I just finished Amiel's new book! An incredibly honest book by a great and entertaining writer! I read Amiel's first memoir as a young woman, and I found reading this new one as a much older woman - a rich and wonderful experience. Amiel's loyalty and love for husband Conrad Black is particularly touching.
Absolutely brilliant. The best interview with Barbara Amiel since her book has been published. I adore her candor, honesty, style and elegance. I can see why Conrad Black was smitten - she's akin to an exquisite, deep, thoughtful and rare book.
I was writing for a local paper when her first book dropped into my lap I sent her some of my columns she wrote back and told me , Lubor Zink filled my thoughts in the Telegram . Ayn Rand taught me , you have no reason to apologize for who you are , a lot of this ever , since I discovered her in high school ! I learned one thing in my life , do not ever denigrate yourself , there are plenty of people out there to do it on your behalf . I am now 70 and I am still the same as I was when I was 5 , when the Soviets invaded Hungary in 1956 and I cried
'It is possible for a woman to manipulate a man, not simply by throwing a knife at him, not simply by nasty words but by understanding the emotional dynamics, and using them against him'. I used to watch my mother emotionally abuse my father in the most cruellest and sadist way imaginable, she would torment him and torment to the point of him being violent which was probably the only way he knew how to defend himself against her emotional violence. She would then go crying to everyone outside our house that she was being abused and needed sympathy and could have got an Oscar for the poor damsel in distress role that she played. This is taboo in our society we don't look at abuse as a whole, just that women equals victim. So good that Barbara Amiel is speaking this truth.
I also loved her book...I'm definitely, not at all, politically attuned to her beliefs...but loved her book...She is a great writer...and her book is a page turner...I used to read Macleans Magazine and after turning to the last page...my next read was her column...again didn't often agree with her but alway read her with great enthusiasm...After listening to this interview and a few others like the TVO interview...almost makes me want to go back and read it again...!
I can do without the tone of judgement from the interviewer. Barbara bared her soul in this book. The least one can grant her is a reassuring intonation that she's not the only person on earth with complicated emotional architecture. If Twain is right, the interviewer likely has larger skeletons (which is not something to be ashamed of): "There is no school in all our land where the young ladies do not feel obliged to close their compositions with a sermon; and you will find that the sermon of the most frivolous and least religious girl in the school is always the longest and most relentlessly pious"
@@susandempsey9385 I wrote as a comment above that I thought she wasn't terrible at the end. I forget precisely what rubbed me the wrong way. Perhaps just the main thrust of questioning seemed to me to infer that it was weird that Barbara, who was exposing herself honestly in the book in a way few writers have the cajones to do, had a tumultuous childhood and a complicated emotional architecture. I think these things are more widespread than genteel society likes to pretend. It was probably more of an impression than anything specific.
She's just like a character from an 1980s Jackie Collins novel, who spent a lot of time on her knees to get to the top, no wonder a lot of modern women dislike her. I think her vapid consumption of wealth and her addiction to bad plastic surgery belie a very insecure, bitter and unhappy woman.
@@stevetatchell5571 You have to be insecure to want to keep mutilating your face as clearly she wasn't comfortable growing old naturally; you have to be bitter to compile a list of enemies rather than draw a line and move on; and yes, she's unhappy that she was dropped and became a social pariah.
Amiel does not shy away from complete honesty. Reading her book I often thought about what anybody's life would look like on paper - if they were completely and utterly honest. The darker bits get left in! Many people shade a memoir how they want to be seen. Amiel does not. I see her has very likable - and her truthfulness and candor is a big part of that!
I just finished Amiel's new book! An incredibly honest book by a great and entertaining writer! I read Amiel's first memoir as a young woman, and I found reading this new one as a much older woman - a rich and wonderful experience. Amiel's loyalty and love for husband Conrad Black is particularly touching.
Admire this articulate lady for her intelligence and honesty.
Absolutely brilliant. The best interview with Barbara Amiel since her book has been published. I adore her candor, honesty, style and elegance. I can see why Conrad Black was smitten - she's akin to an exquisite, deep, thoughtful and rare book.
I was writing for a local paper when her first book dropped into my lap I sent her some of my columns she wrote back and told me , Lubor Zink filled my thoughts in the Telegram . Ayn Rand taught me , you have no reason to apologize for who you are , a lot of this ever , since I discovered her in high school ! I learned one thing in my life , do not ever denigrate yourself , there are plenty of people out there to do it on your behalf . I am now 70 and I am still the same as I was when I was 5 , when the Soviets invaded Hungary in 1956 and I cried
Amiel follows the #1 rule of any great writer - 'tell the truth' !
Liked already, for that intro alone.
'It is possible for a woman to manipulate a man, not simply by throwing a knife at him, not simply by nasty words but by understanding the emotional dynamics, and using them against him'. I used to watch my mother emotionally abuse my father in the most cruellest and sadist way imaginable, she would torment him and torment to the point of him being violent which was probably the only way he knew how to defend himself against her emotional violence. She would then go crying to everyone outside our house that she was being abused and needed sympathy and could have got an Oscar for the poor damsel in distress role that she played. This is taboo in our society we don't look at abuse as a whole, just that women equals victim. So good that Barbara Amiel is speaking this truth.
I also loved her book...I'm definitely, not at all, politically attuned to her beliefs...but loved her book...She is a great writer...and her book is a page turner...I used to read Macleans Magazine and after turning to the last page...my next read was her column...again didn't often agree with her but alway read her with great enthusiasm...After listening to this interview and a few others like the TVO interview...almost makes me want to go back and read it again...!
Someone did a deep dive on Barbara with all those screenshots at the beginning!
I can do without the tone of judgement from the interviewer. Barbara bared her soul in this book. The least one can grant her is a reassuring intonation that she's not the only person on earth with complicated emotional architecture. If Twain is right, the interviewer likely has larger skeletons (which is not something to be ashamed of):
"There is no school in all our land where the young ladies do not feel obliged to close their compositions with a sermon; and you will find that the sermon of the most frivolous and least religious girl in the school is always the longest and most relentlessly pious"
Ok I finished it. She's not terrible. Peace and blessings.
I didn't catch the tone of judgment that you refer to...
@@susandempsey9385 I wrote as a comment above that I thought she wasn't terrible at the end. I forget precisely what rubbed me the wrong way. Perhaps just the main thrust of questioning seemed to me to infer that it was weird that Barbara, who was exposing herself honestly in the book in a way few writers have the cajones to do, had a tumultuous childhood and a complicated emotional architecture. I think these things are more widespread than genteel society likes to pretend. It was probably more of an impression than anything specific.
She's just like a character from an 1980s Jackie Collins novel, who spent a lot of time on her knees to get to the top, no wonder a lot of modern women dislike her. I think her vapid consumption of wealth and her addiction to bad plastic surgery belie a very insecure, bitter and unhappy woman.
Insecure, bitter, unhappy? Hardly!
@@stevetatchell5571 You have to be insecure to want to keep mutilating your face as clearly she wasn't comfortable growing old naturally; you have to be bitter to compile a list of enemies rather than draw a line and move on; and yes, she's unhappy that she was dropped and became a social pariah.
Amiel does not shy away from complete honesty. Reading her book I often thought about what anybody's life would look like on paper - if they were completely and utterly honest. The darker bits get left in! Many people shade a memoir how they want to be seen. Amiel does not. I see her has very likable - and her truthfulness and candor is a big part of that!
Then you missed a ton !