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Oliver Mtukudzi: Living Tuku Music in Zimbabwe
Book
Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi, a Zimbabwean guitarist, vocalist, and composer, has performed worldwide and...
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Gandhi: The Man, His People and the Empire
Book
This monumental and authoritative biography of one of the most intriguing and complexfigures of the...
Seeking New Gods by Gruff Rhys
Album
This will be Gruff's seventh solo album. "Seeking New Gods" was recorded following a US tour with...
Spielberg
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Filmmaker Steven Spielberg and his colleagues discuss the classic movies that made him famous,...
documentary biography
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated I Have Life: Alison's Journey in Books
May 13, 2021
I first heard about Alison Botha on a true crime podcast. What happened to Alison and her will to survive really piqued my interest. When I discovered her biography, I Have Life, I knew I had to read it right away. While what happened to Alison was beyond horrific, her will to survive and her outlook on life afterwards were inspirational.
Reading about Alison's abduction, rape, and attempted murder will definitely leave you with your jaw on the floor. Alison holds nothing back about anything throughout her biography whether it is the horrific events that happened to her or her will to survive emotionally after her wounds have healed. Marianne Thamm, the journalist that Alison told her story to in order to write her biography does a wonderful job of tying everything together for the most part. About halfway through though, I felt like I Have Life stopped being a biography and started becoming a self-help book with Alison writing (speaking to Thamm) about how to become a happier person. Luckily, this only lasts for a few chapters, but I felt like maybe the chapters about being happier and such should be in a self-help book. (Alison gives talks around the world about her ordeal, so perhaps that's why these chapters were included?) Otherwise Marianne Thamm's writing of Alison Botha's biography was flawless. I was immersed the whole time. I felt like I was right besides Alison the whole time. I kept wanting there to be a different outcome when Alison was abducted by Frans even though I knew there wouldn't be. I felt like Alison really wants the stigma for rape survivors to be no more (and she's right as there shouldn't be any stigma attached). I felt like everything I wanted to know about Alison was answered in I Have Life - from what happened to Alison at the point of her abduction, the rape, the brutal attempted to murder, to the trial of her rapists and attacker to how her life was like at the writing of the book. Like I said, Thamm and Alison don't really leave anything to the imagination of which I was grateful.
All in all, I Have Life is a deeply disturbing book to read, but it does have a great outcome. It is well put together, and Alison Botha comes across as such a strong inspirational woman. Alison's story is full of hope and wisdom throughout. I would definitely recommend I Have Life: Alison's Journey as told to Marianne Thamm for those ages 18+ who are into true crime or for those that just want to see how strong the human will is to survive.
Reading about Alison's abduction, rape, and attempted murder will definitely leave you with your jaw on the floor. Alison holds nothing back about anything throughout her biography whether it is the horrific events that happened to her or her will to survive emotionally after her wounds have healed. Marianne Thamm, the journalist that Alison told her story to in order to write her biography does a wonderful job of tying everything together for the most part. About halfway through though, I felt like I Have Life stopped being a biography and started becoming a self-help book with Alison writing (speaking to Thamm) about how to become a happier person. Luckily, this only lasts for a few chapters, but I felt like maybe the chapters about being happier and such should be in a self-help book. (Alison gives talks around the world about her ordeal, so perhaps that's why these chapters were included?) Otherwise Marianne Thamm's writing of Alison Botha's biography was flawless. I was immersed the whole time. I felt like I was right besides Alison the whole time. I kept wanting there to be a different outcome when Alison was abducted by Frans even though I knew there wouldn't be. I felt like Alison really wants the stigma for rape survivors to be no more (and she's right as there shouldn't be any stigma attached). I felt like everything I wanted to know about Alison was answered in I Have Life - from what happened to Alison at the point of her abduction, the rape, the brutal attempted to murder, to the trial of her rapists and attacker to how her life was like at the writing of the book. Like I said, Thamm and Alison don't really leave anything to the imagination of which I was grateful.
All in all, I Have Life is a deeply disturbing book to read, but it does have a great outcome. It is well put together, and Alison Botha comes across as such a strong inspirational woman. Alison's story is full of hope and wisdom throughout. I would definitely recommend I Have Life: Alison's Journey as told to Marianne Thamm for those ages 18+ who are into true crime or for those that just want to see how strong the human will is to survive.
Ruth Frampton (577 KP) rated Tears of an Afghan warlord in Books
Apr 10, 2018
With careful and outstanding illustrations that give a weight to the setting and characters, this story of a Belgian journalist gives the story of Afghanistan from a non-US point of view. The encroaching of the Taliban at the withdrawal of the western forces echoes books like Malala's biography and show how little was really accomplished. As a way to bring this real-life tragedy to a different readership is a needed thing, well done to the writers and artist.
Cece writes biographies of dead mystery authors. While working on a biography of Erle Stanley Gardner, she finds a letter he'd received from a prisoner who claimed to be innocent. Can Cece dig up this cold case and prove the man innocent? I found this debut a little slow at times, but I was still drawn to Cece and the mystery.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-i-dreamed-i-married-perry.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-i-dreamed-i-married-perry.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Scrappy Little Nobody in Books
Jul 10, 2018
Okay, this book is easily taking my best of the year humor & biography. Anna Kendrick wrote this book just like she tweets. It's hilarious and extremely entertaining.
I listened to the audiobook and I was not disappointed. Anna Kendrick reads it herself and is just amazing. He stories were thought provoking, humorous, a tad embarrassing, and just a great read.
If you're looking for a great audiobook/book, this is for you. I was laughing constantly and I could not put it down.
I listened to the audiobook and I was not disappointed. Anna Kendrick reads it herself and is just amazing. He stories were thought provoking, humorous, a tad embarrassing, and just a great read.
If you're looking for a great audiobook/book, this is for you. I was laughing constantly and I could not put it down.