Edwidge Danticat - Brother, I'm Dying

21. Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat (2007)

Length: 272 pages

Genre: Non-Fiction

Started: 22 August 2017

Finished: 26 August 2017

Where did it come from? From Bookmooch

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 18 December 2016

Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Edwidge Danticat is a new author for me.

Award-winning writer Edwidge Danticat was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 1969. By the age of four, her parents had immigrated to America, leaving Edwidge and her younger brother Andre to be raised by their aunt and uncle. As a result, she quickly came to see them as a second set of parents to both herself and her brother. So, Edwidge stayed in Haiti with her beloved Uncle Joseph and Aunt Denise for the next eight years.

Edwidge was twelve years old when her parents sent for their two children to come join the rest of their family in New York City. Although she was elated to be reunited with her family again, she was also deeply saddened to be leaving Haiti behind. As she slowly began to make a life for herself in a new country, Edwidge struggled to adjust to living so far away from those she loved. Although their hearts and thoughts were never far from those whom they loved, Edwidge and her family continued to fear for the safety of those still living in Haiti as they watched the political situation rapidly deteriorate.

In 2004, tensions reached a boiling point and the Haitian people were swept up in events beyond their control. Life changed drastically for Edwidge as well: on the same sweltering July day that she learned that she was pregnant, she also learned that her father was suffering from end-stage pulmonary fibrosis. As she struggled to process such disparate events - tempering her sense of exhilaration with a certain amount of devastation - Edwidge eventually decided that her family's complex story deserved to be told; as much to commemorate her father's close relationship with his brother, as for the benefit of her relatives still living in Haiti.

I have to say that this is an extraordinary book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and found Ms. Danticat's story to be beautifully written and deeply thought-provoking - filled with a poignancy and bravery that I absolutely admire. I would certainly give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Debbie Reynolds and David Patrick Columbia - Debbie: My Life

6. Debbie: My Life by Debbie Reynolds and David Patrick Columbia (1988)

Length: 374 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 19 January 2017
Finished: 6 February 2017
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 2001
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and had read and enjoyed Unsinkable: A Memoir by the same author in the past. However, David Patrick Columbia is a new author for me.

Born Mary Frances Reynolds in El Paso, Texas in April of 1932 - the child who would eventually become known as Debbie Reynolds - wasn't planning on ever having a career in Hollywood. Although she grew up in poverty, Debbie was catapulted to fame at a very young age - when she won the 'Miss Burbank' Beauty Pageant at the age of sixteen. What had started out as a chance to win some new clothes, also earned Debbie a screen test with Warner Brothers Studios. And so began the acting career of Debbie Reynolds.

From the very beginning, her fans identified with her and called her 'the kid' - the kid with guts, the kid with personality, the kid sister - and to movie audiences she was truly 'America's Sweetheart'. As Hollywood's reigning ingenue, Debbie Reynolds was the fresh-faced embodiment of American grace and gumption. Throughout her career, starring in such film classics as: Singin' in the Rain, How the West Was Won, Tammy and the Bachelor, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Debbie always portrayed a sassy, spunky, and bright personality. Yet behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood - beyond the dazzling spotlight of instant fame - was a young woman thrown into the starmaking machine, and whose only hope was to achieve personal happiness for herself.

Now, taking readers inside her private world, Debbie tells it all: about an extraordinary life spent in the limelight - the tears, the laughter, and the bitter moments of her career - all is revealed in this candid, funny, and gutsy self-portrait. She reveals the real story behind her marriage to Eddie Fisher - a marriage that blew apart when he began a torrid love affair with Elizabeth Taylor - and abandoned Debbie to the hurricane winds of a sensational white-hot scandal. Here, too, is a startling expose of the years spent with her second husband Harry Karl - a compulsive gambler and womanizer who left her in a state of financial ruin.

Yet there are also so many wonderful memories as well - star-studded recollections from the Golden Era of Hollywood: memories made with such stars as Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, Bette Davis and Robert Wagner; the famous movies and movie moguls; as well as her hardwon, yet enduring relationship with her children, Carrie and Todd Fisher. As the last of the red-hot troupers, Debbie Reynolds has lived through it all: the hard times and the happy times, and she has somehow managed to retain her dauntless determination to make her dreams come true. This is so much more than just the saga of a legendary Hollywood star, it is also the fascinating and poignant story of a true survivor - someone who has emerged from her various trials and tribulations, perhaps somewhat battered, but ultimately triumphantly resilient.

