Despite liking this collection of personal essays, I still am feeling like I missed the proverbial boat on this one as I have six Goodreads friends, a Despite liking this collection of personal essays, I still am feeling like I missed the proverbial boat on this one as I have six Goodreads friends, all who I value/trust their opinions (which isn't the case for all of them/you, ha!) who gave this one 5 stars. I am firmly in the 4 stars group (or maybe even a tad under) as like most essay collections I found this one to be a bit hit-or-miss.
I have had Chee on my to-be-read list for a while now and even picked up an e-book copy of 'Edinburgh' but this one leap-frogged ahead due to a e-book sale and oddly enough, many "bookstagram" folks reading this 2018 release just recently. Chee can seriously write and enjoyed, or perhaps more respected, this collection for that fact alone, but again I often feel like a "bad" gay when I can't quite connect with personal tales from a queer perspective.
I have to admit it's a very ingenious title for a non-fiction essay collection from a fiction writer. I know the book was just named for one of the essays, and while not all (or most?) of the essays centered around writing or the writing process, with the title in my head it was just interesting to imagine how Chee's multi-topic'd essays could turn themselves into a work of fiction, or even a character or an element in a novel (autobiographical or not).
I've been in a quite ornery reading mood where nothing quite is working out (Goldilocks syndrome?), so I guess that could be part of it. But again, with a 4.39 overall rating off of 11k+ reviews, this "review" certainly shouldn't discourage you or anyone from reading it. I always love to hear from writers and the writing process, but maybe I should have given his fiction a ride first before this? Anyhow, quite good but still a bit still lacking the intangible I am seeing in many reviews and ratings. ...more
To be honest, I had no plans to read this memoir. Like many, I have been a fan of Whoopi Goldberg (aka Caryn Johnson) for a long time and as a card-ca To be honest, I had no plans to read this memoir. Like many, I have been a fan of Whoopi Goldberg (aka Caryn Johnson) for a long time and as a card-carrying libtard I am a semi-regular watcher of 'The View' but there didn't seem anything compelling about this until I heard a couple of Goldberg interviews about the book where she discussed her grief/mourning experience over the loss of her mother and brother, her only core family members, really resonated with me over the recent-ish loss of my father.
While I found what I was looking/hoping for on that particular subject, it was only really discussed in the final chapter and didn't add much more to the interviews I heard of -- but still very good stuff, that I wish I could rip out the pages and share with folks who have gone through that experience and/or who are dealing with elderly parents. Wise words and advice.
Other than that, and as the title suggests this book is "bit and pieces" of Goldberg's life and career. Coming in at under 200 pages, it is not exhaustive or detailed or even particularly "juicy" - but that was all okay, as I felt I still gained some insight of Goldberg and her humble and, perhaps surprisingly (?), happy childhood in the projects. Overall, a quick and entertaining read. ...more
A lot of my reading around this time of year is a result of attending the Santa Fe Literary Festival in mid-May. This one is festival-adjacent as I sa A lot of my reading around this time of year is a result of attending the Santa Fe Literary Festival in mid-May. This one is festival-adjacent as I saw Taffa at last year's (2023) Festival when she was in discussion with David Treuer and his book "The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee" (which I have yet to read, oy!) and she spoke of this upcoming memoir. I was intrigued by her and picked up the book this year (2024) during a lunch break and trip to the great local indie bookstore (Collected Works). So that's everything you need to know about the "why" of this book.
As you can see, I ended up being a bit disappointed by this one. Don't get me wrong, there is some really great insights of growing up Native (technically, half-Native which further complicates things) in Yuma, AZ and Farmington, NM (btw, two of three states I've called home). Where this memoir excels is when Taffa reflects on her childhood as an adult, the generational trauma, and Native history. This was the case in the opening chapters which were so good, I actually had to read paragraphs aloud to my hubby. But then it just turned into a less engaging and a bit too blow-by-blow of the school bullying (by fellow students and mean-spirited teachers) and finding your place in a big, lower-middle-class (??) family. A lot of time, it just felt fairly ordinary with many stories that did not add much to overall arc/intention of the memoir, which is honestly way harsher than I intend it to be --but to bastardize Tolstoy, it just seems like a lot of (most?) childhoods are unhappy (traumatic), but unhappy in their own way. Yes, Taffa's "own way" is a valuable voice to hear/read, I just wish that that there was more reflection and I would have loved to hear how Taffa eventually went on to earn her MFA and her adult life rather than the story stopping at high school graduation and a quick fast-forward (perhaps, saving it for a second book)?
