By John Byrne Cooke

ISBN: 042527411X

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date:  10/28/2014 

Format: Other 

My Rating:  4 Stars 

A special thank you to Penguin First to Read for a complimentary reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

On the Road With Janis Joplin by John Byrne Cook, is a captivating memoir, journey, and an account of the sensational and talented pop musician, with an inside view from manager and companion, sharing his memories of Joplin until her death.

As all of the baby boomers recall the sixties with rock and roll and Woodstock. With legendary musicians such as Hendrix and Joplin, fans did not always know the woman behind the music, as Cooke was a constant presence behind the scenes.

As Cook mentions when he saw these two at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, little did know these legendary musicians would be dead within a few years. Nor did he realize that in just six months, he would become Joplin's road manager and be her near-constant companion, and friend for the rest of her short life. When rock and roll displaced folk music, John was in the right place at the right time.

He was a member of D.A. Pennebaker's film crew at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, where Janis and Jimi Hendrix became overnight sensations. When Albert Grossman signed on a few months later to manage Janis and her band, Big Brother and the Holding Company, he hired John to road manage them. John is the only person who traveled with all three of Janis's bands, from 1967 until her untimely death in 1970.

From the down to earth Texas girl who enjoyed singing the blues, The Big Brother Band and the Holding Company, and sharing the spotlight with many. She was called Pearl by her friends, escaping the small town narrow minded to become a sixties icon and the first female rock star to break in a predominately male business. (fun visiting the high school Texas reunion).

Even though Janis Joplin died at a young age of 27, she played in three different bands and recorded nearly 200 songs, performing from Woodstock to all over the world. From Texas to New York, she rose fast as a young star and lived hard. Cooke delivers an intimate and up-close account of her journey, her strengths, and her passion. Through she had her share of addictions as many celebrities with pressures, and stress, and poor choices, there was much to the woman behind the music.

Only Cook, former manager could deliver such up close and an impressive memoir, writing with passion, sincerity and compassion, from a talented and gifted writer. Janis created a world of possibility for women in music. Rock music fans will enjoy re-living the past and this era, as the legend lives on through the words on each page. Well done!

Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, Christiane Amanpour, and the (Ongoing, Imperfect, Complicated) Triumph of Women in TV News

By Sheila Weller

ISBN: 1594204276
Publisher: Penguin Press
Publication Date: 9/30/2014
Format: Other
My Rating: 4 Stars

A special thank you to First to Read Penguin Group, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sheila Weller is a bestselling author and award-winning magazine journalist specializing in women’s lives, social issues, cultural history, and feminist investigative. Her seventh book, The News Sorority: Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, Christiane Amanpour, a well-researched and written book about three extraordinary women.

Weller portrays three revolutionary women: ABC's Diane Sawyer, the first female correspondent for 60 Minutes; Katie Couric, who conquered the world as Today cohost; and CNN's Christiane Amanpour in a male-dominated realm of network news.

All three of these women are legends, today's professional heroines; modeling a reality of success that was different from past models. The more powerful they became, the more interested in people they became. They are compassionate, in the stories they have told, and in their lives.

As Weller takes as inside look at these prominent women who remained profoundly committed to telling the stories of ordinary Americans, unfairly besieged victims, people in cataclysms and crises, fascinating celebrities both worthy and spoiled, world leaders both benign and heinous.

These leaders passionately kept up their commitments to their families, friends, and needy strangers through both improvised and formal philanthropies. They remembered what they had pushed past—grief, danger, and tragedy, and the more they saw and reported, the more they folded the new experiences into those primary lessons.

“Intensely competitive, whatever their idiosyncrasies, whatever their egos, whatever their aggressiveness and ambition, they retained an experienced kernel of humbling reality and it controlled their choices and the consciences. From world news, 9/11, Columbine, earthquakes, corruptions, cancer, to poverty, we got the news from them. And we also got from them what is underneath the news, what is underneath all news: We got humanity."

Weller writes in a journalistic style, versus narrative nonfiction, which I found appealing, written in a balanced style with the vast amount of research and interviews, with humor. Even though she did not interview these three women directly, through interviews of many, she was able to attain insights and memories, while maintaining control over her writing.

A book of three heroines, who came of age in the 1960s and '70s—to demonstrate to readers, how they worked and how they made it to prime time. In a difficult time and a hard business these women put themselves out there where millions expected perfection, against the odds.

I enjoyed reading about a highly competitive world, each woman with their own unique strengths. Their focused ambition, and high quality of work as they strive to be better in a man’s world.

Very well written and researched, and an interesting reporting style. The format was very well organized with the range of years (which was quite interesting), as in this age bracket focusing on each woman with extensive research and references. Inspiring, three remarkable women - News buffs will love it! 

By: Julie Lawson Timmer
ISBN: 039916734X
Publisher: Putman Adult
Publication Date: 09/09/2014
Format: e-book
My Rating: 5 Stars

A special thank you to "First to Read" Penguin Books for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Julie Lawson Timmer’s powerful debut novel, FIVE DAYS LEFT, an emotional, bittersweet and poignant portrayal of two different individuals and families, linked only by an online forum, both struggling with uncontrollable and gripping circumstances; insurmountable, each wrapped with deep emotion, and affliction, while facing fear and the ultimate sacrifice for those they love, and hold dear to their hearts.

Set in Texas, Mara Nichols, (LaksMama-online name) forty-two, a successful lawyer, was adopted and unfortunately, received nothing from her biological except one nasty genetic non-curable disease, HD (discovered four years ago).

Now, she is struggling raising her own adoptive five year old daughter, Laks with her supportive and lovable husband, Tom, a successful dermatologist. Two motivated people who love the other to the edges of the universe and back. Two people motivated so strongly by love for the other that either of them would do anything for the other’s sake.

As the symptoms increase and worsen, knowing there is no cure, she begins questioning her future as well as those she loves, and how the devastating disease controls everything and affects everyone around her. How can she allow her husband and daughter to be burdened with her care, distressed, and embarrassed by her condition? Mara decides to use her upcoming birthday, in five days as the date, for the final choice.

“Gradual decrease in ability to perform daily activities such as work, driving, forgetfulness, eventual inability to walk, depression, anxiety, mood swings, personality changes, involuntary movements of face, body and limbs, unable to speak, swallow, perform, self-care, completely dependent on others in late stages; wheelchair, nursing home, feeding tube, limited awareness of surroundings, inability to speak, may not recognize family members; life expectancy ten to fifteen years after onset of symptoms, no effective treatment to slow progression of brain cell death. Fatal. No cure.”

For the past five years, Mara has chatted a few minutes almost daily with her fellow forum members, about nontraditional parenting arrangements and so much more—Friendship. With a few members she had ventured beyond group discussion and into the private world of personal messaging. This is where the two souls connect, nameless and only known by their online names.

Scott Coffman, (MotorCity-online name) altruistic middle school teacher has been fostering, Curtis, an eight year-old boy while the mother serves a jail sentence. In five days his time will be up, and the boy he loves desperately will be returned to his mother, in a less than desirable and unhealthy environment.

He and his wife, Laurie (expecting a baby) desperately make plans for the last week of time with their foster son. However, at the last minute the social worker says they have to return him early. What comes thereafter is another life altering decision.

As a secondary character (yet powerful) part of the story, is Harry. Harry is a cab driver, and spends a great deal of time with Mara, since she is not able to drive. The common bond of two troubled souls will bring tears to your eyes, with this breathtaking story of loss and love.

As the five day countdown gets closer, emotions run high and intense, testing the individual limits of human endurance, for a spellbinding story of ultimate love.

From detailed descriptions, to raw intense emotions as Mara is slowly stripped of her dignity and independence, the humiliation, interactions and havoc created with family members, the pain, grief, and incredible research into this disease, and the emotional fall out-- Timmer skillfully creates well-drawn characters, actions, suspense, and beautifully written letters which will grab you, warming your soul as you grieve for these characters. (The kitchen, car, and bathroom scene--an award-winning performance)!

An extraordinary, compelling, and moving debut novel, written with compassion, insight, and sensitivity – a winner out of the gate! I think it is time for Julie to give up her day job, as I see "bestseller" written all over FIVE DAYS LEFT and many more to come!

Fans of Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Weiner, Diane Chamberlain, Lisa Genova, Amy Hatvany, Kristin Hannah, and Nichols Sparks will devour, making for an ideal novel for book clubs and discussions!