I read this book with the greatest interest. Ms. Kuhn has faced head on the difficult subject of caretaking for infirm and terminally ill family members with grace and dignity. She illustrates with integrity her own personal experiences and never lets the reader think they have been left out of any of her narratives. This is done in a practical manner but never loses the emotional depth of every situation described. I feel, after reading this book, that I can face the challenge and responsibility of caring for others in a more mature and courageous manner. But especially, I would know that I am not alone in this struggle.

If "Anybody Can Do Anything," then everyone should have some Betty MacDonald books on the shelf. My super-modern grandson,m in second grade at the time, got a great kick out of the "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle" book I got him for Christmas.
The adult books are gems of humorous American writing. Every word should be savored. "Who Me?" was pulled together from Betty's four adult books. All the writing was hers, however. It was recommended to librarians at the time (around 1959 or 1960) that if they had the complete books, this abridgement wasn't necessary for the collection.
I would agree. ...Most of Betty's other stuff is available, however, which should be good news for fans new and old.

Actually, I'm one of the authors in the anthology - Cait Glasson, "Paul's Letters to the Lesbians" - and so I'll only talk about the others' stories. The anthology is uneven in places - some stories, while extremely good pastiches, are not tremendously funny, although perhaps if I were more of a fan of the parodied authors I'd think differently - but contains some extremely funny material as well. Some that stick out in my mind, for instance, would include R.E.Neu's "Heather Has a Mommy and a Daddy", which is absolutely priceless, while Shelly Rafferty's "Rejection Letter" is a cruelly accurate skewer of the queer small-press industry.

Worth picking up for those two alone, there are some other real gems hidden in this one. And I purposely do not include my own in that; I'll leave reviewing that to someone with a little less at stake.

These devotional inspire and encourage women to celebrate and embrace whatever they are dealing with each day - both the good times and the rough times and a reminder to know who is in control of their life. Prayer and positive reminders fill each of these honest chapters of life moments recalled by various ladies including Betty Robison, Chondra Pierce, CeCe Winans and Kathy Trocolli. Makes a beautiful and touching gift for any women, mother, wife or friend.

Many say this book brought about the revolution that made it easier for women to work outside the home, (of which I'm a large proponent)--a title which made me expect a highly moving and powerful book--yet when I began, and almost all the way through the book, it let me down. Ms. Friedan makes several good points, but then has the tendancy to draw them out pages and pages longer than they need go on (a group of my freinds who have also read this book agree with me that each chapter, minus quotes, could be reduced down to about a paragraph). She also has the tendancy to not say exactly the source of facts she has in her books. I often found myself reading something along the lines of "...and a very famous study showed..." without having a footnote, endnote, or any marks as to which study this so-called "famous study" is. Ms. Friedan is a very intelligent person, that much I do not deny, but she is not gifted with the ability to put things in their most succinct form. I wanted to give this book much less than 3 stars, but I couldn't, simply on the basis of what it is credited with doing. The book is very good in the way that it presents what were fairly radical ideas at the time it was published with a lot of vigor, but is one of those books where I found myself nodding off every paragraph or so and thinking after I got into a chapter "Didn't I just read this a few lines ago?" My bottom line is, if you want a book about femininity in the 60's and around that time period, read this book, but if you want a good book that deals just with real life struggles of a group of people, read W.E.B. Du Bois's "The Souls of Black Folks".

This was one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. Although the book discusses the condition of the lives of women during the 40's, 50's, and 60's it makes a person examine the way they are living their life right now. It helps a person understand why they might be unhappy and explains the steps that can be taken to find happiness. This is no longer just a book for femininsts; it is now a book for both men and women and can help a person live a more full and honest life.

As a 19 year old female, I am fascinated by this book. I can now better appreciate the struggles of my grandmothers: both struggled with depression until they finally left the house and got a job. One was an R.N., and the other an interior decorator. This book reminds of the modern-day yuppie housewife who drives her SUV and lives vicariously through her children while Oprah tells her that she has the most important "job" and will avoid becoming depressed if she remembers her spirit each day. I believe that a woman CAN have both a family and a career. After all, men do. My mother has stayed home and worked, and as a kid, I prefer for her to work. She's happier, she's productive, and far less cranky. Freidan's book has shown me that I have every right to fulfll my potential as I start college, and show to younger girls that you don't go to college for your MRS. degree. I refuse to teach future generations of girls that they must choose between career and family. The Feminine Mystique should be read by every woman. Thank God we have come as far as we have, and so much of that credit belongs to Freiden herself.

