Honest, introspective, full of beautiful detail, engaging, and important.
352565
Honest, introspective, and full of beautiful detail. The book isn't perfect: sometimes I'd be reading along, completely entranced, and then, suddenly, find myself bumped off track, but never for long. Always, Mr. Blow's writing and story drew me back in. Finally, as a privileged, educated, white man, I really appreciated Mr. Blow's opening a window into the very different world of his youth. It's a good book. Read it!
2266940
Beautiful and honest look into a child living with a mentally unstable parent even as she struggles with her own grip on reality. Spanning from the time Fiona (nicknamed Fig) is six years old until she is nineteen, the reader is brought into the real world of living with a schizophrenic person and its lasting effects on those who love them. The story's narrative is engaging, poetic, and painful as Fig navigates the world which seems to be fragmented from the moment of her birth. Look forward to more books from this author.
2642081
Becker's vivid descriptions of her experiences as the daughter of a Polish Catholic mother and Russian Jewish father are engaging and insightful.  She embraces complexity in a way that requires honesty and compassion, in a time when both are sorely needed.
As an painting professor I found her chapter on "educating creative practitioners" fascinating, and helpful in defining what we are doing as educators of young artists.
Thinking in Place is inspiring, thoughtful, and beautifully written.
3685494
These pieces are written with such vulnerability, honesty, and intimacy, they can't help but to be deeply touching, and create quite a personal introspective look into the writers life. They are stitched together to tell a  sad, inspiring, and hopeful story of love, family, challenge, strength, and triumph. They are also displayed in an original format serving the double purpose of being a child's advice to carry them through all the changes of life which is culminated in "My Child", one of the best pieces in the collection. This writer has an incredibly strong voice throughout her work which is one of the most important building blocks of a great poet!
2822250
I am not typically drawn to autobiographies, but this one is wonderful.  Engaging, humorous, painful, enlightening, and full of scenes that will stay with me for a long time.
1549099
This is an important book, a treasure for anyone searching for meaning in their lives. Fuller has had an extraordinary journey and he is able to draw vital lessons from its twists and turns and recount them in compelling stories. I couldn't put it down. The honesty, intelligence and caring of this remarkable man--an innovative thinker, physicist, teacher, lover and leader--come through in vivid colors. When you finish this book you'll feel like you're Fuller's most intimate friend. And you'll be richer and more appreciative of life because of it.
1834687
This book is a thoughtful examination of the most basic components of our relationships with our families. It takes place over several lifetimes and in sufficient detail to draw the right reader in. The writing voice is conversational and easily recognizable. I'm lucky to have lived in NY Metro for more than thirty years now, as many of the characters idiosyncrasies are exactly as I have observed them myself. Many of the places are places I know, and the author has done himself proud with the knack of picking exactly the right detail element to settle the reader right into the heart of the character. It does take a long time to tell this story properly. I read this in hard cover and immediately remarked to my wife as to how thin the chosen paper stock was. Now, having closed the back cover, I can offer my heartfelt thanks to the publisher for the weight savings that decision made possible. Readers who enjoy carrying a heavy tome about for days, in hand as well as heart can add a star to my review. If printed on normal stock it would need a hand truck. Closing that back cover, I can also say that this is an important, emotional book. It deals with one of the most terrifying maladies in existence. It puts a remarkably memorable face on love and expectations. I sincerely hope I will never forget it.
4555757
Mikkel Aaland has a unique way of seeking answers for the unanswerable, and his persistence and courage in this quest gives courage to others. I and many others have experienced the kind of family tragedies "that people don't talk about", and that remain part of the deep wounds that persist for years and decades. This book is a brave voice for examining the hurts and betrayals, for monitoring the effects of these events on others and not just oneself, and for seeking ways to understand and perhaps find some small resolution, even if it takes years. I am grateful that Aaland has written this book. It is a beautiful volume, and I felt the photography further extended a true invitation to immerse myself entirely within the story as he told it.
4949817
This book has so much depth and the author writes with such honesty and clarity that I could not put it down.  At its depth, it is a memoir about a loving marriage.  The challenges of that marriage are universal, misunderstanding, miscommunication and even frustration. But then there are other layers, like age disparity, and cultural and religious differences.  The author faces these challenges with honesty and humor.  From this cacophony, she weaves a rich tapestry.  She shows us not only what is possible in a marriage, but in a culture. Seeing another human being (and then others) with love and compassion opened her eyes and it opened mine.  This insight applies not only to a marriage, but to our society as well.  As someone who had little understanding of the Libyan people, I learned so much from reading this book.  From that understanding came compassion.  That is an incredible gift from any book to its reader.  If there was more insight like this, perhaps we could heal the world, one reader at a time.  Pass it on.
4016926
The plot and actions are not only engaging. The beauty of the prose and the means by which all events are connected by the theme make this an incredibly beautiful reading experience. Brutal and teeth-clenching in its honest portrayal of the main characters, the books still inspires hope in the human condition.
2410109
The stories of the two vastly differenct families that represent the disparities in the rapidly modernizing English society--Intellect vs. materialism, idealism vs. pragmatism, art/literature vs. buiness/wealth, and the issues about genders, relationships/marriages, death, fate, and social/economic classes.  Yet the inquiries, raised by the Schlegels sisters, particularly by the more pensive one of the two, margaret, and the manner and eloquence in which she asks these questions deeply moved me both intellectually and emotionally as well.  I think that she asks all the fundamental questions that are still relevant to all the thinking persons in our time, and her desire of "connecting" resonates throughout the book. The writing is beautiful, funny, and poignant. This is absolutely a lovely, lovely book.
1740778
Benjamin offers a very human, very thoughtful look at the changing composition of the United States. His journey is well-crafted. From St. George, Utah, to Coeur D'alene, Idaho, he has reached out to some fascinating communities. And he resists every temptation to describe any of these places in one-dimensional, inflammatory  ways. Instead, he careful considers how and why these communities have formed and, by doing so, reveals so much about human nature - and this country's ethos. Benjamin includes every bit of relevant context a reader could ask for and shows an impressively well-rounded point of view regarding the current state --and future -- of race relations in this country. This is a must read.
3854654
Insightful and elegant. Poetry in prose. Oliver's observations of the natural world are breathtaking and sometimes heartbreaking. A book that is also a meditation. Profound is the word that comes to mind, written with no pretension. Honest and beautiful. Highly recommend.
3246357
Beautiful, honest work written with heart. Her deft hand shaping vivid imagery, and emotion while still leaving room for the reader to relate to their own experiences. Truly a great read, and highly recommended.
1403424
Brilliant, evocative, eye-opening. I'd put off reading it, because I wasn't ready to deal with the reality that Boo so carefully, thoroughly, and humanely portrays. I decided to read it, wanting to learn about, maybe understand better, the people that she writes about. It's tough stuff. The people, the children, in the book are real. The struggles and  corruption are matter of fact. There's not a lot of hope here. It's a moving, thoughtful book.

I'm glad I read it. I have no solutions, as the problems Boo writes about are huge, overwhelming, and entrenched.  She spent years talking with people she clearly cares deeply about in a country that matters to her greatly. She's not asking for solutions, I suppose: she wants to tell the stories of people who deserve to have their stories told. She does so beautifully.
1916120
Cracking Open is a beautifully told auto biography and an emotional peek into one woman's journey into becoming a medium.  What makes this story so lovely is the honest, candid telling of what it is like to start accepting the signs and messages that are so often ignored.  Esby is able to convey her story with wit, humor, and true emotions.  This is an engaging, enjoyable book.  I highly recommend it!!
2494987
Shannon Polson has written a beautiful book reflecting on her odyssey through coming to terms with personal tragedy. Her writing is honest, vigorous, and poignant. This is a memoir of loss and faith: deeply personal, but not sappy or maudlin. Polson recounts the horrifying events surrounding the sudden loss of her father and stepmother, and her attempt to complete her parents' unfinished journey. Polson writes strikingly of the vast but desolate beauty of the north Alaskan wilderness, the love of music and strength in faith she shares with her late father, and her incomplete success at making her own peace. A beautiful book and a compelling read.