Not your grandmother's prodigal child
596555
This is a beautifully told reminder that whether one is the prodigal child or the dutiful child, we all struggle with our brokenness each and every day because redemption through Christ is a journey and not a destination.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.
1928058
The previous reviewer missed the title by a mile! The book's title doesn't refer to Sue's brother--it refers to HER. Sue takes a look at the parable of the prodigal son from a different angle: it's the story of a family. Her messed-up brother represents the prodigal son and she sees herself as the older brother. She calls him "the prodigal brother" because he was far away from home in his own way. Sue is very honest about her role in a dysfunctional family. She tells the truth about how she saw herself as standing apart from her family because her parents' focus was on her drug abusing, alcoholic brother. There was no party thrown for her because she was the "good" kid; all the family resources were spent on her brother.

This isn't just a book for people who had/have a "bad" kid in the family. It's for anyone who needs help in finding a way to forgive. No formulas here--just an encouragement for people to see what they went through from God's point of view. This is a deeply personal account of a journey with wonderful insights.
1443889
I read both Unhooked Generation: by Jillian Straus and Unhooked: by Laura Sessions Stepp at the same time and the universal theme in both books was not just the sad but true condition of Gen-Xer's "relationships" but the idea that there is always something better around the corner. Both women discuss the universal theme of non-committal and I agree with just about everything they write.

As a mother I have watched my own Gen-Xers go through relationships one after another like wine-tasters only to cleanse their palettes to sip-a-new. I fear they are looking for the perfect vintage, and something more pedestrian (in this metaphor think: "beer") will never satisfy or quench their thirst.

I sent these books to my daughter in the hope that she will see herself. I want my children to drink from the cup of life, hopefully with someone who shares their values, and wants to share their life.

As toddlers we teach our children to share, yet somewhere along the line they become selfish and want only the "best"...whatever that is.

This book is for anyone who sees the future of our society ending with this generation, because if they don't start "hooking-up" there isn't going to be a next generation.
1003098
Malika Oufkir's father was a bad man.  As the brutal king's top enforcer and chief of Morocco's internal security, he made a living by crushing Morocco's dissidents with imprisonment, torture and murder.  For this, he and his family were rewarded with enormous wealth and privilege.  He eventually tried to seize power from his royal benefactor, but failed in the coup attempt and was, as might be expected, executed.  Malika, a spoiled rich girl, went to prison for her father's deeds.

Did Malika reflect, during her dark years, on the irony of her fate?  Her father destroyed the lives of innocent people; then her own life was destroyed because of his actions.  Her father's murderous deeds propped up the king's tyrannical rule; and Malika and her family fell victim to the king's unchecked power.

But this is not the story Malika tells us.  In her version, her father is an innocent and the king is a bogeyman.  She does not admit that her fairy-tale palace childhood was bought by the blood of Moroccons her father killed. Nor does she have a shred of sympathy for his victims -- people who, lacking her lucky attributes (the famous last name, palace upbringing, attractive face and foreign benefactors), never were rescued, never became cause celebres, never were feted on Oprah.  Malika's pity is only for herself.

Please, readers:  see through Ms. Oufkir's stunning egotism and revolting hypocrisy.  As a child, Malika may not have understood that her father made a living as a torturer and killer -- but by now she certainly does.  Additionally she is most definitely aware that her rescue from prison -- her benefactors, book deals, and celebrity -- are all perks of her position as the Torturer's Daughter.

I would have liked to read a book by a different Malika Oufkir.  In that book, a spoiled party girl suffers a long and unjust imprisonment and comes through many hardships, emerging years later as a thoughtful, clear-eyed person devoted to justice for all.  (I am thinking of a certain popular, flirtatious teenager in Amsterdam 1940 whose noble character was forged during her years of imprisonment.)

Unfortunately, the real Malika Oufkir has no interest in justice and is not much concerned with truth.  What she wants is an audience that will throw roses, applause, and oodles of pity at her feet, while she struts and pouts in her rhinestone tiara.  Oprah, what were you thinking?
4379515
Parents who kill their children are guilty of breaking the greatest trust of all time.  Children must be able to trust their parents to nurture and protect them until they are mature enough to take care of themselves.  We as a society are not able to understand or forgive the snuffing out of a young life before it can defend itself.

