|
|
Post by drawkcab on Jul 2, 2014 20:06:12 GMT
After reading the book recommendation thread I've decided I want to read memoirs and biographies. Especially about people who have overcome great odd.
What ones have you read that spoke to you?
Are any that would be best to avoid?
|
|
gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,825 
|
Post by gottapeanow on Jul 3, 2014 1:26:39 GMT
I have four - oops - make that five! (Edit) I really liked Escape by Carolyn Jessop. The FLDS ones fascinate me. I read another one earlier this year that was also decent. The Witness Wore Red.
House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout was very good.
I have Unbroken and The Glass Castle both on my very tall to-read pile. Unbroken is really close to the top. Looking forward to both of those.
Hope you like these.... make sure to post to the reading thread when you read whatever you choose!
Lisa
|
|
finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
|
Post by finaledition on Jul 3, 2014 1:47:02 GMT
Loved both Unbroken and The Glass Castle.
|
|
mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,096
|
Post by mimima on Jul 3, 2014 1:48:57 GMT
I just finished "The Boys in the Boat" about the 1936 University of Washington crew team, which was the Berlin Olympics US team as well. It was fabulous
|
|
|
|
Post by Neisey on Jul 3, 2014 1:50:43 GMT
Another vote for both Unbroken and the Glass Castle.
|
|
psychgirl
Shy Member
Posts: 37
|
Post by psychgirl on Jul 3, 2014 1:53:04 GMT
I second the Escape (Carolyn Jessop) recommendation. SOOO interesting.
A few others:
I Forgot to Remember: A Memoir of Amnesia (Su Meck) - fan falls on a young Mom and her memory is entirely erased. Fascinating.
Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight (M.E. Thomas) - the writing is dry but man is the story interesting.
An Unquenchable Thirst: Following Mother Teresa in Search of Love, Service and an Authentic Life (Mary Johnson)
Banished: Surviving my Years in the Westboro Baptist Church (Lauren Drain)
|
|
|
|
Post by freecharlie on Jul 3, 2014 2:33:49 GMT
Not overcoming,but still a great biography is Rob Lowe's Stories I Only Tell My Friends
|
|
thecurleyque
Junior Member
Posts: 97
|
Post by thecurleyque on Jul 3, 2014 3:32:02 GMT
American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson
|
|
krbeah
Junior Member
Posts: 92
|
Post by krbeah on Jul 3, 2014 3:40:50 GMT
A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard
|
|
|
|
Post by ntsf on Jul 3, 2014 3:44:33 GMT
the road from coorain....australian autobiography. really good.
|
|
|
|
Post by irisheyes on Jul 3, 2014 4:11:24 GMT
I love autobiographies and biographies. I loved The Glass Castle and Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls.
I had a hard time with Jaycee Dugard's autobiography, A Stolen Life - it was hard to read because it was so sad and graphic in the details of what happened to her. If you are an abuse survivor, I don't recommend it because it is quite triggering.
I loved the trilology of Ruth Minsky Sender of her story of surviving the Holocaust: The Cage, To Life, and The Holocaust Lady.
Primo Levi's Survival in Auschwitz is also very good.
Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Beals is a great account of her integration into Little Rock's Central High School.
In my Hands by Irene Gut Opdyke is the account of a Holocaust rescuer. She hid Jews in the house of a German soldier without him knowing about it.
German Boy: A Child in War by Wolfgang Samuel is his account of what it was like for a German child during WWII, very interesting book.
I also loved Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.
I enjoyed Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln.
I love true stories and read them often. There are so many others that I've enjoyed, but I don't want to overwhelm you with titles.
|
|
Pinky Zebra
Full Member
I love Daryl Dixon. I want to lick his face and have his babies.
Posts: 169
Location: West Texas
Jun 26, 2014 5:37:40 GMT
|
Post by Pinky Zebra on Jul 3, 2014 4:14:39 GMT
I have four - oops - make that five! (Edit) I really liked Escape by Carolyn Jessop. The FLDS ones fascinate me. I read another one earlier this year that was also decent. The Witness Wore Red.You need to read Prophet's Prey by Sam Broward. It was really good. He was a private investigator involved in the FLDS stuff. |
|
|
|
Post by *KatyCupcake* on Jul 3, 2014 4:23:59 GMT
I will agree with Unbroken. Amazing. Can't wait for it to come to the big screen.
I also was very moved by The Latehomecomer by Kao Kalia Yang. I got to hear her speak in person and she was inspiring.
I read Life in a Jar about Irena Sendler who rescued over 2,500 children and babies from the Warsaw Ghetto at the suggestion of a FB friend and it was amazing.
|
|
|
|
Post by irisheyes on Jul 3, 2014 5:21:30 GMT
Noregrets, Life in a Jar sounds amazing. I'll have to get that one.
|
|
|
|
Post by GamGam on Jul 3, 2014 14:05:06 GMT
I just finished "The Boys in the Boat" about the 1936 University of Washington crew team, which was the Berlin Olympics US team as well. It was fabulous I also found this to be an outstanding book. Gave a copy to each of my adult children. |
|
|
|
Post by giatocj on Jul 3, 2014 14:16:23 GMT
This one wasn't an "overcoming obstacles" book, but I really enjoyed "At Ease: Stories I tell my friends" by President Eisenhower. It was a great read.
|
|
|
|
Post by drawkcab on Jul 3, 2014 14:39:19 GMT
Thank you all!
I've read a few of the books mentioned - The Glass Castle, Half Broken Horses, A Stolen Life and Unbroken.
As much as I was inspired by them, I think the ones you've recommended will be great.
|
|
wellway
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,058
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
|
Post by wellway on Jul 3, 2014 14:46:12 GMT
An evil cradling by Brian Keenan
I read this book years ago but I was amazed at the strength of character that carried him and John McCarthy through the terror of their capture.
Amazon Blurb
Brian Keenan went to Beirut in 1985 for a change of scene from his native Belfast. He became headline news when he was kidnapped by fundamentalist Shi'ite militiamen and held in the suburbs of Beirut for the next four and a half years. For much of that time he was shut off from all news and contact with anyone other than his jailers and, later, his fellow hostages, amongst them John McCarthy.
|
|
The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 3,002
|
Post by The Great Carpezio on Jul 3, 2014 15:02:04 GMT
A Long Way Home--boy who gets separated from family and adopted to another family.
Rapture Practice-- growing up evangelical
Sous Chef-- a day in the life...
Fathermothergod---growing up Christian Scientist
Empty Mansions---recluse heiress
The Man in the Rockefeller Suit---sociopath imposter
Devil in the Grove: t. Marshall and "to Kill a Mockingbird" case
Coming Clean: growing up in hoarder family
Wave: surviving a tsunami
Pilgrim's Wilderness: insane guy takes family to Alaskan Wilderness
Beyond Belief: growing up in Scientology
38 Nooses: Dakota/U.S conflict
I Know Wht the Caged Bird Sings: maya Angelou memoir
Unorthodox: growing up Hasidic Jew
The Woman who Wasn't There: sept 11 imposter
Nothing to Envy: North Korea
Holy Ghost Girl;0: evangelical memoir
Born to Run: long distance running
A House in the Sky: surviving kidnapping
Wild: hiking trail on her own
A Thousand Lives: Jim. Jones and mass suicide
Breaking Night: crappy family memoir
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: scientific memoir/commentary
The Year of Living Biblically: humorous/choosing to live by all Biblical law
In the Sanctuary of Outcasts: incarcerated with victims of leprosy.
|
|
stellalou
Junior Member
Refupea #389
Posts: 75
|
Post by stellalou on Jul 3, 2014 15:05:29 GMT
The Glass Castle and A Stolen Life were both amazing!
|
|
|
|
Post by Scrapbrat on Jul 3, 2014 16:17:02 GMT
I just finished "The Boys in the Boat" about the 1936 University of Washington crew team, which was the Berlin Olympics US team as well. It was fabulous agreed. It is a great book. |
|
gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,825
|
Post by gottapeanow on Jul 3, 2014 17:12:17 GMT
Thank you for the rec, @pinky Zebra. I added Prophet's Prey to my Goodreads list, along with Life in a Jar. Because I need more books to read...  Lisa |
|
|
|
Post by slkone on Jul 3, 2014 17:15:40 GMT
Another vote for Unbroken. Timely since Louis Zamperini just passed away. One of the most inspiring stories I've ever read.
|
|
finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
|
Post by finaledition on Jul 3, 2014 20:12:37 GMT
Another vote for Unbroken. Timely since Louis Zamperini just passed away. One of the most inspiring stories I've ever read. Oh, I had not heard that. The first thing I did after finishing the book was google to see if he was still living. I was hoping he'd live to see his story on the big screen. There was a video of him and Angelina Jolie and they really seemed to have formed a genuine relationship. |
|
|
|
Post by *KatyCupcake* on Jul 4, 2014 3:02:44 GMT
Another vote for Unbroken. Timely since Louis Zamperini just passed away. One of the most inspiring stories I've ever read. Oh, I had not heard that. The first thing I did after finishing the book was google to see if he was still living. I was hoping he'd live to see his story on the big screen. There was a video of him and Angelina Jolie and they really seemed to have formed a genuine relationship. Louis Zamperini died yesterday at the age of 97! I am a little heavy hearted today over this news! The world says goodbye to a real hero. |
|
stittsygirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,607
Location: In the leaves and rain.
|
Post by stittsygirl on Jul 4, 2014 3:12:18 GMT
I loved, loved Confessions of a Prairie Bitch, by Alison Arngrim, who played Nellie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie. It's very funny, but also very touching, and she talks about the molestation she experienced growing up. It's also full of Little House stories, and later her work advancing AIDS awareness.
|
|
