Reviews (113)

It's still really funny
I was watching the attractions for the Steve Martin version of Cheaper By the Dozen and thinking that it looks like the only element they kept from the book was the title and having 12 kids. I really haven't read the book since..... 6th grade? It was my favorite book then. I decided to re read it and it's still really funny. I mean laugh out loud funny. The rest is a charming look at life in a different time.

It's just a wonderful story about Frank and Lillian Gilbreth (I believe he started motion study and invented touch typing, she was a psychologist) and their 12 children growing up around the turn of the century everything in the household is about learning and responsibilty to gently instill responsible behavior in the children as they grow to adulthood. That said I really loved the bit where the wife leaves him with the kids and when she returnes he says he only had problems with that one over there, but I spanked him and that worked it all out and she says he's not one of theirs.

Cheaper by the Dozen
Cheaper by the Dozen is a well written biography on the Gilbreth family and all the craziness they go through every day with such a big family. This large family consists of 12 children and a set of parents. All 12 kids-Fred, Dan, Anne, Bob, Bill, Frank, Martha, Lil, Ernestine, Jack, Jane and Mary-all have red or blonde hair and lots of freckles. My favorite character was Mr. Gilbreth. This story took place in Mont Clair, New Jersey and i think that was a very appropriate setting. My favorite part in the book was when Mr. Gilbreth would not let Anne and Ernestine wear make-up, high heels or short skirts. I also liked when the Gilbreths went to California to visit Mrs. Gilbreth's family. There are many more good parts, but you will need to read the book or listen to it on tape to find out about them. What i liked best about the story is that it was pretty funny. I would reccomend it to any one who likes books written with a sense of humor. There isn't any real plot or climax to this story, but that may be one of the reasons I liked it so much. It flows very well and the only confusing part is all of the characters. Overall, it was a pretty good book.

One of my favorites
A book that I have read no less than 10 times. It's entertaining and insightful and really a timeless story (although part of its charm is the historical information it provides too). It deals with subjects like family closeness, female empowerment, importance of education, and the loss of a loved one, all with humorous anecdotes and touching stories. As a book that I read both as a child and an adult, I was suprised at things I had missed (or where over my head) in past reads and how much I still enjoyed it.

I loved this book!
I just finished reading it ten minutes ago! I loved it! It has changed my life. I hope I can have such awesome experiences with my own five children! What an amazing family! Truly uplifting and inspiring! I will definitely read it again and again.

Cheaper by the Dozen
This book is about a family called the Gilbreths finding the best way to live. They have 12 children. All these children care for many different things and are different ages.They face many differnt obstacles. This family probably is like yours but maybe a little more funnier. You'll laugh by reading this book. The movie is a little differnt from the book. There are two versions of Cheaper by the Dozen. Reading this book will definately remind you of families and your own family. So if your ready for some laughs read Cheaper by the Dozen. If you liked the movie you'll love the book. ... Read more

Book Description

NPR commentator Hollis Gillespie's outrageously funny -- and equally heartbreaking -- collection of autobiographical tales chronicles her journey through self-reckoning and the worst neighborhoods of Atlanta in search of a home she can call her own. The daughter of a missile scientist and an alcoholic traveling trailer salesman, Gillespie was nine before she realized not everybody's mother made bombs, and thirty before she realized it was possible to live in one place longer than a six-month lease allows. Supporting her are the social outcasts she calls her best friends: Daniel, a talented and eccentric artist; Grant, who makes his living peddling folk art by a denounced nun who paints plywood signs with twisted evangelical sayings; and Lary, who often, out of compassion, offers to shoot her like a lame horse.

Hollis's friends help her battle the mess of obstacles that stand in her way -- including her warped childhood, in which her parents moved her and her siblings around the country like carnival barkers, chasing missile-building contracts and other whimsies, such as her father's dream to patent and sell door-to-door the world's most wondrous key-chain. A past like this will make you doubt you'll ever have a future, much less roots. Miraculously, though, Gillespie manages to plant exactly that: roots, as wrested and dubious as they are.

As Gillespie says, "Life is too damn short to remain trapped in your own Alcatraz." Follow her on this wickedly funny journey as she manages to escape again and again.

Reviews (25)

"Bad Neighborhood," good book
"Bleachy-Haired Honky Bitch: Tales From A Bad Neighborhood" is probably the best title so far this year. And, unlike with many books, the contents live up to it. Writer/NPR commentator/translator/airline attendant Hollis Gillespie shares nuggets of her life (and razor-edged wisdom) in this offbeat, zany memoir.

Gillespie draws readers into her life, past and present: Her three best pals are Lary (who offers to shoot her sometimes), Daniel (a likably weird artist) and Grant (gay bartender/seller of porno-religious signs made by an angry ex-nun). She struggles with horrible bleach jobs, jars of teeth, imperfect German ("It would please me greatly to purchase medicine for my fluid nostrils"), and Myrtle the lesbian ghost.

She suffers the world's least dignified mugging, a visit to the Amsterdam red light district (rubber fists?), and the question of whether she flashed people when she was soused. At the same time, Gillespie deals with more touching topics. As the daughter of an alcoholic trailor-salesman and a kleptomaniac bomb-making mom who wanted to be a beautician, she describes her family's trials and distances, one of the last visits to her terminally ill mother, and how her young niece was hospitalized.

"Bleachy-Haired Honky Bitch" veers between wacky and touching, past and present. Gillespie's stories are less like a memoir or autobiography than like a collection of columns, loosely strung together. She also has the unique knack of being able to take little experiences, ramble about them in an engaging way, and wrap it up without losing her way.

Gillespie comes across as real and a bit twisted, like the zany pal of yours who lives down the street. Life keeps swinging at her, and she keeps dodging. Her tone is honest, endearingly self-deprecating, with a dose of sarcasm to keep her observations sharp. Backing her up are her likably eccentric pals, who serve as her partners in crime (translation: in ear-piercing and drinking).

Funny and poignant and strange, "Bleachy-Haired Honky Bitch" is a unique look at a witty woman who tells us of her personal storms. Wickedly delicious and highly recommended.

