent of someone who had grown up in St. Joseph and the dreams of America of someone who had been born in Russia.

He was given to swearing off things -- coffee, tobacco, alcohol, all neckties that were not yellow in color. Presumably, he had also sworn off swearing, although he was a collector of curses like "May you have an injury that is not covered by workman's compensation."

Although he had a strong vision of the sort of person he wanted his son to be, his explicit advice about how to behave didn't go beyond an almost lackadaisical "You might as well be a mensch." Somehow, though, Abe Trillin's messages got through clearly.

Admirers of Calvin Trillin's unerring sense of the American character will be entertained and touched by this quietly powerful memoir. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Affectionate and funny
Humorist, journalist, food maven, the author of numerous books and a writer for The New Yorker, Trillin brings his blend of self-deprecating humor and thoughtful observation to this affectionate memoir of his father.

Abram Trilinsky emigrated to St. Joseph, Missouri, from Russia at the age of two. When his wife hinted at a trip to Europe, his terse response was, "I've been." He was resolutely a mid-western American, a man who changed his name to Abe Trillin, and at the end of his life exhibitted the only prejudice his son ever observed - an impatience with "refugees," by which he meant people who clung to the language and customs of their country of origin.

He was a stubborn man, like most of his family, described by his wife as "Mules!" "I sometimes imagined my father as swearing off things just to keep in practice," his son observes.

He never swore although he collected colorful curses - "May you have an injury that's not covered by workman's compensation." His honesty was absolute - when a child turned 12 he paid full price at the movies even if he looked 9.

He was unassuming. When Calvin was in high school, his father opened a restaurant and took to wearing yellow ties. "He said something about how most people don't stand out from the crowd, and how it helped to have a sort of signature." This seemed embarrasing to his adolescent son. "What was so great about having someone say, 'Oh, yes, Abe Trillin - the guy with the yellow ties'?" But years later at Abe's funeral, he's touched by how many friends asked for a yellow tie as a remembrance.

His father was not a talker. One of his favorite jokes concerned a Jewish actor who finally gets a real part playing a Jewish father. The actor asks his father why he seems disappointed. " 'Of course I'm proud of you son,' " the father says, " 'But we were hoping you'd get a speaking part.' "

Calvin writes, "What strikes me as odd now is how much my father managed to get across without those heart-to-hearts that I've read about fathers and sons having." Without it being talked about, Calvin knew his father was ambitious for him. "It was a given in our family that my father was a grocer so that I wouldn't have to be."

One of their biggest arguments concerned Calvin's joining the Boy Scouts. He hated Boy Scouts but Abe regarded it as essential to American boyhood, a necessary step on the way to Yale, Trillin senior's university of choice, an idea he'd gotten from a novel read as a boy - Stover At Yale.

Calvin went to Yale. Yale launched him out of Kansas City, never to return (also as Abe expected). The grocer's son would never be a grocer.

In one (somewhat unrealistically) ingenuous chapter Trillin goes to a dinner of prominent writers and realizes that they all went to Ivy League schools as he did. Was there a connection? (Puleeeeze). "For the first time, I realized that my father's vision of how all of this was supposed to work out might not have been as simplistic as I had always assumed."

This slim volume is deeply captivating and affecting. His father emerges as a man of indomitable will, will so strong he imposed it simply by being. He was a man who could afford to be easy going and funny, all the while adhering to a plan of grand ambition which embraced cross country automobile trips to broaden the horizons of his children and simple pronouncements: "You might as well be a mensch." Much of the book's power lies in the author's recognition of himself as his father's ambition fulfilled - a successful American who does his best to "be a mensch," a real human being.

Another Good One from Trillin
The market is flooded these days with memoirs. This little book stands out from the pack. Trillin writes about his father with love, admiration and respect, as well as his famous wit. I recommend this book to any father's son.

A nolstagic look back into father/son 50's & 60's
A fine book for any man to read who is a: beyond forty five years old, b: has sons, c: possibly was brought up Jewish. All or some of the above would enjoy this book. I am reminded of my own father, his triumphs and shortcomings and Calvin's book is a must for any person who wants a quick fun read with interesting messages. I started it, and finished it the same morning! I could not put it down...

America's best columnist one-ups the memoir business
Calvin Trillin is like a tall glass of iced tea after a hot day. His reporting style, perfected across the years in the pages of TIME and the NEW YORKER, is unlike any other in the field. A native Kansas City boy, he gives creedence to the idea of Mid-Western taciturnity, eschewing flowery prose or even artful structure to simply tell what he has to tell. In the case of his weekly column for TIME, that brevity of word only makes what he has to say even funnier. For proof, check out his collections (the recent "Too Soon To Tell") to remember that intelligence, humility and wit usually went hand in hand in the old days of reportage. Cross Edward R. Murrow with Garrison Keillor, and you've found Trillin. But even he has developed a beauty of style all his own. Now he turns his attention to that most painful and mushy of topics, the parent, in his superb new memoir "Messages From My Father," an observation from a grown son to his deceased patriarch. The memoir business has been burgeoning lately, with moving evocations of the past produced from such disparate writers as white- knuckled reporter Pete Hamill (A Drinking Life) to poet Mary Karr (The Liar's Club) but Trillin never calls attention to a plight or condition, never once opens up his family secrets for triage but instead pulls off the hat trick of talking about his father and his family while growing up in post-war America without a trace of false notes or cheap sentiment. Abe Trillin emerges from the book as a decent believer in the American Dream and its unbiased blessing on all the children of immigrants. Son Calvin looks at him honestly, his quirks (always wearing yellow ties, "swearing off" coffee without ever drinking it to begin with) his stubbornness and his enduring hope for his young boy; all topics of great drama, but rendered with good humor and genuine, clear-eyed honesty. Fathers and Sons have rarely been prodded in such a way to expose true feeling, instead of simple sentiment. Trillin, as always, reminds his readers to cut through the myths that cloud our judgments of our blood and ourselves and laugh. Maybe then, he hopes, we'll understand the myth of fatherhood a little more. ... Read more

Book Description

Musician, composer, producer, arranger, and pioneering entrepreneur Quincy Jones has lived large and worked for five decades alongside the superstars of music and entertainment. Q is his moving life story, passion, and no-holds-barred honesty that are his trademarks.

