Marte Cohen, all 4 foot, 11 inches of her, a modest unassuming lady, is a member of my Temple, so I had heard snippets of her story before, which few people (even her children) may have known about. However, I had no idea of the incredible drama involved until my wife purchased a copy of Marte's recently published book. Since I do a lot of my leisure reading upon retiring, I never realized what sleepless nights I would have, inasmuch as I could not put the book down except when I might finally fall asleep from fatigue in the wee hours of the morning. Not only is it a wonderful story of the bravery of a self-described "average" (hardly), young, French woman who voluntarily experienced life-threatening situations during a period of incredible evil, it provides great insight into what everyday life must have been like in pre- and post-war France. This book was especially uplifting, even for an old cynic such as me.

If you like adventure, heartache, love affairs (not what you may think)and luck, you must read this book. This lady was in her late teens and early twenties during WW II. As her family is Jewish, they lived through all kinds of hell, however, the resourcefulness of the author along with many regular citizens of her area, this immediate family was able to live through the ordeal (excepting two people) and Ms. Cohn has written a fine book of the times and what she accomplished. What a fine human being Marthe Cohn is.

Hard to believe that this really happened to a young woman during one of the most terrifying times in history. Somber at times, but also eventually full of hope.

The book focuses largely on the First World War, where the term shell shock originated and and attempts were first made to understand it's concept.

The book recounts, through many personal stories how the whole notion of mental suffering was often regarded as a form of cowardice, with many innocents suffering the ultimate punishment/shame, purely due to a lack of understanding of the mental and physical stress that war can cause, whilst authorities seemed incapable of showing compassion for fear of inducing a revolt in their own forces.

Distressingly, the author recounts how doctors working for the military were ordered to work with the sole intention of getting their patients well enough to be able to send them back to the frontline, where all the original triggers of shell shock awaited.

Incidents are reported of soldiers, who would have no reason to suffer mental illness in everday life, displaying the most bizarre symptoms after being exposed to the continuous horrors of war.

Holden goes on to detail how the understanding of Shell Shock evolved during the World Wars largely due to the perserverance and hard work of a number of doctors who often experimented with nothing more than trial and error methods.

It goes on to explain how further conflicts in the 20th Century, ncluding Vietnam and the Gulf War have to some extent allowed the understanding of the stresses of war to become almost scientifically identified, to the point where it's now generally understood what sorts of conditions and how many hours of combat the average human can take in war.

I loved this book. I started reading it at work and was literally laughing out loud at certain times and my co-workers thought I was crazy.
I was familiar with Wendy Holden's work as I had already read Bad heir Day, that book was good, but not nearly as much fun as this book. It is just a simple guilty pleasure!
You will love the character of Grace, she is so good and tries so hard, you just have to relate to her on some level. She finally sheds her good girl image for a chance at love(?) and, of course, it all blows up in her face.
There is more to the story, though and it is thoroughly enjoyable.
If you are a fan of the Bridget Jones or Shopaholic books, you will love Gossip Hound.

Wendy Holden's fourth book, "Gossip Hound" deals with Grace, who worked as a publicist for Hatto & Hatto, an obscure and struggling publishing company. Hatto & Hatto's authors never made it to the bestselling list, and this made Grace's job of securing decent publicity for the authors even more difficult. This was vivid in Grace's latest client, Henry Moon. From one blunder to another, Grace was convinced that her career, before it even began will end soon. An opportunity came when Grace was assigned to work with Red Campion, one of the hottest movie stars around. At the same time, Belinda Black, an unethical journalist was dying to get her hands on Campion for an interview which she was sure would make her the most sought after journalist in London.

This is the fourth book of Holden that I have read. Holden has a unique of style of writing and her books are usually relatively fast-paced. "Gossip Hound" unlike "Bad Heir Day" is witty and funny. My only problem with this book is that, like Holden's other books, it is quite predictable. There is always one character like Belinda Black, who is arrogant, beautiful, unethical and annoying that appears consistently in all her books. In addition, each of her heroines is usually a pushover, meek and has an egoistic boyfriend. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy her books and her plots (with the exception of "Bad Heir Day") are fun and interesting. "Gossip Hound" is definitely different from other chick lits and I definitely enjoy the glimpses into the competitive literary world.

I couldn't disagree more with the reviewer who said this book was uninteresting. I read it in 2 days, could barely put it down to go to the grocery store when I noticed I was out of milk. As far as the choking of the little dog - it is funny (and I'm a dog lover), especially when he gets thrown in the gazpacho because he throws up in Belinda's (tabloid journalist) Prada purse. This book has humor, romance, even a seafood laden fight between half-naked women over a naked movie star! I loved Bridget, loved Jemima J, now I love Grace just as much. For all fans of "chick lit", british humor, or just a good read to take your mind off things for a while - I highly recommend Gossip Hound.

After reading Holden's first two novels, I was especially interested in reading her third. Bad Heir Day was a moderately good book, but no where near as entertaining and compelling as Simply Divine. Unfortunately, Farm Fatale is lost in the countryside.

We meet two couples, Rosie and Mark -- semi-struggling Londoners -- and Samantha and Guy -- wealthy Londoners. Through a series of circumstances, both couples (who don't know each other) end up in the same English country village. While Rosie is the most keen to move to the country, her descriptions of the country never made me feel like I was there.

I suspect this novel was written under a deadline, and it painfully shows. The four main characters are so distressed and stressed out, it's hard to feel anything for them. Holden spends too much time dwelling on the complaints of the characters without bringing more depth to this novel. The characters just complain and complain and complain and the reader has to wait forever for any of the characters to have the nerve to actually DO something to improve their life. Yes, we know about Rosie and her struggling career as an illustrator, and Mark as a washed-up wannabe newspaper writer, but there is no spark that makes any of the characters interesting or likable. When the fancy dress party arrives on page 220, it felt like the novel was going to change and sparkle, at last. Unfortunately, the party was over in a few pages (Holden could have had such fun spending more time describing the party!!), and the reader is back in the distressed lives of the main characters. What spark does come to the surface in the final section of the book simply isn't enough to carry the story.

Even if you're a fan of Holden's novels, I recommend leaving this one alone. Unfortunately, Holden's best novel was her first (Simply Divine), and neither of her follow-up novels are as good. If you're interested in a British-chick-in-the-countryside novel, try Stately Pursuits by Katie Fforde -- her observations are keen and spot-on and her characters are instantly more likeable and entertaining.

Those who relish a smile a paragraph and a laugh a page will devour Wendy Holden's latest fun-filled foray into the lives of the British upper class. FARM FATALE, a delicious take-off on the trendy, is punctuated with puns and served with satire.

Rosie, a children's book illustrator pines for the country life, a cozy cottage, if you will, in the rolling hills of England. On the other hand, Mark, her live-in boyfriend who is a tabloid writer, loves London. He's sure his big break is imminent and the city is the place where he'll find it.

Mark's wrong. His editor asks him to pen a column on the trials and triumphs of country living, so the couple buy a home in the village of Eight Mile Bottom. Rosie is enchanted with the rustic life and her new neighbors. Marks detests the prying postman, the couple next door, and he soon suffers from writer's block.

Enter social climbers Guy Grabster and his former actress wife, Samantha, who purchase a grand mansion nearby. They host a sumptuous show-off party attended by an eager Mark, hoping to land a job as screenwriter for Samantha's project - a star turn as Charlotte Bronte.

Now, if you think Samantha's scheme is a bit off the wall, wait until you meet some of the other characters Holden has dreamed up - an ex Bond lassie, hippies, and a handsome pop star whose fame and fortune have not brought him happiness. Mix in a good looking young farmer who apparently embodies all the values for which Rosie yearns.

What's a girl to do?

- Gail Cooke

"Farm Fatale" deals with Rosie, an illustrator/artist, who aspires to move to the countryside in order to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. Her boyfriend, Mark, an aspiring columnist was reluctant to move until his paper offered him a column to write about life in the country. There, the couple met fascinating characters. They managed on both of their small incomes to get a cottage and met up with interesting neighbors which include hippies, farm owners, and etc. Rosie was adjusting well but Mark grew more resentful as his few attempts to submit his column was rejected. At the same time, Samantha, an arrogant, supposedly know-it-all aspiring actress was also moving to the country because it was trendy to do so and she hoped to conquer the local social scene. Meanwhile, Rosie gradually realized that Mark was getting unbearable. Her love life was getting more complicated with the encounter of Jack, a farm boy who was down to earth and later a brief encounter with Matt Locke, the recluse rock star.

I think this book is funny, light and very entertaining. My only complain is that the author tried to emphasize both Rosie and Samantha as the main characters but gradually it becomes apparent that Rosie is really the main focus. The Samantha storyline just sort of drift off. This is not the typical chick lit book with predictable outcome but in fact is very different. I find it quite exciting especially with the second half of the book and the author leaves you wanting for more. I think the author did a great job in developing the book's secondary characters and giving them diverse personalities which makes the book more fascinating.

If you're in the mood to escape to the world of turn-of-the-millenium London, full of large-breasted socialites, trashy magazines, designer clothes, anorexic ex-debs, crumbling country manors, and just enough sex to keep things interesting, then you may want to check out Wendy Holden's "Simply Divine." Holden apparently drew on her own experiences working for a Brit tabloid-ish magazine; the novel features Jane, a hard-working, not-terribly-glam journalist assigned to ghost-write columns for the fabulous blonde bombshell socialite, Champagne D'Vyne (only one of the ridiculous character names in the book). The book is a quick read (though not short), full of entertaining one-liners, more puns than any writer ought to cram in a single book, and humorous scenes. Holden skewers many of the "types" found in British society, although her satire is too often heavy-handed. I found the book best consumed in small bites; otherwise, the unfailingly flip tone tends to grate.

Having read Gossip Hound, I wanted to get my hands on Wendy Holden's debut novel. Simply Divine is a modern fairy tale with Holden's signature style of wicked romance and satire.

Jane is a young journalist who's been given the challenging job of ghostwriting the adventures and exploits of faux celebrity and fashionista Champagne D'Vyne. Which means that her dream of taking creative control of a glossy magazine has just as well shattered. To make matters worse, she couldn't make her personal life more pathetic if she'd tried. She is in a dead-end relationship with the unpleasant Nick while desiring her gorgeous upstairs neighbor. Will she be able to upgrade her career? Will she find a suitable mate? And, more importantly, will she survive the outrageous excursions with the insubordinate Champagne D'Vyne? There are some fun twists in the novel.

Simply Divine is a rather entertaining and enlightening novel. Holden's take on the glamorous world of socialites and fashionistas is witty and insightful. Hers is the brand of ironic humor that I look for in women's fiction. The characterization in her novels is just wonderful. I flinched every time Champagne D'Vyne made an appearance. I was able to get better acquainted with the aforementioned character in Gossip Hound. She has the sort of deluded arrogance that would make Madonna seem humble in comparison. All of the characters in the novel are entertaining and compelling. Are you in the bargain for original chick lit? I couldn't recommend Wendy Holden's work enough. She's one of the best British writers to come out since Helen Fielding. Enjoy!

For her first novel I thought that Wendy Holden did an absolutely wonderful job writing Simply Divine. It is an extremely clever book. She had such great characters. Each character supported a different element of the novel. I found that the main character, Jane, was easy to relate to. She was going through many common issues, like boyfriend troubles, weight and job issues,which are things lots of people deal with. Then there was Champagne, the snotty superstar, Jane is hired to follow around. Champagne had so many different elements to her. She has a new boyfriend each week, a dog named Gucci, and very little intelligence, which makes for very interesting situations. Then there is Tally, Jane's bestfriend. Tally is extremely vulnerable and is willing to trust anyone, which makes her an easy target. There are many more incredibly unbelievable characters in this novel. I highly recommend it. It has a different tone to it than a lot of the novels that are out these days. Simply Divine is a comedic romance. The comedy lies within the ironic situations that arise throughout the story. It's not depressing, it's actually very uplifting and enjoyable to read.

Having read Holden's last book "Simply Divine", I approached "Bad Heir Day" with modest expectations. The lead characters share a whole lot in common, and I was mildly disappointed to see that Holden couldn't broaden her imagination a bit. Anna, our lead character in BHD, is dating Sebastian, a letch who has no problem grinding on the dance floor with other women in front of Anna at a wedding they attend. Anna is an aspiring writer (much like Jane in SD was an aspiring journalist)who dreams of novelist stardom. At the above mentioned wedding, Anna meets Geri, a no-nonsense nanny who advises Anna to post an ad on the local library board in order to become an author's assitant. Unfortunately for Anna, her ad is picked up by Cassandra Knight, a romance novelist with a wretched case of writers block and a tendency towards temper tantrums brought on by too much Bombay Sapphire. Cassandra has just lost her nanny (for the umpteenth time in months)because her half-raised heathen son Zak is such a spoiled brat, no one seems to want the job. As Sebastian has decided to dump her and kick her out of the apartment, what else can Anna do but accept Cassandra's offer to become her live-in "assistant". Of course, Anna had no idea she was really lured there to become nanny to Satan's spawn and run the vaccum, as well as fetch Cassandra's breakfast every morning. Meanwhile, Cassandra's has-been rocker husband Jett (who hasn't released an album or a single in years)keeps lurking in hallways and running around in thongs, all to Anna's horrified dismay. Who can take Anna away from her miserable life? Enter Jamie, a handsome guy who owns a castle. He proposes and she accepts...but life with Jamie isn't all it's cracked up to be. This book was very predictable, but I gave it three stars because there was lots of hilarious dialogue and moments sprinkled throughout the book. Perhaps I found it predictable because I'd pretty much read this scenario already in "Simply Divine"- Cassandra Knight is an awful lot like Champagne D'Vyne (who, incidentally, has a cameo appearance in this book as well). All in all, a VERY easy and quick read, suitable for summer beach or rainy, lazy days.

This one if o.k. Not great mind you, but again, if you are going for brainless, kickback on vacation - it might get the job done.

This was one of the funniest books I have read in recent times. Admittedly, it is light and frothy but it is pure escapist fun that will keep you entertained from beginning to end. Aspiring writer Anna is at a loose end both in terms of her career and love life when she takes a job as a personal assistant (that should read nanny!) for the totally atrocious Cassandra, writer of erotic romance novels, wife of a has-been rock star and mother of Zak who should be renamed Damian. What follows is a non-stop adventure of Anna's daily trials and tribulations including her romance with the handsome laird of a Scottish castle. This is not world-class literature (and doesn't pretend to be). Some of the characters are outrageously over the top but the book wouldn't be half as much fun if they weren't. Those reviewers who have given this book one-star ratings and scathing comments really need to lighten up a little. Readers also need to stop trying to equate all contemporary British women writers with Helen Fielding and Bridget Jones. Bridget is Bridget and why should any of these other heroines pretend to be. Try Bad Heir Day for yourself, sit back, relax and just have a ton of fun.

Oh, I am so sorry that you lost digits in an industrial accident. I was going to ask you to count on your fingers the GOOD books you have seen wriiten FROM a movie. Maybe you can still do it, because this book won't be on your list.

Wordy, plain, flaccid, vapid, artless... Who in the world hired this done?

If you INSIST on reading a copy, get one through your library, and donate the difference to charity!

Whether in film or in novel form, The Full Monty is a charming story. In an age of copious "chick-flicks," The Full Monty (finally!) presents its masculine counterpart. Though its themes are gender universal--financial hardship, self-image, and friendship, to name a few--here we get a believable, side-splitting glimpse into the male perspective. However, Wendy Holden's adaptation is stripped of all the character possessed by the screenplay on which it's based. The characters lack likeability, thus a story that is potentially rich in both tender and comedic moments falls short of successful. If you want to go The Full Monty, I recommend reading the screenplay or renting the video instead.

The book (on which the film was based) is, at the same time, tragic, funny and moving. Full of the dark, working-class humor of the north of England, it tells the story of a group of unemployed men who decide that emulation of the Chippendales would be a good way to turn a buck. Sadly, these anti-heroes lack the skill or the physique of their well-muscled counterparts but decide, nevertheless, to 'go the full Monty' and give it a try. The community is kept in the dark as our six heroes practice the routines and try to tighten up the flab.

The Full Monty highlights the fears and inadequacies of men who have begun to lose their self-respect and possibly their families. The confidence they need can only come from stripping bare the deeper issues that trouble their individual lives (pun intended). The result is a humane, idiosyncratic, triumphant comedy that has won the hearts of millions around the world. Maybe the first full-frontal fairy tale!

I've both read the book and seen the film. The book is better, taking time to examine in more depth the characters of Gaz, Dave, Lomper, Horse, Guy and Gerald.