Biography Books

I wish this book was much longer--I wanted to know more. The story of a family with the resources to have a luxurious easy life, but chose to open their home and hearts to children who had less than nothing. The selflessness of this family is amazing. I just couldn't have done it. I couldn't have divided myself into so many pieces and have coped with the disorganization. But, I wholeheartedly admire the people who can. Such an inspiring story. Don't miss it!

What an amazing book this is. I was thinking about fostering children and this book was so helpful in my decision. Kathy writes with honesty and although I'm usually not one to cry, through the joy and pain in this book I cried three different times. I couldn't put it down.

This book is fantastic! It offers a realistic view of what raising fostor children is like. It shows the good and the bad, yet I have never wanted to be a fostor parent more!

I loved this book. As a therapist who has just written a book about a teen girl in foster care I think it's important to focus on the incredible work that foster parents do. They are our unsung heroes! Thank you Kathy!!!!! For a fictional, uplifting account of the journey of a teen in foster care (inspired by the foster children I've worked with in the past) check out my soon-to-be released young adult novel, RETURNABLE GIRL. Maybe it will inspire you to bring a child home.

This book is about Kathy Harrison's real life as a foster mother and the story about a couple of the children that came into her home. She talks about her true emotions and feelings as she tries to hold these "shattered" children together with, as she puts it, just love and "band aids."

Augusten Burroughs (author of Running with Scissors) said about this book...."Shocking, brutal, heartbreaking and ultimately redemptive, This is the riveting and profoundly moving story of a hero, disguised as an ordinary woman. And like every hero, it's the children she is out to save."

Unlike Augusten I did not find the book "shocking" but honest and realistic to what every foster mom goes through. I could not believe how close our stories were as I read this book. You could have taken out the names of her children and drop in some of mine, tweak their story a little, and it wouldn't ring any truer then what we have seen and gone through.

I cried as she wrote about letting Lucy go to an adoptive home. She loved Lucy but not in the same way as the children she adopted. She wanted to keep her but also wanted Lucy to have that unconditional, total love she deserved. The pain of letting Lucy go tore open those feelings and what we went through with two little boys I had for three years.

She writes about her desire to reach ever child that walked into her home and the heartbreak when she realized love, food, clothes, a home, and safety wont/cant heal all their wounds.

She talks about the times caseworkers have such caviler attitudes to their lack of action that keeps a child in the system longer then need be, or keeps them off the adoption list longer. It reminded me of the unfelt and off the hand "sorry" and "oh, well" I have heard so often. But like her, I don't know how to change things, nor do I have the time to try because there is "another child coming through my front door that needs me."

I understood as she talked about the times she stood tall and strong when she felt the weakest, because it was best for the children. Telling the emotions every foster parent feels behind closed doors. The love she has for the strength and unbelievable timing her husband had at being there when she needed him. I understood the times she wanted to yell at a parent for smoking around the baby in her care but struggles with what is good for the baby and the need to keep the communication open between them. The honest hate she felt for some of the parents that have abused the children in her care but at the same time struggle as she realizes that most likely the bio-parents were children in the same situation when they were young and haven't learned anything different. The hope that what she was doing would change things in some way screamed what every foster parent prays is true. It made me think she had a hidden camera in my home that could read my thoughts and feelings I never let others see.

The hardest part of the book, for me, was the roller coaster of emotions they went on as they tried to adopt Karen. She is elegant in relating the fear of loosing a child that, in your heart, is already yours. A feeling that can't be explained or even come close to being logical. She maps out the joys of moving forward, the pains of more hold ups, the relief that the children are in your care, but the lingering dread that things could change in an instant. She revels how everything is devastatingly out of our control and we have to stay on till the ride is done.

She is most honest about not being a saint, or perfect, or even close to perfect. I laughed so hard when she wrote about the attachment case workers visit. She says she remembers her weakest moments (when she said something she shouldn't of or didn't handle a situation the right way) when people call her a saint; so do I. It only takes one or two human reactions to realize we are not saints or perfect; but she honors us with "a warrior" doing our best.

However, she also shows why we keep doing what we do for these children. The ability to see more in these children then others do and the wonderful feeling we get when the children reach not their potential (because it is rare we get to see this) but better then when they came to our door and father then others thought they could. This might be a simple smile, or a giggle, a sentence everyone understood, going a week with out an out burst, a day with out harming themselves, or the ability to care about something other then themselves for a second or two.

I could go on and on but if you want to see what it is like to be a foster parent....read this book! If you are a foster parent and want to know you are not alone....read this book!

"Autumn Lightning" by Dave Lowry appeared to me as a combination of biographical sketch mixed generously with Japanese History, and Spirituality.

The book (for me) was in itself, a "Fair Read," but not necessarily one that will become part of my spirit. Much of this could however, be due to my age. While reading this book, I was often reminded of the movie; "The Karate Kid." In that movie; "Daniel Larusso" becomes "Miyagi-fied" and is turned into a great Marshal Artist. Likewise, Dave Lowry in this book becomes "Kotaro-fied" and emerges as a great Occidental swordsman.

I own one other book by Mr. Lowry on the "Art of Kendo" complete with photographic examples, and many teaching comments that have been very helpful to me.

Mr. Lowry writes and teaches out of sheer devotion and love of the subject, and for this; I truly applaud and respect him! I believe this to be a worthy book but, probably for a younger individual looking for a mentor of desciplines that help to develope spirit and physical attributes.

Dave Lowry offers a perspective in his books not often available to the Western martial arts practitioner - a considered interpretation of modern martial arts in the context of traditional (koryu) arts.

Written in a exceptionally approachable style, Lowry tells the story of his introduction to martial arts, interspersed with anecdotes from Japanese martial history.

Lowry's books provide me with insights into my own training and have helped me grow as a martial artist. Rather than the simple discussion of technique, his essays delve into the "-do" of the arts

One of my all-time favorites, it's recommended reading for all of my students. Mr. Lowry's story is similar to my own. He tells his tale with crisp and humorous writing that has you on the edge of your seat and then lets you sit back and chuckle. A wonderful classic.
If you don't have a copy, you're really missing out.

This is a great read for anyone interested in learning about the history of the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu of swordmanship. Woven into this history are the events that lead Lowry into studying this Ryu and his dynamic interaction with his Sensei.

I've recently reread all the books I have on martial arts, Japan, Japanese culture and history. When I find a passage that really strikes me, I underline it and dog-ear the page. After finishing the handful of books I already have, I came to Amazon to find more. Dave Lowry's book seemed interesting from reading the first few pages available online. Little did I know I would be underlining and dog-earing most of the pages in the rest of the book! An excellent read for new or experienced readers in Japanese history, culture and/or martial arts. I highly recommend it!

Wonderful book if you like vintage stories, especially of large innovative families.

There are a number of books related to this one, as well as movies connected as remakes of the books.

Belles on Their Toes, Cheaper by the Dozen, etc. are refreshing insights of life in the early 1900's.

especially for a sequel!

I found this book a couple years after I came across the first one as a teenager. It's a good continuation of the story and lets you know what happened, and how this amazing family all chipped in to make things work after their terrible tragedy.

This book continues the true story of the Gilbreth children or the sequel to Cheaper by the Dozen.
The story continues after the father died. The mother is now the soul supporter of her family. There is a graet saying in the book that says,"Mother wasn't afraid anymore because the worst had happend."
The mother carried on her husbands works. She held conferences and taught the scince of time saving. She became a very strong woman.
It was a long hard haul but ahe successfully continued her husbands work. The children successfully ran the household.
This story is humorus and very touching. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I can't believe I didn't know this book existed till very recently; I would have bought and read it a whole lot sooner had I known, having read the first book about five or six times. It's in the same funny spirit as the first, though the focus has shifted from the antics of the entire family to the mother's struggle to take care of her eleven children after her husband died. And the funny moments aren't as frequent as in the first book, since the children are older. It also seems like the younger children got the short end of the stick--less time was given to writing about their own humourous childhood anecdotes and stories, since time passes really quickly after Anne gets married. The only other thing in this book I wasn't keen on was how some of it was dated. Some of it, like Mrs. Gilbreth trying to find reasons for the oldest two not to smoke and then instantly retracting each reason, or the youngest boys teaching Jane how to be popular and get dates by not being her true self, is to be expected, given not only the era in which that happened but also when the book was published, but there are a few slang words and references that the modern reader might not understand or find as funny or relevant as someone who was a contemporary of the family might. We all know what a sheik is, but who uses the term "wet smack" anymore, for example? Still, overall it's a sweet fun way to wrap up the story of this funny family.

The book was interesting although I do have to admit I wish there were better photos and close-ups in the book. Seemed to focus too much on the negative, hear say of this wonderfully talented gentleman. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for the actor. It saddens me that his contributions have gone mostly unnoticed in the film industry. The proof is that there are hardly ANY DVD's or even VHS available of his best films? It would be fantastic if there were a film made today of this great actor, that is as long as it was as close to the real Mr Novarro as possible. I'm afraid it would focus too much on the negative, gossipy parts of his most private life.

This what saddens me when any person passes away, others can swoop in and destroy their reputations and if no living relatives are around to stop it. the story becomes gospel truth. Such an injustice.

The book is worth buying but lacks movie still, etc that most BIO's have.

Re: Krebsman comment:

In "Beyond Paradise," it is stated that Franklin was located just north of El Paso del Norte, not El Paso. (We're talking 19th century here.)

It says in the book that El Paso del Norte would be renamed "Ciudad Juarez" or "Juarez." Needless to say, Franklin would turn into (or become a part of) what is today known as "El Paso."

If silent movie star Ramon Novarro is remembered at all today, it is for two things: his starring role in the original film version of BEN-HUR and his brutal murder in 1968 by two alleged male hustlers. Andre Soares' biography of Novarro, BEYOND PARADISE, is intelligently written and sympathetic towards its subject. Novarro seems to have been a nice Mexican boy who was devoted to his family and his religion. He was also homosexual, which caused him a great deal of spiritual torment in a time when such things were not even mentioned among nice people. He had a rapid rise to stardom in the embryonic motion picture industry and was one of the few silent screen stars to survive the transition to talking pictures (despite his Spanish accent), when he played opposite Greta Garbo in the sound feature MATA HARI. But miscasting combined with a conflicting desire to become an opera singer brought about a slow decline and ultimate obscurity. He also became an alcoholic and, perhaps because of his homosexuality, a virtual recluse. This is a sad story.

There are some factual errors early in the book that made me doubt the accuracy of the other points in the book. For example, he says that Franklin, Texas is slightly north of El Paso when it is actually 300 miles to the East. However, he does set the record straight about the means of Novarro's death. In the 1975 book HOLLYWOOD BABYLON, Kenneth Anger states that Novarro choked to death when his art deco styled artificial phallus was stuffed into his mouth by his assailants. Soares gives the lie to this myth when he quotes official evidence that Novarro not only died from being bludgeoned to death, but that no such object was found among Novarro's possessions, nor did it ever exist.

The trouble I had with the book is that actor biographies are all fairly similar. After reading dozens of them over the years, I don't find most of them very interesting. The best parts of the book for me were the final chapters dealing with the murder and its aftermath. But for those who already have a keen interest in the silent movie era of Hollywood and are already familiar with the actors and directors of the period, BEYOND PARADISE could be compelling reading.

I bought this book at the behest of a friend and have since reread it twice. I am a severe critic of biographies, having read more than I can number. Happliy, Andre Soares' book is a well-written, intelligent and well-balanced account of the life of a man who was both complex and not always very smart in his choices. The book does what all good biographies SHOULD do: make you want to go out and find out more about the subject.

Among the many positive attributes to BEYOND PARADISE are:

* A balanced appraisal of Novarro's personal and professional strengths and weaknesses (this is a hopeless, gushing tome by a misguided fan)
* A willingness to analyze the facts without sensational exploitation of them
* Detailed research and substantive factual foundations
* A sincere (thought not always likeable) portrayal of Mr. Novarro
* A well researched documentation of the studio system that made and ultimately destroyed one of it's brightest stars who is, today, largely forgotten

I cannot recommend this book highly enough - it is one of the best biographies I have read in some years.

This is an incredibly riveting compelling read, and beyond being entertaining and informative, it's also a balanced thoughtful sensitive portrait of a fascinating human being and actor. Some celebrity biographies seem to have been written by people who can't stand their subject and some are written by people who are too in love with the subject to think clearly, but this one gives a nicely balanced account. We see here a man who was a very fine gifted talented actor, but who eventually became a has-been, for various reasons, who didn't always give his all to selecting the best projects because of his conflicting desire to have a career as an opera singer, and who was deeply torn over his genuine deep committment to his family, his Mexican roots, and his Catholic faith, and how he was also a gay man in a time and a society where that subject was strictly taboo. Even at the time of his murder by two young hustlers, gayness was still considered a psychiatric disorder. Because Ramon kept so much of his life private, this biography can't tell us everything about his personal life, but it is made clear he was:

A very talented actor (he was allowed more range and depth of roles than some of his other romantic leading man counterparts), a man who played to perfection a number of dream roles, most notably that of Judah Ben-Hur in the 1925 version of the screen adaptation of the General Lew Wallace novel, as well as starring with a number of great leading ladies;

A talented singer (even though his acting and singing careers conflicted multiple times and mutually hindered one another);

A devoted family man, deeply religious (he seriously wanted to enter a religious order at several points in his life), becoming the head of the household after his family immigrated to America, as the oldest surviving son in a family of originally twelve children, stepping into the shoes of his father, who had once been a successful dentist but became too ill to support his family during much of his life;

A good human being in spite of natural human flaws (such as his problems with drinking in his later years and several car accidents caused by his heavy drinking);

Someone who sometimes wasn't always the most agreeable person, as evidenced by when he was touring a play in England in the Thirties and getting catcalled by the audience who couldn't hear him, since Ramon had never learnt how to project his voice, being a screen and not stage actor, and actually stepped out of the play to catcall back, "Now, *I* can't hear *you*!"

Even though he is most remembered today for playing the title role in 'Ben-Hur' and for being murdered in his home on Halloween Eve 1968 by two young hustlers, which finally exposed to the public that which he had worked so hard to keep hidden and private (i.e., the fact that he was gay), he was so much more than either of those things, a deeply talented and flawed man. This biography truly does his life and character justice.

This story has been and will continue to be a true inspiration to anyone who reads it. I have known Captain Burk for thirteen years and was familiar with his experiences. The book provided me an in depth realization of the chain of miracles that lead to Mr. Burk's survival of such a tragic event. The Bridge Never Crossed causes the reader to reflect on what is really important in life and realize that God has a plan for each of us. I have purchased several copies to share with family and friends. George has been one of the most influential people in my life. He is constant reminder that each of us control our own destiny.

This story has been and will continue to be a true inspiration to anyone who reads it. I have known Captain Burk for thirteen years and was familiar with his experiences. The book provided me an in depth realization of the chain of miracles that lead to Mr. Burk's survival of such a tragic event. The Bridge Never Crossed causes the reader to reflect on what is really important in life and realize that God has a plan for each of us. I have purchased several copies to share with family and friends. George has been one of the most influential people in my life. He is constant reminder that each of us control our own destiny.

This wonderful, courageous and inspirational story makes a perfect gift for anyone on your list - mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, co-workers, friends, enemies, ANYONE! Capt. George Burk is a truly remarkable, amazing man with a truly remarkable, amazing story...a story that I defy ANYONE not to be moved by. Capt. Burk was a recent guest on our radio show...and never has any guest had the impact on my me and my co-host, Debbie...but our producer, the engineer - EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING! George Burk is one of the most incredible people I have ever had the great opportunity to come into contact with. I will say right now...if you haven't read this book - read it NOW!! You will not be sorry - you will be changed.

George Burke's survival story was first heard by me on a radio talk show. His book is as awsome as his discussion was, and I was profoundly moved by his courage, determination, and humor. I have often recommended his book to my "special needs" clients. His story gives much needed encouragement to them, and a new perspective in facing the challenges of living, despite tragic events. I was so impressed by George, that he will now be the keynote speaker at the 6th Annual Joint Services Special Needs Awareness Forum in Norfolk, Virginia.

After meeting the author in person,reading his book was as powerful as listening to him speak.Mr.Burk takes you on a journey that only a true survivor would attempt. His stop at the Bridge is the starting point for us all !

I read "Cache Lake Country" in 1968. I was delighted to find it in print again...like meeting an old friend.
Thank you.

I'm going to be a little less enthusiastic, but only a little, than some of the other reviewers here. I really did like this book, but for some reason it just didn't quite pull me into the time, place, space the way it did some others- although it didn't miss by much.

This is a very unique book-probably reminding me of my old Boy Scout Fieldbook (a little more detailed and survival-oriented than the handbook) more than a typical non-fiction work. The illustrations are great as well as occasionally light-hearted, and if you are at all handy or have an engineering or for that matter, culinary bent, you will find plenty of recipes and blueprints for food, tools, gadgets- even crystal radio sets or birch bark canoes. While some of these you'd probably have to find some supplemental information to make, most come so well described and diagrammed that you could probably build them or bake them directly from the book.

For me the best part is the author's midwest and at times almost cowboy way of describing life. His time around rough loggers in the days when horses and two man saws were still the order of the day especially captured my imagination. Like many readers, I'm a lot hermit, and the thought of life in a cabin in the north woods with nothing but snow, bear, moose, and wind has a certain charm, and I'm grateful to Rowlands for giving enough of a story to enjoy a bit of that charm vicariously. An excellent and unique book, and for some it will probably become a treasured possession.

I have read a lot of outdoor books over the last 40 years, and this is one of the best. I am going to research the author, John J. Rowlands, because he was obviously a fascinating man who lead a very interesting life. This book tells about 12 months living in a cabin on a lake in Northern Onatario. At the time Rowlands was working as a timber cruiser, evaluating forests for use as lumber. He happened upon his ideal lake and was lucky enough to get stationed there by his company. He was also very lucky to have two great friends living within miles (within signaling distance via the various drums, horns etc. they engineered), on other little lakes. Together the three lived every outdoor boy's dream life of independence and adventure. This book has stuff about canoes, wild animals, sled dogs, snowshoes, knives, axes, the history of the lumber camps, and many boy-scout like craft projects. I just wish it was a lot longer.

A good book but I didn't think it was as easy to read as friends lead me to believe. A tremendous amount of reference material, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I found the book enlightening and informative. Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy and learn from this book.

This is an honest account of a facially disfigured man who has done lots more with his life than most "normal" men. Anyone who has ever been self-conscious about freckles, a big nose, extra weight or any "perceived" deformity, will feel a kinship with his self consciousness. I certainly did, yet I also felt gratitude that I did not have to go through what he went through. I laughed hard, I cried a few times and I came to some peace with myself after reading this personal little gem of a book, written by a gem of a man.

What a wonderful book this is, though I look at it more as a funny and poignant memoir of someone who has seemingly overcome tremendous obstacles to create a wholesome and very meaningful and happy life for himself. Through significant events in his past, David relates, with great humor, how he was able to overcome the society's burden of judging people by how they look and lead a very fulfilling life. There are some aspects of a "self-help" book about the text, but mostly it is the story of David. At the same time, I found myself looking inward quite a bit and reviewing my own choices in life. David does touch on some aspects of faith, especially in his Catholic upbringing, but the book is mostly about finding the true self within and creating strength and thriving. A warm, funny, touching and thoroughly enjoyable read. I recommend it for all.

If David Roche did not exist we would have to invent him. He is one of those people (and I'm beginning to think there may be more of them around than we imagine) who make this tired planet a better place to incarnate. David is a truth teller, hope giver, path finder, holy clown and, as we now discover, a hell of a good writer. I read the book in one sitting weeks ago and have been letting its stories and images percolate in my mind, heart and soul ever since. David is not a new-age pollyanna. He reminds me of Barack Obama -- whose memior I"m now reading -- in the way he has earned the authority of the one who has gone through the dark night of the soul and has come back to tell the tale. His compassion, optimism and salvific humor come from his willingness to work with his wounded parts. He takes the alchemical path, transforming the "base material" his life has given him into spiritual gold. In modeling, especially as a man in this society, this willingness to look unflinchingly into his own soul he performs an act of service. And love.

Jeff Roche
Communication Arts 610
March 6, 2008
Critical Analysis of The Church of 80% Sincerity
In reading David Roche's The Church of 80% Sincerity, I thought that I would be able to "kill two birds with one stone," simultaneously satisfying my curiosity/interest and sense of obligation as the author's nephew, as well finding an autobiographical text that I could examine with a critical lens. However, while I satisfied one part of the equation, I complicated the other; it's not easy to be critical of family.
But I digress. Roche's book is not truly an autobiography. This work is a testimonio, as it "represents an affirmation of the individual subject, even of individual growth and transformation, but in connection with a group or class situation marked by marginalization," (Couser 88). Still, this description is not entirely accurate, as Roche hardly mentions his connection to and development with a community of performers with disabilities (Roche 6). Yet, to quote Steven Winn off of davidroche.com, "what's most striking, and finally moving, is the way he both draws attention to his disfigurement and makes the audience see beyond it as well," fitting nicely with the first part of the testimonio definition. Thus, The Church of 80% Sincerity is more of a semi-autobiographical, non-linear novel that draws attention to Roche's poignant life stories/events that fit into his overall themes.
One might then ask, what are these overall themes? "It is the story of accepting yourself, despite all of your flaws," (Roche 5). By recounting various life experiences, Roche tells his tale of finding self-identity as a person with a congenital facial disfigurement and the setbacks that occurred at various stages. However, for Roche, humor is a key element in the telling of his story. According to Krefting, the use of humor affords her "the catharsis of laughing at myself and my insecurities, as well as allowing me a modality to criticize/satirize," (Krefting 110). I feel the same can be said of Roche. Humor is one part of Roche's identity, but his is an expansive identity that is inherently tied to his ability to "find my voice...I continue to find it onstage, in the pages of this book," (Roche, 56). In many ways, Roche's path of self-discovery aligns itself perfectly with Gill's description of the four types of integration.
The first type involves one's "assertion of a right to inclusion in society," (Gill 42). Roche has several examples related to such assertions. Whether it was his right to be politically active by voicing his concerns on city buses (Roche 64), or preferences for what he wants in a companion (Roche 101), Roche asserts his right to not be excluded on account of his disability.
The second type of integration relates to "finding a place" within the disability community (Gill 42). Roche's initial avoidance of disability culture can be explained by the factors that made him shameful of his own disability, desiring to be "normal". At home, the issue was not discussed; thus, Roche "never learned to explain myself. Instead I learned the safety of standing to the side," (Roche 34). This, combined with feeling rejected by the god that he was raised to love, led to Roche's (unsuccessful) attempts at passing, avoidance, and later substance abuse (Roche 38). Eventually, by finding "community, the feeling of mutual support and being in it together," (Roche 69), Roche felt empowered to challenge his shame and the oppression of others and stop "pretending to be normal and began to accept myself the way I was," (Roche 6).
Now, in a way this seems good because Roche finds strength in a supportive community. What is disconcerting is the lack of a challenge towards the concept of "normal." According to Lennard Davis, the "the idea of a norm is less a condition of human nature than it is a feature of a certain kind of society," (Davis, 24). Roche never directly questions the very notion of "normal," but rather, he continues to make several "normative" remarks throughout the book, leaving the societal construction of the norm untouched. The closest attempts came by asserting how everyone is unique and that Roche's experiences are "wholly human," (Roche 11). By using the word "normal" in this context, it implies that there is a poorly connoted "other," and there is something fundamentally wrong with a society that requires one to assert their humanity because they are viewed as "other."
"Coming together" is the third type of integration, where one recognizes their sameness and differences (Gill 43). The Church of 80% Sincerity does an excellent job of portraying this stage's classical struggle of self-acceptance. There is no need to repeat the why of the matter, for the same mental/physical barriers that prevented Roche from finding a place within the disability community, also prevented him from accepting himself. Though I criticized this quote in relation to the concept of "normal," it accurately shows the integration of sameness and differences: "My face is unique but my experiences are wholly human," (Roche 11).
"I thought...that my face was an impediment...Amazingly, that fear turned out not only to be unfounded, but also to be the opposite of the truth," (Roche 69). A statement such as this demonstrates that Roche was able to reach the fourth type of integration, "coming out," (Gill 45). Not only does Roche see and accept himself as whole, he takes pride in his appearance while using it for his advantage (performances, keynote speeches, charming himself).
The Church of 80% Sincerity extensively covers Roche's personal development in relation to disability, but he downplays any notion of "overcoming". Rather than stating that he overcame ill-formed patterns of thinking about himself and the world around, Roche discusses several self-transforming "moments of grace." While the lessons to be learned from these moments of grace are well-intended and not overlooked, one cannot help but to be distracted by the fact that self-transformations are "a matter of individual will and determination rather than of social and cultural accommodation," (Couser 80). The fact that Roche discusses matters with more of an introspective focus may cause one to overlook the larger sociocultural factors that helped create the ill-formed patterns of thinking in the first place. For example, a sociocultural model of disability might examine societal conceptions of beauty and the assumptions that are tied to it. However, by examining the "random acts of cruelty" that Roche encounters, such as the man who spit in his face, The Church of 80% Sincerity points out the inherent flaws in all of us (Roche 40). Although this does not directly challenge sociocultural factors, it is a step beyond the phenomenological level.
And yet it is difficult to be overly critical of these "moments of grace," because all of these individual, phenomenological experiences have led Roche to form the backbone of his "Church of 80% Sincerity." Although no physical church actually exists, the "Church of 80% Sincerity" can effectively be classified as a lifestyle choice/ way of thinking about the world. The Church is an abstraction "for recovering perfectionists, You can be 80% sincere 100% of the time, or you can be 100% sincere 80% of the time," (Roche 7). Many tenets of the Church are mentioned throughout the book, but the primary tenet would have to be one that calls for self-acceptance, despite one's flaws. One could argue that "The Church of 80% Sincerity" is a sub-set of disability culture, one could even go so far as to say the Church is disability culture. If one takes a look at Gill's work on the eight core values of disability culture (Gill 2-3), one would quickly see that the Church embraces the majority of these core values throughout the book, with a few additions of its own.
On a final note, Roche is very modest about being seen as an inspiration by others. Yet, it is in this modesty that Roche fails to acknowledge the fact that his high level of intelligence and incredible sense of humor assisted him in his identity development and ability to work though challenges; perhaps Roche is modest because of the fact that he was not always looked at as an inspiration, either by himself or others. Roche's work does a good job of challenging the notions of the theoretical gaze and stare, as well as the diagnostic gaze (Millet 26) by reiterating his own experiences with the Western model of medicine. Roche relates his early medical encounters, "One by one they came forward to examine me...If our eyes ever met, it was only a nanosecond before theirs turned away with easy, practiced avoidance," (Roche 53), "You never talk about feelings...or anything!" (Roche 54). This breakdown of the medical experience into feeling like a subject to be examined and gazed upon was a powerful one; stirring up emotions in the reader, as well as inciting Roche to action, as he later became an expert on the physician-patient relationship.
Ultimately, Roche and the "Church of 80% Sincerity" seem to align themselves with many of the core values of Disability Culture. Although one might choose to criticize Roche for his lack of social resolution, political agenda, or inherent call for change, one must realize that that is not what The Church of 80% Sincerity set out to do. This was a story of "courage, faith, inspiration, and laughter...to understand that you and I are very much alike, with our gifts and our flaws woven together," (Roche 11). The majority of the criticisms presented here were merely a means of expanding upon Roche's already solid foundation of self-love, tolerance, and an appreciation for the uniqueness of the human spirit.


Works Cited

Couser, Thomas G. "Conflicting Paradigms: The Rhetorics of Disability Memoir." Embodied Rhetorics Disability in Language and Culture. Ed. James C. Wilson and Cynthia Lewiecki-Wilson. Southern Illinois University Press, 2001. 78-91.

Davis, Lennard. Enforcing Normalcy: Disability, Deafness, and the Body. London: Verso, 1995. 1-49

Gill, Carol J. "A Psychological View of Disability Culture." First published in Disability Studies Quarterly, Fall 1995. www.independentliving.org/docs3/gill1995


Gill, Carol J. "Four Types of Integration in Disability Identity Development." Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 9 (1997): 39-46.
Krefting, Rebecca. "'The Taming of the Sun': Finding the Joke in the Cancer Narrative of a Pedagogue." Disability and the Teaching of Writing A Critical Sourcebook. Ed. Cynthia Lewiecki-Wilson and Brenda Jo Brueggemann. Bedford/ St. Martin's: Boston, 2008. 109-116.

Millet, Ann. "Disarming Venus: Disability and the Re-Vision of Art History." FemTAP (Summer 2006): 21-39.

Roche, David. The Church of 80% Sincerity. New York: Perigee, 2008.

My wife, Wilene, and I saw David Roche perform THE CHURCH OF 80% SINCERITY on stage in 1996. It had rocked us with laughter and moved us to silence. When we finally spoke, I said to her, "He should write a book!" Now that didn't qualify me to be a prophet in his church, but it did make me a proud parishioner, because now that his message is out in print, everyone has access to Reverend Dave's gospel. And, that is a blessing!

David was born facially disfigured and I will say no more about that, because whatever I could possibly write, it would pale before David's words as he chronicles his life in this magnificent little book. I have known David for about fifteen years and what I love about the CHURCH OF 80% SINCERITY is the very thing that I love about him. It is about the place where he lives, the intersection of pathos wisdom and humor. When reading it, one is never a sentence or two away from the integration of these three forces.

Another potent and enchanting aspect of his writing lies in his ability to pilot the reader down the same road he is travelling. As David allows us to examine the grief,anger,love,and joy of his life, we are simultaneously compelled to examine and reexperience our own. Ultimately, what the book reveals is that David's journey has been been an alchemical one. We become very clear that he turns lead into gold, and there in lies the gospel; the good news that we can do the same. -- at least eighty percent of the time! -- I can't recommend it enough!

This book should never have been called " Comfort - A journey through Grief." It should have been called "Self Indulgence - A journey through repetition." I too lost my daughter...she was 14 and died from respiratory illness. I seek out books like this to help me with my own grief. This book did not provide any help, let alone comfort. To the contrary, it irritated me because of the lack of any attempt by Ms. Hood to discuss comfort or healing and the observations that she repeated over and over, ad nauseum. And where is the journey of the title? Ann Hood says late in the book (almost at the end, in fact) that she doesn't know how she got from there to here. She is referring to going from being the crazy woman with the dirty clothes to being the woman who wrote a new novel. If she doesn't know this, then it is misleading and irresponsible to call this book a journey. I can see how people who have not lost a child would find this book poignant, but as someone trying to make my own journey through grief over my loss, this book is a fraud.

I have just finished reading "Comfort" by Ann Hood and I sit here stunned. Never have I been a witness to such raw and intimate emotion. Ann writes of her tortuous journey of trying to cope with her grief after the sudden death of her daughter, Gracie. "She was only five years old." The reiterating of this sentence and the phrases describing her frantic experiences that day in the hospital, over and over again throughout the book, convey the sense of disbelief, helplessness, and raw pain throughout the memoir.

Ann Hood is not a new author to me. I have read many of her other books. "Do Not Go Gently" about dealing with the impeding loss of her father to cancer also revealed her ability to put on paper what was coursing through her veins. "The Knitting Circle" a fictional story of a woman trying to put her life together after the loss of her daughter, was her previous attempt to try to tell the story of the loss of Gracie. In each of these, woven in with the phrases of pain and brutal honesty is an energy and lust for life that is redeeming. I find myself crying and then laughing with tenderness as she goes on to mention something that brings to life the human spirit to survive and cope.

Even though the book deals with such tragedy and pain, it is not a downer. I am left with a sense of connection to Ann and her family that make me want to hug her and bring a cake over to her house. She is each of us...she is a mother who isn't afraid to feel her pain and share it with us. She is a wife who isolates herself in a corner one minute and then grasps tenaciously to her husband in the next. She is a woman who exhibits love, anger, longing, strength and determination. If she can walk through this then there is hope for all of us who also have difficult journeys in our future.

There is a kinship between those who have suffered the death of a child, and this book speaks to that familiarity, and the healing that begins to nudge its way in as the retelling occurs. I nodded my head in agreement, and cried as Ann shared the journey of her grief, the silly things people think they have to say to a grieving parent, and the reality of the words "I'm still here". This book is an empathetic comfort for those who have known the tragedy of burying a child.

Reading Ann Hood's best-selling novel The Knitting Circle, I sensed that she was doing exactly what aspiring writers are told to do: She was writing what she knew well: Knitting, friendship, life's challenges--and losses. What I didn't realize as I read her wonderful novel was that she held a deeper, far more intimate story that was begging to be told. Comfort: A Journey Through Grief is that very personal story about the sudden loss of Hood's five-year-old daughter Grace. With the kind of raw emotion that only a survivor of such grief can share, she journeys back to the events that define her losses and finds light and hope in what seems to be a hopelessly dark place.

In a searing prologue bearing the same title as the book ("Comfort"), Hood begins and ends with the thought that "Time heals," methodically listing the comments that people made to her in the aftermath of Grace's death. Interspersed among the well-intentioned words of others, Hood writes her own rebuttals and rebukes of them. "Once you have lived through all of the firsts, it will get better." ... "Are you writing down how you feel?" "But I cannot write. I cannot think of anything but her." ... "She is in a better place." But how can a five-year-old little girl be in a better place without her mother?" "Are you writing any of this down?" "Only the lies people tell me. There are no words for the size of this grief. There are only lies."

By the time I finished reading the prologue, her words clutched my heart and threatened to never let go.

They say that writing about such pain is therapeutic. I say that reading this book is also therapeutic. As a mother and a nurse, I cannot imagine having to make sense of the loss of a young and healthy child. Likewise, I cannot imagine having to function and move forward after such a shock. Hood reveals just how terribly difficult it is to go anywhere but inward.

"In the days and weeks and months that followed, I told these details over and over and over to anyone who would listen. Repeating them made the story which seemed unbeliebable still, real. It was as if by repeating the details I cold somehow understand them, understand what had happened to Grace, to our family." (Chapter Two: Knitting Lessons).

This book will take you on an emotional ride unlike any other. I have emerged from the pages of this book with an incredible ache for Hood's loss but also with joy for her renewed hope for the future, in her adopted daughter, Annabelle.

Written with grace and brutal honesty, Comfort has touched my life and is sure to touch the lives of all who read about Ann Hood's powerful journey.

by Lee Ambrose
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

The author's five year old daughter Grace died suddenly. She writes about her life and her coping with her grief. While the subject matter may turn many away, this 186 page book, which can be read in one sitting, will move you and particularly so if you have children.

Many compare this book to Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking. From my point of view, this book is in a different class - far superior - coming deep from the author's soul where you live and feel the grief as you turn the pages. For example (P. 96): "I have read that when someone loses an arm or leg, for months afterward they still feel the pain in their missing limb. A phantom limb, it is called, as if the outline or shadow of that limb is still there. That is what my arm became. Phantom limbs, aching for Grace. At night I would wake up in pain, my arms actually hurting with longing for her. It is hard to imagine that emptiness can cause pain, but my empty arms arched."

The book is beautifully written. The author has a knack of bringing alive small every day experiences - "I ate wine biscuits twisted into pretzel shapes and hard bread dipped into tomato sauce, tight batons of prosciutto and crunchy stalks of fennel dripping with olive oil."

Hood is direct in explaining her grief - there is no magic silver bullet to deal it.

"Writing about Grace, losing her, loving her, anything at all is not linear. Readers wants a writer to be able to connect the dots. But these dots don't connect. One day I think about how knitting saved my life, and I write about that. But how do I connect it to other parts of my grief? Grief doesn't have a plot. It isn't smooth. There is no beginning and middle and end."

Or

"It had been three years since Grace had died. Slowly, we were back to work, out with friends again. Our loss still filled our home, every corner of it. It still filled us. Time doesn't heal, I had learned, it just keeps moving. And it takes us with it."

And finally, she expresses her anguish in vivid heartbreaking ways:

"The first time I walked into Grace's room after she died, when the reality of what had happened to us in the past forty-eight hours was still unbelievable, the first things I saw were those tights. I saw them and screamed, not the kind of scream that comes from fright, but the kind that comes from the deepest grief imaginable. It is a scream that comes when there are no words to express what you feel. It is an argument with God or life or death. It is a scream that rails against logic and fate and everything there is."

Hood eventually turns the corner but never shakes the horror and pain of losing a loved one. Hood's grief comes alive and is real as you turn the pages. Sad but emotionally stirring book.

Thank You Amazon.com for bringing this monumental work of spiritual and historic significance to our doorstep at such a reasonable and low price.

the thing that i most loved about this collection is his photograph that came with the books like a little book mark, but also much of what he says is truly inspired. i was most impressed by his knowledge of bhakti yoga - the yoga of love, which to my mind is the greatest gift of hinduism to the rest of the world. love is the word of all true mystics which points us toward ultimate reality/unity. i do not agree however with his analysis that all yogas are equally valid. i see that a quite sizable chunk of jnana yoga is mislead in its analysis and understanding of the nature of things.

vedanta is significant in that it is the science of religious truth. it seeks to uncover those truths that are universal to all religious or spiritual journeys... whether by believer or non believer... certain verifyable and repeatable truths and practices and results of these practices. vedanta is more than a religion it is the truth that is out there waiting to be found again and again, in being after being, life after life.

i see 'advaita' vedanta as primarily seeking union with God, or the super- self/paramatman. i would however warn that the mundane 'i' must undergo radical transformation, or complete extinction with renewal and re-birth if union/yoga with God is to be attained. (i speculate!!!)

as mentioned above, the ultimate is true love, personified in hinduism as bhakti. true love has been known to be in definition, to be 'loving kindness' by the worlds greatest proponents of truth. take for example the jews (proponents of one true god) and their use of the word 'chesed' and then the diametrical opposition of buddhism (proponents of the budda ideal) which uses the word 'metta'. these two great religions have recognised the meanining of 'loving kindness' over vast stretches of time. but it is clear too that Jesus, a jew also had a profound experience of and egagement with 'chesed'. Vivekananda also was a very loving human being it would seem from his writings. however i think he was wrong in that he did not consider that 'loving kindness' is more than merely an attribute, but it is infact the very being and persona of ultimate reality. of which there is only one persona. (manifesting in three persons, though one would not expect him to know that without a profound experience of Jesus).

vivekanandas books give a brilliant over-view of the various aspects of hindu faith... but am i right in thinking that he was an impersonalist, despite what he wrote on bhakti. i dont know. hard to pin down.

there is a slight shadow over the first book in the compendium, but is this because of a 'blessing' on the book, or simply that he is in areas misguided. as i see it his greatest error is to embrace non-dualism in relation to good and evil.

yes, it is true to say that evil may be good and good may be evil, as well as to say that good may be good and evil evil, but simply because the two extremes may cancel one another out one should not assum that all reality is always an illusory construct. non-dualism is valid, but not very helpful, a lower truth.

if one is careful, one will see that with an understanding of the mundanities of good and evil, that one may aspire to and better understand the nature of good, that is 'true' good, the third and apexal point on the triangle. 1,2,3 and or 1,1,2 (there is a progression in the first set, and a correspondence in the second set - if one applies these numerals to a basic triangle).

taking love for example, one does not have to be clever to realize that love may lead to hate, and in some cases love is a form of hate. if a country goes to war or an individual is angry at someone, it can usually be understood as an offence against love. and loving ones country so much that one goes to war for her is a sad example of mundane love. however this love is love without kindness and therefore is not 'true' love. true love is loving kindness, since true love must be kind, it must love its enemies (so what enemies has it). thus asserting, socratese was expected to drink poison, for 'corrupting' the youth of athens.

interestingly vivekananda follows the argument that india maintained her identity and beliefs in the face of invasion, simply because she did not resist the occupiers (islamic and christian). she bent like a reed in the wind.

vivekananda would have benefitted from a better understanding of the mystic sides of christianity and islam, both of which he seems to misunderstand on certain important points, or simply not to know about.

all in all an intersting read. not as developed as ramana marharshis vedanta, and though he may have been an impersonalist of sorts he does not go into the details of the process of impersonalist union with/becoming god. yoga is described but not actual process of union with God, though he does mention this as a possiblity that was sometimes avoided by the bhakta who wished to worship God as the object of their love. they found this more fullfilling than becoming a god.

he covers a wide area and its hard without deeper study to understand his personal position on things. all in all, what impresses me most about him is that he was clearly a very decent human being. a shame though about his philosophical indifference toward the dualism of good and evil. (but he cant be blamed. a reading of the baghavad ghita can either assert this dualism or deny it. you will find people in both camps who have studied the ghita).

anyway, these books need to be read with discernment, as i have said, there is a slight shadow over the first book. dont let this scare you away from reading them, but approach with prayer.

with very much love, from, snow-flake. xxx

We say Spirituality is not something we want to fall into. But in real terms we dont know what in actual Spirituality is !!!
This books explains the human life and the way to live it fully with the understanding of oneself...(SELF-Realization)

Keep Reading.

I am only part way through the first volume, but it is far enough into the works to gather an understanding of the maginitude of Swami Vivekananda's understanding and straight forward elucidation of Vedanta. His writings are intellectual in nature with a strong undercurrent of spiritual truth. He has the ability to stir within the mind something unspeakable through his words. This is a testament to his depth and understanding. So far, in this first volume, there is an ongoing feeling of freedom from creed and blind belief, and a very structured, scientific approach to living through Yoga. This will certainly appeal to those who are disheartened by orthodox faith, but still are religious minded and are a seeking for greater truth. Excellent!

In the moments of desperate help, this book has thought me how to hold my self together. It has made me a better person overall. I recommended this book to all of my friends and teachers. It is by far one of the most AMAZING book I have ever seen.

Well, I agree with the raves regarding this book. I believe this extends past an armchair sea-cruising book and wallows into classic literature. But I'm not an expert on that so I can't say for sure. However, this story that Caldwell tells closely resembles Holden Caulfield in Salinger's classic. I've always thought this after I put the book down. The transference from normal to borderline and then a psychotic state is very slow and subtle. I'll go no further. You'll have to read it.

I love sea stories, I love survival stories & I knew very little about this book besides the fact that almost every review was 5 stars. I thought I would give it try. This is the story of John Caldwell who at the end of WW2 was stranded at the opposite end of the world from his new wife Mary whom he had married the year before. Try as John might he could not find a way to get back to his wife in Australia. From his years of service in the merchant marine he had enough money saved up to buy a 26 year old 29 foot sailboat. With ZERO training & knowledge of sailing he set off from Panama for a 9,000 mile journey.

One of the things that sets this book apart is at the start John really knows nothing about sailing & he isn't afraid to admit it. Right from the moment he casts off he is only minutes from disaster but somehow he prevails & after numerous mistakes he slowly learns to be a better sailor. He sails solo but he is far from alone, he has two kittens who you learn to love & other secret stowaways. Some become friends, some become dinner. John writes with a great sense of humor. As I was reading the book I was expecting John to get lost or beat up in storms but I wasn't expecting the epic tale of survival. It is one of most successful sailing stories ever. I won't delve any farther into what happens but I will say he has endless interesting escapades with the creatures of the south seas & you will see why this is a desperate voyage. Also you will be amazed at what a human being will eat if pushed to the brink of death.

You will love John's storytelling. I was sad to learn that John has passed on. This week (Sept 2008) his wife has published another book (Mary's Voyage) about further journeys with John - I can't believe he stepped foot on another sailboat. If you love sea stories this book will not disappoint.

John Caldwell was in love. So in love he bought a less-than-adequate 29 foot sailboat to sail thousands of miles across the Pacific (from Panama to Sydney, Australia) to be with his new bride. On his way, adventure and obstacles ensue, and he really shows what he's made of throughout the story.

What a great book! A real page-turner. You will have a hard time putting this one down. I know I did!

John Caldwell, a young American who served in the Australian air force and the US merchant marine during WWII, found himself at the end of hostilities stranded in Panama. He had no way to get back to Australia and his new wife Mary.

With more pluck than brains Caldwell, who had not done any small boating, buys a small sailboat (about 29 feet) with the idea of sailing to far off Australia--more than 8500 miles of open Pacific. First he learns how to maneuver his boat in and around the islands off Panama, with many hilarious screw-ups. Finally he sets off across the ocean. He has a tiresome voyage to the Galapagos Islands, again with many screw-ups, some of which almost cost him his life and nearly wreck his sailboat and disable his auxiliary engine. After the Galapagos the sailing goes better as he has wind and current with him and only some 8000 miles left to go. Then about half way there, between the Marquesas Islands and Samoa, Caldwell is hit by a terrible hurricane that destroys his rig, nearly sinks his boat, and forces him to jettison all of his food, water, navigation equipment, and supplies. His prospects for survival, not to speak of getting to Australia, are remote. Fortunately he had an almost indestructible craft, and that was his greatest piece of luck.

Under jury jig and near death from starvation, he eventually fetches up in the Fiji Islands. He is nursed back to health by the kindly natives and soon makes it the rest of the way to Australia by hitching rides on boats and planes, and is reunited with his beloved Mary. They apparently have lived happily ever after (or at least until the late 1990s), even founding and running a resort in the Caribbean.

Desperate Voyage is a wonderful and wonderfully engaging story. Caldwell writes so well and so engagingly that this book is really hard to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed it. You cannot help liking this plucky screw-up with a penchant for survival. Of course, I feel somewhat guilty enjoying this tale so much--after all it is mostly about screw-ups, disaster, pain, and close brushes with death most of which resulted from Caldwell's rashness and carelessness. Caldwell's voyage is not one to emulate. But as A.J. Mackinnon says in his masterful The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow (another boating story full of screw-ups) "No screw-ups, no story." Certainly if Caldwell had been an accomplished yachtsman and as careful as we boaters are supposed to be, there would have been nothing here to laugh and cry about. Also when reading Caldwell's tale I was reminded of Mackinnon's admission: "Of course, I exaggerate for effect." How much has Caldwell exaggerated to enhance his tale? No one knows, but I sincerely doubt that he really drank his engine oil in order to assuage his hunger when he was starving.

More than thirty years ago when my young family were avid deep water sailors, I read many survival and adventure stories written by those who had had narrow escapes. John Caldwell's vivid tale of his struggle to return to his Australian lady love following his release from the Navy at the end of WWII still stands out in my mind. This year, as I home school my grandson and encourage him to develop innovative thinking, determination and loyalty, "Desperate Voyage" once again comes to mind. One of your other reviewers remarked that Caldwell "had no literary pretentions," but his book is, nevertheless, well worth reading for Caldwell's own humor and durability in the face of disaster. I am happy once again to add it to my library on my grandson's behalf.