Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult: A Memoir by Michelle Dowd

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

A moving, heartbreaking, and inspiring true story of the author’s escape from an apocalyptic cult—and the deep understanding of the natural world that helped her find freedom. 
 
My family prepared me for the end of the world, but I know how to survive on what the earth yields. 
 
Michelle Dowd grew up on a mountain in the Angeles National Forest, born into an ultra-religious cult—the Field, as members called it—run by her grandfather, who believed that his chosen followers must prepare themselves to survive doomsday. Bound by the group’s patriarchal rules and literal interpretation of the Bible, Michelle and her siblings lived a life of deprivation, isolated from Outsiders and starved for both love and food. She was forced to learn the skills necessary to battle hunger, thirst, and cold; she learned to trust animals more than humans; and most important, she learned how to survive by foraging for what she needed. And as Michelle got older, she realized she had the strength to break free. Focus on what will sustain, not satiate you, she would tell herself. Use everything. Waste nothing. Get to know the intricacies of the land like the intricacies of your body. And so she did.

With haunting and stark language, and illustrations of edible plants and their uses opening each chapter, Forager is a fierce and empowering coming-of-age story and a timely meditation on the ways in which harnessing nature’s gifts can lead to our freedom.

my thoughts:

Wow! What a fascinating read. Michelle Dowd's memoir about growing up in The Field doomsday cult is personal, eye-opening, and thoughtful. She starts each chapter with an edible plant and how to use it, which related to the education she received from The Field. Nature was integral to her survival within the cult and as a means for her to find the courage to leave it. Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult is a slow-burn chock full of memories about Michelle's relationship with her mother, the lack of love she was shown, the lessons she received on how to be a survivalist, and the various abuses she endured. It is an emotional and introspective book. 

I found myself caught up in Michelle's recollections and thinking about her life and how young she was at the time.  Her life was so cut off from the rest of the world and the loneliness she must have felt, especially when she began questioning it all. And, the way nature impacted her life - learning to live off the land, the dangers and beauties of nature, and the vastness of it all. She's a strong woman who experienced so much so young and was able to find a way out of a living nightmare. Talk about the epitome of brave. 

I would definitely recommend, Forager, to anyone and everyone - you are going to fall in deep with this book. Make sure to get your hands on a copy ASAP!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Love You Save: A Memoir by Goldie Taylor

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

"A deeply inspiring, must-read memoir about the transformative power of books to heal and unite us."—Gabrielle Union

Acclaimed journalist and human rights activist Goldie Taylor shares the harrowing yet deeply hopeful story of her troubled childhood in East St. Louis—a memoir of family, faith and the power of books
 
At age eleven, Goldie Taylor is out riding her bike when she is raped by a young man from the neighborhood. Unable to cope, her mother sends her to live with her aunt in East St. Louis.
 
Aunt Gerald takes in anyone who asks, but the conditions are harsh. Goldie sleeps on the living room floor, amid cousins who abuse her. But in her trauma and pain, Goldie discovers a secret. She can find kinship among writers like James Baldwin and Toni Morrison. She can find hope in a nurturing teacher who helps her find her voice. And books, she realizes, can save her life. 

Goldie Taylor's debut memoir shines a light on the strictures of race, class and gender in a post–Jim Crow America while offering a nuanced, empathetic portrait of a family in a pitched battle for its very soul.

Profoundly moving, exquisitely rendered and ultimately uplifting, The Love You Save is a story about hidden strength, perseverance against unimaginable odds, the beauty and pain of girlhood, and the power of the written word.

my thoughts:

Wow. Just, wow. The Love You Save: A Memoir by Goldie Taylor is a beautifully written book that is brutally honest and intensely authentic. This is a story about a young girl who endured horrors in her childhood and still managed to find hope for her self and her life. In fact, she wound up becoming an acclaimed journalist and activist. She is the epitome of the magic of hope, strength, faith, and determination. 

Taylor has written the story of her childhood in an honest and unflinching tone. She shares and shares, and the more she shares, the more your heart breaks for this little girl. We read about rape, abuse, and violence. And we read about books, the written word, talent, friendship, and hope. We read about a young girl who discovers her voice and finds a way to use it to create a better future for herself. Talk about a heartrending read. 

The Love You Save is an important story. It's a thought-provoking, eye-opening, and powerful read. It's the kind of book that reminds you that no matter what, "hope is the thing with feathers." 

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone - make sure you get your hands on a copy! Make time to read this must-read story. 

Thank you the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

Healing: A Memoir by Theresa Brown, R.N.

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

“Deeply moving.” —Damon Tweedy, New York Times bestselling author of Black Man in a White Coat 

New York Times bestselling author Theresa Brown tells a poignant,powerful, and intensely personal story about breast cancer. She brings us along with her from the mammogram that would change her life through her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Despite her training and years of experience as an oncology and hospice nurse, she finds herself continually surprised by the lack of compassion in the medical maze—just as so many of us have. Why is she expected to wait over a long weekend to hear the results of her cancer tests if they are ready? Where is the empathy from caregivers? Why is she so often left in the dark about procedures and treatments? At times she’s mad at herself for not speaking up and asking for what she needs but knows that being labeled a “difficult” patient could mean she gets worse care.  As she did in her book The Shift, Brown draws us into her work with the unforgettable details of her daily life—the needles, the chemo drugs, the rubber gloves, the frustrated patients—but from her new perch as a patient, she also takes a look back with rare candor at some of her own  cases as a nurse and considers what she didn’t know then and what she could have done better.  A must-read for fans of Atul Gawande’s Being Mortal, Suleika Jaouad’s Between Two Kingdoms, and all of us who have tried to find healing through our health-care system.

my thoughts:

Wow! What an important story. Healing: A Memoir by Theresa Brown, R.N. is a must-read for everyone. This is a book that shows you the ins and out of the healthcare system via a member of the medical community. Someone who finds themselves becoming a patient when they are diagnosed with breast cancer. A registered nurse who soon finds herself questioning the lack of empathy she is shown, the lack of communication she is provided with regarding her test results and upcoming procedures, and the disappointment she feels toward herself for not speaking up for fear of being labeled, "difficult."  Talk about a fascinating and informative story. I definitely enjoyed this book. 

Brown's writing is smart, clear, and precise. She shares about her personal experiences with tests, doctors, nurses, medications, etc..  She provides a unique perspective, since she is also an oncology nurse. Knowing how she would approach things and dealing with how things are being approached, Brown is able to finally understand the difficulties her own patients felt they were dealing with. Definitely makes her rethink about the structure and inner-workings of the healthcare system. 

I would happily recommend Healing: A Memoir to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - you are going to fall in deep with this one! Make sure to check it out!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

It's Never Too Late: Make The Next Act Of Your Life The Best Act Of Your Life by Kathie Lee Gifford

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, and USA TODAY BESTSELLER

Former Today show host Kathie Lee Gifford draws on stories from her remarkable life to weave together a beautiful reminder that whatever circumstances we face, God is still dreaming big for our years ahead.

When Kathie Lee Gifford stepped down as cohost of the fourth hour of the Today show with Hoda Kotb, you might have thought her best days were behind her. It turns out, she was just getting started. As Kathie Lee says, “I’m not retiring; I’m refiring!”

Taking us from her Chesapeake Bay childhood when she first heard God’s calling, to her skyrocketing fame with Regis, to her decision to leave television for Nashville, Kathie Lee inspires us to pursue what really matters. Because it’s never too late to forgive, to dance the cha-cha, or to make a difference in the world.

God placed His dreams in your heart for a reason. And like Kathie Lee, you might just discover that the best is yet to come. Whether you’re an empty nester, newly single, navigating a career change, or just eager for any change, Kathie Lee helps you hear God’s loving calling because It’s Never Too Late to . . .

