Book Description

Six years in the making--with unprecedented access to Nancy Reagan and the couples closest friends--here is the first volume in the definitive portrait of the remarkable, career-building partnership between Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis. Celebrity insider and Vanity Fair special correspondent Bob Colacello reveals the social history of Ronald and Nancy Reagan as no one ever has before, from the formation of their unique alliance through their rise to the heights of power. Colacello exposes facets of their marriage that have always been hidden from public view. Ronald, born into modest circumstances in rural Illinois, and Nancy, raised in a fashionable enclave of Chicago, both learned early on the value and importance of cultivating the right friendships. Over the years, they perfected their social skills into an art form, becoming one of the film industrys most talked-about power couples. But Hollywood was only the beginning.... ... Read more

Book Description

For the first time, New York Times bestselling biographer Anne Edwards tells the story-behind-the-story of the legendary Barbra Streisand, revealing the inner demons that have driven her career -- and shaped her tumultuous personal life. Based on interviews with more than 140 ofStreisand's friends, family, lovers, associates, and enemies -- many of whom go on the record for the first time -- Streisand takes you on a revelatory journey, from her Brooklyn beginnings to the controversies surrounding her latest movie, The Mirror Has Two Faces. Through it all, we come to know the real Barbra Streisand as we've never known her before. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A Lovingly Documented and Well Researched Biography
I just finished Anne Edwards' biography of Streisand- in one day, and I am not even a fan of the woman. However, viewing Streisand through Edwards' eyes makes the reader root for the insecure teenager, the "homely" girl from Brooklyn, who despite a disturbing lack of support which started with her own mother's criticism of her career choice- managed to blast into world superstardorm as a Broadway headliner, bestselling recording artist and director, producer and star of her own Hollywood movies. She was a little girl who bought into the fantasy of movies- and was placed in the unique position to create fantasy herself, thanks to what Edwards calls her "chuptzah"- a winning mixture of charm, impossibly high standards, and absolute artistic control over every venture she undertakes. Edwards paints Streisand in bold strokes-quite subtly, with her warts and all. The reader may feel unsatisfied though, because although we get a thorough profile of Streisand the performer and businesswoman, it is still Barbra-the-human-being that is elusive. More insight into her relationship with her son, Jason (who happens to be gay) would have been in order. Regardless of these shortcomings- Edwards' biography triumphs as a beautifully written portrait of a wonderfully multi dimensional woman.

Edwards' Failure
In order to be fair I read this book twice. I adore Babs--I live my life to be like hers; I want my resonance to sympathize with her resonance. I want people to spend time with me and to think that they have really been in the company of Babs. Or at least AS IF they had been in her company--I want to leave a similar impression. I really really really do. I approached this book in much the same way. I wanted to think that this book was in Babs' library. Instead, if anything, Edwards' treatment locates this book not in her library but perhaps in her pantry--right between that canned vegatable that the previous owners left behind and the cantalope pie tin. Edwards' doesn't get Babs' main rhetorical mechanism--of putting the world on the defensive to protect her from her own defensiveness. Edward's BUYS INTO Babs' mechanisms rather than calling them out. In a sense, Edwards argues for the grandeur of the Emperor's new clothes. I give it 5 stars because, as the other reviews attest, her fans want to be duped. Hence, I celebrate 5-star stupidity.

An innocent child? Or a flustered fool?
I read Edwards' rendition of Streisand on a full stomach--indeed, had I eaten one more bite, I would have choked in a way that would have repulsed the most sea-tested sailor. Perhaps it was this context--a context at once full and barren--that allowed me to plunge into Streisand's persona with such plodding, cautious, phobic zeal. Would this book answer the main question: is Babs a hapless victim; is she an innocent child; or is she an immature hapless brat whose very own defensiveness results entirely in her tireless attempts to put others on the defensive in her presence? Once you are certain the world revolves around you, to put others on the defensive is your only resort when an unnamed discomfort disturbs your fragile psyche--when for a passing moment the reality that you are not as great as you think you are dares manifest itself; and you, with just slightly greater impetus, dare not see it for what it is really is: a truth that threatens the (necessary) house of cards that you --and your adoring lemmings--call reality. Edwards' treatment here sidesteps these questions by becoming a literary lemming. Her introduction and her conclusion are like two pies on a ledge of a house: screaming the warning "don't jump around or the pies may tip over and fall!" Edwards is a fan. That is why this book is so excellent. She loves Babs. I do. You do. Babs does. Andre does. Our president does. Buy the book and share it with your OWN Babs. Cross the line. To make a connection. A Streisand Connection.

Fantastic.
Barabra Streisand. She is one of the most fantastic ladies ever to walk this earth. This Biography is Fantastic. I love it.

Filled with fun facts but the end falls short
After reading, Edwards book on the famous singer, I found that Edwards has definately done her homework. There were many interesting and fun facts and factlets about Barbra's life and, especially, the people in them. However, the last few chapters fall apart and I couldn't help but wonder what the big rush seemed to be in not paying as close attention to detail as Edwards had early on in Barbra's life. Clearly, she holds Streisand in high regard, since Edwards presents her life as if she is one of her biggest fans. The book opens with the Las Vegas concerts and ends about 5 years after, giving the reader no sense of closure. A flaw in writing the biography of a person who's story isn't over yet. ... Read more

Book Description

All But My Life is the unforgettable story of Gerda Weissmann Klein's six-year ordeal as a victim of Nazi cruelty. From her comfortable home in Bielitz (present-day Bielsko) in Poland to her miraculous survival and her liberation by American troops--including the man who was to become her husband--in Volary, Czechoslovakia, in 1945, Gerda takes the reader on a terrifying journey.

Gerda's serene and idyllic childhood is shattered when Nazis march into Poland on September 3, 1939. Although the Weissmanns were permitted to live for a while in the basement of their home, they were eventually separated and sent to German labor camps. Over the next few years Gerda experienced the slow, inexorable stripping away of "all but her life."By the end of the war she had lost her parents, brother, home, possessions, and community; even the dear friends she made in the labor camps, with whom she had shared so many hardships, were dead.

Despite her horrifying experiences, Klein conveys great strength of spirit and faith in humanity. In the darkness of the camps, Gerda and her young friends manage to create a community of friendship and love. Although stripped of the essence of life, they were able to survive the barbarity of their captors. Gerda's beautifully written story gives an invaluable message to everyone. It introduces them to last century's terrible history of devastation and prejudice, yet offers them hope that the effects of hatred can be overcome.
... Read more

Reviews (72)

Strength and Courage without Measure
I recently had an opportunity to hear Gerda Weissman Klein speak of her experiences as a Holocaust survivor. You may remember Ms. Klein from the HBO Film based upon her startling story, which won an Academy Award. As a pampered, fifteen year-old Jewish girl in 1939, her idyllic family life came to an abrupt halt when the Nazis rolled into their small Polish town.

For a short period of time, her family was permitted to remain in their house, albeit in the basement. Over time, her family unravelled, shipped off one at a time to the death camps. Her beloved brother, Arthur. Her father. Her mother. All disappeared, never to be seen again. By 1942, she began her journey through a series of increasingly harsh slave-labor camps, using an ability to speak German and a quickly acquired expertise on garment looms. Only through a series of fortuitous coincidences, sacrifices of friends, and even a few benefactors among her captors, was she able to survive the factories.

By 1945, the Nazis were on the run and their prisoners were forced to move back into Germany. Stripped of all possessions except for some photographs tucked into her ski boots (which her father had presciently demanded she wear the summer she left home), she survived the 350-mile winter "death march". Only 120 of 2000 girls survived the forced march and Gerda herself was liberated by American soldiers only hours from death: she weighed 68 pounds when Lt. Kurt Klein, who was to become her husband, rolled into town.

There are few, if any, more compelling first-person stories of survival against all odds. Perhaps John Ransom's Andersonville Diary qualifies. But those who are unfamiliar with the concept of true evil would do well to read Gerda's unbelievable story of human spirit, and courage without measure.

An unforgettable story
I have just finished reading All But My Life. I was deeply moved by Gerda's strength, but I have also come to admire the language she uses in her memoir. It's amazing that Klein has survived so much and can still retell her tale with such vivid detail. One of the things I enjoyed about her writing was the way she told the reader what would happen to a certain character in the future. For example, when her father is leaving , she writes, "We watched until the train was out of sight. I never saw my father again". Although some readers may be disappointed because they know what will happen, I think that this makes a much stronger impact. The reader knows what Gerda doesn't yet know, and it makes her struggle that much more unforgettable. I would strongly recommend this book to everyone, it's a story that needs to be heard.

