Sleepers Review

Sleepers
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I suspect that the first 2/3 of this book are true. The vignettes of life on the streets of Hell's Kitchen in the 60s ring true. The section on life in a boy's "reform school" is UNDERSTATED, if anything. In most such places, as brutal as the guards may be, the young thugs you are locked in with are even worse.
However, the last 1/3 of the book - the trial - is at least partly fantasy. As a prosecutor, I can tell you that the trial could not have progressed as described. The key to Michael's strategy was getting ex-guard Ferguson to testify about what a great guy the dead victim was, so that the truth would come out on cross-examination. However, testimony about a dead victim's character is NOT allowed at trial (except in certain cases where the defense is self-defense - but here, it was not). In real life, as soon as the judge heard ex-guard Ferguson begin to testify about the dead victim's character, he would have cut in and stopped the testimony.
I think that Carcaterra really was sent to some juvenile facility and was abused as badly as he describes. I think he wanted to write a book - a very shocking book - that would have an effect on the public's perception of such places and help to bring about change. But a simple autobiography describing the horrors wouldn't be readable, just sickening. A novel, no matter how readable, wouldn't be taken seriously. So he wrote a partially-fake autobiography with a gut-wrenching ending that most definitely has had an effect on public perception of juvenile detention centers. And I bet having his revenge, even if it was just fantasy-revenge, must have felt good. I hope so.

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Why Johnny Can't Read: And What You Can Do about It Review

Why Johnny Can't Read: And What You Can Do about It
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I found this book back in 1987 right before my first child turned 5. After reading the book, I decided I had better teach my son to read myself before the local public school had a chance to mess him up. I couldn't believe how fast he learned to read! Using this book made it simple, easy, and fun for him. We spent no more than 15 minutes a day going through the exercises in the book (my son was very hyperactive back then with a very short attention span!). After about 3 weeks Andrew was able to read simple children's books, and very soon progessed to higher-level reading. Once he learned HOW to read (thanks to Flesch's method), he was able to quickly progress on his own. Sometimes he wanted me to read to him; other times he wanted to read to me. I helped him whenever he got stuck on a word that was not spelled the way it sounds. Even though there are a lot of English words which are (unfortunately and annoyingly) spelled contrary to phonic rules, such as "eye," once you learn to read by phonics, the "sight words" aren't that hard to learn. Most of them are figured out by the context and are then quickly memorized. But FIRST, you need to learn the phonics!
Anyway, since my first son learned to read so fast and well, thanks to this book, naturally I turned to it again 5 years later when my second son was almost 5. However, it turned out that Collin had no interest in learning to read at that point. I felt no need to rush or pressure him, so I put the book away. A few months later I got the book out again to see if he was interested yet, and he was. Learning to read was fast and fun, just as with my first son.
For both of my boys, the first word they learned to read was CAT. At first, when they sounded out the letters for c-a-t, the sounds were separate, and it didn't sound like any word they knew. So I told them to say the sounds faster and blend them together. After a few attempts of this, "cat" came out of their mouths. I will never forget the looks of joy and amazement on their faces when that happened! They had just figured out HOW to read! That was the turning point, and reading as been easy and enjoyable for them ever since.
A couple of years later my husband said he thought we should start home schooling our boys. At first I didn't think I was up to the challenge until he reminded me that I had already taught the boys to read--and that's supposed to be the hard part. Once a person can read, learning is mostly a matter of self-education (with the parents as guides). He was right!
In summary, I love this book! It has helped my family greatly, and I believe that it would be very helpful for anyone wanting to teach a child to read.

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The classic book on phonics--the method of teaching recommended by the U.S. Department of Education. Contains complete materials and instructions on teaching children to read at home.

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Duchess in Love Review

Duchess in Love
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I really did enjoy this book. James has been criticized more than once for having too much going on in her novels, but I find her refreshing and innovative. Duchess does have a lot of set up, and I admit that the following three books of the series are better, but this particular novel was the hook. And I couldn't help it; when I finished the book I was dying to know what happened to all my favorite characters. James succeeds in writing flawed characters who are also endearing and interesting. The best suggestion I can make to potential consumers is to go ahead and give the book a try. Tastes vary so much that you won't be able to tell whether or not you like the story unless you give it a try. You don't even have to purchase it; check it out of the library first. And I promise that the series does get better and better right through the last novel.

