Honest and unpretentious (Spoiler warning)
928627
What I liked best about this book was the fact that Curtis Sittenfeld established the character as somewhat relate able in the beginning, and then even though she does things that make you confused and says things that are inappropriate throughout the book, you remain engaged and you sincerely want to know what happens to Lee Fiora. Lee's not a strong female character at all, she's weak, indecisive, quiet, stalkerish and uninspiring. But she's very cerebral, and Sittenfeld does an excellent job of laying out her thoughts and insecurities on the page. The best part of the book is the erotic yet unrequited relationship Lee has with Cross Sugarman. You're happy for her, but at the same time you know the true nature of the relationship and you see its imminent doom. I liked how HONESTLY Sittenfeld portrays unrequited love, or delusional love, whatever you want to call it. I thought that was the strongest feature of the story, and that was where you see some of her strongest writing (towards the end of the book). I thought it could have ended with a little more drama, but I suppose the quality of this book is belied in its realism.
4916077
One of the things I've always found attractive about Janet Jackson is her rather down-to-earth approach to interviews and the lyrical openness in her music. Despite her enormous fame and unusual upbringing, she seems refreshingly human. Her first book (with David Ritz), the autobiographical/inspirational True You, allows her to express that honesty and offer advice to fans. Janet primarily focuses on her own troubles with body image and self-acceptance amid the pressures of Hollywood and the Jackson family. In addition, she includes touching and appropriate stories from fans and friends which cover a wide array of struggles and lessons in self-esteem. Readers who expect a gritty tell-all will be disappointed, though Janet does detail the failure of her first marriage, her difficult relationship with her father, and the heavy depression she experienced in her early thirties. Her tone is optimistic and humble, and she frequently acknowledges how sheltered her privileged life is and always has been. This is not a literary masterpiece; it is a quick, easy, and thoughtful read. 3.5 Stars.
4886382
I thought this was a great book, the honesty of the writing, the post modern approach to the beginning notes and end notes.  Just when you think everything has been invented and there is nothing new under the sun, something like this comes and blows a clean breeze through your mind.  Maybe it is for some, overly clever, but I loved stepping outside the regular process of reading fiction and exploring the roles of reader, writer, truth, plot, characters with Dave. Beyond all the "gimmicks" there is a solid, mostly true heartwrenching story about real people.  Dave does a great job at creating an emotional honesty and truth in the characters.  Editing the truth, or more accurately, not editing the truth is a tough job in a memoir and I think he succeeds admirably.  Maybe I am just a little over-fascinated with the twenty-something urbanite as I also am quite enamoured of Doug Coupland and Nick Hornby and the like, but HWSG was my favorite book of 2002
3957305
Tom speaks from his own keen observation and witness to relationships that fell short of his desires for healthy and whole loving interactions.. He escaped with his sanity intact and as a thriver, not just a survivor, since his using his experience to help others avoid the pitfalls and perils that he lost himself in, as well as to heal from damage done.

I like the conversational style, as if he and the reader are sitting across a table from each other and sharing thoughts, without just venting, but attempting to find meaning in the muck. I appreciate that, as a man, he has the courage to admit that he was  abused. Not every man is willing to do that, so, in a sense, he speaks for those who aren't able or willing to speak for themselves.

A gem of a book that will help the reader steer clear of dysfunctional relationships as well. You deserve it, as do your future relationship partners.

One thing that jumps out, is that there are no absolutes. I recognized some signs in my own paradoxical marriage, but no one is ever or never one thing or another. There were times when both of us took on roles of judge, jury and prosecuting attorney, good guy and bad guy.
1538972
An honest and unapologetic view of a brash, tenacious and genuine artist.  Watching the show intrigued me about her. Wasn't disappointed.
1438052
One of the most disappointing things about most of the fiction that I've read in the past few years is the lack of character development.  Good guys are normally easy to spot, notwithstanding a stereotypical flaw - whether it be wine, women, or other.  Bad guys are all cruel and calculating genuises with tortured childhoods.  Sometimes the stories are good, but the characters are the same.
The best thing about The Epicure's Lament is that Ms. Christesen has given us a true character with depth. He's mean, completely self-absorbed, and lazy.  He's more than happy to allow himself to rot in his parents' mansion while sucking down endless cigarettes and whiskey while planning his next mean quip. Hugo Whittier is a a true curmudgeon with few apparent redeeming values.  You want to dislike him, but you also find him compelling.  He claims that he justs wants to be left alone, but in his relationships with his brother, his paramour, and his ex-wife, I found myself wondering whether anyone can truly be an island unto himself.
Beyond a wonderful character portrayal, Ms. Christensen is a wonderful writer.  She has a rich and abundant vocabulary that reminded me of Nabakov in her use of arcane words to illustrate a scene or pepper a conversation.  The wordplay never distracts from the story, which moves at a good pace.
1740227
I'm a poor reader,  I'm easily bored.  This book is not boring.  I found it honest, sincere, often funny and frequently moving.  Never bitchy, definitely not sycophantic.  He calls it, like he sees it.  It's his perspective dictated from personal experience.

I loved the format.  The 'name', followed by a concise but agreeably human anecdote and viewpoint.  I purchased the additional whispersync from audible.  This added to my enjoyment, because Mr Langella read the passages with the inflection that only a voice can bring -  a voice that owns the experiences he narrates.  (What a bonus when one is sick, and can't focus the eyes on the words).  Mr Langella has a mellifluous voice.  He's also an actor who can mimic the vocal characteristics of the people about whom he is writing.  From Noel Coward, Kirk Douglas - even the Queen Mother.  (Well, 'tongue-in-cheek'.  Made me smile).

I saw and read some reviews on t.v. and in print that seemed to focus on the sexual aspect.  To me, that aspect wasn't labored at all.  It's in there - yes - but only to the point where it is necessary to the account being given.  There is so much more in this book than sex.  What I came away with was of an extraordinary life, (his), rubbing shoulders with extraordinary people who were fleshed out in a way that made them feel 'human'.  That means with all their vulnerabilities and strengths.  Mr Langella wasn't averse to sharing his own negative qualities - guilt, shame, arrogance, what-have-you.  If he hadn't, I wouldn't have come away liking him so much.

I'm not a big movie fan.  I've never even followed this chap's career.  I don't watch t.v. (it's so bad these days).  However, this little book, so beautifully written, gave me 'snapshots' if-you-will, of moments that you and I would never have known about if he hadn't shared them.  Some written so poignantly, you feel you were there in that fragment of time.  His meeting with John F. Kennedy comes to mind.  His unabashed laughter with Alan Bates ..... to name just two.  I came away with some real 'gems' of advice - reminders that we are all the same under the skin.  We're all trying to do the best with what we've got.  Celebrity doesn't spare you grief.

He concludes his book with a quote from George Bernard Shaw.  It's about "Life has a way of slipping through your fingers"  My advice is ..... don't let this little book slip through yours.
1497847
I can't say that I enjoyed this book, but I appreciated Piper Kerman's introspection, her gratefulness for her family and friends, and her willingness to pay for her mistakes. I cannot agree with the negative comments that she was a 'mean girl,' that she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, or the idea that she was a snob using the word 'tribes.' She appeared to understand her predicament, did the best that she could 'outside of her comfort zone,' and just wanted to make it through to the end. I appreciated the fact that she got to meet Nora again and that there was closure. I understand that Kerman is working on prison reform  and will be speaking at UCSB in the near future. Looking to forward to hearing her.
3632221
First off, I will admit that the dialog seems a bit unrealistic regardless of how intelligent the teenage characters are. I was not overly distracted by this though and I do not feel like it hurt the book too much. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and finished it in two sittings. In fact, when I found myself awake at 3am and unable to back to sleep, I figured I would read until I could go back to sleep. Here I am two hours later having just finished the book and writing one my very few book reviews. I usually don't write reviews because I have a hard time putting into words why I like what I like. That seems to be the case here as well. I keep typing and deleting my thoughts on the characters and plot from my perspective as a caregiver for the sick and disabled. Any attempt I make at in-depth analysis comes out poorly worded and does not convey my feelings well. I'll just say this: dying is not pretty or graceful. John Green chose to show this instead of the saccharine, near symptomless depiction often shown in other works, especially for teens and younger.
4811232
I really enjoyed Alley in "Cheers". She was a pleasant surprise - a beautiful woman who was unselfconsciously funny.