Quincy Jones grew up poor on the mean streets of Chicago's South Side, brushing against the law and feeling the pain of his mother's descent into madness. But when his father moved the family west to Seattle, he took up the trumpet and was literally saved by music. Quincy's string of unbroken triumphs in the entertainment industry has been shadowed by a turbulent paersonal life, a story he shares with eloquence and candor.

Q is an impressive self-portrait by one of the master makers of American culture that features vivid testimony from key witnesses to his journey, including:

Reviews (20)

Fascinating book about a living legend
Quincy D. Jones is one of America's greatest treasures. His decades long career is a virtual who's who of every genre of music imaginable. When I heard he was in the midst of writing this book, it virtually went without saying that this was one book I would make time for. I was not in any way, shape or form disappointed. From an extraordinarily painful childhood, the first rose from concrete grew. We know Tupac Shakur is the second. His vision is limitless. In order to know how many lives he's really touched, it would probably be easier to name the people he hasn't worked with. I've been a fan since the Body Heat album,(yes, I said album) my dad would play over and over again. From everything I've read, he has to be one of the nicest people in the business. There wasn't any unkindness to any of the people he's met and worked with. He has something special to say about everyone. I particulary enjoyed the chapters that other people wrote about his influence on their lives. He loves everybody! His children are all beautiful and he's an incredibly blessed man. A musical genius. The legacy he's given us musically is matchless. Often I felt like I was right there in the moment with him. That is how vivid the imagery is. I thought this was a fantastic book. I truly enjoyed it!

a great read about a great man
the book was very inspirational especially the last chapters in the book...this man is a genius...he wasted no time in following his dreams...it is amazing that he started with the superstars of that day when he was only a very young teenager!!! YOU can feel quincy jone's spirit and he is a very positive person from what i can feel from his music alone!!!! the parts of the book that described his bad childhood and the absence of his mom is heartbreaking and disturbing because she was alive and always wanted to see her children, but her mental illness destroyed the relationship and scared quincy, his brother lloyd and his dad their entire lives...something none of them ever got over...i found the part about his seeing his young son's dire condition in europe and his not doing much about it...yet this action bothers quincy to this day...he is still human and still saved his only son just in time...bless him and all that read this book

His voice is mesmerizing!
I just bought the audiotape version of Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones. I am only one cassette 3 (out of 4), but I highly recommend it!!! First off, listening to Quincy is like listening to music itself . . . his voice has a melodious pitch and is just infectious! Also, the audiotape (like the text version) features input from family members and friends. Some are famous (like Ray Charles) and others are not (family friends, former wives, etc.). Anyways, hearing their perspective on the same events really adds a lot of flavor to the story . . . and what a story it is! I swear, listening to his life is like listening to a history of 20th century America. He talks about his own experiences with segregation and discrimination as well as broader themes like poverty, mental illness, romance, and spirituality. It's also fascinating to hear behind-the-scenes stories of his close interactions with such musical greats as Lionel Parker, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, etc., etc. Overall, this is an autobiography that no one shoudl miss!!!

Just a Dynamic Personality and Life, Great Book
This is a good story and an entertaining read. Once you start this book you cannot put it down.

Here is the story of a modern African American Horatio Alger/talented artist. As a kid he was so poor he had to eat - can I say it - fried rats. His mother was sent to a terrible mental hospital and his father moved to Washington State with the children and started a new family - with a second wife and her problems in dealing with himself and his brother. He then describes how he discovered his love of music and where that led.

From there his career starts a slow but successful upward path, up through the clubs on to Europe, back to America where he reaches the top. All quite breathtaking.

As is common with many successful people, he overcomes adversity and deals with his own inner demons.

A fascinating tale.

The book includes many references to fellow artists and a nice selection of photographs.

Jack in Toronto

Not just a Count Basie Jones
I came of age in disco but cut my teeth on Count Basie and Duke Ellington and am blessed that not a week goes by that Basie does not "swing" me. Quincy was given a gift and he accepted that gift and touches every corner of the world with it. He touches the world through his music, his arrangements and his ability to love and hold on to others. He used that gift to light corners and to leave a legacy that will hold us in this world and in beyond. Q was able to put a little of his "gift" between two covers and to allow we readers to take a little sip. For that I am grateful. ... Read more

Book Description

All too often we hear about the dangers of male friendships, where peer pressure prevails over common sense. But rarely do we hear about another kind of male bonding, which, in the case of George Jenkins, Sampson Davis, and Rameck Hunt, led three boys to succeed beyond their wildest dreams.

Jenkins, Davis, and Hunt grew up in impoverished, broken families in Newark, New Jersey.Both Davis and Hunt served time in juvenile jails. But when Jenkins-who had a dream of becoming a dentist-learned about a program for minority students interested in careers in medicine, he convinced his two friends to apply and they vowed to get each other through. Despite the tremendous distractions and difficulties they faced, today two are doctors and one is a dentist.

Filled with drama, courage, temptation, and, ultimately, triumph, The Pact is a story about the potential in all of us, as well as the empowering strength of friendship. It provides hope to parents and inspiration to teenagers, teachers, and anyone who is comforted by knowing that we can, through friendship, rise to accomplish our dreams. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

The Power of Friendship and Positive Competitiveness Display
"The Pact" is an incredible book! I just finished reading the remarkable journey completed by Drs. Sam Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt. It's an easy, quick read ~250 pages.

If you're not familiar with their story, they are 3 young, African-American men from Newark that establish a pact at 17-years old to become doctors. Over the years, they run into many obstacles (peer pressure, arrest, finances, and family issues) that tend to dissuade so many young people from pursuing their dream. With the "I got your back" support of each other, mentors they encountered throughout their journey, and God they become doctors despite how many people had presumed their future would turn out.

Dr. George Jenkins, probably the most focused in the group, knew at a very young age that he wanted to be a dentist. In high school, the three friends attend a college presentation offering full scholarships to minority students interested in the medical field. Knowing that neither he nor his friends could afford college THIS OFFER would be their ONLY way to attend college...the formation of the pact.

Surprisingly, after completing college and med school, Sam and Rameck were still unsure if they wanted to be doctors. Sam saw business/management as his future and Rameck wanted to be an actor (he'll settle on being a rapper). (If I didn't know the outcome, I would have been in suspense until the bitter end waiting to learn if they became doctors.) The death of an important person in each of their lives confirmed that medically helping others is what they were meant to do in life.

If you're in the education field or work closely with children in your community this is an excellent book to pick up when you...

- feel like what can I do to get through to this person
- need a testimony that success is not by luck but achieved through faith, perseverance, and support from others
- need a roadmap to better mentor a person in need

"The Pact" is an amazing story of inspiration and motivation to get (primarily) black teens to see beyond their environment, current situation, and look ahead with a plan for tomorrow. "The Pact" also displays the need for adults to begin mentoring children before they reach their teens. The book concludes with the doctors providing the "how-to's" to make a pact work.

Uplifting!
There are times that I think my life was or still is hard. Well, I'm a black female who grew up in a middle-class home with two teachers as parents. College was as automatic as sleeping and eating. But, for these young men in the book "The Pact", college was as uncertain as winning the lottery. I always knew that our young black boys growing up in the inner-city had it super hard, but this book allowed me to see another side of our young brothas. They all have dreams as little kids, even though they don't see anyone in their neighborhood to emulate. Somehow, someway, Sampson Davis, Rameck Hunt and George Jenkins all found the determination to succeed and become doctors. Their positive story is proof that just one person can make a difference in a kid's life. Everyone needs someone to look up to; someone to follow.

We all have gifts we can share. Read this book and feel blessed that someone in your life took the time to mentor you and be there for you; not everyone has that in their lives. I am so proud of these young men! Not only are they smart and positive, but they are cute too! What a great combination! God has truly blessed them and their family.

What a refreshing book. Thanks to Tavis Smiley for recommending it on the Tom Joyner Show.

A HAPPY ENDING
This book was very informative. I really loved this book not only because they are from my hometown Newark, New Jersey. But it was an interesting novel. They came from the ghetto and turned out to be very distinguished gentlemen. I am so happy I read a sucess story from my hometown. I recommend this book to people that feel is though there is no way out in the ghetto when there actually is.

Inspiring!
I was pleased to read a book about three African-American men, from disadvantaged backgrounds, who'd beat the odds.They supported each other through thick and thin, and fulfilled their dream of becoming Doctors.They remained humble and are giving back by helping people who are at a disadvantage. They are positive, beautiful, and successful young men. God has truly gave the three Doctors a great annointing. I wish more people would read this book.I was upset when I read the last page. I did not want the book to end! The Doctors are a true inspiration. May God continue to bless them.

OUTSTANDING BOOK ABOUT THE POWER OF A PLAN
I will definitely be giving this book to every young African American male that I know. It's such a powerful testimony of the power of the people that you surround yourself with and a plan. ... Read more

Book Description

The publication in 1992 of Andrew Morton's Diana: Her True Story shook the British Royal family to its very foundations. Initially greeted with disbelief, as time passed, it became clear that the book was, as its title claimed, Diana's true story.

Diana's friends were hopeful that separation from Charles would bring Diana freedom to find happiness. But has it? With her marriage in limbo and her children only occasionally by her side, Diana's position in the royal family is one of increasing isolation. Diana: Her New Life chronicles the secret battles that have raged behind closed doors, and Diana's frustration as she tries to break free from the restrictions of her semi-detached royal life.

Again with unprecedented access to some of Diana's closest friends, Andrew Morton strips away the royal propaganda and reveals how Diana is learning to become a woman in her own right not a puppet of the palace, and shares Diana's private thoughts on retirement from public life, remarriage, the men in her life, and the grooming of Prince William for his future role. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not as juicy as Diana: Her True Story
but just as good. This book is an update on Diana since her separation from Charles in 1992 and what the future could hold for Diana as a single woman.

Unfortunately, only a year after her divorce, we got the answer, and it wasn't good.

Palace Intrigue is Alive & Well in This Century
Without question, this is a book sympathetic to Diana's side, and justifiably so. The grey-suited eunuchs of Buckingham Palace have never done the monarchy a favor by meddling in the marriages of the royal family. Morton tells the tale of Diana, her remarkable courage and resourcefulness, and her feelings of alienation, in the face of a smear campaign that would have shriveled us lesser mortals. Diana is a flawed, but nevertheless feeling, human being who did not deserve the ill treatment she received at the hands of her prince and his minions. This is an interesting book to read in light of what's happened since the book's publication in 1994. One can believe that Diana's death may not have been an accident.

An interesting book,it made you feel asif you were there.
I loved this book, I felt as if I was there writing the book as it happened,rather than reading the book years after it happened. ... Read more

Book Description

My Life As My Self
By Alice Walker

Through her books The Color Purple, The Temple of My Familiar, and Possessing the Secret of Joy, Alice Walker is familiar to millions of readers. Who is this woman, who rose from the shadows of the segregated South to win the Pulitzer Prize? How did she find the courage to address with grace and wisdom the most difficult cultural issues of our time? On My Life as My Self, Alice Walker takes you into her private world and summons the powerful spirits and events that have shaped her life: how she learned to fight oppression through her creativity – her reconnection to ancestral roots and the natural world – and her emergence as a courageous artist, recognized for both her brilliance and her compassion. In this rare, intimate conversation, she peels back the veneer of cultural "evolution" and exposes how we have been conditioned to think and act the way others want us to.When you hear the words of Alice Walker, you will see mirrored in her life the greater struggle each of us!faces: to be who we truly are. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Deeply Comforting
I used to have a great deal of trouble sleeping. It was a mixture of insomnia (due to a great deal of worry) and fear of going to sleep (due to inevitable nightmares). Thank God(dess) that I came across this audio interview with Alice Walker. There is nothing more soothing to a frightenned child in the night than the sounds of a voice of a loving mother.
This tape includes an interview as well as poems that Walker recites with an occasional backdrop of Bluegrass/Folksy music. She discusses with genuine concern issues such as the creative writing process, religion, the repulsive act of Female Genital Mutilation (which she has researched and written about elsewhere), anger and rage, remorse, reunion, animals, racism, meditation, silence, personal identity, and many other topics.
This interview took place in Walker's home in Northern California and you can sense the utter peace, silence, and a very deep spiritual focus surrounding her dwelling. Her presence (from just hearing her voice) is deeply mysterious with a quiet power.
It is probable that only die-hard Walker fans will search this tape out. This is really a shame. But, I suppose (as Patti Smith once said) those who seek feel the glow.

The voice of an angel of fire
I loved Alice's writing early on, but when I heard this audiotape, I was mesmerized by her soft, breathy lovely voice. It was then I got a sense of the fullness and width of the lady's heart, social conscience, love, and grounded spirituality. This is a lady of courage and integrity. A wonderful introduction to the author. ... Read more

Book Description

Enter the tempestuous yet loving marriage of one of history's most famous couples. Shocking confessions, violent jealousy, the demands of reigning over an empire -- all from the letters and diaries of the monarchs whose marriage set the pattern for the 19th century. Julie Harris and Richard Kiely are unforgettable in this remarkable performance that encompasses the power struggle that characterized the early years, the eventual successful co-regency, and Albert's early death at age 42, which plunged Victoria into mourning and her famous 40 years of widowhood. Produced by Victoria Magazine. 1 cassette. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

historical, romantic, and so funny !
This live performance recorded at the Mencken Concert Hall in New York City is extraordinary.
Laurence Houseman (1865-1959), was a prolific writer and wrote several plays centered around Queen Victoria. This is an adaptation of two of them, "Victoria and Albert" (1933), and "Victoria Regina" (1934), and it also includes private and public writings of the queen and her prince consort.

Queen Victoria was a strong, temperamental character, and few men could have withstood being her consort with as much grace as Prince Albert. Being a sober and temperate man, he was a good balance for her, and of course, it was a rare and wonderful affection that flowed between them for 22 years.

The incredible wit in these readings will have you howling with laughter. One of the funnier parts concerns her dislike for small children. Albert was a much better "mother" to their nine offspring, and her descriptions of an infant are hilarious !

Julie Harris and Richard Kiley are totally brilliant. I can't imagine a more perfect performance, capturing all the love, humor, and strength of these two remarkable, complex people who changed the course of history.
I've always been fascinated by Victoria and Albert...I feel there is much more substance to them than what seems to be the current "fashionable" opinion, and for anyone who shares that interest, this tape is an absolute must to listen to. ... Read more

Book Description

The first dual biography of two of the world’s most remarkable women—Elizabeth I of England and Mary Queen of Scots—by one of Britain’s “best biographers” (The Sunday Times).

In a rich and riveting narrative, Jane Dunn reveals the extraordinary rivalry between the regal cousins. It is the story of two queens ruling on one island, each with a claim to the throne of England, each embodying dramatically opposing qualities of character, ideals of womanliness (and views of sexuality) and divinely ordained kingship.
As regnant queens in an overwhelmingly masculine world, they were deplored for their femaleness, compared unfavorably with each other and courted by the same men. By placing their dynamic and ever-changing relationship at the center of the book, Dunn illuminates their differences. Elizabeth, inheriting a weak, divided country coveted by all the Catholic monarchs of Europe, is revolutionary in her insistence on ruling alone and inspired in her use of celibacy as a political tool—yet also possessed of a deeply feeling nature. Mary is not the romantic victim of history but a courageous adventurer with a reckless heart and a magnetic influence over men and women alike. Vengeful against her enemies and the more ruthless of the two queens, she is untroubled by plotting Elizabeth’s murder. Elizabeth, however, is driven to anguish at finally having to sanction Mary’s death for treason. Working almost exclusively from contemporary letters and writings, Dunn explores their symbiotic, though never face-to-face, relationship and the power struggle that raged between them.

A story of sex, power and politics, of a rivalry unparalleled in the pages of English history, of two charismatic women—told in a masterful double biography.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An outstanding historical comparison...
Dunn did something different with this book. Rather than reiterate all the facts in the lives of these two contemporary monarchs, Dunn zoned in on the both the similarties between the two women, but more importantly on the differences that led one queen to being one of the best monarchs (female or male), while the other one's claim to fame would end up being a martyr around whom fogs of mysteries could be built (and were).

At first I was a little disappointed in not getting more information than Dunn was providing. It wasn't until where I saw where she was going through comparing the two women, that I could settle in and enjoy the book. I am quite sure there are more then enough biographies out there on both the English and Scottish monarchs, and the world of intrigue swirling around them. What was interesting about this book is the recognition that Elizabeth's very uncertain childhood had an immense impact on her later abilities as a queen, while Mary was spoiled in the French court and so when she came across difficulties later on, she did not know how to handle political crises diplomatically.

Another interesting point, is how much written information (usually in letter formats, or writing from diplomats to their respective kings or queens or popes) still exists from over 500 years ago. We may live in the information age, but these guys managed to get information quite well, as well as spread disinformation successfully.

Dunn's writing is excellent. This book was an enjoyable and fast read. Dunn provides an excellent geneaological chart at the beginning of the book, as well as a chronological chart of the time period. In the back is a great select Bibliography for those who wish to continue to read on this fascinating time.

Karen Sadler

A fascinating side-by-side comparison of two rival queens.
Many have criticized this dual biography for not introducing new material, and simply re-hashing what has been written elsewhere. And clearly there is no shortage of excellent biogaphies on both of these queens. However, it is the format of Dunn's book that sets it apart and gives us an innovative perspective. Queen Elizabeth I of England and Mary, Queen of Scots, were both fascinating monarchs in their own right, but equally fascinating is the complex relationship between them. Both women had a claim to the throne of England. Elizabeth was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth's grandfather, Henry VII, who overthrew Richard III and founded the Tudor dynasty, was also the great-grandfather of Mary (born to King James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise). Elizabeth was Mary's elder by only nine years. Both women were ambitious, passionate, and cunning. Yet despite their similar status as queens and cousins, these two women were also very different from one another.

Mary became Queen of Scotland only six days after her birth in 1542, upon the death of her father. In 1548 she was sent to France, to grow up in the court of her French fiance, the dauphin Francis. Her status was never in question, and therefore she never questioned it herself. Elizabeth, however, traversed a much more tumultuous path to her throne. When her mother was beheaded so Henry VIII could marry his third wife, the young princess was declared illegitimate and removed from the succession. Ultimately her place in the succession was reinstated, but this in no way guaranteed that she would ever become queen. First in line was her radically Protestant half-brother, Edward, who died young. Next came the devoutly Catholic Mary I ("Bloody Mary"), Elizabeth's half-sister from Henry VIII's first marriage, under whom Elizabeth even spent some time in the Tower of London. It was only upon Mary's death in 1558, when Elizabeth was 24 years of age, that she finally ascended the throne herself.

The relationship between Elizabeth and Mary was very multi-faceted (despite the fact that the two queens never met). For most of her life, Mary referred to Elizabeth as a dear sister, and actively sought her cousin's favor. Yet at the same time Mary coveted the English crown, and even on several occasions declared that she herself was the rightful Queen of England. Yet the Queen of Scots, by dint of her as-yet unthreatened sovereignty, could also be presumtuous to a fault. Her impulsive marriage to Lord Darnley, her second husband (who was shortly thereafter murdered), against the will and advice of many in both Scotland and England, marked the beginning of her ultimate downward slide. Elizabeth, while she displayed more pragmatism in matters of the heart, was also somewhat jealous of her cousin's romantic exploits. Elizabeth had realized early on that she could never marry her personal favorite, Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, and that she must instead declare herself to be married to her country, but this did not erase her longing for romantic fulfilment.

Ultimately Elizabeth was forced to imprison, and eventually execute, her cousin and rival queen. Mary, fleeing from Scottish rebels, thought to run to Elizabeth for refuge and support. But Elizabeth insisted on an investigation into Mary's possible involvement in the murder of Lord Darnley, and therefore detained the Scottish queen in a remote castle. Despite Mary's repeated pleas, she refused an audience with her, fearing the Queen of Scots' reputation for beguiling charm. Mary's imprisonment became all the more serious when she was implicated in a plot to assassinate Elizabeth. The English queen had no desire to execute her cousin, despite pressure from her counselors. Only when irrefutable proof of Mary's involvement was produced did Elizabeth finally sign the death warrant, and even then she was plagued with guilt. In all, Mary spent nearly two decades as Elizabeth's prisoner, and was finally beheaded in 1587, still having never met her cousin and greatest rival.

The basic story is obviously the same. Indeed, I think it would be hard to introduce any new material on the lives of Elizabeth and Mary at this point, when we probably already know all we ever will about them. Yet Dunn's presentation here is fascinating. By placing the two queens side-by-side for comparison and contrast, and focussing on their relationship, we get to see both sides of the story simultaneously. This format emphasizes the inter-connectedness of their lives, and really shows how much each was dependent on the other. In many ways each served as the only person who could truly identify with the other, both being women rulers in a time when females were seen as incapable of effective leadership, and being each other's closest blood relatives (with the exception of Mary's son, James VI & I).

Dunn's writing style, while not the most engaging I have ever read, is nevertheless very accessible. She has clearly done her research, and paints a lovely dual portrait of these two women. I also liked the fact that, when using direct quotes, Dunn gives both the original text with its archaic and unstandardized spellings, and also the same quote written with modern spellings, which makes it easier to read and understand. My only real criticism of the text is that she skims over a few events that are considered "well-known," when the book would have been more balanced and informative if Dunn had written on all events with equal detail. After all, not all her readers will have read extensively on these monarchs before picking up this book. On a positive note, the book is equipped with numerous full-color pictures, including portraits of the queens, their family members, important members of their courts, and even some pictures of embroidery Mary completed while imprisoned in England. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, learned much from it, and would definitely recommend it.

A Pair of Queens
Some have criticized Jane Dunn's history of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots, for not covering any new ground. I find that the parallel biography format makes a new look at an old story well worth while. You may already know the histories of the two queens and their separate lives, but to read about them simultaneously makes vividly clear how intertwined their stories are.

Dunn's style is accurate and entertaining without being over-scholarly. The addition of details that other biographers have omitted is welcome. (She mentions that Elizabeth was nearsighted, for instance.) The narrative flows naturally from one queen to the other without seeming choppy. Just when you are starting to wonder what's going on with the other, the scene changes to keep you up to date.

I was somewhat disappointed with the way Dunn treats the murder of Riccio (spelled Rizzio in some accounts). While she discusses fully the repurcussions of the murder, she glosses over the actual sequence of events in one sentence, since the story "is well-known." I think a popular history such as this is the perfect place to include a full account, both for those who are new to the subject and to re-acquaint the rest of us with a dramatic event.

Dunn, like many biographers, is attached to her subjects. She gives everyone the benefit of a doubt. This is surely the most sympathetic account of Lord Darnley that I have read yet. (Especially on the heels of the recent Alison Weir history of Mary and Darnley.) But she backs up her assertions and conclusions with solid arguments and thorough documentation. And although she says that people still tend to divide themselves into Elizabeth admirers and Mary supporters, she seems to have an equal bias for each queen.

Elizabeth (Sense) vs. Mary (Sensibility) is great history!
Jane Dunn has authored an outstanding work of Elizabethian history. Dunn is an excellent historian who is also a superb stylist writing with wit and wisdom.
Elizabeth and Mary are, of course, Elizabeth I the daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII and Mary Queen of Scots who was the daughter of Mary of Guise and James V of Scotland.
They were cousins, rivals and queens! Mary was raised in the decadent court of France when she married the French king. Later she would marry twice more-Darnley who was murdered and the murderer of her husband Bothwell. Mary was impetuous, vain,a Francophile and a devoted Roman Catholic. Her wish was to make England Catholic and herself queen. She was devious and loved nothing more than a good plot against cousin Elizabeth. Mary died in 1587 as Elizabeth executed her Scottish cousin due to the latter's involvement in a plot against her own life.
Elizabeth spent time in the Tower as an adolescent placed their by her half-sister Bloody Mary; had outstanding advisors to guide her diplomacy (such as Cecil, Leicester and Walsingham)
while Mary made one tragic mistake after another. Her life was one of adventure, murder (Darnley and her friend Riccio) and an insatiable desire for power. Mary gave birth to James VI of Scotland who despite her wishes was raised as a Protestant later becoming King Jame I of England.
On and on could this reviewer go in delineating the intricacies of life in 16th century Europe as Spain and France
with Catholic might looked with hatred at that island upstart called England.
Elizabeth is the greatest of English queens who triumphed over both Mary and the Spanish Armada of 1588.
This is the only dual biography I know of these two fascinating queens. Dunn has a done a superb job and is to be commended for an outstanding biography which will behoove every English history buff to read with enjoyment and profit.
Excellent!

A

ONE SIDED
Impartial to both rulers, I find this book terribly one sided...much in favor of Elizabeth while essentially chastising Mary through repetetive points of describing Mary's sexual appetite and ineptness even though the next lines and paragraphs have nothing to do with the description. ... Read more

Book Description

From the civil rights revolution to the halls of power, the life story of a larger-than-life American leader.