• Begin Again
• Make Sparks Fly
• Leave a Good Thing
• Have a Party
• Change the Ending, Then Change It Again

Is it time for you to rewrite your story, unearth your hidden passions, and live with a renewed purpose? It’s never too late.

my thoughts:

Love, love, loved this book! I remember Kathie Lee and Regis in the mornings and watching her and Hoda, but I was never a super fan.  However, after reading It's Never Too Late, I'm definitely a fan.  I just LOVED her book to bits - it was refreshing, inspiring, entertaining, and such a treat to read. 

Kathie Lee writes about her life and the ways in which God informed so much of it. She writes about her childhood, falling in love, working with Regis and their friendship, the 'sweatshop' scandal she endured with her clothing line, how she came to work with Hoda on the Today show, and so much more. She shares about the ups and downs she experienced in her life with such openness and honesty, you can't help but fall in deep with her and enjoy getting to know her. She writes about how God has always showed up for her throughout her life and how she's relied on her faith. And, she writes about it never being too late for anything - life can keep getting better and better as you age. 

I found her stories to be fun and engaging to read. They can be emotional and thought-provoking. And, they can inspire you to take a look at your own life and the changes that you want to make, or are afraid of making. This is one book that you won't want to put down for anything. Such a great read!

I would happily recommend It's Never Too Late to fans of Kathie Lee and to anyone looking for their next inspiring read - you will fall in love with this book!

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: It's Never Too Late

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

All Happy Families: A Memoir by Hervé Le Tellier

(Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (release date March 26)

A prominent French writer delves into his own history in this eloquent reflection on dysfunctional family relationships.

Hervé Le Tellier did not consider himself to have been an unhappy child—he was not deprived, or beaten, or abused. And yet he understood from a young age that something was wrong, and longed to leave. Children sometimes have only the option of escaping, driven by their even greater love of life.

Having reached a certain emotional distance at sixty years old, and with his father and stepfather dead and his mother suffering from late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, Le Tellier finally felt able to write the story of his family. Abandoned early by his father and raised in part by his grandparents, he was profoundly affected by his relationship with his mother, a troubled woman with damaging views on love.

In this perceptive, deeply personal account, Le Tellier attempts to look back on trying times without anger or regret, and sometimes even with humor.

my thoughts:

Wow! Le Tellier has written an amazing book recounting his life, his family, and their story.  It is emotional, engaging, and unputdownable! I absolutely LOVED it. I found myself grabbing a cuppa, a cozy corner, and settling in for the night. And I just read, read, and read until I turned the very last page. Memoirs are quickly turning into one of my favorites genres - the history, the personal, and the relationships all make for a compelling story.

Le Tellier writes about his past with such openness and honesty, that you can't help but be pulled right in. He remembers his mother and the way his relationship with her impacted his life - as a child he couldn't see it or understand it, but now as an adult who has lived for decades (6 decades) he can see what was happening and why he felt the way he did as a kid (unsettled. ready to flee).  Time truly helps with perspective, which is precisely what Le Tellier needed in order to pen this memoir. The stories, the family - all of it combined show how dysfunctional people's lives can be and how everyone has something to deal with.  Life is not filled with only happy memories - the good and the bad rear their ugly heads from time to time. Such is real life.  And, Le Tellier captures the truth with such heartbreaking honesty. What a book!




Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

Meet the Frugalwoods: Achieving Financial Independence Through Simple Living by Elizabeth Willard Thames

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

The deeply personal story of how award-winning personal finance blogger Elizabeth Willard Thames abandoned a successful career in the city and embraced frugality to create a more meaningful, purpose-driven life, and retire to a homestead in the Vermont woods at age thirty-two with her husband and daughter.

In 2014, Elizabeth and Nate Thames were conventional 9-5 young urban professionals. But the couple had a dream to become modern-day homesteaders in rural Vermont. Determined to retire as early as possible in order to start living each day—as opposed to wishing time away working for the weekends—they enacted a plan to save an enormous amount of money: well over seventy percent of their joint take home pay. Dubbing themselves the Frugalwoods, Elizabeth began documenting their unconventional frugality and the resulting wholesale lifestyle transformation on their eponymous blog.

