Julia

A Fabulous Tale of Friendship and Sweet Revenge

Revisado: 09-12-23

This grabs your interest from page one. A true page turner as I found it totally engrossing. This is a tale about resilience in the face of adversity. Observing women previously in a rut who discover, in middle age, their true worth. Written in such a style that you, the reader feel as if you are actually there.
As for the narrator, Daisy Ridley, she brings each character to life. You end up either adoring or hating each of the players.
If you love well written fiction then this is for you,

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Clumsy And Disjointed

Revisado: 03-18-20

A story that was potentially very intriguing however so disjointed in the narrative that I could barely keep track. My eyelids had a problem staying open.
The story is so tragic and the murderer was found but the presentation was all over the place!

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Fun With A Blow You Away Ending

Revisado: 03-13-20

I have not listened to a drama with performers for over 30 years. I decided to give this a try purely because of the title. What fun! I was invested after the first ten minutes. I was rooting for the characters throughout and like most of us was trying to figure out 'Who done it"! I could not stop listening.

Strong characters a few side stories and mysterious history is what you have to enjoy. However the last line of the performance will blow you away.

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How Little We Knew. Now We Do.

Revisado: 03-11-20

On April 28th, 1986 I remember watching the BBC news. It was announced that an incident had occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear plant. The announcer added that there had been 'few injuries' but everything was under control. Please note the date of the announcement, April 28th, a full two days after the disaster on April 26th.

The public all over the world had no idea the devastation, suffering and death that occurred as a result of one man's arrogance and a workforce so intimidated to question him as he was a representative of all that was good under the Communist regime.

Midnight in Chernobyl list out the cause and the resulting tragedy. Adam Higginbotham has done impeccable research for this informative yet easy to read book. It list the facts but you do not have to be a nuclear physicist in order to understand it. It puts a human face on the event including the 'blame game' between managers and the bravery of those doomed people who had to go and pick up the debris knowing full well that their days would come to an end very soon with unimaginable pain.

Often you get to the end of a book and wonder "where are they now?". The latter chapters does a full and thorough follow up. Some so sad however some so surprisingly good.

The narration is superb. I really do not think that they could have done better.

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Mind Blown Away. So Shocking yet informative.

Revisado: 03-05-20

As a parent and a recovering addict of twenty seven years I have read many books and articles regarding addiction. I have to admit that many of these have lulled me into a deep and dreamless sleep!

Dopesick is a ''must read'. I was shocked, then horrified as it lays addiction, the legal and illegal drug industry out there and in your face. I knew that the legitimate industry was out in the field visiting Physicians, Surgeons and even recovery centers armed with promotional gifts and other incentives to buy the 'most effective' and so called 'drug of the year'. However I was blind to the true story. Dopestick gives verifyable facts and figures in a way that can be easily understood by both layman and medical professional. Some of the field studies of addicts are heart breaking. Others give hope.

Brilliantly written and narrated by Beth Macy.

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The Rest Of The Story

Revisado: 02-28-20

I saw the 1982 made for TV movie The Executioner’s Song while I was pregnant. Maybe it was a hormonal ‘thing’ or it just plain touched my heart as it has left such a remarkable impression on me to this day. At that time I resided in a country that had eliminated capital punishment some twenty-eight years earlier. I could never imagine knowing the facts regarding the exact time and place of my death. I had so much misdirected compassion on the wrong person. That being the perpetrator of a heinous crime of two young family men.

I then read the book of the same name by Norman Mailer. I did a complete 360. It is filled with so of many details about these victims and their families but also gave me more insight into the man, Gary Gilmore. After finishing the last chapter I was still left wanting. I felt as if I had 90% of the story and I needed to know why this petty criminal coldly made two innocent men on two consecutive days to lie down on cold floors and have their lives terminated.

I then decided to read Gary’s brother’s account. Mikal Gilmore gives us a history and a follow up to the man and where his family came from. We can’t blame one’s ancestors for our ill deeds BUT perhaps we can try to conceive a full picture of a family that was destined for such a horrendous future. Gary’s desire to be put to death had so many terrible consequences as over a thousand men and women have been put to death since Gary requested to die thus ending a ten year moratorium on America’s death penalty. It was like an explosion as so many people were effected in such a detrimental way, not being least the Gilmore family itself. So many lies, so many secrets culminating in such a tragic end.

This book is a classic and the narrator was the correct choice. At first I thought that he was monotone and quite depressing but as I continued to listen I understood why. There is no humor from start to end so a voice that reflected the tone of the story was perfect.

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One Criminal's Death Opens Up The Flood Gates

Revisado: 02-23-20

If you were alive on January 17, 1977 I would be surprised if you were unaware of the execution of Gary Mark Gilmore in Draper, Utah even if you were, like me, residing in another country. It was most disconcerting as it raised the ugly head of execution after a ten year hiatus. However the most shocking part of THIS particular execution was that the convicted criminal was vehemently demanding to die. This was what made it so memorable plus a TV movie was made in 1982 starring Tommy Lee Jones based on this book. Everything I read in the media talked about his request to die with dignity. A privilege denied to his victims. He was portrayed as a man with a problematic past and high IQ. The emphasis on his brilliance always surprised me as if he was so brilliant why didn't he make intelligent choices. He was a convicted criminal who always got caught so I do not think that he was as smart as it was rumored. After seeing the movie I felt sorry for him. This book certainly changed my mind. Norman Mailer has written an unforgettable work. He tells us Gary's story but we learn so much about the victims. He was heartless, killing two young men on two consecutive days. He was also emotionally a teenage who had no self control. We read about his 'great love' Nicole however you question yourself as to why this man had such a penchant for very young promiscuous girls.

This execution opened up the floodgates for well over 1000 people to be executed in subsequent years. These convicted criminals have not gone to their deaths so enthusiastically as Gary Gilmore.

This book does not spare us from the gritty details and I do not recommend that you play this where children can listen as several chapters are filled with foul language (needed to explain the man and his mindset) and sexual details relating to his time in prison and his relationship with his girlfriend.

Yes, it is a 42 hour listen but I felt that it was so worth it. Some books waffle on and can lull you to sleep. This book had me totally engrossed from the first word to the last.

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This Book Should Never Have Been Published

Revisado: 07-04-19

My daughter worked with Kerri Rawson's cousin in Arkansas so I believe that this is a true account of what happened to this family. However although Kerri Rawson has really suffered and been traumatised as a result of her Father's crime this book makes her sound like an accident prone, sickly drama queen who is so self centered that you want to shake her! Her constant reference to her religious beliefs were not only excessive but blown up beyond the belief. It felt as if she was inadvertantly trying to shout out loud "I BELIEVE IN GOD. I AM A GOOD PERSON". in order to block out the pain. Her constant 'tears floating down my face" became monotonous.

My family too have been affected by horrendous crime that ended up on the front page of major international papers so I can empathize with her family's situation.

Devon O'Day is a good narrator but a dreadful choice for this book. She really sounded as if she was reading a child's bedtime book and not the writings of a devastated, traumatised woman. It almost felt as if she was going to start it with "once apon a time". and ending with "....and they all lived happily ever after".

This should have remained a personal journal as this woman is still far too traumatized to give a more readable account.

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Monsters Really Do Exist

Revisado: 06-17-19

I have no idea why I have always found this crime and time in history so intriguing. At the time of the crime I was a child living in the UK. I remember it vividly. I could never forget my parent's horror of a crime so unbelievable. Subsequently I have read as many books and articles, plus watched every documentary (and there are plenty arn't there?) that I could get my hands on. I think that people who share my curiosity are not macarb but trying to figure out WHY. To the sound mind this crime is totally inconceivable.

Helter Skelter is researched to incredible depths. So many details about the crime so please be aware that Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry do not sugar coat the horrendous details.

I learned so many very interesting details about Manson's followers. Most of them were the type of young people I would have known in my youth. A part of the 'love generation'.

I have always been confused as to why Manson was imprisoned for life. Oh yes he deserved it but for the Tate murder he was not even there but I now understand that this was an excellent example of the law of parties even in his absence.

Even though parts of this book are so shocking they are palatble due to perfect performance of the brilliant Scott Brick.

Now after listening to Helter Skelter my question of WHY has been answered. Evil just pure evil and monsters really do exist.

A brilliant history of a one of the most notorious cults that ever existed.

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Compelling yet disturbing

Revisado: 06-04-19

I could not stop listening to Fall and Rise. I listened through the night as it was so compelling. Mitchell Zuckoff does complete research and did not leave me with unanswered questions. Of course I, like the rest of the world was riveted to the TV on that dreadful day. I think that many people couldn't even, in their deepest nightmares conceive the pain, fear and horror that was being played out before our eyes. That being said, there were many. many books, articles, documentaries and even movies that tried to either show us what actually happened or try to explain how such an evil event could occur.

Mitchell Zuckoff being a journalist and professor did very deep research and I must say that through listening to this book I learned so much more about the events and many of the lives of those involved. In fact I learned maybe a little too much. This is not a book for the faint of heart. It goes into so much detail about those things that we as observers were too frightened to actually verbalize out loud. Had it not been for the gentle and compassionate voice of narrator Sean Pratt and the firm, bottom line attitude of the author I really do not think that I could have listened right through to it's completion.

I was not disappointed with this book. I was amazed. I will revisit it in years to come. A true volume for the ages.

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