Average customer rating:
- Maus: Explores the ineffable with creativity and ease
- A Compelling Graphic Novel
- Approbation for Maus
- Excellent seller!!
- DEMEANIG, INSENSITIVE, CRUDE STEREOTYPING, HURTFUL TO "OTHER" HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
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Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
Art Spiegelman
Manufacturer: Pantheon
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Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began (Maus)
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ASIN: 0394747232
Release Date: 1986-08-12 |
Amazon.com
Some historical events simply beggar any attempt at description--the Holocaust is one of these. Therefore, as it recedes and the people able to bear witness die, it becomes more and more essential that novel, vigorous methods are used to describe the indescribable. Examined in these terms, Art Spiegelman's Maus is a tremendous achievement, from a historical perspective as well as an artistic one.
Spiegelman, a stalwart of the underground comics scene of the 1960s and '70s, interviewed his father, Vladek, a Holocaust survivor living outside New York City, about his experiences. The artist then deftly translated that story into a graphic novel. By portraying a true story of the Holocaust in comic form--the Jews are mice, the Germans cats, the Poles pigs, the French frogs, and the Americans dogs--Spiegelman compels the reader to imagine the action, to fill in the blanks that are so often shied away from. Reading Maus, you are forced to examine the Holocaust anew.
This is neither easy nor pleasant. However, Vladek Spiegelman and his wife Anna are resourceful heroes, and enough acts of kindness and decency appear in the tale to spur the reader onward (we also know that the protagonists survive, else reading would be too painful). This first volume introduces Vladek as a happy young man on the make in pre-war Poland. With outside events growing ever more ominous, we watch his marriage to Anna, his enlistment in the Polish army after the outbreak of hostilities, his and Anna's life in the ghetto, and then their flight into hiding as the Final Solution is put into effect. The ending is stark and terrible, but the worst is yet to come--in the second volume of this Pulitzer Prize-winning set. --Michael Gerber
Book Description
A story of a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe and his son, a cartoonist who tries to come to terms with his father's story and history itself.
Customer Reviews:
Maus: Explores the ineffable with creativity and ease.......2007-09-18
The book is adumbrated in the form of a graphic novel, giving a seemingly new perspective on the holocaust. The issue itself is nothing spectactularly new, although it approaches the holocaust in such a way that the most acerbic of events are bearable.
Most simply stated, the visual aid that accompanies the text allows for the reader to fully understand the author's stance, or viewpoint on the touchy issues of the holocaust. One does not need to have any sort of historical acumen, to grasp the concepts and ideas of the story.
The facade, of animals, instead of humans, used by the author also makes the events seem a little less human. However, throughout the novel, the thought doesn't escape your mind, that this was actually happening, to real people.
The reader is also easily captivated by the father-son presentation of the story, as Art (the author), interviews his father. With nothing but acrimony polluting the stories told by his father, a bond is formed between the reader, Art, and his father, as you must approbate anyone who braves these hardships, more specifically, the characters.
Overall, this story makes something new, that has been done so many times. It entertains, as well as informs. However, it isn't something I'd recommend for casual reading, as time must be set aside to truly appreciate the events in this book.
A Compelling Graphic Novel.......2007-09-18
When hearing the words "Graphic Novel" most people do not think of a moving and inspirational story, yet Maus by Art Spiegelman is just that. Firstly I would recommend this novel for its crafty and meaningful graphics. Various groups, such as the Jewish and German, are depicted as numerous animals. In doing so, the author expresses underlying themes, as one judges another's character by how they look, or their origin. Each picture also conveys the deep feeling in each moment. Frighten and sometimes acerbic faces, give the reader acumen on how the characters feel and are reacting. Also, several depictions of maps and drawings, heightening one's understanding of each setting. The second reason I would recommend the novel is because of the compelling story lines it contains. The first is Vladek's poignant account on how he and his wife survived as the Nazis abrogated their rights. From witnessing friends being hanged, to hiding in attics, the reader gains and insight on personal experiences of the Holocaust. The second is of a strained father and son relationship. As the father ages, the interest and reminiscence of a troubled past becomes their last connection. These assiduous characters are connectable for the reader, and acquire my last approbation. Anyone with a stained relationship or even an experience with isolation, can relate to the feelings and manners of the characters. With evocative graphics, gripping story lines, and relatable characters, Maus is a compelling novel which I highly propose.
Approbation for Maus.......2007-09-18
Maus should be greatly encouraged with approbation. The book displays the crude reality of the Holocaust and World War II in a creative, artistic way that makes the book classic and unique. Having Jews displayed as mice and Nazis as cats, Spiegelman uses much acumen in how the book is laid out and the story told. Even without reading, the graphic art adumbrates the story enough to understand.
Artie is a comic book writer who decides to write meaningful stories instead of useless funny ones, and wishes to interview his father about his experiences during the Holocaust. Vladek willingly tells his story to Artie, who seems unchanged by the troubling information his father is offering him. Throughout the story, Vladek becomes almost an anathema to Artie, and Artie finally finds the hate for his father that was always brewing. Although Artie dislikes his father, his father dislikes himself as well. After the war, life was never the same for Vladek. Having never gotten over his wife's death, and feeling antipathy for his new wife, he seemed to abjure all opportunities to enhance his life and adopted a new, somewhat acerbic personality.
Overall, the story told in Maus is an unforgettable one. It brings about several ineffable issues such as the harshness of World War II and how the Nazis arrogated lives with no right to do so. In addition, how these times were difficult even for the high class. The graphic art in the book ties all of the information together and allows a visual interpretation what the book is saying. Although the story is based on World War II and the Holocaust, it is as much about family issues and hidden hate as it is about history. Throughout the whole experience, Artie and Vladek discover where they truly stand with each other and decide that this deleterious relationship is not worth the trouble any longer.
Excellent seller!!.......2007-09-15
Good seller! Highly recommended for all buyers. My item was timely sent and the condition of the item was as described.
DEMEANIG, INSENSITIVE, CRUDE STEREOTYPING, HURTFUL TO "OTHER" HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS.......2007-09-14
This is as bad, as the 1st Maus: Horribly GRAPHIC, EXREMELY CRUDE and INSENSITIVE to the "OTHER" victims of the holocaust. Spiegleman shows absolutely "no" sympathy or sensitivity to the 3 million Polish-Catholics that were killed by the Germans. Adding insult to injury, he portrays the Poles in a very negative and hurtful manner, when in fact the Poles themselves lost everything. Poles, as well as Jews, lost their homes. Poles, as well as Jews, came home to homes that were piles of rubble. There are so many better vechicles out there to teach about this. This is the last one to use, as it seriously offends many innocent students whose parents and grandparents also suffered, died and lost everything in the Forgotten Holocaust. Better books are: Sybille Steinbacher's "Auschwitz. Steinbachers book gets the job done without all the grusome graphics and vulgar demeaning that is in Maus. Richard Lukas' "The Forgoten Holocaust; Poles Under Nazi-Occupation," and "Did The Children Cry: The suffering of Polish & Jewish children in the holocaust." After reading the latter one by Lukas, you'll never go anywhere near a Maus book again! "Did The Children Cry," will be a wake-up call - unless you are inhumane. Lukas, in both book, talks, OBJECTIVLY about "all" who suffered, without the sick graphics and personal attacks that maus has. Michael Marrus' "The Holocaust in History." Marrus, like Steinbacher and Lukas is controlled, scholarly and informative - Spiegleman is not. These 3 books will explain and teach you something, unlike Maus, that only teaches hateful generalizations through stereotyping and is grusomly graphic. Don't be fooled by the hype. Maus gets an F- for humanity. TEACHERS, PLEASE, BE TEACHERS!
Amazon.com
When the call went out to listeners of National Public Radio's Weekend All Things Considered to submit stories about their personal experiences, the results were overwhelming. I Thought My Father Was God: And Other True Tales from NPR's National Story Project contains editor Paul Auster's pick of the best submissions. The stories, whether fact or fiction, all exhibit a heartfelt earnestness to be heard, and share similar themes of bizarre coincidences, otherworldly intervention, love and loss, life-changing experiences, and mundane pleasures. Some are deeply moving, most are not. But it is uplifting and well worth the time to sift through these brief snapshots of our collective human experience.
To give the book shape, Auster has done his best to categorize the material by subject, such as Animals, Families, War, Love, Dreams, and the like. These categories hold true to the submission criteria: "[I was most interested in] stories that defied our expectations about the world, anecdotes that revealed the mysterious and unknowable forces at work in our lives, in our family histories, in our minds and bodies, in our souls.... I was hoping to put together ... a museum of American reality." I Thought My Father Was God is a testament that, despite what on a bad day we may think is a drab existence, we all have a few good stories in us. --Michael Ferch
Book Description
The true-life stories in this unique collection provide a window into the American mind and heart (New York Daily News). One hundred and eighty voicesmale and female, young and old, from all walks of life and all over the countrytalk intimately to the reader. Combining great humor and pathos, this remarkable selection of stories from the thousands submitted to NPRs Weekend All Things Considered National Story Project gives the reader a glimpse of Americas soul in all its diversity.
Customer Reviews:
I Thought My Father Was God: And Other True Tales from NPR's National Story Project.......2007-08-30
I had heard about this book from a friend. I not only enjoyed reading it, as I did so it gave me a greater appreaciation for my own father. As my father laid dying, my brother and I took turns reading selected stories to him. It gave us a chance to tell him how much we (now as adults) appreaciated his years of parenting. I highly recommend it.
These stories are America, from one paragraph to three pages long........2005-12-05
I love the stories in this book. I love how they are written by "real" people, not professional writers. I love how they are true, and how every one, no matter how short, makes you feel or learn something strong and beautiful.
After reading each story, though, you will struggle with trying to decide if you should pause and feel the new emotion each one gave you, or if you should quickly flip through the next page, asking for more. I'm a greedy reader and I usually did the latter while reading this. But for the second read, I will force myself to reflect.
hilarious!.......2005-05-12
This book gathers some of the funniest stories I've ever read, which is saying a lot since they were written by laymen, not professionals. The funny stories were laugh-out-loud funny. The heartwarming stories were touching without being corny. All were provocative because they were authentically relayed by real people. The cynic who said s/he already read these in a "Chicken Soup" book obviously didn't read this collection. I defy anyone to read the story "Rascal" without having a vivid image of the day, laughing out loud from the belly, and being satisfied at the story of someone getting what he deserved! I have read this out aloud many times it's so funny AND rightous.
the grass-roots nature of how the stories were collected adds to the mystique that a call on the radio lead to such a great great book. Don't be overwhelmed by the size: pick and choose which stories you read (like I favored comedy over heart-warming).
Good Stories Have Power.......2005-04-07
In some ways I THOUGHT MY FATHER WAS GOD could be called "Chicken Soup for the NPR Soul." Like the titles in the familiar "Chicken Soup" series, this is a collection of stories from ordinary individuals that have a way of reaching readers. The selections in this volume stemmed from National Public Radio's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED National Story Project. The book is edited by noted writer Paul Auster who selected the stories included in this volume from nearly four thousand entries. The stories themselves range from the humorous and heartwarming to the serious. We meet a variety of people such as a woman who questions life after death when a lost ring is discovered; an artist who falls in love at first sight with a woman absorbed in Dickens' GREAT EXPECTATIONS; and a man who went to a Halloween party dressed as a priest, but gets a taste of ministry from people who have no idea its just a costume. These are juts a sampling of the many stories included in this work. The tales are varied, but share one common characteristic. All find meaning in ordinary events as we interact with the people in our lives: family members, friends, and sometimes strangers. Most of the contributors are not professional writers but each story is the creation of someone who has a desire to share an often times ordinary but deeply held story that needs to be told. When we finish reading the stories in this volume, we may be tempted to say "I can tell a story like that" and since these stories are so human and real, we probably can!
Americana at its best.......2004-11-26
I came upon a British publication of this book when I was in Vienna. I was very sick at the time, and as a young single woman travelling alone through Europe for the summer, was glad to have this company in my tiny hotel room for the three days I did not have enough strength to leave. Even if I was well, I don't know that I would have been able to put this book down.
The format of individual stories divided by genre is simple to pick up or put down without missing a beat, and the range of emotions, experiences, diversity, American geography.... it's beautiful. From sea to shining sea, the truth of what America is, what it has failed at, where its glories lay, what it can become. And just what life is. In the words of so many. I loved this book and was delighted it at home under a different title.
Customer Reviews:
Heard Sue William at a reading.......2007-09-03
The story belongs to the one who tells it best. This will never be topped. Sensitive and brave, Sue William finds the words to tell the truth and heal not only her own soul but many others.
The Best Book I've read about Sexual Abuse.......2007-07-14
There is a reason why this book has such a high customer rating. I have never read such a well written and beautifully articulated story of horrendous abuse. I read ALOT of books on this subject. None can compare. It addresses the subject of incest by a father and an enabling mother. It speaks of her relationship with her parents well after the abuse has ended. Anyone who must, or choose, to stay in relationship with their abuser will relate to this. There is much to connect with in her story. Buy it quickly!
A Stunning Memoir .......2007-06-26
I bought this book with hesitancy due to what I thought would be wading through the horrors of family incest, however; Silverman writes with such beautiful prose she makes the subject remain heartwrenching, yet readable in one of those books that does not come along very often. Her account is horrific and not for the faint of heart, but the writing and her courage to to endure and survive the atrocities of her childhood give the reader faith in how strong the human spririt can truly be. An amazing story told by an amazing woman who is obviously also a very gifted writer.
A Terrible Tragedy.......2007-05-15
It's hard to reflect on the book because it is so disturbing. The title alone is disturbing. One more example of the destructiveness and far reaching consequences of sin. God never intended for things to be this way. But something has happened to the human race. Man is capable of things that animals don't do. It is a dreadful thing. The hearts of people, unrestrained, imagine all manor of evil and wickedness. For a young girl to be terrorized by her father and have seemingly no real closure to it all is almost mind numbing. Only God can heal trauma like this. Notice I did not say 'control the symptoms'. I read this book to gain an understanding of what women go through who experience these things. I can say with certainty that not all end up as does this book. My hope and prayer is that she and others like Sue turn to Christ who alone can shoulder this burden.
Shocking.......2006-12-14
This is an excellent book written in the form of a memoir. Sue Silverman can weave together words quite eloquently. You can sense her soul as she tell the most horrific abuses she endured at the hands of her own father. It is sad, and will bring tears to even the most hardened of souls. I commend her for being courageous and sharing her most painful moments with us readers. She is worthy of praise.
Book Description
At the first revelation that her father, a sixtyish university professor, wants to become an Episcopal priest, Minna Proctor is flummoxed. She neither encourages nor disparages him because she simply doesn't know what it means. Brought up primarily by her mother in a household without any religious expression or guidance, Proctor was surprised to learn that her unconventionally charming, intellectual father had a religious life, and what's more, a higher calling. When he is summarily turned away, Proctor delves into the byzantine discernment process that rejected her father from the priesthood and the pivotal notion of calling. Based on lengthy conversations with her father, interviews with clergy and religious scholars, and readings of classic faith narratives from Augustine to Simone Weil, Do You Hear What I Hear? is a broad-minded and fascinating exploration of a very human phenomenon in the light of cultural shifts over the last three decades.
Customer Reviews:
Required reading for any Board of Ministry.......2005-04-14
Minna Proctor deals with two emigmas in this book; her father, who prior to his divorce from her mother showed little interest in faith and had little to do with developing any sense of a faith journey in her, and the process of ordination which is often a mystery even to those involved directly in it.
This book benefits from an outsiders perspective and her willingness to try to uncover the assumptions that underly the process. In doing this she not only provides a description of the process of discerning the call to ministry, but a sense of history in how we have come to the point of understanding calling in this way. While I am a United Methodist, not an Episcopalian, I found much of the book to be true to my experience of dealing with the Board of Ministry.
Particularly the issue of clairty of call is a place ripe for discussion. While not all callings are alike, the ability to articulate that call is important. The sense of call is the reason a normal intelligent person would submit to such an examination (in some cases a 5-8 year process) and then upon it's completion take on the task of ministry.
In my opinion this book should be required reading for folks who deal with candidates for ministry. We need to be reminded that we hold the lives of not only the candidates, but all who love them in our hands.
An Unexpected Pleasure.......2005-02-08
I grew up Episcopalian and have only recently "returned" to the church after many years away -- it just felt like something was missing in my life and I didn't realize what that something was until I attended a service and heard the liturgy again. I guess I'm a typical liberal (voted for Howard Dean, listen to NPR) but I've always been frustrated with the lack of community on the Left and the moral superiority may liberals seem to feel about anyone who votes for the other guy or drives an SUV or - worst of all - believes in God. I know this is a generalization but watching both Dean and Kerry squirm every time the word "God" was mentioned during the debates was a major disappointment to anyone who shares their values *and* goes to church.
Proctor's "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is the first book I've read about religion by a non-believer that manages to get deep inside the question of what belief is and what it means to our lives. I especially direct readers to the section at the end of the book called "Polemics": it's a fierce indictment of politicans who play God with others' lives without having passed anything like the test that the average person goes through who feels called to the Episcopal priesthood. If Kerry had talked like this in the campaign he might be the President now!
Are you listening, Howard Dean?
Average customer rating:
- truly undefeated
- Football and Life
- These Gentlemen Can't Be Beaten.....Literally
- Undefeated---
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Undefeated how Father And Son Triumphed Over Unbelievable Odds Both On And Off The Field
Bob Griese ,
Brian Griese , and
Jim Denney
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0785270213 |
Book Description
Both Bob and Brian Griese have led their teams through an undefeated season. But this biography explores a more significant meaning to living in victory. Both father and son have emerged bruised and battered but undefeated from some of life's toughest battles. In 1988, Bob Griese lost his wife and Brian lost his mother, Judi, after a five-year battle with cancer. When Bob made a decision to be a full-time dad to 12-year-old Brian, their shared grief, values, and commitment became the cornerstone of a very special father-son bond.
Undefeated has all the makings of a dramatic, inspirational sports bestseller in the tradition of Dave Dravecky's Comeback.
Customer Reviews:
truly undefeated.......2002-02-23
Bob was my childhood hero, and so seeing that he had written an autobiography was like a dream that I never thought would come true for this private man in the public setting. However, he and his recently famous son Brian felt compelled to write a book that doesn't brag about their on-field exploits, but as a beautiful tribute to the person that appears to be their hero, Bob's first wife and Brian's mother Judi.
From this book's pages I learned a lot about a beautiful woman, someone who graced the earth with her presence, and about the devoted love that her family members had for her. A wonderful, and funny, and touching book about love within a family. First, the Griese's and friends love for Judi, and then, the love that Bob and Brian had for each other as they tried to support one another.
I can truly say that this book had a positive impact on my life.
Football and Life.......2001-01-26
This book is a heartwarming story of how a family survived the tough times and came out on top. If you like football or not you will enjoy this book and be able to see the love of family between each line. If you think football can't be applied to life, you will find out differently by the end of this book. Truly inspiring!
These Gentlemen Can't Be Beaten.....Literally.......2000-10-03
Suprisingly, this book is not just for football fans. It has a little bit of something for everybody.
The book is written in a very unusual format. It was as if both Bob and Brian Griese were just sitting around talking, discussing many different things, and voila, we have a book. It is written so matter-of-factly, that it becomes a page-turner rather quickly.
The book parallels the two quarterbacks, in their careers, family life, and personal triumphs and tragedies. Dealing with football was only a part of the book. You really get a good feel for these two men when they talk about a myriad of subjects and events, and you can't help but let your heart go out to them when they reflect upon Judi Griese, respected wife and mother.
The book's compelling language is peppered with humor rather nicely, and the overall tone of the book is quite inspirational. I truly enjoyed this book, and it sincerely kept my interest throughout. Undefeated is a real winner.
Undefeated---.......2000-07-12
THIS BOOK IS NOT JUST FOR FOOTBALL FANS! It is a compelling and inspirational story about the lives and the unusual parallels of two high-profile people--a father and his son--that involves much more than just the game of football. It encompasses sadness, joy, humor, and much more. It is presented in an interesting and unusual form by co-author Jim Denney. He captures some conversations between Brian and Bob Griese talking with each other about many events the two have shared in their lives, both on and off the football field. Often, these conversations get humorous, dad and son going at it tit for tat, openly displaying their strong, inherent competitiveness, even between their own two football careers. But the affection between them always shows through in their amusing dialogue. Their conversations, as well as inserts from other contributions of family and friends, are very moving as they discuss the life of Judi Griese, their wife and mother, who secumbed to a five-year fight with breast cancer in 1988. They tell of her strong influence on all of their lives. Bob and Brian have courageously revealed much about their family, personal, spiritual and emotional lives, much of which they have previously chosen to keep very private. I thoroughly enjoyed this book in every way. It's a great story, one that great movies are made from.
Average customer rating:
- Another FBI Girl
- Heartwarming Memoir of a 60s-era Childhood
- Growing up fifties-style in the seventies
- touching and unforgettable
- Dysfunction personified
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FBI Girl: How I Learned to Crack My Father's Code
Maura Conlon-McIvor
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
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Binding: Hardcover
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The Glass Castle: A Memoir
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ASIN: 0446533106 |
Book Description
From an evocative new voice comes the touching childhood memoir of an Irish Catholic girl struggling to connect with her enigmatic FBI agent father. Young Maura Conlon's dad is a secret agent. And Maura knows what that means: chasing cars, jumping over buildings, handcuffing bad guys, just like on The FBI, her favorite TV show. But no matter how many times Maura asks her father about his work, he never says anything. So Maura decides to become an FBI girl-in-training. Balancing the rigors of Catholic school with reading the latest Nancy Drew mysteries, keeping track of license plates on the neighborhood cars, and jotting down observations in her special FBI girl notebook is a lot of work, but Maura is determined to infiltrate her dad's silent world. However, it will take the birth of a Down's syndrome baby and a family tragedy before she has the courage to confront him using real words instead of cryptic code. A heartwarming tale of a father/daughter relationship, FBI GIRL is about family bonds, the trials that test them, and the triumphs that make them stronger.
Download Description
Young Maura Conlonís dad is a secret agent. And Maura knows what that means: chasing cars, jumping over buildings, handcuffing bad guys, just like on The FBI, her favorite TV show. But no matter how many times Maura asks her father about his work, he never says anything. So Maura decides to become an FBI girl-in-training. Balancing the rigors of Catholic school with reading the latest Nancy Drew mysteries, keeping track of license plates on the neighborhood cars, and jotting down observations in her special FBI girl notebook is a lot of work, but Maura is determined to infiltrate her dadís silent world. However, it will take the birth of a Downís syndrome baby and a family tragedy before she has the courage to confront him using real words instead of cryptic code. A heartwarming tale of a father/daughter relationship, FBI GIRL is about family bonds, the trials that test them, and the triumphs that make them stronger.
Customer Reviews:
Another FBI Girl.......2005-07-20
This is a great story! Being the daughter of an agent myself, I could relate. The author does a terrific story of bringing you back into time and seeing events occur through a child's eyes.
I stayed up to read this book in one night. I truly recommend this book.
Heartwarming Memoir of a 60s-era Childhood.......2005-04-17
"FBI Girl" is not about the FBI. Nor is it, really, about Maura Conlon-McIvor's father in his role as an FBI agent. It is, instead, a memoir of the childhold of an Irish-American girl attempting to understand her non-communicative, somewhat dysfunctional father, and loving and caring for her Down's Syndrome brother. This brother, Joey, and Maura's exceptionally warm mother, are the glue that holds this family together.
It is a testament to Maura's parents that when their severely-retarded son Joey was born, they did not put him into an institution, which would have been common in the mid-1960s. Maura herself is fiercely protective of Joey, and believes that anyone without a Down's syndrome child in the family is missing something. This is an attitude shared by her father, who believes that the developmentally disabled are really the smart ones and the so-called "normal" people are ignorant. When you read about some of the reactions of the Conlon's neighbors (which range from shock, to avoidance, to guilty stares, to embarrassment and, occasionally, caring and compassion), you don't doubt that this is true.
Maura has a bigger problem, however, communicating with her father who, in her eyes, speaks in some sort of code. Joe Conlon obviously loves his five children, and his love is demonstrated by doing things, rather than talking (whenever Conlon does not want to answer a question, he changes the subject entirely.) Maura believes, incorrectly, that Joe Conlon's job as an FBI special agent precludes him from talking about anything substantive. In fact, as Maura discovers, Conlon's behavior was nothing learned at Quantico or ordered by J. Edgar Hoover.
The story warmly evokes 1960s Los Angeles. Maura Conlon lived with with her parents, sister and three brothers in an unidentified suburb of Los Angeles (20 minutes from Disneyland and 40 minutes from Hollywood.) The name of the suburb doesn't matter -- whether it's Downey or Fullerton or Los Alamitos or West Covina or Azusa, or any one of the other suburbs that run into one another in this part of the world, the story would be the same. It is hilarious, however, to read about young Maura playing Nancy Drew, writing down license plate numbers and desperately looking for high intrigue in this bland world of tract homes.
What is also relevant is Maura's religious Catholic upbringing, which provides Maura with a strong faith, a strict way to live, and more than a few interesting stories. A less salutory aspect is that Maura grows up strictly differentiating between "Catholics" and "publics," believing, among other things, that public school kids put drugs in the mustard and ketchup bottles. This belief is proven false when Maura herself goes to public school, with the backing of her former teacher, a nun.
Above all, this is the story of a painfully shy, highly imaginative girl who finally finds her own voice. Maura Conlon-McIvor has a compelling story to tell, which is well worth reading. As a contemporary of the author, I enjoyed the 1960s references, which took me back to my youth. Yet Maura Conlon-McIvor's story is unique. I think it gives a greater understanding of living with and loving the disabled than anything I've read thus far. Although it is somewhat less satisfying in addressing the author's father, it is definitely a worthwhile read.
Growing up fifties-style in the seventies.......2004-11-03
FBI father, Catholic school nuns, big family, sixties-seventies, Downs-syndrome child...I expected yet another story of growing up stifled in the suburbs, with some illicit sex and scandal.
In fact, Conlon-McIver describes a remarkably functional family, bound together by an amazing generosity of spirit. Fascinated by her father's career and her Nancy Drew books, she remembers keeping a log that includes every neighbor's license plate. She wants her father to bring home stories of exciting crimes he solved.
Reviewers have focused Maura's father, Joe, who refused to talk about his work and in fact didn't talk much at all. However, linguist Deborah Tannen has written about the differences in male and female communication styles and John Gray reminds us that men are from Mars. Men just don't want to talk about "my day at work." Like Joe Conlon, they communicate through action.
Reading between the lines, Joe was trained as a lawyer. Although he carried a gun and badge, he probably worked in offices, pushing paper rather than chasing bad guys. He might have been assigned to white collar crime. Here's a clue: he came home regularly for supper nearly every day. So there probably weren't a whole lot of exciting stories to tell.
And we should note that he didn't brush off Maura's questions with ridicule: he just changed the subject. Once he even shared a "trick" of looking out the rear view mirror, probably acquired from another agent who was more active in actual criminal pursuit.
Joe took his kids out to play baseball on Saturday afternoons (another clue: bad guys don't work nine to five weekdays). He even built a ball field. He did chores around the house, apparently without complaint, everything from changing diapers to folding laundry and mowing lawns.
Most significantly, he didn't withdraw when his last child, Joey, was born with Down's syndrome. Joe not only remained a caring father, but also raised significant funds for a group home for other developmentally disabled children.
Maura's mother, a former beauty queen, never seems too tired or impatient to spend time with her five children. She's creative and playful, sensitive to Maura's need to attend public school rather than continue to an all-girls Catholic high school.
However, the mother's ideas seem more progressive than her cooking. The family dinner table seems more fifties than sixties. I have to admit I admired the way they managed to stay slim and healthy while eating endless servings of processed, high-carbohydrate food.
And the children seem remarkably unselfish, as they pitch in to care for Joey resisting stares and embarrassment. This family learned the joy of living with a developmentally disabled child in a time, place and social environment where those attitudes were hardly commonplace.
Even the nuns are remarkably benevolent; one fussy teacher who complains about Maura's E's in handwriting class, but she melts as she learns more about Maura.
Because the book focuses so intently on family, it's hard to get a sense of the role of friends in Maura's early life. She mentions being neglected by the popular girls but we don't get episodes of real meanness or of the close friendships young girls typically develop.
Now comes the challenge: How does Maura Conlon-McIver keep the pages turning while describing a happy childhood? She's not sticky or sentimental. She tells the story with crisp sentences, studded with original metaphors. Most importantly, Conlon-McIvor paces the story as if she were writing a novel, no easy task when writing a memoir.
Toward the end, she reports a tragedy that scars what should have been a happy climax to her grade school years. And she ends on a bittersweet note, growing aware of her talents but also her family's unspoken conflicts.
I once heard a psychologist speak about families on the basis of real research rather than myths. He claimed that families held together based on what they didn't say, rather than on openness. Perhaps it is the unrealistic expectation of free-flowing communication that harms families, rather than the actual silence. And maybe the Conlon household wasn't perfect, but I bet a lot of people would have gladly traded places with any member of that family.
touching and unforgettable.......2004-10-22
I found FBI Girl to be both touching and unforgettable. Conlon-McIvor's adeptness at describing the details of her youth will resonate with anyone who grew up in "suburbia" in the '60's and '70's. I felt like I was at the dinner table, in the FBI car and in the classroom along with young Maura as she navigated her way through her quiet childhood. Her book reminds us that sometimes the quietest amongst us have the most to say. How lucky for us that she found her "voice" and shares it with us through this loving memoir to her family. This story will stay with you for a long time.
Dysfunction personified.......2004-10-20
A poignant, often funny look at the efforts of a loving, wildly imaginative daughter trying to invent an acceptable personna for her uncommunicative father. An FBI agent with a gun in his dresser drawer and a car trunk littered with spent bullet casings, she decides his job is responsible for his excessively secretive nature. It takes years for her to understand even J. Edgar Hoover doesn't demand such unflinching secrecy about every aspect of his agents' private lives. A moving and well-written view of a complicated family.
Book Description
Few men, straight or gay, find the father-son relationship easy, which explains why men’s groups overflow with stories of fathers who ignored, brutalized, or otherwise wounded their sons. But gay men find the subject particularly problematic: When they come out to their families, they enter emotional territory their straight counterparts often avoid their entire lives. For many fathers and sons, the deepest feelings often remain unexpressed; if a son is gay, the very act of coming out virtually ensures that silence will be broken. Now, the pieces in The Man I Might Become—by some of our finest writers, as well as notable newcomers—depict worlds of experience that are sometimes painful, sometimes funny, and always engaging. Including contributions by Andrew Solomon, Jesse Green, Dan Savage, Stephen McCauley, Joseph Hansen, Bernard Cooper, Mark Doty, James Saslow, Jaimé Manrique, and many others, this anthology will take its place as essential reading for every gay man coming to terms with his past, his family, and his own future as a man.
Customer Reviews:
A Landmark Collection.......2003-09-30
"The Man I Might Become" is a landmark collection that shows a welcome maturation of the gay community - an acknowledgement that to understand and accept the self, we must understand and forgive others. And for many gay men, there is no figure more "other" than one's own father. Yet, as the title suggests, coming to terms with one's father is also a way to truly see oneself. The best essays in the book (notably those of Joseph Hansen and Bernard Cooper) are superbly written evocations of the knot of father-son love, scary and deep with feeling.
Add this to your library.......2003-01-28
I'm not a fan of compilations since they tend to be uneven and often predictable but this one is an exception to the rule. It is by turns affirming and profoundly sad. The themes of conflict and acceptance, shame and forgiveness have rarely been touched upon in such a sensitive way. I found it terribly affecting and emotionally honest without it being sentimental. The sort of confessional, self-revelatory writing sometimes runs the risk of sounding preachy or self-rightous; this book succeeds precisely because it does neither. I'd recommend it to parents, gay or straight, as well as to their children.
Very cool.......2003-01-15
This book book is great. Over the holidays I had a chance to read it (some of it twice). I have to say i didn't expect it to be such a captivating read. As it turned out it was the kind of thing where you cant just read one story - you have to get the next one in and then the next - staying up way past bedtime!! It was fun - in places dark, in other very funny. I am always amazed at how many different points of view there are on the topic of parents. It is amazing what some parents are capable of. It was fascinating to see how people had come to terms with their lot in life and managed to rise above, forgive, and so on. I also think it is a treasure in the sense that things are changing quickly and that in 20 years, folks might write quite differently. A must for every library. Enjoy!
The Mysteries of Fathers and Sons.......2002-12-23
This is a great collection of true stories written by gay men about their relationship with their fathers. Some are mundane, some are shocking, some are tender and some are thought-provoking. It would be great to see a follow-up volume written by not-so-famous gay men, just to see what would result. I suspect the same kind of wisdom, love and heartache would be present. Required reading for all fathers and all gay men.
A MUST read.......2002-12-16
A must read for ANY parent, gay or straight children, boys or girls. This book gave me great insight on a child's devotion and unequivocal love of their parents, both mother and father. Telling stories of how the words and actions of parents can impact a child.
Customer Reviews:
Journey to Intimacy with God in Muslim South Asia.......2007-07-05
Bilquis Sheikh describes her journey, beginning with her initial interest in spirituality. She tells of her search for the truth, studying her Koran and the Bible she had requested, and struggling to know which book was God's. She humbled herself to visit a missionary to ask questions. She knew how to pray; prayer had been a ritual performed five times a day. However, she was startled by the new thought of praying to God as a father. In which of the two holy books was God a father? She decided to accept the Bible. She studied it, and began to spend time with the missionaries. She listened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and became convicted about so many things: baptism, her temper, her responses to other people. Christ gave her the strength to defy her family when they insisted she have nothing to do with Christians, as well as the courage to live calmly when her life was threatened. It was such a hard decision, even after she knew in her heart that she believed, and had become a Christian. Her family was close, and she enjoyed so many tender relationships cut off by her choice to follow Jesus. Her family, who had shared such love with her, even tried to kill her for rejecting Islam.
In this book, she chronicles this process. It is precious to see the Lord at work in hard places, like South Asia. We see that He is not limited, only we are. She also gives us insights into her own culture, and values of family and community which are remote from the individualism of the West. It is enlightening to glimpse into a Muslim family, and how she continued to live among her relatives after her conversion. Most of all, it is encouraging to read of another sister's journey to live before God in communion with Him as He has called us all to do. It brings reflection on our own lives, and the depth and closeness of our own relationship with our heavenly Father.
Written in an easy manner, this book can be read in an afternoon. Bilquis was open and honest about matters of the heart, and I did not find her to by dry at all. Who should read it? Those interested in this kind of conversion and culture, those wanting to know how God can be a Father, and Christians who want to understand this sister and those like her, and Christians who want to deepen their own relationship with our heavenly Father.
How amazing God the Father is - His LOVE endures through ALL things!.......2006-07-03
As a self-professed non-reader, I stayed up to 3AM just so I could finish the book! How amazing God is! It is a story of a woman - a Muslim by birth, with connection to high ranking Afghanistan officials and of upper class family connections - who one day came upon Jesus Christ in a dream which began her lifelong journey to seek the true God. Bilquis Sheikh risked everything - even her life and her love for her grandson Mahmud - to follow Christ. What was so hard to put down were the words that intricately described her emotional connection to God - something which practing Muslim must deny - and to have a personal relationship with Him. Her knowledge of the Quran and the Bible gave her an immeasurable platform which God used her even in the midst of death threats and personal sanctification. To be set apart for Christ was what she desired! I read the updated version of this book which gave some historical context to her life after she came to United States and the tragic murder of her beloved grandson Mahmud, who was defending a person from an "honor killing" (a practice where Muslims kill a family member because they became 'traitors' to the Islamic faith). The book is truly God-inspired, words in which gave me an encouraging view of my faith in Christ and how NOTHING is for my own and glory but that ALL THINGS ARE FOR CHRIST'S GLORY. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..." Philippians 4:13
Spell-Bound.......2005-04-03
I sat down I read 75% of the book without putting it down. Excellent bio, well written, there is a lot to learn about walking and developing your relationship with God. The way she shares her struggles, doubts and growing dependence on God is wonderful. I only wish I could learn more about her life after the epilouge.
God is so Awesome!!.......2004-05-10
It never ceases to amaze me how awesome God is and how mysteriously He works in the lives of people throughout the world. A woman like Bilquis Sheikh coming to Christ shows His absolute power in working in the lives of those who genuinely seek Him. I was given this book by a lady who was born a Muslim and lives in a Muslim land. It highly impacted her life for the good. Also, having known a number of Muslims who have converted to Christianity, I have seen the sad reality of how a Muslim family can totally reject and mistreat one of their own who converts. For a Muslim to follow Christ, much sacrifice takes place. The account of Bilquis Sheikh proves that this sacrifice is worth making. As you read this account of what happened in the life of one lady who "dared to call God Father," you will be swept up in the excitement and emotions of God's wonderful work. It is a book that Muslims and Christians alike should read and enjoy.
The perfume of Bible spreads the whole world........2002-05-07
This is an autobiographical book of the author ( A Muslim woman -
high class with a notable social position- mother of three kids, a grandmother who adopted her grandson as son) how Christ choose to reach her and how her whole life transformed by His touch. She is led to reread Koran in connection with her kid being treated for evil spirits by a mauli. She feels like reading earlier works to Koran; take a interest in Bible. In this period, she has a dream where she dines with Lord Jesus; When he vanishes, she finds someone whom she calls as John Baptist and asks him for guidance. Later she has an interesting a dream where a perfume saleman visits her and leaves a goldan jar of perfume on the table. When she gets up, she finds Bible at the place on the table. She meets a Chiristian missonaries couple and asks about John Baptist. Later She finds a specific passage in Bible where tha analogy of perfume and Good News is given. Now she is concevied that the dreams were from God. Once again, she is forced to visit hospital for her son's ear problem. There she meets a Christian Nun who manages the hospital. When the author expresses her confusion between Muslim belief and Christian belief, she is suggested to pray to God as father. This is the turning point. [ The book is titled on this aspect].She reminds about how her father cared for her. She dares to call God as Father. She is lead to pray for Holy Spirit and gets it. Later she is guided to take Baptism in her bath tub. She also takes traditional baptism.
Now her relatives boycot her. But she stands witness to Christ with boldness. Here one understands the rich man's problem in Bible; She has to forego her social position, security, and respect. She also has to risk losing her son. She puts Christ above anything.
Later her whole life changes. She also finds strength to forgive her husband; She acts as a medium for her relatives in crisis to taste the PEACE Given by Lord JESUS. Later she is invited to a Bill Graham's meeting in Singapore. This shows that she becomes the tool in God's hands.
Changed poticial conditions in Paktisan promotes her to visit USA for a four month tour arranged by Christian friends. Later She is forced to settle in U.S.A. She becomes an active Lord's witness in U.S.A.
I have read the book many times. Easy to read. Not a theological book; The message is is simple:
Dare to call GOD as your father.
Book Description
Five nights a week, María Elena Salinas looks into a television camera and delivers the news to millions of television viewers. But when the newscast is over, she is like so many other women across the country: a wife and a mother, struggling to find balance between her personal and professional life. When María Elena accidentally discovers her recently deceased father had once been a Catholic priest, all she knew was suddenly thrown into question. Turning her investigative eye on herself for the first time, she begins a long, arduous journey for answers.
In I Am My Father's Daughter, María Elena tells the amazing story of her journey to the top amid her struggle to come to terms with family secrets. From her childhood in a poverty-stricken neighborhood of Los Angeles and her adolescent years spent working in a sweatshop, to her astonishing break into network television, along with her coverage of some of the world's major events and disasters, Salinas frames her life behind the camera in the same warm and straightforward tone that is her on-air trademark.
Book Description
This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1848 edition by Henry Colburn, London.
Books:
- Mechanics of Flight
- Meditations for Manifesting : Morning and Evening Meditations to Literally Create Your Heart's Desire
- Middlemarch: Part 1 (Classic Books on Cassettes Collection)
- Mishima's Sword
- Narrow Road to the Interior (Shambhala Centaur Editions)
- On Call In Hell: A Doctor's Iraq War Story
- Oscar Wilde
- Our Lady of Pain (Edwardian Murder Mysteries)
- Power Mentoring: How Successful Mentors and Proteges Get the Most Out of Their Relationships
- Professional Dreamer: 6 Simple Steps That Turn Dreams Into Reality
Books Index
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