Book Review: I Sleep Around by Sue Ann Jaffarian

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun yet realistic look at living life on the road in a van

Cons: I’m only reading about it, not trying it first hand

The Bottom Line:

Living on the road

Read about the ups and downs

Makes me want to go

Honest Look at Van Life

I’ve read many of Sue Ann Jaffarian’s mysteries over the years, and I blame her friendship for my love of mud runs and my increased listening to audiobooks over the last couple of years.  I was anxious to see more about her life since she took to the road in her Winnebago Travato Class B RV after she retired from her job as a paralegal here in Southern California.  That’s the subject of her memoir, I Sleep Around.  I’m not at all surprised to say I enjoyed it.

The book really does break itself down into three parts.  It starts with Sue Ann’s decision to hit the road full time after she retired and her planning for her new life on the road.  Included in this section are many practical tips for those who might be considering such a lifestyle themselves.  This is far from an exhaustive list of what to consider, but it is a great place to start.

From there, the book goes into her first year on the road, from the rough start to the joys and new friends she made along the way.  Sue Ann is honest about her struggles and her triumphs as she sees just what her new life entails.  She shares some of the wisdom she’s gained along the way, too.

When Sue Ann originally envisioned this book, she planned to stop at the end of the first year.  That changed, however.  You see, she retired at the very end of 2018, so her first year on the road was 2019.  Yes, in the final section of the book, she does talk about her experiences living on the road during the pandemic.  This is a short section of the book, and I would include her wrap up thoughts in this section.

I’ll admit, when Sue Ann first announced her post retirement plans, I was one of the friends she talks about in the book who was a little skeptical.  Mainly because this life seemed very out of character for her.  But a large part of me was very jealous because it sounds fun to me.  And my skepticism quickly melted away as she began to work toward her goals.  As a result, it thrilled my heart to read this book and see just how much she is loving her life on the road.

At times, I wish she had spent a little more time talking about some of the places she visited along the way.  Even so, this book will give you wanderlust, and I loved what we got about some of her stops along the way – places I now want to visit.  If I can’t be out there in person, I can at least enjoy the virtual visits, right?

As I said before, Sue Ann is very honest about the struggles of life on the road as well.  While most of the people she meets are wonderful, she has met a few not so nice people along the way.  Fortunately, nothing dangerous.  But she has encountered some dangerous weather and some frustrating mechanical failures.  This book doesn’t sugar coat what her new life is like.  But it also doesn’t dwell on those problems.  Her joy in her new adventure comes through.  She just wants to be honest for anyone considering the life like she is now living.

If you want a realistic look at life on the road, you’ll be glad you picked up I Sleep Around.  I only wish I could head out and try this life for myself right now.  Sadly, I have to keep working – at least for now.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Book Review: Becoming Superman by J. Michael Straczynski

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Powerful, challenging true story

Cons: Not easy to read at times

The Bottom Line:

A writer’s story

Filled with pain, triumph, and hope

Hard at times; worth it

Leaving Behind a Past of Kryptonite

When I’m asked what my favorite TV show of all time is, without hesitation I answer Babylon 5.  This 1990’s science fiction show has a very loyal following, and thanks to some friends I am part of it.  It has complex characters, and was doing story arcs before they were the thing to do on TV.  But this isn’t a review of the show.  Instead, it explains why I picked up Becoming Superman, the autobiography of J. Michael Stracyznski, the creator of the show.

In this book, Mr. Stracyznski (JMS to his fans) tells his story, but also tells the story of his family.  He actually starts with the marriage of his grandparents, hints at some events with his father to be fully explored later, and then talks about how his parents met before he even comes on the scene.  Then he tells his story.

And it is not a pleasant story.  Instead, it is a story about abuse from a father who wanted everyone outside the family to think he was the perfect husband and father despite his physical, emotion, and psychological abuse.  It is a story about a mother who didn’t seem capable of love.  It is a story about a family always on the move, one step ahead of the creditors.

It is also the story of a boy looking for any way to escape from his circumstances, who finds that in TV shows, then comic books, and finally in science fiction.  It is a story of a boy who decides to become a writer to move people the way the written word moves him and sets out to learn everything he can about the craft so he can fulfill his dream.

Spoiler alert: He does.  That’s really no surprise since I’ve already talked about coming to the book because of my love of one of JMS’s works.

However, the journey there is painful.  I hesitate to say I enjoyed this book because the story is so raw.  While I’m sure there are more stories JMS could tell to make his point, I’m glad he didn’t.  What is here is horrid enough.  Having come from a loving family, I can’t imagine people treating each other the way his family treated each other.

Ultimately, this book is a story of triumph, however, as JMS sets out to overcome his family history and carves a successful career for himself in Hollywood and comic books.  While I know him best for Babylon 5, he has had quite a varied career, including time spent on He-Man and the Master of the Universe; She-Ra: Princess of Power; The Twilight Zone reboot; The Real Ghostbusters; Murder, She Wrote (yes, this is something else of his I am familiar with, obviously); Jeremiah; Sense8 all on TV.  His comic book stories have covered everything from Spider-Man and Thor to Superman.  And he’s written some big movies, including Changeling, starring Angelia Jolie and directed by Clint Eastwood, the original Thor movie, and World War Z.  So odds are you are familiar with something he has done.  I found some of the stories about his work in Hollywood fun to read from his perspective since I remember the controversies he is talking about from the other side of the screen.

The book isn’t all about his family since he spends plenty of time talking about his years writing in Hollywood.  Personally, I would have enjoyed more stories about Babylon 5, although I doubt there is much new to learn at this point.  (I’m a bit Babylon 5 obsessed.)  Heck, I would have read a book this long about nothing but behind the scenes stories on the show even if I already knew them.

He sets up several mysteries about his family that he then teases bits and pieces of information about throughout the book.  We are fairly certain of the outcome by the time the secrets are revealed, but that’s okay because that isn’t the point of the book.

The point, really, is one of encouragement.  JMS is saying, “If I can do it, you can, too.”  He talks a couple of times about the importance of making your own choices and leaving your past behind you.  And I can’t think of anyone else who can better speak to the ability of a person to turn their back on their past and choose to be a better person.  It’s a powerful story and message in this day and age where so many people are willing to be victims.  If anyone could have spent his life wallowing in victimhood, it’s JMS.  And yet, he made himself into a very successful man instead.

No, he hasn’t overcome all of the damage of his upbringing.  I’m not saying anything he wouldn’t say himself, I’m sure, as he is quite clear on things he still struggles with.  But recognizing your flaws and working to overcome them is a huge step in moving forward with your life.  And, as humans, we are always growing.  We will never arrive at perfection in this life.

I have watched Babylon 5 quite a few times over the years (told you I’m obsessed), and I’m due for another rewatch.  I found some of the stories from the entire book interesting as various episodes and moments flashed into my mind.  I am sure, knowing JMS’s full story now, I will find other moments that mean something different to me.  The fact that someone with his past can write a story filled with as much hope as the series has amazing to me.  It shows the triumph of the human spirit.

And the title?  It is a perfect metaphor for just what JMS is trying to say and how he has led his life.

Becoming Superman is not light reading.  But it is powerful reading and worth the time spent in the book.

Book Review: As You Wish by Cary Elwes with Joe Layden

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Delightful behind the scenes stories of a movie I love

Cons: Finding cons in this book is inconceivable

The Bottom Line:

Behind scenes stories

About a well-loved movie

All fans need to read

Loving Look Behind the Scenes of a Beloved Movie

Like millions of others, I love The Princess Bride, so naturally Cary Elwes’ book As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from The Making of The Princess Bride caught my attention as soon as I heard about it.  And there it sat on my “to buy and read someday soonish” list until a friend sent me a copy.  I’m glad she did because I completely enjoyed the book.

For those who might not know, Cary Elwes played the hero of The Princess Bride – Westley.  And the book is pretty much what you’d expect, stories from the making of the film.  He starts with how he was cast at the age of 23 without many credits and proceeds through meeting his cast mates, filming the movie, and fencing practice.  You can’t forget about the fencing.

My only niggle with the book comes from the subtitle.  I don’t know that I would consider any of the stories here “inconceivable.”  Obviously, he was going for the tie in to film, which is certainly fun.  But based on what I know about movie making (which admittedly isn’t much), I didn’t find anything shocking here.

Believe me, for any fan of the movie, that is a very minor complaint.  I would pick this book up and not want to put it down.  Pages would fly by as I pictured the behind the scenes stories he was telling and how they fit into the movie I know and love.  And yes, there are a couple of scenes I won’t look at the same way again now that I know a bit about what went on behind the scenes.

Don’t let that last sentence worry you – if you are a fan of this movie there is nothing here to turn you off to the movie.  Cary doesn’t tell any bad stories.  There are very few stories about anything negative happening during the filming of the movie, and those that are here come across as humorous.  I don’t know if there are any truly bad stories to tell about the filming, but if there are, you won’t find them here.  And I’m perfectly fine with that.

What comes across instead is how much fun Cary had while making this film.  Yes, there was hard work involved, but looking back at it all these years later, he remembers the time fondly.  Clearly, he and his cast mates had a good time together.  I often think when that is the case, it comes across on the screen.  Maybe that’s why we’ve all fallen for this movie.

While most of the book is Cary’s memories, he does include side stories from his co-stars, the writer, and director.  These help flesh things out and are a lot of fun.  If I had one complaint, Cary doesn’t tell any stories he wasn’t part of, so if you want to hear anything about the scenes he wasn’t in, you’ll be disappointed.  But honestly, he’s in almost every scene of the film, so that’s hardly an issue.

What comes across in all the stories shared is just how much everyone is proud to be part of this film.  You can tell they are so thrilled that the film has found such an enduring place in movie history even if it wasn’t the box office success it should have been when it first came out.

Reading this book made me want to rewatch the movie again, something I hadn’t done for years.  I’d forgotten just how good it really is.

If you are a fan of The Princess Bride but have yet to pick up As You Wish, you really need to do that today.  This is a wonderful behind the scenes look you’ll savor.

And in the inconceivable event that you’ve never watched the movie, here’s my review of The Princess Bride.

Book Review: A Good Day to Buy by Sherry Harris (Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries #4)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters and compelling plot

Cons: A couple of niggles, but nothing major

The Bottom Line:

Her brother returns

Complicating Sarah’s life

In fast paced story

Today is a Good Day to Read This Book

I hadn’t realized just how addicted to the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries I’d become until a few days before I sat down to read A Good Day to Buy, the fourth in the series, and realized I couldn’t wait to dive in.  The book didn’t disappoint me at all.

Spring has arrived again, which means that Sarah Winston is in full garage sale mode.  This particular Saturday, she is running a garage sale for the Spencers, an older couple who are looking to downsize before they move to Florida to be closer to their son and his family.  Part way through the morning, Sarah goes behind a curtain she’s set up in the garage to find the couple lying on the garage floor.  While Mrs. Spencer is only unconscious, Mr. Spencer is dead.

When Sarah finally gets home, she has another surprise – her younger brother Luke shows up at her door.  She hasn’t heard from or seen Luke in years.  He says he’s undercover and needs a place to lay low for a few days.  Sarah quickly agrees, hoping to get more information from him and work on repairing their relationship.  However, hiding Luke turns out to be more difficult than she expected, and then he disappears again just when the police want to question him in Mr. Spencer’s death.  Why is Luke a suspect?  Where did he go?  What is he doing in town?  And can Sarah clear his name?

Obviously, Luke’s presence adds a nice layer to this mystery, and it really drew me into the book.  I needed to know what he was really up to and how it contributed to the disaster of a garage sale that opened the book.  I couldn’t put it down, and I finish the book in just a couple of days.  I had a couple of niggle with the climax, but they are very minor things.

The reason I couldn’t wait to get to this book is the characters.  I absolutely love them, and it was wonderful to be spending time with Sarah and her friends again.  It was interesting watching her relationship with CJ, her ex-husband and current boyfriend, taking another step forward.  And for those wondering, Seth does also have a presence in the book, although the love triangle isn’t the strong element it was in the earlier books.  We meet some interesting new characters in this book as well.

Another aspect I love is the nearby air force base.  As an air force wife herself, Sherry Harris knows the life she is portraying, and it adds a great unique element to this series.

With how this book ended, I am anxious to find out what happens next to Sarah.  But even without that ending, I’d be back as soon as the next book was released.  A Good Day to Buy is another fantastic read that will leave fans of the series satisfied.  And if you aren’t among the series fans yet, you’ll find no better bargain for your money than fixing that today.

Need more of Sarah’s adventures?  Here are the rest of the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries in order.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Book Review: Melissa Explains It All by Melissa Joan Hart with Kristina Grish

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Look at an actress who is mostly grounded.

Cons: A couple of chapters I really didn't appreciate.

The Bottom Line:

Actress and her life

Her fans will love the story

The rest need not read

Explaining About Life On and Off the Set

Even though I didn't watch much TV growing up, I still caught a few episodes of Clarissa Explains It All.  From there, I tuned in to Sabrina the Teenage Witch and now Melissa and Joey.  Is it any wonder, then, that I decided I needed to read Melissa Joan Hart's autobiography, Melissa Explains It All?

The book follows Melissa's life mostly chronologically from her early days doing commercials in New York City to her big break as Clarissa and the career she's built from there.  There is a certain amount of gossip to the book, and she does tell about some negative encounters with a couple of celebrities.  However, most of the friends she has made in the business come across looking just fine.

For my part, I would have loved more behind the scenes stories from her various shows.  In stead, she talks mostly about how doing those shows affected her life.  It's not a big surprise, but still, I was hoping for a bit more about some of the decisions that happened behind the scenes, like actors changing/leaving the shows.

I also didn't care for a couple of chapters that got into her partying in her 20's and so on.  I like to think of her as the model of virtue the characters she's played in the past were.  Toward the end, a chapter on things she's never learned to do for herself also bored me.  After all, I'm a guy, I have no interest in make up or doing my hair.

However, for the most part I enjoyed the book.  Melissa is honest about the struggles she has faced, like living away from her family to shoot a show and how her parent's divorce affected her.  While she doesn't come across quite as normal as she wants to be, she does seem to appreciate how blessed she is and grateful to have the job she does.  That really made me appreciate her more.  I also loved her story about meeting and marrying her husband.

And how can you not help but laugh at the chapter on being a football widow.  As a non-football guy who is slowly being converted by roommates over many, many years (but don't tell any of them I said that), I could definitely relate.

Overall, I think this book is mostly for Melissa's fans.  They will certainly eat it up.  Anyone else, won't really care.  And that's the way it is for most celebrity bios.

So if you like Melissa Joan Hart, consider picking up Melissa Explains It All.  You'll enjoy this look at the actress through her eyes.  The rest of the world can walk on by for the biography of someone they do like.

Book Review: Gladiator - A True Story of 'Roids, Rage, and Redemption by Dan Clark

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Honest look at steroid use and the consequences

Cons: At times, the honesty leads to some uncomfortable scenes

The Bottom Line:

Dangers of steroids

As told by one who took them

Eye-opening truths

The Truth about Steroids from Someone Who Used

My interest in mud runs has come full circle now that I’ve read Gladiator: A True Story of 'Roids, Rage, and Redemption.

See, my initial interest was sparked when mystery author Sue Ann Jaffarian signed up for and completed a mud run just as I was becoming a fan of her books.  It sounded like fun, and I figured if she could do it, I could do it.  Of course, while she did one, I started signing up for any I could find.  This was in 2010 when the boom of mud runs was really taking off.

One of the ones I found that year was Gladiator Rock ‘n Run.  In fact, I did the inaugural run in December of 2010 down in Irvine.  This particular mud run was founded by Dan Clark who played Nitro on the 90’s TV show American Gladiators.  This book is his memoir, and I probably never would have picked it up if it hadn’t been for the number of times I’ve done this particular mud run in various Southern California locations.

The book starts out with Dan’s childhood.  As a child, Dan Clark was very close with his older brother.  When that brother died tragically, he felt compelled to make something of himself.  His quest led him to football, but an injury could have sidelined him.

That’s when, at the age of eighteen, Dan heard about steroids, which promised to help heal him faster and help him build more muscle to be even better on the field.  When he saw the gains he wanted, he continued to take them, ignoring the warnings signs.  His massive size and desire for fame eventually led him to American Gladiators where he starred as Nitro.  But will he ignore the warning signs his body is giving him about the damage it is taking?

This book is honest – at times brutally so.  While Dan started taking steroids in the early 80’s when they weren’t illegal, he only ever justifies taking them his first round, and then only because he didn’t know better, something he obvious regrets.  Once he starts to see the side effects, he never offers true justification for taking them again, only the reasons he felt like he had to take them at that time in his life.  And considering he was on them for 20 years, it’s obvious he regrets his time on them now.

I mentioned the brutal honesty, and that comes when he starts talking about what the steroids did to his body.  Since the book is designed to be a cautionary tale, it is justified.  However, some of these scenes made me uncomfortable.  I suspect that was the point, so they certainly worked.  There is some talk about his sex life (and one chapter I really didn’t need), but again, it was usually in the context of what the steroids were doing to him.

And yet the book was always readable.  At times, Dan’s narration from today looking back at his bad choices makes it feel like a Greek tragedy.  It worked because the book was always compelling, and I had a hard time putting it down.

Those looking for tons of behind the scenes stories on American Gladiators will be disappointed.  Yes, the stories are there, but since the book is focused on his abuse of steroids, that is where the focus of the story rests.  Still, there are some tidbits that are an interesting look at the show.

The book is written in present tense.  I’m not sure I remember seeing that in a memoir before (although I admittedly don’t read too much in the genre).  When I realized this, I thought it was an odd choice, but it worked.  In fact, I think it helped me get lost in the story Dan was telling even more.

If there is any doubt what Dan was hoping to accomplish by telling his story, read the epilogue.  It’s a call to arms against steroid use, and it’s pretty persuasive.

And as the subject continues to be an issue in professional sports today, this is a subject that is important to discuss and consider.  As a result, I do recommend Gladiator: A True Story of 'Roids, Rage, and Redemption for anyone who has an interest in the subject.  It’s eye opening honesty will make you rethink any opinion on the subject.

Book Review: Running Ransom Road by Caleb Daniloff

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Moving, powerful, and inspiring memoir

Cons: Might not appeal to all readers

The Bottom Line: 

Powerful memoir

As a runner, I loved it

Easy to connect

Facing the Ghosts of the Past Through Rumming

Over the last two and a half years, I have become a runner – a fact I still find surprising.  That’s why Running Ransom Road caught my eye on the Amazon Vine newsletter.  The book sounded interesting, so I broke with my normal reading habits and asked to have this memoir sent to me.  I’m so glad I did.

Craig Daniloff is a quiet, reserved man.  As a teen, he started drinking to overcome his shyness.  Soon, he was a full blown alcoholic, and he stayed that way through college until he was almost done with graduate school.

Five years after he stopped drinking, he started running, an exercise he found gave him a new kind of high and a new focus for his life.  When he’d been sober 10 years, he started running marathons and set out to run them in each city where he’d lived and partied in an 18 month period.

This book is a chronicle of those runs and his reflections on his life along the way.  Each chapter focuses on one race.  There are five marathons, one half marathon, and a shorter race included here.  The story is told in race order, and each chapter is filled with his thoughts on being back in that city and what it does to him, the run itself, and flashbacks to memories of his behavior when he lived there.  The flashbacks are in italics, and the rest of his thoughts are so well organized it’s always easy to follow what is happening.

I found the story surprisingly moving.  Craig has many demons to face, and he doesn’t hold back in sharing them here.  Actually, that was one thing I found most surprising.  This man who admits to social anxiety lets it all hang out here.  That was a very brave thing to do.

Along the way, I found myself learning and growing as he did.  True, I don’t have the past he does to work through, but his story is so moving you can’t help but be drawn in and realizing anew the need to work through the past and then set it aside.

Of course, as a runner, I found all the talk about running fascinating.  Craig and I seem to have the same low key approach – strap on shoes and go.  While he is a faster runner than me, he’s not winning these races and struggles to reach goal times.  I honestly think that was one reason I enjoyed the book so much.  Even though I don’t have the pasts he does, I could relate to him in the present.

Another thing I loved was the description.  Craig has a Masters in writing and makes his living as a journalist.  It shows.  There are so many wonderful turns of phrase.  And I always felt like I was there with him step by step in the heat or the cold just struggling to keep moving forward.  Frankly, the writing was hypnotic, and I always found it a struggle when I had to put the book down.

I know I connected with the book because I am a runner.  I think recovering addicts would connect with it just as well.  The rest of the population will certainly find it enjoyable and an inspiring read, but I don’t think they’ll get quite as much out of it.

The downside of the book is I want to do these marathons he did.  Not only are they all on the east coast, but I don’t know if I have a marathon in me.  I ran my first half marathon a month ago, and that was a struggle to finish.  But reading this book made me want to sign up and start training.

One thing I liked about this book is that Craig doesn’t try to pass the blame.  Yes, he does consider root causes of his issues, but ultimately, he accepts the responsibility for the things he did in the past.

So I found Running Ransom Road an outstanding read, and I’m glad I picked up it up.  If it sounds at all interesting to you, I recommend you pick it up as well.

Book Review: In Service to the Mouse by Jack Lindquist with Melinda J. Combs

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Lots of fascinating stories of behind the scenes at Disneyland

Cons: Just that the writing style is very simple

The Bottom Line:

Behind the magic

At a world famous park

For those who love it

Insider's Look at Disneyland's History from Opening to the 90's 

Sometimes, as soon as I hear about a book, I know I will enjoy it.  That was definitely the case for In Service to the Mouse, a memoir from Jack Lindquist.  How could I not enjoy a book written by someone who spent roughly 40 years working at Disneyland?

Technically, Jack wasn't hired until the fall of 1955, but he tried to get a promotion with Disneyland and a client with his advertising agency going to coincide with the park's opening, so he was there while the park was still being built.  He even was able to attend opening day, and his reaction pretty much fits the stories you've heard about it.

When they were getting ready to start some publicity for the park, Jack was hired, and he slowly climbed the ranks until, in the late 80's, he was named the first official president of Disneyland.  Along the way he got involved in creating the Magic Kingdom Club and was highly involved in Walt Disney World, including multiple trips abroad to attempt to get countries on board for the pavilions in EPCOT.  He also championed a second theme park in California, although he isn't happen with the result that is California Adventure.  (Frankly, I think his idea sounds even worse although not that far from what we wound up with.)  Along the way, we also get tributes to Walt Disney, Frank Wells, and a pleasant portrait of Michael Eisner.

Each chapter is a self-contained story that is roughly in chronological order, although sometimes several chapters fit a theme and cover quite a wide time span.  Frankly, the time line was hard to follow between chapters.  To me, this fits the idea of a memoir and not a strict autobiography, so I was perfectly fine sitting back and enjoying the ride.

My only real complaint was the writing style.  It was aiming for conversational, but it missed that and hit basic instead.  It was certainly readable, but it was a little flat most of the time.

However, I was still able to get into the stories being told and really enjoyed them.  I'm not sure how much a non-Disnerd would enjoy the book, but for anyone who loves Disney, especially Disneyland, they will find the stories here fascinating.  Jack even gives us some of his thoughts on ways to keep updating Main Street which I'm not sure I completely like but I find intriguing.  He was involved in much more than the parks; for example, he takes responsibility for Disney buying the Anaheim Angels.  There are also stories about dignitaries who came or almost came to the park, the famous attractions from the 1964 World's Fair, and the day the park was forced to close early due to political protests.  (And it shows just how the media has changed in the last 40 years.)

Many of the chapters are short; I'd guess the average length is 3 or 4 pages.  That helps make the pages fly by, although at 240 pages, this isn't a long read.

In Service to the Mouse certainly has a limited target audience.  Those outside that audience probably won't enjoy it.  But if the subject matter appeals to you, you'll love it.

Book Review: The Animated Man - A Life of Walt Disney by Michael Barrier

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Balanced picture of a famous man

Cons: Film critiques, some well known things left out

The Bottom Line: 

Man behind the mouse

Gets a well researched bio

That's hard to put down

Animated Man Does Seem to Sum Up Walt Disney

I decided a couple years back that I needed to get and read a couple biographies of Walt Disney.  Yes, I know most of his story, but I figured it would be interesting to read a biography.  I’ve now read The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney by Michael Barrier and found it very enjoyable.

I should start by saying that this wasn’t my first attempt at a biography of the man.  I actually tried to read Neal Gabler’s first.  Both of these books came out about the same time, but Neal’s seems to have gotten more praise and even some awards.  I couldn’t get through it because I felt like he kept going down all kinds of rabbit trails giving bios of some of the animators that worked for Disney in his very early days, for example.

So I was a little worried when I sat down to read this book.  Yet, I was drawn into the book right away and always had a hard time putting it down.  Barrier creates his biography from written and oral memories of Walt and his family and employees gathered over the course of several decades.  The result is well documented (there are over 100 footnotes per 30 page chapter) and gives us an idea of the man behind the entertainment company so many of us still love.  The author manages to weave many quotes and memories together without it feeling like a hodgepodge but all written with one voice, which is pretty amazing.

The man who emerges is at once a genius and a lucky man.  I do think that Walt gets credit here for his uncanny ability to tell a good story in a way that audiences will love.  But credit is given to the men who were able to turn his vision into drawings.  The book doesn’t try to white wash Disney’s flaws, but I also feel it does balance out and never goes into bashing mode.

I was left with the impression that much of what led to some of issues employees had working for Walt were partially temperament – Walt was very much a micro manager up until the very end – and partially the result of no one quite knowing what they were doing.  As the studio grew, Walt had to find a way to get his vision across to employees even as he moved more and more into a managerial role.  Those kinds of transitions are never easy, and some of the hurt feelings and worse are understandable.  Yet the book never dwells on them for long.

One aspect I liked was the way various things are woven together.  It was always hard to find a place to set the book down because one topic just flowed into another.  That gets much harder later in the book when we might move from live action film to Disneyland to animated film in a matter of pages, but it worked.  Along the way, we see the various projects Disney tackled as the natural stepping stone in his career even if they seem strange at first.  It also reminded me again just how much energy Walt had.  He was always going and doing something.  Yes, he was a workaholic, but even so you look at all he accomplished, and it is amazing.

For me, the biggest flaw of the book is when Barrier sets aside his biographer hat and picks up his film critic hat.  No, he doesn’t critique every single film made during the Disney years, but he does pick apart a few.  As the biography goes along, he grows increasingly harsh, especially of the live action films.  Honestly, I feel like he misses the point of many of them and looks at them as “art” instead of fluff entertainment for kids.  Okay, so that is probably the Disnerd part of me bristling, but I think it also shows his bias (Barrier has previous written a book about animation in the golden age of Hollywood).  For example, his critique of Mary Poppins all but dismisses the film and doesn’t take into account the short story source material or any of the control that the author had on the project.

Speaking of Mary Poppins, some of the famous stories surrounding Disney are absent here.  For example, the fact that Disney spent years negotiating with P. L. Travers for the rights to her stories is mentioned in passing without any talk about how much she tried to micromanage the project herself.

These flaws don’t make this the definitive biography of Disney, but those who want to know more about him will certainly gain much from reading The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney.

Book Review: A Little Bit Wicked by Kristin Chenoweth

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Fun, chatty look at Kristin's life
Cons: A little light on details
The Bottom Line:
Kristin's many fans
Will delight in this bio
Light but worth reading




A Little Bit Wicked is a Whole Lot Enjoyable

I first fell in love with Kristin Chenoweth when she won her Tony award for Sally Brown in the revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.  Watching her perform "My New Philosophy" during the awards that year was an absolute pleasure.  As a fan boy, I knew I would read her autobiography, A Little Bit Wicked, as soon as I heard about it.  And I had the added joy of getting an autographed copy (without turning into too much of a babbling idiot).  The book was as much a joy to read as one of Kristin's performances is to watch.

Told in parallel, more modern events transitioning to stories from early in her life and career, we get a sense of the woman who has one Tony and multiple nominations to her credit.  Through stories of her early years, we see the family that gave her a solid base on which to build.  We see the early luck and the early struggles that put her in the right place and the right time for her star to shine.

While she never gets into the private details, we do learn a bit more about her relationship with Aaron Sorkin (aka Mr. Writer), the controversies stirred up by her second CD promotional tour including visits to the 700 Club and being fired from Women of Faith, and her decisions to pose for FMH.  And yes, we get a few stories from her time in Wicked, her first TV show (huge hit Kristin, canceled after six episodes, not West Wing), and Charlie Brown.

The book has a warm, friendly tone to it.  It didn't take much for me to picture Kristin sitting in a room telling me these stories personally.  And her sense of humor comes through loud and clear.  In fact, I had to stop reading once I was laughing so hard.  Beside that one, I got several laughs and chuckles out of the story.  And the book moved me to tears a few times as well.

Kristin has no problems taking time out from telling her story to share her thoughts on issues brought up by her life.  While she never waxes long on these tangents, we do get her philosophy on adoption, peace vs. hate, and God to name a few.  But these items never slow down the book.

In fact, there's no slowing this book down.  I read it in large gulps.  The writing flows smoothly, however I did notice more typos than were truly necessary for a book.  (And if I noticed them, they have to be bad, right?)  That's a minor complaint over all.

The book seems a tad light on details.  For instance, there is hardly any talk of her movie career outside of a couple brief mentions.  And I'm always looking for more stories on the behind the scenes life of shows I loved.  She shared some stories, but I would have gladly read more.  At 230 pages, seems like there could have been room for them without boring us.

On the other hand, she does change names when dishing the little dirt she does.  And if you are looking for the real dirt on her relationship with Aaron Sorkin, you'll have to look elsewhere.  While she easily acknowledges the highs and lows, she doesn't tell us what exactly leads to them.  The half chapter written by Aaron is equally free of negative details.  Honestly, I can respect that much more than I can airing dirty laundry in public.

A Little Bit Wicked is written solely for Kristin Chenoweth's many fans.  And they will absolutely love it.

Book Review: Mosaic - Pieces of My Life So Far by Amy Grant

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Inspiring and moving vignettes from Amy's life
Cons: A bit disjointed; too light at times; could have told more about the lyrics featured
The Bottom Line:
This fan wanted more
But did enjoy what was here
Glimpse at Amy's life

Snapshots of Amy's Life

I've been an Amy Grant fan since high school.  Since I listen almost exclusively to Christian music, I still find it ironic that I started listening just about the time her career hit the secular market in full force.  Anyway, I still pull out her stuff on a regular basis because I enjoy songs on all her CDs.

So when she wrote a memoir, I was naturally interested.  Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far is a combination of vignettes about people and experiences and lyrics to songs.  Most of the songs quoted here are from her career with an emphasis on the last 15 years.  But a few older songs and unrecorded snippets sneak in as well.

Now if you are looking for a complete autobiography, pass right on by.  These chapters are organized in a more train of thought pattern.  In fact, it almost feels like Amy is telling you these stories as she is chatting on the back porch over some lemonade.  One chapter might be in 2003, while the next is from the early 80's.  At times, it makes things seem a bit disjointed.  At other times it works beautifully.

Likewise, you will find no details about her divorce here.  In fact, first husband Gary Chapman is hardly mentioned.  When he does show up, it is often as "my children's father."  I will admit I find it odd to see a 17 year marriage reduced to this.  On the other hand, I do respect her keeping the details of her divorce private.  There is no reason we need to know the details, a fact I had to remind myself often while she was going through it.

Second husband Vince Gill does play a much more prominent part in the book.  There is even one story about them meeting one of his fans that is very touching.

Really, "people" is the biggest theme of the book.  The impact that various people have had on Amy and her relationship with God shows up over and over again.  We get stories about her rather large extended family.  There's the uncle she never knew, a great aunt that moved to California, and of course her parents, sisters, and kids.  While we do get a little about her music career and life on the road, it always comes back to someone she met along the way or something that happened to teach her something about God.  She even records a chance encounter with a homeless man in Santa Monica.

At just over 200 pages, including a life timeline and discography at the end, this is a fasts read.  Each chapter is only a few pages long, tells its own story, and is almost always followed by a song lyric.  I breezed through it in about two and a half hours.

And yet I was very touched and challenged by it.  When she talks of a friend diagnosed with cancer, it is hard not to be moved.  And I was reminded constantly just how important people are.  They touch our lives, make us into who we are.  Yet we touch them, too.  It's a beautiful symmetry.

I appreciated the fact that the book was a light read.  And yet that was one of my biggest complaints as well.  At times, I felt like just as Amy was beginning to really open up and show a vulnerable side, she glosses over to what she learned from it.  I didn't have a problem with the lesson; I just would have enjoyed the journey a little more.

When I realized just how many of her lyrics were in the book, I was hoping a bit more for the inspiration behind the songs.  We got that a few times, but not quite enough for me.  That's a more minor complaint.

Those looking for gossip or confession won't be interested in Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far.  But anyone who wants to know a bit more about Amy Grant will enjoy it.

Book Review: Joni & Ken: An Untold Love Story by Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada with Larry Libby

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Encouraging story that might hit you in unexpected ways

Cons: None of me

The Bottom Line:

Honest struggles shared

Will God have message for you?

Faith in God shines through

Struggles and Triumph in a Marriage that Can Teach Us All

While I haven’t been sharing the details on line with the general population, the last year has been hard for me.  I’ve faced several trials that have shaken my life up quite a bit.  And they seem to be on going.  As a result, I know I’ve been drifting spiritually, and it’s scared me.  I still believe what I have always believed, but it doesn’t seem quite real to me any more.

None of this was on my mind when I selected Joni & Ken: An Untold Love Story to read and review.  It was offered by Amazon’s Vine program, and since I have followed Joni and her ministry off and on for years, I was interested in this look at her marriage.  I didn’t think God would use it to whack me upside the head.  After all, their lives are very different from mine.

For those who are not familiar with the story, Joni broke her neck in a diving accident when she was only seventeen.  Since then, she has lived her life in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the neck down.  And while she struggled initially with the new reality of her life, God used it to draw her closer to Himself.  She has started a ministry, Joni and Friends, that helps the disabled all around the world in the name of Christ.

She met Ken when they were both in their 30’s.  Despite all the things standing in their way, they fell in love and got married.  However, as this book demonstrates, it has not all be smooth sailing for them.

The book actually opens with Joni’s diagnosis with breast cancer just a couple of years ago and then flashes back to them meeting, falling in love, getting married, and what happened when the daily routine of caring for Joni got to be too much for Ken.  While he took his vows seriously, he did begin to withdraw.  But that’s not the end of the story as God used a book and good friends to speak to his heart and renew their relationship in ways neither of them expected.

I was surprised to find the book was written in the third person.  But that doesn’t get in the way.  Over the course of the book, we get real insight into the life and minds of both Joni and Ken.  While I knew the broad strokes already, getting the details was very interesting to me.  And we spend some time in Ken’s head and getting his background, which makes this man much more real to me.

In addition to Joni’s physical limitations, they’ve also had the fact that she is world famous to deal with, and Ken has struggle with his place in her world.  All of this is covered very well, and you can identify with both of them.

The book does jump around a bit in time, but each section is clearly labeled, so it is easy to follow exactly where the latest story, scene, or vignette fits into the overall picture.  And the writing does jump between Joni and Ken's viewpoints at times.  While this is something that can bother me in other books, it is handled well and works here.

And at only 190 pages, this is a fast read.  The writing is always great, and I was pulled into their lives with no problem at all.

I was expecting a look at a marriage that had started strong and had some struggles along the way.  That was what I got.  The struggles that they faced for a number of years were more extreme than I was expecting, but God pulled them through to the much more solid ground they are both thankful to be on today.  That alone would have made the book great, in my opinion.

Now, as I mentioned, there is little I can relate to in the superficial circumstances.  I’m single.  I don’t know anyone in a wheelchair in my regular life.  So I wasn’t expecting much in the way of takeaway for me personally.

And yet, God had other ideas.  As I read the book, I was struck time and time again by the faith that Joni and Ken showed and their trust in God.  It’s something I know is lacking in my own life.  But as Ken began to be convicted to spend more time in prayer and God’s word, that’s when it started to hit me.  This is what is missing in my life.  I knew it, but I could feel God saying to me, “How can I help you in your life if you keep yourself so busy that you have no time for Me?’  And it’s a very good point, one I knew, yet one I haven’t put into practice.  No, I’m not quite sure what this will look like going forward.  It’s something I’m struggling through, but it is something I need to recommit to in my life.

I realize that not everyone will get this message or lesson out of Joni & Ken: An Untold Love Story.  But for me, God used it to show me exactly what I needed.  Who knows what God may have for you in this story.  But even if all you do is get an encouraging story of a couple who has made their marriage work against overwhelming odds, this book is well worth reading.

Book Review: Me, Myself, and Bob by Phil Vischer

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Highly entertaining autobiography

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Rise and fall of Bob

Honesty, humility

And entertaining

The Rise and Fall of VeggieTales and Big Ideas

Anyone who pays attention to the Christian market in the last 15 years has heard of a little phenomenon called VeggieTales. They are a series of computer animated videos that use singing talking vegetables to teach spiritual lessons to kids of all ages. The videos do it with lots of humor both kids and their parents will appreciate. But this isn't a review of the videos. Instead, it's merely an introduction to this book about the series creator.

Phil Vischer had a dream. As he describes in his autobiography, Me, Myself, and Bob, he felt called by God to create Christian alternatives to mass media. And he wanted to be good at it. From an early age, he had an interest in film. As an adult, he transitioned that to computer production and eventually started Big Idea and VeggieTales.

From one computer in a spare bedroom, the company grew. As more and more people began to discover just how good the videos were, sales and the company grew. But all was not smooth sailing. The company mushroomed then crumbled, ending in bankruptcy. Just what went wrong? Well, that's what this book is all about.

And it's a highly entertaining read. Phil interjects his narration with the dry wit and funny stories you'd expect from the man behind VeggieTales. By no means is it a whoa-is-me story. In fact, I felt Phil took too much of the blame for what went wrong. I did appreciate the fact that he goes out of his way to not name many of the players in the story. Yet he still manages to keep everyone straight for us so there's no confusion over who the various players in the drama are.

The last two chapters detail what Phil learned from all this. First, he discusses lessons from the business world. He lays them out one after the other. While there's nothing particularly new here, they are expressed in a fresh way and certainly tie in with the story we've just read. Then he discusses his Spiritual growth and the new direction in his life. This was a very moving chapter and challenged me, too.

Partially because of the wit, this book is almost impossible to put down. I stayed up too late a couple nights in a row because I was hooked on the story. Since the book does deal with computer animation, it does get technical, but that's pretty much restricted to one chapter and doesn't go on too long.

Me, Myself, and Bob is a must read for any VeggieTales fan who wants the inside scope on what really happened to their favorite Veggies.

Book Review: Laughing with Lucy by Madelyn Pugh Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr.

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Inside look at I Love Lucy with memories from the writers
Cons: Occasionally falls into an episode guide over a memoir
The Bottom Line:
Fascinating look
At life making people laugh
Hollywood hist'ry




Must for I Love Lucy Fans

While the name Madelyn Pugh Davis might not be super familiar, almost everyone is familiar with her work. As one of the first women writing in TV, she co-wrote nearly every episode of the classic sit-com I Love Lucy. Laughing with Lucy is a behind the scenes look at her life and work and is a fascinating memoir.

Madelyn started out wanting to be a foreign correspondent. But, since this was the 1930's, women didn't get those kinds of jobs, and she had to settle for anything she could get. Moving to California, she started working at CBS, first in news, then in entertainment when she started working on a weekly radio comedy program called "My Favorite Husband" starring a comedian named Lucille Ball. It was also during this time that she hooked up with Bob Carroll, Jr., her long time writing partner.

The book spends lots of time talking about I Love Lucy, starting with the birth of the show. There are many familiar stories here, the network's reluctance to make a show about an interracial couple, Desi Arnaz's desire to film the show in front of a live audience, the making of the pilot, Lucy's pregnancy in season two, etc. Madelyn also debunks a few myths that have sprung up over the years, such as co-star Vivian Vance's weight being in her contract and whether Lucy's fake nose catching fire in a season four episode was in the script or not.

The book does talk about other things. Being a memoir, we also get some talk about Madelyn's life. She doesn't spend too long at it, but it continues to entertain just as the show business stories do. It also gives an interesting view of Los Angeles in the 1940's. It's certainly changed over the years. And she compares her experiences as a woman working in television with experiences her peers had on other shows.

Madelyn also talks about her post I Love Lucy work, including all of Lucy's other TV shows and the classic Alice. These were just as fascinating to me, even though I have never seen them, and make me very interested in fixing that.

There are times the book begins to feel like an episode guide for whatever series she's currently discussing, but it never lasts too long since she will start telling a story about something that happened behind the scenes at that time. These include some of the extra things she had to do as the only female staff member of the shows such as watching for any wardrobe malfunctions Lucy might have while performing the stunts or dealing with the sometimes temperamental star.

The one thing you won't find here is dishing on the behind the scenes rumors. As Madelyn states in the first chapter, it's poor form to do that when someone can't defend themselves. While she does discuss character flaws that Lucy and Desi had, she doesn't dwell on them. Instead, a very complimentary view of the two comes to the forefront. She praises them equally for the success of the show. The picture she paints shows Desi willing to pay for anything they dreamed up and Lucy willing to do it. If it brought laughs, it would happen.

The book feels like a conversation with a good friend over a cup of coffee. This makes it an easy, fun read with some humor mixed in. I actually read it in two days, staying up way too late at night to read just a little more.

Laughing with Lucy provides a fascinating look at life behind the scenes of a just emerging medium as well as a classic show. Fans of early Hollywood history or I Love Lucy will eat it up.

Book Review: Babylon Confidential: A Memoir of Love, Sex, and Addiction by Claudia Christian

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Honest, moving, and inspiring autobiography
Cons: I would have liked more about Babylon 5
Bottom Line:
Claudia bares all
As she shares both highs and lows
Battles alcohol



Confidentially, I Enjoyed this Book from a Babylon 5 Star

Almost 20 years after it went off the air, I still say my favorite TV show is Babylon 5.  While I love all the main characters, I lean toward Susan Ivanova being my favorite character.  So when I learned that Claudia Christian, the actress who portrayed her, was releasing a memoir, I was intrigued.  The title, or should I say sub-title, is a little off-putting Babylon Confidential: A Memoir of Love, Sex, and Addiction.  But I couldn’t stay away from a book signing, and I was curious enough to read the book.  I’m glad I did.

Claudia has not had an easy life, and she is quite candid about the family tragedy and personal affronts that attacked her even before she moved to Hollywood.  Once she moved there, her life became a whirlwind of jobs working with the famous and the not quite as famous as she built her career.  But behind it all, she was staying one step ahead of addiction, and when it finally hit her, she crashed hard.

This book gives a new appreciation about just how small Hollywood really is.  At times, it feels like name dropping, but the reality is she is just relating stories from her life.  It gives you a greater appreciation for the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game, however.  I mean, she was married to Gary Devore, who died under mysterious circumstances.  The maid of honor at her wedding was Lana Clarkson, who was killed by Phil Spector.  And she had an on again, off again relationship with Dodi Fayed who died with Princess Diana in Paris.

But the book isn’t really about name dropping.  She does talk about many of her movies and TV shows and shared the not so glamorous side of working in Hollywood, like the jerks you can get as co-stars.

Honestly, I was hoping for more about her time on Babylon 5, although she does spend some time not only on working on the show but also talking about the fans and conventions.  She obviously still has a fond place in her own heart for the show.  She does get into what happened that kept her from being in the show’s final season, and she does it in a gracious manner that shows she has long since moved on.

But the heart of the book is really about her struggle with alcoholism.  She hints at it long before it finally overtakes her.  And when she gets there, some of her stories are enough to scare any thought of drinking from my mind.  I don’t want to end up there.

Fortunately, this story does have a happy ending, and Claudia talks about the Sinclair Method, which has returned her to her life before the monster took over.  It’s a brief ending to the story, and she is candid enough to show she will always struggle, but it is encouraging.

Overall, the book was well written, and I always had a hard time putting it down.  But do be prepared for some tragedy and brutal honesty.  In the end, I respect Claudia more for it.

So I’m glad I picked up Babylon Confidential: A Memoir of Love, Sex, and Addiction.  It’s an engaging read that lets me feel like I got to know a favorite actress better.