Biography Books

I've read some reviews and have to repeat what someone else has pointed out: Readers need to keep in mind that this stuff happened in the 40's and 50's. You can't criticize the smoking, because at that time, people didn't know smoking around kids was harmful. Smoking was a very normal activity for many adults. If Marie Killilea had known that smoking might be contributing to her miscarriages and ill health of her kids, I'm sure she would have stopped. People didn't know.

You can't criticize Karen's parents for not creating a cerebral-palsy playgroup for her, because they were the groundbreakers in treating cerebral palsied kids like "normal" kids. They were flying by the seat of their pants. My guess would be that they decided they should raise Karen "normally," and having her play a lot with other handicapped kids would not have seemed "normal"--after all, what they were fighting were doctors and other professionals who recommended placing Karen permanently in an institution FILLED with other handicapped people. This book is not a recent book and it has to be read in the historical context. I mean, schools were still segregated when Karen was born. Geez.

I read this book and "With Love From Karen" when I was in about fifth and sixth grade, after my mother gave me "Wren." Honestly, I never thought much about the cerebral-palsy side of the books. I was an only child, I loved animals, and I thought that Karen was lucky to live in her family. The cerebral palsy was kind of a side issue for me. We didn't go to church, and I didn't understand a lot of the Catholic stuff either, but I loved that the family sounded so close.

I think the concern someone posted about publishing this book when Karen was still young has some validity, but--her mom was desperately trying to draw attention to the fact that handicapped kids were okay. She succeeded in a huge way, through this book. She influenced a generation of people, people who would have looked at her daughter strangely if they ever met her, due to her handicap, but, instead, looked at Karen as practically an angel, because they felt they knew her through this book. And after all, when Marie wrote the book, she would have had no idea that it would end up being in print for decades and read all over the world, and that Karen would still be hounded by fans in 2007 (which apparently she is, when they can track her down).

I guess what I'm saying is, before anyone criticizes Karen's mom, they ought to keep in mind that their opinions about what's right and wrong for handicapped kids were probably shaped by Karen's mom, whether they realize it or not. Our whole society was influenced by "Karen." Yeah, everyone knows you don't keep a kid with cerebral palsy hidden in the basement of your house--but hey, America didn't always know that.

I just found a website where I read that Gloria's two daughters, ages 9 and 7 at the time, were killed in a house fire. I actually cried over this. Although of course I never met any of these people, they felt like my family when I was a kid.

I am 49 now and read this book when I was about 8 years old. (Why a book with curse words was available in the Weekly Reader Book Club for little children to read, I'll never know.) I have never dwelt on any of the negatives that readers are commenting about, with the one exception of the smoking. I do not have CP, but as a child I knew something about me was different. I was premature, late learning to walk, and the slowest runner of all the children - no matter how hard I tried to run faster or how much I loved to run. I had frequent stomachaches & got sick with sinus/allergy/URI's/dehydration regularly every 3 months or so. I almost died at least twice. My ankles turned or twisted very easily. I hated being crowded or hearing loud noises. My legs hurt often, & if I fell on one of my kneecaps, it felt broken because the pain was so horrible. The pediatrician said this was "growing pains", but it wasn't. At the age of 28, I learned that I had "fibrositis", now called Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS or CFIDS). This incurable chronic disease - an autoimmune, muscle, pain, allergy/sinus, urinary, colon, and neurological/cognitive disorder in one - can be disabling. In fact, it has been compared to mild cases of spastic CP. Microscopic tears that grew into huge tears (caused by the FMS) made me need to have major reconstructive surgery of my right knee at 13 and my left knee at 24. So reading about Karen's struggles from a young age helped me to also conquer challenges that my own disability has brought into my life. I presently work a full-time job as an administrative assistant for a global company. I love Big Marie's different writing style. Like today's very popular cable show about the Roloffs of Roloff Farm in Oregon (married dwarves who have 4 children, only one of which is a dwarf), who have the problems and disagreements every family has but struggle as a team to make it in an oversized world, the Killileas were a normal family dealing with a precious child who was labeled "abnormal". I loved that they turned the living room into a physical therapy room and invited the "normal" kids over to watch and join in the fun. I loved that there were gouges in the furniture where Karen had vacuumed, and they didn't care. I loved that Karen was not a little saint - she was human, as proved by the stunts she made her little brother Rory carry out, and the "female dog" term she used to get rid of an obnoxious stranger who invited himself into their house. I loved that Gloria had the maturity, discipline and self-control to wait 7 years for Russ, her true love. I'm not Catholic, but I loved that they regularly went to Mass and had spiritual insights. I loved that they taught Karen to take part in what physical activities she could, such as swimming and horse riding. I loved that Karen dealt with severe pain every day (as I do) and HATE that they put that spreader between her legs at night to stretch her leg muscles - like torture! In short, the best part of "Karen" is that she never limited herself by listening to what doctors and therapists told her she could never do, but she surpassed all their limitations and expectations by victories like walking, writing by hand, and getting up & down off of chairs alone. I'm still inspired by this book today.

I picked up this book in a library toss bin recently and foolishly (not realizing it was out of print) left it on the airplane for the next passenger requiring inspiration. The many 5-star reviews should give an objective reader a clue as to the type of book this is, and the type of writer Killilea was--and that does NOT mean Jane Austen. Because I am something of a 3-star Sally in my reviews, I must add that my usual complaints (poor writing, confusing organization, insufficient editing) are not my reasons for faulting this book. It is fairly well-written (back when editors were editors!), with the insousiance that pervades works by well-fed, country club ladies of the 1950's (Jean Kerr comes to mind) who bore none of the crosses feminism would later burn figuatively on their expansive front lawns.

My beef about this book--please do NOT send me nasty e-mails!--is that I did not find any of the characters, and I include the title character and the author, particularly appealing. As to Karen herself, she was a little girl undergoing a particular education regimen. It was rigorous and stressful, and, being a little girl who, like most little girls, wanted desperately to please those whom she loves, she survived it. But living to tell the tale is not the same as heroism, though nowadays you would never know it, and if Oprah were interviewing Homer about Troy, we'd be listening to the story of Aeneas rather than Hector. I doubt that Killilea's intention was to raise her daughter to a pinnacle, though, and anyone who views the child's story as a triumph over adversity is misreading the book. I believe that Killilea's point was that Karen's story could be ANY child's story, given the same set of favorable circumstances.

So, having attempted to view the author's intentions in a light most sympathetic to me, I sadly must now add that I really didn't like the author ONE BIT. She represents a type of unquestioning, anti-intellectual, rigid Catholicism that makes it hard for other Catholics to be Catholic. Since she flaunts her Irishness, I feel free to whack the ball back into that court by saying that the Italians where I grew up in New York thought people like the Killileas were crazy. I do not know how many Roman Catholics she and her ilk have caused to lapse over the decades; any healthy religion has a spectrum of levels of dogmatism, but this particular group seemed to dominate the Church in New York for a long time (if you think I lie, check the list of bishops in the NYC archdiocese even now).

But I should not air this dirty laundry online! And I should not let my intellectual response to the book be colored by the fact that I now am sojourning in a city that gives full testament to the Catholic Church's exhuberance, wackiness, theological depth, and sensual excess. Killilea was probably an above-average product of her isolated little smoke-filled (literally as well as figuratively!) caucasion world. (I normally make my home in the Baltimore/Washington area, and found quite enlightening her descriptions of the people of color who carried the Killilea luggage on the way to Johns Hopkins Hospital).

Speaking of smoke-filled: Amen to the reviewers who point out the frightening excess of tobacco-dependence. I do believe there was a point in the book in which the author and her husband sit around smoking in the same room where lay their daughter Marie, at that very moment suffering from some type of long-term lung failure. Excuse me? Is there a doctor in the house? (No, wait; the doctors were the ones offering cigarettes.) Maybe just someone with an inquiring mind? (See, it's getting back to the Catholic thing . . . . )

I have read "Karen" a number of times since my teen years, though prior to purchasing the book, it had been at least 10 years since my last reading. This story of a girl born in 1940 with cerebral palsy -- and all the trials, tribulations, and stigma that went along with its diagnosis, treatment, and daily living at that time -- remains intriguing and engaging.

More than simply an eye-opening account of life with a severely disabled child, "Karen" is a window into another era, even another culture (the story takes place in the well-to-do suburbs north of New York City). The Killilea's were a devoutly Catholic Irish-American family. This is before Vatican II and the changes it brought to the Mass and to the church itself. Smoking was socially acceptable, its health risks not well-consdidered. These things all play into the story.

I feel compelled to address Marie's (author/narrator) comment, during her husband Jiimmy's serious illness, that she would sacrifice her children. I believe other reveiwers have mis-interpreted her remark. She wasn't minimizing her love for her children; she was expressing her extraordinary love and devotion to her husband. Again, remember that the book was written in 1952 and should not be judged as if it had been written in 2006. Language, customs, beliefs, and even our culture were significantly different.

In summary, "Karen" is a fascinating story. Should you take everything in it at face value? No, of course not. Is it worth reading? Absolutely, if not for the day-to-day details of life with cerebral palsy, then for the window into life in suburbia in the early 1950's.

It is also worth noting that Marie Killilea was instrumental in founding United Cerebral Palsy, the organization that still advocates for and supports the cerebral palsied today.

I read this the first time as an adult. I had asked a librarian if she could recommend a good heartwarming book, and she insisted this was what I needed to read. It instantly became one of my all time favorites. The main reason I wanted to review it here, is I notice so many fellow readers complaining about the mother's approach to her daughter's disability, etc, and I want to point out,when Karen was born, the world was a different place entirely. 'Political correctness' had not been coined yet.
Smoking was not recognized as the evil we now think of; in fact, it was common for doctor's to smoke in their offices with their patients. Mother's were not told to quit smoking because they were pregnant. I could go on, but my point is, for the time in our history when Karen was a child, there was no Disability Rights Act. The idea to treat a disabled child with dignity and equal rights were sadly un-common, and this is not the fault of Karen's family. Like all of us, they did the best they could with what they knew how to do.
I think all this P.C. talk is taking away from the underlying feeling of the book. It is a triumph of the human spirit and I see that so clearly and am left feeling good about the strength and courage inside of us that we don't know is there, unless we are forced to summon it, or learn about someone like Karen, who had no choice but to live life the best she could.
I am not condoning smoking or other bad choices mentioned in the book. I am simply attempting to suggest that if that is all you are looking at, you are missing the boat.
This is the kind of book that I love most; it makes me laugh and cry and most of all, it is the kind of story that makes me realize how small most of my problems are.
It brings to mind other humbling people such as Helen Keller. It may not be an equal comparison, but the feeling I derive from it is the same.

I loved the movie so I thought I'd try the book. I was not disappointed. In fact, I believe a second movie based on this book, focussing on the early career and post "Greatest Game" highlights of Harry Vardon, would produce an excellent movie, as well.

My older brother recently retired. My gifts to him were a Caribbean Cruise and a copy of this book to read as he suns on the deck of the cruise ship. When presented with both (gifts), he noted that he too had seen the movie and seemed just as excited to have received a copy of the book, as he was the cruise.

This is a terrific book and I'm not even a golfer. I didn't care much for the movie; a buddy of mine recommended reading the book and WOW, it's so much better. I'm not sure who wrote the movie but Frost does a great job of telling the story and holding on to your interest. I loved the biographical background and personality insights he offers. He's a terrific writer.

Great detail is setting the stage of how society viewed golf and its champions and how this tournament took that to the next level in popularity. Gives great detail intothe lives of Vardon, Ray, Francis and even Walter Hagen at the beginning of his career. Great for anyone who loves the history of golf and a good old fashion underdog story.

My boss and I golf together and he enjoyed watching this movie several times so I bought the book for him and he said it was better than the movie, looking forward to reading it when he is done

Great true story, well adapted in the film version.
Bonus documentary on Francis Ouimet 50 years later
is interesing to see.

In short, it's difficult to complain about life when getting a lesson on it from an Auschwitz survivor. It really puts things into perspective for anyone who feels lost or depressed or worthless or small. It gives depth to "if you can't change your situation, change your attitude."

Frankl hits on surprisingly modern points about depression years before Prozac Nation and the transferring of therapy and medications to the mainstream--the normalization of not feeling normal. And he manages to provide a power-packed message in a tiny book; I found myself taking notes on logotherapy and Frankl's observations. And now I find myself trying to figure out how to apply his theory to my everyday frustrations. It's a good challenge.

Feeling curious about the world, frustrated by your life, or lost? Take a weekend and read this book.

My only gripes are the translation, which was crap in the version I read (but I'm an editor, so I get cranky about things like that) and that Frankl does paint himself as the all-answering, all-curing type who can walk into a room and fix any poor fool who's been suffering for years within minutes. I appreciate a degree of modesty. But I guess he's earned the right to feel righteous.

I've read this more times than I can count. The autobiographical part of the book is stirring. The details of Logotherapy wear a bit thin after many reads, just because of familiarity.

I don't really relate to the idea of suffering as a life accomplishment - not because I devalue the trials of those who have no other choice, but just because I'm disconnected enough from it that I have trouble relating. I do continue to find the idea that a purpose is imposed on you rather than vice versa intriguing, although again, I'm not sure that I agree.

It's a great book and everyone should at least make a lap of the biography to understand what the Holocaust looked like from an insider, particularly people like myself who have been affected by the death of loved ones.

If you've never read it, it will be the best $7 you've ever spent.

Viktor Frankl has written an powerfull book about his years as a prisoner inside a nazi concentration camp. He worked as a psychologist and wrote on the subject of lifes meaning. The book is a powerfull testament to the will of humans to survive in dire circumstances. The book begins with the train full of prisoners rolling into the camp. At once they are stripped of all their belongings. Beginning with their clothes, and then glasses, jewlery and all other personal belongings. This is the first step in the process of dehumanizing them. So the struggle for these prisoners he writes is very much about struggling to keep the idea of yourself as a subject alive. To keep alive ones feeling of self worth was essential for survival. it was also important he writes to have the feeling that one had a spiritual center where one could retain some freedom even though one was imprisoned. Otherwise he or she will regress to feeling very small and in the end becoming a formless member of the herd, like an animal. Once this was achieved, when the personality and subjectivity had been broken and erased the person could be willed to do almost anything. The spirit only survives he writes, as long as the idea of hope does. That is why in the suffering one has to parodoxically have to try to find some meaning. If one dosent then the organism is in great danger of being annihilated. Only those who where able to somehow retain a sense of hope, that maybe somewhere someone was waiting for them, that someone who loved them was thinking about them, that god,even though it seemed impossible, saw their suffering.

Title says it all. The second half of the book has some really great tips & tricks for life. You shouldn't skip the first half of the book since it ties into and validates the teachings in the second half of the book.

Sometimes the writing is a bit awkward and verbose (he does speak in technical terms at times), but go slow and really try to understand what he's saying. The book is a really quick read, but again take your time!

For a while I really didn't understand this quote from the author: "Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first time." But, after taking some time to think about it (like the time you need to read the book), it truly hit home what this quote means.

I'd recommend this book to anyone!

Viktor Frankl, famed psychotherapist and a holocaust survivor, said: The spiritual dimension cannot be ignored, for it is what makes us human. Spirituality is at the core of who we are; it defines for us what is meaningful in life.
Among all living things, only we humans can envision our futures and play out mental scenarios of how we will make our visions a reality.

Viktor Frankl, survivor of the Holocaust, emphasized that the meaning of life is not what happens to us. It is what we do with that which happens to us.
Viktor Frankl while interned in sub-human conditions in a Nazi concentration camp found meaning through meditating. He would overcome these horrendous and barbaric conditions by holding a mental image of him speaking to a group of International Psychiatrists at a special dinner event.

His wife had been transferred to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where she died. On April 27, 1945, Frankl was liberated. Among his immediate relatives, the only survivor was his sister, who had escaped by emigrating to Australia. It was due to his and others' suffering in these camps that he came to his hallmark conclusion that even in the most absurd, painful and dehumanized situation, life has potential meaning and that therefore even suffering is meaningful. Meaning cannot be invented but must be discovered.

Viktor Frankl wrote "Man's Search for Meaning" after surviving the worst conditions a human can experience during his imprisonment at Auschwitz.
Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning - the classic best seller now considered to be one of the most important contributions to psychiatry since the writing of Freud. Frankl gives a moving account of his life amid the horrors of the Nazi death camps, chronicling the harrowing experience that led to his discovery of his theory of logotherapy.

Viktor Frankl, to be sure, leaves a profound legacy. He wrote many books on existentialism and Logotherapy. Throughout his life and his work, he reminds us that we all have important work to do, that whatever we do is important, and that there is meaning everywhere, all the time.

Human freedom, therefore, is the freedom of responsibility. Freedom without responsibility is something arbitrary, senseless and either leaves us directionless, or can lead to irresponsible, that is, lawless, immoral and violent, self-destructive ways of living. Human kindness can be found in all groups, even those which as a whole it would be easy to condemn. Because boundaries between groups overlap we must not try to simplify matters by saying that these men are angels and those others are devils.

As far as happiness is concerned Frankl, said: Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it.

If you want to get better acquainted to the work of Viktor Frankl " Man's Search for Meaning" is a good place to start.

Raymond Le Blanc. Auhtor.Achieving Objectives Made Easy! Practical goal setting tools & proven time management techniques

This is a required text for a class of mine. Easy to read and follow along even if you're not a mathematically inclined person. Enjoy.

First things first: You have to really like maths to appreciate this book. If you have ever wondered how to prove Pythagoras' theorem geometrically, or would like to find out how Archimedes estimated pi, this is the book for you. If not, buy another.

The book has a good mix of stories, explanations and mathematical proofs. It actually answered questions I have been wondering about for a long time (proving Pythagoras' theorem and finding the formula for solving second order equations), but even if you are not the nerd I am, there is a big chance you will find this book fascinating.

This is a great book whether you are a fan of, or a practicing mathematician. Good reading and a great library reference addition.

This is a very nice and elegantly written book. The proofs of the theorems selected as great are presented in simple terms. They require no more then high school mathematics(although some of these proofs are not rigorous, for example on the summation of infinite series). The only problem I can see is with the choice of the theorems (too many from geometry) but of course that is a matter of taste. I would have given the book five stars if there had been a chapter on Godel's theorem in it.

William Dunham is the author of several books on the history of mathematics.