As a student in Atlanta, Vernon Jordan had a summer job driving a white banker around town. During the man's afternoon naps, Jordan passed the time reading books, a fact that astounded his boss. "Vernon can read!" the man exclaimed to his relatives. Nearly fifty years later, Vernon Jordan, long-time civil rights leader, adviser and close friend to presidents and business leaders, and one of the most charismatic figures in America, has written an unforgettable book about his life and times. It is a story that encompasses the sweeping struggles, changes, and dangers of black life during the civil rights revolution.

After attending a predominantly white college in the midwest and graduating from Howard University Law School, Jordan became involved in the civil rights movement. He led the voter education project to register black voters in the South, and was president of the National Urban League, one of the great civil rights organizations of the era, where he was instrumental in integrating American businesses and providing economic and social support to the expanding black middle class. He survived a white racist's assassination attempt and later became a pillar of America's legal, corporate, and political worlds.

But Jordan's life was shaped in his early years, and this book is also a moving testament to the family whose support and courage provided the framework for his achievements. Vernon Can Read! is a remarkable memoir of a life of courage, pride, sacrifice, style and accomplishment. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

But Vernon Can't Write ( A Biography)
At one point Vernon reflects on a gathering of contemporaries during the 1970s. Asked to speak openly about himself and his emotions during a gathering (Author quips~ in a very seventies fashion) Vernon got so fed up at the gathering and being asked to open up to others that he said "This isn't going to happen" got up and left. And I think the same mentality carried oven when Vernon Can Read was written. Mr Jordan never had the propensity to open up and let the reader feel emotionally involved in this book, and in his life. As we watched him hop job to job and talk in acronyms(for entirely too long), we got a very two dimensional character, as if we were being led on a slide show of Vernon's life. He comes off as being brash, self-important and rude in some spots, but the reader never got to appreciate his rudeness or infact to really get to know him. His reputation led me to read the book, but this was also the downfall of Vernon Can Read, the author tried to uphold his reputation while witholding frankness and vulnerability. In the end I was left clamoring for the guy who got drunk at Katherine Graham's house and was belting out tunes with Clinton (picture in the Book), but instead I got a lawyer showing slides of his life.

This book should be in every African American's home
I listened to the unabridged audio cassette version of Vernon Can Read! This is a wonderful book. It has many dates and events in African American history of which Mr. Jordan contributed to, experienced and/or witnessed. These events are not only significant in the life of Mr. Jordan but also in the history of African Americans. The book is well written and easy to read and/or listen to. I told my five year old son about the experience of young Vernon Jordan and Mr. Maddock. It was inspiring to my son and we often listen to that portion of the tape while driving home from school. Mr. Jordan wanted the book to inspire his children and grandchildren and I suspect that it has. The book has also inspired my son. I highly recommend this book.

We need the Unauthorized Biography.
This book is an unfortunate piece of near puffery: much form, much superficiality, little substance. But what does one expect from a Power Broker? Truth or Dare?

In keeping with the unwritten Power Broker Creed, Mr.Jordan reveals very little about the inside mechanations that made him who he is (as opposed to who he was). That is to say, the book speaks volumes about those life experiences that made Vernon Jordan the moderate civil rights leader he was years ago, but says exactly nothing about the transition from that leadership role, to the man who had the president's ear (not to mention the man who kept his secrets)and the ear of the REAL powerful people in this global econonmy: the corporate mavens for whom Vernon was (is?) paid handsomely to dish out advice and counsel to.

We never hear in any detail about how Jordan quietly but persistently accumulated the power he achieved and, indeed, what motivated him in this pursuit. And no, I was not interested in any Monica dirt: Monica and the whole presidential thing, was (and is) beside the point when it comes to a rigorous Jordan analysis. That whole episode merely served as a template (and not a particularly good one) for the kind of back scratchery at high level that Jordan has been doing for years.

But then again, what does one expect? People like Jordan (and mind you, I am a big fan of his)live by the aforementioned unspoken creed: power is best accumulated and exercised quietly. Thus, one does not reveal the secrets of the kingdom to just any average reader (by the way Vernon, what really does go on at those Bildeberg confrences?).

We will not get the whole unexpurgated version of Jordan's life until some biographer decides to swim against currents and put one together.

Those of us interested in reading something much more telling than Jordan's superficial telling of the story of his life will have to wait. Just as we similarly anxiously awaited biographical treatments of other quiet power brokers in the Clark Clifford, Tommy "the cork" mode (the wait is soon over for those of us interested in Tommy the cork and, thanks to the same author, was over several years ago for a good analysis of Clifford's life. CLifford's own biography, Counsel to the President, left much to be desired, too).

As a high school to college level autobiographical treatment of the life of an important figure in post-world war II america, Vernon Can Read suffices. As anything deeper, it does not.

Vernon can certainly Read, but what Vernon wrote certainly leaves alot to be desired.

Interesting and Frustrating
This book is both interesting and frustrating. It is interesting because of the information it gives about life for African Americans in Georgia prior to the end of Jim Crow. And for the information Jordan provides about starting out practicing law in Georgia with attorney Donald Hollowell.

After that it becomes frustrating because of all it leaves out. And once you read interviews with Vernon Jordan about why he wrote "Vernon Can Read," you understand something about his character. It appears that the sole reason he wrote the book is because so many Caucasians had never heard of him prior to the election of Bill Clinton as president (and the Monica Lewinsky scandal), and he wanted to let them know he had an entire career history before Clinton was even heard of...

Informative, but without passion
Vernon Jordan was passionate about his work. Unfortunately, none of that passion is conveyed to the reader. Simply stating his accomplishments, interspersed with his exposure to the "Who's Who" of the civil rights movement, and a sprinkling of anecdotes doesn't convey the depth of the man. Although the book is informative, it lacks depth and leaves us wondering who Vernon Jordan really is. ... Read more

Book Description

Where were you the day Diana died? Like the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the tragic death of the Princess of Wales on August 31, 1997 is one of those defining benchmarks in history -- an event that touched each of us so profoundly, we will never forget the moment we heard the news. A full year after the Paris car crash that ended Diana's life at age thirty-six, millions around the world remain in shock. Over the sixteen years since her storybook wedding to Prince Charles, she had evolved from "Shy Di" into the planet's most photographed, written about, and talked about woman -- indeed, the most famous person in the world.

