Memories of Realities
936771
I did the calculations and wrote the Safety Analysis Report for the SL-1 reactor.  It was called ALPR back then.  I did the "worst case scenario" and we studied it.  Our design and tools used common sense equipment recognizing what could possibly go badly wrong.  Several years later I was shocked to see the headlines of the Chicago Tribune reporting the explosion at SL-1.  No secret!  Years of studies afterwards revealed that the military operators had made handling tools of their own that short-cutted our common-sense approach. One of these shortcuts turned out to be a weak link in a system that had its own inherent vulnerabilities.  I'll read the book.  But I doubt that any new secrets are revealed.  The AEC extensively revised its safety criteria after the accident.  All public information.
3061956
This is the true recollection of the authors nightmares and memories concerning alien abduction. The reader is taken through an explanation of the term screen memory and from there it is a chronological recollection of events from the youngest years of her life through her mid-20s. The author ends the book with her personal take on what the memories mean for her personally and what her experiences could portend on a larger scale.

So to be up front, I am a skeptic about everything supernatural, extraterrestrial, spiritual, etc. I like to experience things first hand or at least have a solid body of evidence. I don't need to fall off a 20 foot cliff to understand that gravity will take hold if I step off the ledge, but I do like me some science and facts backing nearly everything. OK, so with that out of the way I said yes to reviewing this book because the author also writes science fiction and I thought it would be very interesting to see how, if at all, her personal experiences color her fiction writing.

Over all, it was an interesting experience listening to this book. I have never chatted with someone who believed they were the subject of an alien abduction, let alone a series of abductions that lasted perhaps 2 decades. The author lets the reader know up front that she hasn't spoken with physicists or extraterrestrial experts about her memories. Instead, she dug through the available literature on the subject and newspaper articles from the relevant time periods and locations. With that said, she does cite sources such as an episode of the TV series Unsolved Mysteries to bolster a certain point. Unsolved Mysteries isn't known for its quality fact checking. Also, some coincidences I feel could be explained by several things other than alien abduction and I felt the author didn't really rule these out.

I did have to set my skeptical brain aside in order to simply experience the book. As unjust as this sounds, if this book had been labeled science fiction I probably could have sat back and enjoyed it as a story. The author does a good job of letting the readers know what she now clearly remembers (many of her memories were buried under screen memories or laid dormant for decades) and what they signify. I think this book could be an excellent resource for fiction writers researching alien abduction accounts.

Towards the end, the author warns the reader that shes going to get a little preachy concerning where she thinks alien contact is going and what that means for Earth. She does get preachy, but I cant fault her with that fair warning in place. She makes several biblical references and how that ancient book might have foretold the coming age of open alien encounters. Then, she gives a personal bit about how her husband and family view her memories. I found this last bit a little poignant and the most personal part of the book.

With all that said, I look forward to delving into the authors science fiction works.

I received a copy of this book from the author at no cost (via the GoodReads Audiobooks Group) in exchange for an honest review.

The Narration: Allie Mars, which is a voice actress name for the author Sharon Delarose, did a fine job with this book. Granted, it didn't call for much in the way of characters. Yet she got across the emotions of the various chapters without going overboard. I never felt like the author was pleading with me or trying to knock something through my thick skull.
995408
The book was all l expected and more. It was well written and l loved all the pictures of places that no longer exist. What wonderful memories.
3992216
Sometimes we think that the past were the good old days.  This book sets the atmosphere for the reader to settle into a story about an innocent childhood, flirts with ghosts and goblins but shows the emotional toll on adults and society trying to come to terms with horror and physical devastation of war and it's aftermath.  This story is relevant to the experience of veterans and communities today dealing with the our own aftermath of war
1025780
What wonderful memories this book conjured up! So many familiar faces and events. If you attended ASU in the 50s, you will probably love the photos and accompanying texts. This is especially true for readers who lived on campus.
1288567
I haven't finished the book, but I'm sitting here reflecting on times past. The author has really jogged some very fond memories and sad emotions even in me. Wow.
2680224
I found this book compelling yet reflectively difficult. It brought back many bad memories from the time I was stationed with Jeffrey Dahmer in Germany. On one assignment near the border of Belgium I was assaulted after he gave me a drink that knocked me out. On February 4, 1980, I left Germany for good. To this day I live with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
 When I read about Morgan and other witnesses speak about their encounters with Jeffrey Dahmer it was all too real for me. I remember the day Specialist Carlos Cruz invited Dahmer, me and several other soldiers to his home for Thanksgiving dinner. After dinner Dahmer walked out into the sub-zero night and returned four hours later confused, he had lost his glasses and had blood on his jacket. When he went into the kitchen and sat at the table he just stared at it silence. When we asked him where hed been, he said that he couldn't remember and added I think I did something bad, but I cant talk about it.
 Anyone who knew Dahmer the way I knew him would have no problem in believing the accusations made against him in Frustrated Witness. Thats why I believe everything Morgan and the other witnesses claim. Yes, Jeffrey Dahmer was one strange psychopath and Frustrated Witness is one great book.
52697
What fun Foer makes this account about one man's development of vivid recollection.  His process is a great tool for sharpening lucid remembering skills.  Highly recommended.
915006
This was gift for a combat comrade. He's ill, with little memory of the thing we went through together. In many ways, I envy him. No to be able to remember is a blessing. I wish I could forget.

But to remember is to hope know one else will ever has to have those experiences and the memories that accompany them.
2507412
A review from the author of DREAMING YOUR REAL SELF: A PERSONAL APPROACH TO DREAM INTERPRETATION; and DREAM BACK YOUR LIFE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DREAMS, DAYDREAMS, AND FANTASIES.
Chinelly's poetry transports the reader  to intimate, poignant interiors and the nostalgia aroused by the beauty of  rural settings and childhood wishes.  Through precise details that remind  us of our own memories and longings, she evokes forgotten emotions and a  sense of magic.  Each of these poems shows us what makes a poem alluring  and memorable.
841250
This collection is full with recurring themes, both contemporary and age-old ones, while still offering a wide scope of human experiences. Under the lens of magical realism, the content of these stories remains rich, raw and real. The magical elements that these stories form themselves around is engaging and successful in its manipulation of reality.
1955095
I really enjoyed this collection of memories told by a grandfather to his grandson about his adventures of his career. I hope this story is turned into a series.
4616480
Some of the places that were written about were places I knew.  Reading them in Mrs. Golden's book brought them to mind in a crystal way with much fondness.  She has a way of succintly describing places that bring back memories.  The places I was not familiar with, she wrote in a way that I could imagine myself there.  When she wrote of the war years, I was especially impressed with the way she told of the horror that it had to have been, but did recogonize that her past experiences helped to make her who she is today.

Her short stories were short and good.  I especially liked An Angel at the Door.

I hope that she will write other books.
1994801
As I read Turpin's new release there were many stories that hit so close to home...perhaps because when you reach this stage of your life there is much to reflect on. It seems as so much has passed in ones life, and how much left is unknown. Miss Crystal reminded me of encounters in my life recently and how precious life is. This is a very enjoyable book that promotes reliving ones youth, while mixing in current life experiences. A wonderful distraction to the ridiculous world we live in!
3894348
True to life experiences that keep the story going
4130446
this brings back memories of all the full I had as a kid growing up and dreaming of everything that was of interest. I had many adventures and they all seemed to be of vital importance. in most cases they were not a national issue. but they were fun.
3225083
Sad, wistful, disjointed, believable:  a book that relays snapshots of life events and feelings that seem more autobiographical than fictional.