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Summary: I liked this one so much I'm going to buy all of Karr's book
Review: This book is an appalling, hilarious account of a girl growing up in a hard-drinking blue-collar family in an East Texas refinery town. I was an engineer in one of those refineries and this book rings so true, it hurts. Believe me, not every one in East Texas is this (degenerate is not the right word, but I can't come up with anything better), but a hell of a lot of them are. And Karr has such an upbeat attitude in spite of all the bad things in her life, that I rolled in the aisles. Believe me - its a rare treasure to find a book like this. (Incidentally, this book horrified my sister-in-law, but she often takes things a little bit too seriously. And there's no town named Leechfield, Texas, but the description sounds an awful lot like Port Acres, a former suburb of Port Arthur.)
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Summary: What a ride it...
Review: must have been on that bridge, riding out of town with her mental Mother at the wheel, running from a hurling hurricane. That image is quite profound. Mary Karr has an incredible memory - this is how you feel as you read the book. The level of detail is very fine. I developed quite a hate for her nasty Grandmother. The foray the family takes to Colorado is quite jolting, and what takes place there to Mary is sad. But she faces it strongly. What could she do? Her relationship with her Dad was sweet. I understand that the town of Leechfield, Texas is fictional but the location in the lower eastern part of the state near Port Arthur is true. This is the town where Agent Orange was produced. Could this have been Orangefield, TX? Mary, you squeezed your soul out in this one.
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Summary: Honestly a great book
Review: I loved the book, and was completely impressed by her ability to form extremely complex characters. I would recommend this to anyone.
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Summary: Does the title give a valuable clue?
Review: The majority of this memoir recounts a period in the author's childhood where she was around 5 years old, or thereabouts. As I was reading this book, I kept going around and around about how much of this is downright fabricated and in fact the work of a very skillful writer? Yet all the loose ends tie up at the end. Hmm, don't know what to think. It's not a pretty story and not for the faint of heart. I can be a pretty tough old bird, and some of her descriptions were downright shocking. This book was recommended to me by an author, and I was told it had one funny one-liner after the next, flat out great writing--read it immediately! I didn't want to tell this person, that I didn't laugh but once (the humor is dark) and I thought, Geez, this writer should be put in the corner with Salinger and Henry Miller (w/o all the four-letter obscenities) as far as salty prose goes. If that is your cup of tea, then give this book a try. After all is said and done, it is a page-turner, it keeps your interest, and even has a sort of moving twist at the end. It's a well-written book; the style will not be for everyone.
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Summary: The Liar's Club
Review: I chose to read The Liar's Club because I enjoy reading memoirs. Rather than hearing a boring story about a family told in 3rd person, a memoir searches further into the soul of the author. Mary Karr, the main character and rebellious young girl, deals with many mature issues at a young age. Her wild nature helps Mary and her sister Lecia overcome depression and neglection by keeping a loving heart and an open mind. Mary was raped at four, her parents divorced when she was only 10, and her own mother held her at gunpoint while intoxicated. This story surrounds the issue of alcoholism and is a crude lesson on family and perserverence. This memoir is very easy to pick up and start reading anywhere. While it maintains your interest, the plot and setting jumps around frequently. Overall, this story gives insight to those without Mary Karr's adolescent problems, but helps those who are struggling in similar ways connect.
Rating: 
Summary: Good story. Good story teller.
Review: The story is almost unbelievable, and she acknowledges this by pointing to her memory and to her family's reputation as being liars. With that aside, the book is a worthwhile read. She tells a story of a very difficult childhood without any self-pity, blame, or triumph. These are the three typical avenues that writers take when telling their dark stories. Anyone who considers this book boring obviously did not connect, which reflects the reader and not the book.
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Summary: Wow!
Review: One of the best reads! She writes like a real person. It was just like being in her mind as a child. Brought back lots of feelings & thoughts from my childhood. I enjoyed Cherry, also. I would buy any book written by Mary Karr!
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Summary: i won't lie to you
Review: bo-ring. i just didn't like the book. granted, some of the subject matter was interesting, as is true in almost every book, but there was something this particular one i found extremely dull. it never went below the surface, and it feels to me that although she's talking about all this deep and profound stuff - family chaos, alcoholism, mental illness - she doesn't really have much perspective on it, and is still herself deeply rooted in her own family system (look at the people she dedicates the book to!). i've found SO MANY better books than this one - what a bore!
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Summary: So hard to believe
Review: I have just completed reading part I of this book and I am finding it all very hard to believe. I do not believe that a 7 year old can have as much psychological insight into a situation as Mary Karr claims she did when she was 7, not to mention an adult sense of humor. All in all, the gist of her life-story may very well be true, but to me, it seems like Mary Karr has made up all the little details she write about in her book. It is also very very prosaic, and it pales in comparision to Frank McCourt's beautiful poetic memoir.
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Summary: Poetic Justice!
Review: I can't say enough good things about this book. The story of Mary Karr's childhood is absolutely gripping. She tells her story of growing up in Texas and Colorado with her completely dysfunctional family, and keeps the reader engrossed in her story and laughing most of the way! Mary Karr's writing style is so descriptive and poetic. I can't wait to read the follow-up to this book, Cherry.
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