For all Diana's global fame, much of the human drama that swirled around her death remains veiled in mystery and intrigue. Now, in the manner of his headline-making Kennedy biographies Jack and Jackie and Jackie After Jack, Christopher Andersen draws on important sources -- many of whom have agreed to speak here for the first time -- to re-create in vivid and often startling detail the events leading up to that fateful night in Paris. Diana was, in every sense of the word, larger than life -- a force of nature that, as the Royal Family learned, could be neither dismissed nor ignored. A bittersweet saga of triumph, love, and loss, The Day Diana Died captures those last days when Diana's star never shone brighter -- and evokes the beauty, grace, heartache, and compassion that made Diana one of the most compelling figures of our time. ... Read more

Reviews (77)

A great chronological study of the death of Princess Diana.
I have found it very hard to put this book down! Christopher Anderson has written a wonderful book looking at the months leading up to death of the Princess of Wales. His book is populated with quotes and insights from those closest to the Princess and gives a good, in depth, look at the romance between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayad. Of particular interest is the reaction of Princess Diana's former husband, Prince Charles, upon learning of the Princess' death. Also, the reaction of Queen Elizabeth, who is more concerned with the royal jewels than with the death of her grandsons' mother!! A MUST READ if you have followed the Princess of Wales and have questions surrounding her death.

An engrossing account
I found this book to be incredibly informative and a fascinating read, which I read almost in one sitting. Instead of the usual tawdry gossip of most Diana biographies, it describes exactly, and in fascinating detail, about the events that led up to her death, the day she died, and the ensuing mourning that followed. We are made privy to details we never knew, and they are very essential details, in my opinion.

To me, the most interesting and ironic part of this entire tragedy is that Diana lay in the hospital in Paris, dead, with nothing to wear. Prince Charles and Diana's two sisters were on their way from London, and the world's most famous and well-dressed woman literally had nothing to wear. The clothes she had been wearing when she died had been torn from her body by doctors who were attempting to revive her. Her luggage had been whisked back to London by a paranoid Mohammad Feyed. And, here was the world's most glamourous woman, at death, being forced to wear a dress donated by the wife of the English Ambassador to France. This irony is just one of many sad ironies and twists of fate in this account.

We learn of the behind-the-scenes machinations leading up to Diana's funeral, the conflict between Prince Charles and his mother, the Queen, and how Diana's boys reacted. Prince Charles is definitely painted in a much brighter light than ever before. I was absolutely fascinated by this book, and I think it is well worth reading.

A tasteful and riveting account...
When I first heard about this book coming out, I was afraid it would be a tasteless and exploitative piece of paparazzi trash exploiting the death of a beautiful woman. However, I was more than impressed and pleased with the way the author combines hour by hour events on the day Diana died with background on her life and relationships. Diana was one of my favorite celebrities ever, not just for her beauty and elegance but for what she survived through and the fact she was such a good mother. This book combines all of those elements and also gives us a window into what happened on the day she died. One of the only tasteful and well-written books to come out after her death...

Enjoyable Book
My wife first picked up this book and was giving me bits of info as she read it. Well I got interested in the details so I read it after she completed it. I would never have bought this book on my own but I must say that I really enjoyed it. I think because there was so much news coverage that I really liked learning more of the details that did not always come out in the coverage. My wife said that there was not too much new in this book, but for me there really was, as I have not followed the story as closely as my wife. What you have here is all the facts put together in one book that is an easy to read review. I would recommend it if you are interested in the topic.

Riveting account of Diana¿s death & the world¿s reaction.
Given the lurid tabloid journalism, to which Diana was subjected during her lifetime, this account is a well-written and interesting overview of her life and her tragic death.

Despite the title the book covers much more than just the day of her death. It gives an overview of her whirlwind romance with Dodi as well as the stormy relationship that she had with the rest of her royal ex-relatives. If this is the first Diana book that you read there is more than enough background material here to make sure that you do not feel left out. Even if you are a royal-phile with a stack of books on the trials and tribulations of the Windsor family, there is plenty here to keep you avidly turning the pages.

In addition to Diana's fateful last day there is extensive coverage of the immediate aftermath of the accident and the extensive, if ineffectual, care that she was given at the seen. The standard care given in car crashes on Paris soil might be viewed as a scandal in itself.

Christopher Anderson is able to present to us the reaction of the Royal family ensconced in Scotland at the time, the reaction of her ex-husband and of the Queen. Her Majesty retreated into duty and protocol trying even to prevent her son from making the journey to retrieve Diana's body. The Wales' sons were kept out of the limelight and did not learn for some time about the enormous outpouring of grief surrounding the accident.

This was an event that evoked the sympathy of the world. In light of the events of 9/11/2001 it might now seem foolish that we could ever expend so much grief on one person. But I think that this book helps to show how in life and in death Diana was the lens through which so much emotion the world over was brought into focus. ... Read more

Book Description

Malachy McCourt -- actor, gadfly, and raconteur -- grew up amid death, squalor, and abuse in the lanes of Limerick, Ireland. When he came to America as a young man, he brought a gargantuan appetite for what life had to offer -- and an equal drive to forget what it had delivered to him thus far.

Through his internationally bestselling memoir A Monk Swimming, millions of fascinated readers followed McCourt in his twenties, as he caroused his way all over the world, becoming a familiar face in movies and television, in New York and Hollywood, and in bars from Paris to Calcutta.

Now, McCourt tells us the rest of his story: how he got from there to here, how he went from living the headlong and heedless life of a world-class drunk to becoming a sober, loving father and grandfather, still happily married after thirty-five years. We meet the woman who stood by his side all those years, watch as they build a family together, and listen as McCourt pursues a career of surprising successes and comic missteps.

Bawdy and funny, naked and moving, told in the same inimitable voice that left readers all over the world wondering what happened next, Malachy McCourt's Singing My Him Song tells as honest and entertaining a story as anyone could hope for.

Read by the author.

Reviews (21)

Totally Unexpected¿
Not only was I prepared not to like this book, I knew with certainty it would dwell near the bottom of the books I had read this year. The Brothers McCourt had produced a quartet of books, and I was sure this was just a volume to ride the Frank McCourt wave for all it was worth. I was wrong, I was wrong huge, Orca huge! (A nod to Kevin Spacey). Of the 4 books offered thus far, this is easily the better of the 2 from Mr. Malachy McCourt, and second only to, "Angela's Ashes". Judging by the ranking of the book, and the comparatively few reviews, perhaps I was not alone in my error.

This second work from this Author starts and is unremarkable. His life at the beginning of the narration is afflicted with every complaint a reader would expect. When the end of the book arrives you have shared a long, painful, and brutally honest assessment of a life by the man who lived it. I don't know that I have read an autobiographical work that is more personal, pointed, and candid. This man transforms himself from bitter, angry, and sick, whose solace is found in a variety of chemicals, to a man who comes to terms with his life, and changes its course. The book is not a fairy tale. The man at the end is one you would likely be as fond of, as the younger version would have repelled you.

There are some remarkable stories within this man's life. A Daughter who is handicapped, the system that she enters that would be the delight of The Marquis De Sade, and a then young reporter, who helped change the system, and is a household name today. Mr. McCourt takes a trip cross country, and tends to a mouse that has found a spot to hitchhike its way to The West Coast in a small hole in the auto. There is the encounter that he and his wife have with one of the more notorious murderers of the 20th Century prior to his crimes. And there are dozens more.

This book has a great deal of the wit this man is known for, however to describe this work as humorous or funny would be way off the mark. This was a man who was angry, who marched when it was unpopular to do so, he even had the tapes of one of his radio programs confiscated by The Secret Service, after The Saturday Night Massacre of Nixon fame.

To say Mr. McCourt has lived a full life would illicit from him a quip about the wildest form of understatement. He is unique, a one time original. How else do you describe a man who tried to divert the minds of passengers in the midst of skimming the Atlantic Ocean because a door was insecure, by asking if the other passengers would like to meet his Mother? The most normal of questions except when uttered by Mr. McCourt, who when the passengers agreed, produced the ashes of his deceased Mother, whose remains he was bringing back to Ireland to bury. Bad taste...if you find yourself on a plane that may or may not make its destination, hope there is a man or woman aboard who has a sense of humor, who thinks of his fellow passengers.

A wonderful book that deserves much more attention.

A real treat
When Malachy McCourt's first book, " A Monk Swimming", came out, I read it because of the success of his brother's best seller. I found it charming and very readable. This book, however, is masterful. In my opinion, it's the best book from any McCourt to date. It has everything....power, pathos and extreme thoughtfulness. He does tend to get political at times and I do not always agree with his politics but the way he feels, in relation to his life is excusable and understandable. He is self effacing and brash at the same time. The reader can actually feel his pain....and his joy. A real treat!!

insightful and humorous
This second memoir by Malachy McCourt was well written and charming. His way with words and sarcasm often made me chuckle. It was fulfilling to read about the changes he was finally able to make in his life. Althought brash at times, the book is an honest and heartwarming account of an extremely unique life.

Singing My Him Song
I couldn't finish the book.
I loved both of Frank McCourt's books.They were wonderful,
fresh and funny.
Although I knew that his brother's book would be different,
I couldn't believe how slow, dry and boring it is.

Don't bother
I was prepared to enjoy this book but found Mr. McCourt to be an insufferable blowhard. His constant name-dropping, arrogance and justifications as to the abandonment of his children at various stages in his life made me roll my eyes and wish I had saved my money. His writing has none of the charm of his brother Frank's, and his style of writing (the "sez's" and "'twas's") seemed contrived and made him seem like a caricature. All in all, a huge disappointment written by a man with a huge ego. ... Read more

Book Description

Her life has seemed liek a fairy-tale come true. . . yet the shocking truth is that for Diana Princess of Wales, life has been far from perfect. Written with the cooperation and support of members of Diana's family and her closest friends, Diana: Her True Story reveals a woman trapped in a loveless marriage, who has suffered from chronic illness and loneliness, who has gone to the depths of despair...and who has courageously struggled to create a new life for herself. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Andrew Morton's Version... or rather, Diana's
With a lot of info and some edting assistance from Princess Diana, Andrew Morton wrote a book that rocked the monarchy. In this book Morton makes Di out to be the poor little princess and Charles is the big bad villian.

I never took much of an interest in Diana's life until the horrible car crash and her tragic death. My mother owns a copy of the (this) infamous Morton book, and the pictures are interesting, so I decided to give it a read. This is not a happy book, especially while covering the years of her marriage to Charles. Prince Charles is no saint, but he gets an unfair rap in this book; he's actually a good person with many admirable qualities, and flaws like all of us. Anyway, this book is the portrait of a suicidal bolemic woman married to a physically and emotionally absent man who doesn't give her the love she so desperately craves because his heart belongs to another woman. Poor Di. And did she have to die?

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

Diana Her True Story
This book was an astonishing biography about Princess Diana. It gave you insight into the life that she led both privately and in the public eye. The Princess of Wales had a good heart, even from the time she was young. She enjoyed being with people and helping those in need. Diana was also a very generous person and she liked to have fun and laugh. She seemed happy, but underneath she was suffering from depression. I was shocked at what I learned while reading the book. Whenever I pictured The Princess of Wales,I always thought of her smile, but she was really hurting inside. It all started from the disappointment that her parents expressed when she wasn't born a boy, to her bulimia nervosa, and her numerous suicide attempts. Not to mention, she was constantly being criticized by her own husband, family, and the media. I can't imagine being put in the position she was without any words of encouragement or guidance. The author did an excellent job giving examples and supporting his stories with quotes from friends, family, and the Princess herself. His style of writing gave you a greater understanding of what she was going through with very detailed stories and descriptions. There were also pictures throughout the book showing the Princess with her children and doing the things she loved. If you are at all interested in learning about the life of Princess Diana, this book is well worth reading, though at times it can be difficult to follow. It gives you a greater comprehension of her life as well as greater respect for her as a person.

This IS Diana's Book
This book is probably the foremost and authoritative book on who the real and true Diana, Princess of Wales was. Just as Candle in the Wind is her song, this IS Diana's book.

I give this book 5 stars because this is historically accurate biographical information told by the woman that was behind it from the beginning, Diana. This is a classic biography.

Diana, the "People's Princess
I enjoyed reading this book, and found it to be fascinating. However, I have since read "A Royal Duty" by Paul Burrell. Some of the statments made in these two books are conflicting. In "Diana, Her True Story", it is made to sound like Princess Diane was always at odds with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. In "A Royal Duty", Paul Burrell tells a different story. He maintains Diana had a loving and close relationship with