The premise of this book is very compelling...I can't think of any other very similar books out there. However, I just couldn't believe the characters here...it felt like the author didn't really know her own characters - and she created them - so how could the reader understand their thoughts and motivations. The Sarah Shepherd character was so all over the place - not only was she not at all believeable but she seemed like about 5 different people. In some novels that might be a strength, but here i think it was just poor writing. The book was also written for the lowest common demoninator reader...written like the reader had no attention span. The author obviously is creative and has great story ideas, but she'd be wise to spend some more time working on her execution before her next novel.

I was drawn into buying this by reviews that described it as a smart thriller, and it certainly lived up to that. Both Sarah and Merec are fascinating, with this pervasive sexual tension that I'm not sure the author even intended. I couldn't put it down, even though I have to say I flinched away from some of the more graphic scenes. And the violence is not strictly gratuitous and always serves to keep the plot marching steadily forward. Call me shallow, but I thought the climax was positively cinematic, and I kept imagining what actress "of a certain age" would be right to play Sarah. Hurrah for an author who has the guts to make a convincing heroine who's over fifty--especially when I looked at the photo and saw how young the author is. If you like gripping, well-written thrillers and you're tired of all the fake-y women and "sexy" thugs who tend to people this kind of book, Kill Me First is definitely for you.

I stayed up until four in the morning to finish Kill Me First. Once I was hooked, I couldn't put it down.

But what I found even more rewarding than the non-stop action, was the fact that this book delivered on a deeper level. Kate Morgenroth's debut novel delves into human nature, and forces us to look both at ourselves and the society we have created. Although she paints a sometimes bleak picture of the violence which seems so central to our culture and the media which glorifies it, at the same time Morgenroth gives us hope in the form of the "heroine" Sarah Shepard.

While the story is a true page turner, the real power of this book lies just below the surface, in the messages Morgenroth whispers to us between the lines.

A friend of mine lent me this book to read. I made it about 2/3 of the way through and had to put it down for good. Although the books is well written, engaging, and interesting, Raines can't stay away from launching political barbs. (I think many of us will all agree that Hoover was a poor president, but Raines can't keep from repeatedly driving that point home. It gives one the impression as though Hoover had it out for Raines' own family.) I'm not sure what all that has to do with fly fishing. His inability to keep his politics seperate from any other aspect of his life is quite obvious in the content of the NY Times, which he is now the Editor in Chief. If you're looking for a light read about the adventures of fly fishing, I recommend Harry Middleton or John Gierach.

Take one middle aged guy, throw in the history of him watching a decade or so go by, toss in some past memories, a few friends, a few fishing trips, a little regional history & folklore,some biased political commentary and what do you get...? A decent read. BUT by no means a great read.

I like to row (scull) and have read most, if not all, of the "sports/autobiographical" rowing tomes out there -- and there are few. I KNOW when an author has really let it all hang out for the world to see. This book falls into that same "sports/autobiographical" category. One of the few written dealing with the emotional side and contect of a specific sport as applied to life (in this case fly fishing). You can write this stuff around any sport you engage in for some time. Find the meaning, draw the analogies, etc. However in Raines case, and for an experienced writer, he could have just done sooo much better. It's not the feelings he shares, it's the emotions he leaves out. He does NOT let it all hang out. The passion just isn't there like one might think it should be. Pivotal events are often deal with as passings of time. Unlike other autobiographical books I have read, this one left me wanting to share it with.. nobody. And that is a shame because I am not that hard to please...

If this were a movie you would wait till it came to video and the big name videos were already checked out...

BTW, if you want to try something interesting, try "Rowing Against the Current" to experience personal sports writing where the author really lets you in...

Raines has done a wonderful job in this book on several fronts. It is a very engaging story, chock full of the entertainment we long to read for. It is also a wealth of nuggets of information about flyfishing -- those nuggets you won't find in the "how-to" books, but normally only learn through long hard experience. Woven through this great tale however is something much deeper and more personal. It is a story, a fly-fishing instructional book, and practical, down-to-earth psychotherapy for men over 40, all in one compact book. It helps us to recognize those traits we've suffered through and tried to understand. All in all, Raines essentially says to save your head shrink money and go fly-fishing. I've followed his advice - and it works!

I've just finished a wonderful book which I'd like to recommend to anyone interested in a good read. Betty Boyd Caroli's, THE ROOSEVELT WOMEN, reads like a good novel. It's filled with interesting stories, enticing gossip, and legendary women, - all combined with good history. Although I was familiar with Eleanor Roosevelt's story, I must admit that I knew very little about most of the Roosevelt women Ms. Caroli introduced me to. These aunts and cousins were role models for Eleanor - women who traveled the world, wrote books, served in state legislatures, even addressed the Republican National Convention - all while raising families and running large households. If you want some insight into the lives of the women in this very special American family, this is the book for you.

I was delighted to read Betty Boyd Caroli's new book, "The Roosevelt Women." While I've read a lot about Eleanor Roosevelt, I knew next to nothing about the other Roosevelt women. According to Caroli's book, ER's aunts had a major influence on her. Perhaps the future First Lady saw in them what strong women could accomplish. The aunts and cousins Caroli describes were quite accomplished in their own right. They wrote books, traveled the world, one became a state legislator and one even gave a speech at the Republican National Convention. While they seemed to have very active lives apart from their husbands, they also played traditional female roles raising children and running large households. "The Roosevelt Women" reads like a novel. It was a pleasure to learn about the other women in this amazing family.

I enjoyed immensely this collective biography of a group of women linked by a family name made famous by two presidents. Each was a notable, and in some cases extraordinary character in her own right. It is not an easy task to untangle and explicate the intricate skeins of nine overlapping stories, but the author succeeds wonderfully by filling her book with memorable details, photographs and contexts for each of these women. I felt very well guided through the complexities of their relationships with each other and to the men of the family, and the influences they exerted, many of which have not been as clearly profiled in biographies focusing on the Roosevelt men. I was grateful for the large doses of social historical context, which helped me appreciate the scope of some of the lesser-known women's accomplishments. Caroli writes in the most affecting terms, clearly delineating each personality in her own right and in terms of the mark she left on American history. The choice to approach these women as a large group differentiates this book from other Roosevelt biographies and underlines the qualities of immense energy, curiosity, and forcefulness of character which are the common threads of these women's lives.

I found it a fascinating read and could not put the book down.

Everyone trashing Betty's "ethnocentric" attitude misses the point of the book. Never does she set out to tell the complete, broad story of what it is like in Iran. She is not a researcher or a scholar attempting to give a balanced picture of life there. Rather, she sets out to tell her individual experience, warts and all. She doesn't make herself into a saint, and she allows her own prejudices and tunnel vision to come through. She doesn't offer a lot of "proof" as some reviewers have complained of--in fact, I can't think of one AUTObiography I've read that is chock full of "proof." The point of an autobiography is to tell one's own story the way one sees it. Betty did that. If you don't like book is not meant as a sweeping generalization her telling her story, too bad. Everyone has the right to tell her or his story as he or she sees fit. I think the rest of us can see that the about Iranians, but instead, the experiences of one woman, her husband and daughter.

This book tells about one woman's courage and strength. Those who panned this book should remember Betty Mahmoody agreed to go to Iran only because her husband "promised" her they would only stay two weeks. He announced just a few days before their scheduled departure that he lost his job and they would remain in Iran. He betrayed her in a very big way. Since, according to government rules, she could not divorce Moody without losing her daughter or if she left the country without Mahtob to visit her dying father, she would not be permited to return. Remember, Betty did not want to live according to their culture and she had that choice since these are modern times. As a result, Betty was going to leave the country anyway she could. There have been Iranian women who have left the country never wanting to return also. Yes, she is negative toward the country but she is not the only one who has escaped Iran or other such countries. Not Without My Daughter is one of the most compelling life experience stories I have ever read. I will read it again and again.

Not Without My Daughter is the true story/biography of Betty Mahmoody, who accompanies her husband on a supposed two-week vacation to his native homeland, Iran, along with their daughter. Betty is well aware of the fact that once in Iran, she has nearly no rights, contrary to that of an American woman. As a woman, and especially an American she is looked down upon by others. A

This book, while coming under heavy criticism for it's portrayal of the Iranian lifestyle and customs is still quite a good read. The book is somewhat suspenseful, always with plot twists and intricate detail. The detail is so intricate, in fact, that I read it over and over.

However, many events in the book are supposed to be exaagerated. I do not believe this, because the book is taking place during a time period in which Iran is embroiled in a bitter war with Iraq, which changes every single circumstance in the perspective of a reader.

Not Without My Daughter is almost like a survival story, because Betty makes choices and she vows to escape with her daughter several times in the story. The mother-daughter bond is a constant theme in this story as children belong to the father in Iran and no one can simply identify with Betty's maternal instinct.

Despite the fact that people think it is over-exxagerated, it really is not. However, times have changed, and the book can not be put in any time period and work with the reader. Reading this book will give you an insight into what it is like in third-world countries like Iran, coupled with a mother and child's desperate desire for freedom. A compelling, yet disturbing book, Not Without My Daughter is an interesting, motivational, and overall dramatic book for someone looking to be deeply sensitized in an adventure.

P.S. - The book is definetely more in-depth and more detailed than the made for TV movie, starring Sally Field, produced by Pathe Entertainment, and released in 1991.

Stephen Crane has written an excellent work in The Red Badge of Courage. This book takes place in a period of two days, giving Crane plenty of room to expand on his themes and go into great detail. This book catches the reader's attention by presenting the Civil War in such great detail that the reader cannot help but picture the scenes in their own mind.

The Red Badge of Courage tells the story of a youthful boy, Henry Flemming, who goes to war. After many rumors of battle cause Henry to doubt his courage when faced with battle, Henry's group finally goes into battle. Henry does not run away during the fighting, and gains confidence. However, the second battle that he sees causes him to flee. The rest of the story tells of How Henry comes to terms with his fear, and eventually returns to the battle line.

The only complaint that any reader could have is that Crane uses almost too much detail. Because there is so much detail, the reader could loose track of the plot. The great detail is, however, what makes this such an outstanding book. Any reader that can get "into" a book will thoroughly enjoy The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.

The Red Badge of Courage is interepted as many as being an anti-war novel: it is not.What it does do is present the horrors and psychological aspects of war war without glory, but not without heroics and courage.Henry Fleming is in many ways an every-soldier: he joins the army out of patriotism and to prove his manhood; when the time comes to fight he doubts himself and runs away out of fear. It is at this point Henry comes to the crossroads of his young life: instead of completely deserting his unit he returns to his regiment and the battlefield out of a sense of duty and also out of shame and anger at himself. Once he returns he peforms heroically on the battlefield. I feel Crane's purpose in this books is not to make some overblown anti-war treatise like All Quiet on the Western Front, but to portray what he believed( and may soldiers who read the book agreed with him) to be the emotions and feelings of a soldier in war and also the true motivation behind courage and heroism. Crane shows through Henry, that heroism and courage in war is not something that comes naturally to man(or any animal, as shown by the squirrel scene in the forest) or can simply be conjured up out of blind obedience or extreme partiotism. Crane in fact argues the opposite: courage in war(or in and courage in reponse to violence) is something unatural, something that must be accomplished by overcoming our own natural fear and flight instincts.Henry is able to perform herocially because of anger, his sense of duty, his feeling of brotherhood toward his regiment and out of something deep inside himself that even Crane ( and nobody) could not totally understand . This is a great book about heroism, courage , brotherhood, duty and the psychological aspects of war. It is not a books that glorifies war ,nor it is it an anti-war treatise. It simply tells a story about war in a world where war exists.

Peace is a rare circumstance among major nations in the last 150 years. When war pushes peace out, everyone quickly realizes why peace is so important and desirable. When peace returns, the next generation can quickly fail to grasp its significance. In extreme cases, this can lead to romanticism of war.

Books like The Red Badge of Courage and All Quiet on the Western Front are important ways to pass along the message of how undesirable war is.

The Red Badge of Courage offers another benefit. Stephen Crane takes us into the mindset of mid-19th century America. At that time, the spiritual and the tangible were closely entertwined in peoples' minds. You will find a lot of religious metaphors in this book, that a modern writer would be relatively unlikely to use.

Another benefit of reading The Red Badge of Courage is that it helps to understand the profound effect that the Civil War has had on the United States. The significance of these events remains fresh for many Americans, while others ignore the events totally.

Although it is certainly not an easy book to read, it can be a rewarding one. You will find that you can discuss this book with a high percentage of all the people you will ever meet who like to read. That's a pretty nice benefit from reading a fairly short book.

I also recommend that you also think about where in your own life you have developed misconceptions that could harm you.