Elaine Mercado, R. N. - Grave's End: A True Ghost Story

125. Grave's End: A True Ghost Story by Elaine Mercado, R. N. (2001)
Length: 174 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 26 December 2014
Finished: 31 December 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 26 December 2014
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Elaine Mercado, R. N. is a new author for me.

Just about everyone loves a good ghost story, but what does one do when it seems as if the very fabric of reality twists and the vastness of the shadowy unknown peers out from behind the everyday rhythm of life? In Grave's End: A True Ghost Story, Ms. Mercado addresses this issue with wrenching candor. Although this may not be a book to read in an old, shadowy house at midnight, the story offers both fear and hope, and a sense of something eternal. 

By the time Elaine Mercado and her first husband bought a charming - but somewhat dilapidated - Victorian-style house in Brooklyn, New York, in the winter of 1982, they had been house-hunting for a little over a year and were quite anxious to settle into a home of their own. Although the house was in need of some serious renovation, it was within their price range and they were more than content to do the work required to make the house their own. Little did they realize that they and their two young daughters would be embarking on a nightmare that would last for thirteen years.

Within a few days of moving in, Elaine and her eldest daughter - eleven-year-old Karin - began to experience the sensation of being watched. Next came the scratching noises and inexplicably weird smells, followed by whispering voices, maniacal laughter, fluffy, dust-ball sized apparitions flitting along baseboards, and mysterious orbs of light floating along the ceilings. Almost from the day the family moved in, each member was targeted by the haunting in some way; "suffocating dreams" were experienced by everyone except for the youngest daughter - five-year-old Christine. Eventually, these paranormal experiences escalated to actual acts of physical aggression directed at Elaine and both the girls.

This is the true story of how one family tried to cope with living in a haunted house. It also describes how, with the help of famed parapsychologist Dr. Hans Holzer and psychic medium Marisa Anderson, the family finally discovered the tragic and heart-breaking secrets buried in the house at Grave's End. As of the publication of this book, Elaine Mercado continues to live in the once-haunted house with her family. 

I certainly enjoyed reading this book; as I always love reading true accounts of paranormal experiences. In my opinion, the story was very descriptive; written in a down-to-earth style that I appreciated. According to the author, while there is still residual paranormal activity, the primary source of the haunting has been cleansed from the house, and she and her family are able to live in their house in relative peace. Overall, I would give Grave's End: A True Ghost Story by Elaine Mercado, R. N. an A+!  

A+! - (96-100%)
               
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Joan Ryan - The Water Giver: The Story of a Mother, a Son, and Their Second Chance

101. The Water Giver: The Story of a Mother, a Son, and Their Second Chance by Joan Ryan (2009)
Length: 260 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 16 October 2014
Finished: 18 October 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Joan Ryan is a new author for me.

When she is first called to the hospital, acclaimed sports columnist and author Joan Ryan is convinced that her son's skateboarding accident would only require several stitches for him and a wasted afternoon for her. Sixteen-year-old Ryan Tompkins had fallen off his skateboard, and it wasn't immediately obvious just how serious his injuries actually were. Despite having various cuts and scratches and complaining that his head hurt, Ryan seemed fine; indeed, he seemed slightly annoyed to be going to hospital by ambulance. In this moving and extremely powerful memoir, Joan Ryan retraces the tumultuous and complicated relationship that delivers mother and son to this moment when, through his brush with death and his painful rehabilitation, they are challenged to redefine who they are and what they mean to each other.

For most of his sixteen years, Ryan hadn't been easy to parent. He lurched from one setback to another, struggling to overcome learning disabilities and ADHD. Joan's grim determination to solve the puzzle of her son's odd and often defiant behavior left her confounded and exasperated. She became so controlling and judgmental, so focused on trying to fix what was wrong with him, that she became more of Ryan's relentless reformer than his loving mother.

By the time Ryan arrived at the hospital, it became apparent that he was suffering from a traumatic brain injury, and the doctors weren't sure if he would even survive. The expectation of a wasted afternoon soon became the furthest worry from Joan Ryan's mind. Instead she spends months rather than hours with her son in the hospital and in rehab, watching him fight to survive his injury and to reclaim a small measure of his life.