Despite reading Ms. Reynolds second autobiography back in April of 2016 - after her recent passing in December of 2016 - I wanted to read her first autobiography. Actually, I found that this book focused more on her hard-scrabble childhood and in my opinion, she held nothing back. I must admit that I found Ms. Reynolds to be a wonderful person, lovingly honest and surprisingly forgiving - to be perfectly honest, perhaps more forgiving than I would be if I were in her circumstances.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, although if I did have any problems with it, it would probably be that Ms. Reynolds tended to drop names of stars into the story fairly frequently. Although having said that, I suppose that this would certainly be something to be expected when a bonafide Hollywood legend writes her autobiography. I would definitely give this book an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Leslie Rule - When the Ghost Screams: True Stories of Victims Who Haunt

52. When the Ghost Screams: True Stories of Victims Who Haunt by Leslie Rule (2006)
Length: 222 pages

Genre: Non-Fiction

Started: 14 November 2016

Finished: 23 November 2016

Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 7 December 2015

Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Leslie Rule is a new author for me.

Leslie Rule's When the Ghost Screams: True Stories of Victims Who Haunt explores the supernatural world and chronicles various personal accounts of paranormal activity. For so many people - both paranormal enthusiasts and skeptics alike - the word 'hauntings' immediately conjures up a certain feeling of insatiable curiosity. Paranormal author Leslie Rule explores a new twist on this strange phenomenon as she investigates the historical events, the brutal deaths - and the subsequent hauntings - that have left their own vivid impressions on various historic sites all around the United States. Through her extensive research and by interviewing credible witnesses and taking down their eyewitness testimonies, Ms. Rule reveals why and how the souls of those who suffered such violent deaths are prone to remain earthbound. 

From the hallowed halls of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois to the historic ghost towns of Garnet, Montana - and everywhere else in between - the author visits each location and delves into the history of the area. These spine-tingling true stories divulge the mysterious details of ghostly sightings and include numerous artistically shot black-and-white photographs of the haunted sites. Leslie Rule is the daughter of best-selling true-crime author Ann Rule - and she is a prolific author in her own right - whose lifelong fascination with the paranormal actually sprung up from living in a haunted house overlooking Puget Sound as a child.

I must admit that I really enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, Ms. Rule certainly researched her subject very thoroughly and I was surprised by the number of personal stories of the paranormal that she has managed to collect. Although I perhaps would have enjoyed reading some longer stories, I would still give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Debbie Reynolds and Dorian Hannaway - Unsinkable: A Memoir

21. Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds and Dorian Hannaway (2013)

Length: 306 pages

Genre: Non-Fiction 

Started: 5 April 2016

Finished: 8 April 2016

Where did it come from? From Bookmooch

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 5 April 2016

Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Debbie Reynolds and Dorian Hannaway are new authors for me.

Unsinkable is the definitive memoir written by film legend and Hollywood icon Debbie Reynolds. This book offers a deeply personal perspective on Hollywood and its elite - from the glory days of MGM to the present. It shines a spotlight on this resilient woman whose talent and passion for her work have endured for more than six decades. Debbie Reynolds - legendary actress, comedienne, singer, dancer and performer - offers readers an intimate glimpse into her extraordinary life, spanning Hollywood's Golden Age to today.

In her engaging, down-to-earth voice, Debbie shares private details about her various troubles; both with money and the type of men with whom she chose to spend her life. She invites readers into the close-knit circle of her family, speaking with deep affection and great honesty about her relationships with her children, Carrie and Todd Fisher. She looks back at her life as an actress working during the Golden Age of Hollywood - chronicling the highs and lows of her professional career.

Debbie reveals anecdotes about her lifelong friendship with the legendary Elizabeth Taylor - as well as speaking of the period of years-long estrangement between them. She also shares stories about her experiences as the foremost collector of Hollywood memorabilia, intimate details of her three marriages and family life with her children. Here, too, are memorable stories about numerous celebrities, such as Ava Gardner, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, Mick Jagger, Gene Kelly, and many more.

Debbie also takes the reader on a delightful guided tour through her movies, sharing poignant, whimsical, often hilarious behind-the-scenes anecdotes. Written with a frankness and a forthright honesty that has always been her trademark style, the woman known as "America's Sweetheart" - the remarkable Debbie Reynolds - writes a story of heartbreak, hope and survival; her own story. Picking up from where Debbie: My Life left off, Unsinkable: A Memoir features dozens of previously unseen photos from Debbie's personal collection. This is a revealing portrait of a woman whose determination is an inspiration.

