memoir

Book Review: Reflections of the Mole

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Reflections of the Mole
by Bill McDaniel

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Memoir

My husband and I were huge fans of The Mole back in the day; it’s really the only non-cooking-related reality show I’ve ever watched. I actually watched the 2 regular seasons with my teenage daughter, and then I found out about this book, written by (spoiler alert) the Mole from season 2. The book is exactly what I was hoping for: a walk-through of much of the filming of season 2—the games, the suspicions, the twists. After each elimination, there’s even something about the eliminated player, a sort of “aftermath” section, including some written by those other players. McDaniel also talks about his life before The Mole, all the way back to his childhood. His style is conversational, and I really enjoyed being able to get a glimpse behind the scenes of the show and into the mind of the man who was placed into the game to cause trouble. I would say that if you are/were a fan of the show, you definitely might enjoy this book. Otherwise, I doubt you’d have much interest.

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Book Review: We Bought a Zoo

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We Bought a Zoo
by Benjamin Mee
Read by Gildart Jackson

My rating: 3 / 5
Genre: Memoir

Benjamin Mee tells the story of how he went from a DIY writer to a zoo owner, along with his family, and all of the difficulty that came with purchasing the zoo and getting the license to run it. Though normally, I don’t have a lot of negative to say about an autobiography or memoir, understanding that the author has shared what they wanted to share, whether I wish there was more or less of anything. I will say, though, that this book was quite slow and dry for a while. It picked up a lot when they actually acquired the zoo, and I especially enjoyed the various stories about the animals.

Various parts pertaining to Mee’s wife’s decline and death reminded me of my mom, who died just over a year ago from a quick-moving form of dementia. Mee’s enjoyment in spending time with her, even though that extra time was spent with him taking care of her in ways that aren’t so romantic, meant a lot to me. His difficulty with coping with his loss and the things that would remind him of his wife made me think of my husband—not that he’s gone, but how I think he’d be if he lost me, especially the part about various treats he would buy for her at the store. My husband does that a lot, and I can imagine just going grocery shopping being hard on him.

My least favorite thing about the book is Mee’s very strong evolution-as-fact worldview, which permeates most of the book. He even uses it to explain how people deal with loss, saying we’ve evolved to be used to the idea that a loved one might not come back from “hunting” or whatever. I’ve got news for Mee and anyone else with this mindset—we were not created to accept death. We were created to be eternal, and though man messed that up, God provided a way for us to live forever with Him through the sacrifice of his Son. I disagreed with a lot of Mee’s worldview, but I didn’t factor that into my rating. In an autobiography, I fully expect to get the author’s unadulterated worldview. Whether or not I would recommend this book for others, it’s hard to say, to be honest. Those who are interested in the business side of zoos may enjoy it, but as I said, it was a bit dry to me. If you’ve seen the movie and want to know if the book is similar, I haven’t seen the movie, but I’ve read that a lot of creative license was taken in making it.

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Book Review: Beyond the Wand

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Beyond the Wand
by Tom Felton
Read by the author

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Memoir

Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, shares experiences from his time on set as well as parts of his life before, during, and after the movies. I listened to the audiobook like I always try to do with books like this that are narrated by the author. The parts of his life that he chose to share are best heard in Felton’s own voice, with some chuckles now and then and a conversational style that brings the stories to life. 

To put my interest in Felton as Draco Malfoy into perspective, I only read the HP books for the first time a few years ago and have watched the movies once through (working on twice now with my daughter, who’s watching them after she reads each book for the first time). I’m actually not a huge fan of the movies overall, but that did not diminish my interest in and enjoyment of this book. The last section talks about Felton’s time in rehab for an alcohol…overindulgence (he’s reluctant to call it an addiction, so I certainly won’t contradict him), which really seems to boil down to a need for healthy relationships in his life. I appreciate that Felton was willing to include this in his memoir, since it could certainly make some people think poorly of him. Personally, I applaud him for recognizing his shortcomings and needs and his willingness to talk about these issues. Not to sound preachy, but I know that anything short of accepting Christ as his savior will be a shallow, temporary fix, but all I can do is pray that God will lead Felton to the truth in His way and timing. I’m really glad I read this book and recommend it for fans of the Harry Potter movies or Tom Felton in general.

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Book Review: The Diary of a Young Girl

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The Diary of a Young Girl
by Anne Frank

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Memoir

It’s difficult to rate or review a book like this, which was written with no intention to become something read by others. Though partway through her time in hiding, Anne heard that diaries and other writings kept by people during this time would be of interest to the world later and started to make some edits to her diary, it’s still mostly raw introspection and secret thoughts. I think also that the translation left a bit to be desired at times, as there were sections that didn’t really make a lot of sense to me. But overall, I would say that, though the Franks and others in the Secret Annex were in hiding during the Holocaust and that fear and pain permeates the diary entries, it’s really more a study of being in hiding and living in close quarters with a group of people who have vastly different (or sometimes too similar) personalities. These people did not get along, even within their own family. Anne discovered that her family wasn’t as close as she thought they were and feels completely alone almost all the time. Anne herself is almost painfully naïve and immature at times, even while she talks about how much she thinks she’s matured and learned. 

My thirteen-year-old daughter decided she wanted to read this book, so I thought it was a good time to re-visit it myself. She was incredibly uncomfortable during one particular part that was understandably omitted from earlier publishings of the diary, and I would say that it’s a wholly unnecessary section (Anne describing in quite vivid detail what a female’s genitalia looks like). I really can’t imagine why Anne felt the need to write about that in her diary, but again, she didn’t expect it to be read by millions of people over the next several decades. In the end, would I say this is necessary reading for teenagers or for those interested in learning about the Holocaust? No. I’d actually recommend quite a few other books before this one (The Hiding Place and Night for starters). But it certainly does provide some insight into something that a lot of people went through during a very dark time.

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Book Review: Talking as Fast as I Can

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Talking as Fast as I Can
by Lauren Graham
Read by the author

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Genre: Memoir

Published around the time that the Gilmore Girls mini-series, A Year in the Life, came out, Lauren Graham talks briefly about what it was like the first time around and in depth about what it was like the second time around, as well as touching on other major projects and influences in her life.

I enjoyed listening to this collection of various stories and essays in Graham’s own voice (since I listened to the audiobook). As a fan and frequent binge-watcher of Gilmore Girls, I appreciated learning a little about Graham’s life and her thoughts about her time on the original show as well as her return for the mini-series. I wish I had liked the mini-series more, but that didn’t dampen my appreciation of that section of the book. It was a little sad, though, to hear about her relationship with Peter Krause (whose last name I have mispronounced for years now), knowing that that relationship has ended in more recent years.

I will say (with some sadness) that this is the kind of celebrity memoir that many people probably read and say that the author didn’t give us the true picture, because it didn’t talk about people she’s worked with in a bad light or go into deep detail on most subjects. I prefer not to expect more from anyone’s memoirs (celebrity or otherwise) than they are willing and able to share. The only detraction from the book, for me, was the recurring joke where Graham says “Hi” to various talk show or news show personalities, assuming they will eventually read this book. It was kinda amusing at first, but it started to feel way too much like unnecessary name-dropping, especially when there were 4-5 all clumped together. But outside of that, I’m really glad I read this book and recommend it for fans of Gilmore Girls, Parenthood, or Lauren Graham in general.

(There are a few pictures throughout the book, so if you borrow a digital audiobook that doesn’t include the pictures, like I did, you’ll have to borrow the actual book if you want to see the pictures.)

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Book Review: What If Love Is the Point?

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What If Love Is the Point?
by Carlos PenaVega & Alexa PenaVega

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Memoir

Carlos Pena of Big Time Rush fame and Alexa Vega of Spy Kids fame, now married with kids, share the story of how they met, what transpired in their lives before that, and how Christ became the most important thing in their lives. Full disclosure before I start—I had never heard of Big Time Rush (as a show or a band) before reading this book and have seen the first Spy Kids movie once; it didn’t make a major impression, but I was basically an adult when it came out, so not really the target audience. The PenaVegas have a following on social media as well, though I’m not part of that sphere either. I was simply interested in hearing what they had to say about Living for Jesus in a Self-Consumed World (the subtitle of the book).

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I anticipated fluff, but there really wasn’t much of that. While they don’t exactly go into the nitty gritty of sin, sacrifice, and redemption, it may not have been their intention to present the Gospel. On the other hand, they do seem to be addressing unbelievers, at least in part, and I’m not sure what is presented here is enough to really explain what one must to do have eternal life. This is the main reason I did not give the book 5 stars. As a memoir, though, it is pretty honest and vulnerable. Considering the fame that both of these two have had in their lives, it is no small feat to not be completely caught up in it, to see that there must be more to life than the emptiness that the world provides. I appreciated the way that Alexa, especially, pointed out the ways that she can look back and see God working in her life before she’d given it over to Him. It’s touching to me that she even admits that her first marriage might have been saved with a more full reliance on God, because even in the Christian culture today, many will justify their divorce as something that just couldn’t be avoided.

Carlos, on the other hand, is a really good example of someone who might be saved in the sense that they “said the words,” but the real relationship with God took years to develop to a point where he could trust Him more. These two have very different ways of responding to God, and I like how they view their marriage as complementary. My husband and I are much the same way, though in different ways. Though there will always be difficult times, a commitment to follow wherever God may be leading is important in a marriage, as well as in individual lives. That is one of the strongest messages that comes through in this book.

If you’re looking for a presentation of the Gospel message, you won’t really find it here. But you will find an open discussion of what it looks like to follow God and what it looks like to ignore Him. Though I’m sure single people can still get some insight from this book, it’s pretty heavy on wisdom for people who are married or in an otherwise serious relationship. Whether you’re a fan of one or both of the PenaVegas or have never heard of either, if the topic interests you, I recommend giving it a try.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for providing me a copy of this book to review.

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Book Review: The Office BFFs

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The Office BFFs
by Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Read by the authors

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Memoir

Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey—Pam and Angela, respectively, from the TV show The Office—talk about their time on the show (both on and off set), how they came to be on it, and life after the show. If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll probably enjoy the stories about their fellow cast members, the directors and other crew, and ways that working on this show was different than other acting jobs they’ve had. I liked the conversational style and the topics they hit.

I listened to the audiobook, which was great, because there were extras like a letter about the authors written and read by Rainn Wilson and a song written and sung by Creed Bratton. It also adds a lot to the conversational style, and you can hear their love for the subject at hand and for their friends. Some reviewers have mentioned that this book doesn’t cover much more than you can hear about on the Office Ladies podcast, and I can’t speak to that—I’ve only listened to a few episodes. But I did enjoy the book, and if you plan to read it, I highly recommend the audiobook. (On the other hand, there are pictures all throughout the book, so if you can get a copy of the book or e-book, even if from the library to look through, you might want to do that too.)

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Book Review: Keep Moving

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Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths about Aging
by Dick Van Dyke
Read by the author

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Memoir

Part memoir, part book of advice, I chose to listen to the audiobook, which Dick Van Dyke reads himself. Though I’m a few years younger than the book’s primary audience, I still enjoyed the advice, humor, and sections about Van Dyke’s life. As can often happen when you don’t already know much (if anything) about an actor’s real self and tend to conflate his/her on-screen appearances with real life, it was a bit jarring to hear some of the things about his life. However, I’ve read reviews for the full memoir he wrote a few years before this, and it sounds like this is pretty tame in comparison. I had planned to read that too, but I think I’ll leave it at this.

Some of my favorite parts involved Van Dyke’s brother Jerry Van Dyke, who seems to have a considerably different (and quite humorous) outlook on getting older. I was particularly surprised to learn that Van Dyke has never had any formal dance training; I am one, apparently of many, who always assumed he had. I appreciate parts of his outlook on life, while some of his take on politics and religion left me shaking my head. When he basically says that no one can really know the truth about God, I think to myself, “Is that the truth?” It’s an age-old argument that probably never solves anything, though. In the end, I mostly enjoyed this book, and if you plan to read it, I highly recommend the audiobook.

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Book Review: Trapped in Hitler’s Hell

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Trapped in Hitler’s Hell
by Anita Dittman with Jan Markell

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Memoir

Anita Dittman was a child living with her family in Germany when Hitler and the Nazis started to make life increasingly difficult for Jewish people. Anita, her mother, and her sister were Jewish, while her father was not. He abandoned them to save himself, and though Anita’s sister managed to escape to England, Anita and her mother were moved into a ghetto, and later, work camps. As a Christian Jew, Anita found comfort in her relationship with Jesus, even before she really understood what it meant to have that relationship. Her story is told in Trapped in Hitler’s Hell.

I have read accounts of Jewish people and resistance workers in countries that were occupied by the Nazis, but I believe this is the first I’ve read of a Jewish family living right in Germany. Anita and her mother had some protection because of Anita’s non-Jewish father and because Anita and, eventually, her mother were Christians, but life was still difficult and dangerous, and much worse lay ahead.

While books like this can often make the reader question, “What would I do if this happened to me?” the question this most brought to my mind was, “How can I be as trusting and faithful with my witness in my life right now as she was during such hard times?” Though often told to stop talking about Jesus, Anita just couldn’t help herself, so great was her love for God. And no matter what bad thing happened, she would always be the first to express that God was still in charge. I do wonder about the wisdom of her tendency to always assume that God would keep her and everyone she was with safe and intact, since God does not promise earthly safety, especially during times of persecution. Not that he doesn’t ever keep someone protected, alive, even healthy, against all odds, but if we believe that will always be the case and it’s not, will our faith be shaken? Despite that concern, this book is worth reading for anyone interested in Holocaust accounts, especially those from a Christian worldview.

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Book Review: The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

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The Story of the Trapp Family Singers
by Maria Augusta von Trapp

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Memoir

Though many know the story told in the popular musical & movie The Sound of Music, most probably don’t know the true story behind it. This is the book that inspired Rodgers and Hammerstein to write the musical, and there are some similarities, but also some large differences. The book also goes on to cover the Trapp Family’s lives in America after they fled Europe, an event which takes place within the first 40% of the book.

Overall, I found it fascinating to read about the true story behind a movie I watched so very many times all through my childhood, and plenty since then, too, even leading my own daughter to fall in love with it. It is very easy to read and follow what is going on. I enjoyed the times the author tells about her halting English in a way that seems very real, even while the entire book is in English. I love the way the family works together in all things, not just their singing career, each one using their talents where they can be most useful. I also appreciate the author’s instinct to attribute everything to the will of God, doing quite a few things she didn’t really want to do, because she had good reason to believe God wanted her to. I should add that I don’t agree with, and at times even understand the need for, some of the theology the author believes in, but the foundational beliefs of trusting in God for every aspect of one’s life is important.

We can find a word of caution for our own lives in these pages, as the family watched Hitler come to power and take over their country years before WWII started. The children were told at school that their parents were “nice, old-fashioned people who don’t understand the new Party,” and that they shouldn’t tell their parents what they learned at school. This is beginning to happen to some degree today as well, with some areas wanting to cut parents completely out of the decision-making for what goes on at schools. Once they start trying to keep what the kids are learning at school secret from the parents, it should be a huge red flag!

The book did feel like it dragged a bit in the 2nd half, though I can’t quite put my finger on why. It may have simply been that the story of how the family’s concert career grew and they bought their farm wasn’t as interesting to me as the rest. Overall, though, I’m glad I read this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the movie and wants to know the true story or anyone interested in memoirs about life during and after WWII (especially from those who are from countries directly affected by the war).

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