Biography Books

I laughed until my sides hurt. Sex, Dead Dogs, And Me is thick with outstanding humor. It has it all. Ed writes about extremely funny stories from his youth such as good and bad kisses, workman's compensation for jock itch, the vapors, and the adultery business. If you love to laugh, you'll want this book for your collection. You get a truly all encompassing, across the board variety of wit.

My favorite is Ed's classic tale of stink perfume. It reminds me of my own prank-filled youth. I have read a lot of humorous books, and this ranks among the very best. Ed's writing style brings the stories to life. It was easy to visualize the characters and get attached to them. Fresh, entertaining and comical, I highly recommend it.

I will have to make one correction however. A Canadian girl's lips kiss better. Perhaps one day Ed will get to test that theory.

Linda Oness

The factual, earthy antics of Ed Williams and his buddies growing up in the South make for hilarious reading. Those who were lucky enough not to be targets for their hijinks can consider themselves very fortunate!

it was a great attempt for an unknown. After reading the reviews, I ordered this book. A few of the chapters were good but on the whole it was a disappointment. I could not recommend this book without feeling guilty.

This book was recommended to me by a friend at the university. I had a hard time finding it in the bookstores, so I ordered it here. I have never laughed as hard in my life (my roommate threatened to make me leave our room, then she read it and laughed more than I did). Ed, should you ever come to Oxford, let me know. Maybe we could do something that might inspire a chapter in one of your future books, you southern devil, you!

The funniest book I've ever read. Can't read it at night because I keep my wife awake laughing. At last my search for great Southern humor is ended as long as Ed Williams keeps putting out this kind of quality writing. He is good ... very good! Guess I'm gonna change from Grizzard's Sprayberry BBQ to Ed's Nu Way hot dogs .... that ain't all bad 'cause Lewis did before he left us. Don't miss a real treat. Try Sex, Dead Dogs, & Me for an antidote for the dreadfully dull political babble which we are about to experience for the next few months.

I learned so much about all of my favorite artists in this book. This book is tastefull done (unlike Building a Mystery by Judith Fitzgerald). The author actually talked to the artist and got their perspectives on many different topics and the meanings behind their songs, which makes this book true and somewhat autobiographical. It is good to see a book also where the artists are not portrayed as glamorous. These black and white photos seem the bring the artists back down to the same level that the reader is working on. It is a really nice book and an interesting read.

Well, I am going to read the book, if I ever get a credit-card...which hopefully there's another option..( or I'll be broke before I get paid....) Anyhow, I'm sure this book is well worth reading..TO me anything by any of these great artist(s) who have inspired me in my darkest hours of frustration.. I will never give up the God given gift(s) thanks to you all!!!! (And hopefully we'll all Jam before New Year's Eve!!!!!) -C

com) from Atlanta, Georgia November 14, 1998 Dear Emma and Marc, Solo is awesome, the images and narrative are both soulful and powerful. As a practicing artist I'm attracted to the imagery in your book. The photographs have a cinematic quality to them, in particular the series of photo's of Holly Palmer. When I look at the images in your book I feel spirit and emotion of the people represented through your imagery. Examples of what I'm referring to are images of Lucinda Williams (pg 290 and 300), Sheryl Crow (pg 273), Roseanne Cash (pg 246), Jewel (pg 224), Shawn Colvin (pg 39), and Sarah (pg 18)... I like the way the narrative and art work weave together like a quilt, your images make me feel good. More on Solo later... Peace, Love, and Understanding, Freddy Ciminelli

This is the finest example of what beautiful photography and amazing storise can do for your soul. This book should be read by every woman in America at every age. The stories are personal, enlightening and truly amazing! There is so much to learn from SOLO... I return to it daily.

The night I bought this book I sat down and finished the whole thing. I bought this book because I was a huge fan of Sarah McLachlan and Shawn Colvin, Jewel and Cheryl Crow, but I learned so much more from the other singers too. Sarah's interview struck me as the most down to earth, but every interview was intriguing and I just couldn't put it down. Some of the artists I had never even listened to like Ani Difranco but then next day I borrowed a friends CD and I have to say thanks to this book my CD collection has gotten a lot larger! Thank you Emma and Mark! The only bad thing about this book is......it ended! (and Tori Amos wasn't in the book, but was mentioned by Sarah McLachlan! =)So that was fine by me!!!)

A good book from a pilot who made two tours in Vietnam. Initial fears. Courage. The unconsciousness. The youth involved in this conflict viewed from the sky. Not bad at all.

For some time now I've had a fascination with the F-105 Thunderchief and the men who went Downtown during the Vietnam war. To further my knowledge on the aircraft and the men who flew her I picked up When Thunder Rolled.

Overview
When Thunder Rolled is a pilots view of the F-105 and the missions he flew during the Vietnam War. In this book our Fighter Pilot (I mean this a complement to Mr. Rasimus. I believe it would be a greater honor to call him a Fighter Pilot than by his retired rank, read the book if you want to understand why) gives us a view of the F-105 from training thru his time in Thailand flying missions in North Vietnam.

The Good
Wow! What a book. Mr. Rasimus pulls no punches. In all of the books I've read dealing with a persons own experiences in war I've found very few that are as candid about being scared. Mr. Rasimus tells us about how his initial debate is if he should fly combat mission or not and then flies a couple. I have to think that the fear Mr. Rasimus talks about is more common than many other books would have you believe.

I also loved how Mr. Rasimus mentions the maintenance men who took care of the Thud he borrowed (sorry, everyone knows that a fighter is owned by the crew chief, pilots just borrow it). This is something kind of rare and nice to see.

The description of the environment is great. Referencing stealing hubcaps for what it took to be a fighter pilot over there was sheer genius! Between the use of vernaculars and a simple honest approach, one is able to visualize and feel something of what he was experiencing. I also loved the way Mr. Rasimus takes us thru the base and the missions. From premission briefings thru the return. Interestingly there isn't a lot of focus on the post mission time at the Club.

The Bad
The only one I can readily think of is that the book ended. I loved the story telling. It flows so nicely. The real shame is that we know that our fighter pilot went on to fly F-4's in the Linebacker timeframe. I'd have loved it if this would have been brought together to hear the differences in the aircraft and how the war was fought.

Rating Wise
5 Stars! This is the best personal account I've read from an aviator. A solid read and is a must read by anyone interested in knowing about F-105's, the Vietnam airwar, or about a pilots view of combat.

This is the best book along with Jack Broughten's "Thud Ridge" that I have read concerning the Air War in the North, especially as it relates to F105's.If I were to write a book on this subject, this is what I would have written.

Whilst putting you very much in the cockpit Mr Rasimus has at the same time managed to produce a thoughtful, insightful, and instructive book that gives an excellent view of the experiences, feelings and thoughts of what it meant to be a fighter pilot in the early years of the Vietnam war. Highly recommended.

What a great book! I agree that this is the best of the F-105 books about combat during Rolling Thunder. Such detail! Ras explains everything so well and puts it in words that non-pilots can understand. He even takes you on R&R to a Bangkok niteclub to get a "massage" ;-) The difference between a fighter-pilot and a pilot of fighters is explained. I was at Takhli, the other F-105 base in Thailand, and I remember the Wild Weasel/Iron Hand "F" models. The initial group was sent in and shot down. Then another batch was sent in and shot down. I believe there were five or six airplanes in each group. During that initial period, the crewmembers of F-105F (Weasels)were virtually assured of death or capture. What a slaughter.
I loved the noise of that beautiful bird when afterburner with water injection kicked in. Not to mention the noise when a pilot returned after his 100th mission and went "supersonic" right on the deck. Awesome!!!! Also described in the book was the practice of burning off fuel with the speed brakes open and the afterburner on. I saw this on another 100 mission bird going low and slow with the "finger" extended in a pass just above the runway. This book brings back memories of that. In the meantime, back in the "world" (US)Hippies were coming on the scene. It was a shock to me and many others returning. And, by the way, so much for the "domino theory" - Thailand is still there.

Each chapter reminds you of a time in your own life, and makes you ask yourself "what did I learn from that experience" and what about that situation makes me who I am today. You can't help but stop and think about the things in your life that really matter. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to develop, inspire and laugh.

Reading this book brought back memories and the emotiions of a youth growing up and learning not just about the world but more importantly the people in it. This book is a must read to individuals who wish to re-experience the joy of youth and the challenges it brought.

