Review: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Author:  Greg McKeown

Genre:  Non-fiction (2014)

Descriptive Words:  Learn to set boundaries; discern what is essential; eliminate the trivial; say no, gracefully; live with intent

"If you don't prioritize your life, someone else will."

Rating:  4 1/2 out of 5

Thoughts :  I'm quite selective when it comes to book review requests, accepting only those with topics I'm highly interested in (patting self on back), so another rave review is hardly surprising.

Although I thought this book, listed under Business & Economics, would be aimed more towards those in the corporate world as opposed to me, a homemaker, such was not the case. The author provided a fabulous balance between specific business situations and general everyday situations, so everyone (even homemakers) could benefit from the tips and advice.  Most importantly, not only does the author tell what to do, he tells how.

 My favorite chapter was DARE:  The Power of a Graceful 'No.'  These sentences spoke to me:  "Have you ever felt a tension between what you felt was right and what someone was pressuring you to do?  Have you ever felt the conflict between your internal conviction and an external action?  Have you ever said yes when you meant no simply to avoid conflict or friction? Have you ever felt too scared or timid to turn down an invitation or request from a boss, colleague, friend, neighbor, or family member for fear of disappointing them? If you have, you're not alone."  This chapter alone was reason enough to read the book.

Other favorite chapters:

• Progress (the power of small wins) 
• Subtract (removing obstacles) 
• Limit (setting boundaries) 
• Flow (the importance of routines)

I reserve 5-star ratings for books I finish in a day or two; i.e. those I can't put down, for which I've yet to find a Personal Success/Self-Help book that qualifies. Other than that, though, I give it 4  1/2 stars and plan to read it again. Highly recommend.  

I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Animal Wise by Virginia Morell

Animal Wise by Virginia Morell

Non-Fiction (2013)

How and what animals think is a topic I thought I'd be interested in.   Initially comparing it to my favorite book about animal emotions, When Elephants Weep by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, I struggled with the scientific aspect of Animal Wise. Despite it's subtitle, "The Thoughts and Emotions of Our Fellow Creatures," in the book Morell states that although cognition and emotion operate on the same pathway of the brain, less is known about emotion because researchers have not discovered how to study it. And it is because of this proclaimed inability to study animal emotions that critics of Masson's book regard him as guilty of anthropomorphizing.  I myself am guilty of such, which is probably why I enjoyed his book as much as I did.  That said, Animal Wise is a well researched, well-documented book based on actual animal experiments.

Several animals are highlighted in the book:  Dolphins, Ants, Chimpanzees, Rats, Fish, Birds, and Parrots specifically, Elephants, Dogs and Wolves. My favorite chapters were on ants - it's incredible how much they "communicate" and work together - and rats, which I despise, but found interesting that they love to be tickled! And I love everything about elephants, another chapter favorite. Morell may have stated why the animals highlighted were chosen; if so, I don't remember.

Putting aside my initial disappointment that this book was less about animal emotions and more about cognition, I was finally able to enjoy it. It's wonderful to learn how deeply invested scientists and biologists are in understanding the animal world. As this book proves, animals know a lot more than we think they do.

I recommend this book if you have a serious love for animals. It will strengthen your love and broaden your knowledge.

Rating:  4/5

Thank you to Crown Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not otherwise compensated.

Review: January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her

Author:  Michael Schofield

Genre:  Memoir (2012)

Descriptive Words:  Childhood schizophrenia, hallucinations, imaginary friends, hospitalization, violence

About:  Michael Schofield gives a heartbreaking and shocking glimpse into parenting a schizophrenic child. His 6-year-old daughter, January (Janni), is diagnosed with childhood onset schizophrenia after two years of misdiagnoses and inpatient stays, and being discharged despite lack of improvement. The family's journey is wrought with desperation and denial. Told first to simply provide "tough love" and stricter boundaries, the Schofields were forced to face the reality of schizophrenia when Janni indicated the constant presence of imaginary friends and demonstrated a desire to harm her newborn brother, with a clear inability to control herself.

My thoughts:  If not for life interrupting, I'd have finished this almost 300-pager in one sitting. Still, I read it in two days. Schofield's writing had me completely riveted. Having worked in Adult and Child Psychiatry for 15 years, I appreciate immensely the difficult task of loving a child with schizophrenia. I saw only from the perimeter what Schofield lived every day. Parents vacillate from wanting to help their child to wanting to institutionalize them, primarily because of the violence inflicted on themselves and others. With no cure in sight for this nightmarish illness, parents and families of loved ones afflicted should be applauded; there is no harder job in the world.

My friends and family rely on me for 5-star book recommendations so as not to waste time on less than stellar reads.  I'll be recommending this - my favorite book of the year so far - to everyone I know.

Rating:  5/5 

Thank you to Crown Publishing/Random House for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Through These Veins

Author: Anne Marie Ruff

Genre: Fiction (2011)

Descriptive Words: Drama, death, love, AIDS, cure, scientist, Ethiopia

About:An Italian scientist discovers an Ethiopian medicine man dispensing an apparent cure for AIDS. The medicine man's daughter reveals the plants behind the cure. Their lives along with U.S. government funded AIDS research and the pharmaceutical industry,become entwined.

Rating and Thoughts:Although the blurb referring to research, pharmaceutical companies, and scientific trials isn't one I would normally be drawn to, the reference to Ethiopia, as well as the people involved intrigued me. I never had the "I can't wait to pick up the book again to find out what happens" feeling - which for me earns a book a 5-star rating - but once I did pick it up, the story completely held my interest. The writing was well done, and I especially appreciated the author's thorough research, as well as the glossary of Ethiopian terms at the end of the book. Overall I enjoyed it.

4/5

* Other than the free book given to me by the publicist, I was neither compensated nor swayed in any way for my review

Review: The Source of All Things

Author:   Tracy Ross

Genre:  Memoir (2011)

About:  The author was molested by her stepfather from ages eight to 14, at which time she ran away from home and confided in a family friend about the years of abuse. The police were called and she was removed from her home. Her stepfather, because he admitted to everything, received only 8 weeks of court-appointed group therapy and 10 months of abstinence from Tracy. She was later sent to boarding school and eventually returned home to live with her mother and stepfather.  


Unbelievable. Her family refused to believe or accept that the husband/stepfather was capable of such a horrific act, and if a small part of them did believe it happened, they just wanted to sweep it under the rug and move on.  Her mom constantly pushed Tracy into uncomfortable situations with her stepdad despite all he did to her! I didn't understand their behavior at all. I even felt that Tracy herself at times downplayed the atrocity of what he did.

In addition to the details of the abuse (touching and fondling only), much of the book focused on her relationships, including a failed marriage, and how the abuse affected them.

Rating:  4/5   I wanted to give this fewer stars because of the content, i.e. the stepdad's crime, as well as the dysfunctional behavior of everyone involved, but it is what it is and I can't judge the book based on what happened.  I enjoyed the writing, even though it was difficult to read. The jobs she had as a young adult and the adventures she experienced were fascinating.  She had an interesting life after she moved out of her house.  But how in the world she forgave her creepy, pedophiliac (that's not a word, but...) stepfather for what he did is beyond me. She even thanks him at the end of the book for "having the grace to let me tell this story."

Source: Library

Why I chose:  I read about this - along with the book Tiger, Tiger, another child abuse memoir I'm now reading - in Oprah or People.

Recommend?   You decide. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

Review: Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses

Author:  Claire Dederer

Genre:  Memoir
After reading the first couple chapters of this book I thought I was going to love it. Dederer made me laugh, and I was reminded how much I enjoyed the few yoga classes I've taken.  Despite my minimal experience, I can attest to this paragraph: "The idea was, you got better, looser, stronger while you were at yoga, and then you exported that excellence to the rest of life. You learned how to act right at yoga, and then you acted right, or righter, when you were in your car, or at the grocery store, or putting your children to bed."

Dederer's writing is casual and inviting, like talking with a friend; I actually went to a yoga class when I finished the book and plan to continue.  Beyond the yoga stories, though, it didn't hold my interest. I started skipping over parts of her personal life that I didn't care about, such as her marital relationship, her moves to different cities, and the births of her children. (Some friend I am, huh!) I've read of comparisons to Eat Pray Love, which I didn't particularly like. I won't be recommending Poser to my friends, but I know many people will enjoy it just the same.

Rating:  3.5 / 5

Has anyone read this?  Heard about it?  Plan to read it?

Reviews Cruise - Join Me! / Denial ~ Asta in the Wings ~ Knowing Jesse

Reviews stockpiled?  Bored with the same 'ol same 'ol?  Love reading but not too keen on writing reviews? Yeah, me too. So I thought I'd go on a Reviews Cruise to liven things up, relieve the pressure, and make more time for reading.  Short but sweet and a few at a time.  Sounds like a vacation, doesn't it? 

(Want to cruise with me?  See details at end of post.)
Denial

Jessica Stern is the author of this memoir published in June 2010.  It's about the author's rape at age 15 by a stranger at gunpoint in her own home.  Her 14-year-old sister was also raped. The police were skeptical of their story and the rapist was never caught. Interestingly, the author now works as an expert on terrorists and terrorism.  Overall I thought the book was okay.  I liked the psychological and PTSD aspect of the story, as well as the how, when, where and what happened. I liked how she related her father's trauma and after-effects of his being a Holocaust survivor to hers. PTSD is real, and I'm intrigued by the way people process trauma and how it shapes their lives forever. It was interesting that the author became a terrorist expert because, as she says, she was "fascinated by the secret motivations of violent men, and I'm good at ferreting them out." After the violent rape at age 15, she experienced an unusual reaction to fear; situations that most people would find terrifying caused her to retain her composure, become curious and empathetic. This "ability" created a perfect environment for making terrorists feel comfortable and getting them to talk. What I didn't like was how the author came across. I know it has much to do with the rape and subsequent PTSD - but her resentment, mostly towards her father, made her come across as unlikeable and emotionless. I felt bad for her father against whom she obviously still holds a grudge for not coming home from overseas immediately after the incident. He admits he didn't know what to do or how to help, but it happened 30 years ago. There's nothing he can do to change that. I also didn't like that she dragged him into the book so much at the end, detailing their "interview", when he obviously wasn't happy she wrote the book in the first place. I do hope she found healing from writing this book.

I won this book from NerdGirl in a contest, which I entered because I had seen the title around, heard good things about it and was interested in the topic.  I don't know if I'd recommend this book to my friends.  For me it was just okay and I rated it 3.5 / 5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Knowing Jesse:  A Mother's Story of Grief, Grace, and Everyday Bliss


Marianne Leone is the author of this memoir published in September 2010.  It's about a woman and her husband and life with their son who was born with severe cerebral palsy and quadriplegia, was unable to speak and had severe seizures.  He died suddenly at age 17.  Overall I loved it.  I liked her writing style and the emotional, honest story she told. She admitted her shortcomings and came across as real but likeable. The love she had for her son was overwhelming, protective and beautiful.  She fought courageously for him to receive the best medical care, the best support system and caretakers, and the best education available.  There wasn't anything about this book I didn't like. 

I got this book from the library and chose it because of the synopsis and because I love memoirs.  I'm a sucker for stories about mothers and their children and how they are able to see the blessings in a situation others may see as a burden.  I would definitely recommend this book to friends and I rated it 5/5.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Asta in the Wings

Jan Elizabeth Watson is the author of this novel published in February 2009.  It's about a 7-year-old girl and her 9-year-old brother who are kept in their boarded-up home by their mentally ill mother, who tells them she is protecting them from germs and "the plague." The story is told from 7-year-old Asta's point of view.  Overall I really liked it.  I liked how the mother encouraged her children to have a rich and creative imagination. She was cool in a weird way. Or weird in a cool way. Her children were "home-schooled" by watching and reciting line after line of old movies on TV, stemming from the mother's desire - and fueled by her delusions - to become an actress. She was quite a character :)  I loved Asta's spunk and determination, her willingness to overcome obstacles, her love for her brother, Orion, and her unconditional love for her mother, who did the best she could for her children despite her mental illness.  At first I wasn't sure I'd like this book. It was quirky and a little bizarre at the beginning. But once I got to know the children better and fell in love with the writing - the author paid great attention to detail but kept everything so on track - I didn't want it to end.  The only thing I didn't like and what kept it from being 5 stars was the ending, which was too abrupt for my taste.

I got this book from the library and chose it because Rebecca from ccq designs, a friend on Goodreads, gave it 5 stars, something she rarely does.  I had to check it out.  I also chose it because I'm intrigued by all things related to mental illness, child abuse and social issues.  I would recommend this to any of my friends, especially if they like quirky little books that normally they wouldn't pick up.  I rated it
4.5 / 5.

I don't have a button, but feel free to "take" your own Reviews Cruise and link up if you'd like.  Just mention my blog at http://lynnesbookreviews.blogspot.com  (copy and paste that there url). You can use my review format (provided below) or your own.  Remember, this is a stress-free, no pressure cruise, so make it simple and easy.   I'm button-challenged so this cruise is button-free :)

____________ is the author of this _______(genre) published in _____________.  It's about _______.  Overall I _______.  I liked ____________.  I didn't like __________.  I got this book from _______ and chose it because ___________ I would/wouldn't recommend this book.  I rated it ___________.

No cruise?  That's okay.  Would love to hear comments about the books I reviewed.

Review: My Name is Mary Sutter / New Header and Layout!

Author: Robin Oliveira

Genre: Historical Fiction (2010)

About: (From book cover): "In this stunning historical novel, which opens on the eve of the Civil War, Mary Sutter is a brilliant, headstrong midwife from Albany, New York, who dreams of becoming a surgeon. Determined to overcome the prejudices against women in medicine - and eager to run away from recent heartbreak - Mary travels to Washington, D.C. to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Under the guidance of William Stipp and James Blevens - two surgeons who unwittingly fall in love with Mary's courage, will and stubbornness in the face of suffering - and resisting her mother's pleas to return home to help with the birth of her twin sister's baby, Mary pursues her medical career in the desperately overwhelmed hospitals of the capital."

Descriptive Words: Civil War, midwife, determination, family, loyalty, sickness, death, triumph

Thoughts: When I heard Laura Bush speak a few months ago, she gave high praises to My Name is Mary Sutter, so I thought I couldn't go wrong. I'd heard others speak highly of it as well, and I generally like historical fiction.

I should have been leary, especially after diving into and not liking Eat Pray Love, Lovely Bones, The Time Travelers Wife, The Poisonwood Bible, Three Cups of Tea (*dodging thrown tomatoes*), and Beautiful Creatures (did I even finish that?). I'm a picky reader. It's hit or miss with me. In fact the only recently raved-about book I agreed with was The Help.

But jump I did. When I started the book I was rating it a 5 (do you rate books in your head while reading?). I loved it. I admired Mary's strong personality. She was emotional and fiery. She didn't want to follow in her family's footsteps and be "just" a midwife. She wanted to become a surgeon. Her determination and drive to be involved in a profession normally chosen by men, and her struggle between family loyalty and desire to become a doctor, were my favorite parts of the story.

The other characters involved were just as interesting - Jenny, Amelia, Bonnie, Thomas, James Blevens and William Stipp - and completely added to the story. Loving, fighting, flirting, dying. Great stuff. I also enjoyed the medical aspect and the gory details of how she delivered babies as a midwife and tended to patients during the war. Mary was not afraid of anything, and I loved that about her. Talk about jumping right in...

As the story progressed, though, and the author brought in political details of the war and wrote from President Lincoln's point of view, it started to go down hill for me. I skipped sentences like a school girl on a playground. And I only do that when I'm bored. Whenever Mary or interactions with her family came into play my interest piqued again, but by that time I'd kind of resolved myself to just getting through it.

I was disappointed. I should have known.

Source: Library

Why I Chose: The hype

Recommend? Yes, if you like historical fiction and aren't afraid of hyped up books. No if you're on the fence about it in the first place.

Rating: 3.5 / 5 Translation: Better than "it was okay" but not as good as "enjoyed it." I didn't give it a 3 because there were parts I loved, and didn't give it a 4 because there were parts I skipped out of boredom.

Other Reviews:

(Everyone loved it)

Caribous Mom
My Friend Amy
Booking Mama
Linus's Blanket
Bibliophile by the Sea

Anyone plan to read this, despite my review? Are you a picky reader and generally don't like books everyone else likes? Or does it just depend on the genre. Is there a genre you love and therefore enjoy almost every book in that genre? Do you rate books in your head while reading? Talk to me!

Oh, and how do you like my new header and layout? Lauren from Designer Blogs did it for me. Had to keep sweet Emma so everyone would recognize me :)

Review: Still Missing

Author: Chevy Stevens

Genre: Fiction: Mystery/Thriller (2010)

About: A realtor is abducted and held captive while hosting an open house.

Descriptive Words: Scary, gruesome, sad, riveting, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, abuse.

Thoughts: Loved it. But not at first. Annie's (the realtor) character was brusque and unfeminine, with her foul language and snarky attitude. As the story went on, though, it worked and I got used to it, and it's probably why she survived The Freak's abuse for a year. She was one tough cookie.

The story switches back and forth between the present, as she talks to her therapist, and the past, where she tells what happened to her during captivity. That back and forth usually bothers me in books, but Chevy Stevens transitioned so smoothly that I didn't even notice, and in fact kept it interesting. Also, The PTSD aspect brought about while talking to her therapist was fascinating. How does one get over something like that?

Some of the things The Freak did to her were so freaky and his character so realistic that I thought he'd pop out of the book any minute. There was never a dull moment, and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Also, the way The Freak constantly used her name when addressing her creeped me out. "Not good, Annie. Not good at all." Ewww.

My ONLY complaint was the abrupt ending. I was fine with the story and the twist of what happened, but I felt unfulfilled. I like when a book ends and I think, "Oh, that was so good!" not "That's it? It's over?" like the author got tired of writing and just wanted it to end.

Other than the ending, I was thoroughly entertained and would read anything by this author, who happens to be a female...I thought Chevy was a man.

Source: Library

Why I Chose: Saw rave reviews on so many blogs I didn't want to miss out. The abduction storyline intrigued me as well.

Recommend? YES! Don't miss.

Rating: 5/5

Other Reviews:

Missy's Book Nook
A Patchwork of Books
Presenting Lenore
Devourer of Books

There are a ton of reviews on this book and I have yet to read a bad one.

Have you read this? Do you plan to?

Review: I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy

Author: Angie Smith

Genre: Memoir (2010)

About: The author finds out when she is 18-weeks pregnant with her fourth daughter that the baby, Audrey, has conditions which leave her "incompatible with life." She decides to carry the pregnancy to term for as long as the baby lives. Angie Smith is the wife of Todd Smith, a singer in the Christian group Selah. She has a popular blog called Bring the Rain.

Descriptive Words: Cope, loss, hope, peace

Thoughts: I ordered this book from my library just because of the title. I had no idea that the author was the same person whose blog I found a while back. You know...one of those you find by clicking on one blog who mentions another blog, so you click on that, and so on? In her blog Bring the Rain, Angie Smith chronicles her pregnancy with Audrey and the devastation of finding out the baby would not survive. The blog was so popular - and her writing so beautiful - that it's not surprising she turned her story into a book.


Boy, did this make me cry. I know my blogger friends won't be picking this one up any time soon, but I loved it. The pictures, the scripture, the writing, the love, the honesty, the emotions... Mmm... Beautiful. I like reading books that make me cry. To me it means the author did a great job. Obviously the premise of the book is sad, so to most people it wouldn't take much to make them cry, but I'm a tough cookie because of all the memoirs I read. Angie Smith is talented. If you like books that are sad but inspirational, this is a good one.

Source: Library

Why I Chose: The title of the book sucked me right in.

Recommend? YES, if you can "do" sad. (Don't you like a good cry every once in a while?)

Rating: 5/5

Other Reviews:


5 Minutes for Books
Book Nook Club
Blessed

Review: Cut in Half: How God Mended Me With 23 Miracles

Author: Ana le Roux

Genre: Memoir (2010)

About: A woman, her husband and their two children, ages 3 weeks and 3 years, are in a violent head-on collision and the woman is cut in half.

Descriptive Words: No descriptive words needed after that synopsis.

Thoughts: "Hi, I am Ana le Roux. I am a South African living in New Zealand with my husband, Nico, and two children, Trinita and Christian. It is pretty remarkable that I am able to write this book. I was scheduled to die on the fifth of January 2003." Quite an attention-grabbing first sentence, isn't it? Despite the title, the author was not really cut in half; she had temporary paralysis and severe internal injuries to her kidneys and intestines because of her lap belt.

Each chapter is divided into three sections. The author tells her story in the first part; in the second part she has a section called "Food for Thought," where the reader reflects on the story; and the third section is called "Soul Searching," where the reader is invited to reflect on the ways God has shown Himself in his or her own life.

While the story was interesting, and I appreciate that le Roux felt moved to share her religious experience via the "miracles" God bestowed upon her, I didn't feel her writing was professional enough to substantiate a book. Some of the miracles were truly examples of God intervening and working on her behalf (which I believe He does!), but others seemed a little far-fetched. For example, Miracle #20: During the accident le Roux was sitting in the back seat between her two children. At the time of impact she put both arms out to brace them (which most moms do on instinct). Now whenever she thinks of the accident she sees herself in that position and thinks of a cross and "By not erasing the memory, but by changing my perspective of the memory, God has turned it into one of my all-time favorite recollections." Really?

I enjoyed the religious aspect of the book and the Food for Thought and Soul Searching sections. Example of one chapter's Soul Searching section: Have you ever been in a situation that you absolutely dreaded, just to have the opportunity of hindsight to see a positive angle? And this: There is always a purpose in everything. Even when everything seems to be going wrong, the purpose of it is still in motion. And: God knows every person on this planet, and he knows exactly who to send on your path. Value your acquaintances, family, and friends. They're not there coincidentally!

Source: Bring It On! Communications was nice enough to send this to me for review. Except for the free copy of this book, I did not receive compensation for my opinion.

Why I Chose: I love to read about others' tragedies. Sorry, just being honest :)

Recommend? Yes, if you like to read tragic memoirs and enjoy spiritual books, but the narrative prose is not the best.

Rating: 3.5/5

Review: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

By Jean-Dominique Bauby
Memoir
1997

My Synopsis

While editor-in-chief of the French Elle magazine, 43-year-old Jean-Dominique Bauby, father of two young children, had a rare type of stroke to the brain stem that allowed him to think clearly but otherwise left him paralyzed and unable to speak. By blinking his only functional eye, he wrote this book which tells of what it's like to be a prisoner in the most unimaginable way.

My Thoughts

While reading each word, I couldn't get out of my mind the laborious task of writing an entire book by blinking, which probably made me like it even more.

Bauby accepts his fate with unbelievable dignity and hope. His writing, as "dictated" to his assistant, is witty yet emotional.

Hunched in my wheelchair, I watch my children surreptitiously as their mother
pushes me down the hospital corridor. While I have become something of a
zombie father, Theophile and Celeste are very much flesh and blood, energetic
and noisy. I will never tire of seeing them walk alongside me, just
walking, their confident expressions masking the unease weighing on their small
shoulders. As he walks, Theophile dabs with a Kleenex at the thread of
saliva escaping my closed lips.

Sadly, Jean-Dominique Bauby died two days after the French publication of the book. What a beautiful memory to leave to his children.

This book was made into a movie, which I have not seen but would like to.

Do I Recommend?

Yes. Short (132 pages) and easy to read.

Source

Library

My Rating

4/5 (I enjoyed it)

Other reviews

Bookopolis
Book Reviews by Bobbie
A Novel Menagerie
Books on the Brain
Hey Lady, Whatcha Readin?
Books I Done Read

Has anyone else read this book or plan to and/or did you see the movie?

Review: Orphan Trains to Missouri

Orphan Trains to Missouri

by Michael D. Patrick and Evelyn Goodrich Trickel

My Synopsis

This non-fiction book is about the hundreds of thousands of orphaned children who were sent by train from New York City to the rural Midwest in the 1800s.

(I read the most random books, don't I?)

My Thoughts

This caught my eye at the library and I just had to get it. I love history and learning about the past. I read this quick, 100 page book in one day.

From 1830 to 1860, due to crop failures (including the Irish potato famine in the 1840s), poverty, high rent, heavy taxes, religious oppression, political upheaval and war, thirty-five million people left their countries to come to the United States in hopes of a better life. But because there were more workers than jobs, many people could not support their children. An estimated 30,000 children were abandoned on the streets of New York City in 1854 alone.

In 1854, Charles Loring Brace and some other well-to-do New York City men founded the Children's Aid Society and put together a plan to transport abandoned children to the Midwest. It is estimated that 150,000 to 400,000 children were sent out on orphan trains, with as many as 100,000 going to Missouri.

The story is amazing. There are pictures of many of the children, sleeping in alleys in New York City, on the train as they head to adoptive families, and with their new families. The pain of what these children endured, the separation from their parents and siblings, the train ride itself, the humiliation of some children who are not chosen by families at the adoption "events" is heart wrenching. Most of the children were chosen by families because they needed help on their farms. Even children as young as 3 years old could help feed farm animals.

After googling orphan trains, I did read that many of the children were sexually and physically abused and treated like slaves and that some children were taken from their families without consent because of a parent's temporary illness and inability to care for them. But considering the vast number of children transported, the orphan trains were a success. According to the book, the Children's Aid Society did their best in placing the children and following up to be sure they were being cared for properly, placing them in new homes if they weren't.

The authors did an outstanding job of researching for this book. Their passion to find the facts and truth were evident throughout. They interviewed adults who were orphan-train children. They found letters from families to the organization, original information tags attached to children as they boarded the train, and notices that were posted in towns and published in newspapers announcing the arrival of the children. Very well done.

Do I Recommend?

Yes!

Source

Library

My Rating

5/5

Review: This Book is Overdue!

This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All

by Marilyn Johnson

My Synopsis

Non-fiction book about libraries and librarians.

My Thoughts

Book lovers and bloggers have got to read this book. Fascinating, fun-filled facts, and everything you ever wanted to know about one of my most favorite places in the world *sigh*...libraries.

Johnson covers everything in this book. She talks about the right to privacy and a debate over the Patriot Act. In 2005, the FBI went to a library demanding information about a patron who used a computer there, saying it was a matter of national security. The librarians fought to remain silent, in defense of the privacy of citizens. The government was asking for records secretly and telling the librarians to keep quiet about it. After this incident the Patriot Act was reauthorized and rewritten, but there is still a law authorizing secret searches by the FBI.

Johnson talks about new libraries, old libraries, virtual libraries, digital libraries, research libraries, young librarians, old librarians, virtual librarians, and even social groups for librarians.

My favorite chapter was "The Blog People" where Johnson talks about librarian blogs, which I'm going to have to check out. The Annoyed Librarian, The Effing Librarian, Librarian's Rant, The Obnoxious Librarian from Hades, Shhhh!!!, Lower East Side Librarian, and many others. On their blogs they discuss the poop they have to put up with...literally. Apparently someone pooped in a book drop and became the topic of one blog. Then others said they too have found patrons' poop in peculiar places.

Needless to say, no topic was unturd. I mean, unturned.

The only chapter I didn't get was "Wizards of Odd" about Second Life, a virtual reality site. I don't even know what to say about it.

Other than that, I thought this book was really fun and I'm glad I read it.

And now I know...I should have been a librarian.

Johnson also wrote "The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries." I admit I read the obituaries, so this will be going on my list.

Do I Recommend?

Yes. Strongly recommended for true book lovers.

Source

Where else? My local library :)

My Rating

4/5

Other reviews

5 Minutes for Books
Estella's Revenge
Lesa's Book Critiques

Have you read this book or do you plan to?

Review: The Tao of Mia and Leo

The Tao of Mia and Leo

by Jeffra Nicholson

My Synopsis

Inspirational book about the author's two cats, Mia and Leo, and how they helped her through life's ups, downs and all-arounds.

My Thoughts

Cute book of short inspirational stories. In each short chapter the author focuses on an issue, i.e. asking for what you want, the art of dining, admitting your mistakes, self-acceptance, learning to enjoy your own company, etc., and tells how she learned from her cats how to handle those areas of her life.

At first I was skeptical about what a cat could teach someone about life, but Nicholson did a great job writing the book, relating the closely observed actions of her cats in thoughtful detail and providing inspiration to the reader. I enjoyed reading about her many work-related moves and how her faithful friends were there to help her get through all the stressors involved.

The only disappointment I had was the lack of pictures of her beloved kitties! There weren't any except for the cover picture. I felt a little cheated because of that :) Otherwise, the book was a joy to read.

Do I Recommend?

Yes.

Source: I received this review copy from Paula at Author Marketing Experts, Inc. and was in no way compensated for my opinion.

My Rating

4/5

Review: Not Without Hope

Not Without Hope

by Nick Schulyer

My Synopsis

Memoir of a 24-year-old personal trainer/former football player who went fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, 70 miles off the Florida coast, with three friends, two of whom were NHL football players. After fishing for a while they decided to head back because of an approaching storm, but the anchor was stuck. They tied the anchor rope to the back of the boat and gunned the engine, hoping to pull the anchor free, but this pulled the stern down and flooded the boat. After a 48-hour ordeal, only one person - Nick - survived. This is his story.


My Thoughts

Oh my gosh. I couldn't put this down and ended up reading it in one day. These guys, unfortunately, were inexperienced boaters. They didn't have certain equipment that would have given their location. The flares on the boat were useless after getting soaked. They didn't have life jackets on. One of the guys, Will, probably could have survived but he used up so much energy diving underneath the boat to find life jackets for all the guys.

Sadly, if they had just cut the anchor line to free the boat they would all be alive. But Marquis Cooper, who owned the boat, had been fishing the week before and the anchor had gotten stuck then. He cut the line and had to pay $200 for a new anchor, and he didn't want to do that again. They never imagined, though, that in trying to gun the throttle with the line tied to the back it would capsize the boat.

After they capsized, the guys did everything they could to turn it over but were unable to get any leverage. When the storm came in they had to battle 10-foot waves, desperately trying to cling to the boat to stay alive. They knew that eventually, when it got dark, their relatives would be worried and send someone to search for them, but unfortunately help came too late for three of them.

Because the guys were in such good shape and had so little body fat to protect them from the cold water, one by one they succumbed to hypothermia. Nick had on an insulated ski jacket, which he had put on after becoming sea sick earlier in the day. This is probably what saved him.

The only negative about the book, for me, was the repetitive talk about how sore Nick was from the waves bashing him against the motor, which he was hanging on to, and how sore his butt was from being in that same position for so many hours. I kept thinking, yah, but you're alive, so what? Also I was just a little bit irked about him complaining about his loss of weight and muscle in the days after he was found because, again, so what? you're alive, but then I remembered that he was a 24-year-old kid who was a personal trainer so of course he thought about that. He was just being honest.

I read some things on the Internet where people speculated that Nick fought the guys off in order to survive, that he murdered them with a gun, that an investigation should have been done to look for evidence of blood or gun powder on him when he was finally found by the Coast Guard. How ridiculous. These guys were his friends! He gave detailed accounts of their deaths, how they foamed at the mouth, how they became delirious from hypothermia, how he held on to his friends' bodies for as long as he could after they died. He told about how they all recited the Lord's prayer and how they talked about their families. Why would he make all that up?

People are so weird.

I read a blogger's post of the Oprah episode where Nick tells his story. If you'd like to read more about this story, it's pretty interesting.

Do I Recommend?

Oh my gosh, YES.

Source: Bought it at Sam's.

My Rating

5/5

Review: The Water Giver

The Water Giver: The Story of A Mother, A Son, and Their Second Chance

by Joan Ryan

My Synopsis

Memoir of a mother whose 16-year-old son is severely injured in a skateboard accident.

My Thoughts

I know, what was I thinking reading a book like this when I have a 16-year-old son myself. I'm so weird. It just caught my eye, and you know me and memoirs lately.

Joan Ryan and her husband adopted Ryan (she gave her son her maiden name) when he was days old. She loved him like she felt any natural mother would, but he was a difficult child and had behavioral issues and emotional outbursts beyond the norm, so she always felt there was something missing between them. Until Ryan's accident. He left the house on his skateboard one day, without his helmet. A friend of his raced to the house and told his mom that Ryan had been riding his skateboard down a hill and fell. Joan hurried to the accident site, where an ambulance had arrived, but because Ryan was coherent and talking, she didn't think his injuries were serious.

After waiting at the hospital for what seemed like forever, Joan and her husband were finally told that Ryan's vital signs had deteriorated on the way to the hospital and that he had a serious brain injury.

Joan Ryan does a wonderful job relating her journey through Ryan's accident. Her strength is amazing. The emotions she dealt with, sadness, anger, and frustration at the doctors, at Ryan and herself, were honest and heartfelt. She showed what it's like to be a mama bear protecting her cub, going with her gut when something didn't seem right and fighting for Ryan's life in a way only a mother could.

Because of the accident their relationship ends up being stronger than ever because of the loving devotion provided by a mother to her son.

I loved the medical aspect of this book and all the medical terminology it contained. Then again, my mom is a nurse and I've always been fascinated by medicine.

*Spoiler, if you can have a spoiler in a memoir*

Why the name The Water Giver? While in the hospital, Ryan wasn't allowed to have a drink of water because of a feeding tube, and even when it came out he had to slowly retrain his swallowing muscles. If he drank water it might go down the wrong "tube" and into his lungs, causing pneumonia. So when he was finally allowed to have it, Ryan referred to his mother as "the water giver."

Do I Recommend?

Yes, if you like memoirs. No if you don't like medicine or stories about kids getting hurt.

Source: Library

My Rating

4/5

Review: Animals Make Us Human

Animals Make Us Human

by Temple Grandin & Catherine Johnson

My Synopsis

Temple Grandin is a brilliant animal scientist/animal advocate who also has autism. In this book she writes about the physical and emotional needs of animals and how best to fulfill them.

Grandin also wrote Animals in Translation, which I have not yet read.

My Thoughts

Animals Make Us Human has probably way more information than the average person needs or wants to know, but true animal lovers will appreciate it.

I loved the section on dogs and cats. I learned that dogs are the only animals that can follow a person's gaze or pointed finger to figure out where something is hidden. I learned that purebred dogs possibly have lost the natural submissive behaviors of their wolf ancestors. Therefore, they have difficulty doing these behaviors and reading other dogs' signals, which often leads to fights.

Grandin provides specific how-to's in separate sections for dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs and chickens regarding socialization, training, and fear issues. She includes a section on wildlife and zoos, and writes about stereotypie, a repetitive, self-soothing behavior animals engage in when they are currently suffering or have suffered in the past. This is often seen in zoo animals, but other animals do it as well. Grandin talks about her autism in several parts of the book and notes that, like animals who are suffering, autistic children are known to perform self-soothing behaviors, such as rocking back and forth.

The relation of her autism to her sense and caring for animals is fascinating. Like many with autism, socializing and relating to people is not something that comes naturally to Grandin; but relating to animals and changing the way they are treated does. The author consults with zoos and those in the cattle industry to teach them how to provide animals with a decent life and a painless death.

Do I Recommend?

Yes, to animal lovers. We're talkin' real animal lovers. If you just love cats and/or dogs, you could probably pass on this one because of the detailed chapters on farm animals.

Source: My friend Donna

My Rating

4/5

Review: Expecting Adam

Expecting Adam

by Martha Beck

My Synopsis

Memoir of a Harvard educated mother who discovers she is pregnant with a Down syndrome child.

My Thoughts

This memoir was just okay. I loved the actual story and how she started out with meeting her husband (also a Harvard student at the time) and their life before her pregnancy with Adam (her 1st child, Katie, was healthy). I also liked how she alternated between past (pregnant with Adam) and present (telling stories of Adam as a child). But I was offended by how many times she used the words retarded, deformed, disfigured, mongoloid, abnormal, etc., throughout the entire book. Just because you're speaking of your own child, does it give you the right to use those terms? It really bothered me.

Also, although I know the author was simply being honest about learning her son had Down syndrome, at one point contemplating whether to have an abortion, she seemed robotic and cold even when her son was born, and that bothered me. I expected it to be more a story about what a blessing he turned out to be and how he had a positive effect on her life, but I ended up not really liking her.

Do I Recommend?

Nah.

Source: Bought

My Rating

3/5

Review: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years:What I Learned While Editing My Life

by Donald Miller


My Synopsis

While writing a screenplay for a movie about his life with two filmmakers, Miller reflects on the meaning of life and how it relates to a story.

Donald Miller also wrote Blue Like Jazz, which I absolutely loved.

My Thoughts

This really is a mish-mosh of thoughts I wrote down while also using quotes from his book. Sorry for the scattered-ness.

In this incredibly meaningful, philosophical book, the author writes that we are designed to attain something and that the thing we were meant to live through was designed to change us. He says that the point of a story is the character arc, the change and that the essence of a story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it. There is no conflict man can endure that will not produce a blessing. God is the writer of our story and we are the characters. Miller tells us to become the characters God has written us to be and to tell a good story with our lives.

I love this part:

We get robbed of the glory of life because we aren't capable of remembering how we got here. When you are born, you wake slowly to everything. Your brain doesn't stop growing until you turn twenty-six, so from birth to twenty-six, God is slowly turning the lights on, and you're groggy and pointing at things saying circle and blue and car, then sex and job and health care. The experience is so slow you could easily come to believe life isn't that big of a deal, that life isn't staggering. What I'm saying is that I think life is staggering and we're just used to it. We all are like spoiled children no longer impressed with the gifts we're given - it's just another sunset, just another rainstorm moving in over the mountains, just another child being born, just another funeral.

Another favorite:

Here's the truth about telling stories with your life. It's going to sound like a great idea, and you are going to get excited about it, and then when it comes time to do the work, you're not going to want to do it. It's like that with writing books, and it's like that with life. People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen. But joy costs pain.

Humans are designed to seek comfort and order. Even if they secretly want better for themselves. We have to force ourselves out of our comfort zones. But we don't, because even when our situations are terrible, at least we have a sense of control. We know what to expect. When people stay in bad situations it's because they are afraid to choose a better story because at least it's a bad story they are familiar with. So they stay where they are.

In talking about meeting his father, whom he hadn't seen in decades and who praised him for a book he had written, Miller says he didn't want his father's words to mean anything. He didn't want to need his affirmation. But he says, "part of our selves is spirit, and our spirits are thirsty, and my father's words went into my spirit like water."

He says that so much of our lives are spent trying to avoid conflict. So many commercials on television sell us something that will make our lives easier and Miller wonders if our stories aren't being stolen by the easy life. Again, conflicts produce blessings and we avoid conflict at all cost!

Max Lucado wrote a blurb praising this book, saying "I already want to re-read it." And I am not one to re-read books when there are so many to read, but I feel the same. I already want to re-read this.

Do I Recommend?

Yes. Donald Miller is a Christian, but the book is not preachy at all. I guarantee everyone will get something out of it.

Source: Library

Rating:

4/5