Rebecca Graf Reviews Creative Look at Jackie Kennedy Onassis

Jackie O: On the Couch

By Alma H. Bond

Author's Web site: http://alma_bond.tripod.com 

Published by Bancroft Press August 15, 2011
Reviewed by Rebecca Graf originally for Amazon

 

This review is from: Jackie O: On the Couch: Inside the Mind and Life of Jackie Kennedy Onassis (Hardcover)

What if a famous person sat down on your couch and opened up their entire soul to you? There would be no holds barred. You would know it all. You would hear the entire truth. The good and the bad would be laid open before you. What if that person was Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis? Alma H. Bond takes the facts of Mrs. Onassis' life and delivers them as though they were through her own lips in her book, Jackie O: On the Couch: Inside the Mind and Life of Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

I have to admit that like many others in America and around the world, I have always been fascinated with Jackie Kennedy Onassis. It could be contributed to the tragedy of her first husband's death, or it could be just the mystery that has always surrounded her. As young girls we look for women we would love to emulate. Each generation has its idol. Jackie's has spanned many generations. Her poise, her beauty, her elegance, and her sorrow have called to so many.

The problem is that like those in the 60s that watched her, subsequent generations placed her on a pedestal. We saw her as beautiful, tragic, and perfect. Yet, like any human being who walked this planet, she was far from perfect.

Ms. Bond lets Jackie tell her own life story of privilege and heartbreak. Instead of being on a pedestal, Jackie sits down beside you as you read of a girl that could have been you. How many could say that they never could please their mother? How many could say that they were emotionally destroyed when their parents divorced? Many women can read Jackie O: On the Couch and find themselves in her. The topics of her womanizing father, cold mother, jealous sister, low self-esteem, love of a man who abused her and loved her, womanizing husbands, brief affairs, and the tragedy of widowhood are laid bare before the reader. You get a glimpse into a woman who feels that she is less than adequate or her husband would love her, cherish her, and not flaunt his mistresses under her very nose. You see a girl inside a woman's body who only wanted to feel secure but found herself forced into a mold that did not fit her.

I found myself leaning toward this fictional Jackie on my couch as I connected with her at times. Other times, I felt anger and the desire to defend her. Then I would feel disappointment to see her be human and make mistakes. Quickly, I would love her for her wit and pride. When I got to the chapter on John F. Kennedy's assassination, I found myself unable to read as the tears overflowed my eyes and would not stop. Her description of holding him and the pain that ripped through her echoed in me. I tend to get emotional when I read, but this is probably the most I've cried in reading a book.

A few facts seem to be mixed up but overall the historical parts are done very well. The reader has to keep in mind that this is a work of fiction. This is not Jackie actually talking to us. This is a "what-if" book. Many people don't like these kinds of writings, but for others it is a way to step out of the "norm" and look at things in a different light. If you read this book and just develop a desire to learn more, then it did a good job. If you are looking for a history book or a biography, then you will be disappointed. This is a wonderful example of an author using creativity to explore an historical figure and to stimulate conversation. Do not approach this book as a biography, autobiography, or historical textbook. It is a fiction book used to help the reader view Jackie in a different light.

The way Ms. Bond delivered the life of Jackie is beyond words. It is something you can only feel and experience. You have to sit down on the couch and let Jackie open her soul.

If you want to get a new perspective on Jackie Kennedy Onassis and those in her life, this is the book to read. It is remarkably done and will have you glad you bought it. Ms. Bond has delivered in Jackie O: On the Couch a piece of literary art that even Jackie would have applauded.

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Win Your Divorce Fiancially, Emotionally, Socially

Title: Win Your Divorce Fiancially, Emotionally, Socially
Author: Rick D. Banks

This book is going to show you not only how to divorce without going broke, hating your spouse for the rest of your life, or suffering a nervous breakdown, it will help you get on with your life in the divorce's aftermath.
This book is meant to help you. It is not meant to teach you pit-bull, win-at-all-cost tactics. Most of the time, those tactics backfire and end up costing the spouse who uses them dearly. My goal is to give you a reference for divorce: a way to come through it stronger than you were before. After all, there are reasons you're divorcing. Hopefully your life post-divorce will be happier, more joyful, and more content than anything you've experienced to date.

