Lady

This book is divided into shorts that give a quick preview of Ronson's general writing style and a glance at his charming and sometimes mischievous personality.

His voice adds a level of naivety and playfulness to the stories which I have always appreciated and feel his voice helps conveyhis intent when in dialogue with some of the characters he encounters. I have listened to "men who stare at goats" which was narrated by someone else, and I wasn't as glued to the listening experience. Ronson does an amazing job.

His descriptions of the psuedo-psychic Sylvia Brown who I have always DESPISED! I was so thrilled to hear his interpretation of her. I am a visual person and I find his descriptions to be very realistic and hilarious like distorted caricatures that some how capture the true essence of a person's soul.

I hope that he continues to supply us with more books because I am running out of ronson books to read.

5 and 1/2 hours in.......No. A migraine ensued upon listening to this. A swirling dreamlike journey akin to whittling a block of wood whilst daydreaming of other peoples lives, delivered by an airy tired voice.

The over embellished melodramatic inner lives of the characters were irritating. It is chock full of near run on sentences speckled with flavorful imagery. The writing at times is like being in a candy shop, but then mellows back into a wasteland of gray drivel until the next high or low. If you needed a touchstone to take you to manic depressed state, this book is or you.

There is another version with a different narrator. I think I will try that one and give this "classic" another shot.

no

I really disliked nicole kidman as a narrator.....tiresome.....

Characters seemed a little less colorful than other Ronson books. There were also main players in remote viewing that I wish he could have gotten an interview with/spent time with. I read this book after "psychopath test" and "them", so I was expecting the same razzle dazzle. Of the three books this one is my least favorite. Also I wish Jon Ronson had narrated it like the others. He adds so much to experiencing his books when he reads them...much like david sedaris and bill bryson.

Listen to/ Read more Ronson and books that he mentions....

It was interesting listening to this book after hearing coast to coast broadcasts on the topic of remote viewing for so many years and seeing other sides to those guests. Also, I was shocked when I heard the link between Stubblebine and heaven's gate......and disgusted by Stubblebine's dismissiveness of any responsibility. This is why I love Ronson. I was too young to have been conscious of what was going on in the 90s and no one talks about these events anymore. The truth is shocking and I for one am glad to be reintroduced to these things through Ronson's interviews and research.

Yes. Jon Ronson is a really entertaining writer and narrator. Some of the scenes were really well described and I felt as though I was in the scene. He unfolded the information in an interesting way and shed an interesting candid light on all of the characters he followed and interviewed.

Ruby Ridge Details was the most interesting and shocking. Omar Bakri and his hypocrytical life was the least interesting, but I guess part of that is because Ronson was shut off from being able to interview him.

I didn't like it quite as much as the psychopath test, but it was definitely highly entertaining and a book I will always remember.

I laughed a couple of times. Also, some of the scenes described were really unbelievable, so I guess maybe "shocked" would be a good description of my reaction.

criticism of psychological diagnosis

The meandering tale that linked stories and character traits between the various people jon ronson interviewed on his path to get a well rounded view of mental health in modern society and how it is or is not diagnosed.

Interview with Al Dunlap

no, but I loved it....I did actually laugh a couple times

Great Narrator

After hearing rave reviews on NPR, I was excited to have a chance to read this book. It didn't feel as personal and as unique of a look into the mind of a schizophrenic and or individual highly influenced by being brought up by one as I anticipated. Although, Mira did go into detail about many experiences she had with her mother, I still felt like I needed to hear more in order to have a well rounded view of their relationship and the disease. I am not sure what else to say, other than it felt like she was holding back, and I gathered/felt how disconnected she was from her mother more than anything else.