Tag: (Auto)Biography Page 1 of 3

PUB DAY REPOST: Grandpappy’s Corner: Saint Valentine the Kindhearted by Ned Bustard: …Violets are Blue, I Liked this Book, and You Will, Too.

Grandpappy's Corner Logo Saint Valentine the Kindhearted

Saint Valentine the Kindhearted:
The History and Legends of
God’s Brave and Loving Servant

Written and Illustrated by Ned Bustard

DETAILS: 
Publisher: IVP Kids
Publication Date: January 16, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 32 pgs.
Read Date: October 5, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s Saint Valentine the Kindhearted About?

Why do we call our celebration of love on February 14th (St.) Valentine’s Day? Why do we use February 14th, for that matter?

Ned Bustard brings us another picture book Biography to teach young readers about Valentine, who was martyred under Claudius on February 14.

Granted, we don’t know a lot about Valentine and his work, but we have enough to fill this book (and, as I recall from wordier historical treatments, not much more). We get a touch of his early life, a look at his ministry (and the Roman culture), a notable miracle that’s ascribed to him, and a bit about the events leading to his martyrdom. All told in a child-appropriate rhyme.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

Bustard’s cartoon-y art is as great here as it was in his Saint Patrick the Forgiver. The thing that stands out to me is his inking. (at least that’s what we called it back when I was really into comics and talked about the art, hopefully, it still counts). The way he uses bold lines around his character’s faces/bodies (particularly Valentine’s), really makes them pop off the page and almost look like wooden puppets. (that’s the best I can do as far as describing the pictures)

He’s also able to convey a certain amount of unpleasantness and threat with Roman soldiers without changing the overall feel of the story and its appropriateness for young readers.

Now, in the Patrick book, he worked in a lot of Celtic knots and whatnot to give it a more Irish feel. Here he goes for a lot of differently colored hearts all over the pages. It didn’t even occur to me while reading the book to pay attention to that—it fit the overall Feb. 14th vibe. I should’ve known better—thankfully, he explained it in “A Note from the Author,” so when I read this with the Grandcritter I can seem more knowledgeable. He works in these hearts in different colors to represent the four types of love (eros, storge, philia, and agape) from ancient Greek thought (and a pretty good book by C.S. Lewis), showing how Valentine displayed and interacted with these types of love in various episodes in the book.

You can check out the Publisher’s site for a glimpse at the art and layout as a preview. This will probably give you a better idea than anything I tried to convey.

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s a nice little bit of rhyming text, and starting off with “Roses are red,” as often as he does, you’re going to get right into the rhythm reflexively, which is a nice touch. Some of the rhymes feel like a stretch to me*, but when you’ve got a good head of steam going as you read you probably won’t notice.

* “ago” and “van Gogh”, really? Also, that only works if you use the American pronunciation—sorry, British readers.

So, what did I think about Saint Valentine the Kindhearted?

I enjoyed this. I do wish we had more history to draw from for Bustard to use here (and, well, other historians writing for older audiences, too), just to fill out some of the details reliably. But this is a good introduction to the figure that’s had such a cultural impact so that even younger readers can know there’s basis to the celebration beyond chalky candies and silly drawings.

I don’t have a lot to say about this beyond that. It’s a fun read for the little folks, it has details and layers that older readers can appreciate and use to talk about bigger ideas with the little ones, too. Color me impressed yet again by Bustard and I’m eager to see what holiday/figure he picks next. Anyone trying to bring Early Church figures to the attention of the pre-K crowd deserves some applause and I’m happy to keep giving it, while gladly recommending you jump on board.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from InterVarsity Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.


3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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PUB DAY REPOST: Sundry Notes of Music: an Almost Memoir by Ian Shane: A Life’s Playlist

Since I inititially posted about this book, Shane has made a Spotify playlist to go along with this, I’d recommend giving it a listen as you read/after you read/before you read the book. It’s just a good mix of music (and I can’t imagine anyone else is going to come up with a playlist like this). It’s worth a listen or five even if you’re not interested in the book (and then you might be…)


Sundry Notes of MusicSundry Notes of Music:
an Almost Memoir

by Ian Shane

DETAILS:
Publisher: 45rpm Media
Publication Date: December 26, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 248 pg.
Read Date: October 27-30, 2023

What’s Sundry Notes of Music About?

Ian Shane takes a break from fiction to bring us a memoir that’s unlike most you’ve read. These began as a series of blog posts looking at his life through songs. Forty-six songs connected to forty-six stories from various parts of his life—an almost-memoir, as he puts it.

Some of the essays are tied to a particular version of a song, how a particular copy became part of his collection (or how he hunted for it), and others are because a particular episode or person became entwined with a song.

Almost everyone can relate to this book—everyone has those songs that when you hear them make you think of a particular place, person, time of life—or an old cassette tape, CD, or beat-up vinyl (maybe I should add pirate site or streaming service, too). It doesn’t take much for anyone to start listening to music and start reminiscing. Shane’s just been a bit more formal about the process than most of us and has written them down in these essays.

The Songs

I hesitate to admit this because I’m afraid I’m going to lose a lot of credibility with Shane. But I know less than a quarter of the songs from this book (at least the ones he devotes a chapter to—I know some of the others referenced).* Even worse, I disagree with him about the quality of more than one of those.

