The Rose That Grew From Concrete

This book was written by one of the late great rappers/philosophers of our time, (2Pac)Tupac Shakur. If anyone has read his poetry or listened to his music, I'm sure others would agree. Well, that is what this book is. It is a collection of the many poems that he had written throughout his life. It touches on many issues he had either been there himself to see or had seen what others themselves had gone through. A small collection of many of the writings he left for others to learn.

The Final Result:

I Genuinely Loved and Honored this book.

There was a lot of it that you could just take away with you and value and pass it on!

In the end:

I loved and valued this book!

Singing Songs

This next book was written by actress Meg Tilly. It speaks of her life growing up in Wonnock, along with her sister Jennifer. It is written entirely as the author narrating. It speaks of her life growing up and overcoming many types of abuse. She tries to then tries to deny the facts of what happens to her and her sister in their own home and how she dealt with this horrific past.

The End Result:



I really liked this book. Some of what I read was shocking to read. The way that Meg(Anna) had to life the life she had to endure. The way to explain it is this: trying to catch your breath when the water is rising fearing you will drown. It is HONESTLY captivating. I really enjoyed it.



To speak honestly,
I didn't really know much of Meg's career as either an author/actress. All I knew of was her work in the film "The Big Chill". I really wanted to know more of the background of her sister, Jennifer Tilly.

I know that all siblings have a different idea of what the past is. But this would have given me some sort of an idea of what it was like. But in all SERIOUS HONESTY, I really did thoroughly enjoyed this book cover-to-cover.




In The End:

I really did enjoy it!

Objection!

This next book was written by CNN/TruTv's Nancy Grace (with Diane Clehane). It was her first publication as an author. It speaks of her life growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, her dreams of becoming an English teacher, the incident that wrecked that dream and finally, finding a name for herself in another arena (the COURTROOM arena). It also speaks of her insight on the many publicized courtroom trials famous throughout history leading up to those up the date of this book's publication and also how "celebrity" helps those famous with the law .




The End Result:



I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this book! I loved the way that (Ms.) Nancy managed to put the pieces of her life back together after the horrific incident described. The way she took a tragedy and pushed herself to become an advocate for justice.

I also liked how she gave insight on what went down on various cases such as the following:

. O.J. Simpson
. Scott Peterson
. The late Michael Jackson
and many, many more infamous cases



In The End:


I LOVED this book!

On The Couch

One of the many books that I have read and remember well is one written by actress Lorraine Bracco. It speaks on about her life growing up in Brooklyn, her stints as a young model, her life as an actress and the roles she took, and finally her most important role of all: a mother of two girls. This chronicle of Lorraine's life is also one that you would want to recommend to others.




The End Result:



I have ABSOLUTELY loved this book. There were some things that were spoken of that would never leave your mind. When you see her on the screen, after reading this book, you would look back and remember that it is hard to conceive, mentally, that she would have gone through what she did!




So to put an end to this book:




I LOVED this Book!

Celebrity Detox

This next book was one written by actress/comedienne Rosie O'Donnell. It speaks of her growing up in New York City and the loss of her mother to cancer when she was just 13-years-old. It goes into detail of how she turned pain into laughter, and eventually a career that gave her a moderator's seat on 'The View' and the on-and-off camera disagreements that lead to her departure.





The End Result:




I liked the biography portion of her growing up and then later her career. I also liked how it kind of goes back into her biography and then starts back up into telling her story starting after she left her own daytime talk-show 'The Rosie O'Donnell Show' and the in-between of there and leading to 'The View'. But when it came to her very public feud with Donald Trump and then eventually her co-host Elizabeth Hasselback, I was HONESTLY on Rosie's side in the spat that was seen worldwide LIVE!


I thought that it was, you know, Barbara's not there so Elizabeth acted as if she is THE BOSS and it's her show and she pushed Rosie off the show. Since, to me, Elizabeth has that attitude that she can take control and act like she IS boss. It's like she's saying without saying "Be nice to me on/off camera and let me have my way or I'll make sure that you are gone and fired from the show". That is how I perceive her and the personality that she gives off camera.


But, to get back to the book, I thought it was a fun read until the portions of 'The View' and read that it seemed that Rosie tried to act boss and take place of the legendary irreplaceable Barbara Walters. I was reading and keeping up with what I had originally thought, but then as I read it I seen how it was the other way around. I read/seen that it was really Rosie stirring the pot. I took it as though Rosie kind of got too big for her britches.



So in the end:


I really LIKED this book!

A Child Called It AND The Lost Boy

One of the books that I have read not that long ago early on were by the following author: Dave Pelzer (Actually 2 books in 1). Both were titled 'A Child Called It' and 'The Lost Boy'. I must admit that these stories were HARD to get through - emotionally.

It speaks of the TRUE stories of what happened to the author, Dave. The abuse he had endured by the hands of his mother and the rescue that finally saved his life. To speak honestly, reading these pages are hard to read without having an emotional tear for this story.

One day while at dialysis, I was leaving with a medical driver when I was reading this book and I found myself in tears - literally. I had to have my driver pull over for comfort. That is what an imprint that this book has given me.

In the end:

I loved this heartfelt and emotional story!

Red Carpets And Other Banana Skins

This next book is one that I have just recently started. It's by the actor Rupert Everett. It's about his life growing up in England and his career in Hollywood. Now, I will admit that I am NOT finished with it.

I started shortly after reading Stephen Baldwin. Not to say anything bad about the book. Although it is a rather large book. I thought reading it would be a fun venture. But with each turn of the page, I find it REALLY HARD to keep the excitement and stay awake while reading. Not to say anything bad about the book. I don't find it boring. I just think it would be a better suiting for someone else.


A while back say a year ago, I found the same type of enthusiasm with another book. This time it was 'Audition' by Barbara Walters. Now, it wasn't a snore but it was hard for me to capture and get into these pieces of literature. But then again it also didn't help for the author to CONSISTENTLY plug this book ENDLESSLY on her daytime program 'The View'.


So to put an end to both of them:


I found them to be DULL and I DID NOT really like them.

The UNusual Suspect:My Calling To The New Hardcore Movement Of Faith

This next book was written by actor Stephen Baldwin. It tells of his growing up with 3 brothers, with whom everyone knows are also actors. The story begins with his growing up in New York, details his life as an actor and finally how he came to his conversion to Christianity.





The Final Result:


I loved the beginning. There were pieces I grew to find funny and that I loved. But through it all, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend this book to certain people like my dad. I ABSOLUTELY WOULD Recommend and advise them to read this book.

In reference to the question asked by Stephen on pg. 270:
"What is normal?"

My answer to his question is this:

Within whatever life you have or lead, normal is whatever you think it is. Since everyone is different; in your life, whatever is just the normal for you. THAT is normal.


All-in-all:

The Final Result -

I liked this book and thoroughly Enjoyed It!

Tears Of Rage: From Grieving Father To Crusader for Justice: The Untold Story of the Adam Walsh Case

This book is about 'America's Most Wanted' host John Walsh. It tells of his growing up, to meeting his wife, Reve, to the life and tragic loss of his beloved son, Adam. It speaks into detail of the kidnapping of his son, the heartbreaking truth to eventually rebuilding his life while bringing justice for his son and others by creating one of the most notoriously helpful shows in television history.





The Final Result:





It scared the shit out of me. If I thought I was bad enough, and what I mean by that is: and this is something that I get inherited from my mother but, when around children (family or not), I fear something will happen to them due to the all of the information that I have read in this book alone, thinking something would happen. Whether you are a parent or not, but if you do have children around in your environment, this book would make you 10x's worse.





In the end: I LOVED and; Became Petrified from it.
This book scared the shit out of me!

The Heart Of A Woman

This book is a narrative written by the legendary author Maya Angelo. It is an account of a mother who tries her best to support her child alone. That is, until she decides to get married and bring a new man into her son's life. With it being the 1960's, it brings into detail of a mother who, while raising her son alone, tries to teach him the struggle of what it takes to have the life you want.

The End Result:


Immaculately terrific;
Gripping and Emotional


The strong bond that a mother has with her child and what she has to accomplish in her quest to bring him up RIGHT and the struggle for survival and the right to a life of her own on her terms.





The End:


I Admired, Loved and Appreciated It!

Junior

This book was written by the once well known child actor Macaulay Culkin. The book was an account of his writings, his drawings and other tales. Some of these stories have some hidden truth of his life, others were imaginative. Although written by him, it is exclusively expressed throughout this book that it is NOT a biography.

The Final Result:

I liked this book. I found some of it entertaining, some of it was shocking. But, there were parts of this book and the stories told that were weird and odd. But all-in-all, I found this to be a great book and wildly entertaining.

In The End:

I liked it very much!

Julie/Julia

This next book tells of the true story of Julie Powell, a woman who was bored with a dead-end job as a governmental secretary. She finds pleasure with the joys of cooking/baking as well a logger. She then stumbles upon an idea to start a blog by cooking up every single recipe in a cookbook entitled 'The Joy Of Cooking' by Julia Child. All within the span of 365 days, she then ventures to master the same art of 524 recipes within this deadline. A book was published in 2009 and a movie was created with the same name starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. Throughout the book, you also hear from portions of Julia Child and her life. From her struggles as an ordinary wife to becoming a chef and finally a legendary masterpiece.

