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theresidentbookworm's reviews
1765 reviews
Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure by Larry Smith, Rachel Fershleiser
3.0
Not as funny as I Can't Keep My Own Secrets, but enjoyable nonetheless. More suited to someone like my mom than me though. Worth a skim.
Audition: A Memoir by Barbara Walters
2.0
Inside flap: Way too long to write! Sorry! Here's a link to it on B&N though.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/audition-a-memoir
My mother, a huge fan of The View, happened to have Barbara Walters' memoir Audition in our library, so I decided to read it. Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed it. I started it not knowing much about Ms. Walters, and by the end I had much more respect for her by the end of this memoir. Her childhood recollections were clear and descriptive, and the story of her career inspiring. I was especially interested by the people she's interviewed in her lifetime. Hollywood movie stars, important political figures... She covered all the biggest scandals in the last forty years. While this wasn't an extremely well-written memoir, it was enjoyable and I recommend it if you like The View.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/audition-a-memoir
My mother, a huge fan of The View, happened to have Barbara Walters' memoir Audition in our library, so I decided to read it. Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed it. I started it not knowing much about Ms. Walters, and by the end I had much more respect for her by the end of this memoir. Her childhood recollections were clear and descriptive, and the story of her career inspiring. I was especially interested by the people she's interviewed in her lifetime. Hollywood movie stars, important political figures... She covered all the biggest scandals in the last forty years. While this wasn't an extremely well-written memoir, it was enjoyable and I recommend it if you like The View.
Deer in the Headlights: My Life in Sarah Palin's Crosshairs by Levi Johnston
2.0
Hm... Levi Johnston, the infamous baby daddy and ex-finace of Bristol Palin. When my mom handed me this book and said I had to read it, I thought she was insane. Of course, then she explained to me that most of the book completely trashed the Palins. We're not big Palin fans at my house. Story: When I was in the eighth grade, I had a magnet with a picture of Sarah Palin on it that said Smiling gives you wrinkles. My history teacher loved it so much that I gave it to him when the year ended.
Obviously, he's not winning the Pulitzer, but Levi definitely has something to say. I'm not sure how much of this book was true, but it was amusing to say the least. Sarah Palin must've been fuming when this came out. Which, of course, makes me laugh. This doesn't really deserve two stars because it was totally pointless and I wasn't really interested until the chapter when he started dating Bristol but I gave it anyway because he should get two points for both pissing off Sarah Palin and making her look bad at the same time. (Not really that hard of course, but good job anyway!) I recommend only for amusement purposes. Get it from someone else if you can. If you can't, steal it from the bookstore. They won't mind anyway. I mean, he's a nobody. It's not like he's Brad Pitt or something.
Obviously, he's not winning the Pulitzer, but Levi definitely has something to say. I'm not sure how much of this book was true, but it was amusing to say the least. Sarah Palin must've been fuming when this came out. Which, of course, makes me laugh. This doesn't really deserve two stars because it was totally pointless and I wasn't really interested until the chapter when he started dating Bristol but I gave it anyway because he should get two points for both pissing off Sarah Palin and making her look bad at the same time. (Not really that hard of course, but good job anyway!) I recommend only for amusement purposes. Get it from someone else if you can. If you can't, steal it from the bookstore. They won't mind anyway. I mean, he's a nobody. It's not like he's Brad Pitt or something.
I Want To Live: The Diary of a Young Girl in Stalin's Russia by Nina Lugovskaya
4.0
Though along the same realm of Anne Frank's diary, Nina Lugobskaya's diary is vastly difference. While Anne's diary is hopeful and beautifully written, Nina's diary is more cynical and contains her day-to-day life. Of course, Anne was stuck in the Annex while Nina could go out and about, so we learn more about Stalin's Russia in her diary than we do Hitler's regime in Anne's. Anne and Nina are very different girls. Anne Frank was pretty, charming, the type of girl everyone liked, especially boys. Nina Lugovskaya, on the other hand, was much darker, more cynical, and isolated from others. She was a bit of an outcast, which makes her diary read like a real teenager's. It really isn't fair to compare the two diaries, though, since Nina didn't get to edit hers beforehand like Anne did.