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A Duke in Retreat

Gina was forced into marriage with the Duke of Girton at an age when she'd have been better off in a schoolroom than a ballroom. Directly after the ceremony her handsome spouse promptly fled to the continent, leaving the marriage unconsummated and Gina quite indignant.

A Lady In the Middle

Now, she is one of the most well-known ladies in London ... living on the edge of scandal—desired by many men, but resisting giving herself to any one.

A Duchess in Love

Finally, Camden, the Duke of Girton, has returned home, to discover that his naïve bride has blossomed into the toast of the ton. Which leaves Cam in the most uncomfortable position of discovering that he has the bad manners to be falling in love—with his own wife!


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Every Boy's Got One Review

Every Boy's Got One
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This was an amazingly funny read that fan's of chick lit should surly appreciate and those readers that may not naturally gravitate to chick lit will find this a worthwhile read that offers both a quirky look at travel and romance.
This book is set up in journal, and e-mail format and the story is told through these formats via Jane Harris, and Cal Langdon as well as the secondary characters of Mark Levin, and Holly Caputo. Together these four will take us on a roller coaster ride of laughs on the way to an elopement in Italy of Mark and Holly. There is never a dull moment on the road to romance, and the final destination of matrimony will be no different, especially with Cal and Jane along for the ride. Cal is a cynic from the word go and does not believe in romance or love. Love is a chemical imbalance in the brain as far as he's concerned and the concept of people staying together for forty or fifty years proves that there is something very wrong with them. Jane on the other hand is a total romantic and knows that Mark and Holly are meant to be together no matter what. If this means that she has to stay in contact with Cal in order to prevent him from sabotaging not only the most romantic thing she has ever witnessed, but also ruin the first time she's ever been out of the good 'ol U.S. of A.. Everything is going great until against her recommendations (Jane) part of the wedding party (okay, Mark and Holly) partakes of some of the local raw shellfish and they find themselves laid low by food poisoning. Now Jane and Cal must ride to the rescue and pose as the "totally in love" couple in order to complete the paperwork needed in order for Mark and Holly to get married in Italy. What follows is Jane and Cal get a chance to know each other, and they both realize that the other is not a zany or bad as they thought. Could there be a happily ever after for these two?
This was a fun read with plenty of laugh out loud moments. Ms. Cabot is one of my favorite authors in this new genre and her latest read is semi-autobiographical as this story is based on her own experience when she eloped to Italy with her husband. After all truth is stranger then fiction at times, and yes, great material for an entertaining read. This was a fast paced read that although it is a light hearted read she does tackle the hard issue of commitment phobic people, and the other issue of perceptions and how these can be hard as well. This is defiantly a character driven story and all four characters are endearing and likeable which only adds to the story. Ms. Cabot is an extremely talented and creative author and her latest effort is well worth picking up.
Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com


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Rise and Shine: The Extraordinary Story of One Man's Journey from Near Death to Full Recovery Review

Rise and Shine: The Extraordinary Story of One Man's Journey from Near Death to Full Recovery
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More than a book you can't put down, although it is that, Rise and Shine is an unforgettable ride that propels the reader through the roller-coaster adventure of Simon Lewis's recovery, from the deepest coma possible without being dead to his triumph over the naysaying doctors, the impossible door slams of the insurance industry, and the ineffectual healthcare quagmire. After 16 years of persistence, with the loving care of his parents and the shining healers he found among the many medical professionals he consulted, Mr. Lewis emerges with his humor, keen insights and gift of inspiring language intact. The wealth of scientific data he has assembled in very accessible form will help many individuals around the world who will be informed and uplifted by his stunning effort to share his discoveries with a global readership, particularly those who have suffered traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries and believe they have no way out. For me, the most touching passages come near the beginning of the tale, where Mr. Lewis recounts the dream-like snippets that came back to him from his month in the coma. The book is a prodigious effort that has as much poetry and spiritual perception as it has revealing medical truths.

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Bound Feet & Western Dress: A Memoir Review

Bound Feet and Western Dress: A Memoir
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This novel was given to me by my younger brother for Christmas 1997. He said he thought it might be interesting for me--I think it is the best gift he's ever given me. I am the eldest daughter of a Chinese family; my own mother came from China and I and my brothers were born here in America. The biography "Bound Feet and Western Dress" serves to further enrich all the stories and experiences that my mother has been telling me about our own family history. For me, the book serves as just one piece to the complex puzzle of what happened to some of the families in China during the first half of the Twentieth Century. The novel's poignant story lets me know that I'm not alone in my mother's methods to raise me as a "good Chinese daughter" -- with her strange proverbs, her continuing treatment of me as second to the males in our family, and her insistence on a daughter's family duty. This book illustrates time after time how the main character, Chang Yu-I, deals with many unforeseen circumstances with strength and dignity -- surviving a short-lived marriage, changing cultural traditions, raising children on one's own, living in a foreign land, dealing with wartime, working hard, fulfilling family duty, and doing what is needs to be done. In this story, I do not believe the main character intends to push through major changes but, rather, she does not cower at what life brings to her. This gives the reader extra courage to know that you can deal with whatever the future holds for you. It made me laugh and cry. I especially love this book because of all the translated Chinese sayings. I saved the Christmas ribbons (which wrapped this gift from my brother) and I use the strips for bookmarks; the book sits cheerfully on my shelf bookmarked in numerous places with bright red and green to bring me straight to the poetic and beautiful sayings. The author was introduced to me last night at a dinner event as "Pang Mei" (prounounced like "Bang Mei") -- I was delighted at her beauty, animated enthusiasm and her down-to-earth approachability. I highly recommend "Bound Feet and Western Dress" for young and old alike. Be prepared for the jumping of the timeframes and the two narrative voices--the story will, nonetheless, enrich your life and hopefully it will help you understand a bit more about some of the Chinese women you may meet. The story is quick to read and would be a good springboard for the discussion of duty and honour, and the ability to change, be responsible, and succeed regardless of gender and class.

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The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers who Inspired Chicago Review

The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers who Inspired Chicago
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When Douglas Perry saw the Broadway revival of Chicago in the late 1990s, he became fascinated with the factual events that inspired the show. He expected to be able to find a book about the real-life "killer dillers," but found that there wasn't one. An accomplished journalist, Perry sought to rectify the situation by producing a tome of his own.
The result is The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and The Beautiful Killers Who Inspired Chicago (Viking, 2010), a fascinating tale of the decidedly skewed sense of justice holding court in 1920s Chicago. Along with the Jazz Age came a rash of homicides committed by females, but the city's all-male juries were reluctant to condemn women murderers, especially the pretty ones.
Much of the general public ascribed such heinous acts by women to a loosening of moral values, and an overindulgence in the cabaret lifestyle and bootleg liquor. Or perhaps it was more of a general social malaise. "Something about Chicago was destroying the feminine temperament," writes Perry, not from his own point of view, but from the perspective of the general 1920s Chicago zeitgeist.
Enter Maurine Watkins, an aspiring journalist, playwright, and moralist seeking to acquire some first-hand experience as a crime reporter. Watkins became one of the few female crime reporters with the venerable Chicago Tribune. The Tribune considered itself the "hanging paper," in contrast to the Hearst publications, which sought to wrench as much human melodrama as possible from any given tragedy -- whether or not the details were actually true -- in the shameless pursuit of newsstand sales.
Shortly after Watkins arrived in Chicago, two sensational murderesses hit the real-life Cook County jail: Belva Gaertner (think "Velma"), a stylish former cabaret singer and three-time divorcee, accused of gunning down her married lover. And Beulah Annan (think "Roxie"), the beautiful car-mechanic's wife, who allegedly shot her lover and danced over his dying body to the strains of a jazz record playing over and over on her Victrola. What follows is a scandalous tale of sexism, racism, xenophobia, yellow journalism, and miscarriages of justices.
In The Girls of Murder City, Perry's descriptions of various murder cases and the attendant media circus are heavily detailed and thoroughly compelling. I did have to wonder, however, how he got as specific as he did with the precise descriptions of what the various characters were doing and feeling. Perry provides an extensive bibliography, and one can assume that his accounts are taken from those sources, but sometimes the level of specificity strained credulity. How, for instance, could he know that Beulah Annan, when attending church services, would be "leaning her cheek against her mother's elbow during services"? Perry's bibliography lists no source for this reference, so perhaps it's meant to be fanciful projection?
In any case, Perry certainly knows how to effectively set the scene. His descriptions of the rampant mob mentality during the funeral of one of the minor murderesses was alternately heartbreaking and terrifying. Perry also demonstrates a knack for building suspense during the trials of Gaertner and Annan, wringing compelling drama out court proceedings. Perry does devote a bit too much attention to the Leopold and Loeb case, which admittedly occurred during the time period, but would seem to be outside the scope of Perry's thesis.
Based on her experiences covering the Gaertner and Annan trials, a disgusted and outraged Maurine Watkins decided to turn these travesties into the play Chicago, which ran on Broadway during the 1926-27 season, and later toured the country. The play was made into a film twice, once in 1927 under the title "Chicago," and again in 1942, this time called "Roxie Hart." Watkins was unhappy with both versions, and to her dying day refused to entertain offers of a musical treatment.
When Watkins died in the early '70s, Bob Fosse approached her estate about creating a musical with John Kander and Fred Ebb, and you probably know the story from there. Fans of the musical Chicago will notice in Perry's book elements that have survived intact from the news reports and court documents, all the way to Watkins' play and Fosse's and Ebb's libretto. This includes actual lyrics, such as "We both reached for the gun," as well as plot elements, including Roxie's fake pregnancy.
One of the reasons the musical Chicago struck a nerve upon its 1996 revival was that the show's focus took on a new relevance alongside the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, a miscarriage of justice in a very different vein, which nonetheless made household names out of Marcia Clark, Kato Kaelin, Judge Ito, Johnnie Cochran, and Mark Fuhrman. I'm frankly appalled that even now, after 15 years, I can still recall those names. That's the insidious power of the media, and Perry's book puts a fascinating perspective on how another media circus evokes its own particular place and time.