The Final Result:


I Loved It!

The way Julie Powell risked it all. And it shows the love that Julia Child had for her husband Paul. Plus, this book showed me how important a blog can be. You never know who is reading it and what could result.

In The End . . .

I Loved It! (The book, as well as the film)

Send Yourself Roses: Thoughts On My Life, Love, and Leading Roles

Send Yourself Roses is the inexplicably true story of and written by actress Kathleen Turner (along with collaboration with Gloria Feldt). It tells of her experiences growing up and bouncing around countries and, the hardships before becoming an actress. Taking roles, both professionally and personally based on her own terms, as well as overcoming addiction and facing head-on the disease that tried to stop her.




The final result:



I Absolutely LOVED It!


The way Ms.(Kathleen) Turner tells her story and shares her experiences. Getting to hear from it herself - Especially what you didn't know




In The End:

I LOVED It!

The Meaning Of Matthew: My Son's Murder In Laramie And A World Transformed

The Meaning Of Matthew is the compelling true story of Matthew Shepard told by his mother, Judy Shepard. It recants his birth, his life and his untimely death from a hate crime. Matthew was a 21-year-old college student who, for no other reason than his sexuality, was tied to a fence and brutally beaten outside of the town of Laramie, Wyoming.

This book has had two other features in which tell the same story. One of the stories was featured through an HBO film entitled 'The Laramie Project' which was also based on a play with the same name, which would have been a look at the town's point of view and a mock of the trial. The other was an NBC made-for-tv film entitles 'The Matthew Shepard Story' starring Stockard Channing and Sam Waterson. It tells of the parents' , Dennis and Judy Shepard, and their struggle to bring justice to their child and to make sure incidents like this don't happen again.

The Final Verdict:

I Loved It!

The gripping emotion of what happens to a mother after harm is done to their child.

You do what you have to do to not destroy yourself for your child still here.

Leaving me with an unparalleled question:

"How do you be there for one child while trying to grieve the loss of another?"

With multiple kids, how do you not let one over matter the other?

Prayers For Bobby: A Mother's Coming To Terms With The Suicide Of Her Gay Son

This next book is called "Prayers For Bobby' by Leroy Aarons. It is the true story of Mary Griffith, a devout mother and conservative Christian. She has a strict way of living until her gay son commits suicide. She then goes from a conservative to a gay rights activist. This book was published in 1995 and a movie was featured on Lifetime with the same title starring Sigourney Weaver and Ryan Kelley.

The Final Verdict:

Everything expect for the last chapter entitled - 'Afterword:Gay Youth 1996' I have absolutely loved it.

The life and example that Bobby Griffith lead was remarkable. Some of it, I could sympathize with and understand. Emotionally gripping as though I have been there.

Has anyone read a book and it just grabs you as though you are seeing and living it live? But anyway

Bottom line/final verdict:

I Loved And Adored It - Just On The Story And Book ALONE!

Never Make The Same Mistake Twice

This second book is entitled 'Never Make The Same Mistake Twice' by Nene Leakes.It is the true story featuring one of the ladies on Bravo's 'The Real Housewives Of Atlanta'. She is considered to be one of the brassiest ladies of the show.It speaks of her rise from growing up in Athens, Georgia, learning life's lessons the HARD way, to paving the way of following her own rules and what she had to endure getting there.



What I had found in this book is that I had absolutely LOVED it. The way her story is told and how it's narrated. The lessons one can learn just by doing what you have to do for you and your kids pay off when you stick to your roots.



The Final Verdict:

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!

This blog is for those who are considered avid-readers. I will be writing about different books that I have either read or am wanting to read. So far, I have started out this year with 5 books.(One I had finished while in the hospital at the beginning of this year) I have surpassed those, now I have read 2.5 extra more. The .5 is to include the one I have finished but now am in the middle of another. At the end of every book, I will give a vague description of it. There may be some I like and some I don't. I will also talk about what I think of it by giving it a "final result" to give my opinion.Of course, other people may have another of what they think. But these are only just MY opinions.

Hey, has anyone read any books by any of the following people? Drop me a line if anyone is familiar with any of these.

The first one would be: Finding Myself by Mia Tyler

It is about the life story of model Mia Tyler. If you don't know, she is the daughter of Aerosmith's front man Steven Tyler. It speaks of her life growing up as his daughter. It talks about the struggles she's faced, the challenges she's met, feared and, conquered.



I would just like to say that in the first end result I would like to say that I personally ABSOLUTELY loved it!
There were aspects that I personally could relate to myself.
Some of it reminded me of people I personally know, within certain aspects.
Other parts of it; I could personally see some of myself in it.


ALL-IN-ALL:


I Loved This Book!