In this brief history of mathematics and mathematicians, the author, rather than writing a little bit about a large number of mathematicians, has provided longer treatments of a few. The 'few', naturally, being the most talented/famous from the earliest days. To include:

Hippocrates
Euclid
Archimedes
Heron
Cardano
Newton
The Bernoullis
Leibniz
Euler
Cantor

This book spends some time building and describing mathematical problems and concepts in ways that the average reader will understand. He also relates biographical information about the people who worked on them. Some of the history is quite fascinating, such as the practice in the middle ages of public challanges between mathematicians to solve problems, much like a gun fight of the Wild West.

This would make a good volume in any library.

Math teachers should own (and read) this.

This book is hard to classify: Is it autobiography? Primatolgy? Travel adventures? Humanist philosophy? Humor? Basically it is all of these and more. It is a real page turner. Sapolsky has a truly marvelous sense of humor that includes knowing how to laugh at himself. I rank it with in the top 10 favorite books I've ever read. Bravo!

This book is an excellent insight into the 20 year life of a biologist who grow as a person while studying baboons and navigating the up and downs of life in Kenya.

This is a fun recollection of Sapolsky's experiences in Africa.

Somebody looking for data might want to avoid it as the information is more about things that struck him through his observations with his baboon troop. Some would be reminded of Goodall's earlier books when he writes about his interactions with the baboon.

There are many chapters on what he went through and the people he meet and interacted.

Some are great such as Thomas who had the great ability to pull endless fish out of a river but it was offset by his other great ability to attract buffalo. As Sapolsky wrote: "Buffalo would scamper in from miles away to nail Thomas, toss him over their shoulders, and send his fish sailing into mudholes, thorn bushes, high into trees." Sapolsky comments about looking for him and find him cursing and spitting and cackling at some buffalo, threatening it with his trademark an astounding pelvic grind, as the monster approached.

That whole imagery made me laugh.

His own personal reflections of living in Africa are rather interesting as he interjects himself into the community. Some of his comments bring another picture to the Masai who many times are pictured as the noble warriors and yet they do questionable things.

Probably one disheartening thing is the corruption that existed and probably still exists. As he prided himself on being a New Yorker; he finds himself being conned and regularly pressed for bribes. And yet, he himself takes to conning people when his money runs out.

An outbreak of Bovine TB ravishes a Baboon troop and eventually hits his troop. Sapolsky finds himself unenviable task of killing Baboons as he tries to discover what is killing the Baboons and where is it coming from. Eventually, he figures it out and it involves corruption and the Masai. He can't even tell people about it because wealthy British hotel owners are against it and the local government is against it as it would hurt the tourist trade.

One thing I thought was interesting was his comments about Fosse. He is not a fan.

Overall it's a fun read.

This is a beautiful, poignant, fascinating and enlightening read. It's also a bit heart-wrenching. Despite the fact that it is ostensibly about baboons, each sentence within this book contains more humanity and feeling than a typical week of day to day living on our strange modern worlds.

I am a student of Bio-Anthropology, and I have to say that when it comes to bio-anthro, especially my specialty- Primatology- the textbooks NEVER tell you everything you need to know in order to be a good Primatologist, but Robert Sapolsky does in "A Primate's Memoir."

Sapolsky delivers a narrative that is at once fanciful and credible. Too bizarre to be taken as anything other than reality. The experience of the author as a budding scientist in the Kenyan Serengeti, coming of age amidst the incongruous corruption and stark beauty of the African continent, as he works his way through the American Academic Dominance Hierarchy while conducting a long-term study on Savannah Baboons. He mixes cross-cultural social commentary with humorous storytelling. It is literally a laugh-out loud kind of book, particularly for the budding anthropologist. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the field. In a way, it is like the primatological equivalent of "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," except that is all true. A brilliant book, which every anthropologist should read.

BTW, all anthro textbooks should have chapters dedicated to the trials and tribulations one must endure while living among other cultures, dealing with third world corruption, and knowing how to negotiate the African social arena. I feel more worldly for having read this masterpiece.

Incredibly insightful, informative, and fascinating. Terry Irwin turns out to be a fabulous author who truly writes from the heart. You can hear her telling the stories of her and Steve's adventures. A love story for the ages. Of course, we all know the incredibly sad way the story has to end, but their story is definitely worth reading. Would recommend it to anyone who loves "The Crocodile Hunter", Steve Irwin, wildlife, love stories or believes in soul mates. Didn't want it to end. Loved it!!

I had always been a fan of Steve Irwin, but this touching tribute by his wife, not only showed how deeply they were in love but what a family man and true Wildlife Warrior he was. Excellent read.

