I have read another book by this author which I loved, and when I stumbled on this one I thought, how can I go wrong. Its a cool book in that she wrotI have read another book by this author which I loved, and when I stumbled on this one I thought, how can I go wrong. Its a cool book in that she wrote it in Italian, (not her native tongue) and had it translated into English, which she grew up speaking. And both the Italian and English versions are included, which would be wonderful if I was trying to learn Italian. (Why couldn't it be French instead?!) I'm also a huge fan of memoirs, and like reading about the thoughts of travelers to foreign lands. But, I'm sorry to say, I found her thoughts quite repetitious. Everything she saw and did was a metaphor for what it was like for her to learn and write in Italian as an adult. Over and over. It was too personal and (sorry to say this-) somewhat boring. But that's just me. I still gave it 3 stars....more
I wish I had read this rather than listened to Ms. Obama read her book herself (Sorry Michelle!) because she. speaks. too. slow!
I loved hearing aboutI wish I had read this rather than listened to Ms. Obama read her book herself (Sorry Michelle!) because she. speaks. too. slow!
I loved hearing about her experiences and ideas, and think there is a ton of great, usable advice for everyone here. And usually, I love a book read by the author.
But to me, her slow manner of speaking made her sound preachy. I just wanted to feel like one-of-the-girls in an informal group of women, dishing with Michelle! Towards the last couple of CDs, I was going nuts. ...more
This book acts as a much needed eye-opener to some of the atrocities taking place against women and underprivileged around the world. It is not easy tThis book acts as a much needed eye-opener to some of the atrocities taking place against women and underprivileged around the world. It is not easy to read, nor easy to understand why this violence is still taking place, when we know full well it is occurring. As V points out: "Women are being raped and murdered so the world can have its phones." This statement is referring to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where horrific crimes against women take place in the name of the war to control access to the mineral coltan. V visited a hospital for women run by Dr. Mukwege, which is in dire need of outside support and shared some excruciatingly heartbreaking stories in this book. Also of interest: the ISIS sex slave price list, as well as their Best Practices for Sex Slavery Manual, that is brazenly posted on the internet. ...more
It's no wonder author Rachel Aviv is an award winning profile writer. This book is a series of profiles on subjects suffering some type of mental illnIt's no wonder author Rachel Aviv is an award winning profile writer. This book is a series of profiles on subjects suffering some type of mental illness, as well as the author's own experience with it. Utterly compelling and enlightening, you realize just how challenging it is for our medical industry to diagnose and alleviate the suffering of one who is being treated. You will also become aware of the outside forces that lead up to and intersect with a mental illness such as racism, sexism, and other cultural factors....more
A list of a few of the facts about Anne E. Moore that I found interesting/amusing/perplexing from her memoir "Gentrifier":
1. Anne is awarded a free hoA list of a few of the facts about Anne E. Moore that I found interesting/amusing/perplexing from her memoir "Gentrifier":
1. Anne is awarded a free house for deserving writers in a poor Detroit neighborhood.
2. Anne spent her early childhood years on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
3 The men in Anne's primarily Bangladeshi immigrant neighborhood of Detroit watch Anne do manual labor in her yard for their own entertainment.
4. While trying to write a journalistic piece about America's housing crisis, her primary source is a man who will only communicate with her via an online dating site. Anne has not dated for years but in this way she finds herself dating again.
I could go on, but you get the idea - a lot of weird stuff happens to Anne during her stay in Detroit. Not all of it is personal, much of it deals with important issues facing our country. But if that's all it was, it would not have been nearly as entertaining. She comes to love her neighbors, has trouble forming a bookish community there in Detroit as literacy is not at all important there, and she discovers a corrupt city government that makes her gift house more of a curse than a gift.
This book is about the author's struggle to find resilience in the hardships and turmoil of life. She is searching for a way to remain present with heThis book is about the author's struggle to find resilience in the hardships and turmoil of life. She is searching for a way to remain present with her young son, while grappling for meaning in her fraught relationship with her mother and mourning her father. I was so happy to be along for the ride as Dani navigates and records her journey! She was privileged to meet many excellent teachers along the way and I feel like I too benefited from her work. She is an excellent writer, so this was in no way a chore!...more
I listened to this by audio book - the great thing about that was it featured the actual voice of each of the people who shared memories of Anthony BoI listened to this by audio book - the great thing about that was it featured the actual voice of each of the people who shared memories of Anthony Bourdain. The downside was missing out on the photos. Very touching, and answered the questions I'd had about his death....more
Although I didn't finish this book, it read to me more like "What's wrong with the single men in Manhattan today", than an exploration of the modern, Although I didn't finish this book, it read to me more like "What's wrong with the single men in Manhattan today", than an exploration of the modern, childless woman in America.
Sorry to say, this book applies to just a small demographic of single, childless women, and additionally, it's not much more than anecdote after anecdote of wealthy career women in New York City who are exactly like the author and her friends who can't find the man of their dreams. In fact, they all spoke in the same voice, so it all sounded like it was Melanie Notkin speaking over and over again!
I also didn't like how the author used her phrase "women of the Otherhood" like she's trying to coin the term and have it become part of our modern lexicon.
As a single woman myself, I did, however, find it interesting to hear that I am having the same experience with men in that they seem to be moving away from traditional dating as we knew it. I am finding that many guys either wait for women to initiate, or they don't think they need to court a woman with a dinner date or movie, or concert anymore. I did not realize though, what a conscious decision it is for men to only consider women much younger than themselves as actually datable. Aside from that, I didn't learn anything new about "Modern Women Finding A New Kind of Happiness"....more
I felt I could read this in one sitting, so drawn to this character and voice was I. Each short chapter is like a meditation on ordinary life, for thiI felt I could read this in one sitting, so drawn to this character and voice was I. Each short chapter is like a meditation on ordinary life, for this single woman of a certain age living in an Italian city. She is rather somber, as am I. I found some chapters Rachel Cusk-esque, which goes a long way in explaining why I liked it so much. Will read her other novels when my TBR stack allows....more
This is my favorite type of memoir - artist finding herself in her craft, while living what seems to be a terribly interesting life. Attenberg is nomaThis is my favorite type of memoir - artist finding herself in her craft, while living what seems to be a terribly interesting life. Attenberg is nomadic to the extreme - she is in more US cities than I can count, (often couch-surfing at friends), all while diligently writing, both as a freelancer and on her own novels.
Jami is smart, honest, and, frankly, hilarious at times about her faults, foibles and poor choices. You end up feeling like a close friend and confidant by the end.
She has a perspective on life and work ethic that I so admire. In addition, I adore books that reference other good books, and I love when a reader/writer describes how a particular book "saved her/him" at that particular time in their life.
This is the first book of hers I've read, and while I now want to read her novels, I'm almost scared I won't like them as much as her memoir!...more
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