Amazon.com
Best known for tackling controversial issues through richly told fictional accounts, Jodi Picoult's 14th novel, Nineteen Minutes, deals with the truth and consequences of a smalltown high-school shooting. Set in Sterling, New Hampshire, Picoult offers reads a glimpse of what would cause a 17-year-old to wake up one day, load his backpack with four guns, and kill nine students and one teacher in the span of nineteen minutes. As with any Picoult novel, the answers are never black and white, and it is her exceptional ability to blur the lines between right and wrong that make this author such a captivating storyteller.
On Peter Houghton's first day of kindergarten, he watched helplessly as an older boy ripped his lunch box out of his hands and threw it out the window. From that day on, his life was a series of humiliations, from having his pants pulled down in the cafeteria, to being called a freak at every turn. But can endless bullying justify murder? As Picoult attempts to answer this question, she shows us all sides of the equation, from the ruthless jock who loses his ability to speak after being shot in the head, to the mother who both blames and pities herself for producing what most would call a monster. Surrounding Peter's story is that of Josie Cornier, a former friend whose acceptance into the popular crowd hangs on a string that makes it impossible for her to reconcile her beliefs with her actions.
At times, Nineteen Minutes can seem tediously stereotypical-- jocks versus nerds, parent versus child, teacher versus student. Part of Picoult's gift is showing us the subtleties of these common dynamics, and the startling effects they often have on the moral landscape. As Peter's mother says at the end of this spellbinding novel, "Everyone would remember Peter for nineteen minutes of his life, but what about the other nine million?" --Gisele Toueg
Book Description
In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five....In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can just jump off it.
In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge.
Sterling is a small, ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens -- until the day its complacency is shattered by a shocking act of violence. In the aftermath, the town's residents must not only seek justice in order to begin healing but also come to terms with the role they played in the tragedy. For them, the lines between truth and fiction, right and wrong, insider and outsider have been obscured forever. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, could be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened in front of her own eyes. And as the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show, destroying the closest of friendships and families.
Nineteen Minutes is New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult's most raw, honest, and important novel yet. Told with the straightforward style for which she has become known, it asks simple questions that have no easy
answers: Can your own child become a mystery to you? What does it mean to be different in our society? Is it ever okay for a victim to strike back? And who -- if anyone -- has the right to judge someone else?
Customer Reviews:
If you have teenagers now or plan to someday, read it!.......2007-10-03
Stark. Honest. Blunt. The truth hurts and Picoult reveals it whether we want to know it or not in her wrenching novel about a school shooting and the aftermath. As a former student-turned-teacher, I have been on both sides of the educational fence, and was curious about this latest offering from one of my favorite authors. Picoult so thoroughly captures the thoughts and actions of today's teens, to the extent that we feel like we are dwelling amongst them. The greatest feat she has accomplished here is that we truly don't know who to side with. At least for me, I found myself feeling an unexpected amount of sympathy for the shooter (ha - see? I almost typed victim). Who IS the victim of this alarming tale? Maybe it's all of them - the shooter, his parents, the deceased, the survivors, the rest of the community. Whatever the case, I urge all parents - heck, any member of a community - to read this book. It will open your eyes to what you think you know about teens and schools and what's REALLY behind those perfect, plastic Barbie-doll smiles. I cannot praise Picoult enough for her courage in tackling such sensitive subject matters. She is a truly gifted writer who sure knows how to pack an emotional punch in all of her novels, this one definitely more than the rest.
Could Have Been So Much Better.......2007-09-30
Nineteen Minutes is the story of a New Hampshire high school shooting that resulted in ten deaths and the wounding of nineteen others, some of whom were left with physical disabilities and mental scars that would be with them for the rest of their lives. It is Peter Houghton's story. Peter Houghton, a sensitive boy with few social skills or friends, was always different in the eyes of his schoolmates. He was a natural target for bullies out to impress their own friends and his life was all downhill from the first day of kindergarten when his new lunch box was thrown out of the school bus window onto the highway where it was crushed by oncoming traffic.
By the time that Peter was a high school junior, the same group of bullies had been slamming him into lockers, punching him, verbally abusing him and otherwise generally intimidating him for as long as he could remember. After sixth grade, he had even been abandoned by the one close friend he had had up to then when she decided that she wanted to be popular and realized that her friendship with Peter was going to make that goal impossible to achieve. So when Peter snapped, he snapped big time, and deciding that it was payback time at Sterling High School he changed a city forever in just nineteen bloody minutes.
Nineteen Minutes is not a terrible book but it is a disappointing one because it could have been so much more than it turned out to be. Jodi Picoult offers nothing new to the discussion of school shootings, what causes them, or how they can be prevented. Instead, she deals in stereotypical characters and a sideshow romance that add little but pages to her novel. Rather than developing the characters of some of the bullies in the story to give insight into why some people get such great pleasure from humiliating those physically weaker than themselves, she offers up cardboard characters like Detective Patrick DuCharme whose constant one-liners give him more the personality of a stand-up comedian than that of a competent detective. She spends more time developing a romance between DuCharme and Judge Alex Cormier, the mother of one of the victims, than she does in trying to explain why school shootings have become so common in recent years. I did not expect, or want, a romance novel from Picoult but I got one.
Picoult's pacing of her story is disappointing because of the way that she so gradually builds up the suspense and mystery surrounding what happened on that fateful day only to end it all abruptly with somewhat of a surprise ending and a quick summary of what happened after the trial. Less time spent on an unnecessary romantic sideshow and more on a better written ending would have made this a much stronger book.
The audio version of Nineteen Minutes is read by actress Carol Monda who turns in a competent reading of this 18-disc recording. My only quarrel with Monda's performance is the "little boy" voice and cadence that she consistently uses for all of her male characters regardless of their age. That quirk made it difficult to take some of her characters seriously and may have contributed to my negative impression of Detective DuCharme.
A book club hit.......2007-09-30
Even though the subject matter of this abook is quite disturbing, most of my book club friends gave it 5 stars. At first I was saying it should be read by all parent and teachers. It gives such an insight into the torments of teenage life. However, I have ammended my opinion of the book's impact. It gives us insight into how we influence everyone we interact with in this life. I will try to in the future be considerate of how I treat my family and all people I cross paths with.
Another great book by Jodi Picoult .......2007-09-30
Wow! Jodi Picoult has done it again. I think this is one of her better books. She tackles a very difficult and emotional subject and she does so with wonderful sensitivity. This book is so real, I felt as if I truly knew the characters and was right there alongside them. I found myself crying on a few occasions.
