Describe your new book: This book is the story of my life — the ups, the downs, and the music. If someone were to write your biography, what...
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has great, very real characters who are the students who achieve remarkable success in the National Finals of a Problem Solving competition. The narrator of this true story is the teacher who coaches these amazing students to break through the stereotypes and circumstances of life in a Yupik Eskimo village in the frigid and challenging arctic. A great read!
In composing this new title, Owings traveled around the country over a period of several years collecting interesting stories told by Natives/Indians in a variety of settings and situations. I must admit, initially I was skeptical, especially after reading the introduction in which Owings muses that she is not sure how to organize the information that she collected for this book. C’mon, I thought, Indians are not
some other species, talk about them like the real people that they are. As I got into the book, I realized that that isexactly what Owings does and she does it well. Owings is a good writer and an even better listener. She manages to present the stories told by real-life Natives/Indians/Tribal People with attention to detail and as accurately as a person outside the culture probably could. She brings her own perspective to the stories and although these asides may make many Natives/Indians smile in all-too familiar recognition of encounters with non-Natives, they also help to illustrate the uniqueness of Native/Tribal culture. All in all, I highly recommend this title to any and all libraries, including law libraries "Owings includes a chapter entitled “Indians 101” - a primer on Indian Law "as presented by Elizabeth Homer, Esq." along with other chapters that touch on topics that range from violence against Native women to Tribal Government to treaty rights. This book is an excellent addition to the ongoing conversation between Natives and non-Natives and it also enhances mutual understanding among the Peoples of this country.
I read Mount Misery after my shrink mentioned it in a letter. Being obsessed with my psychiatrist (like all good psych patients), I ran to the public library and checked out a copy of this book, 24 hours later I was about to slit my wrists. Not only does the great psychiatrist and mentor of Mount Misery commit suicide early in the story, but the author/resident also has nothing good to say about those who suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder - a seemingly uncurable, highly annoying, and downright destructive personality type that is as ubiquitous as it is disturbing. I finished the book against the advice of my therapist, but am now wondering why I bothered, I suppose it is an interesting take on what goes on on the other side of the psychiatric fence.
I read "Tweak" so I was curious to read about the next chapter in Nic Sheff's life. In spite of his ongoing struggle with addictions of all kinds the book does have a promising ending. It serves as a testament to the reality that each person's addiction must be treated in the way that truly works for that individual - a fact that flies in the face of much current thought on addiction recovery. I appreciated Mr. Sheff's honesty. I thought it was interesting that toward the end of this memoir, Sheff realized that it might be beneficial to address a mental illness with which he had been previously diagnosed, thus highlighting the commonly-occurring connection between mental illness and drug and alcohol abuse. All in all, I recommend this book for those who struggle with alcohol and drugs and others who love those whose lives are an ongoing fight to beat the disease of addiction.
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(4 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
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M F Hadley has commented on (23) products.
The Kids From Nowhere by Mr. George Guthridge
M F Hadley, January 19, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has great, very real characters who are the students who achieve remarkable success in the National Finals of a Problem Solving competition. The narrator of this true story is the teacher who coaches these amazing students to break through the stereotypes and circumstances of life in a Yupik Eskimo village in the frigid and challenging arctic. A great read!Indian Voices: Listening to Native Americans by Alison Owings
M F Hadley, September 1, 2011
In composing this new title, Owings traveled around the country over a period of several years collecting interesting stories told by Natives/Indians in a variety of settings and situations. I must admit, initially I was skeptical, especially after reading the introduction in which Owings muses that she is not sure how to organize the information that she collected for this book. C’mon, I thought, Indians are notsome other species, talk about them like the real people that they are. As I got into the book, I realized that that isexactly what Owings does and she does it well. Owings is a good writer and an even better listener. She manages to present the stories told by real-life Natives/Indians/Tribal People with attention to detail and as accurately as a person outside the culture probably could. She brings her own perspective to the stories and although these asides may make many Natives/Indians smile in all-too familiar recognition of encounters with non-Natives, they also help to illustrate the uniqueness of Native/Tribal culture. All in all, I highly recommend this title to any and all libraries, including law libraries "Owings includes a chapter entitled “Indians 101” - a primer on Indian Law "as presented by Elizabeth Homer, Esq." along with other chapters that touch on topics that range from violence against Native women to Tribal Government to treaty rights. This book is an excellent addition to the ongoing conversation between Natives and non-Natives and it also enhances mutual understanding among the Peoples of this country.
Mount Misery
M F Hadley, September 1, 2011
I read Mount Misery after my shrink mentioned it in a letter. Being obsessed with my psychiatrist (like all good psych patients), I ran to the public library and checked out a copy of this book, 24 hours later I was about to slit my wrists. Not only does the great psychiatrist and mentor of Mount Misery commit suicide early in the story, but the author/resident also has nothing good to say about those who suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder - a seemingly uncurable, highly annoying, and downright destructive personality type that is as ubiquitous as it is disturbing. I finished the book against the advice of my therapist, but am now wondering why I bothered, I suppose it is an interesting take on what goes on on the other side of the psychiatric fence.We All Fall Down: Living with Addiction by Nic Sheff
M F Hadley, May 3, 2011
I read "Tweak" so I was curious to read about the next chapter in Nic Sheff's life. In spite of his ongoing struggle with addictions of all kinds the book does have a promising ending. It serves as a testament to the reality that each person's addiction must be treated in the way that truly works for that individual - a fact that flies in the face of much current thought on addiction recovery. I appreciated Mr. Sheff's honesty. I thought it was interesting that toward the end of this memoir, Sheff realized that it might be beneficial to address a mental illness with which he had been previously diagnosed, thus highlighting the commonly-occurring connection between mental illness and drug and alcohol abuse. All in all, I recommend this book for those who struggle with alcohol and drugs and others who love those whose lives are an ongoing fight to beat the disease of addiction.(4 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S C Gwynne
M F Hadley, January 3, 2011
An excellent account of the great plains warriors fight against the encroaching federales. Love to read about my personal hero Quanah Parker!(8 of 16 readers found this comment helpful)
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