This book is a wonderful glimpse into the personal life of the Irwin family. It shows the passion and drive of not only Steve, but of his wonderful wife, Terri. It also shows the strength he instilled in her, and her amazing ability to cope with this tragedy, for herself, and her two young children.
I feel honored to have read it, and to have been invited into this very personal and loving family.

Anyone that loved Steve Irwin will love this book. Terri did a great job writing this and I could actually feel her emotion for this man. We miss you Steve. Cricky!!!

This is truly a beautiful modern day love story about not only the love of two people with the same passion combined with the love of family and friends. But also, the love of nature and all its diversity.

guess im just gonna put this out there...
michael, i never knew you but you were so special and i know that now. i know steven and i know he didnt mean what he felt and now he feels so guilty but he shouldn't should he?
i wish i could have knwn you but after reading your book and meeting everyone who loved you i feel like your my friend.
and your dream will come true. i just know it and its all going to be because of you.

I love this book~ I ordered it from his website in 2001 and his story has totally inspired me to make a difference and has turned my life around, I now aspire to become a pediatric oncologist. I think this book is great for all ages! There are alot of facts but it wasn't confusing at all... I totally understood what was going on. I especially recommend this book to teenagers not neccesarily with a health problem but because these days, teenagers need a positive role model in life and Michael a great role model to follow! This book talks about various stages throughout his cancer and it has a lot of personal feelings and family reactions. This book ends with Michael triumphantly winning his struggle as you may be familiar. I honestly think that is will inspire anyone! He is very much my hero~ Even with his tragic death, I still consider him #1. He is the world's greatest...

I truely do believe this is one of the best books ever written. You can see right into Michael's life as he struggles with cancer, which threatens to kill him many times. The book is set up in a "diary" format, with actual exerpts from his grandmother's diary. At the end of the book, there are lyrics to Michael's songs on his solo CD (purchase at [internet address]) as well as the thoughts/situations that inspired him to compose each song. There are a lot of rare pictures in here, too. The book is not all sad cancer stuff, though. You also read about his life as a singer/actor and his "normal" school life. The book ends on a happy note that he is finally recovered, but unfortunately, that isn't how Mike's story ends. He died of complications in January of 2000. This is a wonderful story of a heroic boy who would do anything to help the world. I recommend it wholeheartedly! This book is good if you are a fan of Michael (or 2Gether) or even if you just want to learn about cancer -- the book discusses the different medicines/treatments/etc.

I think this book is great, it tells about his life and how much of a brave person he was or is. If you are a 2Gether fan or just a Michael Cuccione fan then you need to own this book.

"Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; but only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay."
Robert Frost

This is far most the most heart warming book I've ever read! I have read it many times and I still cry I cried for Michael on the day of his death, I remembered back when my friends and I had backstage passes to see them and Britney Spears I was 15 at the time and now I'm soon to be 17, I remember how sweet and caring he was and so funny he remined me of my little brother who sadly passed away two years before Michael, My little brother would be 13 this year, I still can't believe that they are gone but I still remember that their not really gone they are still here with is in our hearts and I hope that you will go out and buy this book because it will bring you closer to Michael, God Bless You Michael and Brian! we will be 2get+her again!

Love Always and Forever,
Lindsey McCartney

Another excellent book by Homer Hickam, If you don't read the trilogy you're missing a true West Virginia experience

I'm not sure where the below reviewers are coming from. The Coalwood Way, although including the Rocket Boys, is very much different from the first memoir. And it is not a bunch of disconnected stories, not at all! The Coalwood Way opens with Sonny Hickam in a strange depression a year after the death of his grandfather who had lost his legs in the coal mine. It is a depression he struggles with throughout the book and is the core thread. How he determines what is causing that depression really fills out a part of the original memoir that was left out and provides us with insight as to how he ultimately succeeds. Hickam reveals how that last winter in Coalwood so much is happening to him and his friends. His rockets are starting to work, but nothing else does. He even lets Chipper, his mom's beloved squirrel, escape into the winter cold and snow. He also meets Dreama, a young woman also struggling, and wanting Sonny to be her friend. Dreama is considered something like white trash, and is living with one of the most detestable men in town. Sonny also falls for Ginger who dreams of being a professional singer and provides an interesting counterpoint to the coal miners' sons of Coalwood with their dreams of spaceflight. "Dad," or Homer, Sr. is also struggling, trying to open a part of the mine that has defeated previous mine superintendents but upon which the future of Coalwood depends. "Mom," or Elsie, struggles with her failure to win the annual Veteran's Day parade (Coalwood's float has always won before), as well as her continuing attempts to get Homer, Sr. to quit the mine before black lung kills him. Elsie also identifies very much with Dreama and wants to help her but is held back by the "Coalwood way". The story is told with Hickam's tradmark humor and there are as many laugh out loud moments as tears. The dramatic arc of these threads to the story all join in a night of murder and mayhem when Coalwood is also buried in a huge snowstorm and cut off from the rest of the world. This is followed by another night of hope and amazing redemption on Christmas Eve that will cause even the hardest heart to melt. In many ways, this is Hickam's Coalwood Christmas story and it's a great one. You will love it.