When her son wakes from his coma, Joan gets a second chance at motherhood. She rejoices at his first word, his first step, his first spoonful of food, his first attempt to write. She gets the chance to be Ryan's mother all over again and for the first time recognizes what an amazing, heroic young man he is. The Water Giver is the universal story of a mother coming to terms with her own limitations and learning that the best way to help her child is simply to love him. 

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be poignant, well-written, moving and lovingly honest; a comprehensive account of a family dealing with a child's traumatic brain injury. The story didn't dwell too much on Ryan's challenges or portray him as someone who needed to be pitied because of his injury.

It was a very interesting book for me to read, and I could certainly understand how a traumatic brain injury not only affects - and continues to affect - the person who is injured, but also their entire family. I give The Water Giver: The Story of a Mother, a Son, and Their Second Chance by Joan Ryan an A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Pearl S. Buck - The Kennedy Women

100. The Kennedy Women by Pearl S. Buck (1970) 
Length: 218 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 14 October 2014
Finished: 16 October 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 25 July 2001
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and had read and enjoyed The Good Earth by the same author in the past.

For one of world's most influential families - the Kennedys - 'family' is indeed the watchword they live by. In this personal appraisal of the Kennedy family, author Pearl S. Buck specifically focuses on the women who bear the Kennedy name. Ms. Buck follows all of these ladies: from the dynamic matriarch, Rose, to Caroline, the lovely young daughter of JFK. 

Is there such a thing as a "curse of greatness"? For Kathleen, Rosemary, Patricia, Jean, Eunice, Ethel, Joan, and the worldly Jacqueline; if there is, then with certainty the Kennedy women have found a way to endure.

I must say that this book was incredibly praiseworthy of the Kennedys; and indeed, Ms. Buck seemed almost awestruck by the Kennedy women. While this seemed slightly overdone - in my opinion, at least - I still enjoyed reading this book very much. Having been written in 1970, the information is somewhat dated now, perhaps, but I would certainly give this book an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Ronald L. Leonard - The Merry-Hearted Boys: Liam Clancy, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

66. The Merry-Hearted Boys: Liam Clancy, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem by Ronald L. Leonard (2014)

Length: 267 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 12 July 2014
Finished: 19 July 2014
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Ronald L. Leonard for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 12 May 2014
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Ron Leonard is a new author for me. We play the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem quite often on 'Proud to be Irish' and a listener - himself a singer/songwriter and an artist - let us know that Ron Leonard had written this book. 

Ronald L. Leonard was a friend of Liam Clancy's for forty years. This book is a collection of the author's personal memories and reminiscences of that lasting friendship. This is a story which is also steeped in the history, culture, and the traditions of Ireland. Ireland's songs and stories also play a prominent role as do the centuries of hardship that have withstood various invasions and the many years of living under foreign rule. 

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem's popularity in the 1960s was the result of several factors. There was already an American folk revival beginning in the United States, and men such as Ewan MacColl were popularizing old songs on the other side of the Atlantic. But it was the Clancys' boisterous performances that set them apart, taking placid classics and giving them a boost of energy and spirit; although they would still give mournful ballads due reverence.

I must say that I don't usually read much poetry, but the author is also a poet and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his pieces. We actually interviewed Ron Leonard and his wife Peggy on 'Proud to be Irish' about The Merry-Hearted Boys: Liam Clancy, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, and two more delightful people you couldn't hope to meet. I give this book a definite A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Betty Rollin - Last Wish

50. Last Wish by Betty Rollin (1985)
Length: 236 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 28 April 2014
Finished: 29 April 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 April 2013
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Betty Rollin is a new author for me.

In a time when tempers flare over Oregon's assisted-suicide law, and the debate still rages on both sides of the issue regarding Jack Kevorkian's physician-aided 'death with dignity' practice - Betty Rollin's groundbreaking New York Times Bestseller, Last Wish is an intimate, fiercely honest memoir of a daughter's struggle to come to terms with her terminally ill mother Ida's, decision to die. More than a simple examination of the ethical, spiritual, and technical aspects of assisted suicide, Last Wish is a celebration of Ms. Rollin's imperfect family, a passionate tribute to Ida's character and courage in the face of adversity, and a compelling argument for the right of the terminally ill to a humane and dignified death.

I must say that while this book certainly is sad, by no means is it written in a morose or depressing way. I found it incredibly poignant and down-to-earth. This family faced an impossible, emotionally grueling situation and dealt with their issues in the most courageous and loving manner possible. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Edward Klein - Katie: The Real Story

43. Katie: The Real Story by Edward Klein (2007)
Length: 278 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 1 April 2014
Finished: 5 April 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 3 March 2014
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Edward Klein is a new author for me.

