by Elspeth Huxley, 1959 Beautifully written autobiography about Elspeth’s childhood years in Kenya in the early 1900’s before World War I. Her Mom and Dad, whom she calls Tilly and Robin, are determined to make it as coffee farmers in Kenya, despite no one having done so before and them not having the skills or […]
Category: Biography
All Quiet on the Western Front
by Erich Maria Remarque, 1928, Translated from German by A.W. Wheen – (not a good translation – is what I thought in 2013) Preface: “This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with […]
Open: Autobiography of Andre Agassi
by Andre Agassi with J.R. Moehringer, 2009 Born in 1970, played professional tennis 20 years, 1986-2006. His father was a monster: violent, mean, used to drill him constantly with the Dragon – a souped-up ball machine, when he was 7. Sent him to Florida to Nick Bollettiere Academy in Florida when he was 11 or […]
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana
by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, 2011 A true story about Kamila Sidiqi and her 5 sisters and how they survived under the Taliban. Very similar to My Forbidden Face. Khair Khana is the neighborhood in Kabul in which they lived. When the Taliban took over, they could no longer leave the house, unless accompanied by male […]
Half Broke Horses
by Jeanette Walls, 2009 “A True-Life Novel” Jeannette Walls tells the life story of her grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, who grew up on a ranch in Texas and then New Mexico. Her dad taught her how to break horses and work on the ranch. She was the oldest of 3 children-smart, hard-working, fearless. She really […]
Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1
by Mark Twain, 2010 He requested that much of his autobiography be unpublished until 100 years after his death. Introduction = 58 pages Preliminary Manuscripts and Dictations, 1870-1905, Pgs. 59-199 Autobiography of Mark Twain, pgs. 203-467 Explanatory Notes, pgs. 469-650 Appendixes, pgs. 651-667 Note on the Text, pgs. 669-679 Word Division in this Volume, pg. […]
Old Jules
by Mari Sandoz, 1935 Biography by the daughter of a pioneer in Nebraska. I didn’t finish this book because Old Jules was the meanest, cruelest, ugliest man, and when he started being cruel to his 2-year old daughter, I couldn’t read anymore.