To be perfectly honest, I really didn't know all that much about Debbie Reynolds before I read this book. Oh, I probably knew the basics about her; Hollywood actress, had a public feud with Elizabeth Taylor over Eddie Fisher, mother of Carrie Fisher - but that was all just basically what I gleaned from reading tabloid press headlines as I went through the grocery store. What actually made me want to read her latest autobiography was hearing about the death of Elizabeth Taylor in March of 2011. I also have a copy of Debbie: My Life sitting somewhere on my bookshelf but I haven't located it yet.

This was such an amazing book for me to read; I really felt for Ms. Reynolds and what she went through. In my opinion, despite being a Hollywood celebrity in her own right, Ms. Reynolds still lived a tremendously difficult life. She went through so much in her personal life - so much of what she experienced would probably have 'sunk' a weaker person - but not Debbie Reynolds!

She has always come back stronger than before and her resilience is definitely something to be admired. I would give this book five stars. In my opinion, it deserves an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jeannette Walls - The Glass Castle: A Memoir

7. The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls (2005)
Length: 288 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 27 January 2016
Finished: 29 January 2016
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 23 January 2016
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Jeannette Walls is a new author for me.

Jeannette Walls grew up as the second oldest of four children, with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Her childhood could best be described as unconventional as her parents lived like nomads, moving their family around the desert towns of the Southwest and camping in the mountains. Ms. Walls' remarkable memoir of her childhood is one of resilience and redemption, and a poignant glimpse into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant.

When he was sober, Jeannette's father was a tremendously gifted person. Rex Walls was an engineer and sometime inventor, who was brilliant and charismatic. Sobriety allowed him to be an amazing father to his children; he taught them physics, geology, and how to embrace life without fear. He captured his children's imagination, and taught them to appreciate the world around them. But when he drank, Rex became dishonest and destructive.

Jeannette's mother was a free spirit who found the very idea of domesticity completely abhorrent. Rose Mary Walls was an educator, but much preferred living the life of an artist - writing and painting - to teaching schoolchildren. She loved her children, but didn't want the responsibility of raising a family. To Rose Mary's mind, cooking a meal which would be consumed in fifteen minutes just didn't appeal to her, not when she could create a painting that might last forever.

So, the Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, but chose to be homeless even as their children prospered.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is truly astonishing - a touching memoir written with deep affection and generosity. Ms. Walls' writing is permeated by her intense love for a peculiar but loyal family. This is a story of triumph against all odds, yet it is also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave Ms. Walls the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.

In my opinion, this was a remarkable book for me to read. It was a poignantly written, intensely personal memoir which highlights just how resilient children can be in terrible circumstances. The impoverished life that the Walls children experienced - as seen through the eyes of a child - was not abnormal to them; they just accepted things the way they were.

I appreciated that even in the middle of such a heart-wrenching period, there were still humorous times. Despite its own flaws, the Walls family was a strong, loving family - the children loved their parents deeply, and their parents reciprocated that love. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Marabel Morgan - Total Joy

35. Total Joy by Marabel Morgan (1976)

Length: 208 pages 

Genre: Non-Fiction 

Started: 22 May 2015

Finished: 27 May 2015

Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale 

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 25 July 2001

Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Marabel Morgan is a new author for me.

When she was in third grade, Marabel Morgan's parents went through a divorce. By the time she was an adult, Marabel was looking forward to her own marriage and she felt determined that divorce would never happen to herself or her husband. After all, Charlie was her best friend and they loved each other dearly. Sure, there were certain tiny details - things that could be made better about Charlie - but as his wife, Marabel felt confident that she was up for such a challenge. It was a personal project that she entitled: 'Project: Change Charlie'.

Approximately two years into her marriage, Marabel discovered that her "moonlight and roses had turned to daylight and dishes." She and Charlie weren't necessarily awful to each other - they were still unfailingly polite - it was just that the romance was no longer there; the sparkle was beginning to fade. Marabel Morgan was perplexed. Everything she had done to change her husband didn't appear to have worked, and the tension in their marriage seemed to be getting progressively worse.

So it was that Marabel's quest for marriage survival began in earnest. Since trying to change Charlie wasn't working out, she decided that she needed to change her tactics. It was time for Marabel to start a brand new project: 'Project: Change Marabel'.

When I first started reading this book I hadn't heard of Marabel Morgan, although, since I've finished it I've learned that in the 1970's Ms. Morgan was the spearhead of a hugely successful movement known as 'The Total Woman'. While I've never ascribed to this particular movement, myself, I suppose I can understand how it might become popular with some women. I have also noticed that among certain women - particularly Christians - it seems that there has been a recent resurgence in Ms. Morgan's ideas of a 'Submissive Marriage' - if watching 'The Learning Channel' can be any guide for me.

