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Showing posts with label memoir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label memoir. Show all posts
24 April 2016
Title
| More Ketchup than Salsa - Confessions of a Tenerife Barman |
Author
| Joe Cawley |
Publisher
| Joe Cawley |
Publication Date
|
December 2013
|
Pages
| 374 |
Genre
| travel, memoirs |
Description (from Amazon)
When Joe and his girlfriend Joy decide to trade in their life on a cold Lancashire fish market to run a bar in the Tenerife sunshine, they anticipate a paradise of sea, sand and siestas. Little did they expect their foreign fantasy to turn out to be about as exotic as a wet Monday morning.
Amidst a host of eccentric locals, homesickness and the occasional cockroach infestation, pint-pulling novices Joe and Joy struggle with the expat culture and learn that, although the skies might be bluer, the grass is definitely not always greener.
An hilarious travelogue exposing the wild and wacky characters of an expat community in a familiar holiday destination, More Ketchup than Salsa is full of humor and is a must-read travel memoir for anybody who has ever dreamed about moving abroad, finding a job overseas or even momentarily flirted with the idea of 'doing a Shirley Valentine' in these trying economic times.
My thoughtsI absolutely loved this book. Found it by searching for books on Tenerife. We love Tenerife and had some lovely holidays there. Even before I read this book, I always had a sneaking suspicious if you want to live and work there, it is not always holiday every day.
Joe Cawley is a very skilled writer, and it was so easy to read without every being boring. He comes up with so many witty similes and funny descriptions and anecdotes, it felt often like talking to a good friend and laughing and crying with that friend about their hilarious stories.
I read it in 2 sittings and it never got boring. There is a second part to the book, and I will get it now.
5 February 2014
Title
|
Sara Payne - A Mother's Story
|
Author
| Sara Payne |
Publisher
| Hodder & Stoughton |
Publication Date
|
28 March 2005
|
Pages
| 240 |
Genre
| true crime, memoir |
WARNING:
I was about to say… this is very upsetting to read if you are a parent. But to be honest, even if are not a parent, it will not be an easy read. But every parent knows that sinking feeling you get when your child is just a few minutes late.
A biography / memoir and True Crime. Ghostwritten, but very thoughtful, an insight into the immense pain and devastation felt by the family of tragic 8 year old Sarah Payne (her mother and author of this book is also called Sara Payne). This was a crime that shocked Britain in the summer of 2002. Every parent's worst nightmare, Sarah vanished whilst playing outside in a field with her siblings. After 17 days her body was found in a country lane. A convicted paedophile, living in the same village, was convicted of her killing. His previous sentence for the sexual assault and abduction of another 8 year old girl had been lenient and he had been let out of prison after 2 years
It is a very factual account, telling us firstly very honestly about the Payne family - ordinary and by no means perfect, often chaotic, house not tip top tidy and occasionally not adverse to alcohol, but so much love for their children above everything else. Then the tragic events - Sarah's disappearene and murder, the aftermath including the hunt to the killer and eventually the realisation that it was somone living close by and a well known offender. Trying to continue with life, the breakdown of their marriage...Sara Payne come across as a woman who managed to find extraordinary inner strengh after her daughters murder, which she channels to fight for Sarah's Law (a law which would allow people to have the right to enquire if a known paedophile lives in their area). It was initially rejected by parliament, fearing 'self-justice' by people. However, trials of this law have now gone ahead in Britain and I believe under certain circumstances, you can now apply to your local police station to see if a paedophile is living nearby. 14 years later Sara Payne is still campaigning tirelessly.
1 February 2014
Title
|
Sickened
|
Author
| Julie Gregory |
Publisher
| Book Club Associates |
Publication Date
|
2005
|
Pages
| 244 |
Genre
| memoir, abuse, psychology |
from the blurp:
A young girl is perched on the cold chrome of yet another doctor's examination table, missing yet another day of school. Just twelve, she's tall, skinny and weak. Her mother, on the other hand, seems curiously excited. She's about to suggest open heart surgery on her child to 'get to the bottom of this'. She checks her teeth for lipstick and, as the doctor enters, shoots the girl a warning glance. This child will not ruin her plans. From early childhood, Julie Gregory was continually X-rated, medicated and operated on in the vain pursuit of an illness that was created in her mother's mind: Munchausen by Proxy, the world's most hidden and dangerous form of childhood abuse. Sickened is her story,
I don't usually read books from this genre, but it was offered as a freebie from a book club, and I will usually always give every book a go, as I like to experience different genres and also ' like to give a chance' to books which I would not normally pick up.
The book was very well written, engaging and easy to get into, and I can only comment Gregory for her bravery to tell her story. The book certainly tries to keep away from harsh/ OTT judgements and let you make your own mind up which I found quite refreshing for this genre. If you want to get an inside into this condition, than I would certainly recommend reading this book.
I couldn't help but think that the book read like ghostwritten. You know the type of stories I mean: where the ghostwriter says: Ok, tell me everything about you and I'm going to put it in an accessible story. I know the book is not ghostwritten, and I think this may be inadvertendly a strategy of Gregory to cope with telling her story and detach herself from the horrors she has experienced?
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