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Shark Dialogues Review

Shark Dialogues
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Written by a woman of Hawaiian descent who clearly loves her people, this family saga is the story of Hawaii itself. The central character is the matriarch Pono, whose life includes harsh realities and surreal myths. Her long and passionate love for her husband Duke has caused her great joy, but the situations they had to face together have required strength and courage.
Pono's four adult granddaughters, each born of a different mixed blood heritage and who now live in various parts of the world, come back to Hawaii to visit, forcing them all to come to terms backgrounds.
Their stories are all revealed though flashbacks, going all the way back through seven generations, mixing history with myth in a wonderful array of unforgettable characters. I'll never forget the story of life in a leper colony, or of life on a plantation. I'll long remember the mythical quality of the sea and its ability to both nourish and destroy. There's life and death and passion and joy. There's war and peace and destruction by both human greed and natural forces.
At 480 pages, this is a book to sink into and look forward to reading at the end of the day. A book that brings the story of Hawaii alive to the reader and a fresh retelling of truths and legends

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The Red Umbrella Review

The Red Umbrella
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Lucia Alvarez wants what any fourteen year old girl wants--
to spend time talking about boys with her best friend Ivette, to go to the movies and dances, and to avoid babysitting her annoying younger brother Frankie. It's just that her parents are so old-fashioned. Can't they see Lucia is old enough for a little independence?
When soldiers from Castro's Revolution arrive in Lucia's small town, her life becomes more oppressive, not less. Freedoms and friends disappear overnight. Finally her parents make the heart-wrenching decision to send Frankie and Lucia to the U.S. Alone.
The Red Umbrella, set in Cuba during 1961, by debut author Christina Gonzalez brings a culture and its past to life with this story of two children who were part of Operation Pedro Pan. It is, in fact, a personal family story for Ms. Gonzalez as both of her parents were part of the exodus of 14,000 unaccompanied minors who were sent to the U.S. in the early 60's to escape Castro's regime. The story of Lucia and Frankie Alvarez is a part of history that's generally not well known. The Red Umbrella deals with their upheaval with warmth, pathos and sometimes heart-breaking sadness.
-- Reviewed by Michelle Delisle


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The Celtic Twilight: Faerie and Folklore Review

The Celtic Twilight: Faerie and Folklore
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In Celtic Twilight, originally published in 1902, Yeats recites several accounts of encounters with the faerie folk and with the people of Ireland of the time which gives us insight into Irish folklore, myth and legend.
Yeats associates poetry with religious ideas and sentiment. And, I believe that he saw himself as writing for Ireland, but a shadowy Ireland of Celtic mysteries and legends, not the Ireland of the modern day. By modern day, of course, I relate this to the modern day of Yeats in the late 1890s and early 1900s.