In my opinion, while this book was extremely outdated for being written in 1976, the idea of living your life and dealing with your marriage according to Biblical ideals is certainly appealing. I can also understand how the women of today hear the term 'Submissive Marriage', and their hackles immediately raise. To be perfectly honest, even the hair on my own neck stood up a little and took notice. However, if the practice works well for the women who decide to implement it, then I have no problem with that. Overall, I would give this book a B+!

B+! - (85-89%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jean-Dominique Bauby - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

34. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby (1997)
Length: 132 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 20 May 2015
Finished: 22 May 2015
Where did it come from? This book was a birthday gift given to my husband by someone who was a frequent visitor to the restaurant.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 7 November 1999
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Jean-Dominique Bauby is a new author for me.

In 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby was living a relatively successful life. He was forty-three-years-old; a doting father to two young children with a rewarding career. As the editor-in-chief for the French magazine, Elle, he was a man who was highly regarded by his colleagues. He was someone who was deeply loved and held in the highest esteem for his sharp wit, his indomitable sense of style, and his impassioned approach to life.

However, by the end of the year in 1995, Jean-Dominique had suffered a major health crisis that effectively knocked his world off its axis. He became the victim of an extremely rare kind of stroke to the brain stem. After twenty days spent in a coma, Jean-Dominique eventually awoke inside of a body that had essentially stopped working: only his left eye functioned properly, allowing him to see, and, by blinking, to clearly impart to others that his mind remained unimpaired. Almost miraculously, he was soon able to communicate with others; relearning the ability to express himself in the richest detail, using a unique form of the alphabet.

It was by blinking to select letters one by one as this special alphabet was slowly recited to him, over and over again, that Jean-Dominique learned to communicate again with those around him. In the same unique way, he was eventually able to compose this extraordinary book. Again and again he returns to an "inexhaustible reservoir of sensations," thus managing to keep in touch with himself and the life around him.

At times wistful, mischievous, angry and witty, Jean-Dominique bears witness to his inherent determination to live life as fully within his mind as he had once been able to in his body. He explains the joy, and the deep sadness, he feels at seeing his children; at hearing his aged father's voice on the phone. In magical sequences, he imagines traveling to other places and times; of lying next to the woman he loves. Fed only intravenously, he imagines preparing and tasting the full flavor of delectable dishes.

Jean-Dominique Bauby died two days after the French publication of his book. Yet The Diving Bell and the Butterfly remains as a poignant testimony to a lifetime well-lived - a lasting testament to life itself. Already being greeted with extraordinary acclaim - this is the astonishing, profoundly moving memoir of a man afflicted by locked-in syndrome, a state of almost total paralysis that leaves the victim, in the author's own words, "like a mind in a jar."

Given the serious topic of this book, Mr. Bauby writes his story without a hint of self-indulgence. I was expecting that there might be a certain amount of bitterness, anger, or depression for his situation that Mr. Bauby was feeling - a sense of sorrow for the way his life turned out. Instead, I found it to be a remarkably poignant and courageous memoir, still surprisingly hopeful even in the face of such a devastating illness.

While Mr. Bauby had such incredible difficulty in creating this book, not an ounce of that struggle to communicate is found in his writing. There was an easiness to his writing style that I really appreciated. I give this book an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Elaine Mercado, R. N. - Grave's End: A True Ghost Story

125. Grave's End: A True Ghost Story by Elaine Mercado, R. N. (2001)
Length: 174 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 26 December 2014
Finished: 31 December 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 26 December 2014
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Elaine Mercado, R. N. is a new author for me.

Just about everyone loves a good ghost story, but what does one do when it seems as if the very fabric of reality twists and the vastness of the shadowy unknown peers out from behind the everyday rhythm of life? In Grave's End: A True Ghost Story, Ms. Mercado addresses this issue with wrenching candor. Although this may not be a book to read in an old, shadowy house at midnight, the story offers both fear and hope, and a sense of something eternal. 

By the time Elaine Mercado and her first husband bought a charming - but somewhat dilapidated - Victorian-style house in Brooklyn, New York, in the winter of 1982, they had been house-hunting for a little over a year and were quite anxious to settle into a home of their own. Although the house was in need of some serious renovation, it was within their price range and they were more than content to do the work required to make the house their own. Little did they realize that they and their two young daughters would be embarking on a nightmare that would last for thirteen years.

Within a few days of moving in, Elaine and her eldest daughter - eleven-year-old Karin - began to experience the sensation of being watched. Next came the scratching noises and inexplicably weird smells, followed by whispering voices, maniacal laughter, fluffy, dust-ball sized apparitions flitting along baseboards, and mysterious orbs of light floating along the ceilings. Almost from the day the family moved in, each member was targeted by the haunting in some way; "suffocating dreams" were experienced by everyone except for the youngest daughter - five-year-old Christine. Eventually, these paranormal experiences escalated to actual acts of physical aggression directed at Elaine and both the girls.

This is the true story of how one family tried to cope with living in a haunted house. It also describes how, with the help of famed parapsychologist Dr. Hans Holzer and psychic medium Marisa Anderson, the family finally discovered the tragic and heart-breaking secrets buried in the house at Grave's End. As of the publication of this book, Elaine Mercado continues to live in the once-haunted house with her family. 

I certainly enjoyed reading this book; as I always love reading true accounts of paranormal experiences. In my opinion, the story was very descriptive; written in a down-to-earth style that I appreciated. According to the author, while there is still residual paranormal activity, the primary source of the haunting has been cleansed from the house, and she and her family are able to live in their house in relative peace. Overall, I would give Grave's End: A True Ghost Story by Elaine Mercado, R. N. an A+!  

A+! - (96-100%)
               
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Joan Ryan - The Water Giver: The Story of a Mother, a Son, and Their Second Chance

101. The Water Giver: The Story of a Mother, a Son, and Their Second Chance by Joan Ryan (2009)
Length: 260 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 16 October 2014
Finished: 18 October 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Joan Ryan is a new author for me.

When she is first called to the hospital, acclaimed sports columnist and author Joan Ryan is convinced that her son's skateboarding accident would only require several stitches for him and a wasted afternoon for her. Sixteen-year-old Ryan Tompkins had fallen off his skateboard, and it wasn't immediately obvious just how serious his injuries actually were. Despite having various cuts and scratches and complaining that his head hurt, Ryan seemed fine; indeed, he seemed slightly annoyed to be going to hospital by ambulance. In this moving and extremely powerful memoir, Joan Ryan retraces the tumultuous and complicated relationship that delivers mother and son to this moment when, through his brush with death and his painful rehabilitation, they are challenged to redefine who they are and what they mean to each other.

For most of his sixteen years, Ryan hadn't been easy to parent. He lurched from one setback to another, struggling to overcome learning disabilities and ADHD. Joan's grim determination to solve the puzzle of her son's odd and often defiant behavior left her confounded and exasperated. She became so controlling and judgmental, so focused on trying to fix what was wrong with him, that she became more of Ryan's relentless reformer than his loving mother.

By the time Ryan arrived at the hospital, it became apparent that he was suffering from a traumatic brain injury, and the doctors weren't sure if he would even survive. The expectation of a wasted afternoon soon became the furthest worry from Joan Ryan's mind. Instead she spends months rather than hours with her son in the hospital and in rehab, watching him fight to survive his injury and to reclaim a small measure of his life.

When her son wakes from his coma, Joan gets a second chance at motherhood. She rejoices at his first word, his first step, his first spoonful of food, his first attempt to write. She gets the chance to be Ryan's mother all over again and for the first time recognizes what an amazing, heroic young man he is. The Water Giver is the universal story of a mother coming to terms with her own limitations and learning that the best way to help her child is simply to love him. 

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be poignant, well-written, moving and lovingly honest; a comprehensive account of a family dealing with a child's traumatic brain injury. The story didn't dwell too much on Ryan's challenges or portray him as someone who needed to be pitied because of his injury.

It was a very interesting book for me to read, and I could certainly understand how a traumatic brain injury not only affects - and continues to affect - the person who is injured, but also their entire family. I give The Water Giver: The Story of a Mother, a Son, and Their Second Chance by Joan Ryan an A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Pearl S. Buck - The Kennedy Women

100. The Kennedy Women by Pearl S. Buck (1970) 
Length: 218 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 14 October 2014
Finished: 16 October 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 25 July 2001
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and had read and enjoyed The Good Earth by the same author in the past.

For one of world's most influential families - the Kennedys - 'family' is indeed the watchword they live by. In this personal appraisal of the Kennedy family, author Pearl S. Buck specifically focuses on the women who bear the Kennedy name. Ms. Buck follows all of these ladies: from the dynamic matriarch, Rose, to Caroline, the lovely young daughter of JFK. 

Is there such a thing as a "curse of greatness"? For Kathleen, Rosemary, Patricia, Jean, Eunice, Ethel, Joan, and the worldly Jacqueline; if there is, then with certainty the Kennedy women have found a way to endure.

