Roadhouse, Dirty Dancing, Next of Kin, Ghost. All feel-good pop culture flicks of our generations, and all made popular by Patrick Swayze. I can't say I ever considered Swayze a "great" actor, but certainly he had a swagger and bravado all his own.
I followed Swayze's recent battle with pancreatic cancer through the televised soundbites, and must admit to a twinge of sadness upon first hearing the news. I mean, c'mon ... this was Mr. Roadhouse! He starred with my all time favorite actor, Sam Elliott, in a cult-flick that just had what it took to be a hit at the time. Corny? Sure, absolutely. But who cares? I never expected the greatest literary experience when I watched a Swayze movie. I expected the pretty boy to entertain me.
I admired Swayze's commitment to his wife (evidenced by a 30+ year marriage), as well as his ability to avoid the tabloids and lead a relatively private life. Just stroll through a supermarket checkout aisle, and you know how difficult that must be. I always felt he was a little bit cocky, a little arrogant, if you will, and the book only reinforces that at times. But it's hard not to admire someone who faces pancreatic cancer with the attitude of, "I'll just be damned if this son of a bitch is going to beat me. It's trying to kill me, but I'm going to return the favor."
The Time of My Life is a quick and easy read and would make an excellent airplane book.
Long before she became a household name for her portrayal of Princess Leia in Star Wars, Carrie Fisher was a character. Still is, even in her 50s and post-electric shock therapy. Carrie Fisher is bipolar and has undergone EST to regain her memory. This book is that memory. It's also her comedy routine, based on events from her own life.
Even as a child, Fisher separated her "Hollywood" life from her "real" life. She knew she shared her parents, Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, with the rest of the world. She actually charts what she calls the "Hollywood Inbreeding" that involved her own parents: a pictorial of who married who, who divorced who, and who remarried who. Two full pages.
She tells her stories with sarcasm and hilarity, and an uncanny ability to make fun of herself. We hear about her stint in her mother's chorus line at age 15, the gay friend that died on her couch, Star Wars, her alcohol and drug addictions, her marriage and divorce to Paul Simon, the Princess Leia Pez dispenser, and her daughter.
Fisher has gone from a film career to being the author of four novels and is obviously surviving bipolar disorder with the help of medication, family, and a HUGE dose of humor.
This is Graham's account of his relationships with numerous presidents through the years, beginning with Truman and extending onto G. W. Bush. Certainly, no other spiritual leader had so much interaction with the presidents or such unbridled access to the White House.
I am an avid reader, but admit to taking roughly 4 months to finish this book. Graham's memories and stories were interesting, but were delivered in a documentary fashion that simply did not engage me. In that regard, the book failed to live up to my expectations. Personal religious/political opinions aside, however, Graham is one of the most well known and respected spiritual leaders in this country, if not the world, and I felt Gibbs and Duffy seriously failed to do him justice.
Graham himself admits there were times (particularly in his youth) when he sadly blurred or crossed the lines between spiritual leader and political activist, and this book delves into the dynamics of one role upon the other. He makes no secret that he has moderate to conservative leanings and did not agree with each man who held office, but conveys his unshakable belief that, whether or not we agree with our president, he is still the leader of our free world and, by virtue of that reason alone, worthy of our prayers and spiritual support. I'm betting that's a level of spiritual maturity that few of us ever achieve.
Verdict: Interesting content; weak delivery. I'm glad I finished the book, but admit that I struggled to do so.
Most famous for his portrayals of the quirky (and very Republican) Alex P. Keaton (Family Ties), Marty McFly (Back to the Future), and Michael Flaherty (Spin City), Michael J. Fox is definitely one of the comedic icons of my generation. More recently, Fox is most well known as the celebrity face behind Parkinson's disease and the crusade for stem cell research.
Lucky Man is a memoir of Fox's journey to stardom as well as the discovery of his disease. It chronicles his coming to terms with the Parkinson's diagnosis and the subsequent effects it has upon him, his family, and his career. I think Fox himself would consider it fair to say that Parkinson's is responsible for causing a Hollywood party boy to grow up and place value on the important things in life.
Fox is obviously in favor of stem cell research, but the book is not propaganda for the cause. He states his position, but that is not the underlying theme. I recommend the book for anyone with an interest in Fox, Parkinson's, or stem cell research, with the caveat that you may simply have to agree to disagree.
I could hardly wait to read another Carcaterra book after Sleepers - even though I approached the second book (a nonfiction account of the author's childhood with an emotionally challenged and physically abusive father) with much caution. I simply wasn't prepared to experience the same raw emotion as I had while reading Sleepers.
I had no problem reading the book, as Carcaterra writes very well. Obviously, he grew up in a rough neighborhood, in a turbulent time, in a generation where men were expected to be "tough" and "in control" - especially in their own homes.
I'm happy to report that A Safe Place did not affect me the way Sleepers did. Perhaps I was more prepared; perhaps I'm simply (and sadly?) more desensitized to the domestic violence described within these pages than I was to the utter horrors described in Sleepers.
I did struggle with one nagging thought upon finishing this book. For a nonfiction account of his childhood, and having first read Sleepers, I found myself confused that there was literally no overlap between the two. In fact, Carcaterra's juvenile incarceration isn't even mentioned in A Safe Place. This may be the result of superb editing, or it may be an uncanny ability to compartmentalize his life experiences. And, if it is compartmentalization on the part of the author, is that a defense mechanism resulting from his experiences?
I walked away from this book a bit disappointed and strangely relieved to be so unaffected. I suppose I expected it to be as impactful as Sleepers. Thankfully, it failed to live up to that expectation.
I remember when this movie came out, starring Kevin Bacon - and that's all I knew about it. I always thought it was some kind of alien/sci-fi flick, which is definitely not my thing. My youngest daughter, Jessica, set my misconceptions straight a few months ago and strongly encouraged me to read the book.
Little did I know that this was the heart-wrenching tale of four friends growing up in Hell's Kitchen, New York, in the midst of the civil rights movement, and their suffering at the hands of an incredibly abusive juvenile system. It is a moving account of a series of life-changing events, which the author claims to be true. A little research reveals that his claims cannot be substantiated, based largely upon the fact that juvenile records are sealed and that the author changed the names when telling his story. Certainly, it's no great stretch of the imagination to believe that at least a large portion of his account rings true - particularly if you have any knowledge or familiarity with the history of the American judicial system.
Either way, this is a well-written, powerful book that evoked within me a range of emotions - not the least of which were horror, disgust, and sadness, ultimately followed by relief to see these boys released from incarceration. Factual or not, I consider this book a must-read for all book lovers.
Roadhouse, Dirty Dancing, Next of Kin, Ghost. All feel-good pop culture flicks of our generations, and all made popular by Patrick Swayze. I can't say I ever considered Swayze a "great" actor, but certainly he had a swagger and bravado all his own.