The earthy title will give you some clue as to how Ms. Alley expresses herself. She's blunt, funny, honest and about as vulgar as most people I know these days. Its an interesting memoir. I've wondered about her Scientology. She does not preach about it, but treats it as a useful tool in her life.

 She discusses her weight with a kind of honesty I appreciate. She cops to the fact that she was just eating a lot and needed to stop.

What I found most remarkable about her is that she just pragmatically goes and does things. She had a few different careers and just decided to go to LA and become an actress. Just like that. She did, appearing in the Star Trek movie when she was almost 30 years old.  I wish I had that kind of confidence.

The  book is a breezy read. She cribs a few Bridget Jones-isms in her narrative, which is noticeable, but does not detract from it. Her stories are funny and unflinching.

If you want a diet book, this is not it. Its a memoir and a breezy one at that. If you like Kirstie Alley, read it. Its fun!
2947941
I received a Galley copy from the author in exchange for a review.

I genuinely liked reading this, which I feel is half the battle right from the get go. The main character is introduced to us as self-absorbed, money hungry, fashion savvy, and, in many ways, a mirror of a cross section of the not-quite-young-but-not-quite-old, hardworking folks out there today. I can see how the author loosely based the character on herself, as it was easy for me to identify with parts of her as well. Outrageously awful in many ways, but relatable once you cruise into the meat of the work.

Silver Orphan brought up a lot of interesting (and sometimes startling) information relating various aspects of the epidemic, but it unfortunately FELT like there was a large amount of fact spouting happening. Each section, both those that were more typical of a novel and those that read more technically, was very well written, but it was most definitely evident that Lacombe had a background containing scholarly journal material. I was often expecting to see a superscript number directing me to a footnote containing a source citation during a character's dialogue. Some would be more conversational, but bits here and there just weren't very believable as average dialogue, regardless of one's knowledge or vocabulary.

On the other hand, each character pitstop on Brooke's path to find answers is so interesting and likable that it wasn't a horrible distraction for me. The slivers of each character's hearts that shone through during their interactions with Brooke on her journey were genuine and touching. The tidbits we slowly glean about Frank and his life ranged from interesting to heartbreaking, and I really felt for him. And Brooke. And each of the other players in this game. I wanted more from them. I would have happily continued to read Lacombe's easy narrative about ANY of the characters, be it the two main focuses or the smaller supports, for much longer. To me, that's a huge earmark of a successful project: your audience being fulfilled, yet still left wanting more.
2768058
I love all of her writing and her rambling way of telling a story, just like you'd want your best friend to talk and share her life. She is kind and yet completely honest about the quirks of everyone, including herself (thinly disguised in the book which is kind of like fiction but not really.)
3844353
Honest, interesting, and overall a great read.  I like that Portia isn't trying to place blame for her issues and also doesn't claim to be miraculously cured.
1756474
A memoir that details the struggles of an aspiring writer who recently lost both of his parents to cancer - and is given the task of raising his 8-year-old brother - has the necessary elements for being yet another forlorn depiction of a tortured artist who has no choice but to wallow in self-pity.  It seems logical that the inclusion of his failed attempt to start an independent magazine, along with a series of failed romantic endeavors, would serve as components meant to elicit sympathy; they are the ingredients for an autobiography meant to leave the reader in a contemplative and decidedly bleak state of mind.  A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers contains all of these events; however, it does not evoke the expected response.  His account of these admittedly depressing circumstances blends an elegent humor with provocative honesty; it is his exclusion of embellished sentimentality that makes this book most refreshing.

