After binge-watching the Netflix original series “Orange in the New Black” in only three days, I knew I had to read the book to compare the real accounts of Piper Kerman to the dramatized television series of Piper Chapman. I’ve always liked books better than their movie or television counterparts, and because I enjoyed the series, I expected to like the book more. I wasn’t disappointed. Without going into too many details because of the differences between the two versions, the basis of the story […]
Another Nonsense Allibaba77 Review
I am trying to catch up on my reviews but feel like I am starting to not make a lot of sense but I am just jazzed about reading and I am falling behind on reviews so this is my third one today, think it will be my last of the day but you never know. Tweak is said to be a tale about “growing up on meth-amphetamines” but really it is a story of recovery and relapse. . . Nic Sheff is our tour […]
In not Out of Africa
Alexandra Fuller had one hell of a childhood growing up in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, Zaire and even a couple of years in Malawi. Her family came from Britain originally, but the family viewed themselves as African. White African. Thus bringing with them all sorts of proper manners and plenty of prejudices. She grew up during the Zimbabwe’s civil war for independence. The book opens with this conversation that took place with her mother when Fuller was about six: Mum says, “Don’t come creeping into our room at […]
Hindsight is bittersweet, but the facts are hard
I rarely read non-fiction and even more rarely read memoirs so I went into this read with few expectations. It was the pick for my book club, so I picked it up dutifully, much like I would tackle required reading in school. I’m hesitant to say I enjoyed this book, because the subject matter was difficult and heart-wrenching, but I am glad that I read it. Alysia Abbott is the daughter of two free spirited parents in the 70s, in a non-traditional configuration. Her parents […]
Still Foolin’ Em: Billy Crystal at his Best
Comedy is often built on tragedy. Memoirs are a form of literature that often mines a person’s tragedy to create universal feelings in the reader. Billy Crystal’s Still Foolin’ Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys is a brilliant memoir from a supremely funny man. Much like Steve Martin’s Born Standing Up it serves as both a career retrospective piece as well as means for Crystal to show some of the events that shaped the performer we see. My first memory of […]
It’s not easy being green
Wow, is that post title a cop out. Anyhow, this is a memoir from an Elphaba. An Elphaba stand-by, actually. It’s a fun look, for any musical theater geek, behind the big green curtain. What goes on in there? What do stand-bys do? How crazy are those costumes? Did the flying machinery ever break down? (Not answered, BTW). It’s also a memoir of a young woman plagued with insecurities and fears of failure, both in her professional & personal lives. It began as a blog, […]