Look Me in the Eye – John Elder Robinson

This is quite a fascinating book about a man who has Aspergers. Being in his 50s, he was undiagnosed as a child and yet knew something was not quite right. As a adult he has learned many ways to function in society so that his differences are not as noticeable. He had some significant talents [...]

When You Are Engulfed in Flames

This is the first David Sedaris book I have read – his style is one of short essays in a sort of memoir style that all link together with a rough theme. I really like his style even though some of the essays seem a little irrelevant – they are amusing and I enjoyed reading [...]

A Room at the Top by Heath Ducker and Samantha Trenoweth

Heath Ducker is a young Australian who had a pretty harsh upbringing. His mother had 10 children and no income and they lived in dilapidated surroundings. While his mother was loving she was absent in many ways and Heath did not have the usual support that children need as they grow up. Despite many [...]

April Fool’s Day by Bryce Courtenay

This is a true story written about Courtenay’s youngest son, Damon, who was born a haemophiliac and then became HIV positive as a result of contaminated Factor VIII, the clotting factor required to be used every time he had a “bleed”. Happening in a time when HIV/AIDS was still a very new disease with a [...]

Three Cups of Tea – Greg Mortenson

 This book tells the truly amazing story of a mountaineer who decides to dedicate himself to building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The story is certainly stunning. The book was co-written with a journalist and it does have more of a journalistic feel to it, than say a memoir. Thankfully there are enough anecdotes and [...]

You Make Me Feel Like An Unnatural Woman (Diary of a New (Older) Mother) by Judith Newman

This is the story of a New York mother who has been through all the fertility treatments to have children. She ends up with twins, and is not quite sure she is really cut out to be a mother. Its very very very funny, assuming you can find humour in her being disinterested in her [...]