Deeply Moving
I picked up this book while visiting the Holocaust musuem in DC. I could not put this book down once I started reading it.What Gerda Weissmann Klein went through is amazing.I wonder if I could of been that strong.My heart broke for Gerda and the loss of her entire family.It makes me sick to know humans are able to do such terrible things to one another.

Horrifying, yet true
Gerda Weissman Klein chronicles her experiences as a young Jewish girl in Poland subjected to Nazi atrocities and cruelty.ALL BUT MY LIFE was beautifully written and transports the reader to a world full of suffering, heartbreaking separation, loss, sadism, and, yes, hope, which must never be forgotten.Perhaps books like this should be required reading for high schools all over the country so that the horror caused by such a madman as Hitler will never be forgotten.Thank you, Mrs. Klein, for sharing your remarkable story.

A very well written book on the holocaust.
I just finished this book.Amazing would not describe to you what I felt.Gerda went through so much, the death walk, how she survived that,is in itself a miracle. She lived with discrimination, just for being a Jew.I read this book and am brought to the understanding of how very fortunate I am to have never gone through something like this.What a life we all live, everyday with food in abundance and all the things we have.How so many people don't realize how lucky they have it!

However, it is even more than that, being sad for all the Jews who died, and the ones who lived with the painful memories the rest of their lives.It is such a learning experience.Our children need to read these books, to know not to treat anyone unkind and never never to think of ones self as better than any other.

Thank you Gerda for writing this book!What a blessing it was to me, to be able to read your experience.I am so horrified people had to endure these experiences.Nobody should ever have to go through those experiences.

T B, Oregon ... Read more

Book Description

From the time she was a girl, Jane Goodall dreamed of a life spent working with animals. Finally she had her wish. When she was twenty-six years old, she ventured into the forests of Africa to observe chimpanzees in the wild. On her expeditions she braved the dangers with leopards and lions in the African bush. And she got to know an amazing group of wild chimpanzees -- intelligent animals whose lives, in work and play and family relationships, bear a surprising resemblance to our own. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent autobiography for young people as well as adults.
My 8 year old was assigned to do her monthly book report on a biography. She wanted to read about Abraham Lincoln... until she found out she had to dress up as the book's subject! Regrouping with a week to go and a driving vacation looming, I rushed to ...to find a children's biography available in audio download... and stumbled upon this gem. We all listened to the (abridged) audio version on the trip, and I do think that hearing it read by the author added a great deal. My daughter read the unabridged book with fascination when we got home, though I suspect she might have had more difficulty relating to the book had she not heard Jane Goodall speak her own words first. At any rate, the report (outfitted with khakis, a notebook, and a velcro-handed stuffed chimp) was a great success, and my daughter has met a role model of determination, compassion, and wisdom.

A Heart-warming Adventure
An excellent book! Reading about the extraordinary life Jane Goodall has led is fascinating in itself. Add to it the personalities of the chimps you get to know as you read the book and the adventures Jane Goodall has experienced, and you have a fascinating read. Other reviews recommend this book to children, I recommend it for adults as well. I am thirty-something years young and cried when I read parts of this. Dr. Goodall's love for these animals really comes through.

Boring!
This book was so broing I couldn't even get through the whole thing. She was putting me to sleep!

never forgotten!
This is a beautiful book, grasping your atention and holding your hand thru a fantastic journey into Africa, and into the chimpanzes of the Gombe. You will get to meet all of them, and even see how they are like, observing the individual diferences of their behaviour. Parents: please purchase it for your kids! Kids: get your parents to buy it for you! Inspiring! I am now 22, but I must have been 10 when I first read this book (not this edition of course!). I still purchase Jane Goodall's books...and I'm following the dream she helped inspire: to go to a place no one can pronounce to study an animal few people care about...