In less than three years, Elizabeth and Nate reached their goal. Today, they are financially independent and living out their dream on a sixty-six-acre homestead in the woods of rural Vermont with their young daughter. While frugality makes their lifestyle possible, it’s also what brings them peace and genuine happiness. They don’t stress out about impressing people with their material possessions, buying the latest gadgets, or keeping up with any Joneses. In the process, Elizabeth discovered the self-confidence and liberation that stems from disavowing our culture’s promise that we can buy our way to “the good life.” Elizabeth unlocked the freedom of a life no longer beholden to the clarion call to consume ever-more products at ever-higher sums.

Meet the Frugalwoods is the intriguing story of how Elizabeth and Nate realized that the mainstream path wasn’t for them, crafted a lifestyle of sustainable frugality, and reached financial independence at age thirty-two. While not everyone wants to live in the woods, or quit their jobs, many of us want to have more control over our time and money and lead more meaningful, simplified lives. Following their advice, you too can live your best life.

my thoughts:

Lately, all you ever seem to hear about is this concept of "simple living" - the idea that you give up the materialistic world in order to embrace what really matters: family, friends, and enjoying life.  Basically, you have to pare down from all the excesses that you indulge in and start making your own clothes and grow a vegetable garden to live off of. Okay, so not that extreme, but you know what I mean.  And you have to admit that you've thought of trying out "simple living" - getting a tiny home and living off the land somewhere, so that you can travel more and see the world.  I mean, there are so many stories about it - couples selling their homes and moving to Costa Rica and living off their savings, because why work 24/7 if you are never going to be able to enjoy your money or your life, right?  Or couples who have decided to live extremely frugally so that they can achieve financial independence and finally live out in the woods.  That last one is the couple in this awesome book, Meet the Frugalwoods.

Elizabeth and Nate are tired of working in the city and not being able to enjoy the life they had always imagined for their family.  So, they decide to embrace a frugal lifestyle in order to save a LOT of money (like 70% of their net pay) so they can quit their jobs and move out to rural Vermont and spend their days as a family.  This book shares that journey with us, along with some useful financial tips and ideas on "simple living".

I absolutely enjoyed reading this book!  I loved the engaging tone, humorous anecdotes, and no-nonsense attitude that Elizabeth employed throughout her story.  She was honest about the struggles and successes, which made her so relatable.  And, I really enjoyed reading about her journey - it was interesting and inspiring.  She made her dream come true - how awesome is that?!

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the Frugalwoods (they have a blog!) and to anyone looking for their next great read - you will enjoy this book!

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: Meet the Frugalwoods

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

Travels With My Father: An Autobiographical Novel by Karen Jennings

(Thank you to Holland Park Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (from Goodreads)

Travels with My Father is a beautifully written autobiographical novel. Written from the point of view of a young woman, daughter and writer, it is a frank, yet delicate and moving, account of her relationship with her father and his influence on her own life.

In the footsteps of her father, the author travels the world. Yet, key scenes are set in Plumstead, a suburb of Cape Town, where her father lived most of his life.

The relationships and divisions between members of a family that does not wear its heart on its sleeve, and some of whom are real eccentrics, are sensitively recorded. It all adds to an intricate picture of a changing South African society.

my thoughts:

I'm really digging memoirs lately.  They are just so addictive and informative.  I'm starting to think they are the bee's knees.  So, when I was offered the chance to read Karen Jenning's autobiographical novel, Travels With My Father, how could I resist?

This is the story of how Jennings coped with her father's death.  Except, its much more than that.  Its about her relationship with him. Its about her travels. Its about her life and the ways in which he influenced it.  Its about dealing with death.  And its about living life. 

Travels With My Father is about so many things that we can relate to - family, love, loss.  Its chock full of vivid and heartbreaking details that will give you all the feels.  Its honest and raw with memories and realizations.  The writing is similar to stream of consciousness, with its barrage of memories that come one after the other in no particular order.  I think that this nonlinear manner provides an authenticity, because thinking in tangents is definitely something we do when trying to remember everything from our past (and even present).  Or at least I do.  Suffice it to say, I truly enjoyed getting lost in Jennings' personal stories about her life.  They were interesting, sad, relatable, and entertaining. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of memoirs, autobiographies - you will definitely ENJOY this book.


Thank you to Holland Park Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

The MOTH presents All These Wonders: True Stories About Facing The Unknown edited by Catherine Burns

(Thank you to Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of storytelling phenomenon The Moth, 45 unforgettable true stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown, drawn from the best ever told on their stages

Carefully selected by the creative minds at The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of live storytelling, All These Wonders features voices both familiar and new. Alongside Louis C.K., Tig Notaro, John Turturro, and Meg Wolitzer, readers will encounter: an astronomer gazing at the surface of Pluto for the first time, an Afghan refugee learning how much her father sacrificed to save their family, a hip-hop star coming to terms with being a “one-hit wonder,” a young female spy risking everything as part of Churchill’s “secret army” during World War II, and more.

High-school student and neuroscientist alike, the storytellers share their ventures into uncharted territory—and how their lives were changed indelibly by what they discovered there. With passion, and humor, they encourage us all to be more open, vulnerable, and alive.

my thoughts:

One of my favorite moments on the tv show GIRLS is when Hannah participates in The Moth Story Slam.  She's finally started writing again, because she has something to say - Go, Hannah! Now, I'd never heard of The Moth, so I was interested to find out what it was. Apparently it is a live event where people that are picked (you put your info on a card that is thrown in a bag and then someone rifles through the bag and picks a name - at least that is what happened on the show) tell a story that has happened to them - be it funny or sad.  It is basically live storytelling and I thought was just awesome.  So, Hannah gets picked and finds out that she can't take her note cards onto the stage - at The Moth you have to do it freestyle.  She gets on stage and dives right in. Hannah tells the story of how her beautiful best friend (Jessa) betrayed her by dating her ex-boyfriend (Adam).  The story is relatable, sad, and hopeful - very Hannah.  And I loved it! I loved watching Hannah experience The Moth and I loved that she was writing again. 

To celebrate 20 years of The Moth, 45 of the best stories ever told on stage have been collected into one book: All These Wonders: True Stories About Facing the Unknown.  How cool is that?! When I saw this book available on Blogging For Books, I requested it straight away. I immediately thought of Hannah and realized that I was interested in learning more about The Moth, but also reading stories that had been told through it.  I just knew that I would be in for some great storytelling and couldn't wait to read it.

I have to admit when I received my copy, I got excited. I didn't know what to expect and yet, I was thrilled to find out.  So, I settled down in a comfy spot and started to read.  And then I read some more. I didn't finish the book all at once. Nope. I savored it. I dipped in and out of it, reading a handful of stories here and there. I relished the honesty and insight these stories showed. I thought about the people who told them. I found myself thinking of stories of mine to tell. I was inspired, delighted and filled with hope at the power of storytelling. These pages were filled with all sorts of trials and tribulations that we have all experienced or can relate to on some level or to some degree.  I absolutely LOVED reading this book!  It made my heart full and I truly enjoyed every minute I spent with All These Wonders.

I would most definitely recommend this book to fans of The Moth, and fans of nonfiction short stories - you will LOVE this book!!

And now, I think I'll go watch that episode with Hannah performing at The Moth.  Maybe, I'll write something of my own afterward.