Nina, while often moody and selfish, is a shrew observer, and you really get to see what Russia was like at the time. You learn about the day-to-day life there: school, shopping, and the police knocking down your door. Nina's father had been sent away for suspected suspicious activities and so she, her mother, and two older sisters were on their own in terms of money and food, both of which there was never enough. The most passionate you ever see Nina is when she's ranting against Stalin. I could really see the political climate and how it was going to turn out. Nina, though dreaming of being a writer as a kid, ended up being a painter. Like Anne, this is her only testimony to us. I'd recommend!
Nina, while often moody and selfish, is a shrew observer, and you really get to see what Russia was like at the time. You learn about the day-to-day life there: school, shopping, and the police knocking down your door. Nina's father had been sent away for suspected suspicious activities and so she, her mother, and two older sisters were on their own in terms of money and food, both of which there was never enough. The most passionate you ever see Nina is when she's ranting against Stalin. I could really see the political climate and how it was going to turn out. Nina, though dreaming of being a writer as a kid, ended up being a painter. Like Anne, this is her only testimony to us. I'd recommend!
Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou
3.0
I was at a garage sale with my mom when I stumbled across this. Recognizing the author's name and knowing it was only costing me 50 cents made this an instant sell.
While I can say I haven't wasted 50 cents, I can't say I would buy this full price. Maya Angelou is a wonderful writer, to be sure, but maybe this isn't her best work. This is my first time reading her, and I'm not sure that she lived up to the hype. There are some beautiful snippets in here, verses that just grab your heart, but it felt more like self-help than anything else. My favorite line was this: “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud. Do not complain. Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution.” It's a good line to live by, and the best way to begin this letter.
I also liked the title and her take on it: "I gave birth to one child, a son, but I have thousands of daughters. You are black and white, Jewish and Muslim, Asian, Spanish-speaking, Native Americans and Aleut. You are fat and thin and pretty and plain, gay and straight, educated and unlettered, and I am speaking to you all. Here is my offering to you."
If you like Maya Angelou, I'd recommend. If you've never read her before, try something else first.
While I can say I haven't wasted 50 cents, I can't say I would buy this full price. Maya Angelou is a wonderful writer, to be sure, but maybe this isn't her best work. This is my first time reading her, and I'm not sure that she lived up to the hype. There are some beautiful snippets in here, verses that just grab your heart, but it felt more like self-help than anything else. My favorite line was this: “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud. Do not complain. Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution.” It's a good line to live by, and the best way to begin this letter.
I also liked the title and her take on it: "I gave birth to one child, a son, but I have thousands of daughters. You are black and white, Jewish and Muslim, Asian, Spanish-speaking, Native Americans and Aleut. You are fat and thin and pretty and plain, gay and straight, educated and unlettered, and I am speaking to you all. Here is my offering to you."
If you like Maya Angelou, I'd recommend. If you've never read her before, try something else first.
The Red Leather Diary: Reclaiming a Life Through the Pages of a Lost Journal by Lily Koppel
5.0
In case you guys haven't noticed, I am a 1920s junkie. It is a serious problem, I'll admit it, but I just can't help it. I love it all: the glamor, the intrigue, the literature, the clothes, the music... In my next life, I will live in 1920s Paris or New York. I will exchange witty barbs with Dorothy Parker and get Getrude Stein's advice on my writing. Until then, I guess I'll just have to settle with reading fabulously detailed accounts like The Red Leather Diary.
When I first read the back cover of The Red Leather Diary, I knew I had found a gem. It really read more like novel for most of it. What a spectacular story! Just the story of how Lily Koppel found the journal could be fiction it's so unbelievable (in a good way). I loved how Koppel had little snippets from Florence's diary and then expanded on them or tied them in somehow. Honestly, I wanted to be Florence. To walk in old New York, to see all those plays and read like she did and go to Europe and explore. Florence Wolfson came right off the page. It was easy to like her. She was brilliant, restless, and full of spirit. I could relate to her. I admired her. I loved how specific her depiction of New York is. I felt like I was in 1920s New York.
Florence Wolfson certainly had an interesting life. I have mixed feelings about the lesbianism, but at least it wasn't brushed under the rug here. I had never actually heard of lesbians existing in the 1920s so it was interesting for me. I loved hearing about all of Florence's romances. Nat was my favorite, maybe because I knew she'd end up marrying him and maybe because he just sounded cute.
Lily Koppel got the break of a lifetime by finding the diary, and she took advantage of it. She's a great writer with an eye for detail, but it helps that she had such amazing source material. Probably the most fascinating and realistic portrayal of the 1920s I have ever read, I definitely recommend.
When I first read the back cover of The Red Leather Diary, I knew I had found a gem. It really read more like novel for most of it. What a spectacular story! Just the story of how Lily Koppel found the journal could be fiction it's so unbelievable (in a good way). I loved how Koppel had little snippets from Florence's diary and then expanded on them or tied them in somehow. Honestly, I wanted to be Florence. To walk in old New York, to see all those plays and read like she did and go to Europe and explore. Florence Wolfson came right off the page. It was easy to like her. She was brilliant, restless, and full of spirit. I could relate to her. I admired her. I loved how specific her depiction of New York is. I felt like I was in 1920s New York.
Florence Wolfson certainly had an interesting life. I have mixed feelings about the lesbianism, but at least it wasn't brushed under the rug here. I had never actually heard of lesbians existing in the 1920s so it was interesting for me. I loved hearing about all of Florence's romances. Nat was my favorite, maybe because I knew she'd end up marrying him and maybe because he just sounded cute.
Lily Koppel got the break of a lifetime by finding the diary, and she took advantage of it. She's a great writer with an eye for detail, but it helps that she had such amazing source material. Probably the most fascinating and realistic portrayal of the 1920s I have ever read, I definitely recommend.
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
3.0
Like many of my books, this one was found in one of my teacher's libraries. Being me, I picked it up and read it. Being the first autobiography I ever read, I didn't enjoy it as much as I do know. Helen Keller's voice is simple and sound, taking us step by step into her world. Despite her lack of sight or sound, she has great attention to detail, and that shines through in The Story of My Life. You feel like you're there at the water pump with Anne and Helen when Helen has a breakthrough. My favorite chapters were the ones about her college years. I highly recommend it.
Good Brother, Bad Brother: The Story of Edwin Booth and John Wilkes Booth by James Cross Giblin
4.0
Where found: I found this at Greenfield Village. If you're ever in Michigan and heading towards the Detroit suburban area, go check this place out. Not only does it have a lot of old historical buildings from all over the country, but it also has an great gift shop with an awesome selection of books on American history. All my favorite president fact books and biographies are from there.
Positive: This was a very in-depth look at the Booth family and specifically the Booth brothers. It really helped me understand John Wilkes Booth and why he did what he did. Booth wasn't from the South, but he made it his home as an adult. Booth fell in love with the South and vowed to make himself a proper Southern actor. His loyalty to his state only led him to do what he though of as avenging the South. I also found it interesting that mental illness ran in the Booth family. Junius Booth suffered from fits of insanity, and Edwin admitted periods of depression to a close friend. It makes one wonder how guilty John Wilkes Booth really was. Very detailed and an over-all good read. I also enjoyed reading about the impact of what John Wilkes Booth did had on his family and specifically Edwin.
Negative: Not too many bad things to say about this one. Of course, if you're a die-hard Yankee, you might not enjoy this one. It takes away the illusion of John Wilkes Booth being a cold-heart killer. Every story has two sides, and this side isn't the popular one.
Recommendation: If you're a Civil War buff, this is definitely for you. You'll love the new perspective. If you're a high school history student, read this and randomly drop facts from it while studying Lincoln's assassination. Your teacher will think you're brilliant, trust me.
Positive: This was a very in-depth look at the Booth family and specifically the Booth brothers. It really helped me understand John Wilkes Booth and why he did what he did. Booth wasn't from the South, but he made it his home as an adult. Booth fell in love with the South and vowed to make himself a proper Southern actor. His loyalty to his state only led him to do what he though of as avenging the South. I also found it interesting that mental illness ran in the Booth family. Junius Booth suffered from fits of insanity, and Edwin admitted periods of depression to a close friend. It makes one wonder how guilty John Wilkes Booth really was. Very detailed and an over-all good read. I also enjoyed reading about the impact of what John Wilkes Booth did had on his family and specifically Edwin.
Negative: Not too many bad things to say about this one. Of course, if you're a die-hard Yankee, you might not enjoy this one. It takes away the illusion of John Wilkes Booth being a cold-heart killer. Every story has two sides, and this side isn't the popular one.
Recommendation: If you're a Civil War buff, this is definitely for you. You'll love the new perspective. If you're a high school history student, read this and randomly drop facts from it while studying Lincoln's assassination. Your teacher will think you're brilliant, trust me.
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson
4.0
An excellent and surprisingly interesting Ben Franklin bio. Detailed without being too boring. Not a glorified version of history. Recommended. (P.S. I am way too tired to write long reviews. Shoot me.)
Flappers: Six Women of a Dangerous Generation by Judith Mackrell
3.0
If you know me at all (Or have read any of my reviews, which is close enough on Goodreads), then you know I am a 1920s nut. I love everything about it, and I never hesitate to read anything, fiction or nonfiction, about that era. It felt like fate when I found Flappers because my APUSH class was on its 1920s chapter on the time.
I gave Flappers three stars reluctantly. I wish it could have been a four. In terms of people and storytelling, it was splendid. Flappers focused on six women: Josephine Baker, Tallulah Bankhead, Diana Cooper, Nancy Cunard, Zelda Fitzgerald, and Tamara de Lempicka. I had only heard of two of them before so it was a learning experience for me. I liked the diversity of these women's stories. Diana and Nancy were English-born aristocrats, Zelda and Tallulah Alabama belles, Tamara a Russian refuge in Paris and Josephine a refuge from racism in the U.S., and yet all of them together embody just who the flapper really was. Nancy's story was probably the most compelling to me, but I also enjoyed knowing more about Zelda and Josephine. The only problem with Flappers is that the number of women profiled cuts away from the time spent on each. The stories are inter-cut together, and I would have rather had one story completely told and then move on to another profile. I would forget what had happened in the last part of one woman's story since it had been a few chapters of information away. I also deducted points because while Flappers was meticulously detailed, it also lagged on a bit. The number of side people and details could have been cut down a bit.
I'd recommend Flappers if the things I just mentioned don't bother you.
I gave Flappers three stars reluctantly. I wish it could have been a four. In terms of people and storytelling, it was splendid. Flappers focused on six women: Josephine Baker, Tallulah Bankhead, Diana Cooper, Nancy Cunard, Zelda Fitzgerald, and Tamara de Lempicka. I had only heard of two of them before so it was a learning experience for me. I liked the diversity of these women's stories. Diana and Nancy were English-born aristocrats, Zelda and Tallulah Alabama belles, Tamara a Russian refuge in Paris and Josephine a refuge from racism in the U.S., and yet all of them together embody just who the flapper really was. Nancy's story was probably the most compelling to me, but I also enjoyed knowing more about Zelda and Josephine. The only problem with Flappers is that the number of women profiled cuts away from the time spent on each. The stories are inter-cut together, and I would have rather had one story completely told and then move on to another profile. I would forget what had happened in the last part of one woman's story since it had been a few chapters of information away. I also deducted points because while Flappers was meticulously detailed, it also lagged on a bit. The number of side people and details could have been cut down a bit.
I'd recommend Flappers if the things I just mentioned don't bother you.