For the past twenty-five years - initially as the perky and spirited host of the 'Today' show, then as the only woman ever to anchor a network news program solo - Katie Couric has been a familiar visitor into millions of homes all across America. Yet, despite all her public exposure, no one - until now - has been able to penetrate the shield of her closely guarded personal life - to reveal her secrets and her struggles in the cutthroat world of television news.

In this stunning portrait of America's queen of news, bestselling author Edward Klein rips away the mask that has hidden the many faces of Katie Couric: the strong, independent woman and the needy wife and lover; the grieving widow famed for her kindness toward others and the fiercely competitive diva; the consummate television interviewer and the stumbling network anchor.

Drawing on scores of interviews of people who have never spoken openly about Katie before, Katie: The Real Story chronicles her meteoric rise to the top - from her early days at CNN and local television stations (where she was told she would never succeed) to her phenomenal fifteen-year run on 'Today'. For the first time, the author reveals the critical role Katie's father played in her risky decision to leave 'Today' for the hallowed anchor chair once occupied by Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather.

What is made clear in this book, is that Katie's road to stardom has been paved by a series of rocky personal relationships: a turbulent marriage to Jay Monahan, who died of colon cancer; testy associations with her 'Today' cohosts Bryant Gumbel and Matt Lauer; and several star-crossed love affairs, including one with a man seventeen years her junior.

Katie: The Real Story by Edward Klein is a candid portrait of a folksy, charming woman, a loving single mother, cunning business woman, feminist icon and notorious diva. It is a remarkably insightful, honest and unflinching look at an exceptional woman and the media kingdom she sought to rule.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, it was an excellent and intriguing portrait of the perils of show business. It was very interesting and certainly opened my eyes to a side of Katie Couric that is rarely seen by the public. I give Katie: The Real Story by Edward Klein an A+! and am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Carole P. Roman - The If You Were Me and Lived In...Series

36-42. The If You Were Me and Lived In...Series by Carole P. Roman (2013-2014)
The If You Were Me and Lived In...Series Books 1-7 (If You Were Me and Lived In...Mexico; If You Were Me and Lived In...France; If You Were Me and Lived In...South Korea; If You Were Me and Lived In...Turkey; If You Were Me and Lived In...Kenya; If You Were Me and Lived In...Norway; If You Were Me and Lived In...India)
Length: 194 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started/Finished: 2 April 2014
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Red Feather Publishing for sending me copies of these books to read.

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 April 2014
Why do I have it? Actually, Red Feather Publishing was kind enough to send me several books to read. Occasionally, I enjoy reading children's books and I have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past. 

This exciting new children's series written by Carole P. Roman, focuses on learning about and appreciating the many cultures that make up our small planet. Interesting facts and colorful illustrations help children to realize that although the world is large, people all over the globe are basically the same. Perfect for children from Pre-K to age eight.

I enjoyed reading this series, myself. In my opinion, each book teaches children about new cultures effortlessly - in a way that is entertaining and fully captures a child's attention. I give the whole series a definite A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Margaret Forster - Daphne du Maurier: The Secret Life of the Renowned Storyteller

20. Daphne du Maurier: The Secret Life of the Renowned Storyteller by Margaret Forster (1993)
Length: 457 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 24 February 2014
Finished: 27 February 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 December 2013
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Margaret Forster is a new author for me.

This biography explores the motivations behind Daphne du Maurier's numerous spellbinding works. In a prolific writing career that began in 1931 with The Loving Spirit and subsequently spanned fifty years, the portrait that emerges is that of a woman constantly at odds with herself. Her various literary achievements coupled with a drive to succeed often conflicted with her role as a wife and a mother.

Access to Daphne's personal correspondence has allowed the author to reveal such private details of her life as Daphne's bisexual extramarital attractions, which included a longtime infatuation with Gertrude Lawrence - an English singer and actress, famous for her appearances on the London stage and on Broadway. 

Daphne's rich fantasy life and fertile imagination enabled her to write captivating novels epitomized by 1938's Rebecca - a story which continues to endure even to this day. This richly layered biography aptly unveils the passionate nature of a woman who spent her life portraying the secrets of the sexual tensions between men and women. 

