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3.0 out of 5 stars
Family: American Writers Remember Their Own, April 15, 2002
This review is from: Family: American Writers Remember Their Own (Hardcover)
Different from any college textbook I have ever read, Family: American Writers Remember Their Own, is at a personal level to the reader. The individual stories about the writers' family members are written to be familiar to oneself. My favorite story was Happy Blue Crabs by Jose Raul Bernardo. Jose Raul's grandfather, Maximillo, is a chef and since his family ate meat everyday, he would only cook seafood at his restaurant. One special evening, Maximillo invited Jose Raul into the kitchen with him. As a rule, Maximillo would only cook for men, as he himself was a man's man who had a "large passionate appetite for everything important in a man's life: caiman hunting, deep-sea fishing, great sex, and, of course, great food" (p 57). As a bonding experience, Jose Raul and his grandfather prepare a meal for the men. While in the kitchen, Grandpa Maximillo tries to explain to Jose Rail about the "ahhh moment" in one's life and how it can change your entire view of the world. "sometimes a sentence goes beyond just being clear. It becomes radiant. It illuminates your life. It may even change your life for good. And when that happens, that is poetry. That experience. That moment in your life" (p 61). This story is at a personal level for readers because it describes an event in every person's life: the point where both yourself and your parents recognize you as an adult. The reader will enjoy this book not only for the interesting and humorous stories, but also because he will be able to relate to the stories.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
my thoughts about "family", April 18, 2002
I feel that the most important thing in any person's life should always be their family, I know mine always has and always will. There is nothing that I hold closer to my heart. This book, "Family: American Writers Remember Their Own," is for anyone who feels as I do that every relative, alive or passed, lives on forever, through memories, stories, pictures, and other belongings they left behind. Most people can recall family gatherings during which their relatives spend hours on end telling stories of a favorite deceased uncle, cousin, parent, and so on. Even if it is the same stories each gathering, they never get old or boring. They seem to be even more interesting or funny each and every time. The memory is an amazingly wonderful and powerful thing. It has the ability to bring passed on friends and family members back to life, to revive them. Such stories as are told in this remarkable book are our way to keep relatives and friends alive forever, to keep their teachings, stories, and beliefs as vivid and extraordinary as when first told or taught. I cannot explain the extent to which I enjoyed and even cherished this collection of stories. It was assigned to me as part of the curriculum in my freshman English class at Florida State University. As with most books assigned in school, I dreaded it because I thought it would be boring and tedious to read it. However, once I read the first story assigned I was deeply moved and inspired. I truly grew to love the book and looked forward to reading the remaining stories. All of the stories are great. The tales seem to put you right into the story. They make you feel as if you are part of the family that is being talked about, as if it is your grandmother or father. A couple of the stories stand out for me. One of them is "Advice from my Grandmother," by Alice Hoffman. The story is told in a truly unconventional style from the point of view of the author's grandmother. It recounts a series of random advices that the author was given by her cynical, caring grandmother. Most of them are simply hilarious. Yet, they also hold much truth. The grandmother tells Alice such things as, "Keep secrets well. Don't lie, but never tell the whole truth.", Don't kid yourself-nothing lasts forever.", and "All people are created equal-black, white, Chinese, Moroccan, it doesn't matter. Equal. Everyone." My personal favorite is, "Women can do anything men can do and more, but is this any reason to tell men the true story? Let them think what they think." Many of the advices given in this story are ones that I hold as very valid in my own life. I feel that there is something in this story for everyone. Another great story is "My Famous Family," by Marion Wink, which tells the story of a twenty-year old young man who is in search for family relatives who were in one way or another famous. During his research he found that the founder and publisher of the "Rolling Stone" magazine was his cousin and that his great-grandfather was connected with Charlie Chaplin. I found this story very delightful. Most people, and I am no exception, can recall being a child and telling friends about their larger then life father or big brother. Making up stories about how they where heroes or famous in some way. Reading this story brought me back to those times. "Family: American Writers Remember their own," is an exceptional book that I would recommend to anyone with a love for family. It will surely bring back forgotten memories in anyone who reads it. I am truly grateful that I was given the opportunity to come across such a wonderful collection of literature.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
For Inspiring Writers, April 18, 2002
When I first began to read this book, I thought of all the sweet memories these authors were having for their family. However, as I delved into the book, I realized it contained a more valuable resource. Each of these authors has a different writing style that conveys their thoughts in the best of ways. This is especially true with Alice Hoffman's "Advice from my Mother." She does not write in complete sentences, but instead, she writes whatever pops out of her mind at the time. It is unique, yet understandable. It is a very effective way to tell a story. Another story that I found very interesting was Jose Raul Bernardo's "Happy Blue Crabs." This author remembers the first time he cooked with his grandfather. The family is Cuban, and therefore Jose writes a few words in Spanish and informs his audience of how to pronounce them. This fond memory makes the reader feel exactly how Jose felt at the time, yet does not confuse them with the different language. These are just a few stories in the book that have a creative touch to them. Through this book, I have discovered new ways to write stories, but still sound interesting. I suggest this book to anyone interested in seeing different writing techniques, or even if you are just in the mood for touching family stories.
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