Rating: 
Summary: GOOD karma! I like this book.
Review: I clicked over to this book when I was looking around for a diet book for my sister. I think its a good idea to have links to other books even if they're unrelated. Does someone think that people who read diet books don't enjoy a good laugh every now and then, or what!? I went back to that diet book when I saw all the controversy on this "Birdseed" listing and I counted THIRTEEN links to other products (many of them unrelated to dieting) that AMAZON put there. So what's the big deal if a reader or author or publisher puts a link there? Bottom line: I like this book a lot, and I'm glad the link to it was in a diet book listing.
Rating: 
Summary: A Bit Cloying For Me
Review: I found the style of these essays to be a bit cloying, like eating too much cotton candy at the circus. Her writing lacks the sharpness of David Sedaris or the insight of Andrei Condrescu, and her bland experiences begin to run together after you've read half the book. For those who enjoy writers like Sarah Vowell or Sandra Tsing Loh, this book may do little more than make your teeth hurt.
Rating:
Summary: not like anything else
Review: I happened to wander into a bookstore during one of Janis Jaquith's readings at a book festival and was impressed: her delivery is wonderful and she's very funny. (she's a radio personality, so no wonder her delivery is so good) I bought the book, and I have to say that I heartily recommend it. It's not just funny: sometimes it can be moving, too. It just isn't like anything else I've ever read. What it is, is a collection of little stories, real ones from her life. And I end up reading certain stories over and over again. I've even xeroxed a few of them to send to family and friends. (a no-no, for sure, but here I am buying extra copies for gifts) I just wish it was available in hardcover, because I'm going to want to hang onto it for a long time.
Rating: 
Summary: funny and sweet
Review: I heard the author on NPR and jotted down the name of her book which they mentioned after her commentary. If you listen to Ms. Jaquith on the radio and like what you hear then you'll enjoy this book as much as I did. My sense is that people who are unfamiliar with the concept of the short commentaries as heard on NPR don't quite know what to make of thse short pieces. I myself look forward to hearing them so I like reading them too. (And they have already been "published" by the NPR producers, so the fact that the book is self published is, IMHO, irrelevant) Click on the "look inside the book" thingamajig and see for yourself if this is what you like. They are written to sound like the author is talking to you (which she does on the radio) so it's different from stuff that's written to be read in the first place. Actually, it's easy reading that has quite a bit of depth and humor. It's a sweet book by an author whose take on life is so much like my own I can't help but recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Good book.
Review: I read the book in question and found it amusing and well-written. Not sure what all th brouhaha is about with these othre one-starred reviews. Can't help but wonder if they're talking about "Birdseed Cookies"...or if they have some sort of ax to grind with the author. A shame, really, because it's a strong book. Even passed it along to others at my office. Recommended without hesitation.
Rating:
Summary: Good book.
Review: I read the book in question and found it amusing and well-written. Not sure what all th brouhaha is about with these othre one-starred reviews. Can't help but wonder if they're talking about "Birdseed Cookies"...or if they have some sort of ax to grind with the author. A shame, really, because it's a strong book. Even passed it along to others at my office. Recommended without hesitation.
Rating:
Summary: made me laugh out loud
Review: I saw the article about Birdseed Cookies: A Fractured Memoir in the New York Times the other day. As it happened, I had already ordered a copy of the book, and it arrived the same day. It did not disappoint...I totally related to Jaquith and I love her stories about aspects of real life that people don't always talk about. (I can just picture her squeezing into her wedding gown at every wedding anniversary...and how she's worrying that this time, she'll probably have to have someone use a pair of scissors to get her out of it again!) I found Jaquith through the Internet. Someone e-mailed me a link to her site. If you're wondering if you or someone else would like this book, I suggest you visit her website. You can read a lot of these essays there for free. It's radioessays dot com. I, for one, think this stuff is a hoot. And I figure that anything that makes me laugh out loud (repeatedly) is definitely worth the money
Rating:
Summary: I just had to weigh in!
Review: I started listening to Janis Jaquith's radio commentaries when I was a senior in high school and my mom would drive me to school. (we listen to an NPR station in Virginia) I just graduated from college, and I'm STILL loving her commentaries on the radio. So I was perplexed to read in the New York Times the other day that Jaquith is "little known"! (On the other hand, maybe that's the NY establishment for you - and their disdain for all things Southern) I don't have her book in front of me at the moment (my mom gave it to me for my birthday last fall) because I keep lending it to people. But I thought it was just great. It's the kind of book I read over and over again. Well, that's my two cents' worth!
Rating:
Summary: More fun than the old roller coaster ride at Paragon Park!
Review: If the name Janis Jaquith doesn't mean anything to you now--believe me it will. Ms. Jaquith is a master storyteller who invites you into her life, her heart, and her head through the pages of "Birdseed Cookies." And what you may ask are "Birdseed Cookies" exactly? Well, like so many of the essays in her book, this is a little gem that you will have to discover for yourself. There are many such delightful tales in this breezy book. An Erma Bombeck for the new millenium, Janis celebrates the human spirit with her own unique take on everyday life. From touching moments of quiet heroism to scenes of side-splitting laughter, this is one roller coaster ride that is well worth the admission.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious! Heartwarming! Heartbreaking!
Review: In all of literature, there are three universal themes from culture to culture: Food, family and animals. In the 66 essays in this book -- reprints of her radio broadcasts on NPR -- Jaquith tackles these and others with aplomb. Whether it's defending a garden against an intelligent rodent ("Guerilla Gopher"), attempting to fight algae in her pond with electric fans and miles of extension cords ("Pond Scum"), or eating some food her children cooked using an unusual recipe ("Birdeed Cookies") Jaquith evokes a smile while often revealing a deeper level of truth. In one essay, she discusses the seemingly outdated wedding tradition of picking out wedding china -- coming to the conclusion that in our paper-plate, disposable society, the china plates serve as a reminder of just how delicate and fragile love can be. Yet another essay ("Attention Deficit Disorder -- Who Knew?") brought tears to my eyes as she talked about what it was like growing up with undiagnosed ADD and constantly being told how stupid she was. Each essay is an enjoyable read, although the ones that aired during pledge drives on NPR sound like -- well, essays that aired during pledge drives on NPR. Still, the entire book as a whole is fun, or thought-provoking, or sometimes both at the same time. Since the book is divided into 66 short essays, the book goes down easy, making it a perfect book for summer reading.
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