As I usually caution with my more critical reviews, don't necessarily trust me. As I type the book currently has 4.19 average rating as you can see in the Goodreads blurb lauded by critics as a "best" and "highly anticipated" read. Ultimately, it's just quibbles about structure and approach and certainly nothing against Taffa and again the value of hearing minority voices and the often not so "great" history of this nation. ...more
Another book that I read thanks to this year's (2024) Santa Fe Literary Festival. This acclaimed and award-winning memoir had been on my radar long beAnother book that I read thanks to this year's (2024) Santa Fe Literary Festival. This acclaimed and award-winning memoir had been on my radar long before Santa Fe, tho to be honest we almost skipped the Hua Hsu session as we had already seen so many authors (and planned to see so many more), but alas we did attend Hsu's session and enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to reading this one.
As you can see, it didn't quite come out as anticipated. This is a good book (again, keep reminding myself ... and others... that 3 stars is "liked it"), but I was still baffled by what the point of it was and then what distinguished it enough to have it win the Pulitzer Prize for Memoir along with the to NBCC Award for Autobiography. Much like Hsu himself, the book was kind of mellow and low energy about his upbringing as a child of Taiwanese immigrants and their life in Cupertino (before Apple invaded and put the town on the map), as well as university life in the 90s and alternately about grief after one of his college friends is tragically killed.
There is a good deal of pop culture as well, particularly music which he would go on to write about for the likes of 'The New Yorker' and 'The Atlantic' (tho this memoir does not delve into his post-college life/career). Hsu is about 10 years younger than me, and that proved enough to not be able to connect so much with many of the pop culture material of that time and his often like-ably nerdy and academic approach to things.
In the acknowledgements, Hsu notes that he was working on this for 20 years but added it "didn't become a book until my agent Chris saw it as one" ... so my struggle here (which is really overstating things, again I "liked" it), is I am not sure how I would have saw this as a book as there doesn't seem any profound knowledge or something "new" that Hsu is passing along to readers about any of the subject matter in the book. But again, don't put all your faith in me as the book currently has a 4.03 rating, meaning a lot of 5-star ratings in the 30k+ amassed here on Goodreads....more
There's no way any review of mine can do justice for this book. If you have any interest in "how the West was won" ... or even if you don't think you There's no way any review of mine can do justice for this book. If you have any interest in "how the West was won" ... or even if you don't think you do (I'll admit that I may have leaned in that direction), this is the book for you. Using the legendary Kit Carson as a thread, historian Hampton Sides gives readers and epic and thrilling tale of the Western expansion of the United States. If this is how history was taught in school, I'm guessing there would be a lot more history majors out there!
I lost track of the amount of things I learned in this book. Some of the names are familiar, but they come to life here. And this is also the story of, as the subtitle state, the "conquest" of the West and along with that the Native population. The bloody battles between the growing United States and the Native populations, particularly the Navajos, was truly eye-opening... and as is the case of learning American history as an adult, incredibly shocking and disturbing. Remind me again, when America was great? Again, the amount of information Sides dishes out here is terribly impressive and while it might slack off at times over its ~500 pages, it is engaging and page-turning.
It meant even more to me since a lot of the book takes place in my home state of New Mexico. So it definitely helped to be able to know many of the places in the book or at least be able to look it up on a map and now distances and the geography of the area. Our beloved Santa Fe - already a magical destination for us - is prominently featured and I am sure the next time we return, I will have a new-found awe literally walking through history.
I read this one as we had a chance to see Hampton Sides at the 2024 Santa Fe Literary Festival. A resident of Santa Fe himself, Sides is a regular at the festival -- tho this year he was a featured author, promoting his new book "The Wide Wide Sea" about Captain James Cook. I should also note, my hubby read this book last year (thinking we were going to see Sides at last year's festival, tho we never ran into him) and raved about it -- so this book had been lingering on my to-read list for over a year, but I'm glad I had the extra push to final dig in this year thanks to seeing Sides.
Again, highly recommended and a no-brainer 5 stars.
Snuck this one under the wire as I am seeing Patrick Radden Keefe this coming weekend at the 2024 Santa Fe Literary Festival. I had high hopes/expecta Snuck this one under the wire as I am seeing Patrick Radden Keefe this coming weekend at the 2024 Santa Fe Literary Festival. I had high hopes/expectations with this one as Keefe's "Empire of Pain" was one of my top books/reads of 2021. This is a collection of previously published (??) articles (long-form journalism) each is about an hour's worth of reading -- and a staggering depth and exhaustive breadth of people and stories -- from white collar crime to death row inmates to crime families to the world of fine wine (and forgery). Being a pop culture fan, the pieces re: Mark Burnett, the man behind of 'Survivor' and now more infamously 'The Apprentice' and thus the rise of Donald Tr&mp and the last piece about Anthony Bourdain were personal favorites.
Much like fiction short story collections, your miles may vary going from piece to piece. Despite always fascinating topics, I will admit there are some pieces that I zoned out on and some dragged on a bit longer than I would have preferred -- but no one can fault Keefe for not being thorough as well as being an incredible writer as well.
Overall, landing on 4 stars based on my variable interest in some of the stories -- but again, there's no doubt in my mind that every reader will learn something new in each one of them. ...more
I'm pretty sure I don't have to say this, but if you are not a Barbra Streisand super fan -- probably best to skip this nearly 1,000 page memoir. But I'm pretty sure I don't have to say this, but if you are not a Barbra Streisand super fan -- probably best to skip this nearly 1,000 page memoir. But if you are like me, a middle-aged gay man who very likely places Streisand in his Gay Holy Trinity (where's my Cher memoir?!?!) to quote Mike Meyers' character Linda Richman from the SNL skit "Coffee Talk" spending 72 days with Barbra was like buttah! That said, this book is definitely a *LOT* of Barbra, so I managed to read 6 other books/novels while reading a chapter (or two) a day of this -- and it was perfect.
As you would expect, Streisand's recount of her life is precise and heavily detailed, while I am sure she brushed over some things I can't imagine what that could be. The chapter(s) on 'Yentl' alone could have probably been a book in and of itself. A key to enjoying this one ... and again, maybe the advantage of reading only a little bit each day ... is that Streisand is a bit much, which is part of her charm and why I love her.
One of my more memorable Facebook statuses/Tweets of all time was: "Barbra Streisand calling Tim Cook to correct Siri's pronunciation of 'Barbra Streisand' is the most Barbra Streisand thing I've ever heard."
And while she does recount that particular story (again, nothing is missing here!), she tops herself over and over again with more Barbra Streisand things... like calling up the ABC network to fix the sound/volume on the network debut of 'The Prince of Tides' or ringing up Stephen Sondheim to ask him if he can rewrite some lyrics to suit what she's trying to accomplish (and she asks this of Sondheim on multiple occasions!). And that list goes on and on. But given her long career and success almost from the get-go, again this disconnection from the real world/real life is very charming. And while she is often deemed difficult, demanding, and a diva, she has a vision and wants what she wants -- and that's something to have a lot of respect for... plus she's usually right.
The book has some juicy material too re: love affairs and the many folks she had issues with... most notably her 'Yentl' co-star Mandy Patinkin, but some real fire is saved for Larry Kramer during her attempts to bring 'The Normal Heart' to the big screen (decades later, Ryan Murphy made it into a movie for Netflix) -- but again, there's a whole lot of minutia to get through if you are just looking "tea."
Never really a doubt this one was going to be 5 stars for me. Decades in the making, this is the be-all and end-all on everything Streisand. Side benefit: coming in at just over 3 pounds, I got a workout just carrying the hardcover around the house!
Another spontaneous-ish read and also thanks to a Kindle sale, tho something I had considered reading as while I don't watch the Amber Ruffin Show on Another spontaneous-ish read and also thanks to a Kindle sale, tho something I had considered reading as while I don't watch the Amber Ruffin Show on Peacock, I am aware of her from her time on the Seth Meyers show as well as seeing her around talk shows, etc. -- so I knew ahead of time that this would be sharp and smart and funny book ... and co-written with her sister Lacey Lamar.
So this is where we enter the awkward part of this review, as a middle-aged white guy has to explain his 3-star rating on a book about racism that has a current overall and stratospheric average rating of 4.43. Of course, the stories the sisters share in this book are expectedly jaw-dropping and indeed told in a very funny manner, despite the seriousness and disturbing nature of them, but I just did not enjoy the format. The prose is conversational -- Amber is one font, Lacey is another -- tho I have to admit I regular forgot who was what font (not that it really mattered)... and this is apparently the second such book of racist stories from Lamar, and there was many, many (many!) references about stuff in the first book (i.e. we already told you this in the last book, etc.) which kind of got tiring after a while.
I'm going with 3.5 stars and a Goodreads round-down to 3 "liked it" stars. The content/stories aspect are certainly 5 stars in a very palatable "Intro to Racism 101" way - but again, the rapid-fire conversational format and often one-note nature of the humor is what ding'd overall reading experience for me. ...more
Bought this one on a super Kindle sale awhile back and since I am still trying to get my reading mojo back and meet my annual Goodreads book goal, fig Bought this one on a super Kindle sale awhile back and since I am still trying to get my reading mojo back and meet my annual Goodreads book goal, figured it was time to dig into quick collection of long-winded short stories from Kelly Ripa after owning it for several months.