She tells the story from many different points of view and bounces back and forth through time. As with most of her books, there is a "twist" at the end. I do have to say, though, that I would have liked to see a slightly different ending. I will not say much more as I do not want to spoil it for those that have not read it.
This book is a must read!
A Very Interesting Book.......2007-09-29
I picked up "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult after a conversation with a co-worker. She was a big fan of Picoult, but had not yet read this book. I picked it up on Friday and finished it on Tuesday, after several late evenings.
"Nineteen Minutes" tells the story of a bullied young man who decides to take matters into his own hands after the school administration and his parents don't provide the help he needs. It is also the story of his parents, a girl who used to be his friends, and her mother, who was once friend's with the shooter's mother. Using a flashback, flash forward story-telling method, Picoult tells the present events and the previous events that led to the tragedy.
While most of the other reviews that I have read about Picoult say that she has utilizes "pat" endings, I was very surprised at the end of this book. In fact, I was in tears as the final chapters rolled around.
I think this particular story struck a nerve with me because I am an educator by profession, studying to become a principal. The main issue in this book was bullying and that is, unfortunately, something that is dealt with by many students every day. While the book is graphic in some areas, it is a book that I would recommend for all educators to read, not just for the entertainment value, but also for the insight that Picoult provides into the feelings of bullied children.
Book Description
In this profoundly affecting memoir from the internationally renowned author of The Caged Virgin, Ayaan Hirsi Ali tells her astonishing life story, from her traditional Muslim childhood in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya, to her intellectual awakening and activism in the Netherlands, and her current life under armed guard in the West.
One of today's most admired and controversial political figures, Ayaan Hirsi Ali burst into international headlines following an Islamist's murder of her colleague, Theo van Gogh, with whom she made the movie Submission.
Infidel is the eagerly awaited story of the coming of age of this elegant, distinguished -- and sometimes reviled -- political superstar and champion of free speech. With a gimlet eye and measured, often ironic, voice, Hirsi Ali recounts the evolution of her beliefs, her ironclad will, and her extraordinary resolve to fight injustice done in the name of religion. Raised in a strict Muslim family and extended clan, Hirsi Ali survived civil war, female mutilation, brutal beatings, adolescence as a devout believer during the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, and life in four troubled, unstable countries largely ruled by despots. In her early twenties, she escaped from a forced marriage and sought asylum in the Netherlands, where she earned a college degree in political science, tried to help her tragically depressed sister adjust to the West, and fought for the rights of Muslim immigrant women and the reform of Islam as a member of Parliament. Even though she is under constant threat -- demonized by reactionary Islamists and politicians, disowned by her father, and expelled from her family and clan -- she refuses to be silenced.
Ultimately a celebration of triumph over adversity, Hirsi Ali's story tells how a bright little girl evolved out of dutiful obedience to become an outspoken, pioneering freedom fighter. As Western governments struggle to balance democratic ideals with religious pressures, no story could be timelier or more significant.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating story....but read about peaceful Muslims also.......2007-10-02
InfidelThis is a fascinating story by a courageous woman and gives us valuable insight into life in many Middle Eastern countries. I highly recommend it. At the same time I have visited other Muslim countries and have women friends who have a totally different life with freedom and choices, so I would recommend reading other books about women and Islam. Many of our Muslim friends are working for peace, tolerance and interfaith dialog here in the US and in other countries.
YOu GO ,GIRL.......2007-10-02
College Club reviewed your autobiography and you put us to shame-your accomplishments despite yourcultural restrictions...searching for a God of Love-You did find yourself- AND courageous enough to take a stand - God does love you and blesses you You have opened the door for many women and more WILL follow. May you continue your crusade for women;s rights
Great book!.......2007-09-28
This is a wonderful book about Ayaan's life story. It grabs your attention from beginning to end. I definitely recommend this book especially to individuals who love women studies!
Outstanding - must read.......2007-09-24
This is a brave, honest and intelligent book written by the courageous, honest and intelligent women. "Infidel" is a "coming of age" story, written by women who grew up as a devoted Muslim, saw the Islam world "from inside out" and was gradually able to open her mind, question her faith and her world - and find the answers that contradicted everything she learned before.
Ayaan Ali continues to tell the truth and fight for her ideals; and even though sometimes the style of this book made me wish for more editing, most of the time I realized that this uneven style makes the book and its message more genuine and potent. Very powerful book, absolute necessary reading for anybody who is interested in current political affairs or Islam religion.
Spellbinding autobiography and history.......2007-09-23
It is rare to find autobiography as absorbing as this. Not only because of the author's unusual path from the desert of Somalia to the USA via the Netherlands, but also on account of the engaging writing style. Clear and descriptive, the narrative of her eventful life had a profound impact on this reader. Born and raised in Somalia, she spent part of her youth in neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Kenya, describing through the eyes of a child what it was like to live there.
She makes the history of Somalia come alive under the dictatorship of Siad Barre, explaining the clan system and comparing the relaxed Muslim practice in that country with the strictness of Saudi Arabia and the hypocrisy and racism that go along with it. The short experience of Ethiopia and later the long stay in Kenya, both predominantly Christian countries, were different again and she really captivates one's attention with the places and the people. One of the most salient memories she recalls is the obsessive anti-Semitism in Saudi Arabia. Where her family lived in the city of Riyadh, Jews were blamed for everything.
A sub-theme of the book is the increased radicalization of Muslims, partly because of the failures and the suffering brought about by Barre and the chaos of the civil war that unseated him. She noted this radicalization taking place amongst Somalis and others in Kenya where she spent most of her adolescence. This radical strain was brought to Africa by Arabs and Iranians, both Sunni and Shia, also reflecting the failure of secular ideologies and bad government in the dictatorships of the Muslim world.
There are sympathetic but honest portrayals of her family and friends: her mother who showed healthy signs of independence early in life but eventually lost hope and became embittered, her loving and tolerant but mostly absent father, her brother who stayed in Kenya and her sister who, when she couldn't cope in Holland, died tragically after returning to Kenya.
Instead of stirring up feelings against Islam, this book makes one contemplate the location of each individual's birth, how little free choice there really is in a closed society, the powerful hold of your community's history and culture, the difficulty of resisting brainwashing and how grateful people in free societies ought to be for the blessings that a lot of us take for granted.
The book is also about a second journey - the one from a stifling experience of oppressive religion to enlightenment and an embrace of Western values like individual freedom, freedom of speech and the rule of law. The fact that the individual mattered and had a right to life, to choice and freedom, was a joyful discovery.