Eggers acknowledges that writing a memoir is often considered a self-indulgent process; he prefaces the entire book with a self-depricating rant that points out every imaginable flaw, and admits that his book is far from perfect.  His self-assessment permeates the entire book in a way that makes any further criticism seem redundant at best.  The only possible flaw I found was that his particular writing style is verbose at times, but the negative connotations associated with this complaint are tempered by the fact that his commentary on the most trivial of topics is wickedly observant.  It is easy for writers to romanticize tragedy; to make tragedy something both entertaining and comical is something of a feat.  Eggers accomplishes this task effortlessly, creating an intricate mix of bittersweet anecdotes and social critique that make this book indelibly insightful.
4168333
This is definitely an unflinching view and I loved it for its crass honesty. She is not a wholly unforgivable character which kept me reading because she certainly had her moments where she obviously knew the correct action but she simply chose not to do the right thing because it was not in her best interest. The view of a female pedophile is rare in any context and I definitely appreciate what the author has done here and I look forward to reading more books like this and more books from this author.
1924238
I'm the type that likes those poignant art flicks that Hawke ends up in.  His choice in movies, and often the dialog his characters are given lead me to think he's one of the intellectual crowd.  Thus, I expected the novel to be a bit heavy handed, almost classic in nature and a bit pretentious.  For better or for worse, I found it wasn't.

His style is striaghtforward and down to earth.  At times the sections end like the powerful last line of a poem, as if he wants the last word in an arguement before walking out the door (a common thing in stage and film, so it's not surprising it occurs in his prose).  But most of the time, it's just honest writing.

In a way it owes itself to the pulp writers like Hammet, not that it's full of the vernacular of the noir, but in that he doesn't waste much time defining the settings, the clothing, the articles in the rooms, but more focuses on character development.  And gladly he does a fine job of defining his characters not by telling, but by action.

This is a story about young love, and immature naive young love at that.  About a Holden Caufield in his mid 20's, falling for damaged goods and not having the experience and wisdom yet to see her for what she is.

Mostly I appreciated the novel because of the realistic characters (at least realistic from my own life experiences, yours may differ), and the easy flow of the writing.  At times, also like Hammet, I'd find passages that read like good poetry - bits of wisdom coming from a perspective unique to me, told in a style that is both rough and also graceful.

Much fame has come to writers like Dan Brown and Robert Ludlum, because their plots are strong and intriguing.  However, those airline novelists fail miserably when it comes to voice.  Reading them is like listening to Beethoven performed by a high school band.

This novel reads in the reverse.  The plot is simple, there's not a great amount of complexity or surprises.  However, it's well done, well paced, well performed, like a Bob Dylan tune being performed by a Norah Jones.

The joy is in the style, honesty and the integrity to the writing, even if the subject matter has been covered before, and the chords are familiar triads.
618234
When I read the forward and preface to this book I admit I was concerned that I was about to read the earnest, heartfelt, and completely uninteresting prose/blog of a bright, sincere teenager. Boy, am I a dope, or what?

This book is, in fact, earnest, heartfelt, sincere and bright. It is also searingly funny, completely engaging, bawdy, rowdy, and brutally honest. This is not a lost-to-drugs-and-back story, or a tale of redemption after hitting bottom, or a melodrama fancied up with some new age or self-help wisdom.

It is an honest, rueful, deadpan story about growing up, spiced with exaggeration for effect, naughty bits, some cutting self examination, a few romantic touches, and lots of cheerfully lacerating observations about life, families, society, and the music business.

This only works, or at least it will only hold book length attention, if the reader can connect with some fundamentally sound aspect of the narrator. I'm not doing 300 pages of train wreck. I might do 300 hundred pages of funny train wreck. I absolutely won't go near 300 pages of poor-victim-me train wreck. Well, this author, (or, actually the character she created), can come over to my house, drink too much wine, and tell stories all night, and that will be fine by me. (Actually, the actual author can come too, since she's probably alright as well.) (By the way, the heroine's name is "Johanna Morrigan". "Morrigan" is a figure from Irish mythology and is considered the goddess of 'battle, strife, and sovereignty'. Could there possibly be a better name for this character? No. For that touch alone you should read this book.)

But this is not just an extended stand-up comedy act or a string of clever zingers hung together to look like a novel. Our heroine follows an unconventional but dramatic path to some reasonable form of enlightenment and self-invention. You know that old chestnut that all fiction is either "a stranger rides into town or a man goes on a trip"? Well, here, Johanna Morrigan definitely goes on a trip, and it may be long, strange and wild, but we all eventually end up in an unexpected and satisfying place. What a nice find.

Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.