Beautifully written memoir
931006
As I've contemplated my review of Motherhood: Lost and Found, a quote keeps coming to mind.  Although I am not exactly sure who said this, the quote says, "we read to know we are not alone", and that is exactly how you'll feel when you finish this book - "I'm not alone."

Ann's memoir is about her struggle to become a mom while simultaneously dealing with her mom's debilitating descent into Alzheimer's disease.  If you can identify with either of Ann's struggles, or God forbid both, you will feel that you've been on a journey with a warm companion, someone who offers encouragement, strength and compassion.

I know that one of Ann's biggest desires in writing this book is to offer help and hope to those who are going through similar situations, and I think she successfully accomplishes this with her memoir.

However, you need not experience either of these situations in order to benefit from the reading of this beautifully written memoir.  We all are a part of humanity, with all of its pain, brokenness and fragility, and we are strengthened and encouraged when we share our stories with one another; there is comfort in the sharing and the knowledge that we are not alone in the struggles of this life.

Additionally, reading the unfamiliar struggles of others allows us to walk in the shoes of another and develop genuine empathy and compassion for those whose life experiences differ from our own.

This memoir is both well written and highly readable.  Ann has a wonderful way with words; she is, after all, a poet and, as an aside, is single-handedly responsible for causing me to like poetry!

Her writing is poignant; she writes with a vulnerability and honesty that I've rarely seen, and it is both beautiful and heart warming.  I could hardly put this book down until I finished it, and I warmly recommend it to you.

Traci W. Hooks
119614
Excellent and well written memoir. The authors vivid descriptions of her harrowing childhood were intriguing. I loved her concise and provocative writing style. This book was a gem and one of the better memoirs I've read this year--- and I read a lot of them. (Over 100 memoirs in 2 years) Her voice and storytelling were sincere and gripping. Thank you Rise Myers for this inspiring memoir and for telling your story bravely and with style and grace. I highly recommend it.
1031186
A beautifully written, brave book.  Jessica's writing reads like poetry.  Congratulating her on finding her voice and speaking out in this page-turning memoir.
3290758
I was completely mesmerized by this truly amazing memoir written in a young girls voice expressing the distorted perceptions of a child and adolescent who set herself painfully apart by tragedy. Anne is a very creative writer. I like the format and the way the she tells her story combining past memories with present events. It is a book that is difficult to put down before it is finisheda totally absorbing personal journey through the labyrinth of life that triggers deeply felt emotions and empathy. Anne struggles to find her voice to express her inner emotional turmoil that she suppressed as a child and early adulthood.

The narrative is powerfully written and provides an amazing account of the relevant characters, settings and significant events in her life, her reactions to each unique situation, and how she feels about them, then and now. Anne has a creative mind. She is a shy and intelligent girl who is preoccupied with death and consumed by grief and dread. She struggles with faith and depression. She internalizes her emotional pain and often suffers in silence. She is afraid of living for fear of dying after being traumatized by the deaths of her brothers and sister at a very early age. She is a sensitive girl who finds it very hard to stay happy who lets her self-punishing spirit rule her life. She does an excellent job describing the temperament, personalities, and relationships between characters, how they influenced her, and the emotions each situation evoked from early childhood through to adulthood.

I was captured by her cinematic word descriptions of complicated social encounters, her manner of expressing her thoughts and feelings, and her recollections of the people and events in her life. Her emotional responses vary greatly from grand and sublime, to overwhelming bewilderment and youthful rejection, to abject speechlessness and fear. The reader is carried along by her strong convictions accompanied by a bit of sadness as she explains the reasons for her altered lifes trajectory. The photographs enhance the narrative by helping the reader identify the characters in her book. I was eager to discover how Anne solved her inner childhood demons and learned to live a life of peace and tranquility. This is a book about relationships, memories, and descriptions about how the author eventually learns to cope with her inner self.
506582
Dunlap's book is a beautifully crafted memoir that takes the reader on a journey through the 1960's music scene.  The great thing about this book is that it reads more like a work of fiction that a memoir.  So it feels like your reading a really tantalizing story, not just someone's pieced together recollections.  The story is compelling and vivid.  Sometimes memoirs can be full of self-centered naval gazing, but this book was refreshingly honest and had a great perspective on life.  In fact, after reading it, I feel like my life has been a little dull!
The story starts in church choir in Indiana of all places and transports the reader to the crazy music scenes of Las Vegas and San Francisco. The story takes you with the characters while they sleep on floors, barely scrape together the money for food, and deal with terrible agents and temperamental musicians.  All the while Dunlap's friendship with his band mates is what keeps them together through the rough patches.
This book is worth the read.  Any fan of non fiction will love how vivid and compelling the story is.  Any fan of novels, will love how beautifully crafted this book is.  This isn't another boring non-fiction book.  You'll love this one.
149158
This is a beautifully written memoir.  Recommended for anyone caring for a family member, or simply anyone who wants to be reminded of the power of living life with compassion, humor, tenacity and a resolute commitment to the ties that bind.
548131
Small Town Life in America
This is a beautifully written memoir of a time and a family. I loved how she made you understand the importance of jobs to the people, and yet, how inevitable the sad decline of a way of life is (while not neglecting the negative aspects of industrialization). The themes are large, although the people themselves are ordinary. This book demonstrates the quiet pain of loss and the always present possibility of renewal.
ETA (11.17.14) In case the author ever sees this review, my father told me this morning that he was an altar boy with Father Bob. He remembers him very fondly, and also knew his sister Rose. (My father was raised in Rumford, not Mexico.)
4571657
This is a beautifully written memoir by one of my favorite skaters.  It's full of thoughtful insight and wisdom about growing up in the world of competitive skating and all the dangers and privileges associated with it.  Ruh has clearly learned from her struggles and has a lot of wisdom to impart, but I find myself agreeing with another reviewer that she also seems to cling to the illusion that to forgive means to forgo anger.  She describes the pain and betrayal she feels from the many people who wronged her (including her mother), but never really gives herself permission to vent her anger.  Although she has clearly taken the time to reflect on her experiences and learn from them, I have to wonder if she's still somewhat in denial.

