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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
Recently, I saw an interview with someone involved with the Dahmer show criticizing people for saying that we need to focus on victims rather than the perpetrators. His response was that those stories would be “boring”
I think this speaks to a greater issue with consuming true crime stories. It shows us that at the end of the day we are looking for entertainment and there’s something about people who do awful things that peaks our interest.
Some of the reviews of this book have pointed out that’s it’s a bit slow and I agree. But it made me think about how we engage with these stories. And while reading it I reminded myself what Jaycee had been through and that made the every day mundane experiences described in the book so beautiful.
I think these stories are important, they remind us to slow down and appreciate life. Jaycees story is so inspiring and I love her outlook on life.
If you’ve read a stolen life, I’d recommend reading this one.
I think this speaks to a greater issue with consuming true crime stories. It shows us that at the end of the day we are looking for entertainment and there’s something about people who do awful things that peaks our interest.
Some of the reviews of this book have pointed out that’s it’s a bit slow and I agree. But it made me think about how we engage with these stories. And while reading it I reminded myself what Jaycee had been through and that made the every day mundane experiences described in the book so beautiful.
I think these stories are important, they remind us to slow down and appreciate life. Jaycees story is so inspiring and I love her outlook on life.
If you’ve read a stolen life, I’d recommend reading this one.
informative
inspiring
reflective
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
slow-paced
“First time I flew in a plane, I was six years old.”
I am so in awe of jaycee dugard and how positive and resilient she is following such a traumatic life. I was interested to see how growing up the way she did affected how she interacted with the world in the aftermath. I got that a bit, but this book is mostly talking about her horses and dogs. While it is good to hear that she is doing well, I was a little bit underwhelmed by the... normalness of it all? Which feels bad to say, because GOD KNOWS this woman deserves normality. But what I'm trying to say is that a lot of her experiences are not unique. These could (and have!) happen to anyone. First hangover, first time traveling to a new country, etc. I was hoping to see these experiences through her unique lens, and came away slightly underwhelmed. Regardless, I am so glad she's doing well and I respect tf outta her for doing so much good after suffering through so much bad.
“My adventure continues; and I hope your adventure continues too.”
I am so in awe of jaycee dugard and how positive and resilient she is following such a traumatic life. I was interested to see how growing up the way she did affected how she interacted with the world in the aftermath. I got that a bit, but this book is mostly talking about her horses and dogs. While it is good to hear that she is doing well, I was a little bit underwhelmed by the... normalness of it all? Which feels bad to say, because GOD KNOWS this woman deserves normality. But what I'm trying to say is that a lot of her experiences are not unique. These could (and have!) happen to anyone. First hangover, first time traveling to a new country, etc. I was hoping to see these experiences through her unique lens, and came away slightly underwhelmed. Regardless, I am so glad she's doing well and I respect tf outta her for doing so much good after suffering through so much bad.
“My adventure continues; and I hope your adventure continues too.”
It's been about six years since Jaycee Dugard was rescued from her insidious abductors and captors. While she devotes some of the story to her method of recovery, this is primarily a journal of experiences she found moving or had a memorable or lasting impact.
I found most of the examples pretty mundane, more like a chronicle of the experience without any special insights. However, the last couple of hours provide that enlightenment. You have to remind yourself that Jaycee is at times that young, 11-year old girl going through the experience and at others, the 36-year old woman making sense of it all. I'm amazed at her resilience and outlook and find her to be remarkable.
This wasn't the story I was expecting but it really did reinforce my opinion of her being pretty special. Her foundation isn't just something to shelter income, it's truly an extension of who she is and what she wants to do with her life. In this sense, her story is enlightening. I very much like that she's the narrator, too, as it's her voice that makes a difference.
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)
I found most of the examples pretty mundane, more like a chronicle of the experience without any special insights. However, the last couple of hours provide that enlightenment. You have to remind yourself that Jaycee is at times that young, 11-year old girl going through the experience and at others, the 36-year old woman making sense of it all. I'm amazed at her resilience and outlook and find her to be remarkable.
This wasn't the story I was expecting but it really did reinforce my opinion of her being pretty special. Her foundation isn't just something to shelter income, it's truly an extension of who she is and what she wants to do with her life. In this sense, her story is enlightening. I very much like that she's the narrator, too, as it's her voice that makes a difference.
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)
I have always been fascinated by child abduction cases- Elizabeth Smart, Lisa Irwin, the three Cleveland women, Madeleine McCann. You always hope and pray that the children get returned, but when they do, especially when it's years later, you are shocked but also so happy that the parents get their baby back. But what happens after the media firestorm subsides? How do they function back into normal society?
Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped in 1991 and was found alive in 2009. I remember the media footage of her and the backyard shack her and her daughters were kept in. Jaycee wrote a memoir about her experience, [b:A Stolen Life|11330361|A Stolen Life|Jaycee Dugard|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1327928284s/11330361.jpg|16258764], which is exactly what you expect: an awful account of what she had to endure in her 18 years of captivity. This follow-up is an interesting account of Jaycee adjusting to being "normal" and trying to learn to do things that we all may be take for granted. Things like learning how to grocery shop, or drive a car. I also liked how you could really see how the world has changed since she was last in public. The story about how a normal shopping mall had drastically changed since the 90s- how there are no longer pet stores in the malls, or how there seems to be a million options for clothing now.
The book isn't all doom and gloom. There are a few funny moments as well. I love how she began the book: "Hi. My name is Jaycee Dugard.... first things first...#1 I am NOT a Duggar, I do not have 18 siblings. #2 I am NOT Elizabeth Smart". Also, the chapter where she gets drunk for the first time and then has her first hangover. Gold.
She narrated the audiobook herself, and my heart just went out to her because it struck me just how immature she sounded. I'm not saying that to be derogatory ; she was kidnapped at age 11 and found at age 29. She missed out on a whole chunk of her life in a normal setting. What she went through must have had an effect on her psyche. But it still struck me as so sad that the book sounded like it was narrated by a teenager rather than a woman in her mid 30s. But I am so happy to hear that she seems to be doing well and is helping others with her foundation.
Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped in 1991 and was found alive in 2009. I remember the media footage of her and the backyard shack her and her daughters were kept in. Jaycee wrote a memoir about her experience, [b:A Stolen Life|11330361|A Stolen Life|Jaycee Dugard|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1327928284s/11330361.jpg|16258764], which is exactly what you expect: an awful account of what she had to endure in her 18 years of captivity. This follow-up is an interesting account of Jaycee adjusting to being "normal" and trying to learn to do things that we all may be take for granted. Things like learning how to grocery shop, or drive a car. I also liked how you could really see how the world has changed since she was last in public. The story about how a normal shopping mall had drastically changed since the 90s- how there are no longer pet stores in the malls, or how there seems to be a million options for clothing now.
The book isn't all doom and gloom. There are a few funny moments as well. I love how she began the book: "Hi. My name is Jaycee Dugard.... first things first...#1 I am NOT a Duggar, I do not have 18 siblings. #2 I am NOT Elizabeth Smart". Also, the chapter where she gets drunk for the first time and then has her first hangover. Gold.
She narrated the audiobook herself, and my heart just went out to her because it struck me just how immature she sounded. I'm not saying that to be derogatory ; she was kidnapped at age 11 and found at age 29. She missed out on a whole chunk of her life in a normal setting. What she went through must have had an effect on her psyche. But it still struck me as so sad that the book sounded like it was narrated by a teenager rather than a woman in her mid 30s. But I am so happy to hear that she seems to be doing well and is helping others with her foundation.
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
I honestly did not enjoy this book as much as I thought that I would. I was so excited to read it when I first saw it in the store but it was just so disappointing.
I found a lot of the chapters she would go off and talk about something completely unrelated to what she was first speaking about, and it was very choppy. A lot of the things she would talk about especially if it was repeated wasn't exactly in order, for instance in the chapter about her best friend she talks about the best man and photographer at her friends wedding but had talked about him a few times before but introduced him as a whole new character, and then she also talked about her mom marrying her friend and how she had to look into being ordained but had already spoken about her mom being re-ordained earlier.
I get that Jaycee didn't finish school and probably still does have the mind of a young girl because she didn't really get to experience growing up and maturing but I still think with a better editor this book would have been much better.
I found a lot of the chapters she would go off and talk about something completely unrelated to what she was first speaking about, and it was very choppy. A lot of the things she would talk about especially if it was repeated wasn't exactly in order, for instance in the chapter about her best friend she talks about the best man and photographer at her friends wedding but had talked about him a few times before but introduced him as a whole new character, and then she also talked about her mom marrying her friend and how she had to look into being ordained but had already spoken about her mom being re-ordained earlier.
I get that Jaycee didn't finish school and probably still does have the mind of a young girl because she didn't really get to experience growing up and maturing but I still think with a better editor this book would have been much better.