Tag: biography

You Ought to Do A Story About Me

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Ted Jackson is a photojournalist. In 1990, he was working on a story about people experiencing homelessness. When he encountered a man sleeping under the bridge, that man said to him, “You ought to do a story about me.” Jackson had heard this statement a million times, but indulged the man by asking why he should have his story shared. The man responded by telling Jackson he had played in three Super Bowls.

You Ought to Do a Story About Me shares the story of Jackie Wallace, former star of the NFL. It explores his life, from his childhood through his football days, before going into the circumstances that led to his addictions and eventual homelessness. This would be a great book for people who are avid sports fans, as a lot of time is spent discussing Wallace’s football career. It would also be an interesting read for fans of psychology or sociology.

What I loved most:

One of my favorite things of all time is exploring why and how people become the people that they are. I’m fascinated by life circumstances, and how they impact cognitive patterns and the decisions people make. By the measures of our current society, Wallace had “made it”. He was a professional football player. He was living the dream. To go from the peak, the glory, to sleeping under a bridge, is a fascinating transition. I also appreciate that Jackson addressed some cultural/societal factors that impacted Wallace’s circumstances, in addition to discussing Wallace’s choices.

Read this book if you like:

Psychology, sociology, football/sports in general

Book details:

Vincent & Theo

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Review:

Everyone knows the name of Vincent Van Gogh; fewer people know the name of his brother, Theo Van Gogh. Theo and Vincent were best friends throughout their lives, and each had a deep and lasting impact on the other. In this joint biography, Deborah Heiligman uses the 658 letters that Vincent wrote to Theo throughout his lifetime to explore the relationship between the brothers, as well as the course of each man’s life. I listened to this as an audiobook, and Phil Fox did a masterful job of narrating. This is a great way to add some history into your summer reading list!

Favorite Passage:

“Who a person becomes later in life, how he lives, how he dies, cloud’s people’s memories of him, spinning and skewing-distorting-their portraits of him as a child. But we will draw Vincent as clearly as we can using not only impressions but also strong lines, sharp details. A picture will emerge.”

What I Loved Most:

I really enjoy art, and I think it’s fascinating to learn the history behind one of the most famous artists of all time. Van Gogh is the first artist I remember hearing about; even elementary school children learn about Starry Night. Learning about his relationship with his brother, and how Vincent became the artist he was, helps create new appreciation for his art. Due to her honest exploration of Vincent’s suicide attempts, I would recommend that only older high school students or adults read this. However, I’m glad she didn’t pull any punches in her description of how devastating depression and mental illness can be.

Read this book if you like:

Biographies, family relationships, mental illness, classic art

Book Details: