Thanks to Macmillan Audio for an advanced audio ARC of Being Henry.
This book is Henry Winkler telling the story of his life, both in writing and narraThanks to Macmillan Audio for an advanced audio ARC of Being Henry.
This book is Henry Winkler telling the story of his life, both in writing and narration (with excerpts throughout from, and narrated by, his wife). The book is well written, and the narration is the perfect example of how a narrator should give life to a story (fiction or otherwise). Having his wife contribute her own words and voice was a nice addition that added an extra level of perspective to those parts of his life (i.e., his relationship with his wife which spans most of his career).
The story itself is composed a series of personal stories that, in retrospect, are more sporadic than they felt while reading them. They all span fairly linearly, and while it does pivot at times, it all flows in a perfectly natural way so that you barely even notice the shift in topic. Objectively, this is a very well done memoir.
I am someone who isn't really a huge fan of Winkler. The Fonz was just before my time, and while I may have even seen episodes as a kid, I really have no memory of it. To me, he is the occasional character actor used in some of my favorite comedies of my childhood and young adulthood. If you are fan of Winkler as the Fonz, I suspect your existing love will turn a really good memoir into an amazing one. Without that same same attachment, I read this more as an intriguing look at an interesting figure of Hollywood.
My only real gripe with 'Being Henry' is its light touch on the topic of privilege. Henry Winkler's story, marked by his struggle with dyslexia, is both inspiring and deeply human. But, there's a layer of privilege in there that's hard to ignore. While Winkler's family faced their share of adversities, especially as immigrants escaping Nazi Germany in the U.S., they seem to have had a certain level of financial security. This surely played a role in the chances Winkler had to retry and succeed. This isn't a major criticism, just something that niggled at me throughout the book. It became more apparent when he talked about his children entering showbiz, acknowledging the foot in the door nepotism gives while simultaneously believing it doesn't matter once you're in the room. The memoir is a very personal and moving story, no doubt, but this aspect felt like a blindspot worth noting.
Overall, Being Henry surprised me by being a stand out memoir with heart and a compelling writer/narrator....more
Special thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with a an electronic advanced copy (E-ACheck out my full review on my blog!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with a an electronic advanced copy (E-ARC) of this book for a fair and honest review.
Read 12/15/19 – 12/19/19
I was so delighted when the publishers approved me with the opportunity to review this. I am familiar with Nick Seluk’s comics online, so I was very intrigued by this concept. Much like the standalone comics he posts online, these are cute, funny, and surprisingly entertaining. Seluk does not disappoint as he takes every story, from the simple to the extreme, and finds a way to use his existing comic-verse to articulate these oddities of science in an entertaining way. I was also pleasantly surprised when I discovered this was nearly 200 pages long; there is an ample amount of content to enjoy with this book.
I think the biggest problem I had with the book was more to do with my own preconceptions of what I was getting. This is an anthology of medical oddities. Individually, they are great. True, some are better than others, but overall they are each fairly enjoyable. Unfortunately, when taken as a whole, I found myself losing interest. There was no overarching story-line which might have helped me stay interested, but there weren’t. It was just a bunch of random stories that got kind of boring.
That is why I have to rate this at such an average level. However, I think it is important to recognize people want different things from books. I imagine this would make a cute coffee table book, but if you’re a bookish person looking for a fun read, this does not stand out. I’ll probably still buy it when it comes out because it would make a cute conversation piece. 3.25/5 stars....more
I read this a decade ago. I probably should reread it as I'd probably get more out of it now than I did then.I read this a decade ago. I probably should reread it as I'd probably get more out of it now than I did then....more
A year later, I've decided to change this to 3.5 star.
Read 10/8/19 – 10/10/19 Jackson's take on domestic life is charming and revealing.
I read this oA year later, I've decided to change this to 3.5 star.
Read 10/8/19 – 10/10/19 Jackson's take on domestic life is charming and revealing.
I read this on a whim. I’d only read The Haunting of Hill House and the Lottery by Jackson, but I wanted to learn more about her life and her mind. Rather than jump ahead in my TBR (which I was already ahead of schedule on), I choose to give this a shot. I am glad I did.
It’s odd going from Hill House to this because the tone is so different. This is a story about a mother and author. What we get is an inside look at her attempts to be proper and pristine in her doings, told over the course of a series of short stories originally published separately. It almost reads like a Doll House, by Henrik Ibsen, which is about a housewife who lives the life society expects of her until one day she decides she’s going to leave and make a life for herself. There are roughly 70 years between that play and this collection, and I can’t help but think the tone is deliberate and intended to convey commentary on her life.
Admittedly, there were moments where I wasn’t sure. I was maybe half way through and thought how delightful it was to read this book. It is funny and charming. She so eloquently conveys the innocence of her child and the indifference of her husband in so many things. Nevertheless, I found myself asking, what am I getting out of this? Sure I enjoy reading it, but if I am going to invest my time I want some overall substance to take away. I was ready to give it 4 stars for solid writing. I’ve since begun her collection of short stories, the Lottery and Other Stories, which includes one of the stories in this collection. It has solidified my belief that this is a commentary on life in her times.
I am not sure it is revealing enough. It leaves me wanting to know more, and I’ll probably read a more revealing biography (e.g. Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life which I am very eager to read). Personally, I think I can get a better sense of her view of society in her short story collection. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed reading this. 3.5/5 stars.
Read July 2020 This was a lot of fun. Althought, I would say it was my least favorite one on my second run through. A key part of each story is buiRead July 2020 This was a lot of fun. Althought, I would say it was my least favorite one on my second run through. A key part of each story is building the relationship between murderbot and the others. This one built on a prexisting relationship, and it felt like we catapulted straight into the drama. 4.5/5 stars
Read August 2019 I'm not sure I can articulate just how much I loved this novella and the story as a whole. That said, I do my best to discuss this, and the rest of the series, on my blog!...more
Read July 2020 I knew what was coming, but damn I still had to hold back tears. Yet again Wells reinvents this amazing series with another great anRead July 2020 I knew what was coming, but damn I still had to hold back tears. Yet again Wells reinvents this amazing series with another great and unique installment. I love the exploration of emotions and connections between bots and humans. It is the highlight of the series in my opinion.
Read August 2019 I'm not sure I can articulate just how much I loved this novella and the story as a whole. That said, I do my best to discuss this, and the rest of the series, on my blog!...more
Reread July 2020 Amazing as always. This is such a fun and creative book. I am so glad I choose to reread it. It is short, yet unique despite beingReread July 2020 Amazing as always. This is such a fun and creative book. I am so glad I choose to reread it. It is short, yet unique despite being a sequel.
Read August 2019 I'm not sure I can articulate just how much I loved this novella and the story as a whole. That said, I do my best to discuss this, and the rest of the series, on my blog!...more
Redshirts is a story about one dimensional characterization of characters in Star Trek (and other stories), and giving the minor characters (of this sRedshirts is a story about one dimensional characterization of characters in Star Trek (and other stories), and giving the minor characters (of this story) that added depth makes for brilliant commentary. This is a story about breaking the fourth wall, and then the fifth sixth and seventh. And I love it for it. 5/5 stars
I loved it. As a big Carl Sagan fan, I loved to get inside his mind. he has all sorts of books you can read, but fiction is a unique looking glass. itI loved it. As a big Carl Sagan fan, I loved to get inside his mind. he has all sorts of books you can read, but fiction is a unique looking glass. it's a very meta way of wondering what he is trying to get across and then understanding what that says about what he actually thinks of this or that. that said, it's a great story, a great book, and a great read. very compelling and very interesting....more