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The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated Running in the Family in Books
Oct 5, 2020
In 1978 and again in 1980, author Michael Ondaatje went to visit the island of his birth, Sri Lanka. This book chronicles his visits and tells the stories of his homeland and ancestors in the most poetic and beautifully written memoir ever. Read my full review here https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2013/09/05/a-poetic-memoir-of-ondaatjes-visits-to-sri-lanka/
lilheartgirl (6 KP) rated The Glass Castle in Books
Jul 6, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
The memoir itself it is written well. I love how each person is introduced and how Jeanette wrote her family. I really love Jeanette and her older sister. It is rough with so many things happening to the family. It is an emotional ride too as you read through the memoir.
For me I wish there was a warning in the beginning and in front of the chapter or event to anyone who ever was abused that it could possibly trigger them. I know it is not a big part in the memoir but it wouñd help many.
For me I wish there was a warning in the beginning and in front of the chapter or event to anyone who ever was abused that it could possibly trigger them. I know it is not a big part in the memoir but it wouñd help many.
Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated Night Song of the Last Tram - A Glasgow Childhood in Books
Jul 2, 2019
Not the best memoir I've read
This is a memoir about the author growing up in a working class family in Glasgow. I read this as part of my dissertation on memoir but was deeply disappointed. The childhood language and the adult language are disjointed, the transitions from the adult self and the child self are awkward and the story (for me) was flat. That's not to say its a terrible book. Some of the memories are sweet, vivid and well put together.
Alexis Taylor recommended This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor in Books (curated)
QuestLove recommended Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film in Books (curated)
Lirahlu (37 KP) shared Suswatibasu 's rating
Mar 15, 2018
Sexist, self-absorbed codswallop
This is probably one of the worst books I've read this year unfortunately. It's full of contradictions, too many to go through each and every one. But here are a few.
For one, it claims to be an anti-self-help book but in fact it is, not only that it repeats phrases that other books use often but it reiterates it in a much more uglier fashion by replacing every other word with "f**k".
Secondly, the author is actually incredibly sexist throughout the whole book - revealing that this book is for a privileged white, male audience. He flashes his wealth throughout the book by even saying "I come from a wealthy family" and 'this doesn't apply to an Indian family who need an extra $10'. And then talks about his sexual exploits with women, saying that one of his former goals was to "be with more women" - like women are collective objects. He's boastful about sleeping around throughout, referring to women in a derogatory way.
The chapter on false memories and child sexual abuse is shocking, absolutely no disclaimers, just a rookie spouting off information that he clearly had no idea about. He discounts thousands of horrific accounts as if they're something imagined up and to be gotten over with. An extremely precarious viewpoint.
The irony is that the author describes himself perfectly here: "People declare themselves experts, entrepreneurs, inventors, innovators, mavericks, and coaches without any real-life experience. And they do this not because they actually think they are greater than everybody else; they do it because they feel that they need to be great to be accepted in a world that broadcasts only the extraordinary." And this pretty much sums up the book.
For one, it claims to be an anti-self-help book but in fact it is, not only that it repeats phrases that other books use often but it reiterates it in a much more uglier fashion by replacing every other word with "f**k".
Secondly, the author is actually incredibly sexist throughout the whole book - revealing that this book is for a privileged white, male audience. He flashes his wealth throughout the book by even saying "I come from a wealthy family" and 'this doesn't apply to an Indian family who need an extra $10'. And then talks about his sexual exploits with women, saying that one of his former goals was to "be with more women" - like women are collective objects. He's boastful about sleeping around throughout, referring to women in a derogatory way.
The chapter on false memories and child sexual abuse is shocking, absolutely no disclaimers, just a rookie spouting off information that he clearly had no idea about. He discounts thousands of horrific accounts as if they're something imagined up and to be gotten over with. An extremely precarious viewpoint.
The irony is that the author describes himself perfectly here: "People declare themselves experts, entrepreneurs, inventors, innovators, mavericks, and coaches without any real-life experience. And they do this not because they actually think they are greater than everybody else; they do it because they feel that they need to be great to be accepted in a world that broadcasts only the extraordinary." And this pretty much sums up the book.
Jameela Jamil recommended I Never Said I Loved You in Books (curated)
Merissa (11612 KP) created a post
Sep 28, 2021
Books Editor (673 KP) created a video about Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After in Books
Sep 18, 2017