The recollections of a hellish gargoyle who talks on NPR
The fact that Hollis Gillespie is a commentator on NPR is more important to know than the fact that her name translates into "Hellish Gargoyle" because it provides a big hint as to how you should read "Bleachy-Haired Honky Bitch: Tales from a Bad Neighborhood." I made the mistake of reading the book pretty much straight through on connecting airplane flights, which I thought was appropriate since Gillespie worked as a flight attendant as well as a foreign-language interpreter, but that proved not to be the case. There are several dozen commentaries in this book (you cannot really upgrade them to the status of either chapters or essays), almost all of which are in the two to four page range in terms of length. Consequently, the ideal way of reading this book is to put it on the nightstand and to read a couple of entries each night before you go to sleep.

Actually the best way of thinking of this book is as a collection of conversations. This makes a big difference because Gillespie tends to repeat herself from time to time in terms of phrases, descriptions, and events. If this was a paper written by a student I would make sage comments about not arguing the same thing in two different places, but if this is a conversation you just acknowledge that you have heard this part before and let Gillespie continue to tell her story.

As with any conversation some parts are better than others. For my money the first one, where Gillespie explains that her first name means "hellish" in bad German and that her translation abilities consist of massacred phrases pronounced perfectly, is the funniest in the entire book (plus it is a more accurate title than what she has, which was just a passing insult by a guy she was trying to run down with her car). This makes for getting off of the right foot, but it also suggests a way in which it is all down hill from here. That is not really the case, because there are some gems scattered throughout the book, such as "The Long Good-bye." Her relationship with the lesbian ghost in her house is interesting, but clearly not as important as her relationship with her dying mother. There is as almost as much pathos in this book as their is humor.

Those looking for a narrative theme have picked up the wrong book. Gillespie writes about her family and her friends, as well as the various trials and travails that assail a young woman in the world today. There are some photographs, taken by the aforementioned family and friends, scattered throughout the book and one of them seems particularly insightful. It shows Hollis standing next to her siblings and the family dog, Echo. Kim, Cheryl, and Jim and all wearing solid colors and standing up straight, while little Hollis in her plaid dress is standing wit her legs at an angle. If this is not a sight of what is to come, then I do not know foreshadowing.

However, the key psychological insult comes when Gillespie confesses she collects old pictures that she finds at flea markets and thrift stores. The pictures of her own family have long been abandoned and now just clutter the empty corridors of her memory, and she has replaced them with new ones. Reading that revelation it becomes clear what key roles Daniel, Grant, and Lary play in her life. This is one of those books where you can pick up a lot in between the lines.

Bleachy-Haired babe!
A friend got me this for my birthday and my only regret is that it isn't longer and she doesn't have any other books out...

When I grow up, I wanna be Hollis.

Had me laughing out loud!
This book was a real page turner! This collection of randomly assorted personal accounts by the author, really allows its reader to say to oneself, "I'm not so weird after all." Her collection of strange obsessions and proclamations makes even the most insecure freak, feel right at home. The term "freak", in a GOOD way. This book also emphasizes the value of the various human connections we make throughout our lives. The assorted adventures the author described sharing with her compadres throughout her book is almost envious. A definitely, highly recommended read.

Bleachy-Haired Honky (...)
One of the funniest books I've read lately, along with some heart-breaking observations. I don't know why everyone's hung up on the "chapters" not going in order; they're essays, not a narrative memoir. I liked it so much I just bought one for my sister, and I'll look for more by Hollis Gillespie in the future! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

witty, poignant, poetic
This woman got through her grinding childhood with something!
She sure can write!
Like Family is at once witty and poetic, and it rings true at many levels. Some of the descriptions are heart-wrenching in their honesty and vulnerability.
This book ought to be read by anyone who works with children in danger or in bureaucratic systems, for its ability to convey the recurring states of complete confusion and powerlessness that haunt these children.

Are You My Mother?
In this highly descriptive and compelling memoir, Paula McLain shares with us her unstable, inconsistent, yet memorable childhood as a foster child growing up with her two sisters. She also shares her heartbreaking disappointments and adult perspective. I breathed a sigh of relief when I finished the book, knowing that Paula and her sisters reached adulthood and made better lives for themselves than their biological parents.

Growing Up Scared
A couple of months after their feckless, volatile father lands in jail, Mom drops the three girls off at Granny's one evening and doesn't come back for 16 years. Paula, age 4, and her sisters, Teresa, 6, and Penny, 3, prove too much for the old lady and enter into a long and rocky relationship with the Fresno, CA, foster care system.

Paula McLain's harrowing memoir of growing up among strangers who may or may not become family teems with complex, shifting emotions. Chief among them, especially in the early years, is fear, and the yearning to belong to a family, any family. But that was not to be. Not quite anyway. McLain's fluid prose captures the reader with its immediacy; its sense of urgency and its intimacy. This is a page-turner with real orphan children to root for.

It never seems to occur to the girls, as it does to the reader, that they could be separated. But they never are, which is the saving grace of stability that runs through their Dickensian childhood. Their first brief placement ends with a charge of thievery, but their second is a mystery. The Clapps are wealthy and their children are grown. Mrs. Clapp has no humor and no affection. Her rules and routines are rigid and she is fanatically house proud.

One rainy day after school, the girls slosh through puddles to the car. "Just as we got to the Cadillac, the sky started to drop hail like frozen BBs. Mrs. Clapp sat behind the wheel in her lavender rabbit-fur coat, her dry fingers toying with the door lock as though it were a chess piece, deciding whether she would let us into the car. We'd ruin it, we would."

So what does she want with three little girls? This is not McLain's question; it's the reader's, and McLain never comes out with the horrifying answer, either. She simply takes you there and lets you see for yourself how things are. The third placement, also brief, is the most heartbreaking. These people want children, delight in their new girls, and yet suddenly, mysteriously, it's over and the sisters find themselves with their fourth family in three years.

"If we felt any hope that this new situation would be different, then it was the stowaway version, small and pinching as pea gravel in a shoe." The Lindberghs make no secret of their reason for taking in three foster girls. Their daughter, Tina, is an only child and wants siblings. It's that simple. Bub Lindbergh is a big bear of a man, "easy to love," who teaches the girls to ride and gets each of them a pony, while his wife, Hilde, a German immigrant, is prickly and unpredictable. She spoils her "real" daughter and delights in telling perfect strangers the sad history of her foster daughters.

