Customer Reviews:
Best Thing I've Ever Done Was to Buy This Book for My Great Aunt Mary.......2007-09-28
I bought this book of questions for my Great Aunt Mary for her 100th birthday. And like another reviewer said, some of the questions did not apply to her, but, she did answer quite a few of the inquiries, and it was VERY interesting reading to see her answers. She passed away last Christmas at 108 years and 4 months old, and I placed this book out at her funeral for all to read, and everyone loved it. It had so many wonderful stories and quips to tell, all written in Aunt Mary's own hand. It made her memorial even more special. I've been given the book back, and will always treasure it. Aunt Mary and I were always very close, and I miss her very much, but that book brings back memories... I'd recommend this to everyone who wants to know more about other people. Lee
First and Best Internet Purchase.......2007-09-09
I first bought a copy of this book in 1999 and gave it to my Great-Aunt for Christmas. It was my first internet purchase. She wrote it in for five years and gave it back to me full of family history. Although all of the questions did not apply to her as she never had children and didn't serve in the armed services, she used the extra pages to expand on the questions that did apply to her.
The Story of a Lifetime.......2007-09-04
I found this book to be a pleasant surprise. I ordered it for my Nana. The cover is beautifully done, the pages are gold edged, it's a large book, but not fat, and it asks lots of questions. It divides ones life into sections starting with your memories of your grandparents, then your parents, your childhood, teen years, adult years, school life, home life, fads, movies, music, hobbies, marriage, grandchildren, happiest moments, saddest moments, etc. It covers everything. Unfortunately, my Nana was unable to finish this book before she died of bone cancer. I am still glad I have it. It's something for her great grandchildren to read since they will never meet her.
Lots of great memories to look back on!.......2007-06-07
I just pulled my book out of the closet, as one of my siblings had a question about our great-grandfather. My Dad passed away 3 years ago and I so wish I had the whole book with his comments. It was just a little too late, as he was in poor health, so many of the questions are unanswered. I recommend this book for every grandparent to fill out and give as a gift to their grandchildren. It's priceless!
My Father Loved it!.......2007-05-16
I bought this book for my dad to write down everything about him and he loves it! In fact he recommended it to his brother. A wonderful keepsake for the family.
Average customer rating:
- This explains The Black Book
- lost in melancholy
- wonderful and evocative
- Orhan and the City
- A dreamy account of the past and growing up in Istanbul...
|
Istanbul: Memories and the City
Orhan Pamuk
Manufacturer: Vintage
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Snow
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My Name Is Red
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The Black Book
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The New Life
ASIN: 1400033888
Release Date: 2006-07-11 |
Book Description
A shimmering evocation, by turns intimate and panoramic, of one of the world’s great cities, by its foremost writer. Orhan Pamuk was born in Istanbul and still lives in the family apartment building where his mother first held him in her arms. His portrait of his city is thus also a self-portrait, refracted by memory and the melancholy–or hüzün– that all Istanbullus share: the sadness that comes of living amid the ruins of a lost empire.
With cinematic fluidity, Pamuk moves from his glamorous, unhappy parents to the gorgeous, decrepit mansions overlooking the Bosphorus; from the dawning of his self-consciousness to the writers and painters–both Turkish and foreign–who would shape his consciousness of his city. Like Joyce’s Dublin and Borges’ Buenos Aires, Pamuk’s Istanbul is a triumphant encounter of place and sensibility, beautifully written and immensely moving.
Customer Reviews:
This explains The Black Book.......2007-06-13
Pamuk has lived in the city all his life: Istanbul, one of the most fascinating cities in the world, with a heavy and rich history as a city, capital of an empire, the spiritual heart of the new country Turkey. Having been to Istanbul I love the city and was fascinated by Pamuk's stories and photos (there are many black and white photos in the book). His main topic is, those who are of Istanbul have an inherent right to a special Turkish-Istanbul melancholy. He is very open about his family and feelings and growing up, his fears and loves.
This book explains a lot of Pamuk's The Black Book. If you read one, you should read the other.
lost in melancholy.......2007-06-12
A very melancholic memoir that at times seems to get lost in a not there not here, not east not west time and space ! somewhat interesting but not very compelling
wonderful and evocative.......2007-04-13
I found this truly wonderful and evocative in many ways--a place I had never been and always wondered about, history I knew only dimly, a way of life I hadn't imagined, how they changed from long before the author was born until he reached 50, and the feelings of a bright and sensitive child growing up there. The pictures are a great addition and would be truly miraculous if they could be larger and clearer than they are in the paperback. I could not find out whether they are better in the hard-back.
Orhan and the City.......2007-04-04
In his characteristic child-like voice of open-eyed wonder, Orhan Pamuk gives you not a tourist's or even a cultural tour of Istanbul, where he has lived all his life, but rather a key to the metaphors of place that link each of the author's books to each other.
A dreamy account of the past and growing up in Istanbul..........2007-04-02
In all Pamuk's novels, I like the digressions, descriptions and ambience most; I don't think the plot construction is his strength. That is why "Istanbul. Memories of the City" might be his best book - it is not a novel and there is no plot.
There are three planes present in "Istanbul". The first one is made of Pamuk's memories of the city, its specific kind of melancholy, which affects all Istanbullis ("huzun", which the author describes in comparison to the feeling studied by Robert Burton in "The Anatomy of Melancholy" and other melancholic European writers, finding examples also in the works of the writers who visited Istanbul and on whom the city left its unique mark, as well as bringing to mind the typical Sufi attitude), its dying, disappearing old neighborhoods with decrepit wooden houses and mansions, and the atmosphere of a former capital, which days of splendor passed long ago. Pamuk, born and raised in Istanbul, has never really left the city and still lives there, having come back to the apartment building, belonging to his family, where he spent most of his childhood. He reflects on Istanbul's influence on its denizens, including himself, and passionately describes his own ambiguous attitude to his city, his love mixed with hatred and boredom, his desire for change combined with his need to preserve the old charm...
The second level is the history of Turkey, from Byzantium, according to Pamuk, neglected and deemed unimportant by the Turks as a period which has left only the Greek minority and not much else behind, through the Middle Ages, times of Ottoman Empire and Ataturk, to the end of the twentieth century. Each period is described with nostalgia, but not without sharp criticism. Pamuk demonstrates his distance both towards the urge for westernization, the copying of European standards, and towards nationalism, chauvinism, feeling of superiority and dislike for Greek, Armenian and other minorities. He expresses his views firmly yet gently, without offense but leaving no doubt what is his opinion.
Interestingly, the third level, the most personal one, which is the memoir of the author's childhood and youth, shows his own doubts, prejudices and mistakes and his search for his own identity as a modern Turk as well as a creative artist. While the chronology of the Istanbul and Turkish history is not very precise, Pamuk's life proceeds from his birth to the student times more or less in order. He describes his life with the extended family, full of quarrels and hypocrisy, and his closest relatives - his mother, who seemed full of longing for something better, his father, failing in his business enterprises and living a second, separate life, his older brother, meticulous and teasing, and his grandmother, the queen of the household, who observed everything from her bed. Then, he proceeds to the account of his earliest, most personal, intimate feelings, then his school years, his artistic ventures, first, romantic love, unfortunate choice of architecture as the course of studies and, finally his arrival to the decision to become a writer.
All the planes combine in a unique way, wandering the streets of Istanbul evokes the historical memories, and the city undoubtedly had its giant share in shaping Pamuk's personality. The narrative flows in a characteristic, dreamy manner, with numerous references to literature and art, analyzing famous European works and introducing the Western readers to the Turkish poets, writers, journalists, painters and photographers. Pamuk's (Turkish?) obsession with the West is very visible, more than in his novels, the echoes of which sound in every passage in "Istanbul". Snow, always present in Pamuk's writings, appears here with double intensity, together with familiar themes of journal columnists, eloping couples, and family intrigues.
The book is full of carefully chosen, black and white photographs, some from Pamuk's family archives, some found at the old photo shops (the sources are listed at the end of the book), placed carefully between paragraphs. The pictures of cobblestone covered streets lined with wooden mansions, of streetcars and taxis, of laundry hanged to dry in the tiny cul-de-sacs, of the Bosphorus coast, enhance the text, add to the dreamy, magical quality and make excellent illustrations.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
In the spring of 1970, artist Ralph Steadman went to America in search of work and found more than he bargained for. At the Kentucky Derby he met a former
associate of the Hell’s Angels, one Hunter S. Thompson. Their working relationship resulted in the now-legendary Gonzo Journalism.
The Joke’s Over tells of a remarkable collaboration that documented the turbulent years of the civil rights movement, the Nixon years, Watergate, and the many bizarre and great events that shaped the second half of the twentieth century. When Thompson committed suicide in 2005, it was the end of a unique friendship filled with both betrayal and understanding.
A rollicking, no-holds-barred memoir, The Joke’s Over is the definitive inside story of the Gonzo years.
Customer Reviews:
Steadman + Thompson = Fun For All!!!.......2007-10-02
Having been an HST fan for decades now, this book combines many elements
that make this duo a must have for Thompson fans of all levels;think about it: You have the Gonzo genius of Hunter S. Thompson,and the illustrator
of these 'Adventures' not from HST, but the same incidents as viewed by the
one man fortunate(?) enough to go the distance to cover the story. A unique
twist on the escapades of Dr. Gonzo. These two men shared much more than
two people using their collective genius for journalistic purposes;these men
almost seemed(to me) to need each other, and their collective talents to such a bizarre level that these guys in many ways became so influential to more than just a journalistic quest-a pairing so unique that such a combination in all probability will never happen again(unless it
came down to absolute 'ripping off' of the style they created. This book
should be a 'must have' for anyone intelligent enough to see what was really going on. After reading this book, one can finally comprehend
'When the going gets tough, the weird turn pro'. The good Doctor will be sorely missed, but thankfully Ralph Steadman is still around to carry the torch in some way. The world lost a true genius, but the one redeeming
factor is that now the metaphysical has a monster to deal with, and I think HST will derive great pleasure in that!! BUY THIS BOOK;YOU CANNOT
BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!!!!!
Better than an unauthorized biography........2007-09-11
Mr. Steadman tells it like it is, even when there is obvious animosity between himself and HST. Some great pictures I hadn't seen before, although I wish they had been reproduced full page size. The stories are good and give some interesting insight into (attempting) to work with HST. Overall a good read, if you're a fan of either of the men you will enjoy this book and be glad it is in your personal library. To no fault of Mr. Steadman, reading this book did bum me out a bit that we have no more new HST work to read ever again. I still remember turning on the news that fateful February morning...
