katerockstrom's review against another edition
It was good but just didn’t fit my mood
msbethreads's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting style - I liked how she changed topics by changing who she was speaking to. Her voice also seemed to change a lot depending on who she was addressing - some I liked a lot more than others. A few were very stream of consciousness and hard to follow in regards to actual events but the emotion was always clear and heartfelt.
Although it was short it wasn't a fast read - maybe too many thinky thoughts because of it. All in all, a good read and worth the time.
Although it was short it wasn't a fast read - maybe too many thinky thoughts because of it. All in all, a good read and worth the time.
cdlindwall's review against another edition
2.0
A series of letters to the men in Parker's life, ranging from lovers to her father to a taxi cab driver. I had high hopes after reading all the "pleasantly surprised!!!" reviews. But ended up finding the writing amateur and difficult to get through. I wanted to be impressed by this, but wasn't.
coloraturajocie's review against another edition
5.0
beautiful and poetic. It gave me a new perspective on my own life and made me appreciate Mary Louise Parker's talent as a writer and insights on the human condition.
humanistcharlotte's review against another edition
3.0
For a celebrity memoir, this was fairly creative and interesting. Some of the letters/stories were better than others. I wish it had a bit more of a cohesive structure and something more specific to say about masculinity. There were also a few comments that were not acceptable, which I won’t repeat here.
lolareads42's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book of letters. I both read and listened to it; do both if you can. MLP's words read so well, but there's a whole other level of awesomeness to be had by listening to her voice read her letters aloud. She's not saying who the subjects of these missives are, but I'd bet good money that I know who she's addressing in Dear Mr. Risk Taker and Dear Mr. Gorgeous. And I couldn't more agree with her assessments of two of my favorite men.
amela29's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it. Would highly recommend going for the audiobook narrated by the author.
sampena16's review against another edition
5.0
"This is your family I am running here. I can't take credit for more than remembering to point to you when I do something right and for continuing to put one foot in front of the other when I lose heart. We all miss you something fierce, those of us who wouldn't exist had you not kept walking when an ordinary person would have fallen to his knees. To covey in an existing language how I miss you isn't possible. It would be like blue trying to describe the ocean."
I am still recovering from this book. The last chapter absolutely destroyed me. This gorgeous, gorgeous epistolary is deeply moving, unflinchingly personal and wow - just wow. The prose was pure poetry. I got lost in her language. Parker's writing style is exactly the way I write, except just so deliciously good. Some letters are funny, some nostalgic, and some just punch you in the gut and you're left with a wad of tissues and you have no idea how you got there. Weaving through moments of her life - both big and small - Parker relays the triumphs, confusion, shame, anger and love that she's experienced and all the people, men specifically, who have helped shape who she is today.
I am still recovering from this book. The last chapter absolutely destroyed me. This gorgeous, gorgeous epistolary is deeply moving, unflinchingly personal and wow - just wow. The prose was pure poetry. I got lost in her language. Parker's writing style is exactly the way I write, except just so deliciously good. Some letters are funny, some nostalgic, and some just punch you in the gut and you're left with a wad of tissues and you have no idea how you got there. Weaving through moments of her life - both big and small - Parker relays the triumphs, confusion, shame, anger and love that she's experienced and all the people, men specifically, who have helped shape who she is today.
steakuccino's review against another edition
3.0
Star-wise, I'm not sure, really. 3.5? 4? I'm in love with her turn of phrase. She really has a way with words but I struggle with her use of the word 'tranny' (late in the final chapter, not used in a way that's meant to be derogatory , actually the opposite, but absolutely unnecessary and shameful) and also with an early chapter which seems to fetishize the 'other'ness of a Yaqui Indian boy she knew in her youth.
The entire book was beautifully written otherwise but I can't give five stars to something that egregious.
I will say that I enjoyed the style of the letters and the dreamlike quality of Parker's writing.
The entire book was beautifully written otherwise but I can't give five stars to something that egregious.
I will say that I enjoyed the style of the letters and the dreamlike quality of Parker's writing.