Non-FictionCategory Archives

Book Review: My Heart is Boundless: Writings of Abigail May Alcott, Louisa’s Mother Edited by Eve LaPlante

My Heart is Boundless Edited by Eve LaPlante

  • Method of Obtaining: I received my copy from the publisher.
  • Published by: Free Press
  • Release Date:  11/6/2012
        

 In this riveting compilation of Abigail May Alcott’s previously undiscovered and unexplored private writings, biographer Eve LaPlante annotates the letters, poems, recipes, and diaries of the real-life inspiration behind “Marmee” of Little Women, one of the most famous mother figures in American literature.

This companion volume to LaPlante’s groundbreaking Marmee & Louisa covers everything from writing (Abigail’s own ambitions as well as her daughter’s) to family life and the expectations of society. Full of wit and charm, Abigail’s private letters offer a moving, intimate portrait of a woman intellectually ahead of her time who found herself trapped in an unrewarding marriage and who would transfer her wisdom and ambition to her talented daughters, Louisa most of all.

In beautiful prose (a biographer once pointed out that “In some ways, Abby was a better writer than her more famous daughter”), this fantastic new collection lays bare the unparalleled love that Abigail held for her family, in the process restoring a powerful female voice too long lost to history.

Reason for Reading:
  • I’ve loved the Alcott’s for years and this looked like a fascinating look at the inspiration for “Marmee” in Little Women.

I also recommend:

 

My Review:

What a way to start out 2013 – wrapping up my reading of these lovely bits of notes, letters, and historical tidbits by and about Abigail May Alcott. My Heart is Boundless is a nice, tidy, organized book that chronologically (mostly) follows Abigail’s life through her own writing and reflection.

I’ve been a fan of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women since I was a young girl. I was the oldest of four girls (for a time, before three brothers and two more sisters came along) and related well to Meg – the oldest of Louisa’s quartet. I admired her quiet dignity, her willingness to accept what happened, and understood how she managed being surrounded by the sisters she was surrounded by. So it was a bit of a delight for me to learn that Louisa’s mother, Abigail, also had quite a few sisters and brothers and I hungrily dug in to her writings.

I identified strongly with Louisa’s desire for knowledge and information – but not only that, her desire to keep her family close. There was quite a bit of tragedy that struck the May family and Abigail appeared to be the bedrock through it all. These writings are a perfect example of how a woman of her time need not be shut away, but rather could find happiness and fulfillment in ways other than motherhood.

My only issue with this collection is how choppy it can be. It’s mostly chronological, but I needed to finish it and would have rather spent time reading portions and then moving on to other books. It does not make for a comfortable, “unputdownable” book – but rather is perhaps intended to be a book to be read in short bites. The other small issue I had was with the numerous footnotes – every name seemed to be identified by the author every single time it cropped up (which was nice at first, but after a while I began to feel like I was being treated like I was stupid for “not getting it” when I was). Still, easily enough avoided if you are someone who can resist the temptation of those footnotes.

I recommend this for fans of Louisa May Alcott. I think you will find much of Marmee hiding in this book, waiting to be awakened.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Louisa May Alcott is my Passion 

Lydia
10 January, 2013
Non-Fiction, reviews
0 comments
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The Violinist’s Thumb by Sam Kean

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Reason for Reading:
  • Paganini.  Yes, Paganini.

I also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In THE VIOLINIST’S THUMB, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA.

There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, why other people have no fingerprints, and why some people survive nuclear bombs. Genes illuminate everything from JFK’s bronze skin (it wasn’t a tan) to Einstein’s genius. They prove that Neanderthals and humans bred thousands of years more recently than any of us would feel comfortable thinking. They can even allow some people, because of the exceptional flexibility of their thumbs and fingers, to become truly singular violinists.

Kean’s vibrant storytelling once again makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species’ future.

My Review:

I’m going to be honest and tell you the entire reason I picked up The Violinist’s Thumb by Sam Kean is not because I’m interested in biology or DNA or anything to do with science really – it’s because the name Paganini drew me in.

I’ve never been the type of girl to understand science. The closest I came was a low C in Biology 14 years ago when I attended the University of Wyoming. Ever since then I’ve operated under the assumption that magic sparkles course through my veins, that storks bring babies to deserving parents, and that my father gave me his caterpillar eyebrows as a way to torture me in my later years of life. Sound silly? Of course it does – that’s because when I see science explained it looks as strange to me as reading a difficult piece of piano sheet music might to you (I say might here because I’m operating under the assumption that you don’t play Rachmaninoff on a daily basis.)

In spite of all these misgivings, the name of Paganini, the famous violinists who – folk lore states – sold his soul to the devil for his ability to play drew me in to this book. Random fact: Franz Liszt (also rumored to be demonic in places) studied Paganini’s skill on the violin and translated it to the piano. He also was the first to play music memorized on the stage for a concert. I blame him for my many breakdowns.

Anyway!

So Paganini was the bait, but what hooked me about this book was just how accessible the science was. Seriously, it blew me away. In between serious chunks of letters and strands and things I know nothing about were anecdotal stories and historic lessons about names and things I had never known about. It opened up a whole new world to me and in the process, I like to think, I learned a little something more then I expected to.

Fully enjoyable, well-researched and surprisingly fun – this book gave me really strange DNA dreams and made me feel a little bit like a smart person … for a short while.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Cozy Little Book Journal | The Jag Review | Best Books

Lydia
28 July, 2012
Non-Fiction, reviews
1 comment
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First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung

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Reason for Reading:
  • I’ve not read a book concerning Cambodia and this one caught my eye.

I also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

From a childhood survivor of the brutal Pol Pot regime comes an unforgettable narrative of tragedy and spiritual triumph. 8-page photo insert.

My Review:

I was blown away by the story contained in this book.

To give you some idea of context – I was born in 1976. The year I was born Loung Ung was five years old and living in Phenom Penh, Cambodia. Her life was relatively good (although nothing like mine here in the States). Her prize possession was a red dress. She had six siblings, and a father and mother who loved her.

Then the Civil War taking place in Cambodia stepped in and became personal for Loung and her family (and millions of other Cambodians). 1/4th of the population was killed – but that’s something we’re not taught about here. So thank goodness that there are books out there that record the story so those who died are not forgotten.

While I was being fussed and cooed over, Loung was dealing with starvation, attempted rape, the murders of those close to her, and illnesses which were ravaging her body. She was being trained in combat, her mind filled with fear, and forced to leave her family and adapt to conditions which I pull back in revulsion to think of. And she tells her whole story – crystal clear – in First They Killed My Father.

This is such a charged memoir. It’s hard to recommend because the read is so tough, but I couldn’t put it down. I think you’ll find the only critique (or at least the only one I have) is that the story is told in a bit of a sing-song simplistic way, but it doesn’t distract from the power of the story itself.


About the Author

For more reviews on First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung, please follow the book tour.

 

 

Lydia
24 April, 2012
Memoirs, Non-Fiction, reviews
4 comments
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The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois

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Reason for Reading:
  • Required reading for my American Lit class.

Summary from GoodReads:

First published in 1903, this extraordinary work not only recorded and explained history, it helped to alter its course. Written after Du Bois had earned his Ph.D. from Harvard and studied in Berlin, these 14 essays contain both the academic language of sociology and the rich lyrics of African spirituals, which Du Bois called “sorrow songs”.

My Review:

One of the toughest, most interesting non-fiction reads I’ve experienced.

The Souls of Black Folk was required reading for me this year – although the class only dealt with five or so chapters, I was so intrigued by what I was reading that I had to finish the entire book.

Each essay provided plenty of food for thought – but most interesting to me was the essay on the education of former slaves – what was appropriate and what was not. This is a part of history that really hasn’t been part of my education, and not only did I find it enlightening, historically speaking, I also found it to be relevant today – for all types.

With our focus on getting straight into college after high school (and my experience with some siblings that just doesn’t work for), I think what Du Bois has to say is incredibly insightful. Not every person is cut out for a life of academia after high school, and specialized training is there for a reason. As I attend school, and each semester say goodbye to more and more friends who just, for whatever reason, are not coming back, I find myself thinking more about the ideas that Du Bois so eloquently writes down.

I recommend this reading. I think everyone should read it – and I challenge you to do so.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

A Novel Review

Notes from the North

Lydia
19 March, 2012
Non-Fiction, reviews
1 comment
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The Uncanny by Sigmund Freud

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Reason for Reading:
  • We’re applying Freud’s theory on the uncanny to texts we’re reading in my Monday night seminar at school. It’s fun!

I also recommend:

  • I really can’t think of anything to liken this to.

Summary from GoodReads:

Freud was fascinated by the mysteries of creativity and the imagination. The groundbreaking works that comprise The Uncanny present some of his most influential explorations of the mind. In these pieces Freud investigates the vivid but seemingly trivial childhood memories that often “screen” deeply uncomfortable desires; the links between literature and daydreaming; and our intensely mixed feelings about things we experience as “uncanny.” Also included is Freud’s celebrated study of Leonardo Da Vinci-his first exercise in psychobiography.

My Review:

I’m going to start this review out by saying… I think Freud was a little bit of a whackadoodle. Just putting that out there.

That said, there are some things in this book that make sense – in an uncanny way (see what I did there?). The first essay on Screen Memories had me scratching my head and questioning my childhood memories. The essay on Creative Writing and Dreams had me looking at all those creative sorts around me with a new insight.

Then there is the Uncanny essay.

First, let me say that for being such a “big” name, Freud defies the stereotype of boring essays by making these remarkably approachable and interesting. In a way, they almost read like fiction – what with all the “subjects” he casually throws into the conversation.

Now, the uncanny essay – I am studying it so much this summer and it is a treasure trove of delights. Stop for a moment and think about it. Can you define uncanny? If you can’t – this essay is for you. (You might want to skip the first part, although if you read it I can talk to you and let you know just how the first part is uncanny in and of itself!).

Highly, highly recommend, especially if you are a fan of the horror or “uncanny” genre of book. Will give you fantastic insights into just what is making those hairs on the back of your neck raise.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Ozzycda

Lydia
22 February, 2012
Non-Fiction, Paranormal, reviews
0 comments
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No Way Home by Carlos Acosta

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Reason for Reading:
  • I’ve been reading stories about ballet dancers since I was a little girl.  I couldn’t resist another one.

I also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

Carlos Acosta, the Cuban dancer considered to be one of the world’s greatest performers, fearlessly depicts his journey from adolescent troublemaker to international superstar in his captivating memoir, No Way Home.

Carlos was just another kid from the slums of Havana; the youngest son of a truck driver and a housewife, he ditched school with his friends and dreamed of becoming Cuba’s best soccer player. Exasperated by his son’s delinquent behavior, Carlos’s father enrolled him in ballet school, subjecting him to grueling days that started at five thirty in the morning and ended long after sunset.

The path from student to star was not an easy one. Even as he won dance competitions and wowed critics around the world, Carlos was homesick for Cuba, crippled by loneliness and self-doubt. As he traveled the world, Carlos struggled to overcome popular stereotypes and misconceptions; to maintain a relationship with his family; and, most of all, to find a place he could call home.

My Review:

I’ve always had a thing for the underdog.  I mean, honestly, who hasn’t at one point or another in their lives?  I put this book on my TBR list a few years ago, and only recently did the notification pop up that it was available in my library (granted, I wasn’t looking too hard when I was in GA, but I digress…).

I’m really torn on this book, because I really, desperately, want to admire what Carlos Acosta, and his family, sacrificed for him to achieve his status in the world today.  I think what makes it hard to fully admire this is because the hard work is so downplayed in this memoir, and instead, the delinquency, the disrespect for his parents, the disregard for the world of ballet is brought to the forefront, cheapening the effect of what could have been a very, very powerful story.

So, rather than focus on the work, on detailing the hours of sweat, speaking of the performances and the struggles within the world of ballet, Carlos Acosta instead, focuses solely on the struggles in his outer world.  Now, granted, they were struggles no one should have to deal with.  His family frequently was in need of food, and Cuba is definitely not a paradise on earth.  His descriptions of his hometown, and the nature surrounding it were lush and I felt like I could envision what he was trying to paint for me … but then he would move back to these, semi-dramatic moments that just distracted from the story.

The other issue I had with the story is the massive rise of ego – from virtually nothing at the beginning until I felt like I was being choked with it at the end.  That could be his youth (he was only 25 at the time of this memoir), but it left me with a distaste for the person he’d become.

I’d only recommend this book if you are a fan, or a ballet enthusiast.  Otherwise, pass this memoir by and go read his Wikipedia entry.

Don’t just take my word for it! Check out what these bloggers say!

Book Addiction

Nomad Reader

Lydia
20 January, 2012
Memoirs, Non-Fiction, reviews
0 comments
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If You Ask Me by Betty White

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Reason for Reading:
  • It has Betty White on the cover – I couldn’t resist. It was a weak moment.

I recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

Drawing from a lifetime of lessons learned, seven-time Emmy winner Betty White’s wit and wisdom take center stage as she tackles topics like friendship, romantic love, aging, television, fans, love for animals, and the brave new world of celebrity. If You Ask Me mixes her thoughtful observations with humorous stories from a seven- decade career in Hollywood. Longtime fans and new fans alike will relish Betty’s candid take on everything from her rumored crush on Robert Redford (true) to her beauty regimen (I have no idea what color my hair is and I never intend to find out”) to the Facebook campaign that helped persuade her to host Saturday Night Live despite her having declined the hosting job three times already.

My Review:

I wish I could say that this book had me in stitches, but… it didn’t.  The Betty White in print is definitely not quite the Betty White as shown in movies and on TV.  Is she sweet? Sure.  Nice? Sure.  She comes across as a very down-to-earth, grandma sort of person, but what I thought would be a funny set of essays was more of a grandma’s advice on how to live life, and a lot of admonitions on taking care of animals.

Don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing wrong with either of those things.  It just didn’t make for very fun reading, and definitely wasn’t what I was expecting.  Actually, the best part of the book were the photos that were included.

I think part of it was my fault – I should have looked to see if she’d written anything before this book (she has), but I didn’t.  Instead,  I got a lot of essays about the show she is in currently (that I haven’t seen), and just a few mentions here and there of The Golden Girls (a show I absolutely love).

Another upside to this book is, if you are looking to pad that book count, I think this one took me about an hour to read.  Short and sweet essays, lots of pictures, these things add up to a quick and easy read.

Check out these reviews!

Reading in Winter

Lydia
10 January, 2012
Comedy, Memoirs, Non-Fiction, reviews
1 comment
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The Heroine’s Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore

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Reason for Reading:
  • Jane Austen in the title – I swear that made me want to get it!

I also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

 

Full of beloved heroines and the remarkable writers who created them, The Heroine’s Bookshelf explores how the pluck and dignity of literary characters such as Jane Eyre and Lizzy Bennet can encourage women today.

 

Each legendary character is paired with her central quality—Anne Shirley is associated with irrepressible “Happiness,” while Scarlett O’Hara personifies “Fight”—along with insights into her author’s extraordinary life. From Zora Neale Hurston to Colette, Laura Ingalls Wilder to Charlotte BrontË, Harper Lee to Alice Walker, here are authors and characters whose spirited stories are more inspiring today than ever.


My Review:

I am ashamed to admit that half the stories in this book have yet to be read by me.  That IS something I intend to fix (and one reason why this book should be sitting on your shelf – it has a fantastic list of titles inside that should make up an important part of your TBR list).

So, I did not read every essay – mostly because I don’t want to spoil the stories.  I did, however, read every essay of the books I’ve read and I found them enchanting.

One of the things I’m learning in school is how important it is to look at everything when it comes to literature, because of all the different ways literature can be interpreted.  I mean – Lizzy from Pride and Prejudice.. she embodies grace and fire and I loved reading, and re-reading about her as a teenager – and still do as an adult.  But not once did I think about her as a picture of what it means to be sure of ones self.

I don’t want to go into detail about each essay, because they should be read, taken for what they are worth, and allowed to inspire the readers to dive more through re-reading the classics they talk about (or read for the first time). I’ve found that older books have this amazing way to become incredibly relevant to life, and when things are down in the dumps, I remind myself that at least, my hair isn’t green like Anne Shirley’s, or I haven’t had to verbally lash a conceited, backhanded proposal given by a man who thinks himself better than me, like Elizabeth Bennet.

I think this book is going to be featured on my lists of good books to give for Christmas.  It’s the perfect size, and the essays are short and feature quite a bit of material about both the books and authors highlighted.  And… it’s just plain fun.

About the Author


For more reviews on The Heroine’s Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore, please follow the book tour.

Lydia
15 November, 2011
Classics, Non-Fiction, reviews
3 comments
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American Rose: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee by Karen Abbott

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Reason for Reading:
  • This book caught my eye as I was walking through my library.

I also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

America in the Roaring Twenties. Vaudeville was king. Talking pictures were only a distant flicker. Speakeasies beckoned beyond dimly lit doorways; money flowed fast and free. But then, almost overnight, the Great Depression leveled everything. When the dust settled, Americans were primed for a star who could distract them from grim reality and excite them in new, unexpected ways. Enter Gypsy Rose Lee, a strutting, bawdy, erudite stripper who possessed a preternatural gift for delivering exactly what America needed.

My Review:

So when I began to read this book I knew absolutely nothing about Gypsy Rose Lee.  Silly, naive me, I thought I’d be reading about a Broadway entertainer – maybe the female counterpart to Al Jolson.  Oh, how wrong I was.

Gypsy Rose Lee was.. a stripteaser.  You’ve seen Burlesque?  Yup – Gypsy was part of the earliest.  The story of her life is a heart-breaking one, but I’m not really sure just how much of this story is accurate, however.  Karen Abbott states in her authors note that the majority of the story came from Gypsy’s sister, and her son – but the relationship between Gypsy and her sister is not a flattering one, and her son wasn’t present for Gypsy’s younger life.

So, taking the story with a grain of salt, I allowed myself to be entertained with stories of early New York and the vaudeville circuit and thoroughly enjoyed perusing the pictures provided as well.

American Rose is entertainment, pure and simple.  It’s a guilty pleasure biographical read that reads more like fiction then a biography.  I actually took more historical information from the descriptions of the others involved in the entertainment circle of Gypsy and that was fine by me.

Check out these reviews!

The Book Lady’s Blog

Medieval Bookworm

Lydia
12 November, 2011
Non-Fiction, reviews
1 comment
, , ,

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

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Reason for Reading:
  • This was my book club choice for September.

I also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.
The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown. 

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

My Review:

Unbroken is one of those books that is daunting to review.  I mean, this story is heartbreaking.  How do you review something that speaks of such strength and courage and willpower?

Do I talk about the writing?  Because frankly, it was magnificent.  I haven’t read Seabiscuit, but from reading Unbroken I have to say, I’m in awe of Hillenbrand’s ability to put together a story with so much information jam-packed into it, and still make it read like a fictional piece.  There was so much information.  My head is still spinning from it all.

And Zamperini?  What a guy.  Fantastic photos (he was a hottie, yall!), fantastic story and .. the sharks!  I keep coming back to them in my mind because, geez, I would have been totally worthless if placed int he same position.

I read a lot of World War II stories, both fictional and non-fiction, but I have to say that this is one of the most moving stories I’ve read and one of the most different.  Most WWII books I read deal with Germany and what is happening in Europe and it’s easy to forget at times that there was more happening – at least for non-history buffs like myself. This book does a fantastic job of kicking my un-knowledgeable self in the booty and forcing me to open my eyes and look at what else was happening.

Fantastic book – believe the hype, don’t let it scare you off like it did me at first.

 

Check out these reviews!

At Home with Books

Lydia
1 October, 2011
Non-Fiction, reviews
6 comments
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