A good book that ultimately becomes just a little annoying.......2007-07-12
Ralph Steadman paints a very interesting portrait of his long-time colleague and collaborator, HST, warts and all. The book is for the most part an enjoyable and interesting read, and I would tend to put more stock in Ralph's biography versus those written by any others given the nature of their relationship. However, in some places the book seems a little disjointed. In the end, I found myself growing annoyed with Ralph's writing style (which comes off a bit like "trying too hard" and merely a cheap imitation of Hunter's unmatched skill) as well as his description of Hunter's faults, which start to sound a little too much like whining.
Intimate and revealing.......2007-05-14
Thompson's life is difficult to seperate from his gonzo essa, and is often viewed as fiction. Steadman's retelling of their turbulent friendship clears away a great deal of the confusion about this brilliant and difficult icon; twenty-five years of alternating conflict and cameraderie allows a more human and focused view of an explosive and unique man. In the end Thompson's mythical persona is enhanced rather than diminished by the humanizing and honest eye of Ralph Steadman, illustrating the reality of trying to mainttain a friendship with the perverse and explosive Thompson. He does Thompson the honor of addressing him honestly; sugar coating his memory would be an unforgivable offense in the Doctor's own books.
good times.......2007-05-09
Great book!! Nice to hear from Steadman. I'm almost 50 and have been a fan of Ralph's and the good doctor since I'm 13. Painfull at times to read laugh out loud funny at otherrs. Thanks Mr. Steadman for showing me this side of HST and yourself. Jo Sullivan
Book Description
The Sound of Music endeared Georg von Trapp (1880–1947) and his singing family to the world, and it also showed us how desperately the Nazis wanted Captain von Trapp for their navy. In To the Last Salute we learn why. Trapp’s own story of his exploits as a submarine commander during the First World War is as exciting as it is instructive, bringing to stirring life a little-known chapter in the naval history of that war.
In his many guises Trapp describes life as captain of Austro-Hungarian U-boats in the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, emerging by turn as the Imperial Austrian naval officer, the witty observer of international politics, and the indefatigable and ultimately heartbroken patriot opposing the Allied enemy. He relates deadly duels with submarine sweepers, narrow escapes and excruciatingly close calls, and the spectacular sinking of cargo and war ships—all the while maintaining a keen sense of the camaraderie of seamen from every corner of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A picture of a lost time, a portrait of a remarkable character, a window on early submarine warfare: Trapp’s story, in English for the first time, offers a rare combination of human interest, historical insight, and true life-and-death adventure.
Customer Reviews:
U-boats and insights into the geopolitical situation of Austro-Hungary in WWI. .......2007-10-09
This is reasonably light read broken into bite-size chapters covering a variety of experiences surrounding the author's service as a WWI Austrian U-boat captain, the boat technologies of the time and the everyday impact of the politics as Austria's empire unraveled. Austria's relationship with it's wealthy and larger German ally is seen from another perspective as well as the polyglot nature of the many ethnic groups belonging to and participating in the Austrian war effort. A fine military account from the man responsible for "The Sound of Music."
An engaging and moving memoir of life in the Austrian Navy.......2007-09-26
To the Last Salute is Georg Ritter von Trapp's memoir of commanding a U-boat in the Austrian Navy during World War I. While his style of writing does take some getting used to, von Trapp provides an engaging and suspenseful tale of life on a primitive submarine during an oft-neglected period of military history. The book also gives us an insight into von Trapp as a man, more insight than one finds in other books on the life of his famous family. His accounts of the horrors of war and the loss of his beloved navy at the end of the war are especially moving. For those interested in von Trapp, the Austrian Navy, World War I, and the history of submarine warfare, the book will be especially useful; anyone interested in the story of an intriguing, thoughtful, and courageous man will enjoy the chronicle of von Trapp's adventures as well.
Interesting History of the True Life "Captain" from the 'Sound of Music'........2007-08-22
Captain Georg von Trapp's Memoirs were published in Austria in German in the 1930's. One of his Grandaughters (an offspring of one of the real life von Trapp Family Singers)has translated her famous ancestor's work into English and now we can all see why the Evil Nazi's were so set on getting "The Captain" into their Navy when they took over Austria.
The work is very short and von Trapp has a matter of fact writing style similar to that of U.S. counterpart Gene Fluckey in his memoir of the USS Barb. Unlike Fluckey however von Trapp had to go to war in an antequated obsolete gasoline powered Austrian U-boat which was barely a step above the Turtle or the Hunley. A german U boat Captain told him upon going inside the ship that he "was lucky to be Alive". In addition he had to deal with a multinational crew that grew more restless as the war went on and their countries began to break away from the Hapsburg yoke.
The memoir is a good glimpse of a theatre of WWI which is barely mentioned, the Naval War in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. Very little has been written of the War at sea between the Austrian navy on one side and the Italians and the French on the other. Most I have seen have dealt with the Royal Navy in the Dardanelles.
The book also begins with some von Trapp Family background and reveals many interesting facts such as the Captain's first wife was English and many of 'the children' were a lot older than 'sixteen going on seventeen' when they escaped Austria. Sadly when the Captain died of lung cancer in 1947 it may have been related to all of the gas fumes he inhaled on the poorly ventilated u boat during the war.
Finally!.......2007-08-08
I've wished for this book to be translated into English for a very long time! It was worth the wait.
I've always wanted to know more about Captain von Trapp, in his own words and this book is as close as I am going to get. It did not disappoint as it provided a window to see the Captain, the man.
