The only thing more pleasurable than reading a Rick Bragg book, is having him read it TO you. Mr. Bragg has that marvelous Alabama Southern accent thaThe only thing more pleasurable than reading a Rick Bragg book, is having him read it TO you. Mr. Bragg has that marvelous Alabama Southern accent that reminds me a bit of the much-missed Shelby Foote. His stories have the humor and heart that I love in some of Bailey White's prose, but he is his own person, with his own unique, delightful gifts.
Whether he's telling us about waiting for literal hours in order to eat a grouper sandwich, or being touched by the outpouring of support and assistance after a hurricane, Bragg is self-deprecating, funny, touching - I never read one of his books without thinking about how much I'd love to sit and have a glass of sweet tea with him. Better yet, I'd love to hang out in a corner while he and his family share their stories with one another - at this point, I love his Momma almost as much as he does. ...more
Let me preface this review by saying that, if you are not an Oprah fan, you probably won't like this. If you aren't on board with her view of being opLet me preface this review by saying that, if you are not an Oprah fan, you probably won't like this. If you aren't on board with her view of being open to all things good and finding the best lessons from difficult life circumstances, this may not be for you. I've been watching and learning from Oprah since she was hosting AM Chicago before she went national in 1986. Following her advice (and learning from her mistakes) has literally transformed my life in positive ways, so I was bound to open this book already predisposed to loving it.
Having said that, I did find portions of it a bit repetitive. When you read her "What I Know For Sure" columns in O Magazine once a month, you can cogitate on that one bit of wisdom for 30 days, and when the next column comes, you're ready to have the lessons reiterated, or stated in a different way. When you're reading them one after another in a single volume, you become aware of repeated notes, chords and songs. Perhaps this is a book best read in little bits, an essay or two at a time.
The best lessons I will carry forward from this are the need to remain grateful, even when things are difficult; the strength to insist on caring for myself so that I can more effectively care for those I love; and to eliminate (to the extent possible) toxic situations and people from my life. Intellectually, this is all stuff I already knew (probably because I learned it from Oprah and others like her over the last 30+ years), but it doesn't hurt to spend some time being reminded. ...more
David Rakoff riffs on a number of subjects in this book of sometimes funny, sometimes informative, always interesting essays. There's so much here: ciDavid Rakoff riffs on a number of subjects in this book of sometimes funny, sometimes informative, always interesting essays. There's so much here: citywide treasure hunts, finding food in the park, nude theatre, the rich denizens of Miami Beach, the Concorde, Log Cabin Republicans, and much more. All of it falls under the wicked, witty eye and pen of a writer who was taken from us far too soon.
Rakoff encounters people who range from sublime to (the far more plentiful) ridiculous. His writing is somewhat like David Sedaris or Amy Vowell, though because the essays are topical, some of them have aged out of relevance (his decision to become an American citizen � he was Canadian � in the wake of 9/11, for instance). The writing is no less trenchant and enjoyable for its distance, however. Some things that were true in 2005 remain true, while others may already be inspiration for nostalgia. Either way, the reading is entertaining, and it makes the reader all the more sad that Rakoff is no longer with us to cast his gaze on any current ridiculousness he might find....more
Charlie Brooker is not only one of my favorite columnists/humorists/satirists; he's one of my favorite people. He is merciless and sometimes mean, butCharlie Brooker is not only one of my favorite columnists/humorists/satirists; he's one of my favorite people. He is merciless and sometimes mean, but he uses his meanness to point out the ugly behavior in others. When he sees and finds kindness, he returns it in equal measure - it's just that he doesn't see it that often.
This book contains a selection of columns he wrote for The Guardian, PC Zone and a few other publications between 2005 and 2009. He talks about everything from the Big Brother House to the death of Michael Jackson to travels in the States to the flavors of crisps. His analogies are often hilarious, and he usually says something that I wish I were clever enough to come up with on my own. It's especially amusing to read his columns regarding his lack of interest in children and his lack of success in relationships, given his subsequent marriage and his noticeable softening which he attributes to the arrival of his two children.
