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Review Date: 10/6/2015
I read this in high school but reread it for book club. I am so glad I did. In high school it was before the actual year 1984, that mixed with the fact that I was reading with the mindset of a teenager this reading was from a very different position. As a teen I was more interested in the first half, the life style, the relationships, the surroundings. As an adult, I found the second half, after his experience at the Ministry of Love, the way the Party worked, how they thought, the way Newspeak worked, very thought provoking. As a teen, this was a story that could never happen, as an adult with many years behind me I see how this could threaten our very society. I think reading this as a teen so much was lost on my own inexperience, BUT as a college student, this would have a greater impact. Sorry, not much here about the book, I do think it should be mandatory reading for every person.
Review Date: 6/21/2014
I love this book, it was my first DJ Conway book and I am excited to read more work from her. I am drawn to the Celtic religions and this book was very informative. Each section guides you on your unique journey to spirituality and concludes in a guided meditation. A very good addition to your library.
Review Date: 9/21/2014
Really good book. I love the way the "old" gods were incorporated into modern day and the fight between the gods of our forefathers and the gods of our children. Makes you look at the evolution of our dieties in a whole new way. I very much recoment this book.
American Heiress: The Wild, Strange Saga of Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation Army
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
10
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
10
Review Date: 8/21/2018
I really enjoyed this book. Toobin did a fantastic job bringing together media accounts, court transcripts, interviews, personal accounts and anything else he could get his hands on. I was 13 when Patty was kidnapped. I remember seeing the 1st bank robbery footage on the 6:00 news. What I didn't remember was the social upheaval at the time, the hundreds of bombings that were happening, the general unrest. As I was comparing what I was reading to what is happening now, it was a real eye opener. Toobin did not insert his final conclusion, you get to have your own feelings about that. I very much enjoyed the background story to every major and minor player. That made it more than just an account of the facts. What was really fascinating was how many now famous people were part of the happenings, what Toobin didn't mention was the fact that Chris Hardwick (Talking Dead) is now married to Patty's daughter. I would strongly recommend this book.
Review Date: 3/21/2015
This book was written in the late 1800. Before the growth and popularity of withcraft today. I would recommend this book to anybody interested in the true "old" ways from a Strega stand point. Tells the story of Diana and her daughter Aradia. Has the myths and legends, conjuring and prayers and much more information. Do not think it is going to be difficult to read, it is actually very easy to read and enjoyable.
Review Date: 7/18/2018
Helpful Score: 1
I really wasn't sure I would like this book by the way it started, (I am not usually interested in stories about "rich" people),but it quickly became interesting. I ended up having very strong opinions of all the characters in the story. Although, at first, I really did not care for the main character, Madeline, she grew into a kind person with standards and morals. Her husband, Ellis, on the other hand became more and more horrible until I completely despised him. I found the side characters every bit as interesting as the main characters and all in all I truly enjoyed the book. I believe the setting, Scotland during the war, added depth to the story but did not distract. I would highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from Sara Gruen.
Review Date: 10/10/2014
Great characters, Great friends, Great adventure. Completely believable, absolutely funny. You will really care about the guys, rooting for them against all odds. This was my first Tonia Brown book and I am hooked, I can not wait to read all of her books.
Review Date: 3/7/2017
Let me preface this with the confession that I did not read Life of Pi. That being said, I did not go into this book thinking about how it would measure up against Martel's earlier work. I really did not like this book very much. I did not like that it was written in one long chapter. I did not like the two main characters having the same name. When we first met the taxidermist my first thought was this is Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs, run before he puts you in a pit and wants you to rub the lotion on the skin. I did enjoy the injections of conversation between Beatrice and Virgil, the donkey and monkey who are the main characters in the taxidermists play. If the entire book were to have been this play I would have enjoyed it much more. Read it if you must, it was a really fast read but read it with a grain of salt. It is a play within a book written in diary form with main characters that are not very interesting. Martel tries to use tricks to capture our attention. And lest I forget, the horrible games at the end are very disturbing, I did not find them thought provoking, I just found them awful.
Review Date: 1/11/2015
I know people that say this is the best book they have ever read and it is life changing. I was not one of those people. I found the first half to be a bit tedious. It was not until the very end that I bagan to connect with the storey. I felt as though I was reading a jouranl written to capture the details of a recouring dream. I have been told I need to read it again to gain a greater understanding and appreciation. It is a book of few pages so that is not completely out of the question. I will give it another chance and possibly add to this review. I am glad I read it, if only to say that I have read it.
Review Date: 2/5/2019
First of all, let me preface this by saying I absolutely love Steve Martin. My siblings and I watched "The Jerk" like a million times and it still makes me laugh out loud. I was disappointed in the book. The first part was good, he seemed to be giving us more of how he felt and his thoughts about what was going on in his mind. The part he wrote about his life after he became famous was a bit more lacking and read more like the Wikipedia story of Steve Martin rather than his autobiography. I was really hoping for more personal anecdotes, stories about what it was like to work with all the amazing people he crossed paths with, funny behind the scenes insights. I really thought, that given how amazingly funny he is the book would have had me laughing out loud. I did really enjoy the walk down memory lane, and our book club was having a good laugh as the older members who remember Steve Martin were convincing the younger members of the group how really funny he was.
Review Date: 5/31/2014
My first Buckland book, I found it was enjoyable and had some fun facts about Gypsy life.
Review Date: 6/6/2017
I really enjoyed this book, it started a bit slow, laying the groundwork for Fiona but once she got to Africa it was very interesting. I love the interplay of charters, each one very well rounded. I was fully invested in all the charters. Marsha Hamilton told a very descriptive and colorful tale, one that I felt I could see in my mind like a movie. The lives of the semi-nomadic village, living in what most would consider a bleak existence, but from their point of view was rich in history, community, celebration and close to nature. A tale of how even the smallest gift, a hand pump and hose to bring water from the well, a teacher, some crazy books about avalanches and stories of lovers in big American Cities, can change their lives but also threaten their history and the continuation of their village and the life that they knew. At what point do modern devices and ideas become destructive to live as you know it? Read the book and you will see, a totally surprise ending, not anything that I was expecting. This was a very quick and easy read, don't forget to jot down the address to the real Camel Library so you can donate any books you may not need anymore. The information is at the end of the book.
Review Date: 5/31/2014
Read this for book club, I really liked it. I am a huge fan of "Sex in the City" series and this added a sense of history. I have added the sequel to my wish list and also other books by Bushnell. Great summer book to read at the beach or pool.
Coffee, Tea or Me? The Uninhibited Memoirs of Two Airline Stewardesses
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
46
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
46
Review Date: 10/30/2015
Loved this book, light and airy snippets of the lives of flight attendants, back when flying was a special event. I can see Don Draper putting the moves on Trudy. I remember flying back in the day, in awe of the beautiful, poised, glamorous stewardesses. Now I got to delve into the inner circles and learn the secrets of those lovely ladies.
Review Date: 3/11/2018
Even though the book club questions want you to discuss how the story is about class divide, in my opinion it is about pride and shame. Although it was very slow to start it may have been intentional to show how dire the characters lives were. They had no connection to each other and I had very little connection to them. It was not until Joseph left Harriet in the hopes of finding gold did the story get interesting for me. Rose Termain is a brilliant author, her way with words made me think the title was about the scenery of New Zealand. (I did not read the back cover or even notice the gold pan on the front cover, I was really busy and just needed to get the book read before I lead the discussion at book club). I could really see what she as so eloquently describing. My favorite quote in the book, was a saying from Pao Yi's father "We may avoid shame if we choose, for shame seldom takes us unawares, but has it's warning cry and we can hear that cry clearly. If you read this for a book club, please discuss pride and shame. Even though I didn't like the book until the middle, after a certain point, I really did enjoy it.
Review Date: 1/18/2016
I really enjoyed the individual stories of each artist. It was interesting to see where each person came from and how their lives lead them to their artistic path. I gained a greater understanding and respect for my artist friends and see how much of themselves they pour into their work. I do want to point out this is through the Univ. of CA press so it does read like a thesis.
Review Date: 8/27/2016
Very entertaining. Sophie really lives life to the fullest and has an incredible deep understanding of her wants needs and desires and where they come from. She is luckier then most when it comes to the D/s community or possible she just a great judge of character to only find the Doms that are in it for the right reasons or possibly she didn't write about the harmful side. What Sophie Morgan did do is show a lifestyle the most of us will never experience. It was fun, exciting and a little vouyeristic.
Review Date: 3/9/2017
What an incredible woman. She lived such a rich live with so many experiences. The book is a little heavy on the "lived on this street during this time then moved over hear for a while and moved again" but the parts that were just about Doreen as a person were amazing. I felt a real kinship with her as we look at life in the same way.
Review Date: 8/10/2017
I enjoyed this book more than I expected.
Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
21
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
21
Review Date: 5/31/2014
Very indepth look at the modern pagan movement. I love the way the book has been updated to add information on the current pagan movement yet holds the historical nature of the original printing. It is a book that will take some dedication to read as it has so much information and I would not call it an easy read but it is absolutely a must read. Again, this is a permanent book in my library and I will never post it to share. Sorry...
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