Dr. Werner von Braun once said, "Matters of faith are not really accessible to our rational thinking. I find it best not to ask any questions, but to just believe..." These words are truly conveyed throughout the second of Homer Hickam Jr.'s memoirs, The Coalwood Way, originally published in 2000. Although following his acclaimed, Rocket Boys, this compelling story does not continue where the last left off. Portions of the memoir take place during the same time period as the last, however, this tome portrays the life of Homer "Sonny" Hickam in a different light. This particular memoir focuses on Sonny's senior year in high school and the hardships he must go through when growing up. In addition to working diligently on creating improved rockets, Sonny must focus on achieving A's in school. Most importantly, he must focus on his family. In 1959 Coalwood, West Virginia is a ticking bomb and as it becomes more and more difficult to keep the mines running, the bomb seems to always be the verge of exploding leaving the people out of jobs, homes and, even worse, their town. Sonny must now try to keep his family together while the town falls apart and yet keep alive the dream of leaving in order to join his role model, Dr. Werner von Braun, at Cape Canaveral.
Sonny Hickam is on his way to fulfilling his dreams as the book begins. However there a few obstacles on the way. Troubles in his family prevent Sonny from leading an easy, carefree life. His mother, Elsie, is growing increasingly impatient with Sonny's father. Sonny's father, Homer, is the mine superintendent and with the opening of a dangerous new mine, 11 East; ultimately, he is home even less often than usual. The strain on the marriage becomes too much for Sonny's mother and she insists on leaving Coalwood to escape to Myrtle Beach in order to sell real estate. In addition to his domestic hardships, Sonny is having troubles with himself. Every so often, although only lasting a few minutes, Sonny will find himself engulfed in an unexplainable grief. This mystery baffles Sonny day after day. As he searches for the origin of this mystery grief, he learns more than he ever imagined. Sonny's emotions and adventures are vividly depicted through a truly sentimental story, splashed with humor in all the right places. The writing style of Homer Hickam in this memoir is once again captivating and absolutely unforgettable.
Although one may think memoirs aren't written well due to the lack of an experienced writer, The Coalwood Way reads like an old time fable. It is written in such a way that you are taken from your own world and thrown into the small town in West Virginia. Hickam depicts Coalwood in such a way that the image of every part of the quaint town is etched into your mind. His method of writing will bring you to tears when tragedy strikes and laughter when Sonny finds himself in a humorous predicament.
This memoir is all about finding yourself and realizing that whenever life trips you up, someone will always be there to catch you when you fall. Throughout this lucid story, Sonny tries to find himself, and while looking down on his beloved town, he finally realizes the answer to what he's being puzzling all along. He understands his feelings, thinking: "My parents, and all the people of Coalwood, had given me the only true gifts they could ever give, that of their wisdom, and of their dreams, and of their love. All fear, sadness, and anger inside me had vanished. I knew who I was and where I came from and who my people were. I was ready to leave because I could never leave." Once Sonny realizes he can let go of the past, he is able to finally leave his hometown with the closure he needs to succeed.

"The Coalwood Way" is the part 2 contiuation of the "Rocket Boys", AKA:"October Sky". I just really like the way Mr. Hickam tells his story in his books. I find them to be "Americana" like- a success story from a humble start. I think the series could be a must read for middle and high school students as a way to see their potential in their own future and not just the here and now. A great book (and series) to read!

A story told first time can be fasicnating. As Rocket Boys was. The same story told second time is just boring. The first one had a backbone: boys trying to achieve the goal despite the circumstances. The second one - ranomly selected stories about this or that - I simply don't care. Meaningless and boring

The thing I will remember most about this book is that, surprisingly, it was a deeply touching tribute to his mother. The military stuff is all extremely interesting, to the point where you won't be able to put it down. But the book goes far deeper. It's a timeless story from the heart -- one that every son wishes he could write for his mother. On the outside, the author is a tough-as-nails soldier. But on the inside, he's still a little boy who continually reaches back to his mother's love to guide him through life. This is as it should be. God bless all the good mothers of the world.