* I may know a few others if covered by another artist, or by hearing them on the radio or in the background somewhere without knowing the artist/title.

Does this matter? Not really, no. What matters is the connection and how Shane expresses it. What he says about his life and the song. This is why books like High Fidelity, Eddie and the Cruisers, Juliet, Naked, Thank You, Goodnight, The Rome of Fall, etc., etc., etc. work—because we can connect to music and music makers even when they’re fictional. We all know how it feels when we click with a song, how it can reflect and shape memories, how it can make you feel on several levels at once.

Sure, those handful of chapters involving songs (or artists) that I’m familiar with hit on another level or two. But not in a way that made things significantly different.

Also, it must be remembered—this is not a book of music criticism, as often as it may feel like it. It’s a memoir—it’s about how a song is connected to a time or event in the life of Ian Shane. So even if he made up “Supertheory of Supereverything” by Gogol Bordello (and come on…how hard would it be to believe that?), that wouldn’t particularly impact the way that chapter worked for the reader.*

* Aside from the fact that in a memoir things should be as close to true as possible while protecting privacy and allowing for fuzzy memory.

So, what did I think about Sundry Notes of Music?

I love the concept for this book—and wish I could read more like this. I think people exchanging track listings for their version (to be expanded upon by request) would make becoming friends much easier.

I also think this helps me understand shades of Shane’s novels (not just the parts that he points to in this book, either). As he’s one of those authors at the top of my list from the last few years, I particularly appreciated that—but since not enough of the world has heeded my calls to buy and read his work, I won’t expect many to see a similar appeal in this book. And as I’ve learned these last few years, you really don’t need to know much about the life or work of someone to be able to really enjoy a memoir, if the memoir is good enough. This one is.

Sure, I’d have liked another few chapters about the Tom Petty show. Do I think his estimation of The Beatles is lacking (however apt calling them the equivalent of a boy band may be)? Yes. Do I wish (primarily for his sake) that some of these chapters had ended on a “happier” note (particularly the chapters “talk tonight – oasis” and “life fades away – roy orbison”)? Sure, but’s not a comment on Shane’s writing, it’s reality rearing its head.

You can see traces of Hornby’s Songbook/31 Songs in these pages. Possibly Al Young’s Drowning in the Sea of Love (I don’t know, I hadn’t heard of it until Shane mentioned its influence). But this struck me as something more like Rob Sheffield’s Love Is a Mix Tape and Talking to Girls About Duran Duran—just involving a longer period of time. I may have grinned and chuckled more at Shane than Sheffield (those who’ve read the former will roll their eyes at me there, of course).

There are parts of this book that are very funny—some bittersweet, some tragic, some simply thoughtful. Multiple essays will hit all of those points and more. They’re all engaging in various ways. Not one track on this playlist is going to leave you looking for the skip button.

Readers of Hornby, Young, or Sheffield should appreciate this approach to memoir. Those who find this approach intriguing likely will, too. Readers of Shane’s novels will definitely find something to enjoy here. People who simply appreciate well-written memoirs/personal essays should give this a look, as well. Really, anyone who finds good writing appealing should give this a glance. Yes, I’m casting the net wide on that last sentence—that’s my point.


4 Stars

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Grandpappy’s Corner: Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver by Ned Bustard: The Making of a Legend

Yeah, this is a quick return to this author. But after the post a couple of weeks ago, I had to give this one a shot, too. And it seemed fitting to tackle it now. I’ll get back to “grown up books” next week, D.V.


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Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver:
The History and Legends
of the Real Santa Claus

Written and Illustrated by Ned Bustard

DETAILS: 
Publisher: IVP Kids
Publication Date: October 12, 2021
Format: Hardcover
Length: 29 pg.
Read Date: December 17, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver About?

This is all in the title and subtitle, really. This is a Picture Book Biography of Saint Nicholas, covering both the history we have and some of the legends that arose about him to the point he became our Santa Claus.

He covers the life of Nicholas from birth to death pretty well—working in Diocletian’s persecution and how Nicholas was freed by Constantine, a hint of the Arian Controversy, and Nicholas’ work overall—including some of the legends that grew about him during his lifetime (that probably had a basis in truth).

Then he turns to the stories that have grown up about Nicholas as he transformed into Santa Claus with the magical reindeer—with Bustard trying to tie in even that idea of Nicholas to the work of the Savior. How successful he was I’ll leave to the reader to decide.

The Slap

No, I’m not talking about a certain actor at the Oscars in 2022. I’m talking about the legendary time that Nicholas struck (in some form) Arius at Nicea. Bustard skipped it. The most he said was:

he did all he could
to stop that bad pries.

Now, I was curious to see how he’d address it—if only because I think it’d be a real attention grabber for the target audience. But it’s probably wise to skip it, you don’t want to encourage younger readers to start assaulting people.

But c’mon, if you heard that some kid had been inspired by a Picture Book to slap a kid in Sunday School who kept giving bad answers—you’d laugh. You’d feel bad and repent after, but you’d laugh. I’m getting off the point, though.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

First, I really liked the way he made Nicholas have the skin tone of someone who was from Türkiye. Especially as white as Santa is usually depicted (and certain news programs insist on), that was a refreshing choice.

