Editorial Review

Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In Read more

Reviews (353)

Transparency
I read this book several months ago, and I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed.So it wasn't until I was laying in bed this evening that this thought finally connected in my mind.
unique
reminded me of Angela's ashes.Painful, yet humourous and very enjoyable to read.She keeps it matter-of-fact and it tugs on your heart without being sentimental.

Reminds me of growing up with my dear old Mom
Somehow childern in abusive situations seem to maintain their sense of humor, despite what is happening around them and to them.
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Subjects:  1. Alcohol Abuse    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Case studies    7. Childhood Memoir    8. Children of alcoholics    9. Entertainment & Performing Arts - Television Personalities    10. Family Development    11. Literary    12. Personal Memoirs    13. Problem families    14. United States    15. Welch    16. West Virginia    17. Women    18. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Editorial Review

There is a passage early in Augusten Burroughs's harrowing and highly entertaining memoir, Read more

Reviews (539)

Mental Illness Is Not Funny
I picked this book up after I had read that the author had been declared by some media outlet as one of the "fifteen funniest people in America."
Yes...some of it really is funny...
...But!! Not enough to grab me by the collar!I agree with others here who said they liked some of the aspects of this "memoir", save for the disturbing sex scenes. I do believe it's hard to take in when a 13 year old is having a very adult relationship with a 32 year old. I found nothing tasteful about this. Nor did I see much humor in this. However, to be fair, there are very funny moments here. Love the scenes with the shrink's family. But by page 125 or so--the writing gets a bit sloppy and the story begins to lose its muster.
This book is an act of self gratification
I bought this on a whim because a few people had told me it was "hysterical" and it was a best-seller, so I figured it must be pretty good.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. American Essays    3. American novelists    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Burroughs, Augusten    9. Childhood Memoir    10. Childhood and youth    11. General    12. Literary    13. Novelists, American    14. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (6)

I was literally sent downstairs for laughing too loud.
Seriously.I was up past bedtime, and I was reading Bryson's description of lame 1950's toys.I won't give it away, but imagine what he can do with the topic of "electric football".After a particularly vigorous episode of chortling, my wife trudged out of bed to decree that, if I insisted on continuing to read, I'd have to take it downstairs.
The FUNNIEST book I have read in years!!!
This is a wonderful, funny, and ultimately very human book, which reminds us all, no matter who we are or where we live (I'm Australian) of the total joys of a happy childhood.
A pure joy.
So far as I can tell, there are only 2 problems with Bill Bryson.First, he writes about his life, which means he has to go live it for a while before he can write another book.So he can't write constantly, which is about the only pace likely to keep up with my appetite for his work.Second, he doesn't live near me, so I can't visit him to catch up between books.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Bryson, Bill    6. Childhood Memoir    7. General    8. Humor    9. Iowa - Local History    10. Literary    11. Personal Memoirs    12. Regional Subjects - Midwest    13. Travel writers    14. United States    15. Voyages And Travels    16. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (416)

David's courage story continues
10 stars - As with David's first book A Child called It this book is just as fabulous.It really gives readers an excellent perspective of what's it like to be a foster child.To get attached to people and then have to leave, never really knowing where your going to end up. In this book David thankfully was taken out of his mothers care and ended up a F-Child or Foster Child. In the book we see young David still struggling with what his mother did too him and wondering the biggest question why? We see David over several years go through 5 foster families each who help shape and mold his life for the better. We see him go from a scared little 12 year old to a young man who sees more for himself and has a path planned for his future.

One person's tragedy is another's miracle
Sitting down with this book, I thought it would be just as heartbreaking as "A child called it". However, this book was inspiring and moving. David Pelzer took a tradgedy and turned it into a miracle. None the less, he managed to do this all before the age of eighteen, a challenge most adults could not take on. As David reaches his goals, he teaches all of us an important lesson, reach for the stars and never give up; there is always room for hope, love, and passion.

Heartbreaking, inspirational story - Highly Recommended!
I wasn't a big reader until recently after finishing my Master's degree and not having anything to do with all my free time. I heard about A Child Called It from a friend and read it in 24 hours. It was a horrifying tale and I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to go through that kind of abuse and neglect as a child. Within the hour of finishing that book, I drove to the closest bookstore to pick up The Lost Boy, but I couldn't find it!!! I ordered it from Amazon and the wait was somewhat painful. I just had to know what happened next and I couldn't stop thinking about little David Pelzer until my book finally arrived!
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Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Abused children    3. Abusive mothers    4. Alternative Family    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography / Autobiography    8. Biography/Autobiography    9. California    10. Childhood Memoir    11. Children of alcoholics    12. Daly City    13. Dysfunctional Families    14. Family relationships    15. Pelzer, David J    16. Personal Memoirs    17. Biography & Autobiography / General    18. Child care & upbringing   

Reviews (153)

An Extraordinary African Childhood
Alexandra Fuller's "Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight" will bring you into her world of a childhood spent in the wilds of Africa.Hers is a colorful memoir that you won't soon forget.While reading this book, I literally carried it with me everywhere I went so that I could read it during any spare moments I had during the day.Run, don't walk, to purchase this book and buy a spare to share with everyone you know!

Great Book
I like this book a lot I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed her stories . For anyone who wants to know about growing up in Africa. A must read

Being born in an interesting part of the world should not be an excuse for just anybody to write
Alright, so her childhood was a bit different than your average white middle-income childhood.
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Subjects:  1. 1969-    2. Africa - General    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Childhood Memoir    8. Childhood and youth    9. Fuller, Alexandra,    10. Girls    11. Historical - General    12. Literary    13. Zimbabwe    14. Biography & Autobiography / General    15. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (169)

DELIGHTFUL!
My best friend recommended this book when I told her I was reading Ramona the Pest to my daughter. What a fun book! Haven Kimmel's voice was so true that I felt like I was eight years old all over again. Did not want it to end. What a GREAT read! Will look for more from this author.

Beautifully Written Love Letter to Small Town America -- and its Families
Haven Kimmel has a gift with words!Her story of growing up in small town America, with a slightly off-kilter family (aren't they all?) is just wonderful.Full of the wonderful little details that make a story real, and written from the child's perspective, Kimmel makes us laugh out loud at her childhood antics (and her family's). She also paints a vivid portrait of growing up in a teensy tiny town in the Midwest -- that rings true to any reader who grew up in a similar town, or has passed through one on his/her way from city to city. I loved this book!

A Girl Named Zippy
The cover photo of an alert non-Gerber baby.An old family photo topping each chapter.These help set a whimsical tone skillfully followed through with words only a mother could love.From tufted-head to stubbed-toe, this book celebrates the spunk of youth with countless recalls of which our inner tot can relate.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Childhood Memoir    7. City and town life    8. Girls    9. Indiana    10. Mooreland    11. Mooreland (Ind.)    12. Personal Memoirs    13. Regional Subjects - Midwest    14. Social life and customs    15. Women    16. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs    17. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (30)

Loved the courage of this child
It Seems like everyone is trying to compare him with his brother. It shouldn't matter who got beaten the worse, their both strong and brave because they survived. I think the brothers should have help each other alot more. And their dad was a disgrace. It's just ashamed the community let this happen, And did not put her in jail for all the harsh stuff she did and they also had proof of it.
Following his brothers footsteps
I read all of David's books and was very moved..however Richard's seemed to hit alot of the same incidents..in either case I can't believe no one ever spoke up to help..I do feel David's books were better written .. I feel bad anyone would have to go through life as they did.. I wouldn't pass this book as I feel it almost reads the same as David's

Amazing story
This book was amazing. The hell Richard Pelzer and his brother David were put through makes you wonder how a mother could ever harm their child. I couldn't put this book down as I couldn't put David Pelzer's books down either. As soon as I recieved the book in the mail, I started to read it and was done in 2 days, which was disappointing because now I have nothing to read! Order this book, you won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Abused children    3. Adult child abuse victims    4. Biography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. California    7. Child Abuse    8. Childhood Memoir    9. Children of alcoholics    10. Children's Studies    11. Daly City    12. General    13. Pelzer, Richard B    14. Social Science    15. Sociology    16. Specific Groups - General    17. United States    18. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Editorial Review

Now a writer living in New York, Da Chen describes his youth in mainland China with engaging humor and affecting warmth. It's often a harrowing tale: born in 1962, Chen was the grandson of a landlord, which rendered his entire family pariahs during the Cultural Revolution. And though initially an excellent student, he was ostracized in school and told he could never attend college. He responded by making friends with a group of young thugs who drank, smoked, and gambled but were kind to him. After Mao died in 1976, the budding juvenile delinquent discovered that higher education might be available to him after all. Chen worked hard to make up for years of neglected studies, and his memoir closes with a jubilant scene as he and his brother Jin are both accepted into college; for his suffering family, "thirty years of humiliation had suddenly come to an end." Chen's lucid yet emotional prose unsparingly portrays a topsy-turvy society where unfairness reigns and the rules are arbitrarily changed without warning, but his zest for life and sharp eye for character make even the most awful moments grimly funny. This is no saga of victimization, but a thrilling account of an ordeal that fosters spiritual growth. Readers will cheer Chen's triumph over daunting odds. Read more

Reviews (62)

A very entertaining memoir
Chen Da's bestselling COLORS OF THE MOUNTAIN is one of the more entertaining memoirs I've run across in recent years.
Mountain Of Life
Da Chen's rendition of memories etched within his heart is very descriptive. I especially like this passage:
Interesting book
I enjoyed reading the book.I praise the author for his hard work and his motivation to improve himself and his life.I do agree with another reader that the author very often patted himself on the back, which I have concluded that it's a weakness of a person who had a difficult life.
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Subjects:  1. 1962-    2. Asia - China    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Chen, Da,    8. Childhood Memoir    9. Childhood and youth    10. China    11. Cultural Revolution, 1966-1969    12. Ethnic Cultures - General    13. General    14. History    15. Personal narratives    16. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (1)

Reviewfrom Parul & Arvind Narain (California)
I just got this book after waiting for a few months and was quite thrilled to see familiar names and places mentioned.Being a distant family member, I am probably prejudiced but I think this book is a fascinating read, especially for someone brought up in Delhi.The book even has a family tree in the beginning, going back to the 1500s.As in all her books, Madhur Jaffrey manages to give her recipes a very easy to do feel and very helpful hints for people like us living in the US and I am dying to try out the recipes.Enjoy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - India    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Childhood Memoir    7. Cooks    8. General    9. History    10. India    11. India - History    12. Indian Cookery    13. Regional & Ethnic - Indic    14. United States    15. Women cooks    16. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (46)

bitter book
I have never read a book in which the author so liberally condemned people to hell.I found the author's mightier-than-thou heavy-handed and oppressive.This is a work of anger and hatred rather than a full picture of a country.I hope that anybody who reads this book realizes how slanted Carlos Eire's words are.I just returned from four months in Cuba, no, things aren't perfect, but it isn't the oppressive purgatory that Eire would have youo believe.

Jesus H. Christ hellarious...
I found this book to be so well written AND funny.You will love it.

My life dittoed...Eire has written MY memoir, gracias!
I had read this book some months ago but read it with the "ex-Cuban mentality".By my suggestion, my women's club read this book...and now, I have read it twice.I was also born in Cuba and lived in Havana until I was 12. Became a USA citizen 7 years later. Eire could have been my "next door neighbor": from the running behind the DDT jeep... to the lizards (I have a fake one nailed on the porch's wall!)... to collecting empty bottles for spending money in USA (I and my sister each collected $8 in Key Biscayne, at 2cents a bottle)... to remembering the march on the Agrarian Reform day.I savored every single page and it trully is going back to "memory lane". "Waiting for Snow in Havana" replicates my childhood years, and I thank Carlos for writing my own memoir. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Caribbean & West Indies - Cuba    6. Childhood Memoir    7. Cuban Americans    8. General    9. Refugee children    10. United States    11. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (37)

You have to read this!
As a young person who is baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I can relate to some of the things that Simone has to go through, like persecution at school (although never anywhere NEAR the degree she faced.) I couldn't believe what she had to go through. I was moved to tears many, many times throughout the book. Simone's strength is incredibly encouraging to me. Even if you aren't one of Jehovah's Witnesses, this book will still capture you. I would recommend it to everyone!

A must read!!
This book was truly amazing!!I enjoyed every word, and as a person who does not do a lot of "pleasure reading" I was amazed that I could not put it down, I finished it in 2 days!!Those who have accepted pure worship, and have come to understand the truth from God's word the bible will have appreciation for this little girl who at such a young age decided to accept Jehovah as the only true God, and to worship him to her death if necessary.The truth in the Gospels shone through when she and her mother aquired a bible of their own and realized that the teachings they were learning at church were not accurate.Her strength and conviction and complete trust in Jehovah is an example that we all do well to follow as the end of this system draws ever so close, we do well to keep examples like Sister Leibster in the front of our minds as we enter into our time of persecution.This book will strengthen any person no matter what religion or background you may be, I am glad that I had the chance to read about a fellow believer who stayed faithful, and I am reminded too, as we all should that African American decendents, Homosexuals, Gypsies, the mentally and physically disabled, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses and many more suffered together as a human race.We hear so many accounts of certain religious groups being tortured under Hitlers regime, this book reminds us that not just one but many groups suffered, and we may feel inclined toward the suffering of one group over another, however, they were all people, strong people, and this book reminds us that the ones who suffered were mothers, fathers, someones sister or brother, child or grandparent!!That is what you should remember when you finish reading this book!!

MC
This is an outstanding book. It shows how important it is for parents to train the children early in the way they shoud grow up. This girl was not baptised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses but she conducted herself in an a manner that showed she had dedicated her life to God, (Jehovah)> ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Childhood Memoir    5. Historical - General    6. Historical - Holocaust    7. History / Military / World War II    8. Women    9. Biography & Autobiography / General    10. Childhood and youth    11. History    12. Jehovah's Witnesses    13. Liebster, Simone Arnold    14. Military - World War II    15. World War, 1939-1945   

Reviews (122)

I want more!
I loved this book! The art is simple, yet powerful. The story, informative, heartwarming and compassionate. And all done by one person, which is not all that common. I actually FELT for the characters, I felt like I knew them. That's a sign of great storytelling.
Touching, Humorous and Entertaining All at the Same Time
This is a really good story of a young girl that would be inspiring to anyone of any age and is told in a particularly interesting way. It's definitely one of my favorite graphic novels, especially since it's such a different sort of topic than most. I liked the black and white images...it was the perfect way to present them.

Unique eye-opener.
This was my summer reading assignment before my freshmen year of college, so I naturally assumed it would be a long, boring novel. I was pleasantly surprised by the comic book format, and even more pleased to actually be reading a story. This is a humorous, interesting, eye-opener. I found some chapters to be confusing and a little boring, but overall, I enjoyed the read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1969-    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography And Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Childhood Memoir    7. Comic books, strips, etc    8. Ethnic Cultures - General    9. Fine Arts    10. Literary    11. Middle East - General    12. Satrapi, Marjane,    13. Women    14. Biography & Autobiography / Women   

Reviews (8)

An Emotional and Inspirational Journey of Healing
This is the perfect book for those who have suffered from childhood sexual abuse and for those who are interested in understanding the effects on their loved ones. An easy to follow journey through one girl's nightmare to her final joyful destination. Erin is a strong, courageous, extraordinary young woman. Her story is definitely worth reading.
An Amazing Memoir
A riveting and very sober account of the harrowing experience of child abuse as told by the victim.In the end this memoir ia an uplifting account of how perseverance overcame the fear of telling the truth.An amazing book.

Tells The Story Of Many
Giving voice to unspeakable abuse is what prevents it from propagating. Only when it remains in the dark is its sinister purpose accomplished. This young woman was able to finally put aside her own fears and come out of the shadows to illuminate the disconsolate corners of her life that had been concealed from her parents and even her own sister.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Abuse - Sexual    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Childhood Memoir    5. Merryn, Erin    6. Self-Help    7. Women    8. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (22)

Irresistible
There may be something to the idea that interesting geography creates interesting lives.Young Catherine Gildiner certainly "hit the ground running" in her nascent life.A photograph preceding one of the chapters shows a precocious, Shirley Temple-ish girl in a cowboy outfit, a girl who was consuming life voraciously from the start.
Slow to start
It took a few chapters for me to fall in love with this book, but I finally did. I grew up in an area south of Lewiston closer to Buffalo during the same era, went to Catholic schools encountering the same types of nuns and priests, and today wonder how Ms. Gildiner managed to capture at all so well. She revealed to me whole parts of the sleepy, unsophisticated town of Lewiston that I never knew existed. My only question is however did the young Cathy manage to remember so much of a childhood that many of us had in those days? Her artistry leaves me bewildered by the fact that my similar experiences were lost through by faulty memory. I loved this book.

Too :Close to the Falls
One of the most charming books I've read.Thestory of innocence in an unconventional childhoodto to an awareness of the reality of life.Delightful memoir, but it's much more than just a memoir. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Childhood Memoir    3. General    4. History    5. History: American    6. United States - 20th Century    7. Women    8. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (55)

I love Chuck!
I love this book!I also must say that I loved heavy metal when it ruled MTV.If you loved heavy metal, I think you have to read this book.If you didn't love heavy metal, then you may still enjoy the book, but I can't recommend it as highly.I think a lot of the jokes rely on knowledge of the music/metal culture, and if you didn't like metal you probably just won't care to read about Chuck's thoughts on it.Nevertheless, I think he has a gift for writing and this is my favorite book written by him.I swear that he is at least a little bit of heaven on earth.

really, really annoying
You have to be truly annoying to write a book so bad that I keep reading despite myself, until I finish it. You have to be transcendently annoying for the book to be so bad that I feel compelled to spend four minutes of my life giving it a bad review. Chuck Klosterman, take a bow. You are truly annoying.
Love It!!
A Heavy Metal masterpiece! A thoroughly entertaining look back at growing up listening to heavy metal- I, like Chuck, was born in 1972 and his stories remind me much of my youth and heavy metal wonder years.Thanks for the great book Chuck!I want to dig up my old Skid Row, Kiss, Def Leppard, Dio, Bon Jovi, Ratt and GnR cassettes and read the book again!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1972-    2. 20th century    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography And Autobiography    6. Childhood Memoir    7. Editors, Journalists, Publishers    8. Genres & Styles - Heavy Metal    9. Heavy metal (Music)    10. History & Criticism - General    11. Klosterman, Chuck,    12. Literary    13. Music    14. Music History And Criticism +    15. North Dakota    16. Personal Memoirs    17. Social aspects    18. Social life and customs    19. United States    20. Music / History & Criticism    21. Western music: periods & styles   

Reviews (25)

A touching story
A Tale of Love and Darkness is a hilarious though serious book about the life of the author in the historical setting of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Being the great storyteller he is, Amos Oz made the true events so easy to relate to, and as such this book is remarkable.Also liked Usurper and Other Stories, which I have included in my collection.

Lyrical memories
A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS is a deeply poignant, lyrical tapestry of memories that will be much loved by admirers of Oz's work. The prose is finely crafted, as we'd expect from a writer of Oz's stature. This book is not a memoir, as such--its narrative is not linear, but waxes and wanes through various themes. Arching over the narrative is the shadow of Oz's loss of his mother. My one reservation about the book is that I feel Oz withholds from us--it's never really adequately explained why he changed his name to Oz or what train of thoughts led him to do this. Was he attempting to erase the trauma of his profound loss? Regardless, this work will linger with you after you finish its final pages.

Brilliant piece of storytelling but, alas, not a memoir
Amos Oz likes to say "the first thing you should know about [his] autobiography is that it's not an autobiography. It's an imposition forced on [him] by the Library of Congress." An interesting confession considering "A Tale" was publishedunder the genre "memoir" and went on to reap much acclaim - and quite a bit of money -- as a memoir, including The Koret Jewish Book Award for Autobiography. Asked by befuddled interviewers to clarify himself, Mr. Oz will say only that having asked the dead into his home, "they told him the stories he never heard". This is a writerly response, with much truth and sense, but it doesn't excuse Mr. Oz for allowing his publisher to tout the work as a memoir or to blame the Library of Congress. Actually, a good old-fashioned name already exists: a semi-biographical novel. Or, if that's not hip enough, call it a post-modernist novel, then, a nod and a wink to the reader to figure out what is real and what isn't. As it stands,the many fans of Mr. Oz ---until now I've considered myself one --- believe they're hearing true stories, not stories conjured by the artist if he listens hard. This year we've been brutal on American writers who've played on the popular taste for truth; we've held them to standards and shouted "foul" when they haven't lived up to them. It saddens me that a great fiction writer like Mr. Oz hasn't held himself to a higher standard. "Oz" in Hebrew, we're reminded again and again, means "strength." As a "moral conscience of the modern world", as we're also reminded
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Childhood Memoir    5. Historical - General    6. Jewish    7. Literary    8. Personal Memoirs    9. History / Jewish   

Reviews (15)

I couldn't put this book down
I read this book in just a few sittings, and then recommended it to my mom and all of my girlfriends. (They all loved it too) Although there is nothing particularly remarkable or extraordinary about this girl's life, you feel like you're allowed in on all of her secrets, a feeling that appeals to most women I know. The format, with short diary entries, made the reading go very quickly.

4.5 Stars... Very touching diary of a Christian teenager in the 70s
Diaries are one of my most favorite types of books to read. When I turned 10, my parents gave me a journal and encouraged me to keep a diary, which I did enthusiastically for many years thereafter. When I saw this book, I was immediatey attracked to it, even more so as the author (whom I figured out is one year older than me) grew up a teenager about the same time as I did.
I loved this book
I hesitate to review this book only because I'm not sure I can do justice with words and explain just how much I loved the book.
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Subjects:  1. Adolescence    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Childhood Memoir    6. Diaries    7. Louisiana    8. Montgomery    9. Personal Memoirs    10. Regional Subjects - South    11. Sartor, Margaret    12. Teenage girls    13. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (3)

North by northwest . . .
This terrific collection of personal essays is part memoir, part social history, and part appreciation for the lunar topography of the author's home state, North Dakota, where reminders of its geological past are everywhere in the flat expanse of inland seafloor, the rolling terrain of glacial morrain, and the rocks that surface each year in the fields and need to be cleared by hand. Marquart, descendant of German-speaking immigrants from Russia, tells of the generations of her family, who have farmed the same homestead since the late 19th century. Born the last of five siblings, she grows up driving tractors and pickups and doing chores from an early age, while yearning, always yearning, for escape - life being ever elsewhere.
An accurate, enjoyable depiction of life in the middle of nowhere
Here's your chance to find out about life in a rural town in the most rural state of the lower 48 from farm girl turned rebel turned academic turned author Debra Marquat.A descendant of German-Russian farmers, she grew up as your typical, albeit unusual for that area, rebellious, farm girl.Through excerpts from other works and a series of ordinary but interesting anecdotes, she enlightens the reader with facts about her native state, her ancestors, farmers, farm life and family - from the lengths folks will go to in order to keep land in the family; to the monotony of farm chores; to "the horizontal life," to an unfortunate encounter with a deer and the predictable aftermath; to a father's failing heart, death, and funeral; to a hundred other details that will ring true to anyone who has spent time in a rural area in that part of the country.Although one may question the her choice to include information about her sex life in a book which will undoubtedly be read by conservative farmer-types, and her decision not rush home to see her dying father, she freely admits to being a rebel and never professes to always do the right thing.The references to and inclusion of text from various works of fiction and non-fiction are sometimes welcome, but more often detract from the pleasant flow of her writing, although probably highlight her "academic" side.A comparison of her great grandfather to "land-hungry father Larry Cook" - from A Thousand Acres, when readers of it will remember his big secret, sticks in my mind as particularly distracting.
Struck a nerve...
The author was a guest on On Point on our local NPR station in Connecticut.She must have struck a nerve, because the host stated the switchboard was lit up with callers wanting to make comments on rural life.Marquart had lots of great quotes from her book and those of others that influenced her.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Bryson, Bill    4. Childhood Memoir    5. General    6. Humor    7. Literary    8. Regional Subjects - Midwest    9. Travel writers    10. United States    11. Humor / General   

Editorial Review

Oliver Sacks's luminous memoir charts the growth of a mind. Born in 1933 into a family of formidably intelligent London Jews, he discovered the wonders of the physical sciences early from his parents and their flock of brilliant siblings, most notably "Uncle Tungsten" (real name, Dave), who "manufactured lightbulbs with filaments of fine tungsten wire." Metals were the substances that first attracted young Oliver, and his descriptions of their colors, textures, and properties are as sensuous and romantic as an art lover's rhapsodies over an Old Master. Seamlessly interwoven with his personal recollections is a masterful survey of scientific history, with emphasis on the great chemists like Robert Boyle, Antoine Lavoisier, and Humphry Davy (Sacks's personal hero). Yet this is not a dry intellectual autobiography; his parents in particular, both doctors, are vividly sketched. His sociable father loved house calls and "was drawn to medicine because its practice was central in human society," while his shy mother "had an intense feeling for structure ... for her [medicine] was part of natural history and biology." For young Oliver, unhappy at the brutal boarding school he was sent to during the war, and afraid that he would become mentally ill like his older brother, chemistry was a refuge in an uncertain world. He would outgrow his passion for metals and become a neurologist, but as readers of Read more

Reviews (53)

If you rated it poorly, you'll never understand.
I ran across this book quite by accident, on the bottom shelf of the Engineering section in the bowels of a major brick-and-mortar bookstore. Perusing the first few pages convinced me to give it a try. I was hooked, and devoured the book in two nights.
A Chemical Childhood
Oliver Sacks is one of my favorite authors and I especially like his autobiographical-chemical tome "Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood." I read it a while back and never reviewed it, but on the second reading while flying from El Paso, Texas, to Washington, DC, recently I was so delighted with it that I thought that I would put in my 2 cents worth.
Uncle Tungsten:Chemical History Made Fun!
Uncle Tungsten uses autobiography as a vehicle to give one a fun interesting trip through Mr sacks life as well as the History and discovery of what is called Chemistry today. The book is well written, rarely bogging down.The story begins biographically
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Chemistry - General    6. Childhood Memoir    7. England    8. Medical - Physicians    9. Neurologists    10. Sacks, Oliver W    11. Scientists - General    12. Science / General