I love to be able to read a book all in one go, and that isn't possible for me with a book of Charlie Brooker's columns. If I try to read more than two or three at one time, they run together. I lose detail, and with someone who uses language as deliciously as Brooker, that is a shame indeed.
From the introduction, where he advises that this is YOUR BOOK and you can do whatever you like with it, to the index at the back, which I encourage you to read, there are thought-provoking laughs galore here. My only caution is that if you aren't UK-based, some of the references may have no meaning for you. I know that if I hadn't been living here so long myself, there's a lot I wouldn't have understood. ...more
In this interesting little volume, women of all ages discuss the wonderfulness and occasional difficulty of friendships among women. Tales abound of cIn this interesting little volume, women of all ages discuss the wonderfulness and occasional difficulty of friendships among women. Tales abound of cross-country adventures, support in difficult times and, every once in a while, betrayal. Interspersed are ideas for books to read, movies to watch, and parties to have with your sisters of the heart.
Not all of the essays are winners - as happens in a collection, there are a few that make you say "what the heck did I just read?" For instance, one woman writes of the time that her "friend" comes with her to meet a guy that the author had a mad crush on, and 30 minutes later this "friend" is doing him in the parking lot. The author laughs about it, at the time and then again later. Laughing is not what I would have been doing.
For those of us with networks of women who care about our lives, and about whose lives we care in return, this is a nice little memory jogger. It was fun to dip in and out of between "heavier" reads - I felt like I was taking a peek into other women's experiences, and I guess I actually was. ...more
I have a complicated relationship with David Sedaris' books. I know that for me, with essays, I really need to put the book down after reading one or I have a complicated relationship with David Sedaris' books. I know that for me, with essays, I really need to put the book down after reading one or two, or they will start to run into one another and I won't be able to appreciate the distinct magic that Sedaris makes of each one. On the other hand, it's David Sedaris, so I can't resist reading "just one more," just as I can't resist one more bite of cake or one more french fry. When something's so tasty, you don't want to use portion control.
As is so often true of books of essays, there are hits and misses. Sedaris sprinkles some fictional stories throughout featuring people who were either irritating or entertaining him (and sometimes doing both) at the time (which was during the 2008 election and President Obama's first term). I enjoy these well enough, but they don't have Sedaris's own voice, obviously, as the pieces he writes about his own personal experiences, and that's when he shines.
At least one piece was heartbreaking (Loggerheads is what I'm thinking of, here), and some make me say "hmm," but mostly, I was laughing. Oh my goodness, was I laughing. When he discusses buying a home with his partner in West Sussex, and the reason he wanted to buy one sight unseen, I thoroughly understood his reasoning. When he talked about being stuck in line behind some jabbering woman in a coffee shop, I felt his pain, as I've stood in that very spot many times myself.
I love how Sedaris uses just exactly the right word to describe the situation, and his feelings within it. When he talks of a friend's parents leaving books around open "with the words still warm from being read." I totally get it. I love it. It makes me want to read "just one more." ...more
David Sedaris is not only one of my favorite writers; he's one of my favorite people. This is a guy who goes out into the road near his home and picksDavid Sedaris is not only one of my favorite writers; he's one of my favorite people. This is a guy who goes out into the road near his home and picks up trash. He's become so well known for it that a waste collection truck has been named for him. It's hard for me to imagine Hilary Mantel doing that (though she very well might, and is just discreet about it).
Here, Sedaris gives us several essays discussing the interesting people he meets in the course of his travels, his relationship with Hugh, and a lengthy interlude about his quitting smoking by moving to Japan. I loved hearing about Japan through his voice (and for the first time I was intrigued enough to want to go and see it for myself), and the story about being left behind by Hugh somewhere and being angry about it struck so close to home that the names could have been changed and it would have been my story.
