Julie Gregory - Sickened: The True Story of a Lost Childhood

When I read stuff like this, I am truly horrified at how parents can be so brutal and cruel to their own children or to any other human being. Sometimes, I wonder at the irony of people requiring permits to keep specific breeds of dogs, yet people who are obviously unsuitable to be parents don't need a licence to reproduce when the responsibility is so much greater. Not that I'm saying this is something that should be regulated but it is painfully heart-breaking to read about child abuse, especially at the hands of their own parents. Julie Gregory's story is amazing; she not only survived a beast of a childhood but has put together the broken pieces of her life and moved forward. While it was a long, painful and arduous process, she has emerged stronger and wiser, with the courage to face up to her mother and prevent her from hurting other children, as well as spreading awareness of Munchausen by proxy. As a reader, I would have liked proper closure and to know more about what Julie did to stop her mother. Did she get prosecuted in the end? Did she get psychiatric help? It's a bit uncertain what actually happened in the end, although I would like to think that Julie was successful. Apparently, updates were previously available on her website but there's not much information on there at the moment. Regardless, I applaud Julie Gregory for courageously sharing her difficult tale with the world and using her experiences to help others in MBP cases. I wish her all the best.

Chelsea Handler - My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands

I chanced upon Chelsea Handler's new book (something about vodka) on the Amazon bestseller list and thought I would borrow her first book from the library since most reviewers had raved about it. This was a really quick read and I breezed through it in a couple of hours. I am alternately amused and horrified after reading this biographical account of her sexual conquests -- when they did happen, that is. The opening chapter had me chuckling away when she caught her parents doing the deed (in the most interesting way) after a bribe from her sister; I thought that was hilarious and I was really fond of this gutsy five-year-old. There were other moments that I thought were brilliant; like when Chelsea pretended to be her own imaginary twin sister in order to avoid one of her not so one-night stands; or the time she discovered that the doctor that everyone had a crush on was gay in the most eye-popping manner.

However, there were other things that truly grated on me to fully embrace Chelsea, endear her to me and just laugh with her through all of this. As a fifteen-year-old, she decided to ring the police to tell them that her father had molested her just so that she could get him out of the house for a party -- that to me was appalling. Yeah, she may have been a dumb teenager then, but still?! How shallow and selfish is this girl?! It's not like she shows any improvement with maturity. The excessive drinking, the compulsive lying, they all just get a bit much for me to really care and feel for Chelsea in the end. While all of this may now be in the past (she has obviously done well for herself with two successful publications on top of a TV career) but I think this is my limit for Chelsea Handler. I know I won't be seeking out her other book!

John Elder Robison - Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's

This is a fascinating read about Robison growing up with Asperger's syndrome at a time when the diagnosis didn't yet exist and realising that he was "different" from other people and learning on his own how to adapt. It wasn't until he was forty that he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome by a therapist friend of his. Robison describes his childhood days and his difficulty in making friends in a frank and mostly lighthearted tone, but the heartbreak and loneliness of those days are not lost on readers. It must have been an immense struggle to be misunderstood all the time or to be called a sociopath, bringing about doubt about oneself. I enjoyed the chapters that featured John and Snort/Varmint, especially in the early years, and also those with him and his son, 'Cubby'. I would have liked to know a little bit more about Robison's current life -- how he met his second wife, 'Unit Two'; his relationship with Augusten; and just other bits and pieces to give a little more insight. I also would have liked to read the essay that Robison wrote about his father, but unfortunately, this is no longer on Augusten's website. Regardless, I am glad to have had the opportunity to read this and take a glimpse into a life that I otherwise wouldn't have understood.

Sudhir Venkatesh - Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets

What a fascinating read! Although I enjoy reading non-fiction, I sometimes find the writing can be dreary and tedious when authors just rattle off facts and plod through their life experiences without really pulling their readers into their world. Sudhir captured my attention right from the very first sentence and I was immediately drawn into the book, which was every bit as engaging as any other great novel that I had read. I am full of admiration for Sudhir's tenacity and courage for stepping into Chicago's gang world -- I wonder in hindsight if the author had any fear at all? From the book, it felt like apart from certain moments, he never had any inhibitions about heading into the projects to do his research. Sudhir paints a riveting portrait of day-to-day life in a poor community dictated by violence and drugs and the struggles faced by its residents that most people will not even be able to comprehend. His interactions with the various characters made the reading experience so much richer and as a reader, you cannot help but care for these people. This is a brilliant book and I would highly recommend it to everyone.

Kristina Jones, Celeste Jones & Juliana Buhring - Not Without My Sister

This book is about three sisters who spent their childhoods in the cult called 'Children of God'. I had never heard of this cult before and it's shocking to know that such an organisation still exists. Some of the things that the children were subjected to were truly disturbing, with adults knowingly and deliberately engaging in such behaviour when they should have been the children's protectors -- just appalling. I am always amazed to see how people can manipulate religion to suit their own twisted beliefs and then propagate those new doctrines and gather new followers; why others even believe and fall for it, I can never understand. I admire the three sisters for their determination and courage in the face of such unimaginably horrific circumstances and their abilities to break free from the cult, picking up the pieces and carrying on with the rest of their lives. My only complaint that it's sometimes a little difficult to follow the timelines from three different perspectives, but otherwise, a compelling read.

Irene Spencer - Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife

I was browsing through Amazon's bestseller pages when I chanced upon this book. The memoir sounded like it would be a fascinating read so I recommended it to my local library to purchase a copy so that I could borrow it. It was definitely intriguing, but it also left me feeling baffled and in disbelief. It was quite amazing to read about Irene toughing out the life that she had for such a long time, especially when she struggled so much with a polygamous marriage, right from the very beginning, and had to painfully remove herself from her first love. It was hard for me to imagine her choosing Verlan, and then staying with him almost to the very end, despite the incredible challenges and hardship throughout the entire relationship. The world that existed for her is so alien to me, it's quite difficult to fathom how it must have been like. While I felt sometimes that Irene's story was a little disjointed with some details missed, it did provide a glimpse into her life in polygamy. I would have also liked to know more about the development of her relationship with her current husband, Hector, especially when there was a photo in the book of Hector with Verlan. I guess that was a new chapter in her life with a fresh beginning when this book was about letting go of the past. Overall, an interesting read about a hidden part of society that most people will never know about or experience.