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July 13, 2007
They should be professionals...
Three more reviews from our Advance Readers Club to share with you: Two from Mr. A, who wrote such a terrific one last week, and one from a new participant, Ms. P. Mr. A is ripping through our selection and first offers his thoughts on Alan Alda’s forthcoming Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself (publication date: 9/2007).
…By the time I was half-way through, I realized that this older fellow was retelling himself parts of his life, and was finding that he had things other people might find illuminating and instructive about themselves. This, then, is not an actor’s memoir of his professional life; indeed, that part is touched only lightly and with great insight. It is more the relationship of Alda with people, in large, and as individuals, and his search for his own private person in what became, in some respects, his public life. Alda is a fine writer. His prose flows beautifully and is easy to read and understand. I think that if you don’t mind being preached to, you will find this book pleasant, and perhaps enlightening.
Mr. A also has some very insightful comments about The Center Cannot Hold by Elyn Saks, which will be published in August.
This is an extraordinary book by an extraordinary lady who, in spite of having suffered from schizophrenia from her early teens has graduated from college, achieved a Masters degree at Oxford, passed the bar, and is presently a tenured, distinguished professor of Law and psychiatry at a major university. The memoir relates in exquisite and harrowing detail the development of her disease, her fight to retain control over her mind and body, and her eventual acceptance of the implacability of her illness. This book is hardly for the casual reader, but it should be read by every professional in the field of mental health, in whatever capacity; by individuals who have mental problems; and by the members of families in which a loved one has impaired mental health….
And finally, Ms. P, who read James Patterson’s The Quickie (now published, so reserve your copy today!):
Having read almost all of James Patterson’s books, I was delighted to have this opportunity to preview his latest book, The Quickie. I was not disappointed, the many twists and turns within the plot are really spine-tingling. Just when you think that you have identified the villain, another curve is thrown at you. I couldn’t put it down and recommend it as a perfect beach or vacation book. James Patterson does not disappoint his readers.
Posted by SallyT at July 13, 2007 03:16 PM