Captivating read for children
My daughter is 6 and we have read a lengthy excerpt every day since she received this book for Christmas. She is enthralled. Ms. Goodall is a wonderful, true-life role model for young girls. ... Read more

Book Description

The personal diaries of women crossing America in covered wagons told of the ingenuity, courage, bravery , loneliness, fear, boredom, excitement and danger they encountered. They were called "overlanders." Margaret Frink's diary was a great discovery describing her observations of the choldra epidemic, the social encounters with the Indians who followed the wagons and the cost of provisions along the way. It is three hours of adventure told by actress Susan Baxter. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Straightforward, commendable
Meaningful, first-hand chronicles from six westward women pioneers of 1850.
As editor Dr. Holmes notes, Anna Maria Morris was the wife of a military commander and as a result was "treated with attention and care". Nonetheless, she describes the relentless heat, lack of water and wood, poor grass, etc. which was typical of travel to Santa Fe, along with daily routines.
Mary Colby, Margaret Frink, Sarah Davis, Sophia Goodridge and Lucena Parsons all traveled the northern ,more familiar, Oregon Trail. These women give stunning details of wagon travel including: the phenomenal numbers of graves along the trail due to cholera, daily chores and mishaps, the vast numbers of emigrants along the route, dry ponds, abandoned wagons and personal belongings, river crossings, cutting grass for future livestock feed, etc.
We feel the persistent, annoying stings of clouds of mosquitoes along the Platte, the disturbing sights of countless numbers of human graves, the unsettling smells of innumerable dead livestock left alongside the road, feel their Indian anxieties, the sounds of nerve-racking horrendous thunderstorms, the continual unwelcomed taste of trail dust. These women clearly illustrate what life was like traveling westward in 1850.
A pleasure to read.

A Must Hear Tale From the Trail!
As Americans we have heard many tales, true and false, of tales of, and about, those brave souls who migrated across the country in wagons and on foot in the 19th century. Beverly's LTD has recorded The personal diary of one such woman, Margaret A. Frink.

Mrs. Frink, along with her husband, whose first name we never know, and a boy named Robert leave their nice home in Martinsburg, Indiana, for the riches of the California territories. It's not only the promise of gold that spurs this couple on, but of the riches available to those who make the arduous trip.

Mrs. Frink keeps a detailed diary of the daily distances traveled (how did they m ark this?), the price of provisions along the way, the weather, the many people they run into, and an acute observation of the fashions on the trail. I found that quite interesting, those detailed descriptions of fashion, in clothing, transportation, and supplies, and the daily traveling distance. I also found myself amazed at the mileage the wagons were able to make each day and the price of provisions along the way. In 1851, one onion costs the Frink's one dollar, which is astronomically even in the 2002 market.

Susan Baxter, an actress at the Creede Repertory Theatre in Colorado, gives life to Margaret. By the tone of voice she uses, I suspect that Margaret is a bit of a snob, but she handles the travails of the trail with remarkable good humor.

It is particularly interesting that the diary does not end with their arrival in Sacramento, but gives a hurried account of life for their life as hotel owners and diary farmers. It is also interesting that the home they dismantled in Indiana and ship by boat, arrived in the new state at almost the same time they did.

Thanks to the publication of this diary, I have a whole new appreciation of the Old West!

A must read for anyone interested in history
The second in the series is as interesting as the first.The immigrants now have a bit more knowledge as many have gone before them.There are still many misshaps, disease, lack of water and feed. We now are starting to see many oppertunists who prey on the people. It is interesting to note that the women and Indians seemed to get along quite well and shared hints about many things. We also see the diffrence in the trip for diffrent income levels.This is also where we start to see pollution,as the animals were allowed in the creeks and anything not needed was just left .These books show what life was really like on the trail and what the women went through each day. ... Read more

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

Reviews (1)

Diana's Life In An Audible Nutshell
So unique!!! Not overly narrated, this four-sided "anthology" is a collection of speeches, stories, ceremonies and sermons spoken by Diana, her family and acquaintences; beginning with her birth and ending with her death. Besides Diana, herself, we hear from the Queen as a young woman and present-day; also, President and Mrs. Clinton, Nelson Mandella, Mother Theresa, and many others. We also hear a story from Diana's second cousin, which is humorous and interesting, but I didn't entirely understand why it was included--thus the four stars, instead of five. This collection is absolutely enjoyable to listen to over and over again and leaves the listener wanting to hear more! ... 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

This is the remarkable story of one woman's psychic odyssey. It offers illuminating insights into how we can better understand ourselves and our own psychic abilities. ... Read more

Reviews (140)

Even skeptics will love this
I was so sad when I finished this book, thank goodness Sylvia has written more!! What an amazing life and when you read what Sylvia has to reveal about past lives and the other side you will never feel the same about life or death again. Even if you are a skeptic you can't deny a lot of what Sylvia explains(she even has pictures of a ghost she spoke with). Everything she says rings true and makes sense. After you finish this you'll be back at the bookstore for her next book, The Other Side And Back, which is just as facinating. Don't miss this experience, you'll feel a peace and understanding that will change your life. Thank you Sylvia!!!

A skeptic in Arizona, however.......
First let me say that I am very skeptical of all religions, especially the organized ones that only seem to want your money and I've been this way since I was a child. Also this last year has been the worst year of my life what with losing 4 family members including my husband and 4 close friends and my job, which was sent to India. So that's my background and mental state when I started reading this book.

I liked the way Sylvia was bluntly honest in her describing herself and her life. She didn't make herself look completely wonderful or all-knowing. She seemed very down to earth. I was impressed by the fact that she provides a lot of free help to people. Yes, her personal readings are expensive, way out of my price range especially since I'm still unemployed, but her books are very reasonably priced.

This book gave me a lot to think about and more than that, things to hope for. I tend to look at things from a very logical perspective and I've never found a religion that does that. Sylvia gave some very logical explanations that makes me feel somewhat better or at least more understanding of what has happened in my life in the past year. I think I'm able to look to the future with a more positive outlook than before reading this book.

I'm still skeptical about religion but maybe not as skeptical about spirituality. But beware, reading this book could be exspensive. I just purchased three more of her books. :-)

Thanks, Sylvia
One of the reasons I enjoy most of Sylvia Browne's books, as I did this one, is that she is very forthcoming about where she has been and that she conveys just how difficult it really is to be spiritually intuitive. To improve their credibility and keep their egos in check, it would be well that others in the New Age/New Thought circles would follow Sylvia's example in this regard.

One of her most famous truisms, one that I appreciate greatly, is that a psychic is rarely able to predict what will happen in their own life...a bit humbling to come to that realization, but if we all (including highly spiritually intuitive people) come here to grow, then this limitation would seem a given.

However, there is an aspect of her personality that comes through in the blunt assertions she makes about the reality of our progression through spiritual and physical existences. My own sense is that, while very sincere, she may actually be oversimplifying and even exaggerating the process.

Three things she appears to assert that I am not convinced of:
(1) All the "evil" people and most suicides don't get to go to her version of heaven because they take an almost immediate u-turn after death and come back into another life, which would seem guaranteed to make for yet another unfortunate and miserable existence on earth, not only for themselves, but (even worse) for many others.
(2) After death, everyone essentially goes to the same place to deliberately plan their next existence on earth. While this may eventually happen for many souls, I would tend to believe that a great many folks just go to a reality that fits their most recent earth experience and that they stay there indefinitely until their spirit has a yearning to grow and seeks out an understanding that will lead to another opportunity to facilitate that growth.
(3) Spiritual beings cannot read our minds unless we consciously allow them to. If psychic people here on earth are able to do this (and I have experienced it myself), then why is it that spiritual beings cannot do it? My own sense is that while some information is profoundly personal and off limits to others, we spiritually project our intentions here on earth and in the spiritual realm to facilitate the work we are intended to do.

I am also not sold on her notion that the spirit world is a squeaky clean place and, except for the suicides and "bad guys" who are sent right back to earth after they die, we all essentially go to the same wonderful and resplendent location after our physical death. Based on the NDEs described by folks like Betty Eadie and Dannion Brinkley, I am inclined to believe that the afterlife location she describes in her books may very well exist, but, as Jesus said, "my Father's house has many rooms". From personal experiences and readings of other authors' works (P.M.H. Atwater, Howard Storm, Bruce Moen, Robert Monroe, among others) my belief is that the spirit realm is actually a very complicated set of realities, with many layers and many shades of light and dark within those layers. I think our world here on earth is a reflection of that complexity.

It would be interesting if some day we could see some of the well known spiritual intuitives and serious researchers of reincarnation and paranormal events come together to have a discussion on some of the more controversial aspects (i.e. where they do not always agree) regarding what they assert about:
(a) Life after death
(b) The nature of good and evil
(c) The power that we possess individually and collectively to create our realities.

Such a gathering might contribute to a better understand of the source or basis of some of their more controversial and intriguing ideas. As it is, the more I read books like Sylvia's, more questions are generated than answered.

Great read
This book gives us tons of insight of the life of Sylvia Browne. If you are a Sylvia fan and avid reader of her books, this might bore you a bit. I had to skip about 4 seconds because they were literally the same words as in other books. If you've never picked up a Sylvia Browne book, then you will be enlightened.

Bit overhyped
For well-known psychics, business is big money. While I don't decry that anyone ought to be able to make a living at something, charging $750 per reading (as I understand she does now) is a bit much. Shouldn't the most neediest of people, the people who perhaps might most benefit from the reading be charged less? Gee, for $750, I'll tutor you for 3 or four days in physical science and one 100% percent of it will be accurate!

My main quarrel with the book is its presentation of heaven. Greek architecture, a constant 78 deg F "climate," no bugs--just "friendly" animals, councils running the show (committees), and research places where scientists do the research for scientists on Earth. Maybe this is Ms. Browne's vision of heaven, but not mine, nor I suspect that of millions of others.

The one thing that Ms. Browne is probably correct about, is that heaven exists in a higher set of dimensions with considerably higher frequencies. And it's also likely that as a consequence, a different set of physics probably applies. After that, your vision is probably as good as mine. I'm willing to bet to some extent, what any soul arriving in heaven experiences is going to be somewhat dependent on his or her knowledge and beliefs.

Technology (and many other of mankind's activities) continues to wreck the earth despite the goodies it provides for us. The thought that there are people up there in "scientific institutions" busily inventing plasma TVs, the next version of Windows XP (hey, you didn't get the last version right), and better insecticides scares the bejesus out of me. Aren't they teaching enough ecology and themodynamics to you guys up there? (Heck, I'll teach you the basics for free--just "visit" me in the evening when a new episode of West Wing or CSI isn't on.)

I do think that some of Ms. Browne's spirituality is appropriate; it just gets carried away some times.

In case I'm totally wrong about this, it'll be a relief to know there won't be any roaches or spiders crawling around up there. :) ... Read more

Book Description

With the startling emotional immediacy of a fractured family photo album, Jennifer Lauck's incandescent memoir is the story of an ordinary girl growing up at the turn of the 1970s and the truly extraordinary circumstances of a childhood lost. Wrenching and unforgettable, Blackbird will carry your heart away.

The house on Mary Street was home to Jennifer; her older brother B.J.; their hardworking father, who smelled like aftershave and read her Snow White; and their mother, who called her little daughter Sunshine and embraced Jackie Kennedy's sense of style. Through a child's eyes, the skies of Carson City were forever blue, and life was perfect -- a world of Barbies, Bewitched, and the Beatles.

Even her mother's pain from her mysterious illness could be patted away with hairspray, powder, and a kiss on the cheek...But soon, everything Jennifer has come to love and rely on begins to crumble, sending her on a roller coaster of loss and loneliness. In a world unhinged by tragedy, where beautiful mothers die and families are warped by more than they can bear, a young girl must transcend a landscape of pain and mistreatment to discover her richest resource: her own unshakable will to survive. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

A Amazing story with a twist
Blackbird, written by Jenifer Lauck, is a very good book. It tells about her life and all the tough times she had. If you as a reader like to read stories with lots of twists, this would be the book for you. A significant event in Jenifer's life is that her mother is sick all the time, and she has to go to a "special place." Kids are not allowed there. so Jenifer does not see her mother much until she dies. Nine months later her dad has a heart attack and dies, and she is left with her step-mom. Her step-mom makes Jenifer do everything on her own, but there's a twist. I think this book is interesting because it has a lot of twists, and it is easy to follow. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read.

An unbelievable true story of survival
I loved this book. I recently read the entire book in one day. Jennifer Lauch writes a beautiful memior about growing up in circumstances that no child should live through, the deaths of both her parents, abuse and abandonment from other adults who should have taken care of her. Yet, through it all she is determined to fight for her life. It is a remarkable story that demonstrates that even through the worst conditions, many of us have the resilience to keep on fighting for the life that we deserve. The book ends when she is 12. I am about to read the second part of her memiors. I hope you pick up this book and enjoy the gifts that Ms. Lauch bravely bestows to us in the telling of her life story.

A Compelling Memoir
As a writing mentor, I work with a number of people who want to write memoirs. Many of them have experienced traumatic childhoods. I routinely recommend that they read Blackbird: A Childhood Lost and Found, in order to learn how a master of memoir handles writing about abandonment, abuse, and mental illness without blame, self-pity, or sentimentality. Lauck uses her skills as a journalist to shape a compelling memoir of her childhood. Her courage and well-honed craft are outstanding. She not only has connected with readers, but has helped many of them along the path of healing.

my story?
I felt like Ms. Lauck was writing my story. Her experiences and feelings were so similar to mine it was unreal. I cried from the moment I picked it up to the second I put it down. I cried because it was a sad story, I cried because I related, I cried because someone had finally put my feelings on paper.
Thank you Jennifer Lauck.

real page turner
BLACKBIRD is a fabulous piece of work, a real memoir. Yet almost seems fiction in its accounts of life. This book has some wonderful qualities like that of NIGHTMARES ECHO,LOST BOY and COURAGE TO HEAL.
This is a real page turner,excellent style. ... Read more

Book Description

Thankfully, Camryn Manheim has never played by the rules. Her fierce determination to defy the beauty myth, the naysayers, and casting stereotypes has resulted in one of today's most remarkable and unique Hollywood success stories. Her groundbreaking role as Ellenor Frutt on television's hottest drama, The Practice, has won her an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award--victories that are the culmination of decades of hard work, perseverance, and battles fought with her parents, lovers, the establishment, and herself.

In this inspirational memoir, Camryn chronicles her journey from a self-hating, "overweight" teenager who desperately wanted to fit in, to a self-loving, fat activist who is proud to be a misfit. Wake Up, I'm Fat! shares her intelligent, candid, poignant, and often hilarious stories of being fat in a society obsessed with being thin. Camryn takes us from her days as a motorcycle-riding hippie in Santa Cruz to her enrollment at New York University's prestigious school of drama--where Pulitzer Prize-winning Tony Kushner broke the unspoken theater rules of size and cast her in the role of the ingenue--and finally to Hollywood, where she dispelled the fallacy that large women can't be portrayed as sensual, sophisticated, and confident.

Camryn's endearing honesty, sass, and razor-sharp wit will appeal to all those who have ever felt like outcasts or yearned to make peace with their bodies. ... Read more

Reviews (113)

Wake Up People and read this book !!!!!!!!
When I first heard Camryn Manheim was coming out with a book Iimmedately thought to myself " I know it's going to be a goodread". Looks like my thoughts didn't decieve me. Camryn Manhiem best known for her role as Ellanor Frutt on The Emmy Award winning show The Practice really does have the talent to write. She not only can make one laugh but also cry at times too. After reading this book I felt like she wasn't just my favorite actress but also a dear friend of mine. She really told some things that were personal and I really admire her for being brave enough to do so. She is a great lady and has many talents. Who knew one of them would be writing.

Incredible, wonderful, uplifting book!!!
I am really astounded at the negative reviews some people (who, it appears, may have not even read the book) have written on here. This is one of the most powerful, witty, honest autobiographies I've ever read. Anybody who comes away from this amazing book with negative feelings has more problems than can be dealt with here. Camryn's story isn't about how wonderful it is to be fat (and, contrary to another reviewer, she does *not* encourage anybody else to be obese), but about how horrible other human beings can be to people who are "too" fat, or "too" thin, or "too" pimply, or "too" effeminate, or "too" masculine, or take your pick. Camryn's struggles, hopes, fears, and ultimate triumphs are universal and heartfelt. By the end of this book, I was moved to tears of joy, it was so powerful. And on top of all this, Camryn Manheim is one damn sexxxy woman. Hubba hubba.

Wonderful book by a strong, intelligent, beautiful woman
After reading the past reviews, I wonder if I'm the only man who read this book. The first thing that caught my eyes, I'll be honest, was the cover picture. Camryn is a gorgeous woman with very nice legs. She is also a person of deep character, who has persevered and triumphed despite the prejudices of our shallow society. She relates her struggles in a moving way, but avoids the whining, "why is the world so unfair?" tone that unfortunately characterizes some similiar works. If you want a glimpse into the mind of a powerful, beautiful and intoxicatingly magnificent woman, then you will enjoy this book.

Very inspiring
Like the author of this book, I have had a weight problem all of my life and have only recently managed to come to terms with the fact that I will likely always be a plus-sized woman. Thanks to this funny and inspiring book, I now realize that being large doesn't have to get in the way of achieving my dreams. Who says being skinny is a prerequisite for happiness anyways?

You don't have to be fat to get something out of this book!
When I first saw this book, it caught my eye. I thought the cover photo of Camryn was absolutely beautiful. Although I'm not fat, this book in part inspired me to accept myself and to not allow my insecurities to get the better of me. Remember, you don't have to be fat to get something out of this book! ... 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

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 the Queen and Prince Phillip right up until the time she died. It is a very interesting book, but after reading almost everything written about Princess Diana, there are so many different views and stories, it is hard to know which to believe.

NO PREDICTIONS OF IMPENDING DEATH HERE
Now that she is gone and the word is out that Diana did cooperate with the telling of this story the book is all the more interesting. Having never read a book about Diana, I found this to be very informative and tragic. Diana appears to have been a very misunderstood and lonely person, caught up in circumstances she had no control over. You just want to reach into her life and comfort her.

Prince Charles was clearly the villain in the relationship as much of his behavior has been confirmed in the media since her death. His refusal to discontinue his relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles speaks for itself. How anyone could pick CPB over Diana in unfathomable. What was never addressed was what Andrew Parker-Bowles thought about the relationship between his wife and Prince Charles. Both Camilla and Charles denied there was a relationship. What a crock.

The book provides a great back-story to Princess Diana's untimely death. But there is no prediction about an impending car accident as Diana's Butler Paul Burrell now claims. However she did make a haunting prediction in 1992 on page 220 that did come true, "I am performing a duty as the Princess of Wales ... but I don't see it any longer than 15 years."

A good introduction to someone who knows nothing about Diana. ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Christina tells story of child abuse by the rich and famous.
Christina Crawford tells a story that has gone on for years in this country. Child abuse can happen to any family. Unfortunately some narrow minded folks seem to think this only happens in poor or uneducated families. It can and does happen to anyone. Thousands of children are abused and/or killed in this country each year. We hardly hear enough stories about it to scratch the surface. It's a sin and a shame on this whole country that rich people can buy anything, even children. Some have called Christina a "cry baby". Is that perhaps because you feel that since she seemingly lived in a wonderful mansion and had every little frill a child could dream of? You can live in the most marvelous of mansions and have everything your little heart desires. It would still be a living hell if you had to share it with an abusive and/or mentally ill person who controlled your every move.

Someone who has never seen the movie or read the book called it, "Sickening and an abomination" that she would do this to her "foster" mother. I'd like to remind you that she was SUPPOSED to be a little more than her "foster" mother. She legally adopted these children which means she was supposed to love and protect them as any mother would. If she was unfit mentally then she shouldn't have used them to make a publicity splash or at least realized that she wasn't giving them the love they deserved. The only thing sickening and an abomination was that there were people around who witnessed all this and chose to turn their heads and a deaf ear because she was "Joan Crawford. Hollywood Glamour Star."

I too was abused but I don't have the courage that Christina has because most people don't want to "get involved" or they simply don't want to believe that someone could act so nice in public and be so different behind closed doors. So the victims go on in silence. Ms. Crawford spent 60 years developing her film career? Well, good for her. I'm so glad she was so narcissistic that she chose to spend all her time on her selfish vain needs and "bought" these poor children to live in misery for her own selfish vain need to be looked upon with respect. It only took Hitler 14 years to rise to dictator of Germany and only a few years to kill 6 million Jews and 5 million other people he considered to be mentally deficient or political enemies. So what? It doesn't take hard work to be vain.

Sickening and abominable? Yes that this country will turn it's head and let these things happen because we are so enamored with the rich and famous. I will go on in silence working behind the scenes at abuse shelters and charities. I can sleep at night. Good for you Christina. God bless you. I hope you too can sleep at night now, without fear of a drunken crazed woman coming in to wake you up with her latest torture. God bless America, and thank you for trying to open some of our eyes to the facts of child abuse and to this horrible habit of worshiping people with money and fame.

A sad tale...