I enjoyed this memoir by Najla Said
341198
I enjoyed this memoir by Najla Said. It's well written and kept my attention throughout. A self-described "West Side princess," Said grew up in the highly privileged world of upper-class Manhattan, going to prestigious private schools and summer camps in the Hamptons/New England, and taking frequent trips abroad with her mother and her famous father, Edward Said. Despite her many advantages, Said was miserable, feeling out of place as an Arab-American in a WASP/Jewish world. She developed anxiety at an early age; she later suffered from anorexia. The book relates how she eventually came to terms with her Arab-American identity and the death of her beloved father. The sections about her father's illness and her experiences visiting Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza are particularly moving and interesting. I did wish, however, that she had provided more detail about her recovery from anorexia. She describes how her anorexia started and developed, then mentions going into treatment for it, but that's all. It's implied that she recovered eventually, but I would have liked more information on this.
1448248
Celtic Road Home was an inspiring memoir written by Ann Doolan-Fox. I was a bit biased when I began this story because I thought it would be like other biographies I have read, boring and tough to get through. But this story was not like that one bit. Each piece to her story was well described and had such meaning behind them.

Starting out with her childhood, the author walks us through what it was like growing up. Her family started out in England and then moved back to Ireland. It was tough for Ann to make friends and her life was not perfect. The way she described her parents and her relationship with them made me feel like I knew exactly what she experienced. Her relationships with her siblings had me reminiscing about how I grew up with my own sisters.

Then as the author embarks on her journey through life, she travels through seven different countries. She shares her lifes adventure with the audience in a humorous yet dramatic way. I think what was most inspiring was that no matter how bleak or down a situation may seem, the author was able to twist it into something positive and uplifting.

I am a bit envious of the adventure Ann shared with us readers. Being of Irish decent, I would love to travel to Ireland and other countries to experience things I have never before. Having a sister that studied abroad in Madrid, Spain I have now lived vicariously through her stories and the authors stories. Maybe one day I will find myself on an adventure of my own. It takes true courage and guts to do what the author did. I am so thankful she was able to put write out her life story in such an inspiring way. I recommend this memoir to anyone, especially if you want to travel the world from the comfort of your home :)
2143464
This book absolutely exhausted me.  But by the end I knew I enjoyed it despite that fact; there is something utterly heartwarming about this memoir.

Jeanne has been a city girl for a long time.  Single in her late thirties, she finds herself in a relationship with a man a decade or so her senior but the relationship works and she finds herself wanting other things.  Alex is a pretty easy going guy too so when she gets the "farm dream" in her head, he's right there with her helping to look for a piece of property in which to go homestead on.  Him and his poodle that is; one of Jeanne's greatest bewilderments with Alex is the fact that he likes poodles.  They do find a farm though and start a great adventure, involving locals, groundhogs, stubborn brush, and a myriad of other things that city girl just wouldn't expect.

Jeanne is very fair to the people she describes.  In fact, her neighbors sound like the best people on earth and she is very lucky to have them.  I'm jealous in fact, I would love to have neighbors like that.  Maybe one day, or maybe you just have to be in a rural area, it's hard to say.  She also doesn't hold back on her affection for Alex either.  It's plain to see that they both appreciate and love each other and that's special.  Even her love for the animals comes right out of the pages.  You feel very close to the people and animals and can definitely picture them in real life.

Her writing style is a bit wacky.  As I said before the book made me exhausted and that's because the voice of the book was like an overexcited five year old.  It jumped from topic to topic in a stream of consciousness and it was all I could do to keep up.  I wasn't overly thrilled with that kind of writing style, but Jeanne was so open that I couldn't help but like her anyway.  And I loved the way she did the ending, I very much appreciated the epilogue of sorts she provided.  Since the book covers a year or so of her life I thought it was the appropriate length.  A lot happened in that time and while the book could have been dull, it wasn't because she was able to make her activities sound exciting, even if they were as mundane as planting grass seed.

A hyper active book but one that's a good read and inspiring.  Jeanne makes me want to have a farm of my own again someday.

Fifty Acres and a Poodle
Copyright 2000
272 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2013
102979
This book is an analytical memoir, one which not only presents the "sketches" it advertises, but also examines them for what they mean, for how they affected the author. It's a memoir about going home, about looking once again at the people and places which one encounters when growing up. I particularly liked the author's honesty as he wrote about his family, his friends, and himself. In addition, if you share that period of growing up (born in the 40s), as I do, this book will rekindle your own memories. It's clear and touching and intelligent. The author gets a great deal into so few pages; I only wish it had been longer.
408219
What I liked about Stacey Lannert's memoir of killing her father after years of sexual of and emotional abuse, and the eventual commutation of her life sentence was it's straightforward honesty, easy writing style, and forward momentum. I read a lot of memoir's written by people with complicated, tragic, and difficult lives, and the books can sometimes be surprisingly dull, despite what are obviously compelling stories. If I had one criticism, it would be that I would like to have heard more about what happened after her release, but maybe that's a second book.
2932717
Pearl River Drama has a strong voice that does remain consistent through the stories. I enjoyed the colloquial tone of this memoir as if the author were actually speaking directly to the reader and simply telling stories. However, a few critiques I have that keep me from giving it a higher rating were the typos and grammatical errors that distract attention from the story. Also, I don't feel as though there was enough of a flow from stories. Each story seemed a little abrupt for my liking. That being said, most of the stories that the author conveyed were funny and very honest which I believe is the start of writing good nonfiction pieces.
3917506
I had an opportunity to read this well written memoir  by Cheryl Richards. I did understood a lot about bipolar and how its like to live a life with it every day. This book was easy to read, author used very descriptive examples. I think more people should know about bipolar. May God bless Ms. Richard and all her dreams to come true.
4683254
I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir.  Ariel Levy is an excellent author, and i love reading her sentences.  I could feel her emotions throughout the book.  You will not regret buying and reading this.
1748167
It's always hard to rate a memoir, especially one about the author's faith, as it is such a personal story and it takes great courage to share those thoughts.  I found myself engaged with the story the whole time, I really liked the way that Heimann interwove the stories of several Catholic saints into her narrative, and I thought that she acknowledged and handled well the topic of the fact that sometimes we feel that rules outweigh God's Grace and Love, when in fact the church allows us to receive those gifts through their application.  Thinking back on the book makes me smile, and I will be sharing with friends.

FDA disclaimer - I won this lovely book through a Blog giveaway, and my copy came from, and is signed by, the author.
471796
I'm an avid memoir reader and this one is among the best I've read. Hafiz is brutally honest about her feelings towards her troubled family and also reveals parts of herself that others might skim over -- self-doubt and depression among them.  But ultimately this book is about healing (duh) and how it's possible to make choices that allow one to find peace, strength and knowledge of oneself, family and community.  Hafiz left me feeling glad and grateful that she had shared her difficult yet redemptive journey with me.
51407
This book is a memoir rather than a fact-laden autobiogaphy. Therefore, it is oreganizd like a novel and reads like one. Kevin Breel, the author, begins with a short introduction, giving a short overview of why he wrote his book and what he wants it to do in the mind and life of the reader. This memoir is arranged in ten chapters. The author ends with an Epilogue, giving a summary of the book and re-iterating what he hopes the book has and will do in the life and mind of the reader. He continues with his personal acknowledgments to the people in his life who made his healing possible and/or who made this book possible. He ends it all with One More Note to the Reader, recommending reaching out for help if depressed and recommending the nonprofit To Write Love On Her Arms.

This is not a book for the head, to deal in facts and focus on them. It is a book for the heart and appeals to emotions. Breel often uses salty language including the "f---" bomb, and writes like one putting his thoughts on paper. I found it interesting and I was drawn into it early. I was saddened when he lost his best friend, and when it caused him to spiral downward emotionally. I liked it that he had an educator who took an interest in him and in his healing, and believed in him even when he did not believe in himself and encouraged him to fulfill his potential. I realize that many teens and young people do not have this blessing, and that explains why so many wander aimlessly through life, and others even take up lives of crime. And, like so many teens, he kept his dark depression from his parents, and I can understand why he was not keen on going to see a counselor. Breel sills his raw emotions onto paper, and does not hold back. I found in this book a peek into the modern, 21st century teenage world, and hence in
the worlds of my daughter and her peers. This books is pretty much what I expected, fast-paced, deep-thinking, emotionally-laden, and candid. As for the profanity, I ignored it, knowing that this is not a book written from a Christian worldview. It was a fast-paced read, mostly descriptive rather than prescriptive.

I recommend this book for all those who are thinking of working with teens and young people, whether as teachers, counselors, youth ministers, juvenile corrections officers, child psychologists or in a volunteer capacity of any kind. Because it gives a peek into the teen world, it should be required reading in the training of anyone who seeks to qualify himself or herself in working with teens or young people. It is good reading for teens themselves but because of the profanity I think they should be warned about that before they read it, and that we need not curse to get our point
across. It should be read by all parents of teens so they can see what the world of today's teens is like and to alert them to be aware that teen
depression is common and how to intervene.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from  Blogging for Books, in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to give a positive review of this book.
3073634
Fun and easy to read. I am not a professional critic, for me it was a great time spent. Some feminist ideas i agree with, some not. It is a memoir after all. This book is not to be taken seriously, the tone says it all. Enjoyable read.
3291244
As a fellow survivor (lost my husband 2.5 years ago), I appreciate the author's approach in writing a memoir that is both sad and funny--not an easy task given how truly devastating it is to go through this kind of loss. I found it helpful and hopeful and will recommend to my widow friends.
4102329
I love this poetic memoir. A lot was written, said, felt, expressed and conveyed in this short but powerful book. Tamykah penned a portrait. Some of her struggles once was mines and what I couldn't relate to personally, I was able to still understand and truly feel. As a reader, I experienced a bit of her journey as she transitioned through trimesters of womanhood, motherhood, and being a wife, all that brought her back to and within herself.
1279466
Enjoyable read - Witty, well written memoir - I am a sucker for the 'moving abroad' genre - this one didn't disappoint.
4763355
I really enjoyed the book and didn't remember it was a true memoir until I was almost finished with the book!  Interesting!
3872466
This is a memoir of a young woman who went on vacation with her family and never returned home. Donia Bijans parents were successful medical professionals in Iran. Her father was a doctor who owned a hospital and her mother was a nurse and politician. They were on vacation in Spain when the regime of the Shah collapsed. To return would have risked death under the rule of the Ayatollah. The memoir begins after the very sudden accidental death of her mother in the United States with the authors memories triggered while clearing out her mothers possessions. Many of us have walked that path. The author is a professional chef and her mother was a talented home cook. She uses recipes to define home, memories, and cultures. She tells the story of her parents exile and the difference in their experiences in the new country that took them in after their involuntary emigration. This is very current story in America and many other nations that serve as safe havens. As told, it is personal story though and not a political one. She also tells her experience as she trains to be a chef in the US and France. This memoir is very readable and I am happy to recommend it. There are many recipes included in the book and I expect that I may try some of them.