~Submitted by Denise Cassino
Publicist & Book Marketing Specialist
skype: denise.cassino
www.BestsellerServices.com
www.spiritoftheseasoncatalog.com
www.mybestsellerlaunch.com
-----

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Online Book Launch / Book Tour Resource: How It Works

Many visitors to The New Book Review are authors and reviewers as well as our very welcome readers of books! (Not to say authors and reviewers aren't also readers! Ahem!). At any rate I though most would be interested in online book tours and online book launches--a subject I cover extensively in The Frugal Book Promoter (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) but that is of special interest to me right now because I just did one with the great guidance of Denise Cassino (www.BestsellerServices.com) , an expert on the subject if there ever was one. 

Of course, online book tours and launches don't work if they don't go viral. That's part of the fun. Thus, this is part of that viral effort, too.  Click on the link in the great page Denise did for me below and see how great bonuses add to the fun and to the value of such an online promotion. My bonuses came from some greats in the industry like Kathleen Gage, Dan Poynter, D'vorah Lansky, Bookbuzzr.com, and about a dozen other book promotion smarties. 

So, check it out! And help me celebrate the new Kindle edition! (Remember, Kindle e-books can also be read on your computer!). All the while you rake it great benefits for yourself.

CAROLYN HOWARD-JOHNSON

Here's the book you writers have been looking for!

The second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter is an updated version of the multi award-winning first edition. It has been expanded to include simple ways to promote books using newer technology--always considering promotion and marketing techniques that are easy on the pocketbook and frugal of time. It also includes a multitude of ways for authors and publishers to promote the so-called hard-to-promote genres. The award-winning author of poetry and fiction draws on a lifetime of experience in journalism, public relations, retailing, marketing, and the marketing of her own books to give authors the basics they need for do-it-yourself promotion and fun, effective approaches that haven't been stirred and warmed over, techniques that will help rocket their books to bestselling lists. You'll also l earn to write media releases, query letters and a knock 'em dead media kit--all tools that help an author find a publisher and sell their book once it's in print.

When you buy the book today, you'll receive more than a dozen great bonuses for writers1 Click here to Buy the Book!

PO Box 1223, Conifer, CO USA

You, too, can get help from Denise. Here is how to learn more about her and contact her:
Denise Cassino

Publicist and Book Marketing Specialist
303 838 3399
skype: denise.cassino
www.BestsellerServices.com
www.spiritoftheseasoncatalog.com
www.mybestsellerlaunch.com
Follow me on Twitter @DeniseCassino
Friend me on Facebook Denise.Cassino

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Growing Up Mixed: A Memoir About Intolerance

The Speckled People: A Memoir of a Half-Irish Childhood

By Hugo Hamilton
Fourth Estate, 2003
ISBN: 0007149980
Adult/Memoir
Rating: 5 of 5

               The Best View for Understanding Intolerance

Growing Up Mixed

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered

               How sharp are the knives that divide. The Speckled People: A Memoir of a Half-Irish Childhood is about the effects of both sharp and blunt instruments on the lives of children. Religion. Borders. Language. Wars. Culture. And, yes, Love and Hate.

              

                Themes literally seethe through Hugo Hamilton's work. Part of the reason for that is the story itself. The narrator is a child, the product of a severe Irish nationalist and a German mother. The parents themselves are creations of their time and place no less than their offspring are. Young Hugo is allowed to speak only Irish and German in a land that is increasingly speaking English. He is dressed in Irish sweaters and Lederhosen. The identities of some of his relatives are secreted away in armoires and others are flaunted as exemplary models. He is inundated by rules, rules, rules and they are modulated by a mother with much love to give in spite of her own story set in Germany of the Third Reich; her history is slowly revealed to the reader as Hugo grows in understanding.

              

               Told with a child’s stream of conscious, this memoir requires careful attention. The reader unravels this family’s truths only when the child can finally grasp them for himself. This technique heightens our understanding of how affecting such an upbringing can be. The language is poetic in character. So is the structure: One situation reminds the narrator of another connection and we begin to see how this character and this family are strung together and—hopefully—also begin to see how similar dynamics might have affected our own lives. For, though very particular, this story is also general, one that still reaches beyond its time and touches ours.

               It seems as if children tend to grow up speckled in one way or another. That makes the general premise of this lovely little book close to the heart of us all. We have all been there in one way or another, felt unloved, apart at some time in our lives. It is apparent that children who grow up half-and-half, a potpourri, will always be marked. Some will turn these hardships into the stuff of insight, understanding, and—in the case of Hugo Hamilton—great talent.

 
          

~The reviewer’s first novel, This is the Place (www.budurl.com/ThisIsthePlace), has won eight awards. It, too, explores how one can grow up part of two cultures and never feel a part of either one. Harkening, a collection of creative nonfiction stories, is also an award-winner.  Learn more at:  http://www.carolynhoward-johnson.com.)

 

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Don Blankenship Calls Memoir "Best"

Title: South to Alaska: A True Story of Courage and Survival from America's Heartland to the Heart of a Dream
Author: Nancy Owens Barnes
Website: http://www.southtoalaska.com

Book Link: http://www.amazon.com/South-Alaska-Survival-Americas-Heartland/dp/098239022X
Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel
ISBN: 098239022X (Rushing River Press)

Reviewed by Don Blankenship, Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer, (http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1MC6BFHWY6WC3 ), written originally for Amazon
5 out of 5 stars

Nancy Owens Barnes stated in the forward of this work that "Some suggested I fictionalize the story. By doing so would allow me to drive drama to a higher level and to void my worries about maintaining truth."

Well thank goodness and lucky for us she made the right decision and went with the truth. I cannot imagine how adding a bit of fiction to this story would in anyway "add to the drama" or make this a more satisfying read. I have to tell you that at the end of each year I sort of do an informal review of the books I read during the past twelve months and rank them in order of pure reading enjoyment. I will tell you right now that this read made the top three and it is quite debatable whether or not I should stick it in first place. My goodness, this book has so very much going for it.

This true story, put in a nutshell, is the telling of the remarkable journey of her father - an odyssey really, starting from the time he was a young child; a child of the Great Depression, living in Oklahoma, through his remarkable voyage in a boat he built himself and sailed it from Fort Smith, Arkansas (of all places) all the way to Alaska...for the most part, completely alone. But the book is so much more than just a sea voyage; a scary one, I grant you, but a voyage never-the less. It is also the story of her mother, Cecil Marie, a rather remarkable woman in her own right.

The author's parents, Melvin and Cecil Owens had a dream. They wanted to live in Alaska. Both these individual lived the majority of their lives in either Oklahoma or Arkansas - they were not sea dwelling people. George Owens worked construction and was one of those individuals (alas, I am not one of them) that could build just about anything he set his mind to. We are taken through the three years, where in his spare time, Mr. Owens built the ship they named "Red Dog" in his backyard and then through his remarkable journey down the Arkansas River, the Mississippi River, the Gulf of Mexico, through the Panama Canal and then up the western coast of Central America, America, all the way to Ketchikan, Alaska where he and his wife finally made their home. (They ended up living in a home built by Mr. Owens near the water and forest for over twenty some odd years - remarkable!)

We travel with Melvin as he navigates river ways, crooked customs officers in foreign ports, the open sea and rather evil conmen, storms, sickness, anxiety..... Speaking no language other than English this quiet but determined man made a journey of a life time against tremendous odds.

Now let me be frank and explain. When I first heard of this book and the homemade craft, the Red Dog, I had visions of something like what I would build which would have been hammered and wired together out of scrap lumber, orange crates and empty oil cans. Mr. Owens though was a craftsman and the boat he built with his own two hands and spare parts was actually quite a sophisticated and seaworthy craft. The building alone; the process he went through absolutely amazed me.

But don't think this book is just about his two year voyage. This is actually the story of a family; a family of like mine and yours. Good hardworking people; a close family full of love and respect for each other. The author has used the techniques of flashbacks throughout the book to bring a vivid picture of a family who made it through the depression, worked extremely hard all of their lives and above all, followed their dream. (I consider myself an amature historian when it comes to the Great Depression and I have to tell you that I learned much from this book. The author was able to capture the essence of those times perfectly. I felt she could have been writing about my own family at times). I also grew up in the same area (Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma) so I knew much of the physical background the author describes and can assure you she is spot on.

Furthermore, not only do we have a wonderful story here, but we have a story written by an author that can actually write and I might say, write extremely well. Her prose borders on lyrical and her ability to describe puts her on the same level with all the great travel writers....folks, this is one talented lady!

If you have not already read this work I would strongly suggest you do so. It is a great true story that has been written by a true master writer.

Learn more about author Nancy Owens Barnes, freelance writer and author, at www.NancyOwensBarnes.com and

www.SouthToAlaska.com  She blogs at WritingNorthIdaho.blogspot.com.


-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Spiritual Help in Life, Faith, Hope

Life, Faith, Hope Beyond the Shadows of Life Author: Linda L.C. Giles
Author's Web site: www.life-faith-hope.com
Order directly from the publisher 

http://bookstore.authourhouse.com/products/SKU-000442168/life-faith-hope.aspx

About the Book

So much can happen in a single moment. Various interactions can be interpreted in so many ways. Here, in Life, Faith, Hope : Beyond the Shadows of Life, you just may be able to sift your soul into a place of healing, understanding, and comfort. Within each of these pages of luminous paintings, your soul can use pure sight instead of led-to-believe ideals. This compilation of visions is for every person, of every spiritual or religious background, perhaps even those with none at all. These paintings do not depict, but rather allow for your souls’ eyes to linger in the emotional beauty that only wants to speak to your heart. There are no negative connotations or meanings, just those of pure innocence without prejudice or concrete ideals. This book is open for your interpretation. Be still and let your eyes lead the way into your journey.

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Great Marketing Advice: Zero Stress Selling

Title – Zero Stress Selling: 5 No-Fail Strategies to Get More Clients and Fill Your PracticeAuthor – Sue KassonAuthor's website link – http://www.zerostresssales.com Genre or category – Business, Sales, MarketingISBN – B006LQUAAM (Kindle)
Available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Sue-Kasson/e/B006MMJHRM/

Your journey towards your thriving, full and successful practice will be simple yet practical – 5 no-fail strategies to help you achieve your goal of filling your practice with your ideal clients. You will learn the no-fail strategies of building your list, selling your services, doing profitable teleseminars, creating products, marketing with articles and how to connect with joint venture partners.

Zero Stress Selling is written for:

·       Business owners

·       Female business people

·       Solopreneurs

·       Entrepreneurs

·       Salespeople

·       Other Business and Sales people

Some of the topics you will find in Zero Stress Selling include: 

·       Developing a Zero Stress sales system

·       Strategies to build an effective email list

·       Strategies to hold profitable teleseminars

·       Strategic article marketing

·       How to participate in joint ventures

·       How to find effective and appropriate joint venture opportunities

You may wonder why Sue Kasson is qualified to write about these topics. Here is some information about her background.

About Sue Kasson

Sue specializes in helping coaches, Soloprenuers and Professional Service Providers get more clients by having relaxed, authentic and confident client enrollment conversations. She is on a mission to help business owners fill their practices and learn to enjoy getting clients without stress or fear. Sue has a 20+ year sales and sales management background with several Fortune 500 companies and, in the last 11 years, has trained and coached hundreds of people to help them get more clients and sell more of their products and services.

What Are People Saying About Sue Kasson and Zero Stress Selling –

“Great Strategies… A Must Read….”

“Follow these strategies, and your business will be busier than you could have ever imagined.”  Emma Garcia

“Clear, Concise and Extremely Helpful….”

“I like that each strategy was broken down in a way that made it easy and realistic for me to do. Each chapter is worth it’s weight in gold…” Susan Woods

“A Gem of a Book”
“This book reads as a detailed, step by step guide on how to make your business thrive with clientele!” Tracy from Canada

“Advice to Live By”

“… what I found inspiring in this book is how the author uses her personal experience to distill the basics of marketing down to clear, easy to understand and practical lessons.” Jeff

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :