Julie P

The Ancient One is now following Chloe. (see 3 more new follows)

Jay R now owns a book. (see 2 more books added to shelf)

Jay R reviewed a book.

“There is a bit of everything in this book. Historical romance. Race relations (three-way). Time travel. Alternative baseball universes. Out-of-this-world pitching and hitting. The first ever baseball movie. John Lennon. The best Indian baseball team ever. Relative postal clerks writing...”

“There is a bit of everything in this book. Historical romance. Race relations (three-way). Time travel. Alternative baseball universes. Out-of-this-world pitching and hitting. The first ever baseball movie. John Lennon. The best Indian baseball team ever. Relative postal clerks writing maths papers in 1906. And, oh yeah, did I mention Baseball?

I did like this book, and it does open you up to a whole lot more than baseball, actually. ;-)
”

Jay R is now reading a book. (see 2 more books added to shelf)

Jay R reviewed a book.

“I can't recommend this book highly enough. That is, both for the subject matter and for the manner in which it was presented. Pastor Bonhoeffer was a noble soul, in anybody's book, and the author here gives a stirring and thorough stroke of the literary brush to make his life real to us. Plus...”

“I can't recommend this book highly enough. That is, both for the subject matter and for the manner in which it was presented. Pastor Bonhoeffer was a noble soul, in anybody's book, and the author here gives a stirring and thorough stroke of the literary brush to make his life real to us. Plus I enjoyed the occasional rhetorical asides, a proper application of humour that I'm sure the good pastor would have appreciated as well.
The man was a brilliant theologian and a decent human being. Both of which Germany needed, in spades, during the dark days of the 30's/40's. He lived, and died, in true Discipleship.
”

The Ancient One rated a book. (see 3 more books rated)

• Rated 5 stars

Jay R now owns a book.

Jay R reviewed a book.

“Well, it took a wee bit to get into this one, but I'm really glad I kept at it. Many strands do finally come together in the end, to satisfying conclusion.

This is what you might call chunky science fiction. Chock full of big ideas. Lots of stuff you may never have thought about,...”

“Well, it took a wee bit to get into this one, but I'm really glad I kept at it. Many strands do finally come together in the end, to satisfying conclusion.

This is what you might call chunky science fiction. Chock full of big ideas. Lots of stuff you may never have thought about, before. Layered in heaps.

That is what I like best about scifi, and Mr Brin here shows he is still a master of the game. Highly recommended.”

Jay R reviewed a book.

“I love maps. Ever since I was a kid and was shadow-outlining boundaries of various countries, in an atlas, and then colouring those in.

So this book appeals. It covers off not just European explorers but ones from around the world, over a huge range of time. Most informative, and...”

“I love maps. Ever since I was a kid and was shadow-outlining boundaries of various countries, in an atlas, and then colouring those in.

So this book appeals. It covers off not just European explorers but ones from around the world, over a huge range of time. Most informative, and entertaining for the map geek and history buff.”

Natasha Holme reviewed a book.

“I love the intimacy of diaries. Arabelle's Shadows combines diary entries with fleshed out episodes of story-telling. We're in 2004/2005 when Arabelle is modelling in Bangkok as a young adult, but we're thrown back intermittently into the preceding years of international travel, and back to her...”

“I love the intimacy of diaries. Arabelle's Shadows combines diary entries with fleshed out episodes of story-telling. We're in 2004/2005 when Arabelle is modelling in Bangkok as a young adult, but we're thrown back intermittently into the preceding years of international travel, and back to her childhood in New Zealand. I thought at first that the dotting around in time might disorient me, but it worked well with the growing impression I had of the chaos in the author's mind.

Arabelle is a fragile, sensitive young woman who is deeply affected by the emotions of those around her. She has turned her feelings inwards to deep states of depression and self-harm. The extent of this is revealed gradually, so that with each further revelation of cause and effect I was struck with shock and (hopefully) some insight into how it must feel to experience life in this way. I was certainly depressed in my early twenties (I'm now forty-three), but not at all as the author describes here (or this deeply). One sentence leapt out at me to help me feel I understood a little: "The person writing this down doesn't recognise the person who's feeling all this pain."

Arabelle's struggle reminded me of Portia de Rossi's story. How bizarre it is to read that someone so gorgeous, an international model no less, can believe she's ugly, and that someone so compassionate and popular can believe she is worthless.

We follow Arabelle as she tries to make sense of her pain and attempts to find relief in drugs, boyfriends, compassion for others, and spirituality. The text asks a question that I'd like to answer: "Doesn't every spiritual guide say that we have free choice?" Well, not in my experience, no. Byron Katie says "Your life is none of your business." Tony Parsons and Jeff Foster watch their lives, they do not experience being the agents of them.
”

Jay R now owns a book.

Natasha Holme rated a book.

• Rated 5 stars

Natasha Holme has read a book.

Heather W is now reading a book. (see 2 more books added to shelf)

Natasha Holme reviewed a book.

“Another book that left me feeling that my eating disorder was somewhat half-hearted. ... Engaging writing. Enjoyed brilliantly simple descriptions such as:

- "crunched down the gravel path"
- "the smearing hand that runs over memory's chalk drawings"
- "skeletal...”

“Another book that left me feeling that my eating disorder was somewhat half-hearted. ... Engaging writing. Enjoyed brilliantly simple descriptions such as:

- "crunched down the gravel path"
- "the smearing hand that runs over memory's chalk drawings"
- "skeletal smirk"

Throughout, I wondered: how was it possible for someone who writes so wonderfully to be able to hate herself?

My rating is 4.75. I really enjoyed the book, but didn't feel as compelled to keep reading as with other ED books such as Nikki Grahame's 'Dying to be Thin' (which was somehow even more extreme) or Portia de Rossi's 'Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain' (for the lesbian /coming out theme).”

Heather W plans to read a book.

Heather W is now reading a book. (see 10 more books added to shelf)

The Ancient One rated a book.

• Rated 4 stars

The Ancient One rated a book. (see 2 more books rated)

• Rated 4 stars

Jay R reviewed a book.

“What a great book. It had the organic grower in me stirring from his slumbers, which are always just beneath the surface for me, anyway. Atina and Martin's story is one of challenges, heartbreak and triumph. And always the good food brought forth from the good earth.

The story here...”

“What a great book. It had the organic grower in me stirring from his slumbers, which are always just beneath the surface for me, anyway. Atina and Martin's story is one of challenges, heartbreak and triumph. And always the good food brought forth from the good earth.

The story here runs thirty-some years, the middle portion of which intersected with my time in Minnesota as well. Atina's talking about the food co-ops and the various personalities in the Cities brought back many recollections. I worked in several produce sections in various co-ops myself, and remember Atina's deliveries as lightning strikes in an early morning's stocking of the section. And I worked on an organic farm, supporting the whole CSA business whilst there.

This book offers hope for a new way of eating and a new way of relating to each other and the land, in community. Atina's reflections and example given are well worth a read. Try it.
”