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theresidentbookworm's reviews
1765 reviews
Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson by Jeff Guinn
4.0
Okay, moral of the story in Manson? Charles Manson was always going to be a f-ed up psychopath, and sympathy for him is really wasted. Guinn does a fabulous job of taking you through all the stages of Charlie's life, and it reads more like a novel than a biography at times. He weaves in entertainment history along with drug use history and other fascinating tangents into Charlie's story seamlessly, immersing you in the time period. It is a little tough to read emotionally, and I had to put it down once or twice. The actual murders aren't described too graphically so don't worry about being freaked out by them. In fact, the scariest thing about this book is the actual psychology of Charles Manson and the total manipulation and brainwashing he implemented on his "Family". Definitely a great read if you are interested in head cases and serial killers. Just be warned that you will need a nice really light novel to read afterward to clear your head.
Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century by Sam Kashner, Nancy Schoenberger
5.0
I discovered Furious Love through a People's book review. As soon as I saw the review, I knew I had to read this. It was a few weeks later when I was at the bookstore and convinced my mom to buy me it. I practically devoured the thing.
Furious Love tells the in-depth love story of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, a relationship that is famous for being the first ever "It" relationship, not to mention the scandal that followed it. The couple married, split, and remarried, splitting again shortly afterwards. Still, they always loved each other through it all. Sometimes they weren't a perfect match. Both were alcoholics, and they fought constantly. Still, there was passion, and things were certainly never boring. Even though the relationship couldn't last, the love always did. A few days before his death, Richard Burton mailed a love letter to Elizabeth said that home was where she was and that he wanted to come home. Pictures of Elizabeth at Richard's grave after his death were all over the media. She was asked by Richard's wife Sally not to attend the funeral, which she didn't. Still everyone was talking about Liz and Dick. Elizabeth Taylor would never talk about Richard Burton in any interview the rest of her life. She kept that letter he sent her by her bedside the rest of her life.
Though Elizabeth Taylor did die after this book was published, I don't think much was different. She married once more to a construction worker, but it didn't last. She once said that every man after Richard was just someone to carry her bags. It truly was a love story for the ages, and one I immensely enjoyed reading about.
Extremely recommended! Go get a copy now!
Furious Love tells the in-depth love story of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, a relationship that is famous for being the first ever "It" relationship, not to mention the scandal that followed it. The couple married, split, and remarried, splitting again shortly afterwards. Still, they always loved each other through it all. Sometimes they weren't a perfect match. Both were alcoholics, and they fought constantly. Still, there was passion, and things were certainly never boring. Even though the relationship couldn't last, the love always did. A few days before his death, Richard Burton mailed a love letter to Elizabeth said that home was where she was and that he wanted to come home. Pictures of Elizabeth at Richard's grave after his death were all over the media. She was asked by Richard's wife Sally not to attend the funeral, which she didn't. Still everyone was talking about Liz and Dick. Elizabeth Taylor would never talk about Richard Burton in any interview the rest of her life. She kept that letter he sent her by her bedside the rest of her life.
Though Elizabeth Taylor did die after this book was published, I don't think much was different. She married once more to a construction worker, but it didn't last. She once said that every man after Richard was just someone to carry her bags. It truly was a love story for the ages, and one I immensely enjoyed reading about.
Extremely recommended! Go get a copy now!
Elizabeth by J. Randy Taraborrelli
5.0
My favorite old Hollywood actresses are Marliyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Out of the three, however, I think I would've gotten along best with Elizabeth Taylor. She had that same compelling Marilyn Monroe did, but she was more down to earth. Well, not down to earth, but she certainly didn't live in the clouds like Monroe did. I found Taylor's life fascinating. She was definitely a woman with passion, and she knew what she wanted. She tried not to regret too much, which I can appreciate. Favorite Taylor quote: “I don't entirely approve of some of the things I have done, or am, or have been. But I'm me. God knows, I'm me.”