McLain's anger comes through in shock waves of description - hilarious bizarre incidents perpetrated by blotchy, oversize, cartoon character Lindberghs. Interspersed with moments of tenderness, even joy. McLain (her first book of poems, "Less of Her" was published in 1999) is a visual, visceral writer unafraid to mix brutal honesty and laughter. She and her sisters are not easy children and never lose sight of the fact that, unlike other children, they can be cast off at any time, their worldly possessions lumped in a trash bag in the back of the social worker's car. It's a scary way for a child to live.

McLain's memoir is many things: a gut-wrenching portrayal of growing up insecure and longing for love, a celebration of sibling solidarity, a catharsis and a satisfying revenge on people who once had the power, and will recognize themselves as they read. Funny, bleak, angry and winsome, McLain's debut is beautifully written and compulsively readable.

eloquent, wise, absorbing--and tough
Like Family is a beautifully written story of a childhood shorn of the protections and comforts that family ought to offer. McLain's finely rendered prose captures her experience vividly and paints rather than explains the hard, fragmented life she and her sisters were forced to lead in the California foster care system after her father left them and then her mother went to the movies and never came back. It reminds us how the idiotic passions and tragic weaknesses of adults can cause a train wreck of a childhood--and how a brilliant young girl with a sense of humor and a resiliant spirit can nonetheless survive, hold onto her sisters, and write a magnificent book. I read it without stopping, gobbling it down like stolen chocolate cake, and then turned around and read the whole book again,just for the joy of the language. Even though it is a hard-edged story, and sometimes I even wept a little, McLain is really very funny, too. And the soundtrack for the movie is going to be great. This book is destined to be a classic.

Carverian childhood
Mclain grew up in Raymond Carver's America, but she writes more like Tess Gallagher. A touching, brutally honest memoir. ... Read more

Book Description

From the acclaimed bestselling author of Sushi for Beginners and Angels comes a collection of personal essays on shopping, writing, moviemaking, motherhood and all the assorted calamities involved in being a savvy woman in the new millennium.

Her novels are read and adored by millions around the world, and with Under the Duvet, Marian Keyes tackles the world of nonfiction. These are her collected pieces: regular bulletins from the woman writing under the covers.

Marian loves shoes and her LTFs (Long-Term Friends), hates realtors and lost luggage, and she once had a Christmas office party that involved roasting two sheep on a spit, Moroccan-style. She's just like you and me ...

Featuring a wide compilation of Marian's journalism from magazines and newspapers, plus some exclusive, previously unpublished material, Under the Duvet is bursting with funny stories: observations on life, in-laws, weight loss, parties and driving lessons that will keep you utterly gripped -- either wincing with recognition or roaring with laughter.

Reviews (13)

A True Feel of the Emerald Isle
What a joy ... just like finding a pot of gold under a rainbow! Marian Keyes has us longing for a return to the Emerald Isle with a fun book that is best read by sticking a finger in the pages and finding the start of a chapter!

From an author who writes in bed readers will be transposed into the Irish mindset and if you really try you can slow the pace of your life and be one with the Irish for a moment or two.

The anthology of columns shows that Marian's writing has great effect for a quickie read as well as being enveloped in her novels.

Mostly for Fans
Under the Duvet is the latest of a small genre that consists of the short non-fiction works (columns, essays, random thoughts) of writers who are better-known for their novels. George Orwell may fit this category, but I am thinking more along the lines of Alice Thomas Ellis and Sue Townsend. ...

So how does Marian Keyes's new book measure up? Under the Duvet starts promisingly, with a short piece about the life of a not-so-glamorous novelist, and a previously unpublished essay about the eight months she wrote a cosmeticscolumn for a magazine. These are probably the best bits in the book.

Maybe you have to enjoy the fiction of the author to also enjoy their non-fiction. I confess I have not read any of Keyes's fiction. There's too much in Under the Duvet about shopping and shoes for my taste, but readers of Keyes's fiction might find that a plus.

Some of the pieces are on subjects that desperately need an original angle, but are not getting it here. For instance, on her trip to Los Angeles, Keyes predictably mentions the smog, [breast] jobs and botox, and the fact that no one walks. And I probably wouldn't have noticed her over-fondness for the word "eejit" (idiot) if I had read these pieces over time, rather than in two days.

Still, I enjoyed reading these essays and columns, and although they haven't inspired me to read Keyes's fiction[.] ...

True to life stories
i have read several of marian keyes' books and this one makes me feel like i know the author a little bit. it is nice to know that authors are human and not just tied up in the sometimes glitzy world they present in their books. if your life is not perfect and you haven't done everything right then you might just find this book comforting.

Disappointing
I've liked or really liked most of Ms. Keyes' novels, but this book was a total disappointment. Boring and trite and totally not worth the money. Try her fiction stories instead.

A Review
I have read several of Marian Keyes books. They were entertaining. However, 'Under the Duvet' makes Webster's Dctionary interesting reading. ... Read more

Book Description

A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE RELEASE SUMMER, 2002

The fascinating rise, fall and rise again of legendary producer Robert Evans.This is one life story you'll never forget: a kid actor in New york on radio plays...popularizing "women in pants" at Evan-Picone...being discovered poolside at the Beverly Hills Hotel by Norma Shearer...becoming the first actor to ever run a motion picture studio...reviving the moribund Paramount Pictures...overseeing production of Love Story, The Godfather, Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, The Odd Couple...marriage to golden girl Ali McGraw and birth of son Joshua...long friendships with Nicholson, Beatty, and Hoffman....disgrace and drugs...the Cotton Club scandal...self-commitment and escape from a mental institution...and an eventual triumphant return to the catbird seat.An extraordinary raconteur, Evans spares no one least of all himself, on this legendary no-holds-barred Hollywood journey. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Picking up the thread where her debut memoir-in-comics concluded, Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return details Marjane Satrapi's experiences as a young Iranian woman cast abroad by political turmoil in her native country. Older, if not exactly wiser, Marjane reconciles her upbringing in war-shattered Tehran with new surroundings and friends in Austria. Whether living in the company of nuns or as the sole female in a house of eight gay men, she creates a niche for herself with friends and acquaintances who feel equally uneasy with their place in the world.