In the introduction to Celtic Twilight Yeats states; "I have therefore written down accurately and candidly much that I have heard and seen, and, except by way of commentary, nothing that I have merely imagined. I have, however, been at no pains to separate my own beliefs from those of the peasantry, but have rather let my men and women, dhouls and faeries, go their way unoffended or defended by any argument of mine."
I got the strong impression from reading Celtic Twilight that Yeats actually believed in the existence of the faeries. Not just as some myth or legend, but as actual beings that exist in this world, though perhaps unseen by the common man. He wrote each story as if it was something that actually happened, having been related to him by the storyteller, or perhaps that which he had seen for himself in some past time, now recalled as he set pen to paper.
There is a depth to Yeats' writing that lies just below the surface, something that's perceived more than seen. The idea that perhaps magic and the faerie folk are alive in the world of today, but unseen, or perhaps only seen from time to time as a fleeting shadow until one knows just where to look.
It is interesting to note that Yeats was heavily involved in occult studies and practices as part of the Madame Helene Blavatsky's,Theosophical Society and later, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and finally in 1912 the Ordo Templi Orientis.
This would have certainly influenced his outlook on life and his belief in, and dare we say ability to see the unseen things of this world.
I too ask myself from time to time; just what unseen things exist in this world. Perhaps Yeats has seen that which other men can only hope for, or that which they turn away from in dread given the course of their spirits.

Yeats also makes a profound observation: "The things a man has heard and seen are threads of life, and if he pull them carefully from the confused distaff of memory, any who will can weave them into whatever garments of belief please them best."
I found Yeats' observation of particular interest, especially when it comes to theological or philosophical thought. If it is those things that we hear and see in life that forms the fabric of our beliefs, then surely we must take care that that which we see and hear forms strong enough threads so that the fabric we weave is not shoddy.
Yeats' works help us build those strong threads in our lives. For, he certainly influenced the world at large with his writings. In 1923 Yeats was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, and in 1934 he shared the Gothenburg Prize for Poetry with Rudyard Kipling.

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Rooted in myth, occult mysteries, and belief in magic, these stories are populated by a lively cast of sorcerers, fairies, ghosts, and nature spirits. The great Irish poet heard these enchanting, mystical tales from Irish peasants, and the stories' anthropologic significance is matched by their timeless entertainment value.

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The Ultimate Fit or Fat Review

The Ultimate Fit or Fat
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Thanks again Covert!
I was wary of purchasing this book as I've read Covert Bailey's original "Fit or Fat" and doubted that there was anything new to say on the subject. However, a friend convinced me to give it a try and I'm glad that I did. Valuable new information on wind sprints (not as strenuous as it sounds!) is included in this new book. I've incorporated sprints into my work out and have seen a dramatic jump in my fitness level. That alone was worth the price of the volume. Covert includes an easy formula to determine an accurate body fat measurement using a tape measure - just in case you don't appreciate spending $80 to be dunked in a tank of water or pinched with calipers. There's also an easy introduction to weight lifting that you can do at home without purchasing any expensive equipment. Even though I try to get to the gym a couple times a week to do weights, there are days when it "just doesn't happen". I use this beginning program as my fall back plan. I just up the reps and I can get in some weightlifting exercise in my hotel room when I'm on business travel.
This book is intended for average folks that know they should be getting some exercise but have difficulty getting physical fitness into their daily routine. It's motivating, complete unto itself, and will explain in very clear and easy terms how to get the most physical benefit from your precious exercise time. (This applies to 90% of us.) This book is NOT intended for gym dogs or athletes in training that have already established an intense exercise program. That 10% of the populaton is training at a much higher level and already knows this stuff.

