Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust: My Friendship With Patsy Cline by Loretta Lynn

 

I've had Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust: My Friendship With Patsy Cline by Loretta Lynn on my reading wishlist for quite a while. It's the 35th book I've read this year. I'm happy to have finally read Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust: My Friendship With Patsy Cline.

I remember first learning about Loretta Lynn when I watched the movie, 'A Coal Miner's Daughter', starring Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones with my parents when the movie first came out in 1980. I'm not a huge country western music fan, but I did enjoy the songs from this movie. 

Later in life, I became quite a Patsy Cline fan. I love her songs/singing to this day. What a beautiful voice Patsy Cline had. She died way too young. When Loretta Lynn wrote a memoir about their friendship, I couldn't resist reading Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust: My Friendship With Patsy Cline.

Below is the publisher's summary for Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust: My Friendship With Patsy Cline by Loretta Lynn I discovered on the Goodreads website:

Loretta Lynn and the late Patsy Cline are legends--country icons and sisters of the heart. For the first time ever Loretta tells their story: a celebration of their music and their relationship up until Patsy's tragic and untimely death.

Full of laughter and tears, this eye-opening, heartwarming memoir paints a picture of two stubborn, spirited country gals who'd be damned if they'd let men or convention tell them how to be. Set in the heady streets of the 1960s South, this nostalgia ride shows how Nashville blossomed into the city of music it is today. Tender and fierce, Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust is an up-close-and-personal portrait of a friendship that defined a generation and changed country music indelibly--and a meditation on love, loss and legacy.

I am giving Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust: My Friendship With Patsy Cline by Loretta Lynn a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Pageboy by Elliot Page

 

With June being Pride Month, I wanted to make sure and read a book that falls into the LGBTQIA+ category this month.

I chose to listen. to the unabridged audio version of Pageboy by Elliot Page, which is narrated by the author. I've had Pageboy on my reading wishlist for a while, so I'm pleased to have finally read it.

Elliot Page is a transgender, male actor. I first became aware of Elliot Page when he was female actress, Ellen Page. I remember watching Ellen Page in the movie, 'Hard Candy', with my husband and we enjoyed this movie. I know that Elliot Page has acted in several movies, but I've only watched two of them. 

I'm always curious about the lives of other people and as a cis gender, heterosexual woman, I definitely am up for learning more about the LGBTQIA+ community.

I found it interesting to learn about Elliot Page's background and how he determined he was transgender. What did his journey to becoming a transgender man look like? Gender dysphoria, self-harm, and an eating disorder were all discussed by Elliot Page in his memoir. Also, home life split between divorced parents wasn't easy for Elliot Page growing up either. His dad and step-mother weren't ideal parents as described by the author. Elliot Page also talks about his acting career and romantic relationships too.

Below is the publisher's summary for Pageboy by Elliot Page found on the Goodreads website:

Pageboy is a groundbreaking coming-of-age memoir from the Academy Award-nominated actor Elliot Page. A generation-defining actor and one of the most famous trans advocates of our time, Elliot will now be known as an uncommon literary talent, as he shares never-before-heard details and intimate interrogations on gender, love, mental health, relationships, and Hollywood.

I am giving Pageboy by Elliot Page a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Delta Lady by Rita Coolidge

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Delta Lady by Rita Coolidge, which is narrated by the author herself.

I had Delta Lady on my reading wishlist for quite a while before listening to it during a recent trip to Las Vegas. I'm happy I finally listened to this memoir as I learned a lot about Rita Coolidge's life. I never realized she was married to Kris Kristofferson, who was the love of her life. They had a daughter together before their marriage dissolved. 

I also learned that Rita Coolidge's older sister, Priscilla, was married to journalist, Ed Bradley! Sadly, Priscilla was later killed by her third husband in a murder/suicide back in 2014. 

Of course, I learned a lot about about Rita Coolidge's music career, which is interesting if you liked her music.

Below is the publisher's summary for Delta Lady by Rita Coolidge discovered on the Chirp website:

The two-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter bares her heart and soul in this intimate memoir, a story of music, stardom, love, family, heritage, and resilience.

She inspired songs—Leon Russell wrote “A Song for You” and “Delta Lady” for her, Stephen Stills wrote “Cherokee.” She co-wrote songs—“Superstar” and the piano coda to “Layla,” uncredited. She sang backup for Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, and Stills, before finding fame as a solo artist with such hits as “We're All Alone” and “(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher.” Following her story from Lafayette, Tennessee to becoming one of the most sought after rock vocalists in LA in the 1970s, Delta Lady chronicles Rita Coolidge’s fascinating journey throughout the ’60s-’70s pop/rock universe.

A muse to some of the twentieth century’s most influential rock musicians, she broke hearts, and broke up bands. Her relationship with drummer Jim Gordon took a violent turn during the legendary 1970 Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour; David Crosby maintained that her triangle with Stills and Graham Nash was the last straw for the group. Her volatile six-year marriage to Kris Kristofferson yielded two Grammys, a daughter, and one of the Baby Boom generation’s epic love stories. Throughout it all, her strength, resilience, and inner and outer beauty—along with her strong sense of heritage and devotion to her family—helped her to not only survive, but thrive. Co-written with best-selling author Michael Walker, Delta Lady is a rich, deeply personal memoir that offers a front row seat to an iconic era, and illuminates the life of an artist whose career has helped shape modern American culture.

I am giving Delta Lady by Rita Coolidge a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

The Beautiful No by Sheri Salata

 

During the height of the pandemic, there were a lot of online/virtual events. The University of Iowa hosted a virtual event titled, Virtual Book Club with Sheri Salata, in November of 2020. I am an alumna of the University of Iowa and also an avid read (of course), so I attended this 45-minute virtual event and enjoyed watching it immensely at the time.

Sheri Salata is a University of Iowa alumna (80BBA) and she also worked as an executive producer for the Oprah Winfrey Show for a number of years. Before attending the Virtual Book Club with Sheri Salata, I'd never heard of Sheri Salata, but after the event I knew I wanted to read her nonfiction book, The Beautiful No.

Despite having The Beautiful No by Sheri Salata on my reading wishlist for almost 6 years, it wasn't until this year that I listened to the unabridged audio version of The Beautiful No, which is nicely narrated by the author. In fact, I finished listening to this book yesterday.

The Beautiful No by Sheri Salata is a work of nonfiction... In fact, it's a memoir. I remember being excited to read The Beautiful No after watching the Virtual Book Club with Sheri Salata. It seemed like Salata's book was the right combination of memoir and also inspirational and self-help book. Yes, The Beautiful No is a memoir. Each chapter is a vignette pertaining to an aspect of Sheri Salata's life, which is well done. 

Yes, Sheri Salata's life story is inspirational, especially her transformation after the Oprah Winfrey Show ended and how she went about transforming her life. BUT, I wouldn't classify The Beautiful No as both a self-help book and memoir like I had envisioned it would be. There are many gems that Sheri Salata shares throughout her book one could use as a guidepost in transforming one's own life. BUT again this books isn't a self-help book, only a memoir. It is an inspirational book though and also gives food for thought on how to improve one's life.

Below is a 45 second book trailer for The Beautiful No by Sheri Salata, which I discovered on YouTube. I'm sharing the book trailer instead of quoting the publisher's written summary of this book.

I am giving The Beautiful No by Sheri Salata a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Knots in My Yo-Yo String by Jerry Spinelli

 

I've been a big fan of Jerry Spinelli's novels since 2010 when a former college professor of mine had given me a copy of Stargirl written by Jerry Spinelli. After reading Stargirl, I fell in love with Spinelli's writing and have continued reading his novels ever since 2010.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Knots in My Yo-Yo String by Jerry Spinelli, which is decently narrated by Matt Weisgerber. This is a short listen at 3 hours, 41 minutes.

Knots in My Yo-Yo String by Jerry Spinelli is his memoir/autobiography, but a different kind of memoir than I'm use to reading. It's told through a series of vignettes (some more interesting than others) about Spinelli's childhood growing up. 

This book falls into the children's genre. I am assuming Jerry Spinelli intentionally wrote his memoir/autobiography for children as the novels he writes are geared for this audience. This way, Knots in My Yo-Yo String is catered to the young fans of his works. I like that this book is written for children that are fans of Spinelli's novels.

I read Knots in My Yo-Yo String solely because I am a fan of Jerry Spinelli's works and wanted to know more about his life. Although, I enjoyed Knots in My Yo-Yo String and learning more about Spinelli's childhood. I also wanted to learn more about his adult life too.

I am giving Knots in My Yo-Yo String by Jerry Spinelli 3.5 stars out of 5 stars. I think it is a great read for children who are fans of his books. Not so much for adult readers though.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Kiss and Tell by Shannon Tweed

I've had Kiss and Tell by Shannon Tweed on my reading wishlist for a number of years now. I had watched the reality television series, 'Family Jewels', featuring Gene Simmons, Shannon Tweed and their children back in the day. I liked this show to some degree, so decided to add Shannon Tweed's memoir to my reading wishlist.

I decided to listen to Kiss and Tell as my next read as I needed a lighter read after reading Daddy Love by Joyce Carol Oates as it had been such a heavy read due to the subject matter. 

Kiss and Tell by Shannon Tweed seemed like just the fit in terms of being on the lighter side. The unabridged audio version oof Kiss and Tell is narrated by Shannon Tweed herself. I usually prefer to hear the author narrate their own book. Ms. Tweed did a decent job narrating her memoir, but nothing great... And, yes, this memoir is a lighter read.

Kiss and Tell is my 7th read for 2026 and is a short listen at 3 hours, 47 minutes. I was able to finish listening to it in a single, weekend afternoon.

As far as reading material goes, Kiss and Tell was likable. It was published 20 years ago in 2006. I knew some of the information about Shannon Tweed already, but I learned more about her upbringing, relationships, career, and children from reading this book. I wish it contained more recent information like how she and Gene decided to make a reality television series, more about what prompted them to finally get married, and how their children are doing now as adults. 

Below is the summary for Kiss and Tell by Shannon Tweed found on Goodreads:

Two decades and two children after their first meeting at the Playboy Mansion, Shannon Tweed and Gene Simmons are still happily together--with never a fight or even cross words. Kiss and Tell is the surprising other side of the story from one of the world's most beautiful women.

I am giving Kiss and Tell by Shannon Tweed a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars. It was a decent celebrity memoir.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me by Lorina Mapa

 

Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me by Lorina Mapa is a book that's been on my reading wishlist for quite a while!! I'm really into reading books by Filipina/Filipino writers as my husband was born in the Philippines and moved to the USA with his family as a young boy.

Anyway, I'm so thrilled that I finally read the paperback edition of this graphic memoir. The artwork is really well done for this book. I love how the author incorporates several themes in her book... Like her favorite music as a child/teen, life in the Philippines during the Marcos regime, her life in Canada after she moves away from the Philippines, her family, her father's death, and more.

I highly recommend this book if you like graphic memoirs, artwork, and learning about other cultures.

Below is the publisher's summary for Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me by Lorina Mapa from the Goodreads website:

When she learns of her beloved father's fatal car accident, Mapa flies to Manila to attend his funeral. His sudden death sparks childhood memories. Weaving the past with the present, Mapa entertains with stories about religion, pop culture, adolescence, social class and politics, including her experiences of the 1986 People Power Revolution which made headlines around the world. It is a love letter to her parents, family, friends, country of birth, and in the end, perhaps even to herself.

I am giving Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me by Lorina Mapa a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos by Ed Hardy with Joel Selvin

 

I started reading the hardback edition of Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos by Ed Hardy with Joel Selvin in late 2021, but I eventually switched over to the audio version in July of this year due to another recent flare up with my vision issues.

I liked the hardback edition of Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos for its beautiful dust jacket. Even the endpapers within the interior of Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos were beautifully rendered with tattoo artwork. The physical book also contained many photographs as well that are (of course) not part of the audio version of Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos.

Overall I enjoyed listening to Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos from start to finish. This book was narrated by Johnny Heller and I found him to be an okay narrator. I think a different narrator could have been chosen as I felt Johnny Heller's voice was too gravelly.

I have always enjoyed reading or listening to memoirs and biographies. Ed Hardy became such a big cultural icon and well known tattoo artist that I wanted to learn more about the man behind the public figure and how he became the man he is.

I enjoyed listening to Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos. The memoir discusses Ed Hardy's childhood, education, personal and professional life. Ed Hardy has lived a very colorful life to date and has met and interacted with various artists and people from different walks of life. He's pretty much lived in a wide range of places like Japan, Hawaii, New York, Vancouver, Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco, and Orange County, California. 

It was interesting to read about Hardy's life as a tattoo artist, how he became a painter and showed his paintings in exhibits later in life, and how Ed Hardy paired up with French fashion designer, Christian Audigier, which explodes the Ed Hardy brand through the use of his tatto imagery on clothing and accessories.

As much as I enjoyed Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos, I found it to be a bit dry. I also found the few chapters about Ed Hardy's life as a painter to be boring.

Below is the publisher's summary for Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos by Ed Hardy with Joel Selvin from the Goodreads website:

The memoir of iconic tattoo artist Ed Hardy from his beginnings in 1960s California, to leading the tattoo renaissance and building his name into a hugely lucrative international brand "Ed Hardy" is emblazoned on everything from t-shirts and hats to perfumes and energy drinks. From LA to Japan, his colorful cross-and-bones designs and ribbon-banners have become internationally ubiquitous. But long before the fashion world discovered his iconic designs, the man behind the eponymous brand spearheaded nothing less than a cultural revolution. In Wear Your Dreams, Ed Hardy recounts his genesis as a tattoo artist and leader in the movement to recognize tattooing as a valid and rich art form, through to the ultimate transformation of his career into a multi-billion dollar branding empire. From giving colored pencil tattoos to neighborhood kids at age ten to working with legendary artists like Sailor Jerry to learning at the feet of the masters in Japan, the book explains how this Godfather of Tattoos fomented the explosion of tattoo art and how his influence can be witnessed on everyone, from countless celebs to ink-adorned rockers to butterfly-branded, stroller-pushing moms. With over fifty different product categories, the Ed Hardy brand generates over $700 million in retail sales annually. Vividly packaged with original Ed Hardy artwork and ideal for ink devotees and Ed Hardy aficionados alike, Wear Your Dreams is a never-before-seen look at the tattoo artist who rocked the art world and has left a permanent mark on fashion history.

I am giving Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos by Ed Hardy with Joel Selvin a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt

 

Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, I remember hearing quite a few of Linda Ronstadt's hits over the the years and enjoying them. Although I never saw Linda Ronstadt in concert, I always admired her voice and singing talent. I also thought it was amazing how she successfully crossed genres from folk, pop/rock, country, Latin music, and the American Storybook standards with such ease.

When I discovered Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt, I added it to my reading wishlist. And, to my delight, I finally listened to the unabridged audio version of Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir this month.

I enjoyed Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt as it covers Ronstadt's childhood and early family life, how she ventured into the music industry, and the struggles to become a successful, music artist, and finally all of her successes as a singer.

Simple Dreams is truly 'A Musical Memoir' as there isn't much discussion about Ronstadt's romantic relationships and even less discussion about her children. In fact, Ronstadt only mentions her relationship with Jerry Brown in passing a few times and there isn't much written about their relationship to truly glean anything interesting about it. There's no discussion about any of her other romantic involvements either. In other words, Ronstadt has kept parts of her life very private/hidden.

You will, however, read quite a bit of information about Ronstadt's business relationships and friendships with those in the music industry. She does share some interesting tidbits about Jim Morrison, Rosemary Clooney, and plenty of others in Simple Dreams. So, Ronstadt does stick to her single focus of making her memoir solely about her musical career.

In 1967, 'Different Drum' was Linda Ronstadt's first major commercial success with her band, The Stone Poneys. Linda Ronstadt was just 21 years old at the time 'Different Drum' was released.

Below is the publisher's summary for Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt I discovered on the Goodreads website:

In this memoir, iconic singer Linda Ronstadt weaves together a captivating story of her origins in Tucson, Arizona, and her rise to stardom in the Southern California music scene of the 1960s and ’70s.

Born into a musical family, Linda’s childhood was filled with everything from Hank Williams to Gilbert and Sullivan, Mexican folk music to jazz and opera. Her artistic curiosity blossomed early, and she and her siblings began performing their own music for anyone who would listen. Now, twelve Grammy Awards later, Ronstadt tells the story of her wide-ranging and utterly unique musical journey.

Ronstadt arrived in Los Angeles just as the folk-rock movement was beginning to bloom, setting the stage for the development of country-rock. After the dissolution of her first band, the Stone Poneys, Linda went out on her own and quickly found success. As part of the coterie of like-minded artists who played at the Troubadour club in West Hollywood, she helped define the musical style that dominated American music in the 1970s. One of her early back-up bands went on to become the Eagles, and Linda would become the most successful female artist of the decade. She has sold more than 100 million records, won numerous awards, and toured all over the world. Linda has collaborated with legends such as Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Aaron Neville, J.D. Souther, Randy Newman, Neil Young, Bette Midler, and Frank Sinatra, as well as Homer Simpson and Kermit the Frog. By the time she retired in 2009, Ronstadt had spent four decades as one of the most popular singers in the world, becoming the first female artist in popular music to release four consecutive platinum albums.

In Simple Dreams, Ronstadt reveals the eclectic and fascinating journey that led to her long-lasting success. And she describes it all in a voice as beautiful as the one that sang “Heart Like a Wheel”—longing, graceful, and authentic.

I am giving Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

 
Earlier this week, I listened to the unabridged audio version of 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff, which is nicely narrated by several narrators. 

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff is a book that's been on my reading wishlist for a while now. I am so happy I finally read this book as it's really lovely. 

84, Charing Cross Road is written in an epistolary style, which only added to its charm. It's also a work of nonfiction. The letters are written between the author of 84, Charing Cross Road and a group of booksellers in England from 1949 through 1969. Helene Hanff and the group of booksellers in England form a friendship over the years, despite the fact they've never meant in person. I loved reading about their interactions and growing friendship. Plus, who can resist reading about books along the way?

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff is also a super quick read!! Listening time is 1 hour, 56 minutes for this work of nonfiction. I was able to start and finish it in an afternoon.

This was my 13th read of 2025. I recommend it for all book lovers.

Below is the publisher's summary for 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff I found on Chirp's website:

A heartwarming love story about people who love books for readers who love books

This funny, poignant, classic love story unfolds through a series of letters between Helene Hanff, a freelance writer living in New York City, and a used-book dealer in London at 84, Charing Cross Road. Through the years, though never meeting and separated both geographically and culturally, they share a charming, sentimental friendship based on their common love for books. Discover the relationship that has touched the hearts of thousands of readers around the world, and was the basis for a film starring Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft.

“Those who have read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a novel comprised of only letters between the characters, will see how much that best-seller owes 84, Charing Cross Road.”—Medium.com

I am giving 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The 14th Dalai Lama: A Manga Biography by Tetsu Saiwai

 

The 14th Dalai Lama: A Manga Biography by Tetsu Saiwai was a book on my reading wishlist for quite some time. I finally read the paperback edition of this manga biography about the Dalai Lama in one day! It was a quick read due to it being filled with manga artwork and writing that tells the story of the Dalai Lama's life.

I liked the artwork for The 14th Dalai Lama: A Manga Biography by Tetsu Saiwai. I also felt like this manga biography gave a basic overview of the Dalai Lama's life. I enjoyed reading this book.

Below is the publisher's summary for The 14th Dalai Lama: A Manga Biography by Tetsu Saiwai I discovered on Amazon's website:

A new way of getting to know one of the world's most beloved spiritual leaders.

Featuring a charmingly illustrated format that will appeal to readers of all ages, this unique biography is an ideal introduction to the leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile. Born in 1935 to a peasant family in a small village, Tenzin Gyatso was recognized at the age of two as the reincarnation of his predecessor, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. In 1950, His Holiness assumed full political power when China invade Tibet-a tragedy that forever changed him and shaped his efforts on behalf of world peace, for which he was award the Nobel Peace Prize. This graphic novel is an appealing and approachable depiction of the life and personality of an iconic figure.

I am giving The 14th Dalai Lama: A Manga Biography by Tetsu Saiwai a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Ten Days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Ten Days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly and narrated by Rebecca Gibel. Listening time for Ten Days in a Madhouse is 3 hours, 25 minutes.

I enjoyed this work of nonfiction/investigative reporting very much!! It's a quick listen and well narrated. Nellie Bly was an American journalist and also a pioneer in her field as she "launched a new kind of investigative journalism" according to Wikipedia.

One of Bly's more famous antics was going undercover at a women's insane asylum for ten days to investigate reports of abuse, neglect, and brutality towards the woman patients on Blackwell's Island. This meant that Bly herself had to be committed in order to witness firsthand the activities of the staff towards patients on Blackwell's Island. What Nellie Bly witnessed is horrific and is the topic of her book, Ten Days in a Madhouse.

Below is the publisher's summary for Ten Days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly from Chirp's website:

In 1887, Nellie Bly had herself committed to the notorious Blackwell’s Island insane asylum in New York City with the goal of discovering what life was like for its patients. While there, Bly experienced firsthand the shocking abuse and neglect of its inmates, from inedible food to horrifyingly unsanitary conditions. Ten Days in a Mad-House is Bly’s expose of the asylum. Written for Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World, Bly’s account chronicles her 10 days at Blackwell’s Island and, upon its publication, drew public attention to the abuse of the institutionalized and led to a grand jury investigation of the facility. This series of articles established Bly as a pioneering female journalist and remains a classic of investigative reporting.

I am giving Ten Days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

A Frozen Woman by Annie Ernaux

 

I'd never even heard of French writer, Annie Ernaux, before... That is until she won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2022. I decided to give one of Ernaux's books a try to see what her writing was like.

I ended up listening to the unabridged audio version of A Frozen Woman by Annie Ernaux and narrated by Tavia Gilbert. This is an early work by the author, which was published in 1995. It's a short read at approximately 145 pages. A Frozen Woman is categorized as both a memoir and as historical literary fiction on Amazon's website... So, I can only assume this book is a work of creative nonfiction?

I enjoyed A Frozen Woman and the writing style of the author. A Frozen Woman is definitely a feminist read, which presents a cultural history/snapshot of women in society. Topics touched upon included how women are viewed in society, societal norms/expectations of women, trying to have a different sort of lifestyle as a woman than the one society expects from you, and trying to have it all/juggle it all. 

I think Ernaux presents the material well. In my opinion, A Frozen Woman is a great book to read during Women's History Month. Tavia Gilbert narrated A Frozen Woman very well.

Below is the publisher's summary for A Frozen Woman by Annie Ernaux from Amazon's website:

A Frozen Woman charts Ernaux's teenage awakening, and then the parallel progression of her desire to be desirable and her ambition to fulfill herself in her chosen profession - with the inevitable conflict between the two.

And then she is 30 years old, a teacher married to an executive, mother of two infant sons. She looks after their nice apartment, raises her children. And yet, like millions of other women, she has felt her enthusiasm and curiosity, her strength and her happiness, slowly ebb under the weight of her daily routine. The very condition that everyone around her seems to consider normal and admirable for a woman is killing her.

While each of Ernaux's books contain an autobiographical element, A Frozen Woman, one of Ernaux's early works, concentrates the spotlight piercingly on Annie herself. Mixing affection, rage and bitterness, A Frozen Woman shows us Ernaux's developing art when she still relied on traditional narrative, before the shortened form emerged that has since become her trademark.

I am giving A Frozen Woman by Annie Ernaux a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas

Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas is a memoir that's been on my reading wishlist for a few years now. I was lucky enough to find the paperback edition of this memoir at a Little Free Library in Danville, California earlier this year. 

I began reading Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas late last month for Asian American Pacific Islander Month as Jose Antonio Vargas was born in the Philippines, but came to America in 1993 at the age of 12 to live with his maternal grandparents in Mountain View, California.

I finished reading Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas last week. I was blown away by the writing, but then again, I probably shouldn't have been as Jose Antonio Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist.

Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen is divided into three separate sections titled: Lying, Passing, Hiding. Each section contains several short, engaging, and easy to digest chapters. Dear America is a memoir at its heart... More specifically, it's about the author first discovering at the age of 16 that his green card is counterfeit!! Jose Antonio Vargas learns this bit of information when goes to the DMV to obtain a driver's permit only to learn from a DMV employee that his green card was fake. Needless to say, Jose Antonio Vargas didn't receive a driver's permit that day and he left the DMV feeling confused. After confronting his grandfather about his experience at the DMV, Jose Antonio Vargas learns that he is, in fact, in the US illegally!! From this point onward, we, the readers, learn about the author's life as an undocumented citizen, about immigration to the US, and so much more. I learned so much by reading Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas. Too much information to write about in a single blog post. I have many areas pertaining to immigration and history, which I first learned about in Dear America, that I'd like to explore further.

However, I can state that this memoir challenges readers to reexamine their views on immigration and what it means to be an undocumented/illegal citizen here in the US. Things aren't always so straight forward regarding undocumented citizens. Many of us have misguided perceptions regarding illegal/undocumented citizens and these misguided perceptions are frequently fueled by an uninformed media perpetuating misinformation. The author is a journalist and has been for much of his life, so he is able to give us the inside perspective on the media's view on immigration as well as what it's like to be an illegal/undocumented citizens.

Below is an interview of Jose Antonio Vargas from CBS News. In the interview, he discusses his memoir, Dear America, with viewers. It's an informative interview!

I am giving Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas a solid rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars. This memoir is definitely one of my best reads so far in 2023.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

 

Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction, and Suicide in My Family by Mariel Hemingway

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction, and Suicide in My Family by Mariel Hemingway and the author narrates her memoir. 

Listening time for Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction, and Suicide in My Family by Mariel Hemingway is 9 hours, 7 minutes.

In general, I enjoy reading or listening to memoirs, and listening to Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction, and Suicide in My Family by Mariel Hemingway was no exception. 

However, I must admit that I was surprised to find myself listening to Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction, and Suicide in My Family by Mariel Hemingway this month as I'd never really been that interested in Mariel Hemingway's life in the slightest. I am not even sure I've ever seen any of the movies she has acted in over the course of her life. But for whatever reason the subtitle of Mariel Hemingway's memoir caught my attention and had me intrigued, so decided to give her memoir a go.

Surprisingly, I found Mariel Hemingway's memoir to be excellent overall. I enjoyed learning about most aspects of her life, although some areas of her life were not as interesting as other areas. I think the best take away for me was how well written and organized Mariel Hemingway's memoir was. She also devotes an appendix to resources for drug/alcohol addiction, mental health resources, eating disorders, and lifestyle health at the end of her memoir.

Below is a summary for Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction, and Suicide in My Family by Mariel Hemingway from Audible:

A moving, compelling memoir about growing up and escaping the tragic legacy of mental illness, suicide, addiction, and depression in one of America's most famous families: the Hemingways.

She opens her eyes. The room is dark. She hears yelling, smashed plates, and wishes it was all a terrible dream. But it isn't. This is what it was like growing up as a Hemingway. In this deeply moving, searingly honest new memoir, actress and mental health icon Mariel Hemingway shares in candid detail the story of her troubled childhood in a famous family haunted by depression, alcoholism, illness, and suicide. Born just a few months after her grandfather, Ernest Hemingway, shot himself, it was Mariel's mission as a girl to escape the desperate cycle of severe mental health issues that had plagued generations of her family. Surrounded by a family tortured by alcoholism (Mariel's parents), depression (her sister, Margaux), suicide (her grandfather and four other members of her family), schizophrenia (her sister, Muffet), and cancer (her mother), it was all the young Mariel could do to keep her head. In a compassionate voice, she reveals her painful struggle to stay sane as the youngest child in her family, coping with the chaos by becoming obsessive about her food, schedule, and organization.

The twisted legacy of her family has never quite let go of Mariel, but in this memoir she opens up about her claustrophobic marriage, her faltering acting career, and her turning to spiritual healers and charlatans for solace. Mariel has ultimately written a story of triumph about learning to overcome her family's demons and developing love and deep compassion for them. At last she can tell the true story of the tragedies and troubles of the Hemingway family, and she delivers an audiobook that beckons comparisons with Mary Karr and Jeanette Walls.

I am giving Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction, and Suicide in My Family by Mariel Hemingway a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Toni Tennille: A Memoir by Toni Tennille

 

So, I've had Toni Tennille: A Memoir by Toni Tennille on my reading wishlist since its release in July 2016. I remember as a child of the 1970s listening to Captain and Tennille's hit song 'Love Will Keep Us Together' and liking this song as it has such a catchy, upbeat music to the lyrics. 

Not knowing all that much about Toni Tennille's personal life or all that much about her musical career, I finally decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Toni Tennille: A Memoir, which was narrated by Toni Tennille herself.

I must say that Toni Tennille's memoir is one of the best celebrity memoir's I've read. I loved it and finished listening to it within 48 hours of starting it. I thought her memoir was well balanced in that it covered her childhood, teenage years, young adult life, first marriage and divorce, how she met Daryl Dragon and their entry in to the music industry, their career highlights, later years and her eventual divorce from Daryl Dragon in 2014 thoroughly.

I learned a lot of things about Ms. Tennille's life that I never knew before listening to her memoir... More information than I had ever expected to learn. I also felt like Ms. Tennille was very genuine and open about her life with her readers. 

One of the areas that was touched upon in much detail was Ms. Tennille's relationship with her ex-husband, Daryl Dragon. I would never have guessed what a difficult relationship she had with him as they seemed to work beautifully together as the dynamic musical duo they were. Prior to reading Tennille's memoir, I recall being saddened to learn of her divorce to Daryl Dragon after 39 years of marriage as they had seemed outwardly (to me at least) to be a happy couple. In Toni Tennille's memoir, we learn just what a difficult, controlling person, Daryl Dragon really was. In fact, he sounded a bit on the neurotic side with some of his behavior if you ask me. I'm surprised they stayed married as long as they did after reading Tennille's account of their marriage.

Below is a summary for Toni Tennille: A Memoir by Toni Tennille, which I discovered on Audible's website:

Since bursting onto the scene in the mid '70s, the pop duo Captain and Tennille have long defined the sparkling, optimistic idea of everlasting love, both in their music and through their image as a happy and, seemingly, unbreakable couple. They were an irresistible pair to millions of fans all over the world, further underscored by the rousing "yes, we can!" gospel of their biggest hit, "Love Will Keep Us Together". But underneath the image was an entirely different story that the fans never saw: a woman who fought a lonely struggle against the controlling and often bizarre behavior of her emotionally inaccessible husband.

Toni Tennille: A Memoir is a visceral account of Toni Tennille's life from her childhood in the segregated South to her thrilling rise to fame in the world of pop music to where she is now: no longer one-half of a famed couple but a stronger woman for all she has experienced - both the good and the bad. Toni hopes that her story will help anyone who feels trapped in a toxic relationship realize that it is never too late to break away from it.

I am giving Toni Tennille: A Memoir by Toni Tennille a rating of 5 stars out 5 stars!!

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Brat: An 80s Story by Andrew McCarthy

 

I received the hardback edition of Brat: An 80s Story by Andrew McCarthy for FREE through the Goodreads Giveaways program.

Below is my unbiased review of Brat: An 80s Story by Andrew McCarthy.

Ugh, I was majorly disappointed with Brat: An 80s Story by Andrew McCarthy!!! It was BORING, Boring, boring for the most part!!! I almost gave up reading this memoir several times as I thought it was so bad. There were a few interesting tidbits in later chapters, but for the most part it was a very dull read. 

Andrew McCarthy discusses a little bit about his childhood and home life at the start of his memoir. Then his memoir covers how he broke in to his acting career and also about dealing with fame. McCarthy lacked a lot of confidence and self esteem, which he discusses quite a bit about throughout his memoir. It seems like he also suffered from impostor syndrome too, although he doesn't use this term in his memoir. McCarthy also develops an addiction to alcohol, which effects his work and also experiments with other drugs as well. 

Yes, McCarthy also discusses working on the various movies he starred in and with other actors, directors, etc. he worked with too. He also discussed how he wasn't very good at giving interviews and so on... But I found this part of his memoir to be uninteresting.

Below is the summary for Brat: An 80s Story by Andrew McCarthy from Amazon:

Fans of Patti Smith's Just Kids and Rob Lowe's Stories I Only Tell My Friends will love this beautifully written, entertaining, and emotionally honest memoir by an actor, director, and author who found his start as an 80s Brat pack member.

Most people know Andrew McCarthy from his movie roles in Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo's Fire, Weekend at Bernie's, and Less than Zero, and as a charter member of Hollywood's Brat Pack. That iconic group of ingenues and heartthrobs included Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, and Demi Moore, and has come to represent both a genre of film and an era of pop culture.

In his memoir Brat: An '80s Story, McCarthy focuses his gaze on that singular moment in time. The result is a revealing look at coming of age in a maelstrom, reckoning with conflicted ambition, innocence, addiction, and masculinity. New York City of the 1980s is brought to vivid life in these pages, from scoring loose joints in Washington Square Park to skipping school in favor of the dark revival houses of the Village where he fell in love with the movies that would change his life.

Filled with personal revelations of innocence lost to heady days in Hollywood with John Hughes and an iconic cast of characters, Brat is a surprising and intimate story of an outsider caught up in a most unwitting success.

I am giving Brat: An 80s Story by Andrew McCarthy a rating of 1.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes and narrated by the author. 

I like reading memoirs and also learning about the lives of those born and raised in different countries and cultures... And Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes fit the bill. As a side note, I am also particularly interested in Filipino culture and Filipino lives as my husband is Filipino-American. Learning about the country, people, and culture he came from is fascinating to me. Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes is written by a woman born and raised in the Philippines, so I was drawn to her coming of age memoir.

Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes is a tough read as we learn about the author's family rise and fall from grace and their life of extreme riches to extreme poverty. Life turns on a dime for the author's family as the life of opulence beyond imagination goes south fast and the family is torn apart. It's a story of resilience and overcoming the horrors one is forced to live with as a child due to parents that make poor choices when difficult times come their way. 

It's really the children who seem to suffer the most when their parents make poor choices/decisions after hard times hit. But the author finds a way to overcome the lifestyle mistakes/choices made by her parents and pulls herself out of circumstances that seemed insurmountable. For that I applaud Cinelle Barnes.

Listening time for Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes is 9 hours, 1 minute. I didn't like the audio quality for this book. I also wish someone else had narrated this memoir instead of the author as I felt her reading of her own memoir was bland.

Below is a summary for Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes from Audible:

Told with a lyrical, almost-dreamlike voice as intoxicating as the moonflowers and orchids that inhabit this world, Monsoon Mansion is a harrowing yet triumphant coming-of-age memoir exploring the dark, troubled waters of a family’s rise and fall from grace in the Philippines. It would take a young warrior to survive it.

Cinelle Barnes was barely three years old when her family moved into Mansion Royale, a stately ten-bedroom home in the Philippines. Filled with her mother’s opulent social aspirations and the gloriously excessive evidence of her father’s self-made success, it was a girl’s storybook playland. But when a monsoon hits, her father leaves, and her mother’s terrible lover takes the reins, Cinelle’s fantastical childhood turns toward tyranny she could never have imagined. Formerly a home worthy of magazines and lavish parties, Mansion Royale becomes a dangerous shell of the splendid palace it had once been.

In this remarkable ode to survival, Cinelle creates something magical out of her truth - underscored by her complicated relationship with her mother. Through a tangle of tragedy and betrayal emerges a revelatory journey of perseverance and strength, of grit and beauty, and of coming to terms with the price of family - and what it takes to grow up.

I also came across this YouTube video of Cinelle Barnes being interviewed by Nia Ita. 

I am giving Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington and narrated by Noah Waterman this month for Black History Month. 

Listening time for Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington is 6 hours, 8 minutes.

I have a long list of books I would like to read in order to learn more about black history, but I must truthfully admit that Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington was a surprise reading choice for me as I had never really thought about reading this book until this year. 

I learned though Wikipedia the following about Up From Slavery and Booker T. Washington himself:

Washington was a controversial figure in his own lifetime, and W. E. B. Du Bois, among others, criticized some of his views. The book was a best-seller, and remained the most popular African American autobiography until that of Malcolm X.[2] In 1998, the Modern Library listed the book at No. 3 on its list of the 100 best nonfiction books of the 20th century, and in 1999 it was also listed by the conservative Intercollegiate Review as one of the "50 Best Books of the Twentieth Century".[3]

I enjoyed reading about Booker T. Washington's life through reading his memoir, Up From Slavery. I am enormously impressed with his extremely humble beginnings to becoming a highly educated, mover and shaker, educator and orator and so much more through hard work, discipline, and perseverance. Booker T. Washington definitely shows us that by having a vision and going after what one wants in life, you can achieve and overcome just about anything you set your mind out to do.

Booker T. Washington earned an honorary master's degree from Harvard University, was well respected about both whites and blacks, built the Tuskegee Institute, traveled widely across the US and around Europe, and succeeded in building strong relationships with influential people during his lifetime to highlight but a few of so many wonderful achievements he earned.

Below is a summary for Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington from Goodreads:

Booker T. Washington fought his way out of slavery to become an educator, statesman, political shaper, and proponent of the "do-it-yourself" idea. In his autobiography, he describes his early life as a slave on a Virginia plantation, his steady rise during the Civil War, his struggle for education, his schooling at the Hampton Institute, and his years as founder and president of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, which was devoted to helping minorities learn useful, marketable skills.

He gives an account of his travels, speeches, and meetings with various leaders, including Theodore Roosevelt in the White House. Employing a didactic tone, Washington deftly sets forth his belief that the black man’s salvation lies in education, industriousness, and self-reliance. This is the true-life story of a man of real courage and dedication.

Booker Taliaferro Washington (1856-1915), founder of Tuskegee Institute, was a leading educator, author, and statesman who rose from slavery to become internationally famous.

I am giving Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Born A Crime by Trevor Noah

I've been wanting to read Born A Crime by Trevor Noah since last summer. So this year, I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Born A Crime by Trevor Noah and narrated by the author. 

I'm so glad that I finally got around to listening to Trevor Noah's memoir. It's amazing!! And listening to Born A Crime narrated by the author made it all that much better as he makes it come alive... plus it was wonderful listening to Trevor Noah speak the various African languages in short sentences throughout his memoir.

Trevor Noah definitely captures the essence of what life was like for him growing up in South Africa... Born A Crime by Trevor Noah is well written and very engaging. It was very interesting to learn what it was like to grow up as a mixed race child in South Africa during Apartheid and in poverty. Trevor Noah's memoir had me laughing out loud in parts, sad in other parts, and everything in between.

The listening time for Born A Crime by Trevor Noah is 8 hours, 44 minutes.

Below is a summary for Born A Crime by Trevor Noah from Amazon:

Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.

Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man’s relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.

The stories collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic, and deeply affecting. Whether subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times, being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, or just trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his curious world with an incisive wit and unflinching honesty. His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother’s unconventional, unconditional love.

I am giving Born A Crime by Trevor Noah a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!