David Sedaris doesn't try to be anything beyond believability. He's a guy who gets fascinated by spiders, and annoyed by birds, and who is amused/annoyed by difficulties in translation. He's self-deprecating, witty, a bit messed up, and thoroughly entertaining. ...more
Bailey White can do more in two pages than some other writers can do in two hundred. In this book of essays about her life (and her Mama) in Southern Bailey White can do more in two pages than some other writers can do in two hundred. In this book of essays about her life (and her Mama) in Southern Georgia, she sheds light on the subtle absurdities, the small kindnesses, the beautiful moments and the sad facts of everyday life.
The essays are usually very funny, but they also touch a part of your soul so that even when you're done laughing, you're still thinking. Imagine finding that magical key that makes the first graders you're teaching *want* to learn to read. Or planning out a gorgeous wildflower garden so that it can take care of itself, only to find that the physical acts of planning, digging, planting and weeding were what you loved in the first place.
And then there's Mama. I love Bailey's Mama. I love her afternoon baths on the screen porch, and her acrobatic night crawlers. I love her carefully tended logic which sometimes makes sense to nobody but her. I want to be Bailey's sister so that I can dodge Mama's walking stick and watch her with her little binoculars. I want to try out that guest bed that traps people in the wall. It sounds like an adventure.
Those who are familiar with Bailey White's stories on NPR programs will already know how gifted she is as a storyteller. If you're not lucky enough to hear Bailey tell you her stories, then reading them, and having a book you can go back to time and again when you're feeling blue, is the next best thing. ...more
As is true with most books of essays, Naked is a mixed bag, with some being unforgettable either because they're hilarious or moving, and others leaviAs is true with most books of essays, Naked is a mixed bag, with some being unforgettable either because they're hilarious or moving, and others leaving one's consciousness as soon as the page is turned.
In this volume, Sedaris turns to his personal life for life-changing moments and embarrassments small and large that have combined to make him the sweetly misanthropic character that he is today. He tries to get over his own body issues by visiting a nudist hotel and, rather surprisingly from my point of view, spends a good few of his younger years getting around almost exclusively by hitchhiking (with predictably funny/terrifying results).
The most memorable essay for me was "Ashes," in which he discusses his sister's wedding and the family dealing with his mother's cancer diagnosis. I want to make clear here that I love David Sedaris' mother, and I think I miss her almost as much as he does. It's clear to me that his humor (though not his meekness) comes from her. Viva Sedaris! ...more
Liz Jones and several of her cat-loving celebrity friends share essays on that special bond between humans and le chat. Having always had a feline in Liz Jones and several of her cat-loving celebrity friends share essays on that special bond between humans and le chat. Having always had a feline in my life, and often preferring the feline in my life to most of the people I've met, this was a natural for me.
Celia Hammond discusses how her rescue work began, and Catherine Tate tells the story of how the cat she adopted with a bit of ambivalence is now irreplaceable in her, and her family's, life. There are poems and adorable drawings, and of course sad stories too. Part of the bargain we make when we choose to love our fur babies is knowing that they will, in all likelihood, leave before we do.
One thing about it that irritated me was the terrible situations that the cats were allowed to get into, simply because they are allowed to roam all about the neighborhood. Cats come home with abscesses, get locked into backyard playhouses, or don't come home at all because of this idiotic notion that they need to get outdoors and wander. Spike is never allowed out of the house unless he's on a lead or in my arms. He's never pined for it and never suffered for it; on the contrary, he's coming up on his 15th birthday as of this writing, and his chronic kidney disease is due to age, not to an encounter with a speeding car. He's an example from which other guardians could benefit....more
This book consists of Charlie Brooker's "Screen Burn" columns from 2000-2004, discussing what was annoying him (or, more rarely, making him happy) in This book consists of Charlie Brooker's "Screen Burn" columns from 2000-2004, discussing what was annoying him (or, more rarely, making him happy) in his television viewing. It's a brilliant look at his ability to create a comprehensive narrative using a few hundred words at a time.
To be honest, if you weren't living in the UK and watching television here during the years that this book spans, some of this will not be understandable. I know that there were several references to programs long gone and personalities I've never heard of that went entirely over my head. Even so, the writing itself was a joy to behold. Charlie gets mad, and when he's mad, he's at his best. However, the things that make him so angry are the things that *should* upset most people. He gets annoyed when shows are presented for the sole purpose of humiliating their participants. He's angered by witless screenwriting meant for the lowest common denominator. It's the way he expresses this anger that makes him so entertaining.
He takes as many potshots at himself as he does at everyone else, and who can argue with him having a dream evening of television wherein Jeremy Paxman is actually allowed to hit people?
By the by, don't skip the index - he's even managed to make that hilarious. ...more
Books of essays can provide you with a hit or miss experience, and thisis true of Things I've Learned from Women Who've Dumped Me. Some of the essays,Books of essays can provide you with a hit or miss experience, and thisis true of Things I've Learned from Women Who've Dumped Me. Some of the essays, such as Patton Oswalt's deep appreciation for his thoroughly lovely wife thanks to having dated someone who was awful, was perhaps the best of the bunch. Larry Wilmore's essay - "Women are Never Too Young to Mess with Your Head" was another standout, as was Stephen Colbert's heavily redacted piece on his past.
But as is always true with these sorts of anthologies, there are some that I've already forgotten, and a few that didn't seem to fit the premise. There was nothing "learned" from the women in question; the guy is still making the same stupid mistakes. Bob Kerrey's essay was beautiful and heartbreaking and not at all funny; it didn't fit the rest of the book, but I'm so glad it was here because it would have been a shame if I'd never seen it.
It's well worth reading, even if you skip a few of the essays (don't skip the cell phone transcripts from David Wain, those are priceless). I enjoyed the time I spent with these men, and I didn't have the urge to dump any of them....more
This book of essays from noted figures in media, including Rick Bragg, Oprah Winfrey, Scott Turow and many, many others, tells us of the impact of HarThis book of essays from noted figures in media, including Rick Bragg, Oprah Winfrey, Scott Turow and many, many others, tells us of the impact of Harper Lee's 1960 classic in the era in which it was released and its continuing relevance today.
What is interesting is that there are so many people interviewed for this book, but they all have their very different reasons for admiring To Kill a Mockingbird, and it means different things to each of them. To Anna Quindlen and Oprah Winfrey, it's all about Scout. To Scott Turow it's all about Atticus Finch. Other people find other heroes. Bringing my own viewpoint, having just re-read TKAM for myself, adds dimension to the proceedings. My favorite stories were from those who lived and worked in Monroeville, Alabama at the time the book came out and during Gregory Peck's visit. Apparently, when Harper Lee met Gregory Peck, she said something like "you look just look my daddy, even with the pouch in your tummy!" and Mr. Peck responded, "that's not a pouch, that's acting!" I could hear that marvelous voice saying just those words, and I couldn't help but smile.
One of the essays was quite preachy and out of touch with the meaning of the exercise, and my one quibble with the introduction is that the author cherry-picks some of the essayists' best quotes and uses them as part of her section, thus lessening the punch of each ensuing essay; I would get to someone's section and think "I read that bit before" and I had, word-for-word, in the intro. I think Ms. Murphy had plenty of "meat" to her introduction without this, and it's a choice I wish she hadn't made. Even so, it's a five-star read, and will sit next to my cherished copy of To Kill A Mockingbird on my "forever books" shelf....more
Maeve Binchy is great at relationships - how people interact with one another, whether they've been together for a day or many years, is something sheMaeve Binchy is great at relationships - how people interact with one another, whether they've been together for a day or many years, is something she writes about with great flair. I admired the concept of Victoria Line/Central Line, and the first story about a woman stuck on the Tube and dreading the meeting that is to come when she is "freed," fed into my expectation that the stories would dwell on the people we see on public transport, and our secret wonderings about them. This wasn't always the case with the stories in this volume, but I suppose it would be a difficult thread to maintain.
Some of the stories are only identifiable as being related to London neighborhoods/suburbs because they are titled as such. There are a few that could have been set just about anywhere without a changing a single word of text.
I had a few favorites: the one I mention above, which pulled me into the book initially, for instance. The final story is a corker, too. Now that I've finished the book, I realize that I should have limited myself to just one or two stories at a time, because when read all at once, they do begin to run together. ...more
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