J. Randy Taraborrelli did an excellent job with this biography. It was well reasrched and well structured, and all his information seemed fairly accurate. Mostly, he kept it interesting. The great thing about writing about Elizabeth Taylor is that there's not much need for embellishments. After all, the woman was married six times. She was gorgeous practically her whole life, but she was also smart. (In addition, we have Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton to thank for the first real "it" couple. Take that Bragelina!) I've come to enjoy and trust Taraborrelli's work, and this is no different.
Definitely recommended if you're interested in Elizabeth Taylor or even old Hollywood.
J. Randy Taraborrelli did an excellent job with this biography. It was well reasrched and well structured, and all his information seemed fairly accurate. Mostly, he kept it interesting. The great thing about writing about Elizabeth Taylor is that there's not much need for embellishments. After all, the woman was married six times. She was gorgeous practically her whole life, but she was also smart. (In addition, we have Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton to thank for the first real "it" couple. Take that Bragelina!) I've come to enjoy and trust Taraborrelli's work, and this is no different.
Definitely recommended if you're interested in Elizabeth Taylor or even old Hollywood.
The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe by J. Randy Taraborrelli
5.0
Now here's a quality Marilyn Monroe biography! *cheers* I just read Goddess by Anthony Summers, and I forgot what a quality biography looked like. J. Randy Taraborrelli, unlike Summers, doesn't focus on the sex, scandals, and conspiracies surrounding Marilyn Monroe. Instead, he focused on the person, the girl who'd never had a stable family, who just wanted someone to love her. Here is Monroe at her best and worst, smartest and dumbest, and everything else in between.
Taraborrelli, whose writing and research are always impeccable, packs a real punch with this biography. He carefully unfolds all of Monroe's family drama and her relationships without sensationalizing anything. It's easy to read and follow, and more importantly enjoyable. It shows Monroe as a normal person. I especially like the perspective offered on her relationship with DiMaggio. I've always held the opinion she truly did love him, but the relationship just couldn't work. They just wanted different things. Nothing wrong with that, of course. DiMaggio was someone she could count on or call when things got tough. And of course, the fact he had roses delivered to her grave once a week just like she had wanted is so freaking romantic! *swoons*
Ultimately, this biography is eye-opening and kind of sad. Marilyn Monroe died too young, and it's a shame we never got to see more for her. It's a shame she couldn't see more for herself. May her soul rest peacefully in heaven. I'd totally recommend this as the ultimate Monroe biography!
Taraborrelli, whose writing and research are always impeccable, packs a real punch with this biography. He carefully unfolds all of Monroe's family drama and her relationships without sensationalizing anything. It's easy to read and follow, and more importantly enjoyable. It shows Monroe as a normal person. I especially like the perspective offered on her relationship with DiMaggio. I've always held the opinion she truly did love him, but the relationship just couldn't work. They just wanted different things. Nothing wrong with that, of course. DiMaggio was someone she could count on or call when things got tough. And of course, the fact he had roses delivered to her grave once a week just like she had wanted is so freaking romantic! *swoons*
Ultimately, this biography is eye-opening and kind of sad. Marilyn Monroe died too young, and it's a shame we never got to see more for her. It's a shame she couldn't see more for herself. May her soul rest peacefully in heaven. I'd totally recommend this as the ultimate Monroe biography!
Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson
5.0
Let me just start be saying I absolutely adore Audrey Hepburn. I think she was just the classiest, most elegant movie star of her time and definitely more beautiful than anyone else back then. Though some would argue against this, I think there's something charming about Audrey that many actresses didn't have, a sweetness. When you watch Audrey Hepburn onscreen, it's so easy to relate to her and like her. She doesn't play a ditz per say, just quirky characters who live in their own little world. Her characters are smart and pretty and a little bit broken. Still, somehow you fall in love with her. It's the quality that makes Holly Golightly so wonderful.
Breakfast at Tiffany's is my favorite Hepburn movie, and I learned so much about it from Fifth Avenue. I can't even picture Marilyn Monroe as Holly. Then again, Breakfast at Tiffany's the movie and Breakfast at Tiffany's the book are two separate creatures, and I'm not sure which one is better. Capote's Holly is more wild, more desperate, and a bit more broken. There is no true happy ending for Capote's Holly. Axelrod's Holly, however, is not traditional but not completely unlikeable. Axelrod's Holly is wild without having her audience hate her. She is wonderfully broken and complicated, and Paul is the perfect companion for them. Their love isn't easy at first, but there is a happy ending for them by the closing credits. Does this demean Holly? I say no. Paul did say, "I don't want to put you in a cage, I want to love you!" I think Holly can be in love without a cage.
Several other things interested me. The shooting of the party scene definitely changed movies, and I think that scene is just so funny, especially when that lady's hat is on fire. I can't believe they wanted to cut Moon River! I can't imagine Breakfast at Tiffany's without it. I also think it was a great idea to go to Givenchy for the costumes instead of Edith Head because I don't really think she appreciated the allure of Audrey Hepburn. Head try to hide Audrey's supposed awkwardness in previous costumes. In Tiffany's, however, Audrey shines in everything she wears. This was one of the first movies where normal woman could really dress like the star. Holly, though always elegant, wears simple black dresses and long-sleeved shirts with slacks. Before Tiffany', be able to dress like the stars wasn't possible, and costume designers didn't try to make it possible.
I'd totally recommend! This book is filled with little snippets and gems. It's written more like a novel than history and is extremely enjoyable.
Breakfast at Tiffany's is my favorite Hepburn movie, and I learned so much about it from Fifth Avenue. I can't even picture Marilyn Monroe as Holly. Then again, Breakfast at Tiffany's the movie and Breakfast at Tiffany's the book are two separate creatures, and I'm not sure which one is better. Capote's Holly is more wild, more desperate, and a bit more broken. There is no true happy ending for Capote's Holly. Axelrod's Holly, however, is not traditional but not completely unlikeable. Axelrod's Holly is wild without having her audience hate her. She is wonderfully broken and complicated, and Paul is the perfect companion for them. Their love isn't easy at first, but there is a happy ending for them by the closing credits. Does this demean Holly? I say no. Paul did say, "I don't want to put you in a cage, I want to love you!" I think Holly can be in love without a cage.
Several other things interested me. The shooting of the party scene definitely changed movies, and I think that scene is just so funny, especially when that lady's hat is on fire. I can't believe they wanted to cut Moon River! I can't imagine Breakfast at Tiffany's without it. I also think it was a great idea to go to Givenchy for the costumes instead of Edith Head because I don't really think she appreciated the allure of Audrey Hepburn. Head try to hide Audrey's supposed awkwardness in previous costumes. In Tiffany's, however, Audrey shines in everything she wears. This was one of the first movies where normal woman could really dress like the star. Holly, though always elegant, wears simple black dresses and long-sleeved shirts with slacks. Before Tiffany', be able to dress like the stars wasn't possible, and costume designers didn't try to make it possible.
I'd totally recommend! This book is filled with little snippets and gems. It's written more like a novel than history and is extremely enjoyable.
Mummies and Pyramids by Mary Pope Osborne, Will Osborne, Salvatore Murdocca
3.0
This was surprisingly informative for being a Magic Tree House Research Guide. It was the base of my Ancient Egypt obsession, providing me with what I needed to learn more. It's not really about mummies and pyramids than it is about the ancient Egyptian culture and lifestyle. It provided kids with an excellent look into a time period somewhat forgotten in history. And while there aren't really any specific time periods mentioned, that didn't detract from the quality of the book. Most of the times given for events that happened in ancient Egypt are vague estimates anyhow. This also has pictures and other tidbits to keep children introduced, though I can't figure out for the life of me why they don't these thinks in color. Stupid publishers!
The Presidential Book of Lists: From Most to Least, Elected to Rejected, Worst to Cursed-Fascinating Facts About Our Chief Executives by Ian Randal Strock
2.0
Picked up in the Lincoln Memorial bookstore, I was surprisingly disappointed in this book. I mean, some of the lists were funny and interesting, but it was more of probability factors than anything else. This was so cut and dry that I couldn't even get through all of it. There has to be some motive to read presidential history: it should either be interesting, informative, or both. This completely missed the mark.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
4.0
This is not my usual read, but I read it for two reasons. First, it was on sale on iBook. Second, Thomas wrote an excellent review of it, and he has never lead me astray as far as recommendations go. This was not just a psychology book. That word is too narrow. It is self-help and history and just a wealth of information on introverts and extroverts. Some stuff I did skim over (like the brain-wave stuff), but Cain clearly did her research, and it shows. She took us everywhere from church to Harvard Business School to back to our childhoods. I am looking to go into education so I found what she had to say about working in groups during school particularly interesting because I myself have never liked group work. Though sometimes the excessive details are too much (there are studies that could've been cut just to make it flow better), Cain makes an excellent logical argument for introverts all over the world. We salute you!
Unprotected: A Campus Psychiatrist Reveals How Political Correctness in Her Profession Endangers Every Student by Miriam Grossman
3.0
When I signed up to take Relationships, my three best friends all told me, "You are going to hate the book we have to read." When I asked why, they told me it would be too conservative for my tastes. I am a fairly liberal person when it comes to social issues, and I have very conflicted views on abortion. I started Unprotected skeptical and a little worried, and I ended it not figuring out what my friends thought would upset me so much.
Don't be mistaken. Dr. Grossman definitely has a pro-life, Christian bias, and she isn't very subtle about it. Unprotected is less of a psychological study and more of a doctor's memoir. Grossman relies heavily on her own personal experiences as a campus counselor at UCLA, and it is clear she cares and worries over the patients she sees. This might even be the book's main weakness. Sometimes Grossman's writing feels a little too hostile, and it detracts from the well organized factual aspect of each chapter. It would've been better presented with less commentary.
I honestly wasn't shocked by anything I read in Unprotected. In fact, it seemed to me to be things that at college students should already know or at least have an idea of. Yes, you are more at risk for STDs the more sexually active you are and the more sexual partners you have. Yes, there is really no such thing as safe sex because many STDs have no symptoms and aren't tested for until symptoms show. Yes, a STD like Chlamydia can be dangerous and severely damaged a woman's ability to have children if left untreated. Yes, having an abortion is not nearly as easy and painless as society would want us to think. Everything I read, while enlightening and informative, was not new to me. I had already received most of this information at 18, but I can't help but wonder if it's due to the environment I go to school in. I'm not sure what is taught and what is not taught about these things in public school.
Overall, Grossman had solid facts if not enough of them to support her points. It was, as I said earlier, extremely well organized, and I enjoyed how she started each chapter with a story of one of her patient's. The only real problem I had with the book was how she tried to portray conservative Christians as the most discriminated group in psychology. I could see where she is coming from, but I feel like she was overreaching there. I liked the book, but it could've been better argued. I'd like to hear what someone outside of the Church has to say about it because I am reading with my own Catholic bias.
Don't be mistaken. Dr. Grossman definitely has a pro-life, Christian bias, and she isn't very subtle about it. Unprotected is less of a psychological study and more of a doctor's memoir. Grossman relies heavily on her own personal experiences as a campus counselor at UCLA, and it is clear she cares and worries over the patients she sees. This might even be the book's main weakness. Sometimes Grossman's writing feels a little too hostile, and it detracts from the well organized factual aspect of each chapter. It would've been better presented with less commentary.
I honestly wasn't shocked by anything I read in Unprotected. In fact, it seemed to me to be things that at college students should already know or at least have an idea of. Yes, you are more at risk for STDs the more sexually active you are and the more sexual partners you have. Yes, there is really no such thing as safe sex because many STDs have no symptoms and aren't tested for until symptoms show. Yes, a STD like Chlamydia can be dangerous and severely damaged a woman's ability to have children if left untreated. Yes, having an abortion is not nearly as easy and painless as society would want us to think. Everything I read, while enlightening and informative, was not new to me. I had already received most of this information at 18, but I can't help but wonder if it's due to the environment I go to school in. I'm not sure what is taught and what is not taught about these things in public school.
Overall, Grossman had solid facts if not enough of them to support her points. It was, as I said earlier, extremely well organized, and I enjoyed how she started each chapter with a story of one of her patient's. The only real problem I had with the book was how she tried to portray conservative Christians as the most discriminated group in psychology. I could see where she is coming from, but I feel like she was overreaching there. I liked the book, but it could've been better argued. I'd like to hear what someone outside of the Church has to say about it because I am reading with my own Catholic bias.
Confessions of a Boy-Crazy Girl: On Her Journey From Neediness to Freedom (True Woman) by Paula Hendricks
3.0
When I was fourteen, I attended the Christian In Training (also known as CIT) camp at Bair Lake Bible Camp in Jones, MI. CIT consists mainly of classes that focus on prayer, the Bible, and service but can also expand to issues that affect young people and more specific such as womanhood. It was here that I heard Paula Hendricks, the author of this book, speak. I remember being both angry and baffled at what she had to say. Feminism is not a popular topic at Bair Lake period, and my buttons were being pressed. At fourteen, I was such a different person. I didn't understand what Paula was saying.
Now, at seventeen, I stumbled upon Paula's book in the camp's shop known as the Bair's Cove. I decided that enough time had passed and that I wanted to hear what she wanted to say one more time. Oh, what a difference time makes. Some of Paula's book felt redundant to me, but much of it sang. This is not the book of a woman who is saying feminism is evil. This is a book of a woman who was trapped in her need for love and looked for it in earthly men when the best One was waiting to gain her attention. What a hard journey Paula had to experience, and what a familiar one too. Don't we all look for comfort and love in the wrong places when God is waiting in the wings?
I particularly enjoyed the sections when she talks about the idols we worship instead of God. She really opened my eyes to the faults I had in that area. I had never considered the fact I and people in general disobey two commandments (I am your God; you shall have no god before me; and you will not worship false idols) that some consider obsolete consistently. I also liked the section where Paula talks about how we put our perceptions of our earthly father onto our Heavenly one. I didn't even realize I was doing that.
For me, Confessions of A Boy-Crazy Girl is a three star book for two reasons. The actual topic of the book (being boy crazy) is hard for me to relate to. I also feel like some of Paula's guy troubles are either to draw out or too skimmed story wise. Otherwise, this is a very enlightening fast read that will make you stop and reevaluate your relationship with God and with men.
Now, at seventeen, I stumbled upon Paula's book in the camp's shop known as the Bair's Cove. I decided that enough time had passed and that I wanted to hear what she wanted to say one more time. Oh, what a difference time makes. Some of Paula's book felt redundant to me, but much of it sang. This is not the book of a woman who is saying feminism is evil. This is a book of a woman who was trapped in her need for love and looked for it in earthly men when the best One was waiting to gain her attention. What a hard journey Paula had to experience, and what a familiar one too. Don't we all look for comfort and love in the wrong places when God is waiting in the wings?
I particularly enjoyed the sections when she talks about the idols we worship instead of God. She really opened my eyes to the faults I had in that area. I had never considered the fact I and people in general disobey two commandments (I am your God; you shall have no god before me; and you will not worship false idols) that some consider obsolete consistently. I also liked the section where Paula talks about how we put our perceptions of our earthly father onto our Heavenly one. I didn't even realize I was doing that.
For me, Confessions of A Boy-Crazy Girl is a three star book for two reasons. The actual topic of the book (being boy crazy) is hard for me to relate to. I also feel like some of Paula's guy troubles are either to draw out or too skimmed story wise. Otherwise, this is a very enlightening fast read that will make you stop and reevaluate your relationship with God and with men.