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This Book Will Change Your Life Review

This Book Will Change Your Life
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I have devoted much time to the exercises in this book and so far my life has not changed (drats!) but I have accomplished making a complete fool out of myself (which, to be honest, is no real change).
So far I watched a movie starting with an "F" (Fern Gully), imagined everyone naked (which I do not recommend because it eventually becomes rather icky), ignored a day (more difficult then it sounds), glued a spatula to my arm (strangely no one noticed), managed to lure a fly into the box but missed, tried growing another toe (no luck, yet), went on a one minute hunger strike (more difficult then it sounds), applied for a knighthood (no response, yet), imagined myself as that old man of day 362 and realized that no I am not fulfilled plus I forgot to buy a copy of that weeks TV Guide, took the psychopath test (nope, not telling the results), discovered I am not symmetrical, attempted to invent a new color but only ended up with a mucky sort of beige, spent an entire day ticking off each minute (boring yet profound), and a few other things I cannot or will not mention.
Oh! I even combined two days worth of activities by memorizing Aubrey's face and dressing like a tourist. I searched the city for her, while stopping at tourist attractions which made me recognize the need to move to someplace more exciting, but never found her. I really want to know that secret she is supposedly harboring. I feel it necessary to warn you that I truly believe the whole "Aubrey" thing may be a trick.
Oh! A really eerie thing is that an actual photo of me is in this book. Yes, really! They must have "borrowed" it from a friend's website, that is the only way they could have gotten a hold of it. I tell you, it was quite startling to see myself on one of the pages - I didn`t know whether to be flattered or not. Anyway, it gave me a great opportunity to take advantage of the suggestion for day 256 - tearing up all photos that make you look ugly - and ripped out the page for day 130. I request you do the same and forget you ever saw that picture, please. I look much better in person - I Swear!!!
All in all, I suppose I must admit I've rather enjoyed most of the stuff I've tried. I am starting to feel a bit hysterical so I guess that is a sign it's working. But is that a "good" sign? hmmm....

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Is the year ahead looking much the same as the last? Another 365-day grind of meetings, dinner dates, and deadlines? If so, try this book. Part instruction manual, part therapy, part religious cult, part sheer anarchy, This Book Will Change Your Life will help you poke a stick in the spokes of your routine. It's not the soft-hearted kind of book that's interested in what you have to say; rather it contains 365 daily orders, each one of which could turn your humdrum existence into a daily free-fall.

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Bodega Dreams: A Novel Review

Bodega Dreams: A Novel
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Ernesto Quinonez' debut novel, Bodega Dreams, breaks through stereotypes, and enlightens the reader to the numerous human elements that make up El Barrio. Nevertheless, his purpose is not to explain the socio-economic group dynamic that makes up contempoary East Harlem. His purpose is to tell a good story. Unfortunately, I was expecting more of the former. As an Anglo who works in a Hispanic community, I thought the book would give me more insight into how Nuyoricans view themselves within New York's Latin American Community. For instance, the reality of inter-Hispanic relations is more complex than the author lets on. Although the subject is broached (inside the precinct house), Quinonez leaves it at it's barely scratched surface.
Although these expectations were not satisfied, my curiosity as a reader of a good novel was. Quinonez' hero, Chico, doesn't take a holier than thou attitude toward the seedier characters he meets, but accepts them for who they are: hoods, drug dealers, mafiosos, and the lowlife attorney, Navarro.
The descriptions of El Barrio are first rate. The reader gets an insider's view of Quinonez' home turf: the sights, sounds and smells that make up his neighborhood. What the author fails to do is explain why Chino's love, Blanca, a devout Pentecostal, falls in love with him and gets married at such a young age, despite his continued association with the local drug pusher, Sapo. Perhaps the courtship was edited out of the original manuscript. And although Chino seems to be a decent, inteligent fellow, how these two became married while full time college students is never satisfactorily answered. The plot was interesting, pitting the black and white concepts of right and wrong against the myriad grays that represent the realities of survival and prosperity in El Barrio. The characters of Chino and Sapo were well developed, but the lesser characters were one-sided. The social conscience of Willie Bodega, the Puerto Rican Social Activist turned drug dealer, was quite unbelievable. The dialogue was interesting, and often humorous, but oftentimes highly predictable. However, the climax was somewhat surprising, and did catch me off guard.All told, I found this to be excellent debut novel, and look forward to Quinonez' next book.