What an experience seeing these stories in print! They hit very close to home. In fact, they were FROM my home. Growing up in our home was a trip!. We were all very different, yet very much alike. Shared experiences have created a bond like nothing else. Our parents had a great impact on who we all are today. I'm proud to be Joe & Barbara's daughter, and Phil, Mark & Dan's sister. Phil's book created the same emotions in me as it has for many others. The tears and laughter were there, but I also feel the pride of being Phil's sister. As I read the book, many of the chapters reminded me of other stories he could have included (and some I'm glad he didn't!). Thanks for the stories Phil, you always were full of them!

After hearing Phil speak so many times, I didn't think it could get better than that, until this book. It was if he was right there telling me his stories personaly and touching my heart with everyone of them. The book is so easy to read and draws every reader back into their childhood. I love the way he tied the entire book together to end with such an inspirational feeling that there is hope in this world if parents would take the time to spend time with all of their own (little Joe's boys and girls)

This book is a Trojan Horse -- it looks like a warm, homespun book full of humorous down-home anaecdotes. But in reality it is a book of wisdom gleaned from rural roots and applied to the corporate boardroom. Phil Van Hooser has done a marvelous job of telling stories that have point.

John Ferling's Almost A Miracle is probably one of the best military/diplomatic histories I've read of the American War of Independence.
His magisterial treatment of all aspects of the military side of the war is clear, easy to read, and undertaken with scholarly impeccability. Judicious in his judgements of all participants on bothe the American and British sides, it is an excellent introduction for anyone interested in the War of Independence.

I really enjoy reading this book. I learned a lot about our country history. I agree with the author we were lucky to win the war. I found that I could not use the Table of content to go to the chapters. I've used that before to go to chapters in other books for the Kindle. Since the chapters in this book are really long ones suggest you bookmark each time you come to a new chapter. Makes it easier to get back to where you were reading in case you accidently hit the wrong button by mistake.

This is a very solid book. It's sure to please both the casual reader who picks up a history book now and then, as well as those who are really into the American revolution as a particular interest.

I'm an avid reader of books concerning the American Revolution, and was asking myself whether yet another general book covering the whole set of events would be worthwhile, especially a 600 page one. The short answer is: yes, it's worthwhile.

The book covers familiar territory. However, many other American Revolution books tend to focus on the events leading up to the war and then the beginning of the fighting, and thus have a geographic focus on the Northeast where the early stuff happened (e.g. Boston Tea Party, Shot Heard Round The World, Continental Congress, Saratoga, etc). The latter years of the war - that is to say, the last 70-80 % of it - and the war's expansive geography across the colonies (and indeed overseas) are often neglected. The main contribution of this particular volume is in extending the war temporally and geographically for the reader, to articulate what really took place - a long, drawn out affair across a huge swath of space and time. The war, as most know, ended in the South, and while it's obvious that somehow we got from Boston to Yorktown during this fight, the migration of the war to and then through the south is not familiar to many. This book definitely fills in the gap, covering the broad scope of the war in ways that not many books on this topic do.

Well-written, interesting, and well-researched, this book is an excellent addition to anyone's Revolution collection. It is more "broad" than "deep"; it's a great introduction/general overview of the war for those who intend later to dig further into specialized or narrower topics. It will leave many readers wanting to learn and know more about specific aspects of the Revolution, which was surely the author's intent.

My initial review of this book in 8/08, prior to this update, was critical of the author's overemphasis on Washington's flaws and on the importance of various other players such as Gates and Lee. On the first reading, I felt that the book might be bordering on revisionism-for-revisionism's-sake, which in general I don't like. However, I've since re-read it and carefully compared its coverage of various events (e.g. Saratoga) to some other books. The author provides some interesting alternative viewpoints that are not identical to other books on the subject. On the first pass, I saw that as a criticism, but on the second pass I now see that as a strength.

(Side note: After finishing the book, I re-watched "The Patriot" on DVD (Mel Gibson), which is a *fictional* account of the South Carolina militia leader Frances Marion, who fought the British hard and furiously, in particular the ruthless British Col. Tarleton. The book, with its emphasis on the Southern side of the war, made the movie much more interesting and put it into context; conversely, the movie helped bring a large swathe of the book to life, too. It should be noted that The Patriot is a *highly* romanticized, fictional version of the conflict in the Carolinas. For instance, Mel takes out Col. Tarleton by hand in a satisfyingly epic conclusion to an epic tale, but in real life, there was nothing that conclusive - Tarleton went home to England after the war and did a little of this-and-that for many years. Still, I would recommend seeing the movie in conjunction with reading the book, just to get a good gut feel for how desperate and frantic the fighting in the Carolinas was.)