This theme interweaves with the history she so deftly chronicles: the collapse of Somalia, the slow decline in Kenya, Dutch politics in the face of dysfunctional multiculturalism that however well intended, harms individuals in the immigrant communities and society as a whole. More information of what is going down in The Netherlands and Europe as a whole is available in While Europe Slept by Bruce Bawer and Menace in Europe by Claire Berlinski.
It is humbling to read of the author's wonderment at Holland where even the police were friendly and helpful, and everything worked. She clearly loves The Netherlands; her words radiate with gratitude and appreciation of Dutch culture and society. I especially enjoyed the account of her studies at the University of Leiden where she discovered the great Western philosophers.
Infidel is the story of a life that has experienced mutilation, war, deprivation, tragedy, adventure, drastic adaptation and inspiring achievements, by an unusually courageous, empathic and resourceful individual. There are 11 black & white plates of family and other people who played a part in her life. As far as leaving Islam is concerned, I recommend the following informative books by two equally courageous women: Because They Hate by Brigitte Gabriel and Now They Call Me Infidel by Nonie Darwish.
Amazon.com
Money maven Suze Orman's latest book, Women & Money addresses the complicated (and often dysfunctional) relationship women have with personal finance. Orman's direct, non-condescending style is perfect for this subject matter--she begins with the premise that "Women can invest, save, and handle debt as well and skillfully as any man" and then tackles the important question--"So why don't they?" Designed to educate and inspire, Women & Money also offers a "Save Yourself Plan," a five-month program that "delivers genuine long-term financial security." Want to know more? Watch a video message from Suze below, and take a gander at the first chapter of Women & Money--you'll be "controlling your destiny" in no time. --Daphne Durham
An Exclusive Video Message from Suze Orman
Watch the video
|
Read the First Chapter of Women & Money
For Women Only
I never thought I'd write a book about money just for women. I never thought it was necessary. So then why am I doing just that in my eighth book? And why now? Let me explain. All my previous books were written with the belief that gender is not a factor on any level in mastering the nuts and bolts of smart financial management. Women can invest, save, and handle debt just as well and skillfully as any man. I still believe that--why would anyone think differently? So imagine my surprise when I learned that some of the people closest to me in my life were in the dark about their own finances. Clueless. Or, in some cases, willfully resisting doing what they knew needed to be done. I'm talking about smart, competent, accomplished women who present a face to the world that is pure confidence and capability. Do you mean to tell me that I, Suze Orman, who make my living solving the financial problems of total strangers, couldn't spot the trouble brewing so close to home? I don't think I'm blind; I just think that these women became very, very good at hiding their troubles from me.Why not? They had years of practice hiding them from themselves.
Read more from Chapter 1...
Book Description
Why is it that women, who are so competent in all other areas of their lives, cannot find the same competence when it comes to matters of money?
Suze Orman investigates the complicated, dysfunctional relationship women have with money in this groundbreaking new book. With her signature mix of insight, compassion, and soul-deep recognition, she equips women with the financial knowledge and emotional awareness to overcome the blocks that have kept them from making more out of the money they make. At the center of the book is The Save Yourself Plan—a streamlined, five-month program that delivers genuine long-term financial security. But what’s at stake is far bigger than money itself:
It’s about every woman’s sense of who she is and what she deserves, and why it all begins with the decision to save yourself.
Join the Movement to Save Yourself with this Unprecedented Offer to Readers of Women & Money:
Suze Orman believes that having an account of your own is the cornerstone of long-term financial security, and so she has begun a national movement called
Save Yourself to turn this wish—that every woman have an account in her own name—into a reality. She is joined in this crusade by the financial brokerage firm TD Ameritrade, which has come up with an extraordinary offer for readers of WOMEN & MONEY. Follow Suze’s
Save Yourself Plan and open an account in your name with TD Ameritrade. Commit to an automatic deposit of at least $50 per month for twelve consecutive months, and TD Ameritrade will provide the incentive in the form of a $100 deposit into your account in the thirteenth month. In other words, you save $600 or more over the course of a year, and TD Ameritrade will reward that effort with a $100 bonus. Learn more inside the book or at
www.saveyourself.com.
Offer valid for one new TD AMERITRADE account (non-retirement) opened between 2/27/07 and 3/31/08, and funded by 12 monthly consecutive automatic electronic deposits of $50 or more. First $50 must be deposited within 30 days of opening account. To be eligible, you must be a U.S. resident aged 18 or older. See
www.saveyourself.com for obligations and limitations and to accept this offer. This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where TD AMERITRADE is not authorized to do business. Random House, Inc., does not endorse, is not associated with, and has no responsibility for the TD AMERITRADE offer. TD AMERITRADE, Random House, Inc., and Suze Orman are separate and not affiliated, and each of them is not responsible for the services and information provided by the other(s). TD AMERITRADE, Inc., member NASD/SIPC.
Customer Reviews:
Great gift!.......2007-10-01
Bought this for a good friend who was widowed a year ago and had not been involved in finances during the marriage. She is digging herself out of some financial challenges and she said the book made her feel really good about her progress. Highly recommend!!
Suze is Five Stars.............2007-09-21
I've listened to Suze Orman on TV and I bought this book for my wife who doesn't want to manage her portfolio. She still won't manage her portfolio, but she's getting smarter about investments.
Suze Orman Shares Investing Common Sense with Her Book Women & Money.......2007-09-20
Suze Orman Shares Investing Common Sense with Her Book Women & Money ~ Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny
By Lisa Manyon [...]
Money is a topic you either embrace or avoid. Orman's book delivers straight talk on investing for women and building individual wealth.
Personally I've always know just enough about investing to put some money away each month and I rely on financial advisors to steer me in the right direction.
Suze shares a candid look at her life and how she got to where she is now. Plus she offers a no nonsense approach to making sure women begin to really think about taking care of their own business.
With an uplifting vein of optimism about what is possible throughout the book, Orman successfully illustrates traits and tactics to help women thoughtfully approach investing.
Orman's 8 qualities of wealthy women have been shared on national talk shows and cannot be stressed enough.
Qualities 1 and 2 are harmony and balance. These are said to be the most important qualities because they are the foundation for all other qualities.
Quality 3 is courage. Orman writes that "Courage gives harmony expression. When your thoughts and feelings are one, courage helps you manifest them in the form of words and actions."
