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All That Is Bitter and Sweet: A Memoir by Maryanne Vollers, Nicholas D. Kristof, Ashley Judd
lisa_casey's review against another edition
3.0
I have always been a fan of Ashley Judd. Her book was inspiring to fight the good fights that speak to our souls. At times the book gets a bit long winded and repetitive but it is certainly worth a read.
Certainly not your typical Hollywood Actress story but certainly shows that when you are able to help and have such compassion in your heart anything is possible.
Certainly not your typical Hollywood Actress story but certainly shows that when you are able to help and have such compassion in your heart anything is possible.
crystalisreading's review against another edition
4.0
there was a duality to this book for me, implied in the title itself. All that is bitter and sweet--and this book was both for me. Not just in the stories Judd related about the horrific situations and conditions around the world, but also in the grueling personal stories she told, versus the hope she felt after recovery, and the difference organizations like the ones she works with are doing. PSI is not an organization with which I'm familiar; it sounds like they do a good job being effective and helping some of the neediest people in the world. and I applaud Judd's drive to help those people herself, with her involvement, attention, political action, financial contributions, etc. I found the insider perspective on the Hollywood life/ activist lifestyle interesting. Her religious beliefs--uber feminist universalist unitarian?--were a bit odd for me, but it's her life, and so I didn't think on it too much. It was odd that I could relate to her thought process and personality in so many ways, and yet I'm not sure I would want to be friends with her personally...she seems like she'd be uncomfortable to know. then again, so do many of her famous friends, people like Bono. I was pleasantly surprised to hear about Salma Hayek. I didn't know about her work at all, and I was left with the impression she's a comfortable, fun person to be around. But uncomfortable people are important, because they make everyone else face the darkness around them and DO SOMETHING about it, instead of just blindly accepting it or ignoring it. I guess I have more sympathy for those around me listening to my rants about politics, the environment, etc.
Related to that, my only sadness was that she didn't address any of the issues she and have common interests in--no mention of mountaintop removal mining and the tragic loss of home and livelihood for the Applalachian people affected by it. She only mentioned her work with Defenders of Wildlife in passing, and I would have liked to have heard more about it. Considering the passionate level of attachment and sensitivity to animals that she has, I am surprised she didn't touch on it at all.
I am not at all sorry I read this, but I don't want to read it again any time soon. I also do not want to go through rehab. it sounds very uncomfortable, no matter how productive. She sets a great example for those who need the help, though, and shows how effective it really can be. So, good for Ashley Judd. Keep it up!
Related to that, my only sadness was that she didn't address any of the issues she and have common interests in--no mention of mountaintop removal mining and the tragic loss of home and livelihood for the Applalachian people affected by it. She only mentioned her work with Defenders of Wildlife in passing, and I would have liked to have heard more about it. Considering the passionate level of attachment and sensitivity to animals that she has, I am surprised she didn't touch on it at all.
I am not at all sorry I read this, but I don't want to read it again any time soon. I also do not want to go through rehab. it sounds very uncomfortable, no matter how productive. She sets a great example for those who need the help, though, and shows how effective it really can be. So, good for Ashley Judd. Keep it up!
loribeth1961's review against another edition
3.0
I have a fondness/weakness for Hollywood/celebrity memoirs. This was not one of them -- at least, not a typical one. Yes, Ashley Judd does discuss her acting career and some of the famous people she's met along the way -- but that is not the focus of this book, or of Judd's life, for that matter. Acting may pay the bills, but Judd's life passion is clearly for her humanitarian work, particularly on behalf of women and girls, and mostly in concert with Population Services International (PSI), which has taken her to slums, brothels and clinics in developing countries such as Cambodia, India, Rwanda and Congo. The book describes her travels on behalf of PSI and the sometimes horrifying personal stories of the women and children she met in mind-numbing detail.
It's overwhelming for us to read -- and it has been overwhelming for Judd to live through. After a couple of years of such trips, and finding it increasingly difficult to cope emotionally, she realized she needed to resolve the needs of her own neglected inner child. In 2006, she checked herself into an intensive 42-day rehabilitation program at Shades of Hope, a treatment facility in Buffalo Gap, Texas, where she tackled deep-rooted issues of depression and co-dependency. Growing up, Judd was bounced around among various relatives and often left to fend for herself while her mother worked as a nurse and doggedly pursued a career in country music with her older daughter.
At the time she wrote the book, Judd was married to race car driver Dario Franchitti, and she describes how they met and got married in a Scottish castle. He's more absent than present in this book, however, and since its publication, they have divorced. No doubt their busy careers and the long spells apart that Judd describes in the book had something to do with it.
I admire Ashley Judd hugely for all she has accomplished, personally and professionally, and overall, this was a thoughtful and absorbing book. It's a worthy read, especially if you are interested in her life & work, or in global feminist/humanitarian causes generally. But it's not an easy book to get through (there's a reason why it took me a full year, on & off...!). The subject matter, while worthy of attention, is difficult (you probably NEED to take a break from it every now & then); the language, while powerful and eloquent, includes a little too much spiritual and 12-step recovery movement jargon for my liking. At 470 pages (!), it probably could have been 100 pages shorter, and still gotten its messages across effectively. Three stars.
It's overwhelming for us to read -- and it has been overwhelming for Judd to live through. After a couple of years of such trips, and finding it increasingly difficult to cope emotionally, she realized she needed to resolve the needs of her own neglected inner child. In 2006, she checked herself into an intensive 42-day rehabilitation program at Shades of Hope, a treatment facility in Buffalo Gap, Texas, where she tackled deep-rooted issues of depression and co-dependency. Growing up, Judd was bounced around among various relatives and often left to fend for herself while her mother worked as a nurse and doggedly pursued a career in country music with her older daughter.
At the time she wrote the book, Judd was married to race car driver Dario Franchitti, and she describes how they met and got married in a Scottish castle. He's more absent than present in this book, however, and since its publication, they have divorced. No doubt their busy careers and the long spells apart that Judd describes in the book had something to do with it.
I admire Ashley Judd hugely for all she has accomplished, personally and professionally, and overall, this was a thoughtful and absorbing book. It's a worthy read, especially if you are interested in her life & work, or in global feminist/humanitarian causes generally. But it's not an easy book to get through (there's a reason why it took me a full year, on & off...!). The subject matter, while worthy of attention, is difficult (you probably NEED to take a break from it every now & then); the language, while powerful and eloquent, includes a little too much spiritual and 12-step recovery movement jargon for my liking. At 470 pages (!), it probably could have been 100 pages shorter, and still gotten its messages across effectively. Three stars.
simsarah79's review against another edition
couldn't finish. I love this woman and I was so excited to read about her personal life. I got into the book pretty quickly and refused to put it down because i wanted to love it so much but after a while I had this nagging feeling like I was annoyed at her writing like she was name dropping and trying to be really nice about her family but it didn't come across as genuine. Also I thought she was just like " I did this and I did that " and I congratulate her on doing all this work for such a wonderful cause but I just couldn't get through the book. :(
anrobe's review against another edition
3.0
For some reason, I've always felt a kinship of sorts to Ashley Judd. I'm not really sure that I can explain it but when I'd hear her interviewed, she always reminded me a bit of myself. I've always wondered what it must like to be the daughter of Naomi Judd and the sister of Wynonna! When I heard that Ashley was coming out with a memoir, I was very intrigued to get her perspective on her life and all of the work I had heard she was doing all over the world.
Overall, her memoir tells two stories - one is the story of her childhood and her recovery from depression, abuse and dysfunction. The other is the story of her social justice work around the world on behalf of PSI and NGO. I found myself connecting a great deal to the first story and less so with the second.
Much of her childhood abuse and dysfunction was written so eloquently in this book and I felt that it gave me some perspective on what has made Ashley Judd who she is today. I also realized what it is that I connect to with Ashley. She and I have a great deal in common. I found that I like and respect her even more after reading about her journey. She's come so far and made such a commitment to taking care of herself and healing. I think she is an amazing woman doing amazing things around the world.
Although I was engaged during the stories of her social justice work, it became a bit monotonous to me as the book moved forward. I learned a great deal about injustice and the state of women throughout the world. It was certainly enlightening and eye opening. I really admire this woman for putting her life and career on hold to do what she feels is her life's work - helping make the world a better place.
I never felt that the book was overly emotional or heavy handed. It all felt very real to me. I appreciated that she didn't try to 'fix' it all in the end, but instead, focused on how healing is an every day endeavor. As someone who struggles with depression myself, I appreciated her perspective on healing and growth. It gave me a great deal to think about and incorporate into my own recovery.
Although I can understand that her faith is critical to her daily life and recovery, and part of each and every thing she does, I did feel it became a bit 'too much' at some point during reading. I found that faith was interwoven into every single aspect of the novel, which is fine, but it wasn't as effective to me as it probably will be to people who are more interested in that sort of thing.
I believe that this book could have used a bit of editing which is part of the reason that it didn't get 4 or 5 stars. I just think that there was a lot of repetition that was unnecessary. The same story could have been told more effectively in a more condensed form.
I think this is a powerful memoir that has the ability to show the reader an inside look at depression, recovery, healing, social injustice and poverty. I feel that I came out of reading the book understanding myself and this world a bit more clearly. It is because of this that I recommend the book, particularly if you're interested in depression/recovery or social injustice. This book contains a powerful message that we should all hear again.
In the end, I feel that I've found, in Ashley's story, a kindred spirit. It's nice to know that there is someone else out there who feels so deeply and is finding away to use her sensitivity and thoughtfulness to help the world become a better place.
Overall, her memoir tells two stories - one is the story of her childhood and her recovery from depression, abuse and dysfunction. The other is the story of her social justice work around the world on behalf of PSI and NGO. I found myself connecting a great deal to the first story and less so with the second.
Much of her childhood abuse and dysfunction was written so eloquently in this book and I felt that it gave me some perspective on what has made Ashley Judd who she is today. I also realized what it is that I connect to with Ashley. She and I have a great deal in common. I found that I like and respect her even more after reading about her journey. She's come so far and made such a commitment to taking care of herself and healing. I think she is an amazing woman doing amazing things around the world.
Although I was engaged during the stories of her social justice work, it became a bit monotonous to me as the book moved forward. I learned a great deal about injustice and the state of women throughout the world. It was certainly enlightening and eye opening. I really admire this woman for putting her life and career on hold to do what she feels is her life's work - helping make the world a better place.
I never felt that the book was overly emotional or heavy handed. It all felt very real to me. I appreciated that she didn't try to 'fix' it all in the end, but instead, focused on how healing is an every day endeavor. As someone who struggles with depression myself, I appreciated her perspective on healing and growth. It gave me a great deal to think about and incorporate into my own recovery.
Although I can understand that her faith is critical to her daily life and recovery, and part of each and every thing she does, I did feel it became a bit 'too much' at some point during reading. I found that faith was interwoven into every single aspect of the novel, which is fine, but it wasn't as effective to me as it probably will be to people who are more interested in that sort of thing.
I believe that this book could have used a bit of editing which is part of the reason that it didn't get 4 or 5 stars. I just think that there was a lot of repetition that was unnecessary. The same story could have been told more effectively in a more condensed form.
I think this is a powerful memoir that has the ability to show the reader an inside look at depression, recovery, healing, social injustice and poverty. I feel that I came out of reading the book understanding myself and this world a bit more clearly. It is because of this that I recommend the book, particularly if you're interested in depression/recovery or social injustice. This book contains a powerful message that we should all hear again.
In the end, I feel that I've found, in Ashley's story, a kindred spirit. It's nice to know that there is someone else out there who feels so deeply and is finding away to use her sensitivity and thoughtfulness to help the world become a better place.
bookworm_mommy's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't know much about Ashley Judd except I liked a movie or two of hers and have even copied one of her hairstyles.
I never had any idea she was such an activist. Good for her.
However, I would say this memoir was poorly written. The timeline is jumbled at times - perhaps due to improper verb and "timing word" use. So I was a bit confused at times.
I did find her personal history interesting with her dysfunctional family and road to recovery. That part was enlightening and made me think.
I never had any idea she was such an activist. Good for her.
However, I would say this memoir was poorly written. The timeline is jumbled at times - perhaps due to improper verb and "timing word" use. So I was a bit confused at times.
I did find her personal history interesting with her dysfunctional family and road to recovery. That part was enlightening and made me think.
chriswolak's review
5.0
Autobiographies by "stars" are not my cup of tea, but I've always admired the work of Ashely Judd--both her film work and her advocacy of feminism, but I didn't know the extent of her feminist social justice work until reading this memoir (she's on the board of directors of Population Services International and recently graduated from the Harvard Kennedy School). Judd (and her co-author Maryanne Vollers) writes beautifully about the pain and beauty of her childhood and young adult years--the anger, the isolation, the dysfunction, the depression, and her road to recovery. Her description of going through a treatment program and her on-going daily practice is helpful for others on their own journey toward healing and health. If you're the type who ONLY believes in pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, this book might not be for you. But if you're working a program, on a spiritual path, or have come to question whether you can truly do it all by yourself, this book might be helpful. I was slightly worried about reading about her experiences of visiting brothels around the world where young girls and women are enslaved in the sex trade, but Judd writes about her visits and activism with such a sense of hope for real change through the implementation of practical programs to raise women out of poverty (one of the main reasons for sexual slavery) that I was left with a sense of hope for the world. I'm glad I own a copy because this is one book I'll go back to for encouragement when I need some. And I have a list of names and organizations to learn about, too. I hope Ashley Judd keeps writing and publishing.
mikolee's review
3.0
Picked this book up in library new section as a little light reading to counterbalance other books. Wow, was I happily stunned to find that Ashley Judd is not just a talented actor, but an amazing social justice activist. She writes movingly about her difficult childhood, struggle with depression and travels around the world as a board member of PSI and an advocate on behalf of women and girls.
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