Sunday, May 28, 2006

The Kentucky Trace


The Kentucky Trace is written by Harriet Simpson Arnow in 1974. The novel claims to be a story about the American Revolution. The truth is the American Revolution is in the back of the background for the story. The novel follows Leslie Collins in some of his adventures across the midwest during the war. There is some minor military references, but not enough to really call it a story of the Revolution.

The real story occurs when Leslie finds an abandoned child and chooses to adopt him as his own. The child is not truly abandoned, but the mother wants the child killed because he is born out of wedlock. How Leslie manages to adopt the child is interesting.

My only real complaint of the story is it's abrupt ending. There is no real resolution to the story. It's as though the author just decided to stop writing. The book is out of print, but there are many inexpensive copies available through Amazon.

Book Rating: 3 Stars

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Fonda, My Life


I chose to read Fonda, My Life for many reasons. I wanted to understand why his children became the people they are today. Second, I highly respected his filmwork. He seemed to be a really incredible, respectable person.

One thing to keep in mind, if you read a biography of a famous person, you will likely have your preconceptions dashed. Henry Fonda's life is no different. While I still respect his work and military service, there are many troubling things you will learn about. Multiple marriages, dysfunctional family life, health problems. If anything, you will discover that Henry Fonda is a real person.

Another thing I learned is that I would never wish an actor's life on anybody. Years of poverty and struggle followed by wealth and family troubles. An actor does not have any time for his family. They are constantly gone or in the zone of the current character they are portraying. Constant travel and promotion. No stable home life. No wonder Peter and Jane Fonda struggled in their adult lives.

I still am left with questions about Henry Fonda. I still wonder who he really was. There are hints and bits of information throughout the biography, but you only get a sense of him. Even with this tell-all book, you can tell he still remained a bit guarded. Just as well, he deserves some privacy and dignity.

Book Rating: Notable

Monday, May 01, 2006

The Traveler's Gift


The Traveler's Gift is written in the same style as The Five People You Meet and similar to It's A Wonderful Life. A man meets seven famous people from history who shares words of wisdom with him.

I didn't really like this book. It is billed as a self-help story. Problem is there isn't much story and a lot of positive repetition (almost like self-hypnosis). An interesting story would be the application of the principles. That type of journey by the main character would have really grabbed me. Sure, it is easy to sit at the feet of Abe Lincoln and learn from him. The real story is applying what you learn. The author leaves you hanging at the end of the story with the main character waking up from his coma and deciding to live the principles.

This was a quick read, especially since I skipped most of the letters. I think I learned more from reading the Bible.

Book Rating: 2 stars for effort.

BTW, this book received higher ratings from other readers at Amazon. Click on the link to read more opinions.