My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

My Family and Other Animals
Gerald Durrell
1956, 1977, Penguin, London
0140282599
301p.

Gerald and his family moved to a Greek Island from England when he was a young boy. He spends time exploring, discovering animals, insects and birds, and generally avoiding an education.

This is an enjoyable read, written in a modern style - I was surprised when I read the publication date. It sounds like a great place to be a child, and Gerald was a very inquisitive one!

Link to journal at bookcrossing

The Snow People by Marie Herbert

The Snow People
Marie Herbert
1973, 1974, Book Club Associates, London
unknown isbn
253p.

The author, her husband, and their baby spend over a year living with Greenland Eskimos to document their lives through film.  This book is her account of what they experienced during their time there.

Now I want to go to Greenland!  The conditions are so harsh (although, this book was written in the 1970s so perhaps things have changed a little), but quite enticing.  The story was a little rambly, and could have done with some editing to make the narrative flow more smoothly (I'm talking end-paragraphs here, just basic stuff).  However, the adventures they had were amazing - the fact that they took their baby along even more so.  

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Growing up Amish by Ira Wagler

Growing up Amish
Ira Wagler
2011, Tyndale, Kindle Edition
1414339364
unnumbered

Ira is born into the Amish church but does not feel at home in that culture. When he is a teenager he leaves one night under the cover of darkness to make his way in the 'world'. Over the next few years he returns and releaves.

This was thoroughly uninspiring. It wasn't a bad book, but it didn't give a real in depth insight into Amish culture, it's more about the author's life which is fair enough seeing as it's a biography. lol. Also, at the end, it turns into a Christian book which was mildly disappointing, I don't like being unexpectedly evangelised to.

I am Spock by Leonard Nimoy

I am Spock
Leonard Nimoy
1995, 1996, Arrow Books, London
0099647419
347p.

Auto-biography written by Leonard Nimoy who played Spock in the original series of Star Trek, as well as a number of motion pictures. This is written after the Star Trek: Generations movie.

Leonard Nimoy is a talented writer. And the stories he tell in this are very interesting, there's not too much boring stuff in there as some auto-biographies have. I like the way he talks to Spock throughout the book.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Into the Wild
Jon Krakauer
1996, Anchor Books, New York
0385486804
203p.

True story of a young American man who gave up his possessions and money to hitch-hike to Alaska to spend time alone in the wilderness. His decomposed remains were found in an abandoned bus four months later.

I had seen the movie based on McCandless' life a little while ago, so it was interesting to read the book. It's a heart-breaking story - some may call McCandless naive and selfish, but that shouldn't take away from the tragedy. Nor should it deny the legitimacy of the beauty that he discovered.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Antarctica on a Plate by Alexa Thomson

Antarctica on a Plate
Alexa Thomson
2003, Random House, Milsons Point
1740512073
385p.

Alexa decides to give up her city-based web-design career to fly to Antarctica and be the cook for a small base.

This was an interesting memoir, however, I was expecting to be wowed by the majesty of Antarctica, but that didn't come through.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Red Sky in Mourning by Tami Oldham Ashcraft with Susea McGearhart

Red Sky in Mourning
Tami Oldham Ashcraft with Susea McGearhart
2002, 2003, Simon & Schuster, London
0743415892
223p.

True story of a woman who survived being hit by a hurricane at sea while her partner was thrown overboard. She spent forty-one days at sea alone.

An amazing story of survival and very well told. Tami was a brave lady - she did what she needed to do to survive despite feeling like giving up many times.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

The Tale of Beatrix Potter by Margaret Lane

The Tale of Beatrix Potter
Margaret Lane
1946, 1978, William Clowes & Sons, London
no isbn
165p.

This is the biography of Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter.

Beatrix Potter lead an amazingly ordinary life. I really enjoyed reading about it, even though it was dull. Sometimes the dullest lives are the most interesting, especially when they are of a genius. I also enjoyed reading a little of British domestic history which was a part of this story.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Gasping for Airtime: Two Years in the Trenches of Saturday Night Live by Jay Mohr

Gasping for Airtime: Two Years in the Trenches of Saturday Night Live
Jay Mohr
2004, Hyperion, New York
1401308015
293p.

Jay Mohr is a comedian who wrote and performed for Saturday Night Live for two years in the 1990s. This is the story of his time at the show.

This was a very easy book to read, the writing just flowed and shone with honesty. It was fascinating to read about how dysfunctional that work environment is and how Jay coped despite it all. I have never seen Saturday Night Live of course, but I enjoyed the read very much - it made me laugh out loud.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Dreamtime Alice by Mandy Sayer

Dreamtime Alice
Mandy Sayer
1998, Random House, Milsons Point
0091836212
368p.

Autobiography of an Australian tap-dancer who performed on the streets of New York and New Orleans with her drummer father in the 1980s.

This was an interesting tale of growing up amidst the unique characters of street performers and the underworld. At times, I found Mandy/Alice to be unbelievably naive and obsessed with boys, which made me want to give up reading, but I'm glad I stuck with it because some of the characters we meet are fabulous.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Love You to Bits and Pieces by Gillian Helfgott

Love You to Bits and Pieces
Gillian Helfgott
1996, Penguin, Sydney
0140265465
329p.

This is the story of Australian pianist David Helfgott. It is told by his wife Gillian who recounts her time with David and of David's past before she met him.

A very interesting biography of an amazing man. Gillian obviously knows her husband very well, and I liked the non-linear style of the book as we went along on the journey of discovery Gillian herself was on.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi
2003, 2008, Vintage, London
9780099523994
343p.

Auto-biography of an Iranian woman told in graphic novel form. Marjane grew up in the time of the revolution and the war with Iraq.

I liked the way the reader got a feel for Iranian culture through the telling of the story. Marjane was not a really likeable character - at times you just want to slap her, but I think because this is a tale of growing up, stuff like that is going to be in the book and it's great that she didn't leave it out or gloss over it. It's a very honest book.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Moonwalk by Michael Jackson

Moonwalk
Michael Jackson
1988, 1989, William Heinemann, London
0749300000
231p.

This autobiography of Michael Jackson focuses on his career, from being the youngest member of Jackson 5, up until the book was released in 1988.

I enjoyed reading this, the language was simple and easy to read. But there were a few important messages in there. In light of recent events, parts of this book were poignant, particularly where Jackson talks about death. If you want an exposé and sensation, this is not the biography for you.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Nugi Garimara

Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence
Nugi Garimara
1996, 2002, UQP, St Lucia
0702232815
133p.

The true story of three aboriginal girls removed from their families in the 1930s and taken to a native settlement where they were to be taught the European ways. They run away from the settlement and trek 1600 kilometres home following the rabbit-proof fence which runs from south to north in Western Australia.

This is an incredible story - these girls trekked further and in harsher conditions than many of our heroic European explorers. It is beautifully told too, the author is very talented.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Breaking Ground: Adventures in Life and Architecture by Daniel Libeskind

Breaking Ground: Adventures in Life and Architecture
Daniel Libeskind
2004, John Murray, London
0719566541
288p.

Daniel Libeskind is the architect who has conceived the master plan for the World Trade Center reconstruction. This book is a memoir of his life and his thoughts on architecture and the meanings of buildings.

This book is written as if Libeskind has sat down before you and is retelling the story of his life. He recounts parts of his life with no real chronology, but this by no means makes the book disjointed. Rather, it draws the reader into his life, and into his way of thinking. A very enjoyable book.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Catch Me if You Can: The Amazing True Story of the Youngest and Most Daring Con Man in the History of Fun and Profit by Frank W. Abagnale

Catch Me if You Can: The Amazing True Story of the Youngest and Most Daring Con Man in the History of Fun and Profit
Frank W. Abagnale
2000, 2002, Bantam, Milsons Point
1863253920
285p.

This is the story of Frank W. Abagnale who, at the age of sixteen, impersonated a pilot in order to score free flights and to pass off counterfeit cheques. This begins a career of forgery and counterfeiting all around the world.

This is an amazing story. Abagnale is certainly intelligent and confident, and a good writer too although I note that there is a ghost writer attached to the book. The parts set in the French prison were heartbreaking, but the Swedish prison sounded like heaven!

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Walking Ollie by Stephen Foster

Walking Ollie
Stephen Foster
2006, 2007, Short Books, London
9781904977889
189p.

Writer Stephen Foster decides to adopt a dog from a shelter. He brings home Ollie, a Saluki-Greyhound mix, with a number of personality problems.

This author is very British! I enjoyed reading about the dog-ownership culture in Britain, which is a bit different to here in Australia. He nearly lost me with the "real dogs are big dogs" swipe early on, but it's a delightful story about an obviously traumatised puppy.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

A Child Called 'It' by Dave Pelzer

A Child Called 'It'
David Pelzer
1995, 2001, Orion, London
0752837508
169p.

This is the story of David Pelzer who was a victim of brutal child abuse and neglect.

It is a shocking book to read, but it's not too intense which I think is a good thing as this is an important book that most people should read.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Enslaved by Ducks by Bob Tarte

Enslaved by Ducks
Bob Tarte
2003, 2004, Algonquin, Chapel Hill
1565124502
308p.

Bob Tarte is a writer who one day decides to get a rabbit. That one rabbit eventually becomes parrots, geese, turkeys, ducks, more rabbits, and an assortment of other birds. This books tells of their adventures and misadventures.

I really enjoyed the read. A lot of books about pet owners are glossy, cutesy books with overly-crafted scenarios, emotional highs and lows. But this book is excruciatingly honest. The animals are all psycho, and the clueless humans are neurotic and not ashamed to admit it

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Life Without Limits by Helen O'Neill

Life Without Limits
Helen O'Neill
2003, Random, Milsons Point
1863253734
259p.

This is the story of David Pescud, whose severe dyslexia means that he can neither read nor write. He was the skipper of the first Sydney to Hobart yacht manned entirely by people with disabilities. The first half is a typical biography, telling of his struggles with school and life, and the second half turns into a real adventure story of the treacherous 1998 Sydney to Hobart race.

Pescud's is an amazing story. He overcame such great obstacles to become an enabling inspiration to disabled people. The book does not make me want to sail!

Link to journal at bookcrossing