Thomas A. Siewert

Secrets within secrets

Reviewed: 08-31-23

I don’t generally listen to memoirs about famous people, but in truth, I’d never heard of her before. This one turned out to be quite a good story of a very dysfunctional family. Oh, what a tangled web we weave! I don’t want to give anything away, but to summarize, she starts with her childhood, her father not living with her other immediate family, and her mom’s eventual marriage to another man, and the racism and strained home life they endured in their new family. The latter part of the book is a search for her real identity, as the secrets she never imagined start revealing themselves. Due to the inner drive she inherited from her mother, she achieves material success, but as the secrets reveal themselves it nearly brings her down. The book is pretty well-written, and very well- narrated. Her steely exterior is understandable, but makes it hard to feel a connection. It’s a good listen.

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Very good travel writing and narration.

Reviewed: 07-25-23

First I have to praise the narration of this book as I think Brian Nishii was perfect to read it. He gave me a greater appreciation of the intricacy of the Japanese language. The writing is good and very descriptive, though I still found myself longing for some pictures to go along with it. I don't know if the print version has photos, but I think they would have helped the overall experience of the story. Still, it is wonderful to gain some insight into the character and the history of this interesting place. Wilson is an excellent guide in that respect, since he is obviously fluent in the language and has visited the Kiso Road several times before, so he has a high degree of insight to impart. Recommended for anyone wishing to learn more about Japan.

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Black Dragon River

Reviewed: 07-19-23

It's funny that the book title is a translation of the Chinese name for the river, but, based on the subject matter, it should be called "Russian Settlement of the Amur Region." The vast majority of the book is about Russian history of the area, rather than Chinese or the other native tribes of the area. The native people are mentioned, but, with brief exceptions, there is little detail about them, their lifestyles or their histories. It's obvious the writer is fluent in Russian and his interest is in Russian history, and there is some interesting information in the book. He does mention the flora and fauna, and he spends some time discussing the Mongol history and current situation, which are important, though there is nothing about the geologic history of the river and how it developed. Overall it's an interesting book, and the author did a lot of research, so I can't give him a bad rating, it's just skewed too much in one topic for my interest. The narration is good overall.

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Not as funny as hoped

Reviewed: 07-07-23

Humor is a fickle thing. Two friends with similar tastes, who get along great, can have vastly different opinions on the same bit of humor. A couple of trusted friends recommended this to me and I was looking forward to listening, but to be honest, it just didn't do much for me. I was amused by some aspects of the book, but I just didn't find it all that funny. The writing is excellent, the way Toole wove the different aspects of the story together, the strong, well-developed characterizations, and the use of language, all great. The narration was clear and consistent in characters. I made it through the book on those strengths. I just wished I could have laughed more. Bring on Monty Python reruns!

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Fun Stories, Great Performance

Reviewed: 06-08-23

First and foremost I must compliment Stephen Fry's wonderful renderings of these stories, keeping all of the characters in line for 45 hours. This was my introduction to Wodehouse, and I found the stories to be mostly quite fun, though also repetitive. I suppose this much listening/reading of one author in a row would bring about the same reaction. But the stories are all a series of bad decisions mostly regarding money or marriage. One wonders if the British aristocracy were all such bad decision makers, how on Earth they ever put together an empire. The stories set in Hollywood I didn't like as much as those set in England, even though there was a good ending to them. All in all, I can recommend this production, but also suggest that the listener take breaks and maybe listen to something else in between. That would keep the stories more fresh.

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4 people found this helpful

Fun and games in the Oregon woods.

Reviewed: 05-01-23

It's a good book for those who like the interplay of personal dynamics in close living conditions, as well as those interested in alternative lifestyles. I don't know how the people in the story could smoke so much pot and still function. From my personal experience, I can say that I would have been useless in such a situation. I found the different qualities of the three communes discussed in the book interesting, each having a character all their own. Having lived in Oregon in an area of former communes and seen what became of the old hippies, it was fascinating to read about what life may have been like for my friends several decades earlier. One downside was lack of research about some of the facts; Crater Lake was not formed by a meteor impact! There were a few other gaffes as well, but overall a good book.

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Intense stories

Reviewed: 05-01-23

This book consists of three interwoven personal stories: the Japanese girl (Tomami), the boy who killed her, and the author's. During the first part of the book, I, like others, wondered about the inclusion of the author's story as it just didn't seem to fit. By the end of the book, however, she wove it into the narrative quite well, though I do still think some of the earlier entries were superfluous. Overall I think it is an engrossing narrative, one story about a boy neglected by the system and his family, a girl who falls in love with the American West, maybe too much, and an author gripped by the story she covers that won't let her go until she learns some surprising things about herself and her life, all set around the Grand Canyon. The book is well-written and keeps you engrossed in the tapestry she weaves. The narration is good, though having lived and worked at the Grand Canyon, I was frustrated by some of the pronunciation inconsistencies. I do think the interviews at the end didn't do much for the understanding of the story, as it was pretty much already in the main body of the book. Recommended for those interested in true crime, Native American history and issues, and the process of cause and effect in people's lives.

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Beautifully Written

Reviewed: 03-20-23

This is so carefully written and performed, it's like one long poem with little gems of wisdom all along the way. The author is young for having so much of depth to impart. The book is organized around themes like "Fear," or "Anger," and she weaves in each chapter a mix of quotes, anecdote, history, and philosophy. It's very touching with much food for thought. The only drawbacks for me were that, first, she reads in what I'll call a "bit of a lilting monotone poem reading voice," which is fine and appropriate for the material. However, at times it sort of lulls you to sleep. She does use some good inflection at times as well. Second, as an avowed agnostic I had more than my share of talk of God throughout the book. I respect her faith, and the book is advertised to be about spirituality, so I expected that possibility of talk of God, but spirituality doesn't have to be religious. Still, it is really a wonderful book and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for wisdom in our seemingly post-truth world. I'll likely give it more than one listen.

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An amazing ride.

Reviewed: 03-09-23

Without knowing it, I came up with the same description as is on her website: namely, that it's a combination of "The Glass Castle" and "Catch Me If You Can." We all have a story to tell, but few are as complicated and exciting as this one, often has you on the edge of your seat. It's well-written, but it what drives this memoir is not so much the writing, as just what happens and how the people in her life reveal themselves. I've read a lot of memoirs, but few with such an amazing story to tell as this one. Her writing ability really shows up in the conclusion. Highly recommended to anyone looking for an adventure.

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Intense

Reviewed: 03-09-23

This is a very graphic and intense portrayal of descent into a mental illness and, to some degree, recovery. It's well-written and performed, though I didn't give it a 5 on performance because, for much of the book, she just sounds angry. Given her upbringing, I can understand her anger, but after a while it can get to you as a listener. It's titled as being essays, but I would say they are stories, or even episodes of her story. I guess it depends on what you call an essay. But enough of logistics, it really gives a visceral idea of how mental illness upends our lives. It does leave you hanging a bit at the end, but that's reality. Things don't always come out all rosy. Recommended for anyone interested in mental illness and its many presentations. It's certainly carefully and effectively written, as I would expect from a fine poet.

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