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The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time Review

The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time
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For readers who care about where we're all going in this mad-media world of Internet highways and smart technology, this book is a necessary pit stop for refueling and refreshment.
Only 151 pages long, this totally chapterless work can be read in a sitting of three hours (as if it were one single, long paragraph), and it will not disappoint. The book is subtitled: Why Books Matter In a Distracted Time. One of the main and positive features of this work for me was the fact that the author, already a well-known critic for the "Los Angeles Times," confesses to a feeling lately (say, over the last two years) of being unable to concentrate and wonders, if it's not Alzheimer's or incipient old age, just what is happening to his brain. I completely identified with that situation and concern even though I, unlike the author, do not own a Blackberry or a Kindle. I am, just as the author describes himself-- as well as of nearly everyone today -- averse to tuning out the "buzz" that's on the Internet and in the media and am on the computer at work as well as at home.
David Ulin doesn't like to categorize books by way of fiction or non-fiction, personal or objective. He simply aims for and enjoys what is simply called "good writing." In this manner, the tale he unfolds here is both factual, literary, historical as well as personal, some vignettes touchingly involving his son, Noah. Suffice it to say Mr. Ulin has some trenchant observations to make not only about "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald but about Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" as well -- not to overlook the many writers he pulls up from the stream of words he so deftly pursues such that any reader will feel tempted to follow-up on those authors and works that are completely new to her or him.
Having covered a lot of ground that feels like "everything" that can be said about technology versus the book -- but actually isn't -- the author asserts that what reading good writing does for the reader -- unlike any other kind of technology -- is disconnect the reader from the harried noisy world of present storms and present crises and trivia and immerse her or him in a world transcending present time with others from previous ages, a world that facilitates empathy, blurring the boundaries between yourself and another, while allowing one's thoughts to gather some gravitas in the silence that follows from long bouts of concentration on the written word. He insists we need silence more than ever now. It's a kind of Wordsworthian plaint -- the world is too much with us. But he reminds us there's a solution: read good writing in the silence whenever you can.
One of the roads not undertaken in this multi-streamed river of a book full of consideration about the pros and cons of the traditional book versus electronic technology was audio book technology or the Read-to-Me feature available in many e-books -- and the cultural impact of a renewed orality about the printed word. Mr. Ulin evokes ideas about a "conversation that began in Mesopotamia ten thousand years ago," but seems to have forgotten Homer's oral impact in the process, concentrating on print and writing instead. While he tries to pluck the harp optimistically for the positive contributions of electronic media, Mr. Ulin, understandably in my opinion, argues finally to keep the art of reading books alive. I still want to know would his argument finally remain with books if he had considered the electronic orality of texts -- or paid any attention to them.
All in all, this was definitely a good read and a good piece of writing. It contains, as I've said, mentionings of writers and books I'm going to enjoy exploring further. I was so glad to find Mr. Ulin mention the writer Vardis Fisher, even if it was through a quotation by Frank Connor. As Mr. Ulin knows, good books have good writing and artfully put the reader in a "flow state" or trance from which she or he makes a self, and Vardis Fisher was just one of those writers for me. Mr. Ullin has, among others, Alexander Trocchi. Who? Read "The Lost Art of Reading" or read Trocchi's "Cain's Book." The point is -- read, in silence, good writing.

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The Book of Bright Ideas Review

The Book of Bright Ideas
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I have been reading a plethora of genres for 40+ years, and every once in a wonderful while I stumble across a masterpiece that fortifies my love of prose. "The Book of Bright Ideas" is a precious gem among the junk jewelry of average reads. Button, narrator, gifts a summer to remember as her new best friend, Winnalee, blows into town in a beat-up pick-up driven by her sister, Freeda. Fierce, fearless, and opinionated, 10 year old Winnalee is bound to stir up Button's quietly sad childhood. Through their myriad of adventures, planned and NOT SO PLANNED, life lessons are earned. So many life lessons that Winnalee and Button strive to savor them in "A Book of Bright Ideas," which will quarentee their happiness in the future. Oh, that it could be true!Kring has a gift of vivid description, rich dialogue, nearly ethereal insight and flavorful charm. Like Harper Lee, Sue Kidd Monk, Kaye Gibbons, and other greats, her work demands and receives your full attention and your deepest respect.
This is brilliant writing at it's finest....read this book and remember why you ever started reading in the first place.

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Wisconsin, 1961. Evelyn "Button" Peters is nine the summer Winnalee and her fiery-spirited older sister, Freeda, blow into her small town–and from the moment she sees them, Button knows this will be a summer unlike any other.Much to her mother's dismay, Button is fascinated by the Malone sisters, especially Winnalee, a feisty scrap of a thing who carries around a shiny silver urn containing her mother's ashes and a tome she calls "The Book of Bright Ideas." It is here, Winnalee tells Button, that she records everything she learns: her answers to themysteries of life. But sometimes those mysteries conceal a truth better left buried. And when a devastating secret is suddenly revealed, dividing loyalties and uprooting lives, no one–from Winnalee and her sister to Button and her family–will ever be the same.

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Masters of Atlantis Review

Masters of Atlantis
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The predilection of humans to involve themselves in cults is a perplexing topic that requires years of study and stacks of dictionary-sized psychology books in order to understand.
Or...
...you can just read Masters of Atlantis then move on to your degree. Charles Portis continues to hold me in awe with his deadpan comic genius. His silly plots read humorously on the surface, and move at a good clip, but suddenly one realizes that there is so very, very much more going on.
Where do cults come from and why do (presumably) rational people involve themselves in the nutty things? Portis' take on the topic spells it out in plain humor: an accidental encounter, an impressionable young man, the hangers on, the manipulators, and, gasp, the true believer who spawns a whole philosophy derived from the antics of a con man. Strangely enough, he begins to discern subtle truths about the nature of the universe. When the government gets involved things get sillier yet, but don't just write this off as fiction, we've all seen Congressional hearings; Charles Poris has got their number.
Line your Charles Portis books up next to your Kurt Vonnegut-they make great companions.


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The Diary of Anais Nin, Vol. 1: 1931-1934 Review

The Diary of Anais Nin, Vol. 1: 1931-1934
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After decades of producing fiction that was rejected by mainstream readership and reviewers for being self-centered, exotic in prose, filled with psychological theory, and coterie in style, Anais finally found acceptance by integrating all of the above in this published version of her diary. Timing is everything, I suppose. The world of the 1930s-50s simply was not ready for her. The Aquarian generation of the 1960s was. When originally published this volume did not have a number in the title because no one thought it would sell enough to warrant a second volume. To the surprise of many, it would become the first in seven volumes - and then over 20 years later the unexpurgated versions of her diaries would be published, revealing that Anais was at the time having an affair with Henry Miller. Eventually this material would be fashioned into the movie "Henry and June" (which I highly recommend). It would also pave the way for the re-issue of many of Anais Nin's long since out-of-print earlier fiction.
Anais Nin began a letter to her father, on the ship that carried her, her mother and brothers, away from him, away from Europe and to New York City. The letter was never sent (her mother did not think it appropriate), but instead developed into a diary she would continue to keep for decades. In this volume we meet Anais Nin living just outside of Paris with her husband, banker Hugh Guiler (who is barely visible in the diary, a point of contention for many who did not know that this was at his request). She has just published her study of DH Lawrence and is about to meet Henry Miller and his fascinating wife June (Nin's descriptions of June are among the most beautiful portions of her work). Her father soon reenters her life. This is a very exciting time in her life!
But what have I listed above? Nothing but a pile of facts. Facts are often boring, and seldom poetic - two accusations rarely leveled against Anais Nin. It was only after submerging myself in the history of this volume that I came to realize this: the linear history of this diary does not really matter; the accusations that Anais Nin lied about her life are immaterial. Anais Nin had a beautiful way with words and she was a master of crafting an image, of creating a persona. She was not truly the person she portrays in this volume, which she edited with Gunther Stuhlmann. But this is a beautiful and unique piece of literature that paved the way for many future artists, particularly female writers (Alice Walker has praised her work as profoundly liberating, and I can't help but think Maya Angelou took a cue from Anais Nin's concept of the continuous autobiographical novel). I have come to believe that it is not the possibility that she lied about her life that has upset so many people (some of whom refer to this as a "liary"), but that a woman should have such control over her own portrayal all the while defying so many of society's conventions.
Anais Nin may not have truly been the woman she portrays in this or future volumes, but it is the woman she wanted to believe she was - wanted the world to believe she was. I find that quite revealing, as revealing as any diary should be.
Andrew Olivo

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This celebrated volume begins when Nin is about to publish her first book and ends when she leaves Paris for New York. Edited and with a Preface by Gunther tuhlmann; Index.

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