I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

A Brief Stop On The Road From Auschwitz by Göran Rosenberg

Look what's new in paperback today:

(Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

"On the 2nd of August 1947, a young man gets off a train in a small Swedish town to begin his life anew. Having survived the ghetto of Lodz, the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau, and the transports during the final months of Nazi Germany, his final challenge is to survive the survival. In A BRIEF STOP ON THE ROAD FROM AUSCHWITZ (Other Press Paperback Reprint * 2/28/17), Göran Rosenberg returns to his own childhood in order to tell the story of this young man, his father; walking at his side, holding his hand, following him along the road from Auschwitz, trying to foster a lost intimacy. It is also the story of the chasm that soon opens between the world of the child, permeated by the optimism, progress and collective oblivion of post-war Sweden, and the world of the father, darkened by the long shadows of the past. Beautiful, powerful, and deeply moving, this is the story of what came after Auschwitz; a world of silence, suppression, oblivion, guilt and shame. Melancholy, wise and beautiful, A BRIEF STOP ON THE ROAD FROM AUSCHWITZ is a measured examination of the past and a loving portrait of a father.

This compulsive read is a remarkable story with enormous ramifications for events playing out on the global stage today.  The insights gleaned from Göran’s experiences offer a unique perspective on the legacy that will be inherited by millions of refugees in crisis today, as well as the continual abuse inflicted on minority communities around the world.  Göran is primed to discuss an original perspective on the core lessons to be drawn from the horrors of the Holocaust, lessons that cut across religious, geographic, and ethnic lines. This is very simply a new classic of the memoir genre."

Wow! Talk about a powerful and unforgettable story.  A son's retelling of his father's life after Auschwitz - beyond brilliant! This book has garnered tons of acclaim for its truth, its history, and its message on survival.  It is a sobering piece of work that conjures up the past with such clarity and preciseness.  The writing is superb - it explores humanity, pain, memory, and hope with such openness and realism.  I just LOVED this book.  Its been days since I read it and I can't seem to stop thinking about it.  I would definitely recommend it to fans of nonfiction, especially those interested in history.   This is one book you won't want to miss.


Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes

It was Thanksgiving morning.  Shonda was in the kitchen with her older sister, Delorse, who was busy making their turkey dinner.  While Delorse chopped vegetables, Shonda told her all about the exciting invitations she'd recently received.  She was trying to impress her sister.  It didn't work.  Instead of oohing and ahhing over the invites, Delorse muttered these six words to Shonda: "You never say yes to anything."And with those six words, the Year of Yes was born.  Actually, the beginning of the Year of Yes happened weeks later, but it was those six words that led to a new Shonda. 

You see, Shonda Rhimes is THE Shonda Rhimes.  The creator, writer, and executive producer of the hit TV shows, Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder (and the now defunct Private Practice).  Shows that I absolutely love and continue to watch with excitement each new season.  Her shows make up ABC's popular TGIT (Thank God It's Thursday) night lineup.  Without Shondaland (Rhime's production company) there would not have been a Meredith and Cristina - the dark and twisty duo who are the ultimate BFFs.  There would be no dream of Vermont and jam.  No one would be getting Poped, Standing in the Sun, or Dancing It Out.  So, to say that she's successful - well, that's putting it lightly. So yeah, Shonda Rhimes seemed to have it all.  Except she was miserable.  She was unhappy.  The vibrant, happy person she used to be was gone and she had no idea when she disappeared.  "You never say yest to anything" popped in her head once more.  And then she knew it was true and she knew what she had to do.

So began, the Year of Yes.  For one full year, Shonda would say "yes" to anything and everything that scared her.  Her first yes was to Dartmouth, her alma mater.  They phoned to see if she would give the commencement speech and she agreed.  Luckily, she had six months to freak out about it.  Her next yes was to Jimmy Kimmel.  His show had called several times asking for her to be on, but "no" was Shonda's go-to response.  Live television was not her bag - so many things could go wrong (like she could trip and fall or much worse).  She mulled it over in her head, imagining the worst and then she finally agreed to do it.  The only condition - it couldn't be live television.  And guess what?  They agreed! Talk about saying yes and getting what you want.

I absolutely loved this book!  I loved getting to know Shonda through this journey of hers.  She said "yes" and so much changed in her life and within her self.  It was such fun to read about.  I loved how open she was about being a liar.  She makes things up for a living and somehow her penchant for storytelling bleeds into her personal life (not on purpose, but it just does).  According to her, she's old and her memory is fuzzy, so sometimes she "lays down track" to fill in the story's holes.  And so she writes about the truths she remembers.  This book is made up of those truths and they are fascinating!
Here are just a few:

• We learn about how much she loves to write. She loves her work.  Writing and Shonda equal M.F.E.O.  (made for each other).  She is proud of her love for writing and I absolutely loved that about her.  Her enthusiasm for her work was effusive.  
• She writes about loving her children to bits.  She feels guilty for missing events at school or in their lives, but doesn't let them see it.  After all, mom has to work.  She wants her children to see that.  She wants them to know that women work, succeed, and make the money that pays for food and clothes.  
• She culls her relationships.  Shonda openly admits that she does not want to get married.  Finally!  She feels so free at last.  Being a mother was a must.  Being a writer was a must.  But being a bride, was never a must.  And so, she lets her fiance know that she will not be marrying him.  She is in bliss.  As for her friendships, well, there are some that need to go by the wayside as well.  The people who only want money from her or get mad when she confronts them about belittling her - Bye, Felicia!  Her eyes are finally wide open.
• She accepts her fatness.  Over the years, she ate and ate to the point that she no longer recognized the woman staring back at her in the mirror.  No more! Shonda accepts what she has done to her body and realizes that she must now say "yes" to losing weight.  She knows it will be hard and that she will hate doing it, but it must be done.  She wants to enjoy this new life she has begun to live and she most definitely wants to be around for her children.  So, she accepts the difficulty of losing weight and says "yes" to pilates and forcing herself to love salads.  Shonda loses over one hundred pounds!
• And of course, she writes about her TV shows (which I love!!).  The accolades she has received on behalf of them.  The constant questions about diversity and glass ceilings.  She shares some of her speeches with us, where she talks about normalizing TV and not breaking glass ceilings.  She writes that being a woman and an African-American should not guarantee her an award - she was born that way.  As for the glass ceiling, it was already broken by women before her time.  She is honest and real about her feelings toward these events, awards, interviews, etc.  She just wants to write about the world as she sees it, as it really is.  The diversity on her shows that she gets praised for is how the real world looks.  

There is so much more in this book that I loved, but I won't share it all.  You should experience it for yourself.  Year of Yes is a wonderful book to engage with.  It will have you laughing, smiling, and shaking your head in agreement.  It is so inspiring to see a strong, independent, successful woman openly admit to being unhappy and doing something to change that.  She writes about the fear, the ugliness, and the pain that it took to finally become her own person.  Shonda finally danced it out and stood in the sun!

Isn't it great when a book finds you just when you need it.  I have to admit to being in a rut of sorts lately (actually, for quite some time).  Reading this book really opened my eyes to the changes I need to make in my own life.  I've let fear hold me back for much too long.  A Year of Yes is definitely what the doctor ordered.  Wish me luck!!

And now I'm off to read A House of My Own by Sandra Cisneros.  Happy reading!!

Reading Rob Lowe

I watched Rob Lowe's interview on Oprah a few weeks ago, because it was on TV and I was bored.  As a result, I realize that I actually do like Lowe and wanted to read his books.  So, I downloaded Stories I Only Tell My Friends and Love Life.  Here's what I thought:


In Stories, we learn about Lowe's life growing up as a child of divorce, his interest in acting, his first big movie role ( The Outsiders), his alcoholism, meeting his wife, and the acting roles and people who shaped him to be the person he is today.  His writing is candid, engaging, and rather amusing at times.  I found myself reading this book with Lowe's voice in my  head, which I loved.  I have to admit that though I've always found Lowe to be attractive and have enjoyed his work (The West Wing - love Sam Seaborn; Parks and Recreation - Chris Traeger), I have never really followed his career (or seen that much of his work).  So, I loved learning about the ups and downs of a career in Hollywood.  The laborious auditions (Coppola sounds crazy!), the bad reviews, the office politics (think West Wing snubbing), and the thrill of finding a role of a lifetime.  Lowe writes about his life with such ease and clarity that imagining the steps and stumbles he's taken along the way is captivating.  I truly enjoyed getting to know this actor in all his glory - both personally and professionally.  In fact, I've just started re-watching The West Wing on DVD and have started crushing on Sam Seaborn all over again.

In Love Life, Lowe does explore his career once again, but this time round he touches on more personal stories involving his wife, children, friendships, love, sex, and rehab.  This book is definitely different from his previous one - the tone is more confident, the subject matter is more in depth, and the writing is much more poignant and humorous.  Lowe has definitely found his voice - Stories showed it in spades, but Love Life shouts it out from the rooftops.  I found myself even more intrigued by what this man had to share with us.  We learn about his time at rehab and what lessons he took from there - Remember Buck.  We learn about his role as a parent and the pride he takes in being a father - chaperoning field trips, coaching his sons in sports, dropping his eldest son off at college, and marveling at the two boys he's helped create.  We learn about his diehard love for his wife and the passion they have for their family and one another.  And, we learn about Lowe's decision to move forward in his career by pushing boundaries - taking on roles that stretched his acting chops and shielded his good looks (Drew Peterson Lifetime Movie - Untouchable;  Behind the Candelabra - Liberace's plastic surgeon).   His book, Love Life, shows us once again what a talented individual he truly is. 

I would definitely recommend both books, Stories I Only Tell My Friends and Love Life, to fans of Rob Lowe and fans of autobiographies.  You will LOVE these books!!  And, you will want to watch Rob Lowe movies and TV shows as a result - I'm going to watch St. Elmo's Fire later this week!

GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Mind Without A Home: A Memoir of Schizophrenia by Kristina Morgan

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: 

Experience the inner world of a woman with schizophrenia in this brutally honest, lyrical memoir. Kristina Morgan takes us inside her head to experience the chaos of the schizophrenic mind. With the intimacy of private journal-like entries and the language of a poet, she carries us from her childhood to her teen years when hallucinations began to hijack her mind and into adulthood where she began abusing alcohol to temper the punishing voices that only she could here. This is no formulaic tale of tragedy and triumph: We feel Kristina’s hope as she pursues an education, career and builds friendships—and her devastation as the insistent voices convince her to throw it all away. Woven through the pages of her life are stories of recovery from alcoholism and her journey to live a fulfilling life.

my thoughts:

Wow!  Talk about a brutally honest portrayal of person living with mental illness. 

Mind Without A Home is a vivid and frank depiction of a woman struggling with schizophrenia and alcoholism.  In her memoir, Kristina Morgan gets very personal and very real.  She not only describes how schizophrenia affects her life, but she also shows us through her writing style. Morgan writes in a fragmented manner that feels slightly erratic - she jumps from one subject to the next so quickly, that you almost feel lost when reading her story.  This disjointed feeling is clearly reflective of the way her mind functions.  Its rather sad and heartbreaking to get through, because you start to understand how awfully difficult it must be for her to just get through the day, let alone pursue an education or a career.  I found myself getting rather emotional the more I read - I couldn't help it!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone interested in nonfiction tomes and/or books about mental illness (specifically, schizophrenia).  This book is eye-opening and makes for quite a fascinating read.  You will definitely learn about a disease that is often overlooked and frequently misunderstood.

Here's the link for the TLC Book Tour schedule for: Mind Without A Home

GIVEAWAY:  Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of Kristina Morgan's amazing new novel Mind Without A Home to give away.  All you have to do is leave me a comment and include your email address.  Open to US/Canada residents only.  Last date to enter is November 1st!  Good Luck!!!

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!