I absolutely loved this book. I learned much more about Daphne du Maurier's life than I was expecting. I will say that Margaret Forster's writing style stopped just short of providing too much detail, although I would still give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)
       
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Adele and Cateau de Leeuw - Nurses Who Led the Way: Real Life Stories of Courageous Women in an Exciting Profession

11. Nurses Who Led the Way: Real Life Stories of Courageous Women in an Exciting Profession by Adele and Cateau de Leeuw (1961)
Length: 210 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started/Finished: 28 January 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 1988
Why do I have it? This book was originally one of Mareena's, but was stowed downstairs in a room we've nicknamed 'The Glory Hole' - a room beside the stairs where we generally store everything (mostly books) that we don't have room for upstairs. I like non-fiction and Adele and Cateau de Leeuw are new authors for me.

This is a book of true stories of nine courageous women who strove to heal the sick in times of need; when they were perhaps not taken as seriously as they would be now. These stories are primarily about women who lived from the nineteenth century to the mid twentieth century. They were nurses whose lives and accomplishments were not known to me until I read this book.

From Mary Ann Bickerdyke (1817-1901) - a hospital administrator for the Union during the Civil War, she earned the nickname 'Mother' Bickerdyke and worked tirelessly to improve conditions for veterans; to Lora Wood Hughes (1873-1960) - a contract nurse during the Spanish-American War, she tended to the sick during an epidemic of typhoid and wrote her autobiography, No Time For Tears in World War II.

In my opinion, this was an excellently written children's book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. As I've said before, I had no knowledge of these courageous women's lives before I read this book, and I appreciated that these true life stories were not as well known - at least to me - as say, Florence Nightingale or Clara Barton would be. I give this book an A+! and Mareena has reacquired it to read for herself at some point.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Kelsey Grammer - So Far...

7. So Far... by Kelsey Grammer (1995)
Length: 238 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 18 January 2014
Finished: 20 January 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 18 January 2014
Why do I have it? I like autobiographies and wanted to learn more about Kelsey Grammer's life.

Everyone who has ever watched television, probably knows of the series Cheers, and of its successful spin-off, Frasier, where the Emmy Award-winning actor Kelsey Grammer played the role of psychiatrist Frasier Crane. What may not be so well-known to the public is more about the star's personal life. In a story that is provocative, heartwarming and hysterical, Kelsey Grammer finally sets the record straight on his often painful yet always uplifting life. Behind-the-scenes stories from his professional life makes Kelsey Grammer's personal story both highly entertaining and supremely insightful.

I must say that I knew little of Kelsey Grammer's life before I read his autobiography. I knew only of his substance abuse, and was vaguely aware of some of the loss he experienced. I had absolutely no idea that Kelsey Grammer had actually experienced such overwhelming tragedy in life.

Anyway, I found this book to be very well-written - very engaging, enlightening and humorous. I was quickly immersed in the author's story because of his easy writing style. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)
  
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Dan Wakefield - Returning: A Spiritual Journey

89. Returning: A Spiritual Journey by Dan Wakefield (1988)
Length: 250 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 13 September 2013
Finished: 18 September 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 21 November 2001
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Dan Wakefield is a new author for me.

Dan Wakefield was a successful writer of novels, non-fiction, and screenplays when he awoke to a private life that was disintegrating around him due to alcohol, depression, and isolation. On a balmy spring morning in Hollywood, a month or so before his forty-eighth birthday, Dan Wakefield woke up literally screaming. His private life had been crumbling for years and alcohol barely numbed the pain.

Those horrifying morning screams drove him back to Boston, his former home, where he changed his entire life. He stopped drinking, started exercising, and discovered, much to his surprise, the power of Christianity. Dan had become an atheist while in college, and did not return to church until 1980 - when he initially heard a Christmas Eve sermon that seemed directed especially at him.

This book is about Dan Wakefield's return to his past life: his boyhood in Indiana, his student years at Columbia University being taught by Mark Van Doren, his bitter disappointment with Freudian psychoanalysis, his sexuality, and his writing career. It is also the story of a spiritual pilgrimage, a courageous and comforting return to faith.

Getting into the flow of the story was slow going for me at first; there were a couple of places during my reading where I thought that the pace was slower than I would have liked, but that could have just been my own experience while reading this book.  Overall, I actually enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. I give this book a B+! 

B+! - (89-94%)
      
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Charles Preston - Exceptional Acrostics to Keep You Sharp

82. Exceptional Acrostics to Keep You Sharp by Charles Preston (2008)
Length: 64 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 25 January 2012
Finished: 29 August 2013
Where did it come from? From Barnes and Noble 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 25 December 2011
Why do I have it? My friend Pamela knows how much I enjoy crossword puzzles and other types of mind-sharpening games, so she gave this book to me for Christmas of 2011.

I have an immense collection of mind puzzle books - from brain-teasers to sudoku, and everything else in between. From time to time, in between actually reading books as well, I'll pick up one of these mind puzzle books and try my hand at one or two of the puzzles. I have so many puzzle books stashed away, that I have no idea how many I actually have. 

Hence, I can have a particular puzzle book for years and still not finish it until several years after I receive it. So far though, these mind puzzles seem to be working excellently for me - I think...Maybe! :) I give this mind puzzle book an A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)
     
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jenna Bush - Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope

33. Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope by Jenna Bush (2007)
Length: 290 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 18 April 2013
Finished: 19 April 2013
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 5 May 2011
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and wasn't aware that Jenna Bush had written any books.

Ana's life is a collection of bits and pieces of her past. Infected at birth with HIV, she had lost her mother, her father and youngest sister to AIDS. Ana is unaware of many details from her early childhood, with only blurry memories of her parents and baby sister. Ana and her younger sister Isabel are sent to live with their grandparents, where ten-year-old Ana is informed by her grandmother that she has HIV. She is told to keep her illness a secret from others - just one of the many secrets young Ana is forced to keep to herself - from sexual and physical abuse perpetrated by her grandparents, to broader neglect and mistreatment from her other family members.

Shuffled from home to home, Ana rarely finds safety or acceptance. Until she meets and falls in love with Berto, becomes pregnant, and then a mother at age seventeen. She begins her journey of hope - a journey of protection of herself, her baby, and others. Struggling to break free from the cycle of abuse, silence, and illness with passion and eloquence - proving to the world that Ana is living with, not dying from HIV/AIDS.

I enjoyed this book. I think that it could be very instructive for children who are affected by HIV and/or AIDS. I give this book an A!  

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Juliet Barker - The Brontes: Wild Genius on the Moors, the Story of Three Sisters

25. The Brontes: Wild Genius on the Moors, the Story of Three Sisters by Juliet Barker (1994) (Revised and Updated Edition 2012)
Length: 1,184 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 26 March 2013
Finished: 3 April 2013
Where did it come from? From Netgalley
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 4 January 2013
Why do I have it? Mareena downloaded this book for me as a 'just because' gift - which is what we call spontaneous gifts that we acquire for each other from time to time. She downloaded this ebook onto her Kindle along with three others for me to read. I like reading anything about the Brontes and their lives and Juliet Barker is a new author for me.

The story of the tragic Bronte family is well-known to everyone: we are all familiar with the half-mad, repressive patriarch, Patrick Bronte, the drunken, drug-addicted wastrel brother, Branwell, wildly romantic Emily, unrequited Anne and "poor Charlotte". Or are we? These stereotypes of the popular imagination are precisely that - imaginary - creations of amateur biographers like Elizabeth Gaskell who were primarily novelists and were attracted by the tale of an apparently doomed family of genius.

The Brontes: Wild Genius on the Moors, the Story of Three Sisters by Juliet Barker demolishes the myths, yet provides startling new information that is just as compelling - but true. Based on firsthand research among the Bronte manuscripts and among contemporary historical documents never before used by Bronte biographers, this book is both scholarly and compulsively readable. 

If I had to say one thing about this book and Ms. Barker's writing, it would be: 'Less is More'. On the whole, I enjoyed reading this book as I am very interested in anything about the Brontes. However, I do have to say that I found Ms. Barker's writing to be incredibly detailed. So much so, that I had to give this book a B+!

B+! - (89-94%)
   
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Abigail Van Buren - The Best of Dear Abby

23. The Best of Dear Abby by Abigail Van Buren (1981)
Length: 252 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 19 March 2013
Finished: 20 March 2013
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 31 January 2013
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Abigail Van Buren is a new author for me.

Pauline Esther Phillips - also known as Abigail Van Buren - was an advice columnist and radio show host who began writing her 'Dear Abby' advice column in 1956. During her decades writing the column, it became the most widely-syndicated newspaper column in the world, syndicated in 1,400 newspapers around the world with 110 millions readers. Pauline's twin sister, Esther Pauline Lederer - who took over writing the 'Ask Ann Landers' advice column after the death of Ruth Crowley, the first 'Ann Landers' in 1955 - became estranged from Pauline for a long time, after Pauline introduced 'Dear Abby' a few months after Esther began writing 'Ask Ann Landers'. 

Although the sisters publicly reconciled in 1964, acrimony still existed between them until just before Esther's death from blood cancer in June of 2002. The Best of Dear Abby by Abigail Van Buren was actually one of six books written by the popular advice columnist throughout her lifetime. This book is a compilation of the most provocative questions and the wisest and wittiest answers to appear in 'Dear Abby's 33 years of syndication. I give this book an A+!

Abigail Van Buren passed away on January 16, 2013 at the age of 94. She had been battling Alzheimer's Disease for many years. Although her daughter, Jeanne Phillips, had been co-writing the column with Pauline from 1987, Jeanne assumed all writing responsibilities of 'Dear Abby' in 2002 after Pauline was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. 

A+! - (96-100%)   

 Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Barbara Walters - Audition: A Memoir

21. Audition: A Memoir by Barbara Walters (2008)
Length: 579 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 8 March 2013
Finished: 18 March 2013
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 30 June 2010
Why do I have it? I like autobiographies and biographies and have always been curious about Barbara Walters's life. I've wanted to read this book ever since it came out.

After more than 40 years interviewing heads of state, world leaders, movie stars, criminals and murderers, inspirational figures and celebrities of all kinds, the most influential woman in the history of television journalism finally writes her memoir. Barbara Walters's perception of the world was formed from a very early age. Her father, Lou Walters, was the owner and creative mind behind the legendary Latin Quarter nightclub, and it was his risk-taking lifestyle that gave Barbara her first taste of glamour. It also made her aware of the ups and downs, the insecurities, and even the tragedies that can occur when someone is willing to take such great risks, for Lou Walters not only made several fortunes - he also lost them. 

Barbara learned early about the damage that such an existence can do to relationships - between husband and wife as well as between parent and child. Throughout her roller-coaster ride of a childhood, Barbara had a constant companion, her mentally-challenged sister, Jackie. True, Jackie taught her younger sister much about patience and compassion, however Barbara also writes honestly about the resentment she often felt having a sister who was so "different" and the guilt that still haunts her.

All of this - the financial responsibility for her family, the fear, the love - played a large part in the choices Barbara made as she grew up: the friendships she developed, the relationships she had, the marriages she tried to make work. Ultimately, thanks to her drive, as well as a decent amount of luck, she began a career in television. And what a career it has been! Against incredible odds, Barbara has made it to the top of a male-dominated industry. She is a true trail-blazer within the industry, becoming the most trusted television journalist of all time. She has not only interviewed the world's most fascinating figures, she has become a part of their world.     

I really enjoyed this book! After having it on my bookshelf unread for almost three years, I finally took the plunge and read it. At 579 pages, I was somewhat daunted to begin reading, despite really wanting to read this book almost from the moment it was published! Overall, it was an incredibly interesting and engaging book for me to read, even though there were one or two chapters that were slow reading. I must say that Barbara Walters has lived an incredibly exciting life and has done much to be admired for by her peers. Ultimately, I give Audition: A Memoir by Barbara Walters an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)   

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Anne Morrow Lindbergh - Gift From the Sea

20. Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1955)
Length: 138 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 7 March 2013
Finished: 8 March 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 September 2001
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Anne Morrow Lindbergh is a new author for me.

In this memoir, Anne Morrow Lindbergh reflects on the lives of Americans, particularly the lives of American women, in the mid-twentieth-century. She shares her meditations on youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and contentment with life using the beach, the sea and the descriptions of several seashells that she discovered washed up on the sand as a backdrop. Written during a two-week vacation to Florida's Captiva Island in the early 1950s, Anne seeks to answer life's deeper questions and find inner tranquility. 

I actually tried to read this book for the first time sometime in 2003 or so, but was only able to finish the first chapter, I think. I had set the book aside because it was just not catching my attention at the time. Anyway, I was looking to read something short after finishing Quinn by Iris Johansen and decided to give Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh a second chance. 

While I am certainly glad that I eventually read this book, I found it to be slightly abstract and I ended up not enjoying it as much as I thought I would. This book was one that I acquired from a library book sale that Mareena and I went to on September 11, 2001, and was one of several books that I found stashed in my closet last night. I give Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh a B+!

B+! - (89-94%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jean Harris - "They Always Call us Ladies": Stories From Prison

15. "They Always Call us Ladies": Stories From Prison by Jean Harris (1988)
Length: 276 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 9 February 2013
Finished 13 February 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 February 2013
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and had not realized that Jean Harris had written any books while she was in prison.

Jean Harris, who gained notoriety after she was convicted of the murder of Dr. Herman Tarnower in 1980 - in a case that became known as the "Scarsdale Diet Case" - had written two other books besides this one. She served eleven years of a fifteen-year-to-life sentence before her sentence was commuted by Governor Cuomo in December of 1992. She wrote "They Always Call us Ladies": Stories From Prison in order to highlight the state of the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility For Women in Westchester, New York as well as the state of the United States Prison System in general. Jean Harris passed away at an assisted-living center in New Haven, Connecticut on December 23, 2012 at the age of 89.

"They Always Call us Ladies": Stories From Prison was not quite what I expected when I picked up the book. Although it did eventually improve slightly about halfway through, I found that the majority of it was quite boring - filled with facts, figures and statistics that were written about in a dry and uninteresting way. I give this book a B+!

B+! - (89-94%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Norah Lofts - Emma Hamilton

102. Emma Hamilton by Norah Lofts (1978)
Length: 192 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 19 November 2012
Finished: 22 November 2012
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 16 April 2012
Why do I have it? I like Norah Lofts as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Emma Hamilton was lover and confidante to some of the greatest men of her time. Born Amy Lyon, she was the daughter of a blacksmith near Cheshire, England. Her father died when she was two months old, and young Amy was raised by her mother, Mary, with no formal education. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Emma Carew, in 1781 when Emma was just sixteen years old. She then became a model for the English artist George Romney in 1782 under the name Emma Hart.

A woman of immense charm, kindness and ambition, Emma became the wife of Sir William Hamilton, the British Ambassador to Naples in 1791. She was twenty-six, her husband was sixty. Two years later, she met and fell in love with the darling of Britain - Horatio Nelson. During their subsequent seven year love affair, she gave birth to a daughter, Horatia, whose birth she managed to keep secret from Sir William and London society. 

After Horatio Nelson's death in 1805 during the Battle of Trafalgar, Emma fell into poverty, moved to France to escape her creditors, and later fell victim to alcoholism, dying of liver failure in 1815. Horatia Nelson eventually married a Reverend in 1822 and they had ten children. Although, Horatia acknowledged that she was the daughter of Horatio Nelson, she never publicly acknowledged being Emma Hamilton's daughter.

I loved this book. Before reading this book, I knew nothing about Lady Emma Hamilton's life, only that she was the mistress of Admiral Lord Nelson. I give Emma Hamilton an A+! and will put it on my keeper shelf to read again sometime soon.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Felicity Cochrane - Margaret Trudeau: The Prime Minister's Runaway Wife

89. Margaret Trudeau: The Prime Minister's Runaway Wife by Felicity Cochrane (1978)
Length: 173 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 19 October 2012
Finished: 20 October 2012
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 19 October 2012
Why do I have it? I like biographies and autobiographies and Felicity Cochrane is a new author for me.

The whole world watched in spellbound fascination as beautiful, young Margaret Trudeau - wife of Canada's powerful Prime Minister, struck up an open friendship with the rock group, The Rolling Stones. Shortly afterward, the six-year long marriage between the handsome, debonair and elegant politician in his mid-fifties and the gorgeous twenty-something rebel was officially on the rocks. But this was only the latest chapter in the story of the fairy tale marriage between Pierre and Margaret Trudeau. 

The 'Rolling Stones' incident was only the latest one of many scandals that Margaret Trudeau was somehow linked with during her tumultuous marriage to Pierre Trudeau. From Margaret's own early involvement with radical politics to Pierre's ties to other women - including Barbra Streisand - this biography reveals all!

I did enjoy reading this book and started it immediately on the day that it arrived in the mail all the way from Israel. However, I found that I didn't really learn much more about Margaret Trudeau's life and marriage that I didn't already know from reading Margaret Trudeau's own autobiography, Beyond Reason, which I had read in September of 2012. I give this book an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight