Both a motivational memoir and probing commentary on American politics.
Danis, an immigrant and entrepreneur, shares his story and vision for America’s future in this debut memoir.
Born into an impoverished family in rural Greece, the author recalls that the objective of his childhood education was to “read, write, and understand why Greece was the cradle of Western civilization.” And while the idyllic natural beauty of Greece, with its olive trees and clear ocean waters, is noted in the book, of greater import is the author’s recollections of the impacts of the country’s early-20th-century military conflicts on his family—from his father’s service in the 1912 uprising against the Ottoman Empire through the two world wars. The author, a recipient the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, initially immigrated to the United States illegally (“There was only one place I wanted to go,” Danis reflects on his early years; “America”), and would go on to become the CEO of Plastic Molding Manufacturing. Blended into the book’s inspirational rags-to-riches personal story is the author’s political commentary on contemporary America. Danis’ political takes are not only informed by his experiences as an immigrant and entrepreneur but also by decades spent as a political fundraiser and advisor to politicians. His relationship with fellow Greek-American Michael Dukakis plays a prominent role in the book, with an entire chapter devoted to his position on the finance committee of the Democratic presidential candidate’s campaign. A key facet of Danis’ political vision is the concept of “Living Greek,” which emphasizes community, effecting local change, and “offering your support to people who need it.” Allowing that some readers may label his proposals “socialism” considering his emphasis on issues including climate change and closing tax loopholes for the wealthy, Danis carefully avoids the incendiary, partisan rhetoric commonplace in today’s political commentary. Instead, the book’s optimistic approach emphasizes the author’s belief that “America’s strength has always come from her willingness to take in those in need of refuge.” Written in a conversational style that offers candid assessments of his early struggles, this is a gripping story that highlights the best aspects of the American Dream.
Both a motivational memoir and probing commentary on American politics.Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781637559697
Page Count: 312
Publisher: Amplify Publishing
Review Posted Online: Nov. 20, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A blissfully vicarious, heartfelt glimpse into the life of a Manhattan burlesque dancer.
A former New York City dancer reflects on her zesty heyday in the 1970s.
Discovered on a Manhattan street in 2020 and introduced on Stanton’s Humans of New York Instagram page, Johnson, then 76, shares her dynamic history as a “fiercely independent” Black burlesque dancer who used the stage name Tanqueray and became a celebrated fixture in midtown adult theaters. “I was the only black girl making white girl money,” she boasts, telling a vibrant story about sex and struggle in a bygone era. Frank and unapologetic, Johnson vividly captures aspects of her former life as a stage seductress shimmying to blues tracks during 18-minute sets or sewing lingerie for plus-sized dancers. Though her work was far from the Broadway shows she dreamed about, it eventually became all about the nightly hustle to simply survive. Her anecdotes are humorous, heartfelt, and supremely captivating, recounted with the passion of a true survivor and the acerbic wit of a weathered, street-wise New Yorker. She shares stories of growing up in an abusive household in Albany in the 1940s, a teenage pregnancy, and prison time for robbery as nonchalantly as she recalls selling rhinestone G-strings to prostitutes to make them sparkle in the headlights of passing cars. Complemented by an array of revealing personal photographs, the narrative alternates between heartfelt nostalgia about the seedier side of Manhattan’s go-go scene and funny quips about her unconventional stage performances. Encounters with a variety of hardworking dancers, drag queens, and pimps, plus an account of the complexities of a first love with a drug-addled hustler, fill out the memoir with personality and candor. With a narrative assist from Stanton, the result is a consistently titillating and often moving story of human struggle as well as an insider glimpse into the days when Times Square was considered the Big Apple’s gloriously unpolished underbelly. The book also includes Yee’s lush watercolor illustrations.
A blissfully vicarious, heartfelt glimpse into the life of a Manhattan burlesque dancer.Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-27827-2
Page Count: 192
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2022
A juicy story with some truly crazy moments, yet Anderson's good heart shines through.
The iconic model tells the story of her eventful life.
According to the acknowledgments, this memoir started as "a fifty-page poem and then grew into hundreds of pages of…more poetry." Readers will be glad that Anderson eventually turned to writing prose, since the well-told anecdotes and memorable character sketches are what make it a page-turner. The poetry (more accurately described as italicized notes-to-self with line breaks) remains strewn liberally through the pages, often summarizing the takeaway or the emotional impact of the events described: "I was / and still am / an exceptionally / easy target. / And, / I'm proud of that." This way of expressing herself is part of who she is, formed partly by her passion for Anaïs Nin and other writers; she is a serious maven of literature and the arts. The narrative gets off to a good start with Anderson’s nostalgic memories of her childhood in coastal Vancouver, raised by very young, very wild, and not very competent parents. Here and throughout the book, the author displays a remarkable lack of anger. She has faced abuse and mistreatment of many kinds over the decades, but she touches on the most appalling passages lightly—though not so lightly you don't feel the torment of the media attention on the events leading up to her divorce from Tommy Lee. Her trip to the pages of Playboy, which involved an escape from a violent fiance and sneaking across the border, is one of many jaw-dropping stories. In one interesting passage, Julian Assange's mother counsels Anderson to desexualize her image in order to be taken more seriously as an activist. She decided that “it was too late to turn back now”—that sexy is an inalienable part of who she is. Throughout her account of this kooky, messed-up, enviable, and often thrilling life, her humility (her sons "are true miracles, considering the gene pool") never fails her.
A juicy story with some truly crazy moments, yet Anderson's good heart shines through.Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2023
ISBN: 9780063226562
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
SEEN & HEARD
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