Quality 4 is generosity. Orman points out that woman tap into this almost too quickly. We tend to be overly generous with our time, support, love and money. The true measure of generosity, according to Orman, is being able to allow money to come into your hands and out through your heart.
This was a concept I can relate to. Orman challenges women to look at why and what they give and how it makes them feel. She also offers six rules for giving (but, you'll have to grab a copy of the book to find out what these are).
Quality number 5 is happiness. According to Orman when you find the courage to live your life in harmony and balance, you understand and practice generosity, happiness will spontaneously appear.
And perhaps the most important point she shares about happiness is this; "Happiness is not a luxury. It is a necessity for true wealth."
Quality number 6 comes in the form of wisdom. Who doesn't want to be wiser?
According to Orman, wisdom is more than intellectual and not directly related to education. Wisdom is an express result of tapping into your core beliefs to make the right decisions for yourself.
The 7th quality is cleanliness and is all about the importance of order and organization. A laundry list of situations that subtract from your wealth status include;
- Not knowing where your money is
- Not having a systematized filing system for important documents
- Pulling crumpled bills and receipts out of your purse
- Maintaining a vehicle that looks like a garbage can
- Having closets that are filled with junk and clutter.
I am sure most of us can relate to at least one area we need to work on. I have to admit, as organized as I am, I could relate to a couple of those scenarios. Orman's philosophy really makes sense and I've corrected my personal problem areas. My first order of business was donating clothing I had not used or worn in the past year to charity.
The final quality is beauty. Orman ties all the qualities together by noting beauty is what you achieve when all the qualities are combined.
To some it may seem strange that the qualities of wealthy women are included in a book on investing. However, if you personally don't possess the qualities it will not be as easy for you to achieve your wealth potential.
In addition to the foundational building blocks Orman shares solid advice on choosing the right investor, the importance of having one personal savings account in your name only and discusses investment options in layman's terms so anyone can get started right way.
Very Informative, every woman should read this........2007-09-10
I learned a lot from this book, this book has been very inspirational for me, I feel more in control of my financial future.
Women & Money.......2007-09-08
Suze is an easy read. She doesn't talk down, but she doesn't overwhelm. She offers sound, practical advice that only requires an attitude of resolve. Ladies, you can do it with this advice. It's helping me get better focused, and teaching me practical tips that I wouldn't have known, otherwise. Very, very easy read. Entertaining as well as educational.
Book Description
In the life of Precious Ramotswe–a woman duly proud of her fine traditional build–there is rarely a dull moment, and in the latest installment in the universally beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series there is much happening on Zebra Drive and Tlokweng Road. Mma Ramotswe is experiencing staffing difficulties. First Mr. J.L.B. Mate-koni asks to be put in charge of a case involving an errant husband. But can a man investigate such matters as successfully as the number one lady detective can? Then she has a minor falling-out with her assistant, Mma Makutsi, who decides to leave the agency, taking the 97 percent she received on her typing final from the Botswana Secretarial College with her.
Along the way, Mma Ramotswe is asked to investigate a couple of tricky cases. Will she be able to explain an unexpected series of deaths at the hospital in Mochudi? And what about the missing office supplies at a local printing company? These are the types of questions that she is uniquely well suited to answer.
In the end, whatever happens, Mma Ramotswe knows she can count on Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, who stands for all that is solid and true in a shifting world. And there is always her love for Botswana, a country of which she is justifiably proud.
Customer Reviews:
Another triumph for McCall Smith.......2007-09-28
I eagerly awaited this new installment in the series, and was not disappointed, although there were a few parts in this novel that moved slowly. The situations in this novel seemed real, the types of human relationship issues we all deal with on a daily basis. Things are not always lovely, people do disagree and doubt one another, and this novel revealed this underside of humanity. I hope this series will continue, as I am anxious to find out more about Mme Makutsi and her upcoming marriage, and also about the kids, who appeared only briefly in this novel. If you have not listened to the audio, run to your public library and check it out. Lisette Lecat's wonderful voice has gotten me through many long and tedious road trips.
The Best So Far!.......2007-09-20
My husband and I listened to this on our trips to my doctor and we really enjoyed this one. It has more than one subplot, and held our attention. As always, the narrator is wonderful. This series is like comfort food - always satisfying even if it doesn't have the most substance. No profanity, no real violence--just great entertainment.
Another charmer.......2007-08-28
What can I say? This is another charming installment in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I wish Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni really existed so I could meet them. At any rate, this series makes me want to visit Botswana. If you liked the other books, you will definitely like this one. If you are starting out, read them in order from the beginning.
Earthy Wisdon.......2007-08-26
Close to the earth, close to what's real and true (if there is ever a 'true'). Very personal to me as I lived in Botswana some years ago for a few years. An authentic rendition of the ways of living and the general 'feeling' of Botswana. I have all 7 of the series and re-read the previous 6 before reading the newest one. I loved the immersion. Mma Ramotswe is wise. Her character is not unique to Botswana but Botswana offers a fine ambience for developing and displaying wisdom. Over the coming years I intend to re-read the series frequently.
Not the best in the series..........2007-08-24
This was a surprise eighth installment to a series that was supposed to end with seven. While I am a big fan of the series, I found this particular book to be disappointing for a number of reasons, most of them related to the plot.
As is his usual set-up, McCall Smith starts a series of mini-mysteries to be solved by the ever-resourceful Mma Ramotswe and/or her colorful assistant, Mma Makutsi. In this book, several characters get their own mystery to solve, some with more success than others. Some of the plot lines break down, only to be gathered up hastily with weak explanations. There is also a lack of continuity between some of the story lines.
While the subplots have some definite leaks, the author's painting of the characters continues to be what makes these books so good. The reader learns a bit more about Mr. JLB Matekoni, although the mystery behind his depression remains as such. Mma Makutsi continues to have enjoyable dialogues with her shoes as she prepares for the next phase in her life. The children, Motholeli and Puso, make only brief appearances, as does Phuti Radiphuti.
There are still a few open loops in the tale of Mma Ramotswe and cohorts, so the author might not be finished with the series. Should there be a next installment, however, I hope that McCall Smith finds a fresh supply of creative plot lines.
Book Description
Do you know the real Paula Deen? You may think you know the butter-loving, finger-licking, joke-cracking queen of melt-in-your-mouth Southern cuisine. You may have even visited The Lady & Sons to taste for yourself the down-home delicacies that made her famous and even heard some version of her Cinderella story (a single mom with two teenage sons started a brown-bag lunch business with $200 and wound up with a thriving restaurant, a fairy-tale second marriage, and wildly popular television shows), but you have never heard the intimate details of her often bumpy road to fame and fortune.
Courageously honest, downright inspiring, and just a little bit saucy, Paula shares the highs and lows of her life in the inimitable charming and irreverent style that you know from her television shows and personal appearances. She talks about long childhood summers spent in a bathing suit and roller skates and hard years living in the back of her father's gas station; a buzzing high school social life of sleepovers, parties, cheerleading, and boys; and a difficult marriage. The death of her beloved parents precipitated a debilitating agoraphobia that crippled her for years. But even when the going got tough, Paula never lost the good grace and sense of humor that would eventually help carry her to success and stardom. Of course, you can't get by on charm alone: as Paula has learned, you need plenty of willpower, hard work, and, above all, the love and support of family and friends to finance, sustain, and run a successful restaurant.
In each chapter, Paula shares new recipes: there's serious comfort food like her momma's Chocolate-Dippy Doughnuts, Courage Chili for when you know life's going to get tough, Sexy Oxtails for seducing that special someone, and the recipe for her new mother-in-law's Banana Nut Delight Cake that Paula finally got just right. And you'll love the never-before-seen photos of her family.
In this memoir, Paula Deen speaks as frankly and intimately as few women in the public eye have ever dared. Whether she's telling tales of good times or bad, her story is proof that the old-fashioned American dream is alive and kicking, and there still is such a thing as a real-life happy ending.
Customer Reviews:
I loved this book!!!.......2007-09-19
I loved Paula Deen from the first time I watched her show on "Food TV". However there was so much about her life that I did not know. Reading this book really brought me in to her personal life--what is important to her, her battle with agoraphobia, and even some of her mistakes. I read this book while I was on vacation--could'nt put it down!!!! She has such a funny way of telling you about her life--her usual Paula Deen craziness!!!! LOVED IT!!
Paula's book is cookin'.......2007-09-12
This book was so easy and fun to read. Paula's writes like she talks. I admired her courage in starting a business. She never allowed herself have the option of giving up.
It Aint All ABout the Cookin.......2007-09-07
If you have enjoyed Paula Dean cookbooks and her cooking shows, you will enjoy this book. I found out so much about Paula Dean and her struggle to fame. As I read this book, I could just hear her voice and her laughter and Laugh I did. There are also a few recipes in the book that I have found to be excellent.
Paula Dean and her handsome boys are to be applauded for their stick-to-ativeness..and God bless the entire family. May the Dean/Weaver family always be a hugh success.
You don't have to love cooking to enjoy the book. If you want honesty and humor, this is the book.
Loved this book!.......2007-09-05
Paula does a great job of giving you a sense of her roots. She also shares many of her personal struggles - some of which were probably not that easy to discuss publicly. She's brutally honest about her low times and bad decisions that she's made. As the reader she will make you feel as if you are a trusted friend in which she's chosen to confide.
I think Paula is a courageous woman who has earned every bit of her success.
Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin'.......2007-09-04
I just LOVED this book!! Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. It's been a long time since I've done that with a book. I felt like Paula was right here with me. She made me feel like I was part of her life. I laughed and cried and what's gone on in her life and continues to go on. She's a remarkable lady. I wish I could meet her someday; but since I probably won't, this was the next best thing. Paula you are a "hoot"!! I just love you girl, and keep on being yourself!
Book Description
This beautifully written, heartfelt memoir touched a nerve among both readers and reviewers. Elizabeth Gilbert tells how she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the trappings of modern American success (marriage, house in the country, career) and find, instead, what she truly wanted from life. Setting out for a year to study three different aspects of her nature amid three different cultures, Gilbert explored the art of pleasure in Italy and the art of devotion in India, and then a balance between the two on the Indonesian island of Bali. By turns rapturous and rueful, this wise and funny author (whom Booklist calls “Anne Lamott's hip, yoga- practicing, footloose younger sister”) is poised to garner yet more adoring fans.
Customer Reviews:
Highly Recommended!.......2007-10-03
Intelligently written. That is how FABULOUS this book is! I can't wait to share this book with my friends! Entertaining and fun read! When I bought this book I also took the How to be a Super Hot Woman: 339 Tips to Make Every Man Fall in Love with You and Every Woman Envy You and I am very happy to have read both books!
Easy reading style, uninspiring content.......2007-10-03
Her writing style is fluid, but her precious self-indulgence made it a painful read and embodies the entitlement "all-about-me" vein in the current culture in North America. That this book is currently #4 on the Amazon best-seller list is disheartening because it reminds me of how this generation of women in America could make a difference but instead are focused on getting their lattes in their SUVs on their way to yoga class. Me, me, me! Try reading "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson to see what one person can accomplish in the world as a stark contrast to Gilbert's self-centered story.
FUNNY BUT NOT ENOUGH!.......2007-10-02
I thought the writing was entertaining and very genuine but not mature enough. I couldn't wait to finish the book .... I had to scan through the last few pages.
What a wonderful adventure.......2007-10-02
Most people can relate to the break-up of a relationship and the physical/emotional drain we experience. I'd recommend this to the singles, the marrieds, and the inbetween. Straight or gay. It's not just a book about divorce but self discovery.
Refreshing and witty.......2007-10-02
This is the only book I have read that I started reading again as soon as I finished it. I didn't want it to end. Her description of Italians and their love affair with food and life is delicious. I laughed out loud at her description of all her efforts to overcome her depression. I could so identify with her analogy of depression and lonliness crawling in bed with her, old friends. I was a little disappointed in the "South Pacific"
ending. It left me wondering what was going to happen to her when she returns to "real life".
Average customer rating:
- THANK YOU JEANETTE and your entire family for sharing your life!
- Absolutely amazing!
- The Glass Castle
- Best book I have read in a long time!
- Couldn't Put It Down
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The Glass Castle: A Memoir
Jeannette Walls
Manufacturer: Scribner
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ASIN: 074324754X |
Amazon.com
Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover. --Brangien Davis
Book Description
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.
Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.
What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.
For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.
TO INQUIRE ABOUT SCHEDULING JEANNETTE WALLS FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS PLEASE CONTACT:
Keppler Speakers
Dustin L. Jones
Associate, College & University Division
703.516.4000 (P)
703.516.4819 (F)
Customer Reviews:
THANK YOU JEANETTE and your entire family for sharing your life!.......2007-10-03
An excellent book so engrossing I could not put it down. I love to read, but this book has moved me and stayed with me longer than any other. This book shows that you can break the chains that bind when you are focused. I've been in recovery many years and I appreciate the work involved in writing, along with courage in sharing, such intimate details of a family history. I will be recommending this book for years to come. Thanks again.
Absolutely amazing!.......2007-10-02
An amazing account of how one can overcome her/his circumstances instead of "blaming" the parents. A real page turner and so well written. I had put off reading this book for many months (thinking it would be too depressing to read) until a co-worker said, "It's really a good book."
The Glass Castle.......2007-10-01
Moving story. Uncomfortable to think the young woman would deny the existence of Mother when seen on street until you hear her story. It's a story of child neglect mixed so strangely with child love. Parents- child like themselves.
Best book I have read in a long time!.......2007-09-30
I am a bookworm. I read a lot of books. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls had me mesmirized from the beginning...The intro ...where she looks out of the window of a car and sees her mother rummaging through a dumpster was the hook. How children could grow up like she did seems amazing! She made me rethink the struggles(I thought)I had growing up...nothing like what she went through. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
Couldn't Put It Down.......2007-09-30
Although the author's self-absorbed and psychologically damaged parents appear to have raised their children with almost complete disregard for their welfare, she never allows the reader to lose sight of their humanity. In doing so, she creates a mesmerizing portrait of remarkably complex characters - and becomes a sympathetic character herself. I highly recommend this book.
Average customer rating:
- Funny and profound
- Grace (Eventually) thoughts on Faith
- Not her best, but still brilliant
- No thank you, no good.
- She's the Best
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Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith
Anne Lamott
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
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ASIN: 1594489424
Release Date: 2007-03-20 |
Amazon.com
Through Anne Lamott's many books (including six novels, her bestselling parenting memoir, Operating Instructions, and her popular guide to writing, Bird by Bird) the subject she keeps returning to is her faith, her deeply personal--"erratic," she says--journey in Christianity. Her latest book, Grace (Eventually), is her third collection of her "thoughts on faith," and she took the time to answer a few of our questions.
Questions for Anne Lamott
Amazon.com: This is your third book on faith. How has your perspective changed since you wrote your first one?
Lamott: I wrote my first book on faith when Bill Clinton was president, and I was in a much better mood. I wrote Plan B during the run-up to war in Iraq, and the ensuing catastrophe, so I was very angry, but trying to reconcile that pain and hostility to Jesus's insistence that we are made of love, to love, and be loved, to forgive and be forgiven. Some days went better than others. Also, my son Sam was in his early teens, and that was a LOT easier than when he turned 16 and 17, his ages when I was writing the pieces in Grace (Eventually).
In general, I think Grace (Eventually) is a less angry book. I like how I'm aging, except that my back hurts more often, my knees crack like twigs when I squat, and my memory fails more frequently, in more public and therefore humiliating ways. But I think I complain less. As my best friend said when she was dying, and I was obsessing about my butt, "You just don't have that kind of time."
Amazon.com: What does grace mean for you? How can we better communicate it to each other?
Lamott: Grace is that extra bit of help when you think you are really doomed; also, not coincidentally, when you have finally run out of good ideas on how to proceed, and on how better to control the people or circumstances that are frustrating or defeating you. I experience Grace as a cool ribbon of fresh air when I feel spiritually claustrophobic. Sometimes I experience it as water-wings, something holding me up when I am afraid that I'm going down, or the tide is carrying me away. I know that Grace meets us whereever we are, but does not leave us where it found us. Sometimes it is so small--a couple of seconds relief here, several extra inches there. I wish it were big and obvious, like sky-writing. Oh, well. Grace is not something I DO, or can chase down; but it is something I can receive, when I stop trying to be in charge.
We communicate grace to one another by holding space for people when they are hurt or terrified, instead of trying to fix them, or manage their emotions for them. We offer ourselves as silent companionship, or gentle listening when someone feels very alone. We get people glasses of water when they are thirsty.
Amazon.com: Many of the essays in Grace (Eventually) first appeared in Salon, the online magazine, and that's the way that many readers first found you. How do you see the Internet changing the way people read and write?
Lamott: The Internet makes everything so immediate and spontaneous, which I totally love--UNLESS it has to do with the immediacy of people's negative response to me. Several of the Salon pieces in Grace--for instance, the story about the horrible fight with my son, and the piece about turning the other cheek while being ripped off by The Carpet Guy--generated a couple hundred letters, many of them extremely hostile. Perhaps "spewy" would be a better description. I also sometimes get knee-jerk responses to my mentions of Jesus in my Salon pieces that seem to lump me in the same tradition as Jerry Falwell. But for the most part, I love the populism and egalitarian nature of the Internet: everyone counts the same.
Amazon.com: What stories do people tell you, when they've read your books or know you are a writer?
Lamott: People tell me how relieved they are that I try to tell the truth about how hard it can be to be a mother, or a daughter, or an American in these times. They tell me stories about how awful their own teenagers can be, or how awful they themselves behaved towards their kids or parents; how hard it was to finally be able to adore their mothers, or to forgive their fathers. They tell me their sobriety dates. They whisper to me that they are Christians, too.
Also, they ask if I am able to read their manuscripts, and the name of my agent, and my e-mail address. They ask if we are going to survive the current political difficulties--and I promise them we are. They ask how old my son is now--17 and a half--and how he is doing, which is fantastically, after some of the hard months I wrote about in Grace.
Amazon.com:What lessons do you think you can pass on to others: to your readers, to your son? What lessons does it seem like people have to learn for themselves?
Lamott: All I have to offer is my own truth, my own experience, strength and hope. I can pass on the tool of a God Box, and how for 20 years I have been putting tiny notes in mine and promising God I will keep my sticky fingers off the controls until I hear God's wisdom: sometimes I get an answer because the phone rings, or the mail comes, but at any rate, during every single terrible problem and tragedy, I have been given enough guidance and stamina and even humor to bear up, and be transformed, for the good. I always tell Sam that if you want to make God laugh, tell Her your plans. I tell Sam that if he listens to his best thinking, he will suffer: and to listen to his heart instead, to listen in the silence, and to seek wise counsel.
Amazon.com: You've written nearly a dozen books (including an incredibly popular guide to writing): does writing get any easier? Does it get harder?
Lamott: In a very important way, writing gets easier, because I've been doing it full time now for thirty-plus years, and just as you would get better and better if you practiced your scales on a piano, I've gotten better, and can try harder and harder pieces. But writing is always hard. It does not come naturally to me at all. I sit down at the same time every day, which lets my subconscious realize it's time to get to work. I give myself very short assignments, and let myself write really terrible first drafts. But I grapple with the exact same problems every writer does, which is having equal proportions of self-loathing and grandiosity. I sort of live by the Nike ads: Just Do It. So I sit down. I show up. I do it by pre-arrangement with myself, because I know I'll feel sad and terrible if I shirk on that days writing. I do it as a debt of honor, to myself, and to whatever it is that has given me this gift of being able to tell stories, and to make people laugh. Laughter is carbonated holiness. Other people's good writing is medicine for me, and I hope mine is too, for my readers.
Book Description
The sharp, funny, and heartfelt follow-up to her bestselling Plan B, Anne Lamott's newest collection is a personal exploration of the faith and grace all around us.
In Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith, Lamott examines the ways we're caught in life's most daunting predicaments: love, mothering, work, politics, and maybe toughest of all, evolving from who we are to who we were meant to be. This is a complicated process for most of us, and Lamott turns her wit and honesty inward to describe her own intimate, bumpy, and unconventional road to grace and faith.
"I wish grace and healing were more abracadabra kinds of things," she writes in one of her essays, "that delicate silver bells would ring to announce grace's arrival. But no, it's clog and slog and scootch, on the floor, in silence, in the dark."
Whether she's writing about her unsuccessful efforts to get her money back from an obstinate carpet salesman, grappling with the tectonic shifts in her relationship with her son as he matures, trying to maintain her faith and humor during politically challenging times, or helping a close friend die with dignity, Lamott seeks out both the divinity and the humanity in herself and everything around her. Throughout these essays, she writes of her struggle to find the essence of her faith, which she uncovers in the unlikeliest places. By turns insightful and hilarious, pointed and poignant, Grace (Eventually) is Anne Lamott at her perceptive and irreverent best.
Customer Reviews:
Funny and profound.......2007-08-12
Anne Lamott is honest and engaging. This book is a beautiful testament to a real life lived in faith and hope in the midst of inevitable disappointments and hardships.
Grace (Eventually) thoughts on Faith.......2007-08-08
I bought this book thinking I would get an inspiritial read. Instead I found that the title totally misrepresented the book. This is nothing but a self-centered, self-indulgent, whiny bunch of writings from a drug user/alcoholic, over age hippy, feeling (what?). Certainaly not faith!
Title should read "Poor Me, I can't Think Straight"
Not her best, but still brilliant.......2007-08-01
One of the most popular voices in contemporary spirituality, Anne Lamott has a remarkable gift at handling serious and unfunny topics - religion, motherhood, eating disorders, death - in a witty and disarming way.
Lamott's new book, "Grace Eventually: Further Thoughts On Faith," is a collection of essays, many of which Lamott wrote as a columnist for Salon.com. If you haven't read anything by Lamott before, the best places to start would be "Traveling Mercies" (her bestselling memoir), and "Bird by Bird," (one of the best guide to writing anywhere, another bestseller). But the two things you should know before reading Anne Lamott is that 1) she is an incredible prose artist, quirky and profound, with a style that seems all her own. And 2) she is almost completely neurotic.
"Grace Eventually," is a special book in that Lamott's description of ordinary events make them feel sacred. She is a writer with an ability to make the reader pay attention, feel present, and tune in to the story taking place around them. Although she refers to Jesus consistently, there is little that seems orthodox about Lamott's spiritual journey, and perhaps that is one of the reasons she has such a wide readership.
You'd have to be made out of granite not to find something that moves you in this unique collection of essays. You would also need to adhere to Lamott's precise and strident political positions not to find at least one portion of this book infuriating. Either way, "Grace Eventually" is a provocative and unique read, and any avid reader owes it to themselves to become familiar with one of the country's top writers.
No thank you, no good........2007-07-25
I read another one of Anne's books. The first one I did not like much, and really did not want to read this one, but when you already own it, you feel you must with 16 dollars into the book. It was some repeating of stories I really did not like in the first place, there were a few highlights or good moments, but not enough. I still feel bad for her, but most times I was like "get over it." Now I loved Donald Miller's book, which was along the same mindset, but he seemed deep or maybe just a man. Sorry Anne, you are twice if not more the writer that I am, but I was just not into the book.
She's the Best.......2007-07-25
Her words are equivalent to the phrase "A sight for sore eyes." My copy now has so many underlines and dog ears that I just don't know where to start with quotable quotes--
"IT FEELS AS IF SOMEONE FINALLY CRACKED OPEN A WINDOW THAT HAD BEEN JAMMED."
"...taught me a willingness to help clean up the mess we've made is a crucial part of adult living; that our scary, selfish, damging behavior litters the planet."
"...we get mad at each other, over and over, then we apologize, become friends again: I see how each time this is redemption. How amazing it is to share that."
"Joy is the best makeup."
"Prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can't imagine."
I use this like a Bible when I need to be called to a higher place. It soothes me, calms me down, and calls me to a (much) higher place. Buy this, Bird By Bird, and the other two from this series. They are GIFTS.
Book Description
Every little girl has dreams of being swept up into a great adventure, of being the beautiful princess. Sadly, when women grow up, they are often swept up into a life filled merely with duty and demands. Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the pressure to be a "good servant," a nurturing caregiver, or a capable home manager.
What Wild at Heart did for men, Captivating is doing for women. Setting their hearts free. This groundbreaking book shows readers the glorious design of women before the fall, describes how the feminine heart can be restored, and casts a vision for the power, freedom, and beauty of a woman released to be all she was meant to be. By revealing the core desires every woman shares-to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a grand adventure, and to unveil beauty-John and Stasi Eldredge invite women to recover their feminine hearts, created in the image of an intimate and passionate God. Further, they encourage men to discover the secret of a woman's soul and to delight in the beauty and strength women were created to offer.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing.......2007-10-03
This book is the best christian book that I've ever read. It really hit home with me and I could relate to all the things it talked about. I truly believe all teenage and young adult girls should read this book!
Practice discernment with this book.......2007-09-29
The Eldredges have a penchant for writing pop culture into their books rather than stating what is Biblical. Much of their Scriptural quotations are deliberately picked and chosen to back up their personal opinions and experiences. Any true student of the Bible would be able to discern the poor exegesis right away. They read into the Scriptures their personal biases, rather than gleaning from the Scriptures what was truly meant.
