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Reading Rescue, July 2007: Biographies for Vacation Reading
By Anne Allen and Mary Anne Fulmer
 A
recent stint at the circulation desk reminded us that right now many of
our patrons are coming in and grabbing a bag of books to take on
vacation. Nora Roberts and Nicholas Sparks are among the favorites, but
some people are looking for books of substance even when the weather is
hot and the beach is calling. Fortunately for you, the Reading Rescuers
(no boring books here) can recommend a bag full of recent biographies to
pique your interest and keep you amused.
It is hard to believe it has been 10 years since the
accident in the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris ended Princess Diana's life.
Certainly there have been many biographies written about her (did we
really need one by her butler?), but "The Diana Chronicles" by Tina
Brown (92 DIANA) is the best we have read. Brown was the editor of an
English magazine before moving to the United States for jobs at "Vanity
Fair" and "The New Yorker". She has used personal knowledge of the
princess, incredible access (interviews with Tony Blair, members of the
Spencer family, and many of Diana's friends), and a lot of research to
produce a book you won't want to put down. Brown's evenhanded portrait
of a young woman caught up in a fairy tale romance, her subsequent
mistakes and successes, and her attempt to re-invent herself as a
globetrotting humanitarian is fascinating. We wish there were more
photographs, but if you want to read only one biography of the princess,
this is the one.
Father of actress Laura Dern, killer of John Wayne (in
the movie "The Cowboys"), and the man who blew up the Super Bowl (in
"Black Sunday"): these are all ways to identify Bruce Dern. His
autobiography, "Things I've Said, but Probably Shouldn't Have" (92 DERN)
is subtitled "an unrepentant memoir," and in it, he pulls few punches.
Born into a wealthy Chicago family, Dern first has success in athletics,
but drops out of college during his sophomore year to pursue an acting
career. He finds work in New York, joins the Actors Studio, and
eventually makes his way to Hollywood and films with actors including
Jack Nicholson, Ann-Margret, Jane Fonda, Liam Neeson, and Charlize
Theron. Dern is frequently profane, always interesting, and at least as
hard on himself as he is on others. The book is worth reading just for
his comments on the films that he made, and some that he didn't.
In December of 2005, Bob Woodruff was named co-anchor of
the ABC's evening newscast. The next month, he went to Iraq as a
journalist embedded with the Fourth Infantry Division. This wasn't
Woodruff's first trip to Iraq; he was experienced and knew how important
it was to protect himself. That counted for little when an improvised
explosive device (IED) blew up near the armored personnel carrier he was
riding in. "In An Instant" (92 WOODRUFF) by Lee and Bob Woodruff is the
story of a happy family whose life changed forever that day in Iraq. Bob
was a young lawyer and Lee worked in public relations when they began
dating in New York. Even before their marriage, Bob decided law wasn't
for him, and he accepted a job teaching law in China. Lee went along as
a new bride, hoping to do work of her own there. In April of 1989, a
group of students began demonstrating in Tianamen Square, attracting
international attention. Caught up in the frenzy, Bob gave an interview
to reporters from CBS and was drawn to the excitement of television
journalism. It took time and a number of entry level jobs in California,
but he eventually worked his way to what anyone would call a dream job.
The Woodruffs take turns telling their story, from an initial meeting in
college through Bob's horrific injuries and long recovery. The extent of
those injuries, his medical care, and subsequent recovery make
fascinating reading. At the end, one can only hope that he does recover
enough to return to what is clearly the life he loves, on camera,
reporting the news.
Nora Ephron's "I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other
Thoughts on Being a Woman" (814.4 EPH) isn't really a biography, but
more a series of anecdotes and witty pieces. A screenwriter (most
famously for "When Harry Met Sally...") and novelist ("Heartburn", a
fictionalized version of her marriage to Carl Bernstein), Ephron has the
knack of writing about serious things in humorous ways. There are
chapters on parenting, what she describes as "maintenance" (keeping your
body going), Bill Clinton, cooking with Craig Claiborne, and a list of
things she wishes she had known earlier. This is a book that is
impossible to read without a chuckle and a nod of the head as something
she writes hits home.
Aaron Burr has gone down in history as the man who
killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel, escaped, and tried to set himself
up as king of the West. Nancy Isenberg's new biography, "Fallen Founder:
The Life of Aaron Burr" (92 BURR) sets the record straight with an
impeccably researched portrait of the 'Little Senator". Orphaned at age
2, raised by an uncle, Burr was educated at the College of New Jersey
(later Princeton University). He served with some distinction in the
Revolutionary War, married the widow of a British officer, and began
practicing law in New York. An interest in politics led to his eventual
election to the Senate and the fateful presidential election of 1800.
Burr became vice-president to Thomas Jefferson after a series of
backroom deals that make our current elections look boring. Isenberg
shows his fall from grace, the years spent "filibustering" to make
money, the trials attempting to convict him of treason, and his last
years spent back in New York as a lawyer. Along the way, some of the
founding fathers are depicted as men with their own flaws and foibles,
prejudices and dislikes.
The Summer Reading Program is nearing an end. With over
1,300 children registered, this was the biggest, and, we hope, best
program yet. Mark August 2 on your calendar for the wrap-up party. As
always, send comments and suggestion to
mfulmer@pennlib.org.
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