This is the best book that I've read on the American Revolution. Unlike some other good books, it covers the whole story from the start until the end and every aspect of the war including the overseas negotiations, the unknown war around New York between 1779-1781, and does an especially good job of covering the southern war.

Unlike other good books on the American Revolution, which don't really give the Southern campaign much emphasis, this one does, because the events of late 1780 and early 1781, including Kings Mountain, Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse did lead Cornwallis to move to Virginia which of course led to the concluding battle at Yorktown. The author lays out quite well that the patriot uprising in South Carolina after the loss at Camden was a key event of the American Revolution, because the patriots in South Carolina and North Carolina and the overmountain men in Tennessee rose up to fight for the freedom. Like a recent movie, this book highlights the importance of this and its result.

It also handles the different personalities in a more even approach. Yes, it emphasizes the importance of Washington, but also recognizes that Gates and Lee and most importantly Greene had key roles in the American Revolution. Gates, of course, was the leader at Saratoga, and yes, Arnold played a key role there, but then again Arnold was a traitor. Lee was very helpful to Washington during the New York campaign in 1776 and the book's presentation on Lee at Monmouth opened some slightly different insight on this event. And, then Greene was the real leader in the South - taking a losing cause when he had absolutely inadequate resources and turning it around.

In short, this book takes a more even approach to the American Revolution, in my opinion, and in the process of doing so offers new insights on this period of history. This is why I highly recommend this book for all readers and especially those who have studied this period of history.

I will not get into details as there some great reviews here! This book is a terrific read, fast paced, broad in its scope, and brought to life like no other book.
The candor of the author to show both the good and bad sides of the main characters was refreshing and at times, astonishing. It opened my eyes to the difficult decisions, the hardships, the arrogance, and the desperation that faced the British and the rebels.
By opening up the book to the world wide scope of the revolution was a real surprise. Adams and Franklin in France, the French fleet in the Caribbean, the battles in Canada, and the hard fought struggles in the Carolinas brought me the meaning of the first world war.
Delightful book.

Pastor Sunday Adelaja has used his faith to do so much more than what has become the "norm" here in the United States! In a time where we are constantly bombarded with messages about how faith can lead to material wealth and larger congregations, Pastor Adelaja is sharing how faith has helped him to change a nation! This book revolutionized my thinking. I was already kingdom-focused, but this book took my level of understanding to new heights. It confirmed that what God wants from us is selfless, purposeful service OUTSIDE of the physical church. His Kingdom has already come...are we serving? Excellent book. Truly life-changing.

Change is needed in this world. If the Church wants to see the change, The Church needs to change. Church Shift is a great book to help people think out side the box.

Sunday Adelaja's story is one of the most remarkable of the modern church. A Nigerian orphan who studied in Moscow and ended up leading Europe's largest church in Kyiv (Kiev) in the Ukraine, it is an inspiring story of God's sovereign work and faithfulness. Sunday's book focuses on each person finding their "promised land" to work in and influence society through God's kingdom values. The book is inspiring and interesting for anyone who wants to see Christians move beyond church and into the community.

It is amazing to gain an in-depth knowledge not just into the life of Sunday Adelaja, but an insight into his thought.

Rev. Adelaja who has already became a phenomenon in End-time move of God and among the circles of Evangelicals, is a down-to-earth, sincerely transparent and gifted man of God. Reading this book is already a blessing to me personally, now I know why God had used this man to achieve such an outstanding fleet in Ukraine. Rev. Sunday is a servant-leader, and this book will make it easy for you to understand that. This is not just another 'Spiritual' book, but a guide to living a purpose-driven life and maximizing your God-given potentials.

Please, get a copy for yourself and another for anyone who has a definite call of God upon their lives.

This was a very enjoyable book - so much so that I ordered five additional copies to give away. I like Sunday Adelaja's philosophy and ideas of how we need to 'do church' differently. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

It's tempting to say that Satrapi chose to write her memoir as a graphic novel because she's not very good at narrative writing, but to say that would be to completely undercut what this book has to offer.
Satrapi tells her story through brief narration and elegant black and white drawings, illustrating the repression in Iran (veiled women and bearded men drawn with no mouths) and the freedom of Europe.