So first off, stating the obvious and is typically the case with most celebrity books, would only suggest this if you are familiar with and like Kelly Ripa. My history with her is a bit checkered - was aware and a fan since her from her days on "All My Children" (and with hubby Mark Consuelos) and then thanks largely to working from home since 2001 and liking some background noise, a fan when she took over for Kathie Lee Gifford on Live with Regis and xxxxx. My interest in the show fell off during the short-lived pairing when Michael Strahan replaced a retiring Regis and then again when the ubiquitous and annoying (well, to me) Ryan Seacrest took the helm. But I got back into it during the latter stages of the Seacrest era and back as a regular "viewer" (again, mostly background noise w/ my work) with the latest incarnation with husband Mark. But I like Kelly, but still had my reservations that the book would be any good or that I would care ... but as you see, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.
It's not a memoir, so you are not going to get this linear history and life of Ripa. It is just random stories about growing up in New Jersey (as I did, but not in Ripa's beloved southern part and there is quite a cultural difference between north and south I have learned), love and marriage, kids, and her professional career. If you are looking for juicy gossip, you'll be disappointed. Regis gets a bit of raking over the proverbial coals -- which is not surprising if you think about it between a host pairing of a 30-year old woman and new mother (with more to come) and a 70-year old television legend. So yeah, nothing about the ill-fated pairing and departure of Strahan -- and really not much about Seacrest other than some nice words in the acknowledgements. But there are a lot of fun stories, some that border on TMI, but still a really fun essay collection -- and quite salty at times too, as Ripa doesn't hesitate to toss some f-bombs (she is from NJ after all!).
So again going into this one liking Ripa, I was still pleasantly surprised that I liked the book. I did feel like I got to know her and her family a bit better and certainly there are some interesting behind-the-scenes of television type stuff as well as life as a celebrity, granted Kelly and Mark are not A-listers, tho they certainly find themselves in the same circles and have friends in high places. Fun, quick read that certainly served its purpose to get me back into my regular reading patterns and frequency. ...more
I can't really do this book justice with this review as I had a bit of major life interruption in the middle of it which made me quit it for a week+ a I can't really do this book justice with this review as I had a bit of major life interruption in the middle of it which made me quit it for a week+ and then really having a hard time picking it back up -- despite it being a shocking, propulsive, and interesting read it's just difficult to pick up the book about the KKK when your mind is scattered, ha!
But if you are interested in American history and looking for a slice of it you are very likely not familiar with (I most certainly was not), this book is for you. It tells of the stranglehold of the KKK, largely in the hands of one man, in Indiana... yes, I said INDIANA. Now I was not naive in thinking/knowing that the KKK existed outside the Deep South, I was just shocked by the extent of it. Author Timothy Egan states the largest KKK memberships were in Indiana, Colorado, and Oregon. Shocking, right? And I kind of hate to blow this surprise (again, to me) revelation that the Notre Dame Fighting Irish only added in the "Fighting" part thanks to actual physical clashes with the KKK! I know! And of course, the KKK were railing against not only Black Americans, but also Catholic and immigrant populations -- all in their battle to keep America pure and great. Sound familiar? And there's more ... I promise.
So while the first half is this history of sorts of the KKK in America and again specifically in Indiana, the second part turns into a courtroom drama. I'll leave that unspoiled, tho Egan's subtitle pretty much gives that away, but it's a very interesting the case that ultimately diminishes the power and reach of the KKK that was threatening to take over the country. Again, all very depressing given that history is very much repeating itself in this current political climate -- and much like the KKK back in the 1920s they did not feel the need to hide behind hoods in attempt to grasp power and political control.
Highly recommended. Landing at an unofficial 4.5 stars -- as this is definitely 5-star history and historical revelations but landing at a Goodreads 4-stars overall experience due to 'real life' interfering with my attention span and interest level at times - again, absolutely no fault to Egan or this book.
As many of my recent reviews will start, I had the great honor of seeing Ed Yong at the 2023 Santa Fe International Literary Festival. Going into the As many of my recent reviews will start, I had the great honor of seeing Ed Yong at the 2023 Santa Fe International Literary Festival. Going into the Festival, Yong was an unknown to me, but this book sounded interesting plus he's a Pulitzer Prize winner and science journalist for The Atlantic (working for The Atlantic I have come to learn is a good thing!). And my hunch proved correct, he was smart and charming (and okay, pretty adorable too especially with the British accent) and his discussion of this book about animal senses was pretty darn fascinating - so I was eager to jump in.
This book is exhaustive and exhausting. It is both mind boggling and mind bending, a chapter at a time, Yong explores the life and animals and critters and how they use their senses to survive and thrive. While Yong does a good job at explaining all this, it's still a difficult task as how can a human truly understand how a bee sees or a whale uses sound to travel or the power/intensity of a dog's ability to smell. Given how well Yong discussed these things in person, I expected the book to be a bit more accessible - but it was pretty darn tech-y and science-y and one that I could only read in relatively short doses.
One big caveat: if you are anti-footnotes this is NOT the book for you as it feels like there are footnotes (and sometimes multiple footnotes!) on more pages than not. If I had not seen Yong in-person and had just read a preview of this book I am not sure I would have continued given the overwhelming nature of it -- so it does require some patience and perseverance and probably not spending too much time truly trying to understand it all (or kicking yourself for not being able to) - but I am glad I stuck with it -- it is mind blowing and makes you view the world in a different way. And we're trying our best to allow our dogs to sniff and smell on our walks (tho contrasted with the need to get on with our day - ha!).
Another interesting sidenote and unrelated to this book. Yong has done a lot of reporting on Covid which he also spoke about at the Festival. Though we intellectually understood and complied, we were a bit disappointed there was an event room mask "requirement" (it was about 70-80% compliance, with no nagging) again this year. But given his vast knowledge of Covid, it was interesting that Yong was the ONLY author that wore a mask (and an impressive N-95 one too) on stage and obviously also around the convention space and for his book signing (we saw only one other author wear a mask for their book signing). Being fully vaccinated and also getting Covid for the very first time 3 years into the pandemic and just one month before the Festival, we felt pretty "safe" but Yong's masking definitely made us go "Hmmm!?!" and provided the motivation to mask up when we were in the big rooms. (That said, we never saw a mask on another author who had also written extensively about Covid - so go figure!) ...more
More last minute cramming for the 2023 Santa Fe International Literary Festival with tickets to see David Treuer this weekend. There is a lot more non More last minute cramming for the 2023 Santa Fe International Literary Festival with tickets to see David Treuer this weekend. There is a lot more non-fiction authors at this year's festival - especially related to Native American history - so I am thankful for that as much like African American history, I sorely need to learn some Native American history and this book is filled with things I (shamefully) never knew.
So while this is an extremely worthwhile read, Treuer himself in the afterward accurately describes it as a hybrid book of journalism, history, and memoir and that is primarily the reason for the 3 stars rating you have likely already seen. One man's "hybrid" is this man's "lacking focus." Again, while I was thankful for education and enlightenment I was getting, those moments felt perhaps too few and far between in what felt like some rambling that would lead me to do a not insignificant amount of skimming -- and thus feel like I can't give a book a 4 star (or more) rating even with the value of the material and Treuer's unique personal experiences and perspectives. Unofficially, a 3.5 star read with a Goodreads round-down to those 3 stars.
As well as having a ticket to attend his event, I also have pre-purchased a (autographed) copy of Treuer's (more) acclaimed and (more) well-reviewed/rated latest book "The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee" -- so even tho I had my technical issues with this book, I am pretty certain that I will read this as well in my continuing education of American history. ...more
I am not a poetry guy, but I had to get a copy of "Above Ground" since Clint Smith's "How the Word is Passed" is one of my favorite and one of the besI am not a poetry guy, but I had to get a copy of "Above Ground" since Clint Smith's "How the Word is Passed" is one of my favorite and one of the best (those two things don't always mean the same thing!) reads of the past few years. This slim volume did not disappoint -- a sublime mix of hope and dismay, anger and love, wonder and worry -- and totally accessible to my fellow non-poetry readers or appreciators. No surprise that race, politics, climate change all make appearances, but the primary focus in this slim (107 pages) but still sizable (60ish poems?) collection is on Smith's family and fatherhood.
If I chose to be persnickety, I would have likely given this a round-down to 4 stars as there really is a *LOT* of poems about his kids which isn't exactly my jam as a middle-aged gay married man, but they are all still so very good. And it was kind of easy for me to substitute the kids for "having a sense of wonder in the world" and parenthood as having an extra and more palpable worry / heightened investment in the future of our world, both in a physical and spiritual way, so making bit of a mental shift helped make those (many!) particular poems resonate as well.
If possible, I would recommend getting a physical copy of the book (tho I am sure Smith's audio is terrific too -- I love listening to him) as there are a lot of intentional use of space and breaks -- some of the poems are even paragraph style, so reading a physical copy really enhanced my experience. As an added bonus, I ordered a copy from Smith's local bookstore, Loyalty Books (a Black Queer woman and Biracial Filipina Disabled Queer woman owned - how about that!) where he signed hundreds of copies - tho spoiler alert, his signature is one of those almost undecipherable squiggles. Overall, an unofficial 4.5 stars with a Goodreads round-up to 5. ...more
More prep for the 2023 Santa Fe Literary Festival as we have tickets to see David Grann and get a copy of his forthcoming new book, "The Wager." But gMore prep for the 2023 Santa Fe Literary Festival as we have tickets to see David Grann and get a copy of his forthcoming new book, "The Wager." But given the popularity and success of "Killers of the Flower Moon" -- it seemed like a good intro to Mr. Grann ... and also helps that a Martin Scorsese / Leonardo DiCaprio film version is due to hit theaters and Apple TV+ later this year -- so good prep overall.
[SCRATCH THAT: Grann just dropped out of the Santa Fe Lit Festival due to the movie version of "Flower Moon" premiering at the Cannes Film Festival the same weekend. He's allegedly re-scheduling to be at the 2024/next year's Lit Festival - oh well!].
This book is definitely 5-star material and yet again filling in a gap of American history that I was unaware of after a half-century+ of education, both formal and self-guided -- tho this absence is no longer as shocking as it used to be as I have come to learn as an adult that it is hardly an accident when the proverbial blind eye is turned re: White folks pillaging, killing, abusing, robbing, etc., etc. for greed, money, land, power, etc. etc. It was definitely eye-opening learning about the oil boom of the early 20th century on the Native lands (or should I say *relocated* - another euphemism! - Native lands) of Oklahoma and about the wealth of the tribe, and how the abuses of government-supported and enforced guardianship of that wealth (by White folks!) lead to the multiple decades long Osage Reign of Terror. Again, incredibly shocking. And not, if you know anything about the darker side of American history - and this is yet another chapter.
I am landing on 4 stars here. Again, the material and research is super-impressive -- but I had expected (and hoped) that there would be a bit higher literary quality and propulsive narrative here (tho 'ole "non-fiction that reads like fiction" thing) -- but it's very matter-of-fact, reporter-y (not a huge criticism) and, for me, a bit confusing sometimes keeping all the cast of characters straight and not having a clear line/idea of how everything came down. High marks for technical skill, a few dings on the artistic merit side for me -- but definitely a recommended read for those interested in learning more about the dark side of Native American "American" history....more
At a current average rating of 4.59 at this writing, I am glad to see that this book hasn't been subjected to 1-star trolling -- tho probably helps it At a current average rating of 4.59 at this writing, I am glad to see that this book hasn't been subjected to 1-star trolling -- tho probably helps it is from Cody Keenan, head speechwriter for Obama (post Jon Favreau), who I'm guessing a lot of folks don't know -- and shamefully I even have to add my myself to the list! Gladly I can say that has now been corrected and I know his role in what I think will go down as one of the greatest and certainly most memorable presidential speeches - Obama's eulogy for Clementa C. Pinckney, pastor of the Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston where the pastor and eight of his parishioners were gunned down by a white supremacist. But backtracking that week (or actually the 10 days of the title) also entailed Supreme Court decisions over the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) and marriage equality -- so as noted in the book, this short time from was some real-life (NBC series) "The West Wing" material.
Going back to the high average rating for this book, I am guessing it is due to folks having the same reaction as I did reading this book. Multiple times I had goosebumps and mistiness in the eyes and it was very personal for me as a gay man with the Supreme Court decision (tho I did get married about 6 months prior to that thanks to a 9th Circuit Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in Arizona where I was living at the time) and also as someone who utilizes the ACA as a self-employed business owner. But even beyond that if you have an ounce of empathy in your soul or if you believe that that proverbial moral arc of the universe bends toward good, I'm guessing this book will move you in the same way. And then on top of that add in the Charleston shooting aspect adding in gun violence and racism -- and this book is a LOT in a very good way, but in a very sad way as well given all that has transpired since Obama left office. (Insert diatribe on the state of politics, the country, the world, etc., etc., etc.).
Keenan has a funny line in the opening pages: "I couldn't, however, say the same about my job. To be a speechwriter for Barack Obama is f&cking terrifying." So it goes without saying (but I will!), that this is a very well-written and extremely informative book about the speechwriting process as well as a fascinating inside look at working in the White House and the personalities (the Obamas, Valerie Jarrett, and Jen Psaki to name a few). For instance, the Charleston eulogy was one that both Obama and Keenan did not want a part of, but again ultimately became one of the great moments in Obama's presidency thanks to the "bones" created by Keenan and the Obama's involvement and spontaneous-ish-ly breaking out in song to "Amazing Grace."
A no-brainer Goodreads' 5 stars on this one for the pure emotion the book elicited even tho I found myself having to put in down for both good and bad/sad reasons, often occurring within 30 seconds of each other (Oh this aspirational, "hope-y change-y" stuff is what the United States of America is all about! Look at things now (sad trombone)!). But yeah, one of those book that I will highly tout to 80% of my friends and family on Facebook and hide the post from the other 20%! ...more
I went back and forth about reading this one. I am thoroughly fascinated with the Royal family - a big fan of Netflix's "The Crown" (well, maybe not s I went back and forth about reading this one. I am thoroughly fascinated with the Royal family - a big fan of Netflix's "The Crown" (well, maybe not so much Season 5), read many books and watched countless documentaries about them, including Harry and Meghan's own Netflix docuseries. So I feel like I know a lot already, particularly about this duo, plus there was the deluge of press with all the "good" parts leading up to and upon the release of this memoir.
The good news, and honestly a bit surprising, is that there is still plenty here that feels fresh and new information and even the more well-known tawdry parts when put into context and not presented as a headline or sound bite is interesting (tho Harry's frostbitten penis did get more of a word count than I was expecting). But there are a lot of recounting of quieter, behind-the-scenes stuff and conversations that will surely satisfy my fellow readers interested in this complicated family in truly extraordinary and impossible circumstances. Sure other members of the Royal family don't end up looking too well... but then again, I'm guessing many of us can relate to a distant and hapless father, an antagonistic and competitive relationship with a sibling, and challenges with a step-parent and/or in-laws ... or the tragic death of a young parent. But you can have all these familial issues and still love your family and want things to better -- and that's something that's communicated and evident here.
Is this airing the proverbial dirty laundry? Perhaps. Well, yes. But, if you choose to believe Harry and I do, (though also good to stay aware that this is his story/perspective and am sure others have their own versions, with truth somewhere in the middle), there seems to be no other choice in dealing with machinations of "the firm" and British press (and let's throw in some good old-fashioned misogyny and racism too).
Criticism-wise, I found the lengthy parts of Harry's military service a bit dry and repetitive (and really don't understand the hubbub about him killing people while in combat) - tho these sections are also very sincere as he has obviously has a deep care, reverence, and compassion for soldiers and veterans. And his privilege does get a bit eye-roll-y between jetting off to African safari when things get tough or casually ringing up Elton John -- but again, in this extraordinary bubble it's not surprising or shocking and again, certainly comes with a price.
Overall, glad that I read it. Will be interesting to see how things all shake out. It's sad to think things didn't work out with this new generation of Royal family -- but just like Charles and Diana, you realize how much of it is an illusion or aspirational. As the famous opening line of 'Anna Karenina" goes: All happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. And that's certainly the case here. ...more
Very late to the game on this one. It was perpetually stuck on my unpurchased/to-be-read list since its publication, snagged it on a killer e-book sal Very late to the game on this one. It was perpetually stuck on my unpurchased/to-be-read list since its publication, snagged it on a killer e-book sale over the summer, and finally reading it during my "how many more books can I squeeze in before the end of 2022" push. As you can see by the rating, I ended up just "liking" this one -- it just struck me as the result of a Frankenstein book marketing brains: grief / cultural / foodie / mixed-race / millennial / indie rock / dysfunctional family memoir. And not that there is anything wrong with any of that, this is a very capable, competent, and compelling story, but there was not much for me to hitch my proverbial horse to or enough for me to find interest in and I'm also guessing it did not help that Korean food is a major blind spot in my own culinary life/experience - so I did not even get hungry/get cravings like other readers. And not to be a total monster, the parts around the illness and death of Zauner's mother were emotional and heart-wrenching.
I "get" the success of the book -- it certainly casts a wide net and guessing most readers will relate or learn from something here, but I just found myself on the outer regions of this demographic Venn Diagram. Still a quick and engaging read that I would not discourage anyone from giving a shot. ...more
Well, this was a book I wasn't NOT going to read. Michelle Obama may be one of my favorite people on the planet, so it was a no-brainer that I pre-ordWell, this was a book I wasn't NOT going to read. Michelle Obama may be one of my favorite people on the planet, so it was a no-brainer that I pre-ordered a copy of this book (hardcover no less!) and despite "self-help" not really being my thing. It's not that I have anything against self-help and I have certainly developed my own self-helpy coping mechanisms over the years, but I tend to get a bit eye-roll-y when it's dished out by other, particularly celebrities -- which is arguably a safe way to describe the rock star status of the former First Lady.
I went into this knowing Obama (just assume I am referring to Michelle and not Barack for the rest of this review) can't really do that much wrong in my eyes. I'd be happy to read her take of the proverbial phone book (guessing that analogy shows my age!). This was a pleasant, inspirational, warm blanket of a read even if many of the topics were not applicable to my life (i.e. raising children, being famous, having a "kitchen table" worth of friends/confidantes). No surprise that there are some repeat stories from her memoir "Becoming" including an expanded discussion what has turned into her catchphrase: "When they go low, we go high" - a major key/aspect of her overall philosophy even before she famously uttered at the Democratic National Convention. There are also plenty of nice jabs directed at her husband's Oval Office successor, which is always welcome reading material for me (insert image: sipping tea).
Despite this being a self-help style book, it's clear that Obama is not totally comfortable with handing out advice. She is quick to add and often repeats that a lot depends on the reader's own personal situations and that all over her advice might work for some and not others. It's obvious her mother was a major influence. In a humorous introduction to a chapter centering around her mother's best life advice, she notes that the "grandmother in chief" scoffed at the idea of writing a book of her own as she didn't want to tell folks how to live their life.
Michelle Obama gets all the stars and the moons from me, but alas the book lands at a 4-star read for me -- clearly, I am not the primary target audience as there was not a significant amount of material/advice that I could gain much self-help from. That said, spend some time with Michelle Obama in my head for a few days is always a welcome treat. ...more
Unpopular review alert! Feel free to ignore and perhaps trust the previous reviews/raters who currently have this book at an average of 4.52 stars, buUnpopular review alert! Feel free to ignore and perhaps trust the previous reviews/raters who currently have this book at an average of 4.52 stars, but it just did not work for me despite really looking forward to reading it. This is the memoir of a 9-year old Javier Zamora's seven-week journey migrating ("illegally") into the United States from El Salvador back in the summer of 1999.
So thus my initial issues with it as it told through the eyes of a 9-year (and kind of has a YA feel to it, tho not knocking it for that reason) and recounting the experience from over 20 years ago. I am pretty certain I would have preferred this to be an autobiographical novel or an adult memoir reflecting on this childhood journey. I just could not suspend my skepticism that all the extended dialogue and journey details could be capture so accurately 20+ years later. It's not like I don't believe the story, it's just that I couldn't believe it in the way it was told (which sounds kind of horrible of me, but hopefully you can get the point I'm getting at). Also, there is a *TON* of untranslated Spanish here. I've taken some Spanish and usually can typically get by with a sprinkling of it or at least get the context of what is going on, but I found myself lost here a lot of the time. Again, I know it's an authentic way to tell the story, but not super non-bilingual reader friendly. Finally, it could have used some editing and work on the pacing, while I know that traveling on foot/van/etc. over the course of 7 weeks is not an action-packed activity 24-7, I often found myself losing interest or attention along the way.
I feel kind of bad for such a low rating. I am sympathetic/empathic to those who make the dangerous journey with hopes of finding a new and better and safer life here in the United States (those these days, I am starting to wonder why anyone would want to come here -- but that's a testament to how bad things truly are elsewhere), but I just could not find a way to connect with this book despite all the ingredients feeling like they were there. ...more
Having read and enjoyed Tina Brown's "The Diana Chronicles" a long, long time ago (*gasp!* pre-Goodreads!), I had "The Palace Papers" on my radar, bu Having read and enjoyed Tina Brown's "The Diana Chronicles" a long, long time ago (*gasp!* pre-Goodreads!), I had "The Palace Papers" on my radar, but never got around to it as there didn't seem like a whole lot of buzz when it published... but alas, when Queen Elizabeth II passed last month, my interest was renewed and a super-duper Kindle sale deal made it a no-brainer to dig right in. While Brown does a quick review of royal history and the Diana era, this book concentrates on the last 20-ish years of Windsor history, post-Diana thru the death of Prince Philip and, arguably the greater pop culture moment, Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview. The book also seems to be a good primer for the upcoming 5th season of "The Crown" which has also arrived at portraying Diana's death and its aftermath and beyond.
I don't know how best to describe my interest in the British royal family. I am tad obsessed with them, find them very fascinating, but I feel like I am not obsessed to the point of getting caught up with the day-to-day gossip or drama or taking sides, but more feeling there's enough blame/reason to go around for what is a pretty f&cked up "tradition" and dynamics. And while I felt like I knew most of the basic thread of "plot" that was in this book, I still felt I learned quite a bit about the "origin" stories of Camilla, Kate, and Meghan ... and a bit more about the Andrew/Jeffrey Epstein sh*tshow. Not sure this is the best book if you are really looking for deep dive into things or into any one individual or event/scandal, but I imagine it will satisfy the curiosities of most Royal fans and provide a better understanding/background of how "The Firm" operates and how things tend to go very awry when members don't follow the unofficial royal mission statement: "Never complain, Never explain."
And while the book was published well before the death of Queen Elizabeth, the last chapter very interestingly discusses the challenges and hopes of a post-Elizabethian monarchy in a way that felt like it could have just been written over the past several weeks. Overall, and entertaining (and occasionally snarky) read for casual and slight elevated fans and followers of the British monarchy. And apparently well-researched and documented too as the main body of the Kindle edition ends at around the 56% mark with the rest being photos, notes, and source material.
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