Some of these stories are familiar to us, but by being combined with less-familiar ones, the author has provided a good variety of motive theories and methods.  Included is the Jeffrey McDonald story, surely one of the most controversial cases of our time.

It is extremely easy to murder a small child; people do it all the time.  It is just so unnatural and so strongly against a parent's instincts to do so that our hearts cry out for a more severe punishment for child killers.

This is a book you don't want to read while, at the same time, you want to know what kind of depraved person could do this.
3412244
I have read the book not only once but 3 times. It is written from the heart of a Grandmother. Who is frustrated, confused, and emotionally exhausted. This is the story of her beautiful Granddaughters..not her..not her son..HER BELOVED GRANDDAUGHTERS. If you think this cannot happen your very naive. Little one all over the world are sold for sex everyday. No one listens to them. The book is very revealing regarding the condition of our country. The outcry in this book is for the girls who at a young age have no voice. Lets look who the victims are. Three innocent children. Maybe the book is not written as eloquently as you may like. The message is still there for the outcry of a grandmother who speaks for them. Now no one listens to her??? This grandmother loves her granddaughters. She misses them. She is trying to get the word out  to help them. Even if you do not understand, (I pray I never do) because I have 3 granddaughters too. The genuine concern for the little ones is spilled out in her writings. If you care you will stand behind the children.
746438
Granted, it's not for everyone but it does not deserve the low star rating it currently has. This movie is for mature people who want something more than just pure escapist films - there are plenty of those around. This film offers a unique perspective on life and death and everything in between.
56908
This is a great read, don't agree with everything, but this is a must read for any parent and grandparent
2146420
Your upbringing has a lot to do with how you are as an adult as this novel shows. Religious Zealots like the Grandmother in this novel caused irreparable damage to not only her grandson but ultimately to others as well.

There is a coven of Wiccan living in this town. Wiccan's are peace loving and believe in Nature and the Goddess. There is also a church in this town where the pastor and his flock are convinced these women are doing sacrifices etc. and are constantly complaining about them to the police.

Then the women begin to be killed in gruesome ways and a tattoo is emblazoned on their chests. Detective Chenelle Kendall and her partner Detective Erica Barnes have to figure out who is doing this. Meanwhile more of these women are being killed. Of course the Church members are the prime suspects-----

You will know from the beginning who the killer is and why--but the ending is a shocker.
2733196
This book is much more than an erotic novel (although there are some detailed sex scenes in it). It tells the story about a married couple with a very strong and untraditional sex life. Unfortunately,  they are members of a strict religious group that maintains a strong control over its members.  It's hard to believe that there are people who allow themselves to be controlled with religious groups such as the Jehovas Witnesses(the religion this couple are members of) but sadly that is the case and the control that these religious groups have over there followers is all too real. Personally, I've known of people who have been subjected to this manipulation and have seen the damage it has done to them. Again, there are several detailed sex scenes in this book but the story sends a very strong message about not allowing yourself to be controlled by anyone especially in the name of religion.
4490954
not my cup of tea...however, it does not mean that to someone it would be a wonderful read!
1267231
Not at all what I expected.  Certainly not appropriate for an older relative. The glowing recommendations make me worry about our society. Do you really want to know about a parent or grandparent's sexual fantasy and if it has ever been fulfilled? Are you curious about the relative someone likes least and why, who they would kill if no retribution, who they think should be killed and if someone picks their nose? If so, this is the book for you.
1918417
Olivia is 70 years old and unfortunately doesn't have a very good relationship with her grown children.  She is getting the message that they may actually take her freedom away by having her declared incompetent.  So she fakes her own death and moves far away and has the life she wants not the life her children want her to have.  The story is much more involved than this but not to give away a wonderful story I won't say more here. Life has a way of going around and coming around in the most unusual way sometimes. This is a great read, I enjoyed it very much and wondered the whole time if the author knew someone who really did this. Sometimes Grandma's have to take care of themselves.
1792916
This book is not for everybody.

For example, if you want a book to take along on a vacation with friends, this book is not for you. If you want a book to download to your Kindle app, to read sneakily under your desk at work when your boss isn't paying attention, this book is not for you. If you want a book you can read a few pages at a time while your grilled cheese sandwich is toasting, your coffee is percolating, your clothes washer is doing its final rinse, or your child is napping, THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR YOU.

Let me put this another way: YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT THIS BOOK DOWN.
You will alienate your friends by ignoring them all vacation, get caught by your boss with your phone on a thirty minute bathroom break, burn your sandwich (or your house) and ignore your chores and children. Don't blame yourself. Blame it on witchcraft. Blame it on a curse. Blame it on Katie Cross.

This story is everything a good story should be, but yet somehow manages to do that while bypassing the "formula" for predictable young adult fiction. Bianca is not the typical 16 year old girl/witch in modern fiction, yet she has enough of the "typical" in her that I was frequently pulled back to memories of what it felt to be 16. However, at no time did I feel like I was reading something targeted exclusively to that demographic. IIt was so much better than anything targeted at any one age, or type of person.

Bianca petitions for entrance at Miss Mabel's School for Girls as a result of a horrible curse that was placed on her family decades before. Her entire life has been spent in preparation for this moment; Miss Mabel is the only one with the power to reverse the curse, but Miss Mabel doesn't do favors. She does however, make deals, and so Bianca finds herself in a battle of wits, power, honor, and strength as she negotiates for her life and those of her family members. The story starts right into the plot without a lot of introduction or background. This makes for a first thirty pages or so that don't immediately engage you, because you aren't entirely sure what type of story you have landed yourself in the middle of. However, as the plot begins to occur around you, you realize you wouldn't have it any other way. Details are revealed in such a way that they catch you by surprise as events unfold and intricacies fall into place, one by one. The second half of the book is riddled with alternating "Aha!" moments and gasps of shock. As Bianca races against time, you find yourself racing to the next page. And the next, and the next. And then the last.
And then it's over. And you wish you hadn't gone so fast, because then it wouldn't already be over.

Stop reading reviews-- Click "Buy Now" and start reading something so much better.
259260
This isn't the type of book that i would normally read, but the title got my interest. It is a story of contrasts: innocence and evil, the real and the unreal. The story begins with innocent teen sisters lost is a peculiar fanasty land where they are inundated with lessons and warnings to avoid succunbing to evil. Like everyone, they must make choices. Think of your own experiences and how easy it is to choose unwisely. The author uses an nteresting narrative method to interrupt the sister's story with unconnected stories of good and evil as they might appear in the real world. The novel is thought provoking but also light-hearted. This is not a traditional novel, and you probably won't read another like it. There are many good lessons to be learned from this book. It is well worth the time to read it and study what it is telling us.
1632252
Some Dream for Fools is not about a family to unite in France or to reunite in Algeria.  Here, rather, we have split-up family, and their seems to be no solution to that.

The family itself is ever strange.  Ahleme, thr first-person speaker, is essentially head of household:  her father is apparently disabled from an accident, and her brother is uncontrollable.  This book, though, does not fall into sterotype mode and picture Ahleme as bound to the household.  Rather, she's up and about, trying out part-time jobs, or simply visiting with friend.  The main chacter here is no longsuffering wet blanket.

The book deals with questions of race and religion.  One reason those things come up is that Ahleme is a fierce guardian of who she is and where she comes from (but withut any delusional nostalgia).  The most astounding gap is the generational tap:  she cares both for an invalid and an out-of-control teenager.  In some ways, she's the bond that holds the family togeter, because she can communicate with either generation.

Social stratification is in the novel, or perhaps just not that obvious.  Anleme takes in the the lower-class haunts and does not waste any time publically calling for change, possibly because this area is "her" home.  Nevertheless, she maintans a feeling of fundamental otherness, as if her feelings don't matter because she has much to do and doesn't have time to help herself out.  When she feels hurt, frustrated, or hopeless, she often uses that time to turn on her dry wit-- and make the issue go away by changing the subject.  Again, she denies herself of the right to be her.

Overall, it had a pretty loose plot (if that bothers you) but is well-condensed in its published form.  The supporting characters are fairly well drawn.  Recommended.
4252997
A story of finding out that your parents aren't the stodgy old folk that they seem to every kid. Perhaps it's a story of growing up yourself. It's a well told story takes the heroine back to Italy to find her mother and father lived a too short life of love amidst the background of war. There are Italian peasants and partisans, Nazis and aristocrats, there's deception, betryal and murder.