Well, this is a book that i wanted to read; one i wanted to read and absorb, but not one that i wanted to pay for. That might sound a bit contrary…but, this book was written by Madonna’s brother Christopher Ciccone. It is sort of a memoir, or an unofficial biography; one i am sure that Madonna was not overly thrilled to learn about before it was published.
The reason that i didn’t want to purchase the book is because of a little something that i have tagged, called an unwritten sibling rule. That is a rule that is just understood between family members that no matter what…family is family and supports one another; no one picks on your siblings…unless it is you of course, at home. It sort of goes against the grain to know that Madonna’s brother would write a sort of tell-all about his sister, for money.
Of course, no one knows a person like their own family and therefore there is much interest in who Madonna is and what makes her tick. The thing of it is…in reading this book…i think that we discover as much about her brother Christopher as we do about Madonna herself. 
It becomes a two for one book!
I do think that he makes an attempt to explain how Madonna thinks and therefore why she does some of the things that she does. In trying to explain her to us…often, he makes excuses for her. There is, at least to me, some real boundary issues in their relationship…or former relationship. They mix business and family; it appears to work for short bursts of time and then it doesn’t. There is a strange mixture of maverick behaviors, ambition,music,artistry,design, dance, relationship issues and religious issues; those are mixed with issues related to the loss of their mother. It makes for a very complicated relationship.
It is as if, Madonna is the sun and Christopher and others, in her life, are planets who are drawn into her orbit. Nonetheless, it is an interesting read if you are into the psychology of family dynamics.
This book was copyrighted in 2008 and published by Simon Spotlight Entertainment. You can view their site at: www.SimonSaysTheSPOT.com
Tasty Baby Belly Buttons is a Japanese folktale that is retold in this book written by Judy Sierra. The story tells of the Oni (which is something like an Ogre) who come into a Japanese village and steals the babies of the village to have their favorite snack—baby belly buttons. The adults of the village are frozen with fear.
One young child who was gifted to her aging parents; as they had no children and so hoped for one. She arrived in a melon as a newborn babe; therefore…she had no belly button to steal. Her mother always dreamed of a child to teach to make millet dumplings with. The father always dreamed of a child to teach how to be a warrior to protect those who were weak or helpless. Together they raised this young child to do wonderful things. She alone… was brave enough to battle the Oni and win the babies of the village back.
This book may not be for very young children as the images in the book may be a bit too scary for them. If they love to be dazzled with stories of good versus evil it may be fine…you just have to know your child. The drawings of the Oni are a bit big, overwhelming and repulsive…as scary things should be. But if your child is meek or easily frightened this book may not be for them.
Tasty Baby Belly Buttons was illustrated by Meilo So. The book was copyrighted in 1999 and published by, Alfred A. Knopf and distributed by Random House, Inc. http://www.randomhouse.com/kids
Kelly Simmons has written a novel called Standing Still. It is a novel filled to the brim with all kinds of fears that a woman can have; both real and imagined.
A wife, a mother, a daughter who is so consummed by the fears that she faces daily that she almost forgets how to “live”. Her life is dictated by those fears. When one of the things she fears most happens…she sacrifices herself for one of the most basic reasons…motherly instinct.
A man breaks into her home…she discovers him as he is attempting to kidnap her young daughter. She offers herself in place of her child out of a need to protect her child…at the same time…wondering if she will survive this very real threat.
In the days to come, her heart and her mind examines her life and her priorities. She confronts some of her fears as she almost “rests” in the captivity caused by her kidnapper.
Secrets from Claires past have held her hostage. She used to be a fearless writer, an insatiable reporter, a woman who was constantly on the move, a woman not willing to be tied down in life. She has built an invisible wall all around her family. Her husband has become distant and she no longer feels as if she knows who he is or what he wants or needs from her. Will their marriage survive…will she survive this ordeal?
How is it that the kidnapper understands her better than her own husband. He knows her likes and dislikes. He nurtures her and he protects her from others who wish to inflict violence…and yet, he hits her. How can they be friendly in a situation that is definately not supposed to feel safe?
This writer, Kelly Simmons, writes as if she has lived in this woman Claire’s head for a long time. She understands her …she has a connection to the way that the character Claire sorts through her turmoil. I found the conversational style of writing very inclusive…i felt as if i too, could understand how a woman in Claire’s position found the kidnapping situation, almost as if it were a sabbatical from her real life…a time to reflect and a time to induce changes. It is a good read.
Audition A Memoir, written by Barbara Walters, is a book filled with a fascinating look at a life that spans many cultural changes. Of course, there is the usual personal reflections and hints at the private person behind the public personna that we each have come to know; however, much of the public person is a carefully, trained personality that is politically correct in it’s presentation. There is more to learn about between the 977 pages of this book.
There is the fiercely loyal daughter, and seemingly embarassed sister, the supportive wife, schedule wised disconnected wife, friend, ambitious reporter, skilled writer, talented interviewer, supporter of the arts, mother, trailblaizer, and entrepeneur.
There is a lot of name tossing…however, someone with a career like Barbara Walters has had, is based on the names and the celebrity status from the interviews of people and places that have a place in history.
There are wonderful pictures to give a glimpse into the private life of Ms. Walters. There are revelations that will endear you, will touch you, repel you, and intrique you based on your own personal values. But this book will not be boring, to most people, because of the wide variety of subjects Barbara has interviewed and interacted with over the years.
The book does make you feel like an insider at times; which i think was the point of the whole book. If it feels a bit self centered, in spots, i guess one has to assume that to have a long lived career like Ms. Walters has had, for as long as she has had; one must understand that to accomplish what she has accomplished…one must stay focussed on that very same career with intensity. If she has lost or lacked for anything, then, I think she considers that the cost of achieving her goals. Whether she feels that those things balanced out in the end she doesn’t really say. On the other hand, she seems to attribute much of her success to being lucky; rather than attributing her success to a determinedly chosen and executed plan.
Like her or not…you have to admit that Ms. Walters has had a significant impact on our culture and our history. She is at times inspirational and complex…as well as reflective, which is what most writers of a memoir hope to be able to achieve.
This book was published by Randomhouse and was copyrighted in 2008. You can view their site at: www.randomhouse.com/
Light of the Moon was written by one of my favorite authors, LuAnne Rice. This book took me a while to get into. I don’t know why…it started out slow for me. However, as always, LuAnne captures her characters and their emotional connections to others in a way that feels as if you have known them for years.
The main characters are interesting; Susannah is the female who is a research and cave anthropologist. She is seeking solace in her work around the world as she heals from the loss of her mother. She goes to a place which holds power over her…it is the place where her mother and father went to seek assistance from their faith in having a child. Susannah is the result of that faith. She was destined to complete the circle by coming back to the place where it all began. At the statue of Sarah.
Grey is the male character that brings the circumstances of her trip to completion by falling in love with Susannah. Grey gave up much for his wife Maria. He also lost his freedom when his wife left. He became a rancher who understood the wild white horses of Camargue. Grey has a daughter who has been traumatized also by the loss of her mother. Her mother left her to go on and start a new life….her mother Maria was born a gypsy. Her marriage to Grey was forbidden and therefore caused great harm to her relationships. She was cursed and so were her children and her marriage. She fulfilled that curse by believing in it. She left her husband and her child and caused intense harm to her child Sari. She didn’t know how to balance her calling, her family, her freedom and her happiness. She paid a heavy price for her freedom. Unresolved regrets can eat away at the soul of a person.
In the end, love and healing are allowed to flourish. It is a mystery to understand the spiritual realm. Yet, we all live in it too! This book is worth the time it takes to get emotionally involved. It is beautifully written. The mystical white horses of Camargue add an old world quality to the book. The intensity of human emotions and the damage they can do to others that we care about is underscored throughout the book. It teaches us the power of love, forgiveness and moving forward through the healing process. It is transforming to know that we do not have to be held hostage to the mistakes that we make in this world…that we have the power to change course at any given time.
This book was copyrighted in 2008.