After a series of unfortunate choices and events leave her literally living in the street for three months, Marjane decides to return to her native Iran. Here, she is reunited with her family, whose liberalism and emphasis on Marjane's personal worth exert as strong an influence as the eye-popping wonders of Europe. Having grown accustomed to recreational drugs, partying, and dating, Marjane now dons a veil and adjusts to a society officially divided by gender and guided by fundamentalism. Emboldened by the example of her feisty grandmother, she tests the bounds of the morality enforced on the streets and in the classrooms. With a new appreciation for the political and spiritual struggles of her fellow Iranians, she comes to understand that "one person leaving her house while asking herself, 'is my veil in place?' no longer asks herself 'where is my freedom of speech?'"

Satrapi's starkly monochromatic drawing style and the keenly observed facial expressions of her characters provide the ideal graphic environment from which to appeal to our sympathies. Bereft of fine detail, this graphic novel guides the reader's attention instead toward a narrative rich with empathy. Don't be fooled by the glowering self-portrait of the author on the back flap; it’s nearly impossible to read Persepolis 2 without feeling warmth toward Marjane Satrapi. --Ryan Boudinot ... Read more

Book Description

Willie Nelson says "Billy Joe Shaver may be the best songwriter alive today," and legions of fans agree that Billy Joe is the real deal. Many describe his songs as pure poetry. Shaver sings about a life that's been full of hard times, wild living, and a forty-year-long passion for his late wife Brenda. His songs are raw, honest, and so true that people hear the story of their own lives in his music. No wonder, then, that his songs have also been recorded by artists such Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, George Jones, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Patty Loveless, John Anderson, Tom T. Hall, the Allman Brothers, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Tex Ritter.In this compelling autobiography written with the assistance of Brad Reagan, Billy Joe Shaver looks back over a life that some might call a miracle of survival. His father abandoned the family before Billy Joe was born. Troubles in school and in the military turned him into a fighter, and a sawmill accident claimed two fingers and part of a third on his right hand. Yet his innate musical talent and the encouragement of an English teacher set him on the road to being a songwriter--and he never looked back. Shaver recounts his long struggle to break into the music business in Nashville and the success that came when Waylon Jennings recorded his songs on the 1973 album Honky Tonk Heroes, which became a landmark of outlaw country music. Shaver movingly describes his own thirty-year, up-and-down career as a singer-songwriter in Nashville and Texas, his bouts with alcohol and drugs, his pleasure in touring with his son Eddy and their band Shaver during the 1990s, and the pain of losing Eddy, Brenda, and Billy Joe's mother all within the year 1999-2000.As full of life, heartbreak, and drama as any of Billy Joe Shaver's songs, Honky Tonk Hero is the story of a man who not only walked on the wild side and lived to tell about it, but also got it all down in songs that many people consider to be some of the finest country music ever written. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Lingers on the Mind
Honky Tonk Hero is a MUST read for everyone from hometown Waco Willies to East coast city dwellers and West coast surfers~all will relate to this heart warming personal story.Through incredibly well written vivid descriptions Shaver's narration comes alive. Drama, heartbreak, and family troubles are highlighted through downhome recollections bringing the reader into Shaver's heart, mind and soul.A moving story of his personal struggles, battles and talented accomplishments. So superbly written it will linger on the mind long after the last page is turned ...just like the melody of his songs linger in the heart after the last verse is sung! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

A Must Read Book for all Practitioners!
As a practitioner in the field of criminal justice and a Correction Supervisor at the oldest operational prison west of the Mississippi, the Missouri State Penitentiary, I found this book to be extremely beneficial and educational in understanding the dynamics in both hostage and riot situations. As correctional professionals, we are faced with this dilemma every time we pass through the gates of hell into the community environment of convicted felons.

Both Gary and Larry did an outstanding job in illustrating the trauma and horror one sustains in a crisis situation of this nature. However, more information on the aftermath and trials would have been beneficial for future research.

If either Gary or Larry reads this review, please email me so I can obtain further knowledge on this subject.

A disappointing and incomplete effort
I was really looking forward to this book as nothing else has been published to date on this important event. I was very disappointed. It was poorly edited; there were a number of typos and punctuation errors.
It was not a balanced account at all. For an event of this magnitude to have occurred there had to have been a number of complicated causal factors. The author took an overly simplistic view. I am not sympathizing with the rioters by any stretch but the cause was more complicated than the author addressed.
I would have been interested to learn more about what actually transpired in the negotiations which led to a resolution without more bloodshed. I would also have liked to know more of what happened to the key players (hostages, staff, administration, participating inmates, non-participating inmates, etc.) afterward. There have been a number of criminal and civil court cases which should have been addressed in more detail.
Little was done to address what can be learned from those events. That should be a key goal of books of this nature.

Siege in Lucasville
Recommended for all correctional professional as this could happen to any one of us. I would have liked greater detail particularly in reference to what happened to Officer Demon who went over to the other side and the subsequent trials of those who were active participants in the riot.

I liked the fact that Larry named staff and their various roles before and during the riot. Again though, no followup on what has happened to them after the riot.

If you work in the field of corrections or the greater law enforcement field, this book is a must read and should be part of all entry level correctional programs throughout the country.

Larry or Gary, if you read this, please email me as I would like to speak with you further as I work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in PA. Very good book and thank you Larry for letting us learn from your personal drama!

Great read
I work in the system and found it to be factual and interesting to those not only in the profession but to anyone interested in what goes on behind the walls of a prison. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Reviews (6)

FUN BOOK -- the Post-Mafia dream --
I liked this book a lot. If you're a big goodfellas buff, and most people are, you're in for some entertainment here. Plenty of good anecdotes about the gangsters, their wives, their kids, Gotti -- the whole nine yards.

The thing to keep in mind is that it's written by Henry Hill -- a guy who has no real formal training in grammar (it's explained early on in the book). If you've heard him on Howard Stern, then you know he never really answers the question you ask him, and that voice comes through here.

His life has been a wild ride to read about.

Good book but Poorly Written
Being a huge Goodfellas fan, I read Wiseguy and read this book on a recent flight. It is a good book and will help clear up some lingering questions you may have had after Goodfella's. For example your learn , Henry Hill's name in the Witness Protection program was Peter Haines later changed to Martin Todd Lewis and he lived in several states in the mid west before ending up in Washington. You also learn about what he is up to these days. Parts of the book are drawn out with old stories but it doesn't take away from the overall reading experience. Although, it is poorly written with tons of typos and mis-placed words, I got the sense they rushed this book out to beat a deadline (no pun intended) and never proof read it. It looks like they did nothing more than a routine spell check.

All in all if you are a Goodfella's fan you should read this book it will be worth while. I am glad I read it and after the first few chapters the typos and grammar issues are easy to deal with.

Not worth the hype
I have recently read "Wiseguy", "Casino", "Donnie Brasco" and am still reading Henry Hill's book "Gangsters & Goodfellas". I was hoping for a lot, but about 2/3 of this book is a rehash of "Wiseguy", only not as well told. There are numerous wrong word/name usages (like it wasn't proofread, just run through a spellchecker). Also, he tells some of the same stories 2 or 3 times in different parts of the book. Overall, it just seems like a vain attempt to revisit the well one too many times. Even the photos could have been much better and captioned better. There's a Christmas photo that's interesting, but Henry doesn't say who's in the picture with him! How about more pictures of the Varios, Burke, and the Lufthansa crew? I could use less pics of the "reformed" Henry with his huge gut and more vintage photos from his "glory days".

There are also statements that say Henry was present at multiple hits, but Henry on Howard Stern claims he never killed anybody. Guess what, Henry? Being at a murder makes you a murderer! You're lucky you got transactional immunity.

This is just a poorly written book. If you're lucky you can eke out a few morsels, but just check it out at the library or wait for the paperback...

I had to know...
Even though the events of "Goodfellas/Wiseguy" are re-told, new interesting facts are brought up. I'm biased because I'm a big fan of the previous book done with Nicholas Pileggi. Henry did some bad things but he is very gregarious and even charming. If you enjoyed the previous writing and film done about Henry and his involvement w/ OC. This book is a long awaited dream come true. Thanks a lot to Henry and Gus, and next time don't wait 18 years!

enjoyable, interesting (but a bit thin)
While certainly not a Mob masterpiece, this breezy 262 pager can be consumed in one or two sittings and will entertain those interested in the Godfather/Goodfellas/Sopranos culture. Though Henry Hill's morals may be a bit...uh....limited, he's a good storyteller who has lived a fascinating life, albeit one best viewed from a distance (he describes leaving a trail of ex-wives and business partners in the dust). I like this one quite a bit. ... Read more

Book Description

Advance Praise for Our Brother's Keeper

"Beautifully written and extraordinarily poignant, Our Brother's Keeper is a Vietnam book like none other. The ghosts of Vietnam are finally starting to circle home, and this remarkable writer has given them voice with passion and resonance.I love Jedwin Smith's Fatal Treasure; Our Brother's Keeper is even closer to the heart."
— Jeff Long, New York Times bestselling author of The Descent and The Reckoning

"Our experience in Vietnam has been searingly recorded in both fiction and nonfiction, but no book about those years is quite like this one. Jedwin Smith's Our Brother's Keeper tells the story of one family that has lived with death by remembrance, and of a man who found redemption when he wanted revenge. It will break your heart, but change it, too."
— Michael Skube, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in criticism

"I read Our Brother's Keeper in the span of an evening and found it deeply affecting and totally enthralling. This book is a haunting, gut-wrenching, and ultimately redemptive journey through time and the human heart. Magnificent."
—Jack Kerley, author of The Hundredth Man ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Vietnam: One family's war
Jedwin Smith (no relation, but I was once his boss at the Atlanta newspaper where we both worked) has written a spellbinding account ofhow his brother's death in Vietnam (remember that war?) impacted his family and fueled his own decline into alcohol and depression. Without bitterness or animosity, he relates the unraveling of his family and eventually tells of how he and his siblings came to cope with their brother's death, and to mend their lives and relationships with each other. Part and parcel of the story is his climb from the depths, aided by Vietnam War vets who knew his brotherin the field and as always, by the love and strength of his devoted wife, June. Don't think of this as a "war" book. It's not. Rather, this is the story of human relationships, told with insight won the hard way, that will send you to Vietnam War Web sites/books to knock the dust off your memories of that era. Jedwin's a natural-born storyteller and this book will grab you from the first page.

Gut-wrenching yet remarkable book
This is the kind of well-written book you'll read in 24 hours but think about for weeks. Its the gut-wrenching story of a family suffering through the loss of a beloved son/brother to the Vietnam War.The author, Jedwin Smith, gives us a rare insight into the long-term effects a family endures and also allows us to go along on his painful and emotional journey toward some sense of healing. Without disclosing elements of the book, be advised there is a reconciliation late in the book that is unique, remarkable and inspirational.
We must never forget the sacrifices veterans made for our country, but this book also reminds us to never forget the sacrifices the families of these veterans made as well. ... Read more

Book Description

“Here is a man who suffers so his readers can laugh.” — Daily Telegraph

Bill Bryson travels to Kenya in support of CARE International. All royalties and profits go to CARE International.

Bryson visits Kenya at the invitation of CARE International, the charity dedicated to eradicating poverty. Kenya is a land of contrasts, with famous game reserves and a vibrant culture. It also provides plenty to worry a traveller like Bill Bryson, fixated as he is on the dangers posed by snakes, insects and large predators. It is also a country with many serious problems: refugees, AIDS, drought, and grinding poverty. The resultant diary, though short in length, contains the trademark Bryson stamp of wry observation and curious insight. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

too short but fun bit of travel writing for a good cause
Bill Bryson is a fantastic travel writer, and made this very very short book (only 49 pages!) still fun to read. I definitely wish it had been longer, but as all of the book's proceeds go to charity (specifically CARE, a wonderful organization that spends its money wisely and helps those in impoverished countries help themselves), I don't really mind.

The book recounts his all too brief time in Africa (eight days), where he tours the east African nation of Kenya. He visits some of the areas in Kenya in the most need of CARE's help, such as the Nairobi slum of Kibera and the eastern refugee camp of Dadaab, filled with Somali exiles. It is quite sad to read about the horrible conditions many of these people face (wait till you read about what a flying toilet is), but heart warming to see that many are still hopeful and that all is not lost. It would seem that many of these people are good people; all they need is a chance.

...it was still fun to read and parts were hilarious. I enjoyed his early thoughts on Africa, such as the initial conversations with those who convinced him to go to Africa that except for the "diseases and the bandits and the railway from Nairobi to Mombasa, there's absolutely nothing to worry about"! I enjoyed reading about that railroad, which Bryson writes has a tradition of killing passengers and has even been named the Lunatic Express, though Bryson rode it without any serious mishap. Also lots of fun to read was his arrival in Nairobi; expecting the sunny little country town in "Out of Africa," Bryson was amazed to instead find traffic, high rise buildings, bill boards - as he puts it, Omaha! His description of a harrowing single-engine plane ride was very funny as well.

A fun little book, one in you can read in an hour or two.

The Loin King
I promised myself I wouldn't write a review because I work for CARE and went on the trip to Kenya with Bill Bryson. However - His undertaking was phenomenal. Breaking off from his current writing project to travel to an unknown continent for 8 days, make sense of it, write up 10,000 words ( that's how many we felt we could ask him to undertake, he actually wrote 12,000)in two weeks, and turn it round in time for a Christmas book. Admire that, but also admire the motives and the results of this short but sweet volume. There are classic Bryson moments, humour and a well structured view of a country on the verge of great change. Believe me, your ($$) is making a huge difference to people's lives. And the book on your shelf can be a gentle reminder of your generosity and compassion. Thank you Amazon and all purchasers!

More about the CARE organisation should be known
An enthralling account of Bryson's visit to Kenya to observe the work of CARE workers. Written with clarity as regards facts of what he saw and with his inimitable style that adds humor to serious topics. All royalties of his book he donated to CARE.

CARE
I read Bill Bryson's book on my way to Europe. A great little carry along that doesn't take up much space, and doesn't take long to read. I love the fact that humor is mixed in with the seriousness of what the book really covers. It is great that all profits go to help the CARE cause.

OK it is short but the cause is great!
OK it is rather short but the cause is great and Bryson really does convey his care for the people of Africa. So buy this book, buy one for each of your friends and make sure that they do the same. You will have a light but fun read and meanwhile you will have helped a lot of people who urgently need it. Christopher Catherwood (author of CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE, Zondervan, 2003) ... Read more

Book Description

1 corinthians 10:13, niv
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

Amber Frey's life was full of blessings: an exciting new business, a beautiful home, and most of all, her infant daughter, Ayiana. But Amber had been through some unhappy relationships, and she longed for a true and loving partner. In November 2002, she went on a blind date with Scott Peterson. He was handsome, charming, thoughtful, and romantic. Best of all, he was single and ready to settle down . . . or so he said.

Their connection was immediate. Over the next few weeks, Amber and Scott grew closer and closer. Scott won her over with his warmth, humor, and intelligence, and he even won the heart of little Ayiana. Before long, he began to speak of the beautiful future the three of them were destined to share as a family.

Soon enough, however, Amber began to suspect that Scott Peterson might not be the man he claimed to be. On December 9, he broke down in tears and told her that he had been married, but had "lost" his wife. This was weeks before Laci Peterson, eight months pregnant at the time, was even reported missing. Scott Peterson hadn't lost her, but clearly he was planning to.

Suddenly a relationship that seemed full of promise was turning into Amber's worst nightmare.

Amber launched an investigation of her own. The moment she was able to confirm her worst suspicions, she contacted the Modesto Police Department, in northern California, and offered to do whatever she could to help. She began secretly taping her conversations with Scott, pressing him for information but never letting on that she had heard the news of Laci's disappearance. Those conversations became the basis for the prosecution's case against Scott Peterson for the murder of his wife and unborn child.

Amber's whole world was turned upside down in the process. She lost her privacy, as every detail of her life was scrutinized by the media, who couldn't seem to get enough of this tragic, heart-wrenching story. But she soldiered on, looking deep inside herself and drawing strength from her faith.

Witness is the chilling story of how a young woman became ensnared in Scott Peterson's web of lies, then risked everything to seek justice for Laci Peterson and her unborn child, Conner. It is also a story of forgiveness and faith, and of one woman's struggle to live with an open and honest heart. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Yes Guru ... Whatever you say Guru"
If the televsion show "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous" makes it all look like a fairytale, this book will prove that it is also a lifestyle that can be fraught with heartache and disappointments.

Deborah deserves much credit for a great effort, and for sharing such intimate details of her epic life as a daughter, sister, girlfriend, mother, and of course as the wife of Carlos Santana.

A large portion of the book covers the decade that Deborah & Carlos were disciples of the spiritual Guru, Sri Chinmoy.In the early 1980's, the Santanas disassociated themselves from the Guru after they discovered that he "was not the illumined spritual teacher that his disciples proclaimed". Stating that she felt very liberated that she and Carlos would no longer have to say "Yes, Guru", "Whatever you say, Guru", you would presume that they would never again have the desire to be dependent on a spiritual Guru as their "link to God".Surprisingly, that is not so.

A recent news report states that Carlos' personal assistant, Bruce Kuhlman, has accused Carlos and Deborah of firing him for not being "closer to God," according to a wrongful termination lawsuit filed in California.Kuhlman alleges that Deborah, went on a campaign to terminate him after her current spiritual guru, "Dr. Dan," determined through "calibration" tests that Kuhlman was too old to become enlightened.

It's unfortunate if the allegations are true; however, Bruce may not be the first person whose level of spiritual committment was questioned by the Carlos & Deborah.Former Santana keyboard player Tom Coster stated in an interview that he left the Santana band in the 1980's because Carlos & Deborah kept pressuring him about his level of committment to Sri Chinmoy.Tom questioned if Carlos and Deborah even knew to this day, that was his reason for leaving the band.

The chronicling of Deborah's life explains many of the changes seen in the Santana organization after she assumed management of the band in the mid 1990's.It's safe to say that she was very instrumental in getting Carlos to reunite with Producer Clive Davis which resulted in the multi-Grammy winner "Supernatural".

Other changes include the licensing of the Santana name to a number of products such as womens shoes, and die-cast funny cars.What do these items have to do with Santana music?Probably as much as Dr. Dan's "calibration" tests have to do with getting one "closer to God".

Put it down---NO WAY!
Having lived a different life in the sixties, I felt like Beulah in 'Field of Dreams'...'No, I think you had two fifties and moved right into the seventies.'And, though my life was different and extremely conservative, I found within this detailed account of a person's most private and profound observations a vein of truth that runs through all womankind: a need to love and be loved; a quest for some expression of individuality and, ultimately, a desire to live an honest life with integrity.

I first read an excerpt of Deborah Santana's work in 'Daily Word' and was struck by her statement, "For many years, I felt insignificant, with no outer light of my own to shine." I, too, felt a kinship to that statement. How had Deborah transcended a stairway to her own 'light' and self-worth? I realize now that all women have an opportunity in their life to make a difference and contribute...usually in a much different way than our counterpart and for that I'm thankful.

what memories!
Rebeccasreads highly recommends SPACE BETWEEN THE STARS as an extraordinarily elegant, often plangent & frequently lambent memoir that illuminates the feminine side of the last half of the 20th Century & the racism in an era when race relationships were on a cusp, & the children of biracial couples were vilified.

From defying parents to loss of innocence & abortions to college & a new love - the great guitarist Carlos Santana. Together they become disciples to a guru & his religious movement. This is an important aspect of that era: when gurus, of all stripes, came out of India, drawing to themselves eager & naive searchers for the way to godliness. They brought their own brands of mind-control, dominance & rewards, all exotically wrapped up in 100% devotion, pure living through meditation, community activism & evangelizing.

Deborah Santana brilliantly describes the euphoria, the magical attraction of someone so revered, & the gladsome sense of belonging & achievement. She also bluntly records the descent from favored disciples into disillusionment, excommunication & separation.

On into the world of Carlos Santana, his family, his music & their marriage. When they decide to start a family, Deborah Santana's memories are bright with ardor, insights & a growing maturity. & then, the evil of infidelity sneaks in, & more lessons are to be learnt.

SPACE BETWEEN THE STARS is engrossing, evocative & memorable.

A Powerful Memoir
This is an intimate, revealing, highly-readable memoir of an exciting, unusual, and deeply-examined life.Deborah Santana's beautifully-written book allows the reader to accompany her on a heady trip through San Francisco in the 1960's and 70's, as she takes us on a backstage tour, complete with sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll.

But this is much more than a hip jaunt though the wild worlds of music and celebrity.It is also a journey through times of social and personal upheaval and awakening.It is a story of coming of age filled with romance and motherhood, mysticism and business, loneliness and family, fear and strength.Her honest, heartfelt, and often funny account can also be a source of inspiration and solace due to her ability to overcome prejudice, insecurity, abuse, heartbreak, and loss.

Ultimately it is the triumphant tale of a courageous woman who has experienced pain and privilege, hardship and success and faced them all with real sincerity, humility, spirituality, and, most of all, love.

Deborah Santana is powerful, eloquent writer who uses words like prisms through which we can learn to see the world, and ourselves, in new ways.
... Read more

Book Description

When the unconventional Durrell family can no longer endure the damp, grayEnglish climate, they do what any sensible family would do: sell their house andrelocate to the sunny Greek isle of Corfu. My Family and Other Animalswas intended to embrace the natural history of the island but ended up as adelightful account of Durrell’s family’s experiences, from the many eccentrichangers-on to the ceaseless procession of puppies, toads, scorpions, geckoes,ladybugs, glowworms, octopuses, bats, and butterflies into their home. ... Read more

Book Description

In less than a year, Neil Peart lost both his 19-year-old daughter, Selena, and his wife, Jackie. Faced with overwhelming sadness and isolated from the world in his home on the lake, Peart was left without direction. This memoir tells of the sense of loss and directionlessness that led him on a 55,000-mile journey by motorcycle across much of North America, down through Mexico to Belize, and back again. He had needed to get away, but had not really needed a destination. His travel adventures chronicle his personal odyssey and include stories of reuniting with friends and family, grieving, thinking, and reminiscing as he rode until he encountered the miracle that allowed him to find peace. ... Read more

Reviews (119)

Why does Neil Peart think he's "better" than us?
I'm not a Rush fan, and I'd never heard of Neil Peart before another motorcyclist cleared out his library and I got hold of Ghost Rider. I'm not impressed with celebrity motorcyclists, having met Malcolm Forbes, Peter Fonda, Jay Leno, et al. None of those guys think that they are "better" than us, on the contrary, they revel in the camaraderie and the egalitarianism of the 2-wheeled brotherhood. But Peart comes off as a parvenu
moto-snob, and he shuns Americans as being overweight and declasse. Who did he think was going to read his book on motorcycle touring, anyway, people who were working their way through their own grief? And he doesn't begin to understand his own personality type, and why he thinks that he loved his wife, while actually he was still a boy at heart, out having fun with his friends, while his wife sat at home. There was very little about his wife and daughter in the book, and lots about his attempts to run away from his own self, which he didn't like very much, and there was nothing of the guilt that he should have felt about not being there for his wife before the accident
where his daughter died. And, while he may have suffered from the loss of his immediate family, his other family and friends were still there for him and he didn't lose his career while he went off running away from responsibility. On the positive side, I did enjoy reading the travelogue parts and found his imagery of natural phenomena and scenery to be enchanting. Too bad he had to dwell so much on his grief. Oh, Peart did accomplish what
a writer needs to accomplish: he gained sufficient empathy with the reader (even though I though he was an a$$hole half the time)
to make me hope for a happy outcome for him. So I flipped to the back of the book to look at the denouement (a sure sign that the author is wearying the reader). I was amazed. He married a girl, instead of marrying Brutus, whom he loved more intimately than he could ever love another woman!

Far more than just an insight into Neil Peart's life...
Just like many of the reviewers here at amazon.com had done, I purchased this book primarily because I am an avid Rush fan. It is true that Neil Peart has kept his private life very guarded from his fans and is very defensive about his privacy (see lyrics to "Limelight" by Peart). However...

The more I read this book, the less I was aware that the man on this "Healing Road" is the drummer of a legendary Canadian progressive rock power trio. I became totally immersed in the mind of a man who is on an intense journey of personal re-discovery. Further to that, I became thoroughly engrossed with Peart's simple yet amazingly effective description of life on the road (on two wheels). Peart had made me forget "who" he was and instead made me want to read about who he is becoming -- a man in the wake of devastating tragedy, born of a fragile, healing "baby soul."

My hat's off to Peart. This book is an excellent read.

I feel the soft ground under my feet; and I am moved.
"Living in a fisheye lens, caught in the camera eye,
I have no heart to lie,
I can't pretend a stranger is a long-awaited friend."
-- Limelight

And who can blame you? Who will judge you? Lost your life, your family, your love, your child, your spirit ! O cruel world ! You turned in your ambition for a cold dark hostile ride through infinite space and endless pavement. But you do have love. You do have light. You gave so much to the world in your youth. You were our only voice. You taught us all a philosophy that we knew before we became wealthy and learned in philosophy. You were our only philosopher; the greatest of all philosophers. Your gift was not only the gift of words of enlightenment, but was the gift of energy: adrenalin flowing. You gave the world truth: the rarest of all precious stones. Thank you. You are loved by millions. And many more will be born to discover your genius. Music is timeless. Perhaps we are all strangers to you, but you should know that we, your audience, all hold you close to our hearts. And in this that we all share, we are not strangers, but very close friends.

"Ghost Rider" takes us into the soul of Neil Peart, percussionist, composer, and lyricist and poet of the combined genius known as Rush. It is a mystery why he opened his soul in this text, but he did. It's true: we cannot know another unless we walk in their shoes. But we can share it all with each other. Neil pours it out. How you see it, how it affects you, is all up to you, the reader.

MR

Only for the dedicated
As a fan of Rush and Neil Peart for 20+ years, I was hoping this book would reveal more about Neil's human side and the tragedies he faced and overcame. It did, but not the way I expected. I was about 100 pages in when I realized the book is written for Neil himself, not for the reader. The author often seems not to know or care that a reader exists and wants to understand and empathize with his journey. He logs hundreds of pages of detail of his aimless wanderings, often interspersed with his own feelings of grief, but the few real insights are fragmented without any real coherence. In fact, some of them are probably unintentional; he seems as unaware of his own disdain towards most other people he meets, as he is of the reader himself. This becomes painfully obvious in the "Letters to Brutus" section, pages upon pages of correspondence that, while surely significant to Neil and his close friends, are mostly fragmented and irrelevant to anyone else. After 450 pages of material, through which we desperately want Neil to overcome his pain, the story of his recovery is tacked on in literally a single sentence, followed by 6 pages of epilogue.

My sense is that this book was written not for the reader, but for Neil to bring closure to his own grieving process, which is understandable given the terrible tragedies that the author experienced. The reader should approach it in that context, understanding that the process of grief necessarily makes a person very focused on the self to the exclusion of almost all else.

I'd recommend the book only to dedicated fans of Neil's work, with the caveat that this particular work is really written for Neil himself. All the band members have consistently said they feel they owe their followers their best possible performance in exchange for the CD price or ticket charge; for the $20 price of this book, this is the first work I've seen by any of them that falls far short of that standard.

This road gets a little long...
As a long time Rush/Neil Peart fan I may not be the most objective reviewer of this book as I tore through its pages with the mindset of a fan and not as a casual reader. Being a Rush fan and a motorcyclist, I'm probably as captive a reader as any author could hope for, so perhaps I grant this book some liberties where others may feel it falls a little short.

The passing of Peart's daughter and wife starts the book on it's haunting footing as the author takes you on a two wheel ride over miles and miles of road while simultaneously allowing you to feel his pain, recount his memories, think his thoughts, and bask in his ultimate healing. All while the odometer keeps clicking away.

What is immediately striking is the author's raw emotional openness - as though his motorcycle were the couch and the reader the psychologist listening to him poor it all out. The down side of this is that in his honesty you see him as not always being the most sympathetic of characters - often he comes across being uptight, anal, and often self indulged. Rather than recounting memories of his lost loved ones, allowing his devastation to be more concrete and real for the reader he regales in story after story of past motorcycle trips with his best friend Brutus. By the end of the book you know more about Brutus than the loved ones he lost.

The beauty of this book is experiencing the world as viewed through the eyes of a well-read, thoughtful artist. He has such a poetic sensibility about the world that the sights, sounds and smells of the passing countryside take on a fresh life. Throughout the book he is searching, but never out of control - he grieves as you would expect, but not driven by his emotions - instead he rides and thinks. ... Read more

Book Description

Perhaps the most unconventional and literally breathtaking father-son story you'll ever read, My Friend Leonard pulls you immediately and deeply into a relationship as unusual as it is inspiring.

The father figure is Leonard, the high-living, recovering coke addict "West Coast Director of a large Italian-American finance firm" (read: mobster) who helped to keep James Frey clean in A Million Little Pieces. The son is, of course, James, damaged perhaps beyond repair by years of crack and alcohol addiction-and by more than a few cruel tricks of fate.

James embarks on his post-rehab existence in Chicago emotionally devastated, broke, and afraid to get close to other people. But then Leonard comes back into his life, and everything changes. Leonard offers his "son" lucrative-if illegal and slightly dangerous-employment. He teaches James to enjoy life, sober, for the first time. He instructs him in the art of "living boldly," pushes him to pursue his passion for writing, and provides a watchful and supportive veil of protection under which James can get his life together. Both Leonard's and James's careers flourish . . . but then Leonard vanishes. When the reasons behind his mysterious absence are revealed, the book opens up in unexpected emotional ways.

My Friend Leonard showcases a brilliant and energetic young writer rising to important new challenges-displaying surprising warmth, humor, and maturity-without losing his intensity. This book proves that one of the most provocative literary voices of his generation is also one of the most emphatically human. ... Read more