Rating: 
Summary: Thank God it wasn't me -- but I loved reading it
Review: I bought this book because I had read so much about Karr's "sequel" memoir, Cherry. I figured that if I was going to read it, I should start at the beginning. I should make a note here that I'm a sucker for the memoir rage that's been sweeping bookstores nationwide -- there's just something ultimately satisfying about reading a book of life as opposed to a book of events. Karr met my expectations with a one-two suckerpunch. The Liar's Club is extraordinarily well written; I love Karr's colloquialisms, her mother's foul rantings, her sister's calm instructions. The book is a testament to the age-old adage that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Karr's childhood is spent on the brink of lunacy with her brilliant yet completely f-ed up mother, her heartbroken father, and her sneaky, loony grandmother. Karr's memoir is the stuff of raw human emotions -- lust, hatred, despair, and longing. The book is marinated by the booze the characters drink and then seasoned by the plentiful "horking" that occurs on every other page. A wonderful book.
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Summary: Gripping story, poetic prose
Review: Mary Karr has the epitome of a "great writer's voice." Her writing is a combination of the "honest blurt" and poetry. She draws us into her story of a chaotic childhood, raised by parents who were less than adequate. With compassion and candor, she describes family secrets and harrowing adventures. Between the lines, we hear their impact, but this author is never whiney or blaming. I'm looking forward to reading her sequel, CHERRY, covering her adolescent years, which is on its way from amazon.com. A book I recommend highly and without reservation.~~Joan Mazza, author of DREAM BACK YOUR LIFE; DREAMING YOUR REAL SELF; WHO'S CRAZY ANYWAY? and 3 books in The Guided Journal Series with Writer's Digest Books.
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Summary: Stunning and Shocking-It's the REAL thing-LIFE
Review: I am not surprised to see this book STILL on best-seller lists after several years. I "found" thing book a few years back and was stunned, like in "Pulp Fiction", to read in graphic detail the real-life things that happen to children, parents, families as they try to survive the roller coaster ride called LIFE. Mary Karr describes in shocking detail the horrors of her childhood, including a vividly real descprition of sexual abuse. She comes out to love those who have abused her and is wise beyond her years. I can see why this book has not become a movie. There is no fluff, no "Julia Roberts" or "Meg Ryan" parts but an actress with grit could make this a memorable work. I can't picture any actress today who could play the part realistically except perhaps Jodie Foster or Meryl Streep. Renee Zelwiger? Words are transformed and mesmerizing. I couldn't put it down. Thank you, Mary Karr.
Rating:
Summary: This didn't really feel like "reading a book."
Review: It felt like I was staying up late with a friend, talking about life. Mary Karr's not afraid to drop pretenses and let you in. A bit like David Sedaris, she makes you feel like one of the family (which is good because otherwise you'd feel guilty for laughing). I found myself pulling for her all the way and amazed at her resilience. Heartfelt. Funny. Mary Karr's life reads better than fiction. Highly, highly recommended. A truly gifted storyteller.
Rating:
Summary: Ya'll Know what?
Review: I just loved this book. I loved the trip through this book, the words, the feel, all of it. It's one of those books you don't read particularly for the power of the message but for the pleasure of being given passage through someone's memory. Although the story reminded me of the way people parent so irresponsibly, it sure does happen so frequently. Bittersweet tale!
Rating: 
Summary: It was like she was talking to me
Review: Mary Karr's memior, The Liar's Club, is an exploration into her traumatic childhood growing up amidst alcohol and other dysfunction. Karr is able to tell her tale in the most conversational tone I have encountered...I often wondered if I wasn't experiencing the events with her! Her prose is engaging. Simultaneously, she makes you laugh out loud while putting an ache in your heart. I highly recommend this worthwile read.
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Summary: In spite of the harshness, the love and caring shine through
Review: This hard-edged and gritty memoir by Mary Karr about her childhood in Port Arthur is intense in every sense of the word. The language is harsh and yet lyrical. The situations are brutal and yet humorous. There's alcoholism, psychosis, passion and raw exposed emotions. But in spite of all that, the love and caring shine through. And the disturbing experiences are told in such an engaging way that instead of feeling sorry for the little girl, I could laugh out loud and admire her pluck and courage. This book is a testament to love and the resiliency of the human spirit. I recommend it to all.
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Summary: Karr adds irreverence & humor to an odd and disturbing past
Review: Mary Karr takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, filled with ups and downs as sharp and quick as a ride on the Matterhorn. The imagery and detail she lends to the most (seemingly) insignificant events makes her life pop out in 3-D for us to examine. Karr's voice is always REAL. Its gritty and unapologetic, but flows through the most difficult and disturbing of situations without wavering. She's a brilliant storyteller - and this book has made for some of the best rainy day entertainment I've had.
Rating:
Summary: Like Stepping into Someone Else's Life
Review: Karr must be the bravest writer I have ever encountered. Most people would be far too embarrassed to reveal certain family and personal details... Karr brings them all out alongside the more public kinds of stories she might tell. To read her words is to step into another's life. I think it is fair to say that all of us have stories we keep secret until the grave, and we also have the stories that we happily tell over and over again. One gets the impression that Karr is really telling everything, just to give an accurate account of her unique childhood. As a reader, I felt privileged to be allowed into Karr's life story. Not unlike being in a club of sorts. This sense of collusion is a strong thread in the book, and makes me ponder the power of the word, of secrets, and of writing. To read the book is to be faced with unpleasant and heart-wrenching details, but there are lovely little touches on every page... her descriptions of other children are especially good. Karr is a very fine writer, and there is a lot of warmth and wonder throughout the text.
Rating: 
Summary: An overly descriptive story of dysfunction
Review: I looked forward to reading this book knowing the awards it won and the many months it lasted on the bestseller list. Surprisingly, I was disappointed. Although Ms. Karr's story is intense, this is a slow read, one loaded with unnecessary metaphors and tangential, distracting references. The author would have earned more sympathy particularly for her mother, in light of her illness, and generally, for her family's dysfunction, had she relayed this account more concisely. I prefer memoirs in the style of Mary Cantwell's AMERICAN GIRL, or MANHATTAN, WHEN I WAS YOUNG, or Russell Baker's GROWING UP.
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