Whereas I don't see this novel winning any major awards, it was a light, entertaining read. The heroine, Susan Rose, tells her story in a witty, honesWhereas I don't see this novel winning any major awards, it was a light, entertaining read. The heroine, Susan Rose, tells her story in a witty, honest, and often downright humorous way. I laughed out loud at a few of her comments and observations. Susan Rose is one of many children, her mother having been a wet nurse herself. Her father is an abusive drunk. While working at "the big house" for the rich, spoiled folks, Susan discovers "female empowerment" in the arms of the young "master." Their dalliances in the pantry lead to her pregnancy. She gives birth to Joey, but her cruel father makes her leave to nurse the babies of paying clients. It is far too soon for Joey tho, and he doesn't make it. Heartbroken, Susan seeks comfort in another man's arms before heading back to the big house. When she becomes in the family way again, her father makes a shady deal behind her back, this time resulting in the loss of her baby, David. David is not dead, however, and Susan vows to get him back. Deceit, lies, and clever thinking on Susan's part follows as she follows her baby to home of a mentally insane woman in London. Can she get herself and her baby out of the house alive and without the police on their tails? After all, who is going to believe a mere wet nurse over the lady of the house? Nobody in London knows that Davey is really her baby. Hopefully, Susan's quick mind and wits will be enough.
Something I did not care for... between chapters there is a page or two devoted to the upper class ladies about why they required the use of a wet nurse. I found their excerpts pointless and irrelevent to the real tale. ...more
This is my first medical memoir and I enjoyed it immensely. For me, it was educational, as well as entertaining. The world behind the automatic doors This is my first medical memoir and I enjoyed it immensely. For me, it was educational, as well as entertaining. The world behind the automatic doors of Bellevue hospital is exposed to us thru the eyes and experiences of Julie Holland, M.D. Julie exposes the nitty, gritty, funny, strange, and just plain sad cases that walk in the door either by choice or in cuffs for her to assist, interview, or diagnose. Among the many attempted suicides, there is a lady that walked across the bridge carrying two bags of her own feces, the man that swore he had a razor blade up his rear, women that swear they are having babies, but are not even pregnant, and violent offenders from Rikers that threaten bodily harm to themselves and those around them. Rarily is there a dull moment at Bellevue!
The book is not only about Bellevue tho. Dr. Holland also talks about her personal life and emotional issues she has. She talks about her anger and her own therapy and what she hopes to gain from it, her big step into motherhood, her relationships with her co workers, and dealing with her friend's death.
Obviously, I liked this book. Why am I giving it four stars instead of five? There were some details I felt the book could have done without. Namely the author's sexual escapades during her "early days" or residency and her ongoing issues with one of her bosses, Danny. And Sometimes.. (I want to stress this word here...) the book gave me the impression that Dr. Holland did not always care about her patients. There were moments that it seemed she was just in a hurry to get them out of her hospital and out from under her care.
It has been a fun read tho. I want to add a note here for the more old fashioned crowd... There is some foul language. If you are easily offended by four letter words popping up here and there, it may not be for you. ...more
This is not really about soccer. Sports fanatics will be a bit disappointed. I think, however, that most will be touched by the story of 8 girls learnThis is not really about soccer. Sports fanatics will be a bit disappointed. I think, however, that most will be touched by the story of 8 girls learning to live again after the Taliban rule. In 2004, Awista, the authoress, sponsored these young Afghan women to come and learn soccer in the States. Tho Awista wrote the book, there is very little about her. Rather, she tells the story of the Afghan girls and their lives before and after the Taliban. We feel sad when their brothers are arrested, angry when they walk the streets and get jeered at for wearing jeans, sympathy when the Taliban bans them from getting an education, and fear when the Taliban knocks on their doors at night because they hear a television. When the Taliban is overthrown in 2001, readers witness the country's slow recovery thru the girls' eyes.
In a world in which it is only deemed acceptable for women to play either basketball or volleyball, these girls are trailblazers. Their training in the States teaches them to work as a team and that disputes among themselves do not have to be settled with violence. Having never known a world without violence or where everything isn't answered with violence, it was interesting watching them mature throughout the story.
The girls that left Afghanistan to learn soccer were frightened and crying. The girls that returned were ready to take on the world and empower other young women to do the same.
I really liked this book and the only thing holding it back from 5 stars is it was very short. It appeared longer because of blank pages and very large spacing and tabs. The timeline was a bit off too. They don't meet their coach Ali till halfway thru the book as they readying for the Children's Games, but he was coaching them at the beginning for the Fourth of July games.. Little disrepancies. The author apologizes for this in the Author's note tho. I read an ARC also.. It may be changed before publication.