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1nktk
I have posted my review along with the author giving a tour of her home, come by and look! It was a really good book! http://www.bookroomreviews.com
2princessbabs
I just posted my review - and I'll be posting it on my bookclub blog as well www.readinggals.blogspot.com
Like Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tonello, I place this book in my "non-celebrity does something a little different and interesting and is able to write well about it" genre. I am ALWAYS drawn to it. This book started off a bit slow in my opinion, and I was worried. I didn't feel a connection with Matloff in Part One; I would have liked more personal background about her and more historical background about West Harlem. Part Two picked up, and I enjoyed the last 200 pages of the book.
I think the book could appeal to a wide-range of readers because Harlem, if not West Harlem specifically, is a very recognizable setting. John, the husband's, presence in the book strengthens it, and Salami, Miguel, and Mrs. LaDuke are all interesting likeable "characters" in the book. I would recommend it to my larger neighborhood book club (members are all female, ranging in age from 30s to 60s)when it goes to paperback. And I will offer the ARC to my smaller more erudite bookclub (www.readinggals.blogspot.com) as an interesting read, although I don't think we would select it as a bookclub pick.
Like Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tonello, I place this book in my "non-celebrity does something a little different and interesting and is able to write well about it" genre. I am ALWAYS drawn to it. This book started off a bit slow in my opinion, and I was worried. I didn't feel a connection with Matloff in Part One; I would have liked more personal background about her and more historical background about West Harlem. Part Two picked up, and I enjoyed the last 200 pages of the book.
I think the book could appeal to a wide-range of readers because Harlem, if not West Harlem specifically, is a very recognizable setting. John, the husband's, presence in the book strengthens it, and Salami, Miguel, and Mrs. LaDuke are all interesting likeable "characters" in the book. I would recommend it to my larger neighborhood book club (members are all female, ranging in age from 30s to 60s)when it goes to paperback. And I will offer the ARC to my smaller more erudite bookclub (www.readinggals.blogspot.com) as an interesting read, although I don't think we would select it as a bookclub pick.
3Donura1
I just posted my review of this book. It was a throughly enjoyable read. Thanks for posting the link to her video. It was a nice touch to finish off the book.
4lakingston
I loved this book. My review is up here and on my blog: http"//notjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com.
5oregonobsessionz
I finally got a chance to read Home Girl, and have posted my review here.
Matloff is a talented writer, and the book was an easy read. I think I would very much enjoy meeting the author and her husband, but I was appalled by her lack of common sense. Not for being a "pioneer" in a devastated neighborhood, but for failing to do her homework on the structural problems with the house, and on neighborhood issues unlikely to improve over time (odors from a sewage treatment plant and industrial facilities).
I could not believe that someone with no experience with remodeling, or even basic repairs, would launch into the work using "contractors" recommended by the local drug dealers and crack addicts. Why not wait for the arrival of her husband, who at least claimed to have some handyman skills? They are fortunate that things worked out as well as they did.
Matloff is a talented writer, and the book was an easy read. I think I would very much enjoy meeting the author and her husband, but I was appalled by her lack of common sense. Not for being a "pioneer" in a devastated neighborhood, but for failing to do her homework on the structural problems with the house, and on neighborhood issues unlikely to improve over time (odors from a sewage treatment plant and industrial facilities).
I could not believe that someone with no experience with remodeling, or even basic repairs, would launch into the work using "contractors" recommended by the local drug dealers and crack addicts. Why not wait for the arrival of her husband, who at least claimed to have some handyman skills? They are fortunate that things worked out as well as they did.
