Girl, Interrupted

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having first seen the movie, I have been interested in checking this book out for years. I was very excited to randomly come across it as one of my library's staff picks.

I didn't realize that Susanna had written this book about herself prior to reading it It definitely adds a new dimension to the story, that is an added benefit.

Overall it is well written and an enjoyable read. I enjoyed the way that Susanna was able to assess herself and the world around her, making her intelligence apparent even through the pages.

The most complicated part of reading the story was the timeline shifts between chapters. Sometimes she would mention an event (such as a death) and then a couple of chapters later that person would be talked about in a present tense.

Definitely worth the read. 4.5 stars for me.

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Drucker & Me

Drucker & Me is written by Bob Buford and is written in autobiographical form about Bob Buford and the business/life coach Peter Drucker.

This book was an interesting read for me.  The first half of the book felt like a really intimate look at the relationship between Peter Drucker and Bob Buford.  It was a very enlightening read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I kind of wish the book would have stopped about halfway through.

The second half of the book had trouble holding my interest.  The tone of the book shifted more into Bob Buford himself after the death of Peter Drucker and building up his religious empire.   It got a little religiously pushy and boring to read for me personally, but I’m not a huge religious book reader in general.

The half of the book that deals with Peter Drucker was more than worth reading the book for.  Peter Drucker sounds like he was just an amazing man.  The way that Bob Buford was able to capture their relationship was very eye-opening to read.  I felt blessed to be given such an intimate look at some of the personal advice that Bob was given.  It was almost as if reading this relationship through the pages was being touched by Peter himself.  Of course this description probably fits into who Peter was as a person.  I honestly felt a twinge of sadness at the loss of a man I had never even met.  It felt like a travesty that the world would be deprived of someone so large-minded and inspiring.  I know that I will definitely be looking into more of Peter Drucker’s later writings to try to connect with him and learn from him even after his life.

I give this book 4/5 stars.  I wish it was merely a part one because it would be 6/5 stars for the wealth of knowledge that has been shared with this look into Peter Drucker, eloquently told by Bob Buford.  However the second half of the book took away from this message so much for me, that it was almost blasphemous for the first half.  Unless you are interested in megachurches and a lot of self-touting, I suggest stopping after part one.  If you are interested in autobiographies, biographies, mentorship, non-fiction, advice, etc. I highly suggest checking out this book.


*I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me

Lies that Chelsea Handler told me is a collection of short anecdotes about Chelsea written by members of her family and friends with a short response at the end of each by Chelsea.

Chelsea Handler is known as a hilarious entertainer and I expected nothing short of intense hilarity from this book. What I got, however was more than I had bargained for. This book has many funny and messed up stories within these pages. However, in addition to the stories of Chelsea’s antics, I was given an intimate look into Chelsea as a person.

There are memories within these pages which show the seriousness of life and as always the way that Chelsea finds humor in every situation. I had no idea the level of entertainment that Chelsea received from each and every situation that she finds advantageous for the most genius of jokes. I found myself questioning on many occasions if I would have the steadfastness to put up with some of the horrendous things Chelsea has done in the past, or if I would be able to love Chelsea as fiercely and see through to the heart of the matter that results from being the butt of one of her many schemes.

I walked away with a better understanding of who Chelsea Handler is behind the laughs and jokes. Chelsea loves fiercely, and with that love comes practical jokes and picking on people that can only be seen in an intense middle school crush situation of “boy likes girl.”

I give this book 5/5 stars. It was entertaining, it was funny, and it was intimate. NOTHING is off limits with Chelsea Handler, and there is no level of appropriateness. Chelsea is exactly where she needs to be in life for her greatest good and happiness and offer of laughs to the public. I can appreciate and love Chelsea even more for her inappropriate sense of humor and her desire to take care of everyone she cares about, even if it comes at their own expense from time to time. If you are a Chelsea Handler fan you MUST read this book, also if you are into biography, humor, non-fiction, etc, you would enjoy this book.

Jackie: The Adventures of a Little Boy Trying to Grow Up

Jackie: The Adventures of a Little Boy Trying to Grow Up is written by John Tammela and is an autobiography of his childhood as told from the point of view of the boy and an omnipotent narrator.

I have to agree with the sentiment that this is not a fitting cover for the book. Although “Jackie” looks sad on the cover, this book is anything but a sad story. This is instead a look inside the atmosphere of growing up in Niagara Falls, Canada in the 30s and 40s.

Jackie’s family immigrated to Canada from Finland prior to the start of World War II. Jackie’s childhood is reminiscent of the freedom that children used to know growing up. I had many moments that took me back to “A Christmas Story” and I could definitely see Jackie’s adventures with his friends and family being turned into a similar style movie.

Jackie’s live within the book ranges from toddler to fifth grade. During this time his adventures span from school stories, to shenanigans with his siblings, and even overcoming the fears of a small boy.

There are a few “experiences” within the story that will remind you of the growing up in Now & Then, or even Stand By Me which is completely realistic for a real little boy who is growing up into a young man. These are tastefully done and innocently real.

Although the font and the chapter length in the book is reminiscent of a middle grade novel, I found this book to be suitable for all age groups. If you have ever grown up or if you are just now growing up, I am sure that you can find something to relate to within John Tammela’s story of adolescence.

I give this book 4/5 stars. The beginning starts off a little slow and the ending wraps up in a detached way that is not seen in the rest of the book. Otherwise I thought it was well done and I loved the hand drawn maps and associated drawings that brought life to the stories told within the book. Quite the exciting childhood, makes me wish I could allow my son some of the same freedoms that can’t be found in current urban living. If you are interested in child biography, Canada, childhood, growing up, humor, imagination, etc, then this is a great book for you.  Also I have been told by the author that there is a second book in the works, so watch for that to come out in the near future!

*I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Alpha Woman Meets Her Match

The Alpha Woman Meets Her Match is written by Dr. Sonya Rhodes and is somewhat of a new approach to relationship help.

I was immediately interested in reading this book when I saw that the cover also stated: “How today’s strong women can find love and happiness without settling.” As a woman who has crossed the threshold of 30, I often wonder if I will ever find a partner in life, and as much as it would be nice to have someone, I am not keen on settling.

I loved this book. The way that Dr. Rhodes wrote made for an entertaining read. There were definitely times (the majority of the book), where I felt as though she was talking directly about me. She offers a quick 100 question test in the beginning to take a look at where you fall on the Alpha/Beta scale to help recognize these traits in yourself and others.

It was nice to have a book that didn’t spend too much time overkilling any of the topics. The stories and quotes were quick and applicable to the topics where they were placed. The layout of the book was useful for both a complete read through mode (which is what I did) as well as a cursory reference use.

I learned a lot about myself and about Alphas and Betas in general. According to the test I was 70 Alpha and 74 Beta, making me a High Alpha/ High Beta. This book did an amazing job of describing all of the ways that these attributes can affect life and how you deal with relationships. It was a very eye opening experience to get to know more about being an Alpha and to even learn things about myself that I hadn’t previously seen in myself.

My only complaint is that overall I didn’t really feel as though it was useful for helping me find someone in the future. It was more about assessing who you are, and to recognize how that can affect how you interact with people. Overall it was a message of learning to be the best you and a motivating push towards not losing hope and knowing that with a few key qualities, that you can make a relationship work.

Overall I give this book 4/5 stars. It was a great read, and I highly recommend it. I wish it would have talked a bit more about how to find someone the most compatible with you. I did enjoy this book immensely and would suggest that others do not shy away from its “self-help” persona. I feel as though better recognizing myself and my own interactions and drive that it will also help me to find someone in the future. If you are into learning about yourself as a person (man or woman), getting motivation in hope for the future, and taking an honest look at your life, this book is for you. I left this book feeling like Dr. Rhodes new me on a fundamental level and wanting to see her for a few sessions for the best advice.

*I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Musician, Heal Thyself

Musician Heal Thyself is written by Annette Toenjes and is an open-minded self-healing book with a main focus on Chronic Fatige Syndrome (CFS).

Annette did a brilliant job of allowing the reader into her confidences and bravely sharing some of her experiences as she battled with CFS. I also commend her for taking the time to compile so many experts and information on the subject matter.

Personally I was especially drawn to the sections that dealt with self-healing in the form of meditation and hypnotherapy. I felt as if both Annette and the included experts did a great job of opening the door for further dialogue, as well as providing a taste and additional resources, which in many cases included the opportunity to test out methods for a free trial to see if it may be a right fit for the reader.

I loved that although the focus of this book was focused upon CFS, that it could be useful to anyone that needs self-healing for any ailment, mental or physical in their life. I don’t think that we can ever have enough tools or options in the search for always being the healthiest and most efficient version of ourselves.

Although I personally do not suffer from CFS, I could see how given the current society that we live in and how much stress we place upon ourselves in our daily lives, that many of us may not be too far from encountering CFS-like symptoms or ailments. Better stress management is useful for everyone.

My only negative comments are that there were a couple of expert sections that got a little dry for me, but may be very enlightening and interesting to someone that was actually suffering from CFS. Overall, I feel as though Annette did a wonderful job of presenting the facts, information, possible solutions in a quick, easy to read format.

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars, and would definitely recommend it, in part or in whole to anyone looking for self-healing, higher level of consciousness, and for a great opening reference guide to CFS, and any associated healing methods.

*I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.

You can also read the review I wrote on Annette's awesome children's book:  What if Grandma Didn't have a Nose?