Satrapi takes us from her childhood in Iran under the Shah through her experiences during the Islamic Revolution. Her parents send her to Austria when she is 14, and she stays there for 4 years. An outsider in Austria, she returns to Iran, only to continue to feel like an outsider, because she did was not in the country through most of the Iran-Iraq war, and therefore didn't suffer through the bombings and terror that her fellow Iranians did.

Back in Iran, Satrapi continues to be a rebel, but is able to enroll in college to get her degree in graphic arts. Throughout this section of the book, she depicts her personal struggle to reconcile her values with her life in Iran, and to find meaning in her life. She discovers that, for her, meaning comes through education, both personal and institutional, and leaves Iran again to pursue her studies in France.

Through both her drawings and her words, Satrapi tells not just her own story, but that of others affected by the repression in Iran. That this is a graphic novel gives the reader the feeling of a special insider's look into that world.

This book provides an interesting way to read and learn about an interesting point in history. I highly recommend it or anyone to read because it's comic book style makes it an easy and enjoyable read.

I highly, highly recommend this book. I could hardly put it down, and I never wanted it to end. A truely great story.

This book was one of the most interesting and unique books that I have ever read. It was given to me as a gift and I honestly didn't think that I'd like it. I was a bit put off by the comic book style, but it read just like a regular book. The comic strip part only enhanced it. LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!

saw the movie, had to buy the book. thank you for making such a great film! It inspires on so many levels. dont miss this film, it speaks for all cultures and all people

Crazy Horse has held a deep and sacred passion for me since childhood, I thoroughly enjoyed Mari Sandoz's book but can not understand why her account has Hump dying at the hands of the Snake's and in a time frame before Crazy Horse's own death(1877), one has only to read Dee Brown's "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" and view a photo of Hump dated in 1890 at Fort Bennett, South Dakota, additional research indicates that Hump died long after Crazy Horse. It would be greatly appreciated if someone could clarify this for me.

I must say what a noble man. I just wish there was more about him. it was a beautiful story. one that should be read in every highschool along with sitting bulls bio, black elks six grandfather etc.

The 5 star reviews are right-on. When I first read "Crazy Horse" six years ago, I ranked it as one of my two favorite books ("Grapes of Wrath" being the other). One hundred books later and it still retains that ranking in my list, along with Grapes and, now, Katz's "Battleground" (a bullet-proof presentation of Jewish claims to Eretz Israel) and Fischer's "Paul Revere's Ride" (which brings that event to life brilliantly). Sandoz writes and retells magnificently. This is a great book.

I had never read Mari Sandoz so I can't compare this to her other books. The writing style is unique and pleasant. It is a very interesting, and unfortunately sad story about Indian life on the great plains. The book seems very well researched and therefore more interesting to read since it is about history. The Indians suffered strategically from a lack of organization, but their whole life style was about independence and in fact a much more pure form of democracy in selecting and de-selecting their leaders. In reading the story with regard to the lies and deceipt of the white men it reminded me that world politics and war is no different today than then. Crazy Horse had attributes that leaders should aspire to, he wanted to help his people and he was not vain about himself as leader. In the end he was tricked into surrender by his own people.

I thought it was one of the best books of Indian life and history that I have read.

Little is known about Crazy Horse in comparison to other legendary chiefs, warriors and heroes due to the quiet-spoken and solitude-seeking nature he possessed. Indeed, Crazy Horse was considered "strange" due to standing true to his ideals and who he really was, instead of the conventional ways of others no matter how traditional. Born of lighter hair and skin, young Curly stood out as different from the beginning of his days. Most humble and purely strong and good-hearted, Crazy Horse grew to be the truest and most brilliant leader of the Lakotas. Self-sacrificing even to the bitter end, Crazy Horse earned his place of honor as a hero to be respected.

Combining interview information of Eleanor Hinman with survivors who knew Crazy Horse, with Mari Sandoz's meticulous research, gives "Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of The Oglalas" clout in accuracy of detail and fact in the day and time of Crazy Horse. I very highly recommend this book.

Philip Reed's "In Search of the Greatest Golf Swing" reveals his elevating but daunting experience as a student, friend, and biographer of the amazing Mike Austin. Mr. Reed's humbling yet successful quest to learn the keys to super-human drives endured the gauntlet of Mike Austin's piercing, super-energized, indomitable personality. At the age of 64, over 33 years ago during competition, Mr. Austin achieved the still-standing Guinness Book of World Records standard of 515 yards for longest recorded drive. Curiously, until now, Mike Austin was largely ignored in conventional golf history though knowledgeable insiders believe he was a half-century or more ahead in power-golf technique. Philip Reed's documentary has filled a significant gap in our golfing lore. For the dedicated golfer who seeks an honest inside-the-ropes story, "In Search of the Greatest Golf Swing" is a terrific value.

Ostensibly this book is half biography of little-known long driver Mike Austin and half technical discussion of Austin's revolutionary swing, many aspects of which run counter to conventional PGA wisdom. But as the artfully written narrative progresses, a third element emerges as well -- the touching story of the friendship that develops between Austin and author Reed during the writing of the book.

No avid golfer could read this book and fail to feel inspired to work on his or her game (I finished it yesterday and headed straight for the driving range today); some might even want to try out Austin's unorthodox mechanics. Yet there is a human-interest story here as well, the story of a larger-than-life golfing god who smacked a 515-yard drive at age 64 but somehow couldn't putt to save his life; lived it up with Hollywood celebrities and was respected by the best golfers in the world; studied the human anatomy and wore a skeleton suit while giving golf lessons to demonstrate proper body movement; and forged an unlikely friendship with a journalist decades his junior who weathered Austin's steely gruffness until it gave way to genuine respect and affection.

Highly recommended -- not just for golfers, but also for anyone interested in a well-crafted feel-good story about a fascinating man and his iconoclastic genius.

I've just finished reading this book and I have to say it is a great read and is well worth buying.

It is a story of how the author, Philip Reed, sets off to document the world's longest ever drive in a tournament set in 1974 by Mike Austin, and along the way wants to learn enough about this swing so he can transform his own drive of 200 yards into a more manly 300 yards.

The books gets off to a shaky start but I stuck with it. And after a couple of chapters I could no longer put it down. He helped me get to know more about Mike Austin, his history and his achievements.

It made me want to be there in the place of the author since Mike seems like a real character and a throwback to a different age and a different world.

It even gave me a few tips, and some hope, on how I might possibly be able to improve my own swing to give 300 yard drives. Now that would be nice.

Read this and give yourself a pleasant break from all those golf instruction manuals out there while enjoying a good golfing story.

The other reviews say it all - that this is a wonderful book on many different levels. I trust that some day it will be recognized as a sports classic.

I just want to add that Reed's book is an invaluable companion to Dan Shauger's 'The 21st Century Golf Swing'. This latter book has such an odd and uncomfortable style (my opinion only, of course) that it was hard for me to know whether to take the technical parts of it seriously. After reading this fine book it became clear that, yes indeed, you can.

It would be great if Shauger and Reed could collaborate on a second edition of '21st Century...'. I'll put up some front money, if that would help.

This book is absolutely wonderful. I picked it up out of curiosity after learning about Mike Austin's record-breaking achievement (longest drive in professional golf competition history), and ended up being completely drawn into the story. With a straightforward, honest writing style that moves at a nice pace and never gets bogged down, Philip Reed does a masterful job of portraying a complex man filled with both flaws and greatness, who not only achieved a stupendous feat that no one has ever topped, but also lived a fascinating life that plays like a great movie. Reed deftly weaves Austin's story together with his own journey by bringing the reader along with him as he describes his efforts to get to know Mike Austin and learn his swing secrets. He sets out not only to write about Austin, but also to experience for himself the power of Mike Austin's swing, hoping to harness it to achieve a personal goal of hitting the ball 300 yards. As we learn about Austin's amazing life and unmatched golf swing alongside the author, we are simultaneously drawn into a surprisingly touching story of how Reed came to develop a bond of friendship with Austin. Viewed through the lens of Reed's relationship with Austin, we come to understand and truly appreciate Mike Austin at a much deeper level, and also come away with important lessons about life. This is a magnificent book, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

If you want to understand what Gilda felt as she described her cancer experience this is the book for you. I thourghly enjoyed this read. Her courage in the face of all this was truly inspiring....

This book is less an autobiography than it is a memoir of dealing with cancer. The entire book is pretty much about the nitty gritty details of cancer, which could prove a valuable comforting resource for those going through something similar. Wish there had been more about her life and career. But it's pretty much all about cancer and Gene Wilder, whom she obviously adored. I like that it feels like you can hear her voice when you read--it sounds like her and can be very funny and touching. She seems like a great person and someone you would have loved to know as a friend.

I first discovered Gilda from watching the TV-movie of this starring Jami Gertz on ABC back in 2002 (which I don't recommend for highly-acclaimed critics, or to anyone for various reasons resting solely on the persona portrayed by Gertz) .
Although growing up in Detroit, I wasn't very familiar with Gilda as one would think, being from the same town. I looked EVERYWHERE to try to purchase this book, on here, Border's, Barnes&Noble and other various websites and my last resort, eBay (which I recommend if you don't know where to purchase it). In which case, I received it in the mail after a week or so, ripped opened the packaging and read it like a fat kid eating cake. Wanting more. After reading the book, you feel like you know Gilda. While reading the book, you feel like you know Gilda.
She starts off talking about her random excursions in her ambiguous life, how she wanted her story to go one way, but it took a left turn and made another. Gilda especially highlights her relationship with Gene and how they met, where they got married, the process of getting married in a French town hall and saying "I do" at every pause, because she couldn't understand the French language. She did everything in her power to try to become Gene's wife. She suffocated him, he moved to New York came back to see her in Connecticut and when "the ducks were landed" she ended her relationship with Former SNL lead-guitarist, G.E. Smith and so began the relationship between Rosanne Rosannadanna and Willy Wonka. Her never ending battle to have a child, put me at the edge of my seat as she went through 2 miscarriages.
Feeling unexplainably fatigued all the time, she tried to find the source of her problem by taking vitamins, sleeping more, eating properly. She stopped smoking (a habit she picked up at age 14) and went to doctors who mis- prescribed her with "Epsom-Bar Syndrome." Eventually, it got to the point where she couldn't get up and was constantly tired, so she got other opinions and was diagnosed.
STAGE FOUR Ovarian Cancer.
Afraid to be seen in public, she took therapy and began to realize how many other people were suffering from the same thing. She joined the Wellness Community, found her place and died on May 20, 1989. This book touched my heart from beginning to end. As if she was my life-long friend. I own the original 1989 edition, and I am NEVER letting ANYONE else touch it.

I was diagnosed with colon cancer in April 2005 and life has never been the same. My partner purchased this book for me and I loved it. I loved it not because it read like a self help book but because it read as a true commentary of life with cancer. It's words touched a part of me that no self help book could ever touch. Radner's everyday dealings with this insiduous disease made me laugh and cry and boil over with anger. Radner's words help me to roam through the numerous rooms that one staggers through after a diagnosis of cancer. My heartfelt thanks to Gilda and I would recommend the book to everyone who is affected and infected with cancer.

Gilda Radner was a very fine performer, but this book--not devoted to her entertainment career--shows her to be a class act off-stage as well. Some of us are lucky to have faired well at the hands of brilliant medicos, and are very grateful for it, but anyone who has had long-term experience with America's byzantine medical system knows how easy it is to become fixated, to the detriment of one's own health, upon its appalling lapses and petty cruelties, and lose sight of what's positive. Practically crawling, doubled-over in pain, before doctors took her condition seriously, and, later, away from treatment for an extended period of "remission," only to find out it was merely a mistaken test reading, Radner shows no bitterness in this honest, brave, and, yes, sometimes funny book.

Someone so famous during the golden era of "Saturday Night Live" that she could hardly walk the streets of New York without being mobbed by fans, Radner is reduced by illness to humble sprees involving bingo parlors and mail-order catalogues. Demonstrating resilience, but also a sweet brave sadness that makes you hope, against all sane logic, that things will turn out differently.

It has been written elsewhere that when Radner was very ill in the hospital she would make the rounds cheering up other patients, introducing herself "Hi, I used to be Gilda Radner." There you have it--that transcendent quality humor sometimes has to defy all human limitations, even death. Fortunately Radner will defy it more than most because her warm, precise and yet delightfully silly comedy will live on in tape, film and this very good book. Thank you, Gilda, you will always be really something.