Read this as an audiobook, so perhaps the print copies rectified the situation but the book was not nearly structured enough to follow in audio formatRead this as an audiobook, so perhaps the print copies rectified the situation but the book was not nearly structured enough to follow in audio format. It was really lacking and some really simple editing and structuring would’ve made this book an entire star higher in my rating.
That said, there’s a reason every deep sea science book I’ve read of late has mentioned or discussed Edith Widder. And it’s because you should actually be reading her book, Below the Edge of Darkness. All of these other deep sea books have been varying degrees of interesting but their books aren’t as informative as hers and their authors aren’t really on her level of qualification either. They have to talk about her and her book to even write theirs.
Don’t get me wrong this book was interesting, but if I was limiting myself to one deep sea book, it wouldn’t be this one. This is the fourth book you read when you’re hyperfixating on giant squid or the deep ocean (me). It’s not the first, and it certainly isn’t the only one. ...more
This book is wonderfully written and thoroughly researched. It’s primary issues are those shared by many biographies: 1) thinking that their subject i This book is wonderfully written and thoroughly researched. It’s primary issues are those shared by many biographies: 1) thinking that their subject is the main character of the world not just their own story and 2) thinking their subject is perfect and can do no wrong.
For example, Merle is perfect for every role, and every role (incredibly attenuated at times) relates to her real life in a way that made it oh so emotional for her. Her failures at the box office are never a result of Merle’s performance and are always a reflection of how others failed her. What failures and faults in her performance are undeniable (her refusal to do an American accent in roles) are written off as excusable or understandable or beyond her control. Decisions to not cast Merle are exclusively a slight to Merle and not a credit to her counterparts.
It’s hard to fault the author for writing the most sympathetic portrayal of Merle that he could knowing what we know of her and the context in which she lived and kept her secret, but it is worth noting and did feel like it took a bit away from the tragedy of her situation that she was striving for greatness that she seemingly didn’t have the talent to achieve. ...more
This book accomplished part of its mission in fascinating me about the life of Milicent Patrick and making me want to know everything about her.
It faThis book accomplished part of its mission in fascinating me about the life of Milicent Patrick and making me want to know everything about her.
It failed to tell me most of the things about her that I wanted to know including failing to communicating most of the info the author seems to have available. It’s so sad to hear her divulge how much she discovered about Milicent in her research and seemingly fail to adequately communicate the vast majority of it. ...more
Unfortunately I think Bridget Quinn has done very little to help female artists exposure with this one.
There’s too much of herself and her own experieUnfortunately I think Bridget Quinn has done very little to help female artists exposure with this one.
There’s too much of herself and her own experiences, and it’s distracting. Her writing about the artists themselves is forgettable.
But most importantly, when speaking about the art itself she uses the kind of flowery, incredibly nondescript language that a layperson who is not a fine of art aficionado would find trite and tiresome and elitist. It’s the kind of describing without saying anything of substance language that makes laypeople unwilling and often unable to explore fine art with any depth of understanding. It’s the kind of language that continues to make female artists woefully inaccessible compared to their male counterparts whose works can be spoke about and discussed and commented on in a way that laypeople understand and brings them into the conversation.
It’s fine. But it’s not good. Most of this book will go in one ear with you thinking “wow that’s cool� and be out the other ear by the end of the day. ...more
This isn’t so much a journey through black country’s history past, present, or future as it is a journey through the times the author encountered blacThis isn’t so much a journey through black country’s history past, present, or future as it is a journey through the times the author encountered black country. It’s not a good look at the genre because it doesn’t give you an overview of the genre or its history. It doesn’t give you enough to feel like you have an understanding of the genre or its origins, and it isn’t really an analysis of black influence on country music.
But it also doesn’t follow or fully explain Alice’s life or work in a way that would make it an adequate memoir.
I wanted to sink my teeth into something that would expand my understanding and broaden horizons and this just wasn’t it. If the personal stories Alice relates, for example her love of the supremes, had been interspersed throughout a more comprehensive and well researched look at Black Country music then I would’ve loved it. She’s very endearing and draws you in. But she just doesn’t provide enough information or research. It’s mostly colloquial things she knows about Black Country from her life that she mostly relates in first person as she learned or encountered it with little further research or expansion. ...more
This book is my latest in a quest to read everything written about Gladys Bentley, one of the most fascinating women I’ve ever h3.5 Stars rounded up.
This book is my latest in a quest to read everything written about Gladys Bentley, one of the most fascinating women I’ve ever heard of in history.
I truly don’t know what I was supposed to get from this. I’m not sure if this book is meant for the layperson or academics, and I’m not sure it matters. The writing is so repetitive it is difficult for the layperson to digest any of it, and as a result of the repetition so little ground is covered that I’m not sure this book is useful for academics either. I found myself saying “I get it. Move on� every couple pages, every single chapter.
This book feels like someone asked an expert to write an overview piece on these women and this era of history, and no one thought to do even a cursory edit. The research is there and well done, but the inference and ground covered is subpar. ...more
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