From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keough

I was born after the Elvis craze. I understood his significance in the music industry, his sexy rock-n-roll vibe, the popularity of his "beach movies" though. I was more familiar with the "heavy, addicted" Elvis than the young, vibrant, hip-shaking Elvis. My family is from Tennessee, and I lived in Memphis when I was a young child. I have toured Graceland. I listened to this on audiobook, which included excerpts from Lisa Marie's audiotaped notes she was using as she was writing her memoir with her daughter Riley. I definitely have a deeper understanding of how deeply dysfunctional this family was.

Since Lisa Marie has passed on, Julia Roberts read her chapters of the book. Riley read her own chapters. That took a minute for me to get used to. Knowing Julia Roberts' voice so well, it was disconcerting having her speak for Lisa Marie. And then actually hearing Lisa Marie speak on audiotape, was even more disconcerting because she has a very masculine voice and sounds nothing like Julia Roberts. Some of the audio clips were difficult to hear/understand as well, but I still think it was an important addition to this story since it's her story.

Not having an "attachment" to Elvis Presley, I was a little surprised at how moved I was by this memoir. I actually got teary-eyed a couple of times. Again and again and again we read/hear about addictions in the entertainment industry. Is this because artist's personalities make them a higher risk for addiction? There seems to be a link between artistry and mental health issues. The more "genius" someone is in their talent, the greater the risk for depression, anxiety, addiction, suicide. Elvis spent the later part of his career mired in addiction. Lisa Marie, his only child, loved him deeply, lived with him as much as she was allowed to. Elvis had no boundaries for her. No bedtimes, no restrictions, no limits. She had the run of Graceland. She was a wild, free-spirited child, whose father loved her unconditionally. After his death, she was forced to live with her mother, Priscilla, full-time (at least when she wasn't sent off to live at boarding schools, etc, which she would get kicked out of repeatedly.) Priscilla is described by both Lisa Marie and Riley as cold and impersonal, and not a mothering type. That probably explains why Priscilla and Riley seem to be having issues since Lisa Marie's death on the issue of Elvis' estate!

Lisa Marie struggled with her relationships, which isn't surprising since she never had a good role model of what a healthy relationship could look like. She loved her children, and she seemed to have a few good years when Riley & Ben were young, but she was ultimately a lost soul in the truest sense of the word. Lisa Marie succumbing to addiction and living in addiction for over a decade was heartbreaking. The death of her beloved son, Ben, by violent suicide was devastating to the entire family, but definitely something that Lisa Marie never worked through. She lived past his death, but never with a sense of peace. I really don't think there was ever true "joy" in Lisa Marie's life. Even when she had Elvis, he had a violent temper and was scary and intimidating when angry. She did love Michael Jackson, and he loved her, but in the end, he was just another man in her life trying to control her narrative. (He desperately wanted children with her, but she feared that he would control those children and her role in raising them. She was probably spot on with that assessment!)

I was emotionally impacted by this memoir, which I certainly wasn't expecting. Deeply sad and moving.

Wendy's Rating: ****

Ghosts of Honolulu by Mark Harmon & Leon Carroll Jr

This is a nonfiction book about the US Navy's counterintelligence unit in Honolulu, HI in World War II. It's written by Mark Harmon, of NCIS fame, and Leo Carroll, who is a former NCIS Special Agent. I have read a lot about Pearl Harbor and visited it several times. I used to live on Oahu as well. I also know a lot about World War II in general. I figured this book about counterintelligence would fit right in my wheelhouse. 

This book involves a lot of people, most with Japanese, Hawaiian, or German names. It was truly difficult to keep track of everyone and their roles in this historic event of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. There were counterintelligence agents for the Americans, the Japanese, and the Germans. The main focus however was Douglas Wada. His story was very interesting. He was born in Hawaii, but when he was a teenager his father pretty much tricked him into "visiting" Japan. Douglas thought it was a visit, but his dad's intent was for him to stay there to learn the culture & language. He ended up finishing his education in Japan. He had a knack for languages, so by the time he escaped back to Hawaii, before he could be conscripted into the Japanese military, he was fluent in Japanese. Once the US Navy found him, they wanted him to work undercover in Naval Intelligence. They didn't necessarily want people to know he was connected to the Navy because he was very charismatic, personable, knew fluent Japanese as spoken in Japan, so they wanted to use him to translate wiretaps of the Japanese Consulate, gather information on the streets as a reporter, and interrogate a POW captured in Honolulu.

The book also explains how the Japanese Americans living in Hawaii and California at the time of Pearl Harbor were treated. One thing I didn't realize before reading this book is that the Japanese Americans living in and around California are the people who ended up in the internment camps in the US. The Japanese Americans living in Hawaii, like Douglas Wada's family and friends, were affected (ie their temples being shut down, etc), but they were not sent to camps as POWs.

Although we learn all about Douglas Wada, his childhood, family, and career with Naval Intelligence, I wouldn't classify it as a narrative. Like I said earlier, it was hard to keep track of everyone. There was a point when I stopped trying to remember who everyone was and just kept track of the key people, especially those associated with Douglas.

Wendy's Rating: ***1/2

The Mother Next Door by Andrea Dunlop & Mike Weber

This is a nonfiction account of Munchausen by Proxy. It details the investigations into three different cases of mother's inflicting harm on their children for attention: Hope Ybarra, Brittany Philips, and Mary Welch. Andrea Dunlop is a novelist whose own family has been affected by MBP, through her sister. Mike Weber is a detective who has become an expert in MBP simply by spending years investigating these incredibly challenging cases. He has worked on more medical child abuse cases than anyone in the US. Although I knew about Munchausen by Proxy long before MBP victim Gypsy Rose Blanchard became a household name after she was charged and convicted of killing her mother, I didn't realize how many similarities there are between cases. I also had no idea that doctors will perform surgeries based on a mother's report, without doing any extra testing themselves. It's astounding really.

Just like police officers need to be trained in how to deescalate people having a mental health crisis, doctors should be trained to spot medical child abuse, especially since there seems to be a pattern in many cases. Hope, Brittany, and Mary all had children that were born premature. These poor children had multiple unnecessary tests, inconsistently abnormal labs, medical diagnoses (like cystic fibrosis and cerebral palsy) simply reported by their mother, feeding tubes, rare blood infections, leg braces. In all of these cases the children's eating issues and mobility issues were reported by their mothers but were not witnessed by anyone else. In fact, many friends, family members, and even nurses saw these children eating normally when mom was not in the room and walking/running with no issues at all.

All three of these cases were very challenging to bring to court. Both Hope and Mary were well-loved, intelligent, and wealthy. Mike Weber tried a number of ways to get these woman to admit what they had done. He had better luck with Hope, probably because her mother was the one who reported her and found some evidence that she turned over to Mike. Hope's story was actually quite remarkable since she was such an accomplished liar. She lied about her own health for eight years, pretending to have various types of cancer. This resulted in fundraising efforts by family and friends that raised an enormous amount of money. Hope lied about her education and her credentials. She lied about miscarrying twin daughters. She lied about her first daughter (second child) having CF. Her youngest child suffered the most however. Hope introduced bacteria and contagions in her feeding tube (which she didn't need) which could have easily killed her. Hope did end up in prison for 10 years. 

Mary was extremely wealthy (with money to burn) so she could afford to get her son medical care in Texas and Minnesota. When the Texas doctors told her that her son did not need a brain shunt, she simply got on a private plane and flew him to Minnesota to get it done. And she found a doctor to do it, taking her word for it! Mary fooled doctors, friends, her family, lawyers, and the judge! She was pretty and personable and wealthy. Money talks, right? Her mother protected her 100% and spent all her energy blaming Mary's ex-husband for everything, who was naive and innocent. He temporarily got custody, which probably ended up saving his son's life, although Mary won back joint custody in the end.

Brittany's case was different because she was not well-liked, respected, or wealthy. She had no supportive family or husband. She was verbally and physically abusive to her three year old daughter, Alyssa, in front of other people. She was reported to CPS several times by a variety of different people. Her daughter was finally taken away from her and put into a foster home after it was discovered that Brittany put feces in her daughter's (unnecessary) feeding tube which gave her a life-threatening blood infection. Her trial ended up with a hung jury (10 guilty - 1 not guilty - some people cannot believe that a mother would intentionally harm their child). Eventually Brittany pleaded guilty instead of going back to trial but she only served five years. Alyssa thrived in the care of her foster family, who ended up adopting her.

These women knew what they were doing. They were not "delusional". They were constantly seeking the attention they craved (and received) while caring for their "deeply ill" children. Both Hope and Mary's husbands believed their children were as sick as their wives told them they were. MBP continues to be under-reported and very difficult to prove. It's incredibly tragic.

Wendy's Rating: ****

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

I loved this book. There are several narrators: Louise, camp counselor; Tracy, camper; Alice, mother of Barbara; Jacob, accused and convicted murderer; Carl, gardener of the Van Laar Preserve; Judyta, BCI Investigator; and Victor, Director of Camp Emerson. The story alternates from the 1950s to 1961 to Winter 1973 to June 1975 to July 1975 to August 1975. There are other key characters (Barbara, TJ, Bear, three Peters, Delphine, John Paul), but we learn about them from someone else's perspective. The way the story is interwoven between timelines makes the story even more fast-paced.

The central family of this story is the Van Laars. Peter Van Laar 1 bought the land on which the homestead is built. By all accounts, he was a kind and generous man. He cared about the land and about people. The homestead was named Self-Reliance. Camp Emerson was developed on part of the Van Laar Preserve so that children could spend two months of their summer learning the land and how to survive on it. Peter Van Laar 2 didn't quite have the same vision. He was more controlling and domineering and wasn't necessarily well-liked. Peter Van Laar 3 was handsome and charming, but pretty much a jerk. When he was 29 years old, he chose to marry Alice, who was only 17 years old when they met. She was pretty and malleable. Just what he wanted in a wife. He wanted a son, which she promptly delivered (Peter Van Laar 4, but called Bear) and then he told Alice that they would not be having any more children. That was pretty much their relationship. The only thing they had in common was their love of Bear.

Bear was an adventurous and spirited child that was loved by everyone at Self-Reliance, including all the staff. He tragically disappeared when he was 8 years old, after he went for a walk with his grandfather, Peter 2. Carl, the gardener, was eventually accused of killing Bear, even though Bear was never found. Peter 3 and Alice end up having another child after Bear's disappearance. They named her Barbara. Barbara's parents weren't overly invested or engaged in her life. She was a difficult child, which made things worse. Victor Hewitt's daughter, TJ Hewitt, took over as the Director of Camp Emerson after her father could no longer handle the responsibility as he aged. TJ also took over as Barbara's "mother figure", since Alice was never the same after Bear disappeared.

Barbara declared to Alice in the summer of 1975 that she wanted to attend Camp Emerson as a camper. She befriended Tracy, who was new to the camp and was struggling with her own family life (parent's divorce, dad's new girlfriend, etc.) One morning, Tracy woke up and Barbara was gone. Louise was the camp counselor responsible for the girls in Barbara & Tracy's cabin, and she had left them unattended for part of the night. That's when Judyta joins the story, as one of the investigators who arrives at the Van Laar Preserve to find Barbara, or at least figure out what happened to her.

Despite the number of characters, the story is well-written and easy to follow, even considering the jumping around in timelines. I really enjoyed the ride.

Wendy's Rating: *****

I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

I've always been interested in the investigation of cold cases. It's astounding that people can get away with murder, especially with today's science and technology. This book details true crime journalist Michelle McNamara's deep dive into the "Golden State Killer", aka the "EAR" (East Area Rapist), aka the "Original Night Stalker". This unknown individual raped over 50 women and killed 13 people in the 1970s-1980s across California without ever being caught. It's truly remarkable. This rapist/murderer also burglarized 120 homes during his crime spree, taking random and often personal items from homes and the people he attacked. He would leave a lot of these items at other crime scenes, or simply in other random places. He had a distinct look (although he was usually seen with a ski mask covering his face), a distinct voice, and a distinct penis. It was reported by his surviving victims that he was fairly routine in how he exhibited his crimes. He scoped out people and homes for weeks at a time, ran through people's back yards, looked into windows, called his victims on the phone, left over 50 people alive, but was not caught until 2018!! That's absolutely crazy.

It's safe to say that Michelle was pretty much obsessed with her self-appointed task of tracking down this killer. She worked steadily on it for years, talking to dozens of people, scouring thousands of documents, traveling to crime scenes, developing a number of profiles, in her search for this man. She unexpectedly died before finishing her mission, and interestingly enough, the actual killer was not even on her radar. She mentions a ton of possible suspects in this investigative work, but Joseph James DeAngelo, the actual rapist/killer, was not ever named as a suspect in any file, interview, or documentation. Michelle died in 2016. DeAngelo was apprehended in 2018. Each of the suspects that Michelle focused on was eliminated through DNA analysis. After each elimination, she would have to go back to the drawing board. Michelle was definitely on the right track however. She suspected that the rapist/killer lived in the Visalia and Rancho Cordova areas, and she was correct. She suspected that he may have been associated with the military, which he was. He was in the US Navy during Vietnam War and he was a police officer. But, apparently his DNA was not in any sort of data base. Again, remarkable.

Michelle was very detail oriented and extremely personable, focused, and determined. This book, and the way it's laid out, is very engaging and readable. Since she died before it was finished, her notes and transcripts were used to finish it for publication. She was married to comedian Patton Oswalt and all I could think was, "he is a very supportive and patient man"! Not everyone could be married to someone so driven to find the truth! If you are a true crime fan that enjoys the investigative process, this is the book for you.

Wendy's Rating: *****

Night by Elie Wiesel

This is a powerful testament to the horrors of the Holocaust. I listened to it on audiobook. This is a translation by Elie's wife, so it feels like an authentic expression of Elie's words as he explains what happened to him and his family when they were taken in the last transport out of his town during WWII. Elie and his father were separated from his mother and younger sister at the start. Elie and his father were sent to Auschwitz. Elie was only a teenager. Although I have read many, many books about the Holocaust, to listen to a first-person account is impactful.

One thing that struck me again and again is how many last second decisions people made that could either save their life or end their life. Since the prisoners never knew what the intent of a SS officer was, it was challenging to figure out what "line" they should be in. Which one was going to the crematorium and which one was going to another camp or another work detail? There was a point towards the end of the war when Elie's father was selected to go to the crematorium and Elie panicked, rushing toward his father's "line", which created chaos amongst the prisoners and SS officers, and as the officers were trying to get everyone back in the appropriate line, Elie managed to bring his dad with him. I'm not sure he could have gotten away with that earlier in their time at the camp, but it worked at this stage of the war. Many times they had no idea what they should hope for, having no idea if it was the right decision until the choice was made - either by them or someone else. People would whisper in Elie's ear what Elie should do in any given situation, but Elie didn't necessarily know if the person was trying to educate him and help him (because they had been there longer) or if the person was simply wanting him to do something to eliminate Elie so there was more room or food for himself. What a burden to lay on the shoulders of a teenager who desperately tried to protect his father and keep him alive.

The cruelty of humans against humans is astounding and deeply unsettling. It's unimaginable  how so many Nazis could find it within themselves to routinely starve and beat innocent men, women and children to death - people that were simply people living their own lives. These were not "enemies" fighting a battle against their oppressors. I know a lot of people that don't want to read any more stories about the Holocaust, but I believe that this is a part of history that should never be forgotten. I think this book should be required reading in our high schools. Our centered-around-self youth should gain a different perspective about what's important in life, especially since the Jewish people continue to be oppressed even today.

Wendy's Rating: *****

Getting Naked by Valerie Bertinelli

I listened to this on audiobook. I have always loved Valerie Bertinelli's spirit, kindness, and sense of humor that she has portrayed in her TV series', including her cooking show. She comes across as positive, encouraging, and friendly. Consistently, she's the same way in this book. It's more of a self-help book than a memoir, but she does talk about her career and personal life at times. It's more about how she has changed and grown as a person however.

I think her message is an important one for all people who believe the road to happiness is being "perfect" in others' eyes. People have always been cruel to each other, commenting on someone's looks or weight or the way they wear their hair or the clothes they wear. But with the introduction of all the social media platforms, it's become a societal nightmare. The judgments, the critiques, the assumptions and presumptions, the hurtful comments. Why?? Why do people want to drag other people down rather than build them up? The easy answer is: they are insecure. Valerie talks about her own insecurities, but the only person she has repeatedly beaten up on is herself. The pressure to be "perfect" is real. I grew up with similar expectations, which I am just now coming to terms with myself.

After 60+ years of thinking a certain way, it's difficult to change a thought process. I love how she stopped thinking of "dieting" and started simply eating healthier and not stepping on the scale every morning. She stopped drinking alcohol since she was using it as a coping tool. She started walking every day with her dog, which is good for her and her dog. She is making lifestyle changes for the right reasons and has stopped holding herself hostage to the idea of being "perfect". It's a lesson that I need to learn as well. I love her positive attitude and her openness about moving forward and not letting the past dictate who she is.

Wendy's Rating: ****