Erm…what have I just read? I am not the kind of reader who opens a book with set expectations. Even less so a non-fiction book about a subject I am unfamiliar with. But any book should have at least some structure that readers could follow. “Hell's Angels” by Hunter S. Thompson had none. I was... Continue Reading →
“Ordinary Heroes: A Memoir of 9/11” by Joseph Pfeifer
This book has moved me deeply. Not a storyteller by profession, the author has a gift for letting you into his thoughts and allowing you to see what he has seen through his eyes. Reading “Ordinary Heroes: A Memoir of 9/11” by Joseph Pfeifer transported me right into the middle of chaos, devastation and horror.... Continue Reading →
“Fly Girl” by Ann Hood
Save for performing artists, perhaps no other profession is shrouded in such mystique, glamour, and hush-hush rumour as that of a flight attendant. True, that sparkling aura has dimmed somewhat over the past decades. The rise of low-cost airlines, an increase in average income and other factors have changed the scene of flying. From something... Continue Reading →
“Travels with Charley” by John Steinbeck
I am yet to read a John Steinbeck book that I didn’t enjoy, and ‘Travels with Charley’ definitely hasn’t broken this circle. The legendary author’s novels are very different, and each of those that I’ve read impacted me differently. What they have in common is that they all have left a lasting impression, an aftertaste,... Continue Reading →
“Seabiscuit: An American Legend” by Laura Hillenbrand
What a book! I honestly can’t remember a book, fiction or non-fiction, that impacted me as strongly as this one. When I was reading about the preparations for each race, my heart hammered in my chest like mad, as if it was I who was about to ride towards win or loss or if it was... Continue Reading →
“Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill” by Sonia Purnell
What a remarkable lady was Clementine Churchill! Here, I guess I am supposed to add ‘and not because she was married to Winston Churchill.’ But, even risking causing the wrath of strong and independent women of today, I won’t do that. Clementine Churchill was resourceful, intelligent, and had an array of subtle talents, all of which she... Continue Reading →
Life after Manzanar” by Naomi Hirahara and Heather C. Lindquist
There are pages in history known to everyone. No matter where we live and whether or not an event happened near us, we still know about it. Often, we treat the event personally, even if it happened on the other continent across the ocean. For example, 9/11 feels like a personal tragedy to me, despite... Continue Reading →
“Judy” by Gerold Frank
I don’t say it often, but reading this book was torture. I had to intersperse reading it with delving into other books. And that, I seldom do. That said, I cannot claim that I didn’t enjoy ‘Judy’ by Gerold Frank. Judy Garland, without a doubt, is a fascinating object for a biographer. The author, having... Continue Reading →
“A Buffalo in the House: The True Story of a Man, an Animal, and the American West” by R.D. Rosen
As someone who grew up surrounded by pets of all kinds, I couldn’t pass by a story of the most fascinating animal. Buffalo, to me, have always been an almost mythical species, and, to be honest, until I read this book, I’d been under the misconception that they were completely extinct. “A Buffalo in the... Continue Reading →
“Still Foolin’ ‘Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys” by Billy Crystal
I am not a fan of Billy Crystal. To stay on the fair side, I must say that I am not and have never been – even in the impressionable teenage years - a fan of any movie, pop, or any other type of star. But I am a huge fan of memoirs, and this... Continue Reading →