PositiveLibrary JournalThe strongest parts of the book are about his father and family vacations at a cabin in rural Massachusetts. Here, McGrath really digs deep into his thoughts and feelings about family and the importance to him of the summer season. Less successful are the sections about the friend of the title, Chip. Though McGrath was clearly very fond of his friend, and McGrath’s description of his friend’s illness is moving, there is overall something superficial about how the friendship comes across on the page. We do not get a good sense of who Chip was and why he meant so much to McGrath. Interestingly, McGrath himself remarks at his difficulty at letting Chip know what his friendship really meant to him. Unfortunately, readers do not get much more of a sense of this either ... A readable, if slight, memoir about summer, family, and friendship.
Stephanie Danler
PanLibrary JournalDanler\'s...memoir crosses the line into narcissism ... she would like readers to feel as sorry for her as she feels for herself. She would like us to believe that her life has been tragic when really it has been one of relative privilege, with none of its setbacks being out of the ordinary ... Though there may be interest owing to the author\'s high-profile first book, this too often self-indulgent memoir does not serve to enlighten readers about Danler\'s experience or life in general.
David Epstein
PositiveLibrary JournalEpstein...presents a fascinating account of the latest discoveries in sports science. His conclusions are uncertain, however ... readers may understandably conclude that Epstein is suggesting one thing while stating another. Nonetheless, he should be commended for the clear and unbiased manner in which he presents his information ... Fuzzy conclusions aside, this book is essential reading for sports fans interested in the science of sports, and for readers (not scholars) interested in the science of human differences.
Neal Thompson
RaveLibrary Journal\"...an excellent memoir about the growing pains of fatherhood and adolescence ... Thompson’s remarkably honest account of fatherhood presents a scary, funny, and reflective read all at once.\
Anne Fadiman
RaveLibrary Journal... Fadiman’s wonderful memoir examines herself, her father, her relationship with her father, wine, books, family, and much more ... Those familiar with the author’s essays will recognize her polymath mind and tangential style, and those unfamiliar will find it delightful to encounter for the first time. How she manages to fit her own life, her father’s life, her marriage, a primer on wine, the scientific study of taste, and many other subjects into such a slim volume is mind-boggling, something this reviewer is still trying to comprehend ...fascinating book with something to interest anyone; a pure reading pleasure.