I haven't read this book yet (sorry for the 5 star rating), but have picked up on his online magazine (blog). Michael Yon has and is travelling all around Iraq - mostly in the hotspots with the U.S. Army (Strykers), where he does his reporting. I find his weekly dispatches informative and interesting, and will definitely be picking up his book. If you liked his book, please go to http://michaelyon.blogspot.com/ and start reading at the bottom (where he started writing) and work your way up. New dispatches posted weekly (mostly). Also, it seems he's doing this out of his own pocket, so donate towards his blog if you can. From his online magazine:

Michael Yon, author of "Danger Close," is currently in Iraq. Email: [...] Michael Yon is an independent, informed observer chronicling the monumentally important events in the efforts to stabilize Iraq. His dispatches have the benefit of his life experiences without drawbacks based on deadlines or demands of marketplace. The cost of these dispatches is borne solely by Michael. Readers who enjoy these dispatches and want to support Michael's mission in Iraq, can make a contribution using the PayPal links

This poignant biographical work hits you in all places of your heart. At times laughing with him and at other times feeling the heartwrenching pain with him, this book captures your attention from page one to the end. While retelling his captivating adventures of being a Green Beret with the US Army, he also includes the less exciting and heartwrenching details of his life--including the untimely death of his mother. I picked it up and couldn't put it down until I was done with it. This book is great for military and civilians alike! If a submarine-hunting P-3 flier can enjoy this book, so can you. Mike Yon candidly opens up and relates life--as is. If you relish the adventure of fiction with the down-to-earth punch of reality, this book is for you!

Mr. Yon is currently in Northern Iraq and writes periodic pieces on the web about his experiences with American forces. He is a very dedicated and personable guy who is just trying to do the right thing. I enjoyed this book very much but would have liked to know what happened after the car wreck. How did his SF career end,etc. Anyway those of you who are interested in personal military type accounts will definetly enjoy this book. It received an award for his writing style.

Although Mike Yon and myself both graduated from Winter Haven High School it was years apart and I never had the pleasure of meeting him. I found the book enjoyable because I could relate to some of the local places that he mentioned. But the story was well written and interesting besides being informative despite that fact. Charles E. Gist author of the historical fiction novel "The Other Side of The River"

I read a great review of this book on a writer's blog & couldn't wait to read it! It truly is a courageous story and I admire Parsell for sharing such difficult memories. Bravo!

This book is well written and you don't need to use your imagination that often. T.J. Parsell goes into explicit detail of his life experiences. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has questions about young people in prison.

I suppose my title is strange for a book about this subject---but it was really wonderful and I see everyone else liked it too. This is going to be a book I KEEP on my shelves, usually I get rid of the book after I read it. I couldn't wait to pick it up again. Most autobiographies I don't like, they don't tell the whole story, but T.J. Parsell really, really bares his soul to us and I thank him. And he's really come so far in life since his prison days.

There was just about every emotion and feeling there can be in this book. Love, hate, tenderness, violence, understanding, friendship, rage, openness, awareness, brutality, isolation, confusion, sadness and maybe even a little bit of joy.

What a book!! I'm going to write T. J. I'm so glad he turned out alright. The letters at the end made me cry.

I finished this book about a year and a half ago, it was so intense a read for me at the time, that I gave it away as soon as I finished it, I didn't even want it sitting on my shelf. It's one of the most depressing things I've ever read, ironically making it a great story, one of the best I've read. Really changed my perspective on things, I'm heterosexual and used to be fairly closed-minded about those who were otherwise, but now I'm not so quick to judge a homosexual person. Also, it is a real eye-opener for many I'm sure on the topic of male-rapes inside prison, and the injustices with this system in general. He got, what, $50 for robbing some photoshop with a toy gun? Ok so I can see giving him a month in the county jail, not 4 years in prison, get real. We need to demand for a reform in this country as far as this "corrections" system goes, even the horrors at Abu Ghraib are NOTHING compared to what goes on daily inside American prisons. I highly recommend this book, and "Inside by Michael G. Santos", as two very-worthy books on what life is like inside of walls and fences. This book will haunt.

This book is beautifully written, despite the raw and brutal scenes it depicts. Its' well-organized structure reads like a novel and there is an abundance of dialogue, presumably based on the author's memory of the events which occurred more than twenty-five years ago. The brutal nature of the prison system is realistically described with every page steeped in the personal feelings of the author tempered by time. Most poignant in the memoir, in my reading, was the depiction of the true first love that the author, who comes to realize he is gay, experiences with a boy of his own age, while still in prison. Eventually the lovers are separated as the writer is released from prison and the lover, Paul, remains in jail for years to come. After twenty-five years Tim, the author, writes to Paul, telling him how much he loved Paul and what an enormous impact he had had on Tim's developement while they were lovers. Paul responds with sentiments of his own reflecting how important their relationship had meant to him. These two letters together were one of the highlights of the book for me. They expressed tenderness, gratefulness, and love of one another, while recognizing that the past is gone and they have eached moved on in their lives. The memoir as a whole was a great read and a touching personal story.