Book Talk

October, 2008

Most of us know Roald Dahl as the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and will be surprised to learn that he was involved in secret war time activities in Washington DC. As a wounded RAF pilot he was sent to charm the Washington establishment and gain access to the political elite. In a plan masterminded by the notorious spy Intrepid, and with the secret approval of President Roosevelt, his job was to break down the isolationist sentiment in the U.S.. Read The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington by Jennet Conant.

Dr. Phil McGraw has written Real Life: Preparing for the 7 Most Challenging Days of your Life. He feels that how you handle predictable crisis of life sets the tone for your whole life. You’ve probably dealt with some already- loss, physical and mental health problems  and just being plain overwhelmed by fear and life’s burdens. Not only does he provide a way to get through bad times, but how to prepare for them in advance.

Michael Greenberg had just one of those very bad days. At the age of fifteen his daughter had a complete reality break and was diagnosed as bi-polar.  Hurry Down Sunshine: a Memoir describes the aftermath of that day.

Scattershot: My Bipolar Family by David Lovelace multiples the devastation of the illness. Four of five members of the Lovelace  Family, both parents, David and his brother, all suffered. Hilarious and heartbreaking, Lovelace examines the gifts that come with the problems.