I could not help but believe this book was more a compilation from a journal he may have kept. I also could not help but believe, if not for his modesty, there was so much more he could have shared.
Perhaps, without realizing it, he showed us many sides, least of which were his tender and compassionate side. How many military captains do you know would allow a rescued kitten to live on board his submarine?
I gave this book five stars, not so much for literary greatess as for the enjoyment received from reading it and having a few more questions answered.
It should be enjoyed by all Sound of Music fans and I believe those interested in history will enjoy it as well. Even though I knew the outcome, I could not help but hold my breath as he told of daring escapades while captaining his u-boats. I found myself, while reading about his experiences, thinking of the movie, K-9, The Widowmaker.
My only complaint, it was only 188 pages log. :-(
Excellent to see in an english translation.......2007-06-27
I had known of this book for many years, and had even thought about seeing if a publisher would be willing to entertain a translation. It was wonderful to see a member of the family lead the effort and have a copy back in print and in english after too many years out of print. It is a wonderful story of a patriotic naval officer, of a now absent navy tell of his adventures as the most successful captain of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. His work with his crew (from all over the empire) dealing with bureaucratic officers, sinking ships in an old sub, that his German peers recommended not taking to sea (they thought it unseaworthy and an antique), and then further adventures in a French sub, sunk then raised to strike again against them is intersting. Those who have read Lowell Thomas' account, or Edwyn Gray's books on the German WW1 submarine service will find this a very different tale and one worth comparing to other efforts.
For those who wondered where the Captain in the von Trapp family singers came from this fills in a void covering elements of his older children and first wife. Through his first wife, he was related to the inventor of the modern torpedo, who had set up a factory in Austra-Hungary before WW1.
The book is well written and reads quickly, and tells the tale of a dedicated and talented patriot in an prior phase of his life, which was later known to the world in song and story.
Book Description
Growing up in a large African-American family in a small town in Michigan, Patty Pinner spent her childhood helping the women of the house--the Queens of Soul Food--whip up the sweet treats that crowned family dinners, neighborhood gatherings, and church socials. In SWEETS, Patty shares her family's stories, maxims, and magical desserts, many named after family members like Cud'n Daisy, Aint Sug, and My My, her beloved grandmother. Part recipe book, part family history, this sweet-as-can-be cookbook is a heartfelt tribute to women who ruled the home and the kitchen with their wisdom, hearts, and cooking.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding collection.......2007-10-02
This is truly an outstanding collection of desserts -- from puddings to pies to cakes to candy. While a few of them include cake mixes, they are mostly from scratch and traditional favorites such as banana pudding and pound cake.
"Sweets" also serves as a charming testament to the author's love of her family. Most of the recipes are family favorites, often the signature dishes of particular relatives, and the book is full of stories and photographs of her family.
Heavenly Sweets!.......2007-09-12
If you're looking for old fashioned or southern style desserts, this book is for you. It is full of delicious and sweet recipes. The quality of the product and service from the vender was outstanding.
Great Book.......2007-07-27
I don't know wish I enjoy more. Finding interesting recipes or the stories within the pages of this great cookbook.
I bought this book for one recipe. I have heard about carmel cakes but never tasted one. I looked through several books before coming across this one. Great book!
Transplanted Mississippians.......2007-07-04
This is a beautiful book and would be a great gift for anybody interested in soul food desserts. The history of Pinner's family, having moved from MS to MI, is also a great read for anyone whose family moved from the south to the midwest, east or west coast in the 40s or 50s.
The Best of the Best.......2007-07-02
I got this book & read it cover to cover. I have over 250 cookbooks, and I am a snob when it comes to good cookbooks. Out of all my cookbook, I'd say that this is in the the top 5. It takes me back home to KY, and my grandmother kitchen. And reminds me of all the wonderful food that we ate at home & at the church revivals. All the women would try to out cook each other. The recipies in this book, are almost word for word & step for step what I remember watching my grandmother & the other ladies I grew up watching cook. Patty, you call this Soul food cooking. But to me & everyone raised in the south. It's just really good/great home cooking. I'd love it if you came out with a cookbook on veggies & meats etc. Bless your heart for writing this book. I thought I lost the chance to make several of the dishes listed in your cookbook. I lost my grandmother, and her recipies with her. I'd only remember some of them. So now, I have them back, and I've already started using your cookbook. Amazon will only let me give you 5 stars. But if I could I'd give you 100. Yes people the book is that good. I cook on the side for a living, so I know what I'm talking about!!!!
Average customer rating:
- Uncle Oliver
- I wish all children were introduced to science like this!
- Memory is Precious
- If you rated it poorly, you'll never understand.
- A Chemical Childhood
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Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood
Oliver Sacks
Manufacturer: Vintage
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0375704043
Release Date: 2002-09-17 |
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
Oliver Sacks's luminous memoir charts the growth of a mind. Born in 1933 into a family of formidably intelligent London Jews, he discovered the wonders of the physical sciences early from his parents and their flock of brilliant siblings, most notably "Uncle Tungsten" (real name, Dave), who "manufactured lightbulbs with filaments of fine tungsten wire." Metals were the substances that first attracted young Oliver, and his descriptions of their colors, textures, and properties are as sensuous and romantic as an art lover's rhapsodies over an Old Master. Seamlessly interwoven with his personal recollections is a masterful survey of scientific history, with emphasis on the great chemists like Robert Boyle, Antoine Lavoisier, and Humphry Davy (Sacks's personal hero). Yet this is not a dry intellectual autobiography; his parents in particular, both doctors, are vividly sketched. His sociable father loved house calls and "was drawn to medicine because its practice was central in human society," while his shy mother "had an intense feeling for structure ... for her [medicine] was part of natural history and biology." For young Oliver, unhappy at the brutal boarding school he was sent to during the war, and afraid that he would become mentally ill like his older brother, chemistry was a refuge in an uncertain world. He would outgrow his passion for metals and become a neurologist, but as readers of Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat know, he would never leave behind his conviction that science is a profoundly human endeavor. --Wendy Smith
Book Description
Long before Oliver Sacks became a distinguished neurologist and bestselling writer, he was a small English boy fascinated by metals–also by chemical reactions (the louder and smellier the better), photography, squids and cuttlefish, H.G. Wells, and the periodic table. In this endlessly charming and eloquent memoir, the author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Awakenings chronicles his love affair with science and the magnificently odd and sometimes harrowing childhood in which that love affair unfolded.
In
Uncle Tungsten we meet Sacks’ extraordinary family, from his surgeon mother (who introduces the fourteen-year-old Oliver to the art of human dissection) and his father, a family doctor who imbues in his son an early enthusiasm for housecalls, to his “Uncle Tungsten,” whose factory produces tungsten-filament lightbulbs. We follow the young Oliver as he is exiled at the age of six to a grim, sadistic boarding school to escape the London Blitz, and later watch as he sets about passionately reliving the exploits of his chemical heroes–in his own home laboratory.
Uncle Tungsten is a crystalline view of a brilliant young mind springing to life, a story of growing up which is by turns elegiac, comic, and wistful, full of the electrifying joy of discovery.
Customer Reviews:
Uncle Oliver.......2007-07-19
The relationship between uncle and nephew is the most precious. Why? Because nephews confide in uncles like they don't confide in a father or mother. And uncles are sort of pseudo fathers to nephews. The responsibility of an uncle is not less than a father: to inspire and stimulate the child wherever he resists parental influence. I would imagine the rapport between an aunt and a niece is the same way, looking up to the corresponding role model and same sex mentor.
Although Dr. Sacks paints a portrait of his extended family in this book, his Uncle Dave "Tungsten" is highlighted as an important source of inspiration. His retelling of his childhood and adolescence is fascinating. This is a beautiful book, sometimes overwhelming when scientific lingo becomes predominant but very warm and engaging. Even with a poor knowledge in chemistry -- my case -- it's immensely enjoyable. Dr. Sacks' childhood memories are colorful, jam-packed, very serious at times but also humorous, a bit like John Boorman's movie "Hope and Glory".
I wish all children were introduced to science like this!.......2007-05-15
Sigh...as a science educator who sees students turned off of science in spite of it being much more interesting and useful then English and history, it's frustrating to read about a child whose family managed to convey the fun of science. I've enjoyed Oliver Sacks books so much. He is such a great person, a great neurologist, a great writer who manages to introduce the world to his scientific world and keep them interested. Too bad we cannot get someone like Sacks to write some of our textbooks because they are too dry, without showing the practical applications of the science. Sack's was lucky in having a family with immense background in the sciences, who spent their entire lives performing or doing science in some way. Very few of us have access to the equipment and the materials needed to do lab science at home, but Sacks did have access to this stuff and he certainly made the most of it.
Sack's stories include information about his big family and their great variety of work in the sciences. His descriptions of his family members, his memories are filled with both love and awe for their patience with him and his interests in sciences which sometimes were not the same as theirs (his mom and dad wanted him to be a physician, and not a chemist).
Sack's books are usually compendiums of short stories, which make for interesting reading. He has had so many intriguing forays into different fields of chemistry, and his ability to remember the textbooks and the books that famous scientists from that golden age in England and Germany are phenomenal in the recall. I remember the teacher in science who made such an impact on my perception of science, and I am only too aware of how short we are in obtaining good science teachers and introducing science programs into public schools. Maybe reading this book will encourage other young people with talent to look into science as a career possibility.
Karen L. SAdler
Memory is Precious.......2007-03-15
I loved reading this book for multiple reasons, but I will restrict myself to mentioning two. The first is that it is a well constructed story with excellent writing---a combination I cannot resist. The narrative moves at a pace to engage and captivate the reader without making the story just a rush to get to the next page. Writing that is thoughtful makes sure that the reader will savor and think about the events presented. This is worth a read merely to have the understanding of one more perspective presented well.
But there is more to the book that makes me give this an enthusiastic five stars. As a chemist I was delighted to read a book that gave insight into this space of history of the chemistry profession. The history is two-fold: first it is a history of childhood enthusiasm for science and second it is a history of chemistry in the middle of the 1900s. many a child is enthusiastic about something. For all those children who loved science but never had the means to explore this book will bring sadness at what they lost for not being given such freedom and support. But the book also brings joy at reading that someone, somewhere had the chance to be the brilliant child you always thought you were. Today we highly restrict certain chemicals and also have an emphasis on safety in working with all chemicals. Sacks presents a time period when chemistry and science in general was done with little concern for safety. Instead of glossing over things Sacks presents information and experiments without deluding the reading into thinking it was perfectly safe.
