LIZ: BOOK #8

I'm Perfect, You're Doomed: Tales from a Jehovah's Witness Upbringing by Kyria Abrahams

352 pages

Completed 2/2/10

Religions - especially ones surrounded my controversy - fascinate me. My own maternal grandmother briefly practiced alongside the Jehovah Witnesses and it was, especially to my 10 year old mind, odd. No recognition of birthdays, Halloween, cereal brands; this is religion?! So when I picked up Abrahams' book on her own JW's upbringing, I was intrigued. A self-described precocious child, Abrahams reveled in her religion and its meetings, rules, and family dynamic.

Once she reached her teens, however, the author's story takes a dramatic turn with rebellion, a bout of OCD, and a marriage at eighteen. Drugs and alcohol make a brief appearance (as in most memoirs) and she struggles with her religious identity.

While religions do pique my interest, I was not necessarily intrigued by this memoir. Expecting a dark, humorous account a la Augusten Burrough's "Running With Scissors," I was deeply disappointed. The humor is lacking after the first third of the book, and the ending - which can only be described as abrupt - leaves you with nothing.

LIZ: BOOK #7

From Baghdad, With Love by Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman

216 pages

Completed 2/1/10

Both heartwarming and heartbreaking, this book revolves around Lava, a pup found in Fajullah by a Marine battalion in the height of the Iraqi conflict, and Kopelman's desire to breach rules and save this helpless pup from a war zone.

I, as usual, was drawn into this book by the beyond adorable cover; I am sucker for puppies. War, not so much. So it was difficult for me to get into this read; a lot of it focused around battle zones, suicide bombers, transporting between bases - bureaucracy. If there's anything I hate as much as I love puppies, its droning. This book seemed to do a lot of that.

While the story is touching - a tough Marine is so touched by the little pup that even after leaving Iraq he fights to bring him to the United States - it seemed to have the opposite effect on me that what most readers probably have experienced. I felt a deep sadness for the multitudes of other animals - especially dogs - that were not helped; that were left behind, wounded, hungry, alone. Yes, Lava stumbled upon a battalion who ignored the rules and adopted her, but couldn't there be something else that could help more? For all of the effort and teamwork that went into bringing this dog all the way to the U.S., how many dogs were lost?

Well, I knew I would go off on a woe-are-sad-puppies tangent, but that's mostly what this book left with me. I would recommend this one more towards a male audience - the war descriptions were a little much for me - and to animal lovers who can keep perspective on the issue at hand.

JOHN: BOOK #1

Ok...so here this goes. First, let's start with a little background on me. I just joined the blog - the read-a-thon as I like to call it. I got suckered in by my friend Liz.. just kidding, I voluntarily joined. Liz and I are gym partners and I thought it would be a good idea if I worked out my mind over the next year as well as my body; we'll see how it turns out. Also, this is my FIRST blog ever!!! Big step! So without any more babble, here it goes...





I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max

277 pages

Completed 1/31/10

Last night, I finished"I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell" by Tucker Max. This is the book that actually got me to do this; I couldn't put it down. Now I must add a warning: this book is not for the faint of heart! Centered around hooking up with women and verbally abusing complete strangers, Tucker recounts the stories of his early twenties. Being in that same age bracket, I could easily relate to the scenarios Tucker speaks of...well, semi-relate. One redeeming quality about Tucker is he says and writes it like it is. On the back jacket of the book, the first line is, "My name is Tucker Max, and I am an asshole." True to form, this sentiment is echoed throughout the book.

I must admit, in the beginning I often asked myself "Is this stuff true?" but as I finished the book I realized one thing: if Tucker is anything like the way he writes then everything HAS to be true. Tucker writes with pure admiration for himself, disregard for other people and their feelings, and lets his penis run his brain. Some may ask how this would be tolerable. I will tell you: along with these "endearing" qualities Tucker is smart! He writes with wit, insight, and honesty. Anyone can be mean and insult people; not many can do it via hilarious and intelligent comments. This is the exact reason that without question - not because he hooks up with so many girls or has crazy nights - I would be friends with Tucker.

I'll be honest...if this book was just about sexual conquests and crazy nights of a twenty-something and only that, I would have put the book down as quickly as I picked it up! In addition to these stories, though, Tucker writes at the end of each one his reflections, what he would have done again and what he wouldn't. This older, more wise conscience makes Tucker human, even - dare I say it - likable.

Like I said, great book... loved it, but not for everyone. The twenty-somethings of the world will love it;others...not so much.

LIZ: BOOK #6

The End of the World As We Know It by Robert Goolrick

214 pages

Completed 1/31/10

Until page 160, this book seemed to just drone on. But at that point in this book, the author wakes up as a four year old boy being molested by his father while family members snore nearby. In fact, there was an entire chapter of just run-on sentences questioning 'how they went on.'

This memoir seemed to be a cathartic healing process for the author, rather than an entertaining memoir to the reader. In fact, "morbidly funny" are the words on the cover used by a critic to describe the book; this was anything but funny. Instead I found it sad; the putting-ons of appearance, the facade the family had built up, and the anguish of Goolrick throughout the years.

I feel like perhaps this book was more suited towards a male audience; an entire chapter was dedicated to male puberty, in a way that didn't seem necessary to the book, in my opinion. I have veered away from memoirs as of late because of their plainness; I should have done the same with this one, as well.

CeCe: BOOK #1

So, here it is... Finally!!! My first book review!!!

The Shack by William P. Young

256 pages

Completed 01/27/10

After reading this book, I felt accomplished and even a bit uplifted. I don't consider myself to be the religious type, but I am spiritual. Although this book was based around religious structure, I found it quite enlightening and would recommend it to anyone that has suffered a loss in life or faced adversity.

After his daughter Missy was abducted an killed, Mack (Mackenzie) basically withdrew himself from life and surrendered to depression. Years later, he receives an anonymous note inviting him back to place of his daughter's death: the shack. Determined to find out who wants him to go and why, he embarks on a journey that changes him forever.

Mack's weekend at the shack with his new found friends open up his mind and heart in a way never before. The religious references throughout the story were somewhat overwhelming, but equally enjoyable.

LIZ: BOOK #5

Thin Is the New Happy by Valerie Frankel

256 pages

Completed 1/26/10


Recently began a new workout and diet regime, and was inspired to pick this memoir up - mostly because of the cover. Guilty again. What I thought would be a comical journey through a lifetime of weight struggle stories actually turned out to be more of a self-help book; not my thing.

Being put on her first diet at 11 and feeling the thrill that came with being thinner, Frankel proceeds through the rest of her life ranging in size from 6 to 22 on and off a variety of diets, weight loss programs, denial, and obsession. Now in her forties with two daughters, Frankel decides to shed not pounds this time, but her obsessive behavior surrounding dieting and weight.

Frankel's quest to rid herself of her self-critical body obsession while tackling the root cause of it just didn't reel me in as I had hoped. More of a cathartic book for her it seemed, and equally boring for me.

LIZ: BOOK #4

Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

320 pages

Completed 1/14/10

This much anticipated sequel to 2000's Nanny Diaries failed to impress. I loved the original; the charming story of a 21 year old nanny to a four year old Grayer whose parents were like so many of New York City's hands-off workaholics. Nanny Returns picks up 13ish years later, with Nan returning to N.Y.C. with her Harvard Hottie - now husband - to a dilapidated fixer-upper, dire job prospects, and an absent said husband. Then, oddly enough, a 17 year old Grayer shows up, draws Nan back into his and his (unknown until this point) younger brother's lives. The same neglectful parenting style, the same inner conflicts, the same snobbish upper class.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, I really did. But the unlikeliness of it all - Nan's elderly grandmother still thriving, reconnecting with friends long since lost, a job falling into her lap - it was just such a stretch. This time around, and perhaps because I am more jaded 10 years after first beginning this series, Nan didn't pull at my heart strings. In fact, she seemed downright implausible. When the authors attempted to weave marital woes into the story, it seemed ridiculous, what with Harvard Husband being absent for 90% of the story.

What should have taken me a few days instead took a week to get through, if only because I was forcing myself to continue. I'd skip this one if you were a big fan of The Nanny Diaries, if only to keep the original story untouched in your memory.