The Memory Palace

December 7, 2014 Raymond Wong

Mira Bartok’s memoir is a story of her relationship with her schizophrenic mother, Norma. In her prologue, Bartok sets the stakes: she gives the hypothetical situation of a homeless woman on a ledge five stories up. She’s in her own world of fantasy. There’s an ambulance below. The woman yearns to be set free. The people below are trying to help her, save her from a fall, from death. The woman only wants to fly.

2-25-18I posted a review of Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg. The review appeared in Small Print Magazine, and you have to read his critiques of his students' writing. They are laugh-out-loud hilarious.  8-13-17The Gl… — 2-25-18
I posted a review of *Several Short Sentences About Writing* by Verlyn Klinkenborg. The review appeared in *Small Print Magazine*, and you have to read his critiques of his students' writing. They are laugh-out-loud hilarious.

8-13-17
*The Glass Castle* just came out in theaters, and here is what I think of Jeannette Walls's book.

7-9-17
I just posted a review of *The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks* by Rebecca Skloot. The well-researched story is a tribute to a woman and her humanity, not just what her cells meant to medical science.

2-4-17
How does a person change? Read how George Foreman transformed from a mean, bullying boxer to a man of compassion in God In My Corner: A Spiritual Memoir.

1-16-17
Happy New Year! Enjoy my review of Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers. If fear is stopping you from being the person you want to be, this book offers practical advice.

11-6-16
I posted a review of *Loud and Clear* by Anna Quindlen. I admire the humanity and empathy in her essays.

7-4-16
Happy 4th everyone. Check out my review of Isabel Wilkerson's *The Warmth of Other Suns.* I am in awe of the research she conducted to write this book.

5-14-16
I just posted a review of *179 Ways to Save a Novel* by Peter Selgin, one of the authors who has helped me the most at Antioch University Los Angeles.

2-28-16
If you haven't read Abigail Thomas's *Safekeeping: Some True Stories from a Life,* you're in for a treat. Her prose is sharp, unerring, and so resonant. As a writer, I admire both her honesty and her craft.

1-9-16
I just posted a review of *Catfish and Mandala*, a first-person journey through Vietnam by bicycle.

12-16-15
A story of mother and son, told with elegance and humanity. *Growing Up* by Russell Baker is a story to be cherished.

10-25-15
I just posted a review of *The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir* by Kao Kalia Yang. She depicts a vivid portrayal of her family's experience as Hmong in America.

8-4-15
I recently presented at the Alpine Library for their "Breakfast & Books" event and recommended a children's book, *The Three Questions* by Jon J. Muth. Here's my review of his wondrous adaptation from Leo Tolstoy's short story.

7-18-15
I posted a review of *Lifespan of a Fact*, an argument about what is and isn't acceptable in nonfiction.

5-8-15
I posted a review of *A Whole New Mind* by Daniel Pink, a compelling argument for developing the right hemisphere of your brain to remain viable in the technology age.

3-8-15
I posted a review of *Thunder Dog* by Michael Hingson and Susy Flory. The authors make use of point of view and tense shifts to great effect in telling the story of a blind man's harrowing escape from the North Tower on 9/11.

2-4-15
I posted a review of Geoffrey Wolff's *The Duke of Deception*, a fascinating memoir of a father who lives a life of lies.

12-7-14
I just posted a review of Mira Bartok's *The Memory Palace*. I used to work with chronically mentally ill adults in a day treatment center, and I'm impressed with how Bartok captures the ravaging effects of her mother's schizophrenia with honesty and compassion.

11-5-14
Elisabeth Newbold, the librarian at the Alpine Library, suggested we read Allen Say's *Grandfather's Journey* when I did an author presentation in October. After reading this book, my daughter, Kristie, asked to write a book review, and I posted it. As Kristie said in her review, the book is remarkable, so we hope you will read it.

10-18-14
I just posted my review of *Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking* after promising to do so at my author presentation during San Diego City College's International Book Fair on Oct. 15th. Introverts will feel understood after reading this book, and extroverts will touch the other face of the coin.

Hi,

A fabulous writing mentor at Antioch University LA, Chris Hale, told me I can make a difference by bringing attention to books. It saddens me when I hear people are reading less, because books are such a treasured part of my life. As the father of two precocious children named Kevin and Kristie, I have tried to nurture an appreciation of books, the beauty and magic of stories. I’m grateful they are both avid readers; Kevin is a fan of fantasy and science fiction and Kristie loves nature and animals.

In this section, you will find my book reviews because I want to create a community of readers and writers who revel in words. So please comment, share, tell us what you’re reading, and what inspires you.