Aside from that, contrary to what Eldredge has written, every woman's greatest longing and desire is not "to be a beauty." Every woman's (and man's) greatest need is to know that they are God's -- valued and accepted by Him. Sadly, many women have found that their only source of validation, from the time they were little girls, came from their external appearance. When they wore pretty dresses, had cute ribbons in their hair and looked pretty, they were complimented. This taught and reinforced for them that their value comes from their beauty. It then follows that many women long to 'unveil beauty' (as Eldredge writes) because that's the only way they know validation. Women, this is not what we should be teaching our younger women nor should this be what we believe. What we are all seeking is to be valued, and we can be valued by God simply because we belong to Him -- not because of how we look or what we've done. Our identity comes from Christ. And our purpose in life is not to be a beauty, to be rescued and romanced or join a man in his adventures -- rather, it is to follow God on the adventures He has us go on. We are not called to just be sidekicks to the hero, we are also called to be heroines. God's call is for both men and women to be 'fishers' of men and women. God's commission is for both men and women to make disciples of all nations. This means both men and women are to go on great adventures with God. Don't settle for a lesser role than God intended for you.
As a final note, we all know and understand from Prov 31:30 that "beauty if fleeting". A woman's greatest call is to be "a woman who fears the Lord." This is what we ought to pursue with passion.
I wouldn't recommend this book to any of my friends. But if you want to see what all the hype is about, I just wanted to encourage you to practice discernment in reading this book. Take their words with a grain of salt. Remember that it is THEIR words and opinions, not biblical words from the Lord.
Validates the importance of womanhood and beauty.......2007-09-29
Being an aesthete, I always considered myself trivial in my need for beauty. I couldn't imagine why it was so important to me, but I figured it must be a dysfunction and I felt shallow for it. I also had trouble with femininity in general because what was feminine was not valued in my childhood home or in the media. That was until I read Captivating. Eldredge did an excellent job breaking down what is critical and powerful about beauty and womanhood, in a way that was impacting and memorable. I consider it a must-read for women.
Wonderful Book Revealing Those Times We Were Broken As Women.......2007-09-25
I had to read this after I read Wild At Heart--This book pointed out so many times, places in my life when I was broken. When my spirit was crushed, when I missed getting something that I truly needed for my life--and it also gave me the strength to say, "Hey, that's okay -- I'm okay -- I'm beautiful." Thank you -- John and Stasi -- for your ministry and honesty!
Who is the source of your validation????.......2007-09-18
WOW! This book not only gets to the heart of what I often feel it reminds me that the only antidote to feeling alone, unlovable, unwanted and... is to find my answers in my Savior, Fiance, and Lord. It gives real life examples from the authors' lives as well as other people. The Eldredges cover a lot of territory in these 200+ pages. They touch on issues of identity, Spiritual warfare, wounds from dysfunctional birth families and many other areas. This book only skims the surface in many areas as its main purpose is to help women see more clearly who God intended us to be in a general sense and for us as women to understand the role God designed men to play in our lives and us to play in theirs. I think this book could also help men to get a deeper glimpse at the things that we as women often keep buried between ourselves and hopefully God because we feel that the men just don't get it.
Maybe they do, maybe they don't but one of the points in the book is that we need to look to God, our Creator, for the true answer to our nagging questions regarding our worth as a man or a woman. The following quotes illustrate some of what the authors have to say on this topic.
"A man's deepest question is, `Do I have what it takes?'.... A woman's is, `Am I lovely?'....We can't wait until we feel safe to love and invite.... God calls us to trust Him and offer our true selves.... He wants us to entice, allure and invite others to Jesus by reflecting his glory in our lives. He will give no guarantee that others will respond well.... God's invitation is to bring our sorrow to Him. To keep our hearts open and alive, and find refuge and healing in His love."
This book also reminds the reader that God is ultimately the source of validation and fulfillment that we try so hard to find elsewhere. If our focus is on Him and the relationship He desires with us and built us to desire with Him then many of those feelings will be eliminated.
There is so much more to this book and it has created a hunger and thirst in me to pursue the more intimate relationship with my Lord that I have been neglecting. I would recommend this book wholeheartedly. I can't even begin to put down here all the gems and wealth the authors have managed to fit into this short span of pages. Read Captivating to get the full picture of what these authors have to say and how it can be applied to your own life.
Book Description
In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s painted a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.
Download Description
Lisa See is the author of Flower Net (an Edgar Award nominee), The Interior, and Dragon Bones, as well as the critically acclaimed memoir On Gold Mountain. The Organization of Chinese American Women named her the 2001 National Woman of the Year. She lives in Los Angeles.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.......2007-10-03
I thought this book was very informative as to the life and habits of the Chinese around the turn of the 20th century. Relationships have changed little since that time, people are always misunderstanding situations. It was beautifully described and written.
True friendship.......2007-10-02
This book is not a "feel good" book, in fact you will be choking back the tears by the end of it. The book goes deep into the relationship between two friends starting with early days of footbinding and on to through the ups and downs of life. It is well worth your time to read!
So-So.......2007-10-02
Based on all the reviews, I had expected this book to be much better than it was. I found the chapter on the feet-binding process well-written and interesting, but the rest of the novel was fairly uneventful for me. I thought a lot of the messages the women were writing to each other were too "sappy". I really felt no emotional connection to any of the women - except maybe for Auntie (Beautiful Moon's mother). I'm glad I read the book, but I think it's overrated.
Easy Read.......2007-10-01
Easy read but distrubing to learn of the cultural practices that young chinese girls had to endure.
Everyone I Know Loves This Book.......2007-09-29
Once I read Snow Flower, I passed it on to a friend, who passed it on, and on, and on. Everyone has loved this book. For myself, I found it engaging and endlessly entertaining. It has a beginning, a middle and an end that are all wonderful. The writer has a beautiful way of telling the story of an enduring friendship. I highly recommend.
Books:
- Once Upon a Crime (The Sisters Grimm, Book 4)
- Option Volatility & Pricing: Advanced Trading Strategies and Techniques
- Pedal Steel Guitar
- Photography
- Portraits
- Professional Model Portfolios: A Step-by-Step Guide for Photographers
- Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats--A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners (A 30-Minute Meal Cookbook)
- Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverent Iris Apfel
- Ray Gun: Out of Control
- Reclaiming Your Life from a Traumatic Experience: A Prolonged Exposure Treatment Program Workbook (Treatments That Work)
Books Index
Books Home
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- MY WAR: THE TRUE EXPERIENCES OF A U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE PILOT IN WORLD WAR II
The Double Bind: A Novel
Harvesting the Heart: A Novel
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