That being said, this book is a must-read for serious skating fans and especially for fans of Ruh.  There's much more here than just a description of a competitive career.  I would also highly recommend this to all young female athletes, not just as a cautionary tale, but as a lesson to listen to your body and yourself first.
3516223
I loved this memoir. It a treat to be immersed in Ians journeys (sometimes wild) and thoughts. This is a beautiful written book packed with so many detailed memories and so much heart. I loved walking along the many avenues he crossed and meeting all the fabulous people. I loved the ending that came after a life thats continues to be well lived. The acceptance and peace of learning to be exactly where you are-in the moment and out of a self judging head are lessons to us all
1695330
This beautifully written memoir is careful to show the love of this thirty-three year relationship and not just the angst of watching someone die. Hallman has done a wonderful job of interspersing memories of trips (painted wonderfully with description) so the reader can get to know these two main 'characters' even though we are well aware of the outcome from the onset. The testament to the longevity and love of this gay couple goes a long way to show that 'marriage' does not know gender. My partner and I (only together 11 years - a third of David & Bill) have traveled extensively as well and I enjoyed the portions as I reminisced about my own life as Hallman displayed their shared moments together before those final days in August. I cannot imagine planning out my spouse's service as he did while tending to and caring for Bill with an unconditional love that allowed his soul-mate such dignity in death. Sharing these private moments with others may just aid in the relief that someone reading this book could need; displaying once again how giving this author truly is.
4649281
This is an inspiring and beautifully written memoir, a must-read! I was hooked from the first chapter as her life unfolds in front of us, incorporating all of the characters who formed her being into what it is today. Incredibly moving story, I could not put it down! Highly recommended!
4278685
This memoir is heartbreaking and funny, authentic and moving, clear-eyed and full of hope.  Soper is a gifted writer whose prose is startlingly beautiful.  But it's the clarity of her insights, and her ability to share those insights with candor and raw honesty, that elevates this memoir above the commonplace.  A must-read!
3541844
I started reading this book early in the morning and fortunately, had a free day, because I could not put it down and ended up reading it cover to cover in one sitting. It is so well-written and interesting, that it kept me totally engaged. I found myself chuckling at the story of the towel rack installation and was moved to tears when the author watched her husband leave their home for the last time. At times, it felt like I was right inside the authors mind as she went through each experience  seeing what she observed and feeling the emotions that she felt! Klainers marvelous use of language paints a vivid portrait of two very disparate women and the impact that each had on the authors life. This is a beautifully written and moving memoir!
3850740
An honest and beautifully written story of a painful yet liberating journey from orthodoxy to a more worldly lifestyle.
3787457
This is one of the best memoirs I've ever read. Linda is a talented writer. She's had a beautiful childhood in the country with horses and a musical family. I highly recommend reading this. It's not just about music, it's about her life. She's intelligent, thoughtful and genuine.
4272000
Laura Hayden`s memoir about love, loss, acceptance and hope is masterfully written. After losing her beloved husband at age 49, she must find a path through unimaginable grief to build a new life for herself and her young children. I sat down to begin this book today, thinking I would read a chapter or two, but dishes sat in the sink and dust bunnies romped gleefully through my messy house as I was drawn into this beautiful inspiring book and continued reading to the end.
1325837
Anna Whiston-Donaldson is a beautiful writer.  If you follow her blog, An Inch of Gray, you already know this to be true.  If you do not follow her blog- for the love of all that is holy, why are you not following her blog??

At first glance, it might seem like a tough sell.  A memoir about a woman who lost her beloved son, Jack, in a freak flash flood.  It sounds heavy and heartbreaking.  I cannot lie to you, there are sections of this gorgeously written book where my heart was cracked WIDE OPEN, and I wept openly.  There were parts that made me shake my fist furiously at Heaven at the senselessness of such a staggering loss.

There were also passages that made me laugh out loud.  Where I marveled at the resiliency of the human spirit.  Where I nodded my head and thought, "Me too."

Anna's writing is honest, and clear, and graceful.  After finishing this book, which I read in one sitting, I felt as though I knew some things about the world, and about myself, that I didn't before.  Honestly, what more can you ask for in a memoir?