The use of mice throughout was a nice touch (and is explained in Bustard’s author’s note). But the best part was the subtle transformation of his clothing and appearance throughout to more and more look like a figure worthy of being an illustration alongside Clement Clarke Moore.

Basically, everything I’d say about the art is what I said when I talked about his Saint Valentine the Kindhearted book two weeks ago. Feel free to go check that.

There are a couple of Second-Commandment violations that naturally trouble me. But they don’t call attention to themselves and can be glossed over if that’s how you’d like to proceed. I’m honestly not sure if I’ll do that, or consign this one to the “we don’t read that one” pile.

How is it to Read Aloud?

A couple of the rhymes are…well, let’s go with imaginative. I will admit I stumbled on a them as I read it to the Grandcritter. But…other than that, it was fun.

There’s some decent rhythm to it, and the sweetness of a lot of it comes out better when you read aloud. Or maybe that was just me. Anyway, it works really well as a read-aloud.

So, what did I think about Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver?

I liked this—I do think Bustard improved his writing with his next two books, but the promise is there. Some lines—several lines—are great and made me smile. As I said before, the art is great. The two together make this a winner.

For me, I’d have appreciated it more if he’d given us a little more history and a little less explanation of the legend around Nicholas. But I’m not sure he’d have been able to do as nice of a job explaining the legend as he did had he devoted less time to it.

Which does make me think—given the age of the audience for this book, it’s a little risky to wade into anything about Santa Claus for some people. I think he handled that as well as he could, and readers who don’t understand everything about Santa the way that grown-ups do should be okay.

I do have a couple of misgivings about this book, but I’m maybe thinking about this more than I should. I don’t think so, but I imagine others will tell me I am. It’s good enough to think about getting and reading—just know that of the three books that Bustard has written so far, it’s the least successful.


3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Grandpappy’s Corner: Saint Valentine the Kindhearted by Ned Bustard: …Violets are Blue, I Liked this Book, and You Will, Too.

Grandpappy's Corner Logo Saint Valentine the Kindhearted

Saint Valentine the Kindhearted:
The History and Legends of
God’s Brave and Loving Servant

Written and Illustrated by Ned Bustard

DETAILS: 
Publisher: IVP Kids
Publication Date: January 16, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 32 pgs.
Read Date: October 5, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s Saint Valentine the Kindhearted About?

Why do we call our celebration of love on February 14th (St.) Valentine’s Day? Why do we use February 14th, for that matter?

Ned Bustard brings us another picture book Biography to teach young readers about Valentine, who was martyred under Claudius on February 14.

Granted, we don’t know a lot about Valentine and his work, but we have enough to fill this book (and, as I recall from wordier historical treatments, not much more). We get a touch of his early life, a look at his ministry (and the Roman culture), a notable miracle that’s ascribed to him, and a bit about the events leading to his martyrdom. All told in a child-appropriate rhyme.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

Bustard’s cartoon-y art is as great here as it was in his Saint Patrick the Forgiver. The thing that stands out to me is his inking. (at least that’s what we called it back when I was really into comics and talked about the art, hopefully, it still counts). The way he uses bold lines around his character’s faces/bodies (particularly Valentine’s), really makes them pop off the page and almost look like wooden puppets. (that’s the best I can do as far as describing the pictures)

He’s also able to convey a certain amount of unpleasantness and threat with Roman soldiers without changing the overall feel of the story and its appropriateness for young readers.

Now, in the Patrick book, he worked in a lot of Celtic knots and whatnot to give it a more Irish feel. Here he goes for a lot of differently colored hearts all over the pages. It didn’t even occur to me while reading the book to pay attention to that—it fit the overall Feb. 14th vibe. I should’ve known better—thankfully, he explained it in “A Note from the Author,” so when I read this with the Grandcritter I can seem more knowledgeable. He works in these hearts in different colors to represent the four types of love (eros, storge, philia, and agape) from ancient Greek thought (and a pretty good book by C.S. Lewis), showing how Valentine displayed and interacted with these types of love in various episodes in the book.

You can check out the Publisher’s site for a glimpse at the art and layout as a preview. This will probably give you a better idea than anything I tried to convey.

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s a nice little bit of rhyming text, and starting off with “Roses are red,” as often as he does, you’re going to get right into the rhythm reflexively, which is a nice touch. Some of the rhymes feel like a stretch to me*, but when you’ve got a good head of steam going as you read you probably won’t notice.

* “ago” and “van Gogh”, really? Also, that only works if you use the American pronunciation—sorry, British readers.

So, what did I think about Saint Valentine the Kindhearted?

I enjoyed this. I do wish we had more history to draw from for Bustard to use here (and, well, other historians writing for older audiences, too), just to fill out some of the details reliably. But this is a good introduction to the figure that’s had such a cultural impact so that even younger readers can know there’s basis to the celebration beyond chalky candies and silly drawings.

I don’t have a lot to say about this beyond that. It’s a fun read for the little folks, it has details and layers that older readers can appreciate and use to talk about bigger ideas with the little ones, too. Color me impressed yet again by Bustard and I’m eager to see what holiday/figure he picks next. Anyone trying to bring Early Church figures to the attention of the pre-K crowd deserves some applause and I’m happy to keep giving it, while gladly recommending you jump on board.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from InterVarsity Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.


3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Sundry Notes of Music: an Almost Memoir by Ian Shane: A Life’s Playlist

Sundry Notes of MusicSundry Notes of Music:
an Almost Memoir

by Ian Shane

DETAILS:
Publisher: 45rpm Media
Publication Date: December 26, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 248 pg.
Read Date: October 27-30, 2023

What’s Sundry Notes of Music About?

Ian Shane takes a break from fiction to bring us a memoir that’s unlike most you’ve read. These began as a series of blog posts looking at his life through songs. Forty-six songs connected to forty-six stories from various parts of his life—an almost-memoir, as he puts it.

Some of the essays are tied to a particular version of a song, how a particular copy became part of his collection (or how he hunted for it), and others are because a particular episode or person became entwined with a song.

Almost everyone can relate to this book—everyone has those songs that when you hear them make you think of a particular place, person, time of life—or an old cassette tape, CD, or beat-up vinyl (maybe I should add pirate site or streaming service, too). It doesn’t take much for anyone to start listening to music and start reminiscing. Shane’s just been a bit more formal about the process than most of us and has written them down in these essays.

The Songs

I hesitate to admit this because I’m afraid I’m going to lose a lot of credibility with Shane. But I know less than a quarter of the songs from this book (at least the ones he devotes a chapter to—I know some of the others referenced).* Even worse, I disagree with him about the quality of more than one of those.

* I may know a few others if covered by another artist, or by hearing them on the radio or in the background somewhere without knowing the artist/title.

Does this matter? Not really, no. What matters is the connection and how Shane expresses it. What he says about his life and the song. This is why books like High Fidelity, Eddie and the Cruisers, Juliet, Naked, Thank You, Goodnight, The Rome of Fall, etc., etc., etc. work—because we can connect to music and music makers even when they’re fictional. We all know how it feels when we click with a song, how it can reflect and shape memories, how it can make you feel on several levels at once.

Sure, those handful of chapters involving songs (or artists) that I’m familiar with hit on another level or two. But not in a way that made things significantly different.

Also, it must be remembered—this is not a book of music criticism, as often as it may feel like it. It’s a memoir—it’s about how a song is connected to a time or event in the life of Ian Shane. So even if he made up “Supertheory of Supereverything” by Gogol Bordello (and come on…how hard would it be to believe that?), that wouldn’t particularly impact the way that chapter worked for the reader.*

* Aside from the fact that in a memoir things should be as close to true as possible while protecting privacy and allowing for fuzzy memory.

So, what did I think about Sundry Notes of Music?

I love the concept for this book—and wish I could read more like this. I think people exchanging track listings for their version (to be expanded upon by request) would make becoming friends much easier.

I also think this helps me understand shades of Shane’s novels (not just the parts that he points to in this book, either). As he’s one of those authors at the top of my list from the last few years, I particularly appreciated that—but since not enough of the world has heeded my calls to buy and read his work, I won’t expect many to see a similar appeal in this book. And as I’ve learned these last few years, you really don’t need to know much about the life or work of someone to be able to really enjoy a memoir, if the memoir is good enough. This one is.

Sure, I’d have liked another few chapters about the Tom Petty show. Do I think his estimation of The Beatles is lacking (however apt calling them the equivalent of a boy band may be)? Yes. Do I wish (primarily for his sake) that some of these chapters had ended on a “happier” note (particularly the chapters “talk tonight – oasis” and “life fades away – roy orbison”)? Sure, but’s not a comment on Shane’s writing, it’s reality rearing its head.

You can see traces of Hornby’s Songbook/31 Songs in these pages. Possibly Al Young’s Drowning in the Sea of Love (I don’t know, I hadn’t heard of it until Shane mentioned its influence). But this struck me as something more like Rob Sheffield’s Love Is a Mix Tape and Talking to Girls About Duran Duran—just involving a longer period of time. I may have grinned and chuckled more at Shane than Sheffield (those who’ve read the former will roll their eyes at me there, of course).

There are parts of this book that are very funny—some bittersweet, some tragic, some simply thoughtful. Multiple essays will hit all of those points and more. They’re all engaging in various ways. Not one track on this playlist is going to leave you looking for the skip button.

Readers of Hornby, Young, or Sheffield should appreciate this approach to memoir. Those who find this approach intriguing likely will, too. Readers of Shane’s novels will definitely find something to enjoy here. People who simply appreciate well-written memoirs/personal essays should give this a look, as well. Really, anyone who finds good writing appealing should give this a glance. Yes, I’m casting the net wide on that last sentence—that’s my point.


4 Stars

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Grandpappy’s Corner: Saint Patrick the Forgiver by Ned Bustard: Patrick’s Story Told for Wee Ones

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Saint Patrick the Forgiver:
The History and Legends of Ireland’s Bishop

Written and Illustrated by Ned Bustard

DETAILS:
Publisher: IVP Kids
Publication Date: February 21, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 32 pg.
Read Date: February 17, 2023
Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

What’s Saint Patrick the Forgiver About?

Drawing on both legends about him and Patrick’s Confessions, this book tells the life story of Patrick of Ireland for the youngest set.

It starts off with his childhood and touches briefly on his period of slavery before moving into his return home and the call to Ireland. It doesn’t gloss over the hard parts of his life, but it doesn’t dwell on them, either. The focus is on Patrick forgiving those who wronged him, spreading the gospel—and even teaching the Trinity via the shamrock.

The book even covers some of the myths that arose around Patrick—baptizing a giant, driving out the snakes, etc.—working that in seamlessly with the book and not distracting from the main point.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

This art is great—it’s friendly and cartoonish, with great colors and details. Bustard also weaves in traditional Celtic knots and Christian art (like elements seen in The Book of Kells, etc.). So we’ve got a pretty modern feel with a lot of Irish elements thrown in to ground it in Patrick’s history.

Are kids going to get that? Nope. Will the adults reading it with/to the kids? Quite likely. And if not, I think they’ll still appreciate it the art, even if they’re not familiar with the influences Bustard is drawing from.

Click here for a two page sample (picture and text) on the Publisher’s site. I’m not sure it’s the image I’d have used, but it’s representative.

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s pretty fun—the rhythm is easy and the rhymes are nice (and only one or two of them seemed like stretching things to make the rhyme).

The Grandcritter isn’t around yet to listen to me read this, but I still read most of it aloud just to see how it went—I think it went pretty smoothly and I could have some fun with it.

So, what did I think about Saint Patrick the Forgiver?

This was a great way to give an age-appropriate lesson in forgiveness while telling the story of one of the heroes of the faith. I was entertained, and even chuckled a couple of times.

It’s a great combination of story, art, rhyme, and lesson. I can see this winning over little audiences as much as it did me. Hopefully, it’ll lodge in their minds enough that they’ll want to learn more about Patrick as they grow older and through him the Three-in-One that Patrick spent his life teaching about.

I strongly recommend this quick little read.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from InterVarsity Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.


5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir by Matthew Perry: A Memoir of Self-Destruction

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible ThingFriends, Lovers, and the
Big Terrible Thing:
A Memoir

by Matthew Perry

DETAILS:
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: October 31, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 8 hrs., 49 min.
Read Date: December 6-7, 2023
Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

My mind is out to kill me, and I know it. I am constantly filled with a lurking loneliness, a yearning, clinging to the notion that something outside of me will fix me. But I had had all that the outside had to offer!

What’s Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing About?

This isn’t full of—but does contain—some good, behind-the-scenes stuff about Friends, Fools Rush In, The Whole Nine Yards, Mr. Sunshine, The Odd Couple, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and other projects. But those don’t make up the bulk of the material. And those are interesting, amusing, and support the overall thesis of the book—he’s an addict who has been blessed with more good things than he knows how to handle.

There’s some juicy (largely nameless, but you can read between the lines) bits about his love life—as the title suggests. But again, there’s not much of that overall—and those, too, serve to support the overall thesis—even more than the professional matters do.

Then there’s the Big Terrible Thing—his addictions themselves, how he got started, how he maintained them, and his several attempts to get sober (of varying successes and lengths of success). He also goes into graphic (perhaps too graphic) detail about the physical toll they’ve taken on him—and the financial, emotional, and mental toll they’ve taken on those close to him.

How Perry Comes Across

When this book first came out (or just before it) there were more than a few headlines about some (I’m going to be charitable and call them) questionable jokes he made about Keanu Reeves and some people casting doubt about some of the particulars of some of his stories. Given how impaired he was during most of those disputed events (and just about every other event he recounts), I’m not surprised he doesn’t remember them correctly, and I don’t think it should be held against him. The Reeves jokes, on the other hand, might have seemed like a good idea at the time—but his editors really should’ve stopped them. I jotted down a note after the second one that “someone at Macmillan must have it out for him to let this make it to print.”

But both of those things pale in comparison to everything that Perry admits to in this book. He doesn’t come across as a good guy at all—and I don’t think he’s trying to. Sure, the fact that he’s (seemingly) coming clean about everything and (seemingly) taking responsibility for the lies, destructive behaviors, and despicable actions might make some people want to think better of him—but I don’t think he really wants that.

He comes across—and I realize this could be entirely calculated—as someone who is being honest about his shortcomings, seeking to explain the devastation his addictions have wrought on himself and many, many of those around him—how he’s somehow managed to have some success in the midst of that. He gives credit to some of those who’ve helped him get to this point in recovery—or kept him alive long enough to get there. In the end, however, Perry’s not a good guy and doesn’t pretend to be one. He’s a mess who will very likely kill himself if he relapses a time or two more.

So, what did I think about Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing?

I’ve been a big fan of Perry’s since Friends (I can point to the joke that made me one)—I’ve seen almost everything he’s done (sometimes not because of him, but I appreciated his involvement). But I put this book under the category of “will get around to eventually, maybe.” Until I saw people reacting to how much of the focus of the book is on the Big Terrible Thing. And that piqued my interest.

That sounds ghoulish, I realize, but hearing a well-documented addict talking about their struggles is something that I appreciate. It helps me empathize with those I know fighting that fight, and I hope, helps me understand and appreciate their struggles.

Perry’s clear that he’s been given every opportunity, tool, and help to get sober and to maintain that sobriety. And he’s squandered almost every one of them. And it has yet to work. The amounts he takes on a regular basis when he uses is…it’s a shocking amount—and only someone as wealthy as he is could pull it off.

At the same time, there’s a glimmer of hope. A faint glimmer, sure. But there is one—and if someone whose rock bottom is as low as Perry’s was can maybe make it—there’s hope for others, too. And that’s the big thing I took away—there’s hope. Hope for other addicts, hope for Perry.

I thought this was a riveting and disturbing read—made tolerable by Perry’s off-kilter and somewhat humorous telling of the stories. It’s not like most celebrity memoirs I’ve read (but I don’t think it’s that ground-breaking)—but definitely worth the time.


4 Stars
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Yes, Chef: A Memoir by Marcus Samuelsson with Veronica Chambers: A Life in Food

Yes, ChefYes, Chef:
A Memoir

by Marcus Samuelsson with Veronica Chambers

DETAILS:
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: June 26, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Length: 315 pg.
Read Date: December 21-26, 2022
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How I’m Going to Approach This

There is very little reason to believe that Veronica Chambers didn’t write this book. Obviously, Marcus Samuelsson provided the stories, the perspective, the passion, the insight—but I doubt he had much to do with the composition, the organization, and so on. I assume it’s his voice reflected in the style.

But the pronoun used to tell this life story is “I,” not “he.” Whatever agreement the two of them made didn’t even get her name on the cover (thankfully, subsequent editions do give her a “with” credit). She does get a couple of paragraphs devoted to her work in the acknowledgments, so there is that. Anyway, I’m going to follow along with the book and talk about “him” and “Samuelsson” when I talk about the book—but let’s all imagine a big asterisk each time I do, okay?

(I thought about actually putting an asterisk each time with a little footnote—but there’s the potential for that to get really messy)

What’s Yes, Chef About?

In Meki, the small farming village where ’m from, there are no roads. We are actually from an even smaller village than Meki, called Abrugandana, that does not exist on most maps. You go to Meki, take a right in the middle of nowhere, walk about five miles, and that is where we are from.

I really should think of another way to start off this post—because really, it’s all on the cover: “Marcus Samuelsson” and “A Memoir.”

This is about the life of Marcus Samuelsson—there’s a brief description of his life in Ethiopia for the first few years of his life. What he’s reconstructed about his mother, as well as her journey to get medical care for herself, Marcus, and his sister. She died before she could get help, but her children got the help, recovered, and were adopted by a wonderful Swedish couple. We spend a few chapters looking at his life in Sweden—family, friends, soccer, and then cooking—before moving on to him beginning his education and career.

He spends a lot of time on the early days of his training and career, talking about his struggles, his opportunities, his drive. There are highs and lows—somehow cooking for one chef’s dog becomes a high “I did my best. That old, ill-tempered retriever ate better than anybody: I’d take a piece of tenderloin, salt and pepper it and sauté it off quickly, then maybe put mustard on it.” Samuelsson’s attitude, optimism, humility (frequently self-conscious and/or self-imposed), and drive made a lot of these lows into highs—or at least not terribly low. We get a little bit about his personal life here—but not much. Part of that is because the focus is on Marcus Samuelsson the chef, but it’s also because Marcus Samuelsson the would-be chef sacrificed almost every moment of his life to become the chef he is.

Then he talks about his time in New York—the early struggles, the big opportunities, and how he (with help, he’s always quick to talk about everyone who helped). As we get to the last decade or so of his life, the chronological approach is largely discarded for a topical approach—reconnecting with his family in Ethiopia (and the foods of Africa), race in high-end restaurants, his wife, meeting his abandoned daughter, professional failures (big ones), preparing the first state dinner for President Obama, and his (then) new Harlem restaurant.

A case could be made that this entire book is a sales pitch and mission statement for that restaurant, Red Rooster. As that (at the point this book was written) was the pinnacle of his career, what the whole thing was leading to, that makes sense. It almost comes across as one of those books that presidential hopefuls publish right before they announce their candidacy. I do wonder a bit what this book would’ve looked like if he’d written it now, a full decade later, would the philosophy behind and mission of Red Rooster be as prominent, or would it be a stepping stone to whatever his new project is? Or would it get the same kind of treatment it did, with a “at the same time, X, allows me to express this, too” kind of feel?

Food

This food has as much integrity and power as any French food I’d ever eaten. Why did people fly in Dijon mustard when they could make their own, fresher and better? I started to ask myself, Who lied? Who started the lie that France had the greatest food in the world? That question ran through my head every time I bit into something new and that changed my notions of what “good food” is.

The book starts with an element of cooking—an Ethiopian spice mix—and it doesn’t stop from there. I doubt something about cooking, flavor, or food is mentioned on every page. But I’m going to say it’s on 95% of them. (and if you told me I was wrong and it was on every page, I would believe you). Part of this is the branding, but most of it is this is the way that Marcus Samuelsson looks at the world (that might be changing later in life, but from his teen years to the age he starts making time for family, that’s it).

Now, almost no one is going to pick up Samuelsson’s memoir unless they care about high-end cuisine, his particular type of cooking, or anything like that. No one is saying, “I love that guy’s taste in hats, I want to read about his life.”* This book will reward that food-conscious reader—I loved the parts about his training, the kitchen struggles, the story of working up through the ranks—and how he’s helping others through that process now. And the food? Wow. Anytime you read about someone caring so much about something—regardless of what it is—you can’t help but get energized about it.

* Sadly, there’s almost no discussion of his fashion choices—just his food—I could never pull off his style, but I wouldn’t mind picking up some tips on hat and shoe selection.

I’m not a gourmet—I enjoy watching chefs at work, hearing—and occasionally reading—about their work. But most of the food in this book would not be something I’d enjoy. That retriever’s dinner sounds pretty good to me—as does a lot of the street food Samuelsson tried out in his early NYC days, and the Ethiopian food he’s exposed to when he first visits. But the stuff that Samuelsson prepares? No thanks. I’ll read about it any day, but you can leave it off of my plate.

Before I forget, there’s a great story about this executive chef with multiple restaurants (at the time) being schooled by a woman in Ethiopia using a dented can as a ladle while preparing injera, “her words of encouragement were delivered with the patient tone you take with a not-so-gifted child.”

Race

Growing up when and where he did, Samuelsson knew he was different—but by and large (and he describes why), this wasn’t an issue for him until he left home. But doors were closed for him because of his race, and he knew it.

It’s worse in the U.S. than it was in Europe, but it wasn’t a cakewalk there.

Between his life experience, his success, and seeing other people’s struggles/successes, Samuelsson has a lot to say about race and its place in restaurants (front and back of house). Because of his upbringing, when it comes to the U.S., he’s an informed outsider—but when it’s about restaurant culture, he’s an insider through and through. He has valuable insights on both fronts.

The Organization of the Book

I would eventually learn that all chefs worth their mettle have their own styles and their own passions, but every single one of them can go from zero to asshole quicker than the average Joe. You have to be willing to be a jerk. Otherwise it’s not worth it, the years of apprenticeship, the never Wall Street—level money, the ungrateful diners, the misfit miscreants you count on to execute each service flawlessly, not to mention the prima donna behavior of all those raw ingredients—the coquettish egg whites that may or may not fluff properly for you today; the potatoes that may decide that today is the day that they will burn, not crisp; the tomatoes that didn’t ripen because of an unexpected heat wave. As a chef, you are at the mercy of the farmer, the butcher, the fishmonger, the weather, and God.

I thought I had more to say about this than I do, but I want to give a little time for this—when we get to fairly contemporary events, the book becomes more topical than chronological. I understand this to an extent—here’s all his professional failures, here’s his professional/personal failures, here’s his personal growth and failures, etc. Also, it’s harder to consider “current events” in your own life chronologically.

But I really wish that wasn’t the approach—all the backtracking makes it hard to track how this professional shortcoming feeds into this personal triumph (and vice versa). For me, that would’ve been better storytelling.

So, what did I think about Yes, Chef?

Food memories give people something to talk about—our food, our culture, our journey. The North Star here is Harlem. The restaurant had to be a place that honored and mirrored the mystique of the renaissance but showed the new Harlem—inclusive of both old and new. The menu had to tell the story of all of Harlem’s residents—Latin, Southern, Caribbean, Jewish, Italian. When I cook, I see faces: When I make meatballs, I see my grandmother and her smile. When I make my flan with condensed milk and whipped chocolate, I try to honor all the young Latinas from Spanish Harlem for whom this is a signature dish. My take on dirty rice—shrimp with curry rice—is a tribute to all of the many multiracial Jamaican families who are a mix of black, Indian, and Chinese. I want to do them all justice.

I ended up enjoying this more than I expected to—I picked it for a Reading Challenge because I knew a bit about Samuelsson having watched him on roughly 17,000 various things on Food Network and Netflix, and figured it couldn’t help but be an interesting read just for the biography part alone. But I really didn’t expect to connect with the food parts as much as I did (but I really should have)—and I thought what he said about the people, places, and history he’s connecting with and helping with Red Rooster was pretty inspiring.

I said that thing about a presidential campaign book earlier as kind of a quip, but I haven’t been able to get that out of my head. That’s really what this is—here’s Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s mission statement. If you’re on board with it, go visit his restaurant(s), try to think about these things as you cook yourself (or evaluate other people’s cooking).

If you’re into food at all—beyond fuel to keep going—you might want to give this a read. Samuelsson (and Chambers) will reward your time.


3 Stars

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Cyprian of Carthage: His Life and Impact by Brian J. Arnold: An Unfocused Introduction to the Father

Cyprian of CarthageCyprian of Carthage:
His Life & Impact

by Brian J. Arnold

DETAILS:
Series: The Early Church Fathers
Publisher: Christian Focus Publications
Publication Date: February 1, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 138
Read Date: July 24, 2022
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The Series

In case you hadn’t read what I thought of the other book I’ve read in this series, let me start with the thumbnail description of the series I came up with:

I literally stumbled on to this series, The Early Church Fathers, a few weeks ago and thought it sounded like a great idea. It looked kind of like a mix of Crossway’s Theologians on the Christian Life and Oxford’s Very Short Introductions (incidentally, that’s what it ended up being).

What’s Cyprian of Carthage About?

Arnold has two aims for this short book: to introduce the third-century Father, Cyprian of Carthage, to his readers and to show that Cyprian has a use and significance for Christians today, especially as Arnold suggests that “Increasingly our world* looks more like Cyprian’s world.”

* Arnold seems to mean the Western world, perhaps, the United States, when he says “our world.”

Introducing Cyprian

Like the biography composed by Pontius, his contemporary, Arnold pretty much ignores Cyprian’s early years and starts with his conversion. It’s clear that he came from a prominent family, and seems to have held some noteworthy position in local government.

Soon after his conversion, he’s made bishop and it’s not long after that when he finds himself embroiled in controversies, some of which come out of the persecution of the Church. Arnold gives a quick overview of the nature of the controversies and Cyprian’s role and positions in each.

His Significance for Today

The latter part of the book focuses on “three areas where modern evangelicals would benefit by retrieving Cyprian: ecclesiology, virtue, and suffering and martyrdom.” Arnold sketches out each of these areas and points to how he thinks we could use the Father’s point of view.

So, what did I think about Cyprian of Carthage?

Because death and torture were always a possibility, Cyprian needed to make martyrdom appealing so that people would not drown in fear under the next wave of persecution.

The idea of making martyrdom appealing is pretty appalling to me. Sure, buttressing the faith of his people so they’d be able to stand fast during the next wave of persecution in the face of the possibility of martyrdom, is one thing. But making it appealing? Really?

Arnold also spends a lot of time discussing whether a certain period of history could be construed as a time of persecution—it’s an interesting question, and one probably worthy of debate with the scholar he’s focused on. But in a book of 138 pages, it’s not worth spending several paragraphs on the question.

I had a few other quibbles with his approach and some details of the writing. But it’s really not worth getting into.

This is a helpful volume, but it could’ve been better if Arnold had been a bit more focused on Cyprian and stayed out of extraneous areas. I do have a better appreciation for Cyprian, and I appreciate that. I just hoped for more.


3 Stars

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Augustine of Hippo: His Life and Impact by Bradley G. Green: A Protestant Introduction to this Important Father

Augustine of HippoAugustine of Hippo:
His Life and Impact

by Bradley G. Green

DETAILS:
Series: The Early Church Fathers
 
Publisher: Christian Focus Publications
Publication Date: November 6, 2020
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 224 pg.
Read Date: May 22, 2022
Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

At the end of the day, we stand on the shoulders of giants. One of the giants of giants is undoubtedly Augustine. Protestants and Catholics will continue to read him and mine his works, which is as it should be. He built the edifice of Western theology, and one simply cannot grasp the nature and contour of Western theology without going through Augustine.

What’s Augustine of Hippo About?

This is a mini-biography of Augustine and an overview of his more significant writing and teaching.

As a biography, the emphasis is on Augustine’s early life up through being made a priest—and it tends to gloss over everything else. It was interesting—even if a lot of it was common knowledge (if it can be said that anything about a Church Father is common knowledge).

Then it moves into an overview of some of Augustine’s teachings and the controversies he was involved in—the Pelagian controversy and his struggles against the Donatists in particular.

Strengths

I thought the material on the nature of God and The Trinity was very helpful. The section on the Donatists was great—and not just because that’s something I’ve been meaning to read about for a dozen years.

The chapter “Augustine and the Protestant,” was a great addition to this book. Green’s honest about the differences between Augustine and those who’d claim to follow him during and after the Reformation. But he’s also good at pointing out where Augustine would have common ground with us, and it’s good to see how Protestant thought developed Augustine.

The Series

I literally stumbled on to this series, The Early Church Fathers, a few weeks ago and thought it sounded like a great idea. It looked kind of like a mix of Crossway’s Theologians on the Christian Life and Oxford’s Very Short Introductions (incidentally, that’s what it ended up being).

I picked this one to start with because while I’m no Augustine expert at all, I’m familiar enough with him—his life and writing—to have a rough idea about how to evaluate the book. If I’d picked Basil or Patrick, there’s be more guesswork involved.

So, what did I think about Augustine of Hippo?

First, as I began to lay out my writing and reading agenda, and to think through how to structure the book, one thought kept pressing itself upon me: I want to write a book that I would hand to someone who asked: ‘What would you recommend to me if I wanted to begin to understand Augustine?’ Life is too short for ‘just another book’ on Augustine. So, I hope you find that this is a book about which you can say: ‘It gave me a good overview of who Augustine was and what he thought.’ Second, this book is written by someone committed to the theological perspective of the Protestant Reformation. Rather than be coy or even duplicitous, it is best to be straightforward on this point.

On those terms, the book was a success. I really thought this was great—I really liked both the look at his life and his writings. Green provided an overview of Augustine and his thought that covers all the basics, and while it may not get into the weeds on everything—he at least points out where some of the weeds are.

You can’t be thorough in 200 pages when it comes to someone like Augustine (it can’t be done when it comes to most people—and most people aren’t Augustine) and Green doesn’t even pretend to try. This is about the essentials. This is about beginning to understand.

Yes, Roman Catholics are going to have some problems with what he says about Augustine. But I think he made a good-faith effort to not just get Augustine on his side (as he says a couple of times).

This is an easy read, but still thoughtful. It’ll also make the reader want to read more about Augustine* and maybe take Green’s advice on where to start reading the man himself.

* Like maybe the entry on Augustine in the aforementioned Crossway series.


3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

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