This book is an excellent exploration of multiple themes that are well worth thinking about. I challenge anyone to read it and not find something in it that doesn't provoke some thoughts about what you are doing now with what you are enthusiastic about or what you loved childhood and now have lost as an adult.
If you rated it poorly, you'll never understand........2006-07-15
I ran across this book quite by accident, on the bottom shelf of the Engineering section in the bowels of a major brick-and-mortar bookstore. Perusing the first few pages convinced me to give it a try. I was hooked, and devoured the book in two nights.
There are enough reviews here to give you a feel for the book. My only point for writing this is that those who have given the book poor reviews simply don't "get it", nor, likely, shall they. If you grew up with an avid interest in what makes the world work, wore out VHS tapes of Cosmos, and were reading Gribbin, Rucker, and Asimov (nonfiction) in second grade, you "get it" and will adore this book. Sacks's voracious appetite for knowledge at this young age mirrored my own, and his enjoyment of discovery for discovery's sake made me nostalgic of my own youth within the first few pages - an amazing testimonial of the timelessness of his relevance, given the nearly-50-year difference in our ages.
Note: I'm a professional manager of computer geeks, not a chemist.
A Chemical Childhood.......2006-05-28
Oliver Sacks is one of my favorite authors and I especially like his autobiographical-chemical tome "Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood." I read it a while back and never reviewed it, but on the second reading while flying from El Paso, Texas, to Washington, DC, recently I was so delighted with it that I thought that I would put in my 2 cents worth.
I was lucky enough to meet Oliver Sacks about the time I read this book the first time and had a chance to talk with him (with a group of students) for a few minutes after his lecture. He is certainly a very interesting man and well versed in a number of fields.
His book on his early life and his association with chemistry as a nearly all consuming hobby was in many ways somewhat echoed in my own childhood- except I became consumed by both astronomy and chemistry in my teens. Still, like Sacks, I performed a number of experiments with a friend of mine that would now curl the hair of any parent, and in the process learned a lot about chemistry (it was my favorite science after biological sciences in college). Also like Sacks I became a biological scientist, but in a different specialty. Unfortunately I had no relatives who remotely understood my interests and I do envy him for his uncles and even his parents, who were not always so supportive, but did give him a love of learning and science.
Sacks has written an account of his early life with its sorrows (being sent away to a boarding school run by a sadistic head master during the Blitz in London) and the ecstasies (chemistry, books, science history and even marine biology)of a young boy caught up in the pure love of science and life, despite the trials. The book is simply charming and shows what a resourceful child can do, even under often difficult times, to make his or her life interesting and even joyful.
I recommend this book highly. It will brighten up any reader's day.
Book Description
Hunger of Memory is the story of Mexican-American Richard Rodriguez, who begins his schooling in Sacramento, California, knowing just 50 words of English, and concludes his university studies in the stately quiet of the reading room of the British Museum.
Here is the poignant journey of a “minority student” who pays the cost of his social assimilation and academic success with a painful alienation — from his past, his parents, his culture — and so describes the high price of “making it” in middle-class America.
Provocative in its positions on affirmative action and bilingual education,
Hunger of Memory is a powerful political statement, a profound study of the importance of language ... and the moving, intimate portrait of a boy struggling to become a man.
From the Paperback edition.
Download Description
Hunger of Memory is the story of Mexican-American Richard Rodriguez, who begins his schooling in Sacramento, California, knowing just 50 words of English, and concludes his university studies in the stately quiet of the reading room of the British Museum.
Here is the poignant journey of a "minority student" who pays the cost of his social assimilation and academic success with a painful alienation -- from his past, his parents, his culture -- and so describes the high price of "making it" in middle-class America.
Provocative in its positions on affirmative action and bilingual education, Hunger of Memory is a powerful political statement, a profound study of the importance of language... and the moving, intimate portrait of a boy struggling to become a man.
"Arresting... Splendidly written intellectual autobiography."
THE BOSTON GLOBE
"Superb autobiographical essay... Mr. Rodriguez offers himself as an example of the long labor of change: its costs, about which he is movingly frank, its loneliness, but also its triumph."
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
Customer Reviews:
Among the Educated.......2007-07-18
Esteemed a classic, this work has the merit, upon first reading, of making the reader feel he has been initiated into the long lost tribe of truth tellers, something akin to the book readers of Fahrenheit 451. We meet somebody for whom education is a real thing, something that is life changing, enlightening, and it estranges him from his family, and of course from all people, because the sophistication he gains from his education makes him an enemy to the ignorant. Much is lost, but what is gained far outweighs that loss. He knows it, and we get the message. Bravo, Richard Rodriguez.
Whine, whine, whine.......2007-04-09
I read this book as a part of a college class on marginalized/minority writers. Out of a class of eight, I and another girl both thought this fellow was an unmitigated whiner and the book was terrible. The rest of the class thought it was compelling and thought provoking (or else they just wanted a good grade that week.) It seems to me that it is almost forbidden to express dislike of a minority writer in a classroom environment these days for fear of being branded a racist. I did not like this book. I was in the minority--read it and decide for yourself.
not exactly a great autobiographical read.......2007-02-28
*Hunger of Memory* was an ok read. There was nothing unforgettable in the book. So, that left me somewhat disappointed. Rodriguez provided his personal accounts on some topics, such as assimilation, language, bi-bi education, Catholicism, affirmative action, etc.
I enjoyed reading about his views and experiences with assimilating with American values and whatnots. For those of us who are minorities, I believe that we can relate to that. His personal accounts kind of became reminders of my childhood and helped me re-evaluate how I was assimilated.
The other thing I enjoyed reading was about his college education and "moving up" as a minority in regards to scholarships and job offers. As a minority, you never really know if you're being sought after due to your minority status or your expertise/specialty. Rodriguez was honest about his feelings and views on such things.
His portrayal of his mother reminded me so much of my mother. I had to laugh and groan in memory. It is interesting to see how he portrays a separation between him and his family due to his being an academician. It as if his family expect him to know everything because he's educated. Yet, when he gives answers, those answers are "over the top" for them. They just dismiss him and move on. At the same time, they still encourage him for further achievements...as long as he leaves out the family because it is a private matter.
What I didn't like about the book was that he droned on and on about language (Spanish & English). I'm guess I was bored with this as I had just finished reading *Breaking Through* and *Growing Up Latino*. Both of these books mentioned this. I realize it is a common experience by Hispanics in regards to Spanish and English. But in Rodriguez, he dwells on language forever.
Overall, I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked half of it and hated the other half. It was like he wrote about himself but at the same time, he didn't. This book was more of his views on things rather than getting to know him.
I was born in Mexico and faced similar issues. This is awful........2006-08-03
Richard Rodriguez whines and complains in his book. I have similar experiences. I was born in Mexico. I was reared in America and went to Catholic schools. I have a darker than average complexion. People often ask me what country I was born in just by looking at me, but that did not warp my wife like it seemed to for Rodriguez. I have a friend who went to Stanford, like Rodriguez, on scholarship, but he did not whine about it. I googled Rodriguez and found a published speech where he continues to show weak character. Here is a quote from one of his speeches: "... if you really want to scare the United States of America, all you would have to say to the United States of America is "I'm going to marry you. I'm going to start dating your son." " This is pretty sad and tasteless. Besides showing weak character, Rodriguez is a poor writer. I have never seen so many sentence fragments. At one point in his book he admits he never liked writing when he was in school. It shows. This book is an insult to the Latin-American community from a condescending publisher. We deserve better.
Going beyond his weakness as a writer and as a person, I would say Rodriguez realized his life was inauthentic (re: Heidegger). He was thrown into his life and rebelled at the life he was given (a degree from Stanford, many job offers in spite of incomplete and inferior creditials). He rejected the life for which he was prepared, but he sunk into an unending cycle of complaining instead of creating an authentic life for himself. He needed to find some way of creating a meaningful life for himself. There are many ways to create for yourself a meaningful life. "Achieve Lasting Happiness" by Robert Canright is good book based on the principals of self-cultivation. If Rodriguez had success in creating for himself an authentic life, this book might have had some merit. As it is, it is just sad.
I hate this book........2006-06-16
This is one of the worst books I have ever read. I understand that is fine writing, but the book is tasteless. I find Rodriguez arrogant and lonely. Is he trying to say that the turning point of his life was when the nun's came to his parents home. I hate this book it is one of my worst reads ever.
Amazon.com
Colette Rossant's privileged childhood was marked by tragedy and dislocation. Her father, the Egyptian descendant of Sephardic Jews who eventually settled in Cairo, met her French mother in Paris, where he was the European buyer for his father's department store. He died in 1939 when Colette was only 7, and her mother then left her in Cairo with her grandparents. She returned three years later to enroll Colette in a convent school in the hope that her daughter would convert to Catholicism, much to the chagrin of her in-laws. Although Rossant's memoir of these wrenching events is often sad, it's leavened by a wonderfully sensuous evocation of Middle Eastern life in the 1930s and '40s, including recipes for the savory foods that nurtured her childhood: semits (soft pretzels with a sesame seed crust), ful medamas (a fava bean stew), and sambousek (a golden, cheese-filled pastry). The warmth of her grandparents and their Arab servants softened the impact of her thorny relationship with an often capricious mother, whose sharp edges Rossant does not sentimentalize, even in the chapter about her dying days. Returning to Cairo in 1997, the author realizes that, despite the absence of her mother during those crucial girlhood years, she had been blessed by "a city and a family that nurtured me and gave me a strong identity." --Wendy Smith
Book Description
"Matthew's presence transports me back to the Cairo kitchen, where I am tasting the ful that Ahmet, the cook, prepared and helping Grandmaman Marguerite mix dough while she sings songs to me in Arabic. Her family pride was profoundly linked to the kitchen, so when I attempted to make sambousek once for my friends
and did not follow her recipe for this cheese-filled golden dough faithfully, she was outraged. "This recipe is at least
hundreds of years old. You do not change it!" she shouted. I see her standing at the stove, a diminutive woman
usually dressed in black. Her thick, curly, henna-dyed hair was pulled upward in a large chignon; there was always
a lock of hair escaping that she would try, again and again and without success, to push back into her chignon. My daughter Marianne, who looks like her, has the same gesture of trying to push a lock of curly dark hair behind her ear. I smile as I watch the curl fall down in front of her eyes."
From
Memories of a Lost Egypt
Customer Reviews:
A Cute Memoir of a Book.......2002-06-29
I found this book at a landmark bookstore on Picadilly Street in London, England. It was titled APRICOTS ON THE NILE, A Memoir With Recipes. I just realized via a search on Amazon that the title is different here in the USA. I like the English title better. This book is a 'must get' for anyone who cooks. There will be some recipes that sound "ugh", but many are mouth watering. Personally, I liked the Tomato Salad(s), Roast Chicken on a Bed of Leeks, Meatballs with Apricot Sauce, Angel Hair Pasta with Nuts, Vegetable Salad, Traditional Hummus, Christmas Four-Meat Pate, Lentil Soup, and Roast Leg of Lamb. The book is more than just recipes, though. You will be taken on a cultural trip through Cairo, Egypt and Paris, France through the eyes of a little girl & a woman who has not lost sight of her ancestral heritage. It's a quick and enjoyable read where you'll be thrust into memories of a wonderful childhood...try it, you'll like it. Smiles :)
Lovely memoir with recipes.......2001-02-25
This is a lovely little memoir with recipes. Colette Rossant is reminiscing about her childhood years growing up with her Jewish Egyptian grandparents in their mansion in Cairo during WWII. This poor little rich girl who was abandoned by her French mother, grew closer to the kitchen, and the cook Ahmed. Colette remembers many of the special recipes prepared by Ahmed and incorporates them into this nostalgic memoir of her childhood days. This is a lovely and sentimental memoir about the Egyptian belle epoque that also includes some savory Egyptian recipes with a gourmet twist.
Want to know about Egypt? Read this book.......2000-10-26
This book is not only charming but is beautifully written. I had tears in my eye as I read it. The recipes are mouth watering and I ran to buy some Egyptian ingredients to try the recipes. Colette Rossant gives an evocative picture of the life of a Jewish family during second world war.
A welcome blend of memories and good food.......2000-01-01
If you are like me, you enjoy reading cookbooks that are more than just compilations of recipes but also include evocative text that recreates another time and place. "Memories of a Lost Egypt" is such a book. The author's vivid and touching reminiscences of her childhood often center on food and her relationships with her family's cooks, and she skillfully interweaves her narrative with recipes for the delicious dishes she savored and learned to prepare.
Another Middle Eastern cookbook that I treasure is Sonia Uvezian's "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen: A Culinary Journey through Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan." It too evokes a strong sense of time and place, and it is filled with outstanding recipes.
The Sephardic Answer to "Miriam's Kitchen".......1999-10-06
I immensely enjoyed this book - my own family having lived in Alexandria during that time, it helped fill in many of the gaps in my own families story. Just as "Miriam's Kitchen" takes you into the life and traditions of an Askenazi family, this beautiful book conveys the feelings of family, food and tradition of Sephardic families masterfully. It is very easy to loose track of these bonds with family members now being scattered all over the world and this book is a gentle yet persuasive reminder that it is worth every bit of effort to keep our traditions alive so that our children will have strong roots and identities! The book only looses one star because I was a little disappointed with the recipes in the book since most of them are not kosher.
Book Description
For young single women, every night is Ladies' Night. For Brett Paesel and her friends, Friday happy hour is all they get-if they can wrangle the babysitting. Like most mommies, they support each other through pregnancies, sleep deprivation, and the need to talk about it all. Instead of meeting at the playground, they convene at the local watering hole while sipping Black and Tans and flirting with the cute bartender. Now with a poignant voice and a fresh style that makes this memoir read like the best women's fiction, Paesel navigates mommyhood in all its forms-the ecstatic, the terrifying, the tedious, the hilarious, the transcendental, and the sticky. So grab a comfy seat; it's time for the performance art that is the daily existence of a twenty-first-century mama, where life bounces back and forth between the heartfelt desire to be a loving wife and mother and the burning need to reclaim your former self by letting your hair down every once in a while. Paesel's laugh-out-loud perspective will appeal to all women who are braving the new world of motherhood, where the secret question on their minds at playgroup is "When is it too early in the day to start drinking?"
Customer Reviews:
So funny.......2007-03-15
I don't have children and I'm not interested in children, but this book is so funny, it really, really made me happy!
Mommies Who Drink.......2007-03-09
We read this book for our bookclub and had a conference call with Brett Paesel, the author. That was great! She was very personable and genuine, much like her book. And what a great sense of humor!! Very much along the lines of Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. Hilarious but very real.
Laugh Out Loud Kind of Funny!.......2007-03-03
I really don't understand why in the world some of the reviewers expected this to be a serious book about motherhood. Just look at the cover. Duh! It's a tongue-in-cheek book about motherhood. I have to wonder if the critical reviewers have kids because if they have kids and not a sense of humor they're really missing the best part.
If you're reading this, please don't be swayed by the negative reviews. I actually listened to the book (read by the author) and she is a fabulous reader. I plan on buying this book for my girlfriends and our youngest kids are 24! Doesn't that tell you something?
RIGHT ON THE MONEY!.......2007-02-24
Brett Paesel is truly up there with the best of the many "confession-charged" writers. Often wry, always quick-witted, MOMMIES WHO DRINK confirms what many mothers often think and feel, but are too ashamed or fearful to admit--that having babies doesn't disqualify us from the world of the living, and alot of us don't always know what we're doing, let alone why! A great read and a perfect gift for another deserving mom.
Average.......2007-01-03
I absolutely loved the premise of this book.
Unfortunately, the reading it part was not so great. While this book is not horrible, it felt incredibly disjointed to me and really, I did not see the point of writing the thing, unless the author needed to "unwind" somehow.
I could not connect with the author or any of her friends and I kept wondering why she decided to have children? I mean, she could have just continued with her "old" life -
just did not get the point of this whole book. By the way, it wasn't even funny....
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