The Cure basically wrote the soundtrack of my late teens and early 20s. Easily one of my all-time favorite bands, I was excited to see a memoir of theThe Cure basically wrote the soundtrack of my late teens and early 20s. Easily one of my all-time favorite bands, I was excited to see a memoir of their early days written by one of the founding members. While The Cure certainly centers the book, I found this memoir to be somewhat inconsistent.
While Lol Tolhurst recalls his childhood and early years with the bittersweet nostalgia deserving of the band he'd go on to help form, the book seems to lose itself once that band is actually formed and growing. Admittedly, if you read the notes for the book, and well the book itself you'll understand that part of the reason this middle section (basically from the recoding of Seventeen Seconds to Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me) is so vague and has the feeling of a high school book report. Even if you understand the reasons for it, it remains a bit of a slog--seemingly full of name dropping and Robert Smith worship. Likewise though, its clear that its purpose was to explain how much years later Tolhurst appreciated the experiences and friendships he made as a member of The Cure.
Where the book really excels as a memoir is after Tolhurst leaves the band during the recording of Disintegration. Here you can tell that Lol is writing from his soul, a perfect touching memory of the good and bad aspects of recovering from alcoholism. The writing returns to the poetic stream that opened the book, and is all the better for it. It ends on an upbeat, with that touch of melancholy that so encapsulates the spirit of the imaginary boys that founded this iconic band....more
Some nearly poetic turns of phrases in this book that wraps a love story into the often forgotten horrors of the Spanish civil war. While the characteSome nearly poetic turns of phrases in this book that wraps a love story into the often forgotten horrors of the Spanish civil war. While the characters are sometimes confusing and hard to keep track of, it wraps up nicely in the end. A truly gothic story in scope, it is for anyone who understands how deeply a book can influence one's whole outlook on the world. ...more
**spoiler alert** I remember as a young girl seeing the classic 鈥淢ommie Dearest鈥� movie鈥攖he infamous 鈥淲ire Hangers鈥� scene became a running joke between**spoiler alert** I remember as a young girl seeing the classic 鈥淢ommie Dearest鈥� movie鈥攖he infamous 鈥淲ire Hangers鈥� scene became a running joke between myself and my mother (she didn鈥檛 like wire hangers either).
But鈥� something about this story stayed with me. Deep underneath it was the scene right after where Christina needed to clean the bathroom because it was so awful that haunted me. So one random evening while visiting my favorite weird city of Baltimore, I stopped in a little shop, and found this book staring at me. I needed something to read, and of the stack of books in that corner of the store, this just seemed like something I wanted to sit on the inner harbor reading while enjoying the happy weirdness of Baltimore鈥�
Most of the early parts of this book are well covered in the movie, but with a lot more details. Like anything the book has so much more depth than the movie, and I found myself as I was reading it, wanting to simply give Christina a hug.
This book is honest in that it is told deeply entrenched in the memories and moments that these incidents occurred. For instance the infamous wire hanger incident is told in the voice of a young Christina, but somehow also excellently and subtly shaded with the adult realizations that only come with looking back on it much later. The movie, I feel, didn鈥檛 quite get that quite right.
Though, it鈥檚 also worth saying, the book took a negative turn for me once Christina found herself on her own. It almost feels like this entire period is just chapter after chapter of whining. But I鈥檒l add honestly that this is my adult self looking back at early adulthood when one is between that parent-dependent and self-independent stages. But the whole period just made me want to scream into the book 鈥測eah, that鈥檚 how it is for EVERYONE鈥︹€� while also thinking 鈥渄on鈥檛 trust your Mom, don鈥檛 you know that?鈥�
However, part of what roused that anger is the excellent story-telling in the book. Without it I wouldn鈥檛 have felt as I did.
In the end if you鈥檙e a memoir lover, if you like stories of working to overcome and/or conquering one鈥檚 childhood demons, or even tales about what hides behind the smiles and flashbulbs of 鈥榩erfect family鈥� this is totally worth the investment to read. ...more
**spoiler alert** I have a weakness and it is the history of England and Scotland. It has spilled into a slight obsession with English royalty, from K**spoiler alert** I have a weakness and it is the history of England and Scotland. It has spilled into a slight obsession with English royalty, from Knute to Charles III, though I do have a particular love for the Tudors. Nonetheless, this was a must read on my list, simply due to its historical significance. Tell-all books from the high-level blood royals are basically non-existent. (Those that have married into the family, or who are far enough removed to not even be a 鈥榳orking royal鈥� don鈥檛 count). This book being groundbreaking in its 鈥渉onesty鈥� and insight into the ones born into these roles, is required reading whether you鈥檙e a historian, a lookie-loo, or just someone who likes memoirs.
In many ways the book is Prince Harry鈥檚 attempt to prove he鈥檚 鈥渘ormal.鈥� That even being born into what many people would think is the bosom of privilege, power, wealth and fame, that he鈥檚 just a bloke like the next guy. That he also had a hard childhood, a rough go, that his entire life was controlled and lonely. And finally when forced to choose between all the privilege or true love, he chose love.
This memoir puts forth a good argument on this front. And while many people nit-pick about the coldness of his father (then Prince Charles, now King Charles III), the sibling rivalry with his brother (Prince William, now Prince of Wales). He also paints his grandparents (Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip) with the loving brush that many remember their own doting grandparents with, but he also said that while they always were amenable and accepting of his goals and dreams, they also were incredibly hard to even see without getting on a calendar, and at times were even prevented from access to their grandchildren by essentially the 鈥渕anagement鈥� of the Windsor Image.
The book for me starts awkwardly; in a child鈥檚 voice, that seems jerky and inauthentic, like someone trying to write as a child without actually knowing a child鈥檚 words. (I suspect this was a failing of the ghost writer, who likely just couldn鈥檛 *be* Harry and therefor couldn鈥檛 find the right tone). Barring that awkwardness, the beginning really does paint the picture of a child who has lost their anchor in the world (Harry鈥檚 mother, Princess Diana) and who feels the tug of fulfilling the requirements of the adults he has left, and the feelings he鈥檚 dealing with due to the loss.
The book covers how this triggers a search for quiet, normalcy, and anonymity that are Harry鈥檚 driving forces in life. If he can鈥檛 escape physically, he escaped mentally. His goal in life is essentially to not be special, and the driving force is that underneath it all he鈥檚 just really an average guy who just happened to be a Prince.
The issue is that as you鈥檙e reading you start getting angry at the idea that he鈥檚 鈥渢rying to be normal.鈥� Do normal people get to go to Africa? Australia? Just to 鈥済et away?鈥� No. And at times the idea, as transformational as it is for anyone who experiences it, is still grating at times in its blindness to how absolutely abnormal it is.
There鈥檚 one moment in the book that made me furrow my eyebrows in confusion鈥� but I think was written extremely awkwardly鈥� When Harry gets frostbite on his penis after hiking to the the pole with several injured veterans (though he ends up getting flown there because his brother was getting married, which falls under the how many people get that experience鈥攊njured veteran or not) he returns home and to soothe his hurting junk, someone recommends Elizabeth Arden moisturizer. When he opens it, he gets a sudden memory of his mother, she wore this too. Then he rubs it on his penis? WEIRD. It was probably the only section of the book that I felt probably wasn鈥檛 necessary (either the part about his mom, or the part about rubbing it on his penis).
In the end, without spoiling the rest of the book, we come to realize that mourning, sadness, PTSD and many other common human issues know no rules. It鈥檚 just as easy to have depression when you have the things that many people consider miraculous. And how in the end, it鈥檚 more about seeking what you need鈥攕eeking a peace in your own personal values even within the confines of your station. Prince Harry is trying to spell out how honesty and openness and turning ones back on a birthright, might be the balm one needs (though apparently not for a frost bitten penis).
It is worth mentioning that this is obviously one side of the story. His side. I think a more honest and open Royal Household would be interesting, but at th same time the concept of the Royal Family, at least in modern times, is not as a ruler of the UK, but more as the representative of the ideals of the kingdom鈥攖he figurehead, the example that should be followed. And like any it鈥檚 always a generation behind what鈥檚 really going on. But regardless, this book makes Harry a human being, fallible, seeking, fighting many of the growing pangs we all go through, but on a stage鈥攁 brilliantly lit stage with a director and audience he鈥檚 expected to perform for, the spare鈥� the understudy鈥� the not worthy. ...more
So, I finally had a chance to actually read a library book cover to cover before it was due. Hooray!
Dead Presidents follows in the vein of irreverent So, I finally had a chance to actually read a library book cover to cover before it was due. Hooray!
Dead Presidents follows in the vein of irreverent travel and history books by the likes of Bill Bryson and Sarah Vowell, and against these heavy weighs Dead Presidents holds its own.
Apparently, the job of being president doesn't end with your earthly demise. I think if anything this book highlights the fact that if you want to make sure you'll be reinterred a few times after your death--become a US President.
We are, if nothing, a nation of can-do, improvisers, and we do an excellent job of making it up as we go along. It's part of being a young nation, I suppose. This book expertly highlights those uncertain wavering steps our nation took to honor its fallen leaders--sometimes with great pomp, and sometimes with complete ineptitude. Kinda like the presidents themselves.
I haven't to give a quick shout out to my favorite home of dead presidents: Hollywood Cemetery, whose history is well covered in this book. I mean it earned a star right there for that.
Dead President excels at giving those weird little stories that never make the history books about our leaders and their demise. How each president seems to be memorialized in a unique individual way that may or may not fit their wishes, but always fits their legacy.
The book does get lost at some points. I was never really sure if all the presents were actually touched on. But that's being overly nit picky. There's a list at the front. If you're really all Richard Nixon about it, you can check off the ones as you go along.
I could not have picked a more perfect book to read while relaxing in a beach cabin on vacation (wow, that sounded far fancier than the bug bites and sunburn I brought home with me). A light, pick up any time and read book for snarky history buffs for sure....more
If you haven't had the chance to indulge in one of Mary Roach's previous books, you're missing out. Don't even bother reading this review, go out and If you haven't had the chance to indulge in one of Mary Roach's previous books, you're missing out. Don't even bother reading this review, go out and get Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, read that, and then come back here.
Packing for Mars is another notch in Roach's hilarious approach to scientific history. The book is supposedly about what it will take for a manned mission to Mars, but really it's just an excuse to delve into the weird world of preparing humans for space travel. Mostly, the book deals with the difficulties of testing our meat suits for interstellar travel when we're literally grounded to this planet. Things you never think about, such as the fact that the bladder relies on gravity to know that it needs to be emptied. Good stuff. And no real spoilers, but you'll never look at moon rocks the same way again.
With her usual personal approach to what is normally the driest of all reading, Roach dissects a scientific peer-reviewed journal study into something satisfyingly edible which, if you read the book is better than what the astronauts eat.
My only criticism might be that the book loses it's focus a few times. But like that time you took the "scenic route," to get somewhere, in the end you really don't mind. ...more
I am a tertiary member of The Network. I followed Charlotte's story from the beginning. Although I never had a chance to meet Charlotte in person, herI am a tertiary member of The Network. I followed Charlotte's story from the beginning. Although I never had a chance to meet Charlotte in person, her amazing grace and charm reached across the pixels and affected everyone who knew her. My fellow Mommy friends invited me to follow Charlotte's story and I was always touched by the honesty, humor and eloquence with which Roger and Rachel chronicled Charlotte's story on her Caring Bridge site.
This book is no different. Rachel's writing style makes you feel as if you're sitting down with a friend chatting about things. The style is breezy, but honest, sometimes heartbreakingly so. By laying herself bare, holding back nothing: good or bad, Rachel has written something that should be a textbook in any social work class.
They have turned a tragedy into something good, turning around and helping others who are going through similar life circumstances. They are extending a hand, if just to say, we know it sucks, friend, which after reading this book made me realize that's sometimes what someone needs most. ...more
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