What My Mother Gave Me: Thirty-one Women on the Gifts That Mattered Most Reviews & Opinions
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There was several stories I liked and some that were just so so. I would recommend reading it however, just don't expect to be overly wowed. I found myself relating to a lot of of the stories and could see my mother in several of them. It's funny, as we grow we think our issues or challenges with our mom's are so unique. This book will confirm that mother/daughter relationships are almost always challenging albeit rewarding.
I bought this book at the suggestion of a friend. I've read a lot of historical and fictional books about the Old West and settlers, and a lot of other about Native Americans (I am Cherokee). I realize this was a fictional journal before I started reading, and thought the concept was interesting - a sort of mail-order bride goes to live among the Cheyenne as a cultural ambassador.I did have fun the descriptions of the prairie, everyday life among the Cheyenne, and the sisterhood that formed among the other brides and the main character. What I didn't have fun was the stereotypes of the characters. The women were all ethnic cliches: the large, lumbering Swiss woman; the African fighter princess; the haughty, racist Southern belle; the lesbian muleskinner; the redheaded, Irish criminal twins; etc. The main character, May Dodd, was tall, beautiful, smart, determined, strong, unflappable, supportive, a natural leader, and basically unbelievably perfect. She has a brief fling with a handsome, influential Troops officer, then marries the chief of the village. The one hero I really did like and search believable was the Catholic priest who lived in the e and her fellow brides run roughshod over the village, breaking cultural taboos and even beating and shaming their men in public. From what I know of Native American culture, the older wives ran the tipi and the younger ones were meek and obedient. The men were not likely to tolerate a disobedient wife, especially one who barges into their sweat lodge and refuses to leave.I was also distracted by the difficult-to-read font used for the non-English words and the accents of the non-American brides. The Swiss lady says "I vill go der yah You kom vid me!" Sometimes the curly font created it almost impossible to detect what was being said.I thought the end of the book was a small rushed too. I wanted to know more about Wren, May's daughter, and about the years on the reservation. I will say that I'm glad the author didn't give us a romance novel satisfied ending. I was so afraid May was going to run away with the Troops officer and live happily ever after. What happened was tragic but more real to our Pioneer history.Overall it wasn't horrible, and I'm glad I read it, but I can't honestly recommend it to anyone who loves books with deep, complex characters or who wish their historical fiction to be somewhat realistic. If you wish a fast read in the vein of a romance novel, this isn't a poor one.
This book was just SO very wonderful. It is sort of an alternate history...a 'what if'... Fact, a Cheyenne chief in 1854, requested that the U.S. show the tribe with 1000 white women to be brides. Since Cheyenne kids belong to the mother's tribe, this would enable kids of the Cheyenne to become part of the White Man's world. The conference when this idea was show fell apart and NO wives were sent. But what if?Women in that time in had small method to be independent Without a husband or family to help them... not much of a life. What if the proposal was secretly accepted and the gov't asked, secretly, for volunteers?Now the story with characters so real, so rich, e main character, May Dodd, was one of the volunteers and kept a journal. She volunteered to escape life in an insane asylum...as did others. A lot of women were sent to asylums for reasons hard... nearly impossible... to believe today. Others were widows, former slaves, prisoners, adventure seekers, poor. Each one became totally, true to me - and I could not support but love each of them. I am stunned by Jim Fergus' ability to make so a lot of women, each so very various from eachother, each so complete and detailed. Without effort, I came to know each of the en, on their travels, I saw the country in the 1860s and met soldiers, women passing as men, amazing and poor people, and saw the casual shooting of the 'endless' buffalo and other animals. Finally, they and I met the Cheyenne. I learned how they lived. Their lifestyle was described with rich detail - not as a 'noble savage' picture or as 'evil savage' - but as a complete method of life. With the women, I was able to grow in understanding - sometimes approval - sometimes anger.Fergus tells the story of the wives, the husbands, love, sex, religion, danger, and politics. The discovery of gold in the Black Hills - land that the Cheyenne and other tribes had been promised would belong to them forever - changes spite Jim Fergus making it clear that "One Thousand White Women" is a work of fiction - but the characters - they will become 100% true to you. They certainly did to me.
I couldn't stop turning the pages. It was exciting, intriguing, historical, humorous, exhilarating, exhausting, tear jerking, heart warming, every imaginable emotion was enveloped within this tale so worth the read. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying the story and feel it has been an honor and privilege to have shared it!
Well written story, with such amazing info and descriptions the reader is transported to the plains, and eventually to the Cheyenne camps. I could almost smell the smoke, hear the voices ringing, and feel the emotion of those involved. The writer portrays the individualism of the characters very well. It is simple to see why this novel might be mistaken for non-fiction. I will look for more of this author's work.
The history and the human story, whether truth or fiction, is fascinating to me. I read the book, cover to cover, without stopping, because the pictures painted in words were so descriptive that I felt I was a part of the story. Thank you, Jim Fergus, for writing this book . I enjoyed it so much.
Jim Fergus did an perfect job writing this story. So good, in fact, its simple to forget that it is mostly fiction. I found myself checking certain things to see if they were fact or fiction. I have fun reading historical fiction, but you can usually tell what is fiction. Mr. Fergus wrote so well it is difficult to tell.
A excellent blend of fiction, history and geography. The narrative flowed like a river. I felt as if I were on the train with May Dodd and then the travois as she traveled the nineteenth century West with the Cheyenne. Don't miss this book.
This was a fascinating story, and since it involved extensive research, it was also very informative. Every time I think about the early NativeAmericans and what ignorant interlopers and the U.S. Government subjected them to, it is infuriating; imagine how their progeny feel. I found myself enmeshed in their travails because of the writing of this author who created a plausible work of fiction mesmerizing--so much so that I could hardly place it down.
What an awesome story! I could not place this book down. It is so well written and the characters so believable it draws you in and you search yourself living among the Cheyennes. Can't wait to read the sequel.
I had an problem with my application kicking me off frequently whenever I would save any information. I wrote a review to relay my issue. I was so surprised to obtain a call asking if I still had problems after the update. The love and care that Thirty-one has for their consultants is so encouraging. I love this company.
I loved this application and used it regularly, but for the past week I have been unable to log on. I hold getting an error notice saying no peer certificate. This is making it very hard for me to manage my parties since I have kids and am on the go. I have tried uninstalling it and reinstalling it and have now stopped receiving notifications entirely. ***Update: CAGS said it you have anything below an android device 5 the application will no longer work. This is very difficult for those of us who can't afford an upgrad in phones.
I think this is one of those reviews that I'm going to take some heat over because I know this book and the author are very famous in Christian circles right now. That's why I wanted to read it myself, because I had heard so much about rst, the positive. I know several bloggers who are sharing their own 1000 gifts/gratitude lists and I'm always blessed to read them. I have kept my own accounting of what I call "grace notes" for years so I understand the blessing of looking for things to be thankful for. Voskamp shares from her heart with stories about her family and her own spiritual journey, and I think anyone reading this book would come away with a heightened sense of looking for God's grace in everyday life whether it be having one's kid come through surgery or the admiring the beauty of a full moon. I appreciate the encouragement to live life fully right where we are without feeling we need to work through a "bucket list" of daring experiences or exotic areas before we can be fulfilled.But, this was a difficult book for me to read. Voscamp is obviously a poet at heart but the entire book is sing-songy with long descriptions and awkward word phrases and metaphors that I found distracting. It doesn't read as someone would actually talk in true life an example: "...tonight over our farm will rise the Amazing Hexagon of the blazing winter stars - Sirius, Rigel, ruby Aldebran, Capella, the fiery Gemini twins, and Procyon, and in the center, scarlet Betelgeuse, the red supergiant larger than twice the size of earth's orbit around the sun - and I will embrace the skin of a boy kid that my body grew from a seed. The low heavens outside the paned windows fill with more snowflakes than stars, no two-stacked crystals the same; the trees in the wood draw in collective green breath to the still of January hibernation, and God in the globe with birth ice from His womb, frost of heaven, bind the chains of the Pleiades, loose the cords of Orion, and number again the strands on my head."Those who like this kind of poetic narrative with mystical undertones will have fun this book. Those who don't will likely struggle to search the notice in the sea of words. For me, it was just too much page after page, and it took me a while to finish the book because I had to take it in little doses.I was also wary of the mystical/contemplative spirituality/emergent church references, as she references those known to be mystics, panentheists, universalists, or Fresh Age authors such as Brother Lawrence, Henri Nouwen, Annie Dillard, Brennan Manning, Sarah Ban Breathnach, Teresa of Avila, and Dallas Willard, among others. The influence of the teachings of these different authors is apparent in Voskamp's addition, I was uncomfortable with the chapter on making love to Jesus in which the author speaks of seeking communion with God in what can only be termed as sexual language, taking it to a level that I personally don't believe scripture intends. Voskamp writes, "Mystical union. This, the highest degree of importance. God as Husband in sacred wedlock, bound together, body and soul, fed by His body, quenched by His blood . . . God, He has blessed - caressed. I could bless God - caress with thanks. It's our making love. God makes love with grace upon grace, every moment a making of His love for us. . . . couldn't I create love to God, making every moment love for Him? To know Him the method Adam knew Eve. Spirit skin to spirit skin. . . The intercourse of soul with God is the very climax of joy . . . To enter into Christ and Christ enter into us - to cohabit."Scripture doesn't teach that our relationship with God is to be a sexual, orgasmic experience or that we are to know him the method Adam as husband knew Eve as his wife. Further, what are kids and men supposed to do with the notion of making love to Jesus?Despite the doctrinal and private problems with this book, I tried to stay focused on what I felt the author's intended notice of the book was: live fully and abundantly in everyday life by being thankful for the bonuses that come from God's grace, no matter how small. I am inspired to live more fully in this kind of is review is simply my opinion of what was actually in the book and not a reflection on the author herself, whom I do not know personally. Her writing style just doesn't appeal to me and I have to question some of the "theology" in the book which is why I recommend discernment when reading it.
The best explorations of pain and suffering are by those who have suffered. Ann speaks froma. Heart that has known pain and so she gives me confidence to listen rather than doubt her validity.When poor things happen i question if God cares or even listens or even is there method up in heaven; out of sight; out of mind? But Ann has been in harder locations than i and has seen that being thankful is to touch God's heart and to SEE clearly the method things really are. I imagine they are terrible; but in getting poor news i see only part of life; only the darkest part. Like Ann says, the Serpent whispers that God is keeping amazing things from me and i believe him and so i disbelieve God.I am going to need to read this again because i need reminding. And thanks to Ann it is going to be simple to read: it is well written. And it is going to be simple to listen to because she writes from experience.
Impacted me during a beautiful depressing disappointment with my health while I was traveling. A mate recommended it, and I loved it so much that I bought the devotional and use it regularly in the mornings. The perspective of beginning with gratitude before the miracle is now one of my spiritual disciplines. Loved it.
This book has so much to offer on learning to search God's bonuses in everything - even the hard happenings in our lives. It has stopped and created me think differently on a lot of occasions. My review though is more about her writing style. In this day of 'easy and simple', her poetic choice of words and style needed my adapting my reading style. I read a lot of books at a very quick pace and I attempted that same technique with this book. I actually place it aside because of that. Based on other's comments, I thought I would test it again. I would read it in early mornings when I could be completely undisturbed. I would also read with a pencil in hand underlining sentences that spoke to me. At times, I think there were whole chapters I underlined. I also stretched this book out - instead of reading it in a weekend (as I would typically do), I read it over the course of a couple of months, only reading little sections at a time. Reading it this way, I can't explain how it spoke to me and moved me. I was deeply saddened to finish the latest chapter. So, if it is her writing style that you are finding hard to read, please give it another chance. I'm so glad I did.
I rarely write reviews and I rarely search a book that I think is actually funny but I LOVED this book and laughed out loud a lot of times. Schaachi's book is filled with a mix of self-deprecating, dry humor and wisdom beyond her years that I search impressive for a 26(?) year old. Her discussion of race and gender is timely, bold, and on point. I purchased it because I heard an interview with Scaachi on NPR and thought she sounded interesting and intelligent and, I'm glad I did. Naturally, my favorite person in this cast of characters is Scaachi's dad, who is hilarious. Best of luck to you, Scaachi. Your book deserves all of the positive reviews it can get. And for the idiot who thinks the reviews are fake, if I'm not mistaken, you should be able to click on the name of the reviewer to see all of their reviews.
I was notified recently that my library just added a ton of books that I recommended, including several memoirs written by people of color and YA about LGBT+ characters. One of those books was ONE DAY WE'LL ALL BE DEAD AND NONE OF THIS WILL MATTER by Scaachi Koul, a culture writer for BuzzFeed Canada.I'd been looking forward to this book for a while. I love BuzzFeed and I had heard that this book was going to address a lot of subjects like feminism and racism and cultural identity. Plus, it's written by someone who's roughly my own age, give or take a few years, and it's always awesome to read books written from someone in your generation - especially if their observations are written from a various perspective than your own. It's like seeing the globe with fresh eyes...for better or for worse.ODWABDaNoTWM is about Koul growing up in Canada in the 90s and early 2000s. The daughter of immigrant parents from India, she was in the special position of being the only "brown person" in an zone of Canada that didn't have a lot of minorities at the time (I'm blanking on the exact location, but I believe it was a part of Calgary that was mostly white). She writes, with candidness and humor, about internal and external racsim; sexism; interracial relationships; rape culture; substance abuse; beauty standards; and dating. She's incredibly witty and makes some very cutting observations on Canadian and Indian culture, but she also talks about what she loves about these two various cultures, too, and how they have helped shape her identity and create her into the person she is now. Also, her relationship with her family, especially her parents, is both endearing and hilarious. I love how she contains some of her emails to her dad.I really loved this book. Koul brings a new perspective to the millennial memoir collective, which seems to be mostly overrun by YouTube celebrities and pop stars. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I prefer books with a small more substance. This is the second book I've read that was written by current- or ex-BuzzFeed staff (the first was I HATE EVERYONE BUT YOU by Allison Raskin and Gaby Dunn) and allow me tell you, I am impressed. Both ODWABDaNoTWM and I HATE EVERYONE BUT YOU are pitch-perfect and culturally relevant, discussing a lot of relevant and controversial problems that millennials - especially female millennials - face on a day to day should definitely read this.4 to 4.5 out of 5 stars
This is a collection of essays from 26-year old Scaachi Koul, a Canadian-born daughter of Indian immigrants who currently writes for Buzzfeed Canada. The essays cover a wide range of subjects including family relationships, dating, internet trolls, alcoholism, rape, anxiety, race, and culture. I think my favorite sections of the book are about Koul's family. Oh, how I want her dad had a Twitter account...The book is entertaining and youthful, but also surprisingly thoughtful. I appreciated Koul's honesty and willingness to poke fun at herself. There are some preachy moments that irritated me, but Koul's earnestness keeps the collection grounded. It's simple for me to see that she's just genuinely trying to figure life out, and I like and respect her for One Day We'll All Be Dead (etc.), is a quick, light read. It's beautiful much what you expect a memoir written by a 20-something to be, but it's one of the best books in that category that I've read. I hope Koul keeps writing, because I am definitely interested in reading her future vance Reader Copy provided by Net Galley.
"I was learning how to be fun, sure, but the threat loomed: one of the guys here can take it away from you in a heartbeat and it'll be your fault."This book is achi Koul shares what it's like to be a brown woman, a woman finding her method through college and life and whiteness. She shares essays about her identity of being a brown Asian woman, about being hairy, about being afraid of men and getting roofied, about feeling out of put in India but being foreign in the US, about her adorable father and everything in between.Koul has a distinct voice that's funny and honest. She speaks to her experience about being bullied online, struggles women face trying to share their voices in a public space, about her relationship with her parents and the wanting to stay in the house she grew up with while also living an independent is book is honest and funny and wonderful. It reminds us that we're not alone, that relationships are hard, and it's okay to talk about your insecurities. It's simple to relate to and Koul has a true talent for sharing her is is a book that everyone should read.
This was stunningly, often funnily, frequently painfully, open-veined, no boundaries, soul-searchingly wrought insight into being a woman, being of Indian ethnicity, being a daughter, being a lover, being human in today's complicated, judgey, unforgiving, and often ridiculous world. Scaachi Koul has a bonus for the pithy, hilarious, piercing one-liner coupled with the ability to quickly segue to a heartbreakingly honest confessional truism which leaves one saying, "Yes, exactly, I, too have felt that ache." Caveat: I read this in one sitting which, I think, does it a amazing disservice because despite its drollery, it is a deeply serious work overall, in total, a sort of gut-punch of "wow, being not white, not male, not in the so-called club in this globe sort of sucks." Which, needless to say in these times, is a thing important to face, but, not particularly pleasant or simple to cope with.
To be as honest as the author has been in this book takes not only a professional astuteness but also a amazing deal of private hero and a gut of steel. To dispel so a lot of stereotypes in a such harmless and non-threatening method is a sign of masterful writing. Non-threatening to the readers who strongly believe in those stereotypes and might continue to believe them even after reading this book. Author addresses the matters of culture, race, gender and age, in a very graceful, funny and sometimes provocative way. Her use of language is very refreshing and there is an undertone of compassion surrounded with verbal aggression which makes it beautiful delightful, like an eclair.
The pieces in this collection range in tone, but even the essays that are pure humour have an undertow of cultural commentary. As she recounts getting stuck in a skirt in the fitting room of a clothing shop where she used to work—and having to be chop out of it—Koul manages to perfectly capture the tendency to pin our hopes on the excellent wardrobe. Even as she is getting stuck, she thinks this is “The item, the huge item that changes the method I dress and thereby changes the method I am as a person. It’s not just a skirt; it’s the entry fee for a better existence. I would exude a fresh confidence, it would smooth out the wrinkles in my body, it would hide all the ways I have disappointed and failed people in the past.” Body photo is never far beneath the surface of these reflections, with race and gender only serving to further complicate matters. And this piece fits into the collection right alongside more serous pieces, such as the dissection surveillance as an aspect of rape culture, showcasing Koul’s diverse range and deft hand with a dozens of topic matter.
The zany essays in the debut collection by Scaachi Koul titled, One Day We’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter, are funny and well-written. Koul writes about aspects of modern life with a amazing voice that is rooted in compassion and love of family. Introspective essays can become tedious, but Koul covers subjects like race and gender in ways that are simultaneously thoughtful, funny and sensitive. While she writes about growing up in Canada, her observations can be universal.Rating: Four-star (I like it)
I wanted to love this book, but ended up being disappointed. Scaachi’s first hand acc of her experiences are relateable and thought provoking. She tackles casual racism, overt racism, cultural differences, immigrant life, body issues, and relationships. I found the humor and snide jokes to be jarring. She tackles complex problems and shares experiences that would resonate easily with a lot of audiences but they are certainly hidden within a lot of jargony biting sarcasm. I normally loves essays and biographies in that style but this felt forced and disingenuous. I would love to see how her writing changes and grows in the future!
Another enjoyable page-turner from JoJo Moyes. Once again, the theme of pitting the 1% and the other 99% versus each other reaches an enjoyable conclusion. The characters are engaging and multidimensional. I never thought I would have fun romance novels as much as I am Moyes' works. Partly it's because she celebrates the working class, and the qualities of grit and determination that inspire the reader. Also, her female protagonists aren't virginal; they're well-rounded, realistic people. Of course, it's amazing to have a guy on a white horse canter up, but in Moyes novels, the girl proves herself capable on her own. I will definitely buy more of this author's books.
Another unbelievable read from Jojo Plus One tells the story of single mum, Jess ,struggling every day cleaning other people's houses and working in a bar at night to bring up her daughter Tanzie who is a gifted child, and Nicky her withdrawn teenage step-son who is bullied at school.Tanzie, 8 years old,is offered a scholarship to attend a prestigious Girls school to further her maths but there is no method Jess can afford the little difference in fees..Jess asks for support from her estranged husband who has given his family no help since leaving two years of Jess's housecleaning clients,Ed, comes to the rescue after finding himself at a loose end whilst in the midst of his own problems.He takes Tanzie and her family on a street trip to sit a mathematics Olympiad exam in the hope of winning first prize , a money prize of Two Thousand pounds which would enable Tanzie to attend the fresh is an hilarious street trip and Ed gets taken in by Jess and her two children. All four,and the dog Norman, have their own story to tell and the street trip brings them all together versus all odds.Or does everything go horribly wrong?
This was a amazing rainy day read. I am from America so some of it was a small hard for me to understand, but I really enjoyed it. Their journey up to Scotland together was very unique. I'm so glad it had a satisfied ending because there were parts that I was afraid it was going to end up bad. I like to end on a amazing note. :) If you need a book to obtain you through a beach trip or on a long vacation then give this a try.
To be honest I was not excited to read this one as I have read all of Moyes other books and didn't think this one could be as amazing based on the plot. I am so glad is was proved wrong! One Plus One has become my very favorite of all of Moyes e characters are deep and very well written. They draw you in and create you completely invested. The book reads like a movie- I could see the scenes in my mind as I read. I LOVE Ed's hero and the steadfastness and growth you see in him throughout the will fall in love with that characters. I would LOVE to read a follow up story to see what they are up to after this book ends. :)
I thought this book would be a chick flick kind of story. You know a mushy romance novel, and I was okay with that. Instead it dealt with reality. Kindness, bullies, positive thinking, financial and family stress, and yes even love. I will recommend this book to my mates and family because it touches close to home. So much is going on in this book, some things predictable, some not. Bottom line it created me wish to be a better person, less cynical. It's so simple to fall into that mindset, but this book reminds me that what's necessary is doing the best you can with what you have and reaching out to others if there is any method you can. Things usually work out for the best even if you can't see it in those darkest hours. This is an wonderful story of being there for your family and others at all costs just because you know deep down it's the right thing to do. Remarkable story!
Tanzie's maths interest are very wide and simply attributed by there name or category. But in the closing pages one of those are cited and frankly the most mysterious of them all. And we are left either to be impressed with JJ's depth or sent on our method to satisfy our own curiosity. That one is "Strong Emergence". Look it up and drown in the maths mystique of the highest order. I will test to demystify the concept which has been of latest vintage emerged in the cloak of maths language, equations, and symbolism. Allow me support with a metaphor that will take some of the mystery out of the e popular proverb: "The straw that broke the camel's back" is an example of (strong ) emergence . The theory has imbedded in it without quantifying the different properties of the system: I.e. The strength of the camel, the weight of the straws, the time constraint on the endurance of the camels, and other physical variables. We know by our experience with logic that the load is not infinite, and we can feel the continuity of the growing burden that the camel must endure. But we know that the latest straw is imbued with a role not attributed to any other of the equivalent components. Think about it and test to search a related maths explanation If you search one allow me know. I stand guilty of over simplification, but how else to attempt at layman C. Pulseinc @
Jessica Rae Thomas has got to be one of the most positive people and rightful people on the world. She is broke to the bone and has two kids to raise. Her husband is off "for recovery" and not supporting her family with a single pound. Still, she wants to grant her daughter the opportunity of lifetime by enabling her to go to a costly personal school which will be targeting Tanzie's math when she decides to take a run down vehicle to drive her family plus dog from South England to Scotland for a maths tournament that might pay for Tanzie's tuition fees, and that vehicle actually breaks down in the middle of the road, she never thought that Ed Nicholls would be the one to come to her rescue. The arrogant wealthy arse who's beachhouse she cleans on a regular basis. However, Ed has problem of his own and for some reason, he decides to embark onto tthat chaotic trip to Scotland with nce I read and absolutely loved Me Before You from the same author, it was nearly impossible not to read this fresh book, especially given that the plot sounded so new and nice. Who doesn't love a geeky millionaire and a family in be very honest with you, this felt like a true life parody of Small Miss Sunshine. The similarities were absolutely obvious: you have the eccentric small daughter going of to a tournament (maths/beauty pageant - sounds about the the same) and that troubled teenager with a goth haircut, and a mother who is hell bent on making this trip work out so she can give her kid what she feels it deserves.But apart from those similarities, the whole story was very-well customised and exudes the lovely english charm that I don't come across often, given the very small "english" books I read. It is also a very striking comparison of two worlds: the huge town London life were yuppies and self created men indulge in fancy things, and the life on the outskirts of the city, where a family barely has £12 a day as a meal me parts of the story will create you laugh and some parts will create you cry. You will most definitely fall in love with Jessica's quirky hero and positive vision of life, and you will become a amazing fan of Ed Nicholls and witness how something even more chaotic than the professional predicament he is in can actually bring him peace and happiness. It's a attractive story about unexpected situations, finding happiness, and starting ever, do not expect any steamy scenes here - everything is being kept on a very light level, but the story is so sweet you don't actually miss it...
Ok, with so a lot of unbelievable reviews, I'm beginning to feel poor that I liked it but did not love it. It's a amazing book but it's not great. Having said that, I really did search myself liking all the characters and feeling for them. You wish it to work out even though you know that in true life, it would per my sometimes usual review format...Did I learn anything from this book?I think how hard it is to obtain ahead when living on the minimum wage was reinforced. Some people have it really hard and those of us who don't have no clue. I don't know that this knowledge will change how I live my life but it does support to be a small more aware.Did I think about the book when I wasn't reading it?Not at first but yes, towards the end, I was thinking about it when I was not reading it.Did I wish to read this book when I wasn't reading it?Yes - I wanted to know what happened.Will this book stay with me long after it's over?Not all of it... it's amazing but not that good. However, there is a section where Jess explains to Ed how hard it is to obtain ahead once you have a baby at 17 and are always behind trying to catch up and this will stay with me. It is very well said. And there are comment about living as a single/solo parent on the minimum wage and yes, those will stick.SPOILER ALERT: I enjoyed all of it except for when Jess and Ed obtain together and then it just gets too pathetically mushy. I was almost satisfied when they broke up so we could obtain back to being real. For a while there I thought "Oh God, Mills and Boon/Harlequin Romance" and this is not what I signed up for.
Allow me begin by stating I just cannot bear most romance novels. While some might classify this as a romance novel, I found it to be more of an interesting tale with some quirky characters. I found it interesting to see how two strangers from various ends of a spectrum could develop a friendship through easy acts of compassion and through that arrive at an even deeper connection. While Jess is a financially struggling single mother, Ed is wealthy and a lot of might assume that he would not have a care in the globe due to his wealth. As Jess develops a friendship with Ed, she becomes aware that he has a lot of problems that are equally as challenging and heartbreaking for him and that cash does not guarantee a issue free life Each learns that everyone has issues sometimes just as heartbreaking as yours. Through Jess's life, Ed is able to see a powerful woman fighting for her children's welfare and a mother that always puts her kids first, although in one instance a lot of would question whether that commitment to her kids justifies some of the actions that she takes.Without giving away more of the story, I'll just conclude that this is an intelligently written novel of a romance, but not a "romance novel". It was interesting to see how two people from various walks of life were able to connect.
This is a amazing book! The main hero is Jess, a single parent trying to raise her daughter, Tanzie, and her x-husband's son, Nicky, by herself because her husband has deserted her. She has several jobs just trying to pay the bills. There are no extras! She cleans for Ed, another main character. He is on the other end of the cash issue. He has lots of money, but gets himself into some problem which will cost him ss attempts to take a street trip to Scotland where her daughter has been offered a possibility to take a prestigious math exam and if she passes will create it into a amazing personal school. Jess cannot afford to send her there otherwise. She, however, takes her x's old vehicle which doesn't run properly. She is pulled over by the police, and Ed accidentally drives by and rescues her and the om there the story really begins. They are on this street trip and have all kinds of experiences!!! There is never a dull moment!One of the problems brought out in this book deals with bullying. There is a poor group of children living in Jess's neighborhood who bully Nicky. This is another reason Jess so wants Tanzie to attend a various school. Yet, even at the personal schools, there can be a bit of bullying. When someone is different, they just appeal to those who think they are better!!!This is a story about hardship, bullying, honesty, determination, friendship, family, and love. It makes you laugh, and it just may create you cry a couple times! I highly recommend it!
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What My Mother Gave Me is a very poignant book with realistic portrayals of the beauty and complexity of the mother/daughter relationship. The book is rich with an array of various cherished maternal gifts. Most of the bonuses are not tangible, or if they are physical, the object is a symbol of what the mother represented or stood for.Whatever your relationship with your mother is like, every woman should read this book, and every woman should write an essay on what her mother gave ank you, Elizabeth for compiling the stories in this book! In so doing, you gave us a gift!
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I loved these stories, could only read one or two a day , tender and emotional!
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These essays are as various and complicated as their a lot of authors. Beautifully written. The reader gets a personal glimpse into the lives of writers previously known only through their work
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