I must say that this book was incredibly praiseworthy of the Kennedys; and indeed, Ms. Buck seemed almost awestruck by the Kennedy women. While this seemed slightly overdone - in my opinion, at least - I still enjoyed reading this book very much. Having been written in 1970, the information is somewhat dated now, perhaps, but I would certainly give this book an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Ronald L. Leonard - The Merry-Hearted Boys: Liam Clancy, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

66. The Merry-Hearted Boys: Liam Clancy, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem by Ronald L. Leonard (2014)

Length: 267 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 12 July 2014
Finished: 19 July 2014
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Ronald L. Leonard for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 12 May 2014
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Ron Leonard is a new author for me. We play the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem quite often on 'Proud to be Irish' and a listener - himself a singer/songwriter and an artist - let us know that Ron Leonard had written this book. 

Ronald L. Leonard was a friend of Liam Clancy's for forty years. This book is a collection of the author's personal memories and reminiscences of that lasting friendship. This is a story which is also steeped in the history, culture, and the traditions of Ireland. Ireland's songs and stories also play a prominent role as do the centuries of hardship that have withstood various invasions and the many years of living under foreign rule. 

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem's popularity in the 1960s was the result of several factors. There was already an American folk revival beginning in the United States, and men such as Ewan MacColl were popularizing old songs on the other side of the Atlantic. But it was the Clancys' boisterous performances that set them apart, taking placid classics and giving them a boost of energy and spirit; although they would still give mournful ballads due reverence.

I must say that I don't usually read much poetry, but the author is also a poet and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his pieces. We actually interviewed Ron Leonard and his wife Peggy on 'Proud to be Irish' about The Merry-Hearted Boys: Liam Clancy, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, and two more delightful people you couldn't hope to meet. I give this book a definite A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Betty Rollin - Last Wish

50. Last Wish by Betty Rollin (1985)
Length: 236 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 28 April 2014
Finished: 29 April 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 April 2013
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Betty Rollin is a new author for me.

In a time when tempers flare over Oregon's assisted-suicide law, and the debate still rages on both sides of the issue regarding Jack Kevorkian's physician-aided 'death with dignity' practice - Betty Rollin's groundbreaking New York Times Bestseller, Last Wish is an intimate, fiercely honest memoir of a daughter's struggle to come to terms with her terminally ill mother Ida's, decision to die. More than a simple examination of the ethical, spiritual, and technical aspects of assisted suicide, Last Wish is a celebration of Ms. Rollin's imperfect family, a passionate tribute to Ida's character and courage in the face of adversity, and a compelling argument for the right of the terminally ill to a humane and dignified death.

I must say that while this book certainly is sad, by no means is it written in a morose or depressing way. I found it incredibly poignant and down-to-earth. This family faced an impossible, emotionally grueling situation and dealt with their issues in the most courageous and loving manner possible. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Edward Klein - Katie: The Real Story

43. Katie: The Real Story by Edward Klein (2007)
Length: 278 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 1 April 2014
Finished: 5 April 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 3 March 2014
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Edward Klein is a new author for me.

For the past twenty-five years - initially as the perky and spirited host of the 'Today' show, then as the only woman ever to anchor a network news program solo - Katie Couric has been a familiar visitor into millions of homes all across America. Yet, despite all her public exposure, no one - until now - has been able to penetrate the shield of her closely guarded personal life - to reveal her secrets and her struggles in the cutthroat world of television news.

In this stunning portrait of America's queen of news, bestselling author Edward Klein rips away the mask that has hidden the many faces of Katie Couric: the strong, independent woman and the needy wife and lover; the grieving widow famed for her kindness toward others and the fiercely competitive diva; the consummate television interviewer and the stumbling network anchor.

Drawing on scores of interviews of people who have never spoken openly about Katie before, Katie: The Real Story chronicles her meteoric rise to the top - from her early days at CNN and local television stations (where she was told she would never succeed) to her phenomenal fifteen-year run on 'Today'. For the first time, the author reveals the critical role Katie's father played in her risky decision to leave 'Today' for the hallowed anchor chair once occupied by Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather.

What is made clear in this book, is that Katie's road to stardom has been paved by a series of rocky personal relationships: a turbulent marriage to Jay Monahan, who died of colon cancer; testy associations with her 'Today' cohosts Bryant Gumbel and Matt Lauer; and several star-crossed love affairs, including one with a man seventeen years her junior.

Katie: The Real Story by Edward Klein is a candid portrait of a folksy, charming woman, a loving single mother, cunning business woman, feminist icon and notorious diva. It is a remarkably insightful, honest and unflinching look at an exceptional woman and the media kingdom she sought to rule.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, it was an excellent and intriguing portrait of the perils of show business. It was very interesting and certainly opened my eyes to a side of Katie Couric that is rarely seen by the public. I give Katie: The Real Story by Edward Klein an A+! and am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Carole P. Roman - The If You Were Me and Lived In...Series

36-42. The If You Were Me and Lived In...Series by Carole P. Roman (2013-2014)
The If You Were Me and Lived In...Series Books 1-7 (If You Were Me and Lived In...Mexico; If You Were Me and Lived In...France; If You Were Me and Lived In...South Korea; If You Were Me and Lived In...Turkey; If You Were Me and Lived In...Kenya; If You Were Me and Lived In...Norway; If You Were Me and Lived In...India)
Length: 194 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started/Finished: 2 April 2014
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Red Feather Publishing for sending me copies of these books to read.

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 April 2014
Why do I have it? Actually, Red Feather Publishing was kind enough to send me several books to read. Occasionally, I enjoy reading children's books and I have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past. 

This exciting new children's series written by Carole P. Roman, focuses on learning about and appreciating the many cultures that make up our small planet. Interesting facts and colorful illustrations help children to realize that although the world is large, people all over the globe are basically the same. Perfect for children from Pre-K to age eight.

I enjoyed reading this series, myself. In my opinion, each book teaches children about new cultures effortlessly - in a way that is entertaining and fully captures a child's attention. I give the whole series a definite A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Margaret Forster - Daphne du Maurier: The Secret Life of the Renowned Storyteller

20. Daphne du Maurier: The Secret Life of the Renowned Storyteller by Margaret Forster (1993)
Length: 457 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 24 February 2014
Finished: 27 February 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 December 2013
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Margaret Forster is a new author for me.

This biography explores the motivations behind Daphne du Maurier's numerous spellbinding works. In a prolific writing career that began in 1931 with The Loving Spirit and subsequently spanned fifty years, the portrait that emerges is that of a woman constantly at odds with herself. Her various literary achievements coupled with a drive to succeed often conflicted with her role as a wife and a mother.

Access to Daphne's personal correspondence has allowed the author to reveal such private details of her life as Daphne's bisexual extramarital attractions, which included a longtime infatuation with Gertrude Lawrence - an English singer and actress, famous for her appearances on the London stage and on Broadway. 

Daphne's rich fantasy life and fertile imagination enabled her to write captivating novels epitomized by 1938's Rebecca - a story which continues to endure even to this day. This richly layered biography aptly unveils the passionate nature of a woman who spent her life portraying the secrets of the sexual tensions between men and women. 

I absolutely loved this book. I learned much more about Daphne du Maurier's life than I was expecting. I will say that Margaret Forster's writing style stopped just short of providing too much detail, although I would still give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)
       
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Adele and Cateau de Leeuw - Nurses Who Led the Way: Real Life Stories of Courageous Women in an Exciting Profession

11. Nurses Who Led the Way: Real Life Stories of Courageous Women in an Exciting Profession by Adele and Cateau de Leeuw (1961)
Length: 210 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started/Finished: 28 January 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 1988
Why do I have it? This book was originally one of Mareena's, but was stowed downstairs in a room we've nicknamed 'The Glory Hole' - a room beside the stairs where we generally store everything (mostly books) that we don't have room for upstairs. I like non-fiction and Adele and Cateau de Leeuw are new authors for me.

This is a book of true stories of nine courageous women who strove to heal the sick in times of need; when they were perhaps not taken as seriously as they would be now. These stories are primarily about women who lived from the nineteenth century to the mid twentieth century. They were nurses whose lives and accomplishments were not known to me until I read this book.

From Mary Ann Bickerdyke (1817-1901) - a hospital administrator for the Union during the Civil War, she earned the nickname 'Mother' Bickerdyke and worked tirelessly to improve conditions for veterans; to Lora Wood Hughes (1873-1960) - a contract nurse during the Spanish-American War, she tended to the sick during an epidemic of typhoid and wrote her autobiography, No Time For Tears in World War II.

In my opinion, this was an excellently written children's book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. As I've said before, I had no knowledge of these courageous women's lives before I read this book, and I appreciated that these true life stories were not as well known - at least to me - as say, Florence Nightingale or Clara Barton would be. I give this book an A+! and Mareena has reacquired it to read for herself at some point.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Kelsey Grammer - So Far...

7. So Far... by Kelsey Grammer (1995)
Length: 238 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 18 January 2014
Finished: 20 January 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 18 January 2014
Why do I have it? I like autobiographies and wanted to learn more about Kelsey Grammer's life.

Everyone who has ever watched television, probably knows of the series Cheers, and of its successful spin-off, Frasier, where the Emmy Award-winning actor Kelsey Grammer played the role of psychiatrist Frasier Crane. What may not be so well-known to the public is more about the star's personal life. In a story that is provocative, heartwarming and hysterical, Kelsey Grammer finally sets the record straight on his often painful yet always uplifting life. Behind-the-scenes stories from his professional life makes Kelsey Grammer's personal story both highly entertaining and supremely insightful.

I must say that I knew little of Kelsey Grammer's life before I read his autobiography. I knew only of his substance abuse, and was vaguely aware of some of the loss he experienced. I had absolutely no idea that Kelsey Grammer had actually experienced such overwhelming tragedy in life.

Anyway, I found this book to be very well-written - very engaging, enlightening and humorous. I was quickly immersed in the author's story because of his easy writing style. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)
  
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Dan Wakefield - Returning: A Spiritual Journey

89. Returning: A Spiritual Journey by Dan Wakefield (1988)
Length: 250 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 13 September 2013
Finished: 18 September 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 21 November 2001
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Dan Wakefield is a new author for me.

Dan Wakefield was a successful writer of novels, non-fiction, and screenplays when he awoke to a private life that was disintegrating around him due to alcohol, depression, and isolation. On a balmy spring morning in Hollywood, a month or so before his forty-eighth birthday, Dan Wakefield woke up literally screaming. His private life had been crumbling for years and alcohol barely numbed the pain.

Those horrifying morning screams drove him back to Boston, his former home, where he changed his entire life. He stopped drinking, started exercising, and discovered, much to his surprise, the power of Christianity. Dan had become an atheist while in college, and did not return to church until 1980 - when he initially heard a Christmas Eve sermon that seemed directed especially at him.

This book is about Dan Wakefield's return to his past life: his boyhood in Indiana, his student years at Columbia University being taught by Mark Van Doren, his bitter disappointment with Freudian psychoanalysis, his sexuality, and his writing career. It is also the story of a spiritual pilgrimage, a courageous and comforting return to faith.

Getting into the flow of the story was slow going for me at first; there were a couple of places during my reading where I thought that the pace was slower than I would have liked, but that could have just been my own experience while reading this book.  Overall, I actually enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. I give this book a B+! 

B+! - (89-85%)
      
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Charles Preston - Exceptional Acrostics to Keep You Sharp

82. Exceptional Acrostics to Keep You Sharp by Charles Preston (2008)
Length: 64 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 25 January 2012
Finished: 29 August 2013
Where did it come from? From Barnes and Noble 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 25 December 2011
Why do I have it? My friend Pamela knows how much I enjoy crossword puzzles and other types of mind-sharpening games, so she gave this book to me for Christmas of 2011.

I have an immense collection of mind puzzle books - from brain-teasers to sudoku, and everything else in between. From time to time, in between actually reading books as well, I'll pick up one of these mind puzzle books and try my hand at one or two of the puzzles. I have so many puzzle books stashed away, that I have no idea how many I actually have. 

Hence, I can have a particular puzzle book for years and still not finish it until several years after I receive it. So far though, these mind puzzles seem to be working excellently for me - I think...Maybe! :) I give this mind puzzle book an A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)
     
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jenna Bush - Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope

33. Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope by Jenna Bush (2007)
Length: 290 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 18 April 2013
Finished: 19 April 2013
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 5 May 2011
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and wasn't aware that Jenna Bush had written any books.

Ana's life is a collection of bits and pieces of her past. Infected at birth with HIV, she had lost her mother, her father and youngest sister to AIDS. Ana is unaware of many details from her early childhood, with only blurry memories of her parents and baby sister. Ana and her younger sister Isabel are sent to live with their grandparents, where ten-year-old Ana is informed by her grandmother that she has HIV. She is told to keep her illness a secret from others - just one of the many secrets young Ana is forced to keep to herself - from sexual and physical abuse perpetrated by her grandparents, to broader neglect and mistreatment from her other family members.

Shuffled from home to home, Ana rarely finds safety or acceptance. Until she meets and falls in love with Berto, becomes pregnant, and then a mother at age seventeen. She begins her journey of hope - a journey of protection of herself, her baby, and others. Struggling to break free from the cycle of abuse, silence, and illness with passion and eloquence - proving to the world that Ana is living with, not dying from HIV/AIDS.

I enjoyed this book. I think that it could be very instructive for children who are affected by HIV and/or AIDS. I give this book an A!  

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight