New York Books

This is a great book to read. As soon as I started reading this book and could not stop. When I was reading THE TEDDY BEAR HABIT it felt like a movie and if I stopped reading, I missed the whole book. I also read the sequel called RICH AND FAMOUS and it was also good. I think that THE TEDDY BEAR HABIT is better because it has a new character and a new plot. This book is funny and sad. Once again you should definetly read this book-and it's sequel!!!!

George Stable has a problem. George is twelve and still needs his teddy bear to make him not nervous when he sings. George wants to become a rock starbut on his journey he discovers a problem. There's a case of stolen jewels. I really liked this book because it was like a roller coaster. There were some really good parts and some really bad parts. You can't tell what happens around the corner! I would recommend this book to people who like teddy bears. I can't wait to get the sequal.

This is my favorite book from childhood.
George Stable is an amazing character. He is introspective and self-depricatory, creative and extremely perceptive. Somehow Collier makes his character believable despite George's young age.
I love the humor in the book; the crazed bohemian artist of a father, the strange world inhabited by child performers and their dreadful parents, and criminals who can never seem to do anything right.
The illustrations by Lee Lorenz are wonderful. Mr. Lorenz was a cartoonist for the New Yorker AND had graduated from my high school. I decided to use an excerpt from the book as my Senior Year Book quote.

Back when I was in grammar school (I'm 45 now), my teacher asked me what I would like to read. I had friends who liked Tom Swift and Nancy Drew but I did not have a preference nor a love of reading. She handed me this book and said I would like it. She was absolutely right. I was so wrapped up in it that I read it over one weekend and asked if I could borrow it again. I read the book three times and was hooked. It was the first time that I was able to "see" the story as I was reading.

Within a few months I was devouring every book I could get my hands on and have every since. Seeing this entry made me very nostalgic. A great, great book for getting your kids to read.

I had this book (1973 edition illustrated by L. Lorenz) as a child and recently dragged it out to read to my 9-year-old son at bedtime. He typically prefers nonfiction (yes, we read that too), but I thought he might like this one. He's loving it! I've had to explain a few things -- like the late 60's slang sprinkled through, and why live TV was such a big deal, and George's dad's obsession with Jackson Pollack -- but he gets it, and we've had some great discussions about popular culture, modern art, self-confidence, placebos, and what makes a family. We are both amused by George's frequent exaggerations, like "Pop would have me drawn and quartered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and tortured on opposite days." And then, of course, there's the gripping story of George's run-in with jewel thieves. Will he get out of this alive? Will the teddy? Will George ever become a winner? Of course -- and so is this book.

I bought this set on tape for my son's 6th birthday so we could listen to them in the car while travelling. The stories are well-done and made him use his imagination. We enjoyed trying guessing what dinosaurs were being described and he wondered if the kids could see the moon and stars while they were in the castle. Even my 3-year-old had a good time listening. They can't wait to go on another trip to hear more of the stories.

I AM A GRANDMOTHER OF A 7 YR OLD BOY. I WISHED THAT I COULD
DEVELOP A LOVE OF BOOKS IN HIM LIKE I HAVE. THE TREE HOUSE SERIES HAVE DONE JUST THAT. MY GRANDSON AND I TAKE TURNS READING EACH CHAPTER. I AM NOT SURE WHO ENJOYS THE STORIES MORE ME OR HIM. WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THE WEEKENDS SO WE CAN READ TOGETHER.

How would you like to ride on a pteranodon? Now you can! You could ride a pteranodon when you read magic tree house dinosaurs before dark. Annie's brother Jack did. Jack and Annie were also chased by a Tea-rex, and Annie tried to make friend with a duckbilled Dinosaur she was trying to talk to the Dinosaur. Jack kept taking notes. Jack and Annie now there is a magical witch or wizard because Jack found something that had an M on it.

Dinosaurs Before Dark

The Knight At Dawn

Mummies In The Morning

Pirates Past Noon

THESE BOOKS ARE THE BOMB BECAUSE I LIKE JACK AND ANNIE. THE ADVENTURES START IN THE TREE HOUSE. THE TREE HOUSE WAS FILLED WITH BOOKS. THE BOOKS TAKE THEM ON ADVENTURES.

The Magic Treehouse books are good for kids who have missed out on some reading skills. It is also good for 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders. Jack and Annie, the stars of the book, get into a lot of adventures and it is fun to read them. Mary Pope Osborne reads the books on the tape. She makes it so you really hear Jack and Annie's voices. I think kids will like this tape and grown-ups would like to hear the stories with their children. -- Munroe Woodward, Age 8

During his weekly trek around Manhattan, 14-year-old Sam meets a street person named Elijah, who asks him for his shoes. The kid complies, and then fantastic (I mean truly fantastic) things begin to happen. Like lush vegetation growing over the buildings and the streets turning to rivers.

The book is actually a series of vignettes set at various places around the city (FAO Schwartz, the Metropolitan Museum, even the Board of Education) as Sam and various companions, including the bronze bull and bear from Wall Street, set out on a quest to rescue lost souls and restore the city's spirit. If all of this sounds too whimsical for words, trust me, it isn't. I have a low tolerance for whimsy, and this wonderful little book moved me to tears.

Mr. Hoffmann knows the classic Quest story, and here he makes it fresh. There a few minor bobbles, but he writes with such conviction and affection for his characters that it doesn't matter. This would be a great book for kids 12-14, but this, ah, shady-side-of-35 skeptic just adored it.

Magical Manhattan is a truly magical book! In this debut novel, author Gregory Hoffman transforms the city and transports the reader to a world where anything is possible, if you truly believe it can be.

The imagery and descriptions of the characters, the interplay between the children and animals,and the powerful writing all contributed to the success of the story. It is reminiscent of the C.S. Lewis series, "The Chronicles of Narnia". I was immensely impressed with the beauty and honesty of this inspirational tale.

I will definitely be on the lookout for more work from this talented author.

funny on many levels
an urban fantasy with a lot of realism to uncover
looking at the light side of very heavily embedded themes
including capitalism and beaurocracy
mixed in with subtle skewed politics
theres just enough whimsy to keep the kids truly entertained
this book will grow with the reader
as the reader matures and realizes the duality of the meaning of the plot
and the authors quest for enlightenment

I'm buying 5 copies for young friends. The visual imagry of this story knocked me over. I kept visualizing it as a movie such as the incredible feature length cartoon, Swept Away. Can't wait to pass it on to the young people I know who are passionate about reading! Lori Barth, mother of 5

I was swept away by this wonderful story. Gregory Hoffman's book is an allegorical tale filled with life lessons for young and old alike. It's
an inspiring and exciting adventure overflowing with imagery.
"Magical Manhattan" captures the heart of New York and it captured my heart as well.
I am highly recommending this book to all my friends and aquaintances with the caveat to buckle up and then read.

This book is awesome!!(although im biased, my uncle wrote it..

This book totally kicks butt dudes !!!!! Specially if you are a true Ghostbusters fan or should I say Ghosthead !!!!!!!!! It has like a hundred pictures in it !!!!! I recommend this book to all Ghostbusters fans around the WORLD !!!!!!!!!

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Imagine yourself back in New York in 1983. It's about 5:30 in the morning. You're a regular pedestrian walking down the street near the New York Public Library. A large crowd of people are gathered there. Equipment such as cameras, lights, and microphones are everywhere. Soon you find yourself standing next to Bill Murray.

You ask, "What's this production?"

Bill says, "Production? This is a madhouse! These cameras are just getting in the way!"

You step back and see odd statues and robots crafted into obscene and terrifying figures. Suddenly, a voice shouts, "Action!" and you're pushed aside while Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd walk into the magnificent library with a huge camera dolly following them.

Finally, you spot a small card table packed with coffee, donuts, and Styrofoam cups. Tired and thirsty, you pour yourself some hot coffee from an electric pot hooked up to a small generator. As soon as you touch the pot, a kid jumps from behind the shadows and screams, "Don't move!"

"I just want a sip of coffee!"

"This is Dan Aykroyd's coffee table. Only he gets anything on it, ya' hear? I'm his assistant!"

"You've got to be kidding!"

The kid whips his arm from the shadow of a tall streetlight and points with a shaking hand, "And that table is Bill Murray's!"

Not willing to argue with this crazed assistant, you begin to walk away from the mass of moviemaking paraphernalia and out of the area. Before leaving, you spot a short, nerdy man sitting at a small card table by some sound equipment. The table is filled with art supplies, and the man works on carefully molding a green goblin the shape of a spud. "I've got to get out of here," you think to yourself as you skip over a roadblock and scuffle back into the reality of non-fiction.

In 1984, the next summer, not knowing what to do with your friends, you go to a movie called GHOSTBUSTERS, for it's been getting a lot of hype in the media and you want to see what the fuss is about. As the first scene comes into focus, you let out an involuntary shout of amazement. That was the New York Public Library! Soon enough, the pieces fall into place. You had witnessed the partial filming of one of the greatest comedy films in history!

After the movie, as you walk into a bookstore to kill time before a party, there in front of you is a large book entitled, "Making Ghostbusters: The Screenplay." Ecstatic, you pass up cab fare to attend your party and buy this magnificent book, pouring over it until dawn. You realize that you're a Ghostbuster fan for life. The book is a possession you cherish, for it's like a souvenir of time you spent unknowingly with some of the greatest moviemakers in film history, not including that overprotective assistant.

The movie GHOSTBUSTERS means a lot to many people. One way to sum up their incredible fondness of the movie is "pure cinema magic." Most first impressions of the movie quantify its resounding quality: the wizardry of the special effects, the amazing cast, and the taught, well-written script. And it's largely a comedy! How many comedies have accumulated such a fan base? It's almost unheard of! How many comedies are enjoyed as thoroughly and extensively fifteen years after their original release? Almost none, I'd bet.

Here, in Making Ghostbusters: The Screenplay, the behind-the-scenes secrets and the complete shooting script are here, but the book is more than that. It's a complete sentimental scrapbook that materializes the movie's greatness and encapsulates its craftsmanship and artistry like a time capsule of moviemaking blood, sweat, tears, and creativity.

What this classic volume needs badly is a reprint, but for now, Amazon.com is probably your only hope. With the magnificent re-release of the movie on DVD, this book in its entirety would be a wonderful companion. So let's get this message out; let this be the manifesto! Hear that? Get those printing presses cranking, and bring back the magic!

Making Ghostbusters contains hundreds of exclusive concept sketches (many by legendary horror artist Bernie Wrightson), details of which scenes were deleted and why, color photos (though not nearly enough), and more. The book is built around an annotated script, with enlightening comments from Harold Ramis, Ivan Reitman, and others from the creative team. Few hit movies have had their creative process so wonderfully documented from genesis to box office--for Ghostheads, it's a must-have.

This book is a wonderfully engaging, well-written autobiography; it also brings vividly to life a crucially-important part of recent US social history. Charles Halpern worked at the heart of an era of progressive change in law and society that started in the 1960s, and he stayed creatively active even throughout the subsequent period of reaction--which arguably has lasted down to the present day.

But Halpern's autobiography goes further even than providing a vivid, personal chronicle of our recent past. It also gives readers a present-day model of and incitement to progressive change-making. It models change-making as an intensely creative and imaginative activity, as it charts Halpern's succession of activities as an architect and leader of Center for Law and Social Policy, the nation's first public interest law firm; then as the designer and first dean of the CUNY Law School, an educationally and socially innovative institution that focused on public interest law; and ultimately as head of the progressive Nathan Cummings foundation. The scope and sheer variety of Halpern's constant, ongoing innovation and institutional invention is fascinating and even breathtaking.

At the same time, Halpern writes of what informs and grounds this unusual creativity. His book is also an account of intellectual and spiritual growth, as Halpern experiments with and incorporates contemplative practice in his life--drawing on it to sustain and empower him in his public career. Halpern then feeds back personal discovery back into institutional creativity, as he sets up a series of programs devoted to transforming intellectual and professional practice in a wide variety of fields--in law schools, colleges, universities, and social movements.

Making Waves and Riding the Currents takes a life well-lived and transforms it into a book that will interest, involve, inform and inspire generations of readers.

I highly recommend this engaging memoir, which is an inspiration and fast read. Charles Halpern graduated from Harvard and Yale, and parlayed a legal career into the first public interest law firm and law school. Upon discovering meditation, Mr. Halpern, incorporated his practice into his life's work. As a result of Halpern's efforts, oil pipelines were put in Alaskan soil sustainably, DDT was banned, public interest lawyers found their needed education, and graduates started influential environmental groups such as EarthJustice. The ripple of Halpern's positive wave continues, and you can catch it by reading Making Waves and Riding the Currents.

No matter what your political persuasion or your profession, this book is a great source of wisdom and insight. Beyond a fascinating history of the birth of public interest law, Charlie Halpern provides a deeply personal and affirming account of how to pursue one's ideals in a way that is nurturing of our deeper selves and respectful of others. A key lesson of this book is that it is not just what you stand or fight for, but who you are and how you act as you do it. By cultivating an awareness that allows a deeper wisdom to emerge, Charlie points to ways we all can contribute to the world in a way that contributes to far greater tolerance and balance, without compromising our effectiveness. And in the process, we also become healthier and more loving and also create a world that reflects this.

Making Waves and Riding Currents is a book that everyone should read. No soft tale here but a journey not unlike rafting white waters. Charles sees the real and the ideal, the what "could be and is not yet", takes time to grasp the whole, sees the way and then takes it. He combines courage, a genuine interest in life and a willingness to "live and learn" both on a professional and personal level. This is a story of major entrepreneurial ventures that impact our own lives, created and co-created, experienced and shared in ways allowing every one involved to learn, use their experience, as well as to question and relinquish old patterns, recognize blocks and crack open into wider realms of understanding and living that center on Wisdom. This book documents changes in thinking that have make our society more humane and just. This is not your usual "lawyer" story. This is speaks to everyone's potential to develop wisdom, played out large, and saying: Come on, you can do it! I can't stop thinking about what one life can do.

From the beginning of this tale of Charles Halpern's remarkable accomplishments, it was obvious that he was an intelligent, effective individual with many skills. But competent doesn't necessarily mean wise. Fortunately for us readers, interwoven with the story of his doing is the story of his psychological/spiritual development -- the story of his growth in wisdom and the integration of that wisdom into his many activities.

Halpern had the courage to place himself in a wide variety of challenging, often uncomfortable, growth-fostering situations. Too many to recount here, they included a winter camping adventure in the Adirondacks, a week-long vision quest based on Native American traditions that included many hours in a sweat lodge, and a five-day mindfulness meditation retreat led by Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. This last was a watershed event, about which Halpern wrote: "The experience of extended meditation practice...awakened my interest in exploring the connection between meditation and wisdom. Could I undertake to practice wisdom, living the wise life that would generate wise actions and decisions? Could this be a new way to approach activism, to start from the place of wisdom and compassion rather than the place of anger and insistence on legal rights?"

Meditation became a central focus in his life, and numerous retreats followed. To some extent facilitated by the Nathan Cummings Foundation of which he was now President, he met and got to know many of America and the world's foremost spiritual teachers. "Longtime meditators and respected teachers," he wrote, "gave me a new model for a way to be in the world--committed to serving others, cultivating wisdom, being open to changing themselves, and exposing their own vulnerability." Currently, Charles Halpern is Chair of The Center for Contemplative Mind and Society.

MAKING WAVES AND RIDING THE CURRENTS is a truly inspiring and uplifting book. It is the tale of a life marked by great accomplishment and developing wisdom, told with an engaging frankness about his own vulnerabilities by the man who has lived it.

This is my VERY VERY VERY VERY favorite book! Mandie and Celia go to Jonathan's house and Mandie is DYING to find a mystery. One night Jonathan and the girls find a white dog in the back yard. Jonathan keeps it for the night. The next night a girl comes to their house and claims that the dog is hers. Then Mandie overhears a conversation going on between a stange man and Jens, the butler, that sounds like someone is up to no good. Later they find Jens tied up in the kitchen and see the strange man with the girl who demanded the dog. Running after them, they chase the man across elevated train tracks to a old, run-down tenement. They chase him around a little, then go to look on the roof to see if he went there. They rushed out the roof-door, only to find it has locked behind them. Mandie, who already had a bad cold, gets worse and worse as the hours slowly drag by and nobody comes. Jonathan is left to care for her the best he can. When the door finally opens, Mandie steps inside only to faint. She is finally brought home where they dicover who the mysterious man and girl is. I like this book because Mandie bahaves herself and Jonathan acts like such a gentleman. He treats her like his little sister.

This book is really great. Read it!

Mandie's in for exitement when she goes to New York with Celia and her mother to vist Jonathan. When they get to New York,Jonathan's father invites them to his house where Mandie, Celia and Jonathan find a dog. But why does the strange girl come and try to take the dog from Jonathan? And why do they find the butler all tied up? There's even more exitement when Mandie, and Jonathan follow the strange man and get locked up on the roof of a building. Mandie has such a bad cold she faints!!!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a real page turner, but what mandie book isn't?
Mandie is very happy to hear her mother say that she is allowed to go with her best friend, Ceila, and her mother to New York. When they arrive in New York, Jonathan Guyer and his father invite them to stay at their house. Mandie and Ceila are very excited to see Jonathan again, but when a lost dog shows up mysteries start to unravel. Who does the dog belong to? Who is the girl that keeps coming to house claiming the dog is hers. Who is the man that the butler is caught giving money to? Is all of these mysteries tied together? Read to find out!

I really liked this book because of the relationship between Mandie and Jonathan. I thought it so sweet when Mandie saw that Jonathan had kept the hankercheif she had dropped in Europe. And the way Jonathan comforted her on the roof. I give Mrs. Leppard two thumbs up for this book!

Mandie is visiting Jonathan in New York, and the 'mansion' that he lives in awes her. But there is never a dull moment. Jonathan finds a dog, and then a strange girl comes looking for it. And when they find the butler tied up, Mandie is sure something sinister is in the air.
While chasing the person they believe to have tied up the butler, Mandie and Jonathan get stuck on a rooftop with no way of getting down.
But when they finally do get down, they made a surprising discovery.

I really liked this book. The part about Jonathan and Mandie stuck on the roof of an apartment is really page turning.
Angelina sounds like someone's little sister. She sounds sooooo cute! If you've read this book and want to hear more about all the characters in New York again, read 'Mandie and the New York Secret.' Everyone is back in it, and it is a really good book.

This book is exactly what I needed. I bought through Amazon because the shipping was free and it ended up being cheaper than my University bookstore. Recommend for any hospitality students that have to have this book.

Great book. The classic for anyone entering the industry. Complete and comprehensive. Great textbook for students and novices. Good for non marketing people. Good examples and highlights. I also recommend a new release: Heads In Beds. More practical than this one. With both you'd really know your stuff and make your boss happy.

The layout and format of this book was very easy to follow!

Kotler's Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism helps marketing beginners and people that are getting into the hospitality business. It demonstrates basic knowledge that can be applied to the business, great tool for working!

This is the texbook I had in college. It was and still is great, but for one...being a textbook ...it is more theoretical and two, it lacks certain areas. Nevertheless, it is very usefull. I would complement it with a book that I have recently read: Heads In Beds - hospitality and tourism Marketig by Ivo Raza. This is very practical and covers the areas that are missing from Kotler's textbook like Loyalty marketing, COOP with Touroperators, targeting travel agents, creating promotional materials, development, etc. Combined, both books truly give a complete overview of the complex travel indutry and should be the foundation for people studying or working in travel and tourism.

The authorship of this book was clearly a monumental task. In reporting on the young people who form the core of the work, Ms. Lewnes was faced with the task of first gaining the trust of her subjects, then retaining that trust as she interacted with the parents, social workers and other authority figures who were at least nominally in charge of the subjects' care.

The book has three biographical segments. Each part deals with one or two misplaced children, who Ms. Lewnes follows through the streets, the social services system and often the courts. In each case both the circumstances and the subjects' reactions to them are different, which helps the reader understand the broad scope of the problem at hand. On the surface, the issue occasionally appears to be little more than a severe case of disaffected youth, but it becomes apparent that this can be a defense mechanism employeed by an otherwise intelligent but immature and frustrated child wandering aimlessly in (and out) of a system too complicated for someone so young to navigate.

Misplaced is far more than just a narrative. The book is filled with information about the services available and their benefits and limitations. In this manner, it serves as a reference guide for designing programs and procedures to streamline the care and guidance of children who have fallen through the cracks of the existing system. I would highly recommend that anyone involved in policymaking in youth social services read this book.

A warning to the faint of stomach: this book does not sugarcoat life on the streets. The subjects are at times thieves, drug addicts or dealers, and, when necessary, prostitutes. They are abused and beaten and suffer drug overdoses. The reality of their day-to-day lives can and should disturb the reader.

Alexia Lewnes is a writer for the United Nations Children's Fund, and in Misplaced: New York City's Street Kids she follows five street children from their homes to their street corners and the harsh realities of their world: drug addiction, lack of shelter, the underlying threat of violence, and worse. Especially recommended reading for child welfare advocates and governmental policy makers, Misplaced is a highly personal and revealing testimony of a very real social problem rampant in every major America city today.

As a transplanted New Yorker, I read this book about the troubled lives of kids living in the streets and was completly shocked about the things that were going on right in front of me. In day to day life we find ourselves closing ourselves off to those fending for themselves on the streets. If anything, we avoid them as much as possible. This book gives an penetrating look at what these kids "fringes of society" are truly having to deal with to survive. There seems to be no limit to what one will do to get through a day. This author appears to have spent several years living in their world and has given a raw look at what drives these kids into the streets and how society has dealt with it. If anyone would like a eye opening look at these kids lives in the streets read this book! You will embrace these kids as you see what hurdles are placed in front of them and how they struggle to get over them. I know that I will never look at a street kid the same way again. This book will open your eyes!

Anyone who is raising children should read this book. It is a reminder of how critical it is to love our children and provide them with the support they need to grow as individuals. No one believes that their child will run away, but Ms. Lewnes reminds us that all our children could be at risk.

Misplaced is a remarkable account of the lives of children who are living on the streets of New York. These homeless kids are invisible to most of society. They come from all economic backgrounds, but they all suffer from low self-esteem. And, these kids have all been abandoned in someway by the people who they loved and relied upon.

While this book is a wake-up call for all parents, it is also a testament to the extraordinary resilience of those kids who are already on the streets. These kids survive daily acts of violence and humiliation as they struggle to maintain their dignity and hold onto their dream of making something of their lives. While some fail, others triumph in the end.

Misplaced covers difficult issues yet leaves the reader inspired.

Misplaced is the most informative book I have read since David McCullough's biography of John Adams.

This book should be read by anyone who wants to know what is really going on in today's world with homeless children.

definitely worth the price tag. Book is packed with period medical photographs, which while grotesque are also very artistically framed. All of the pictures are together, a page per picture so you can flip though the images without text interrupting the artistic presentation. The back of the book is devoted to thorough captions for each photo. Some of the photos look staged but this too fits the period represented.

This collection of photographs and plates are some of the most concise findings on the medical world I have ever seen. It has opened my eyes to these people and has given me something new and interesting to learn about. I really enjoy seeing how far we have come in the field of medicine but also the advancement has diminished the frequency of medical oddities that are found in this book. I really recomend this to anyone who has an interest in the medical field and all of its mishaps.

This book of stunning, yet disturbing, photographs of medical anomalies spanning 100 years from the mid-19th c., may not be for everyone. It is a comprehensive visual essay into things that we find fascinating, yet repulsive. Unlike a carnival sideshow, however, the purpose of this wonderful book is not to cynically trivialize the individuals illustrated. Like the Mütter Museum, (Mütter Museum: Philadelphia College of Physicians, 19 South 22nd Street, between Chestnut and Market Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12-4pm), Stanley Burns' book is a window into the 19th century propensity to gather esoteric information of all types, organize it and, ultimately, to exhibit it as the means to greater knowledge.

Stanley Burns is a physician and a collector of medical history photographs. You may remember his previous book of mortuary photographs entitled "Sleeping Beauty" which is long out of print and fetches incredible sums among used book dealers. (Fortunately, a sequel - "Sleeping Beauty II" is more readily available.) "A Morning's Work" is a collection of 127 vintage medical photographs from 1843 to 1939 along with a helpful narrative explanation of the photographs and their cultural significance. Although some of the pictures are more historically significant than interesting, the bulk of the images are of medical curiosities - and some of them are absolutely head-scratchingly bizarre. Among the images featured are mortuary photographs, images of amputations, surgical procedures, disfigurement, and a wide assortment of congenital and acquired diseases. The title "A Morning's Work" is taken from an image of a pile of amputated limbs taken during the Civil War, when the horrific wounds inflicted by the large leadshots used at the time resulted in amputations for even the most minor of injuries. Many of the photographs take us back to the Dark Days of medicine, before antiseptic procedures were implemented, and when a small wound could result in a deadly infection in a matter of days.

The narrative explanations of the photographs add a special poignance to them. For example, a photograph of a dead man would not be nearly so interesting were it not for Burns' explanation that the man was Dr. James Howe who contracted Cholera while treating patients during the St. Louis epidemic of 1849 and was fatally afflicted. That one sombre portrait seems to symbolize the bravery and sacrifice of physicians the world over during times of pestilence, and if there's anything that you come away with after viewing this book, it's a newfound appreciation for modern medicine. All told, "A Morning's Work" is a fascinating book - and a must for enthusiasts of the bizarre and medical historians alike.

This book is very harsh, unpleasant, but impressive. Not at all for anybody because you need to have the guts to keep your glance at the pictures mirroring the abnormal, the illnesses, the horror of nature, the facts of the old times of surgery. As Bacon's paintings these pictures have a very sui-generis aesthetics, based upon the ugly and the deformity.

Desiree Shapiro, a Manhattan PI who loves food, throws her niece Ellen a bridal shower with Allison Lynton, mother of the groom, at Silver Oaks Country Club. Unfortunately Bobbie Jean, Allison's sister-in-law, takes a few bites of her green salad and keels over.

Desiree believes this to be a homicide and begins investigating. She discovers many people didn't get along well with Bobbie Jean. Bobbie Jean had stolen many fiances and husbands over the years. The suspect list keeps growing and changing.

Allison's husband Wes, Bobbie Jean's brother, has a tough time accepting her death. This adds to the tension in the family.

A new love interest starts calling Desiree. This makes it quite difficult, at times, for her to concentrate on the investigation.

Unfortunately Chief Porchow has set his sights on one suspect, and Desiree has to speed up her investigation before they arrest an innocent woman. She also finds Chief Porchow is not very receptive to her help and information. But, narrowing down the suspect list is not an easy task.

Desiree is the type of PI I'd want to hire if I ever needed one. She is very down-to-earth and loves food. We get to know her strengths and weaknesses in this series. She is a three-dimensional character. She also has a great relationship with Ellen -- who is a character in her own right.

The society ladies that Desiree investigates are very realistic. It is easily believed that they could be hiding something and adds to the overall mystery.

At the end of this book is a tasty new recipe for Desiree's Wild Mushroom Croustades. Food is a big focus in this series.

This cozy is one of my favorite series. I highly recommend this book. When you read one book, you'll want to read the whole series.

Plus-size Manhattan private eye, Desiree Shapiro, may be scrimping on luxury items for herself, but when she learns about her absolute favorite - and only - niece, Ellen's upcoming wedding, Desiree does the unthinkable...she breaks the bank and gets together with the mother of the groom-to-be, Mike, to throw a fabulous bridal shower to ring in the special occasion. Making arrangements at Connecticut's extravagant Silver Oaks Country Club, Desiree keeps things under wraps in an attempt to surprise Ellen. And surprised she is. For amongst the lavishly laden table full of scrumptious treats lies a killer salad that literally does Ellen's aunt-to-be, Bobbie Jean, in. Having known the woman for an extremely brief time, Desiree is clueless as to why someone would want to do Bobbie Jean harm. However, when Mike hires her to investigate the woman's death, Desiree can't say no. After all, they're practically family, and she doesn't want to rock the boat before he and Ellen have said "I do." Contrary to popular belief, Desiree instantly learns that Bobbie Jean was not the saint that Mike and his father may have believed her to be. Quite the opposite in fact. Upon digging up the dirt, Desiree actually learns that Bobbie Jean was an extremely manipulative woman who was hated by many for various scandalous reasons - namely the fact that she was an adulterer and a home-wrecker who left many women without spouses and in tears. The police, however, are not as convinced as Desiree that Bobbie Jean's death was a homicide, and refuse to treat it as such until they get their lab reports back. But Desiree refuses to wait. Dragging her dimpled behind through the streets of Manhattan, and all the way out to Connecticut various times, the pudgy PI begins interrogating her four prime suspects - Carla and Robin Fremont, Lorraine Corwin, and, worst of all, Mike's own mother, Allison Lynton. The process is slow-going, considering each woman appeared to hold a very strong grudge against the deceased, but Desiree is determined to solve the crime no matter how long it takes. After all, aside from some canceled dates with the irresistibly nerdy, Nick Grainger, who just happens to occupy an apartment in Desiree's building, as well as hold a place in her heart, Desiree doesn't have much to do on a Saturday night. And, if she plans on reviving her love life, she'll have to first muddle through her awaiting case before making dates that will undoubtedly leave her mind somewhere else. But as Desiree navigates through the world of love and death, she begins to find clues leading to a suspect she hoped would escape without a mark on her record. Now, however, Desiree must gather as much evidence as possible to convict her for the crime, otherwise a seemingly innocent women will be thrown in jail by the hare-brained police who refuse to look deeper into the mystery at hand.

As a die-hard fan of the portly Desiree Shapiro, as well as an avid Food Network watcher, I instantly knew that MURDER CAN RAIN ON YOUR SHOWER would be scrumptious - and it was just that. As always, Desiree's signature self-deprecating humor is at an all-time high; while her adventures out of city limits through bad weather, bad food, and bad company are not only humorous, but original, and laugh-out-loud funny, as well. While Ellen is quite often featured within the pages of the Shapiro novels, Selma Eichler made her a much more prevalent character in this particular installment, most likely because it's her bridal shower where the murder takes place, which was extremely enjoyable. Ellen is such a fun character, whose freak-out sessions really illustrate a vulnerability in her character, making her even more appealing; while her penchant for shoveling tons of food into her tiny frame makes you green with envy. The supporting characters in this particular installment are also quite enchanting - in a semi-evil way. Eichler has created four society ladies whom you absolutely love to hate. Each one is privy to her own quirks and feelings regarding Bobbie Jean's death, which makes it impossible for the reader to solve the mystery on their own; while their ability to remain so passive over the woman's death is not only surprising, but extremely convincing to the reader, as we attempt to navigate through this sordid world of money, scandals, cheating, false accusations, and so much more. Eichler has certainly outdone herself with this Shapiro novel, not only crafting a delightful, hard-to-solve mystery, but inserting a gem of a recipe - Desiree's Wild Mushroom Croustades - as well. A mouthwatering addition!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Selma Eichler continues to write good mysteries involving this plus-size detective who is comfortable with herself and her love of food.

In this one, Desiree is helping her niece Ellen plan her wedding at a posh country club. When one of the guests keels over dead, Desiree is asked by Ellen's fiancee to look into the matter.

Despite the snobbery of the society ladies and bogus clues galore, Desiree manages to solve the crime.

If you like a cozy mystery with a little meat on its bones, be sure to check out this Desiree Shapiro mystery. You'll be sure to read the rest.

Ok, so it isn't exactly a *love affair* but I adore Selma Eichler's books. I'm currently reading my way through all her books and with my busy schedule I only have time to read before bed each night. Thank you Ms. Eichler for giving me that *something to look forward to* each day.

Desiree Shapiro, a Manhattan PI who loves food, throws her niece Ellen a bridal shower with Allison Lynton, mother of the groom, at Silver Oaks Country Club. Unfortunately Bobbie Jean, Allison's sister-in-law, takes a few bites of her green salad and keels over.

Desiree believes this to be a homicide and begins investigating. She discovers many people didn't get along well with Bobbie Jean. Bobbie Jean had stolen many fiances and husbands over the years. The suspect list keeps growing and changing.

Allison's husband Wes, Bobbie Jean's brother, has a tough time accepting her death. This adds to the tension in the family.

A new love interest starts calling Desiree. This makes it quite difficult, at times, for her to concentrate on the investigation.

Unfortunately Chief Porchow has set his sights on one suspect, and Desiree has to speed up her investigation before they arrest an innocent woman. She also finds Chief Porchow is not very receptive to her help and information. But, narrowing down the suspect list is not an easy task.

Desiree is the type of PI I'd want to hire if I ever needed one. She is very down-to-earth and loves food. We get to know her strengths and weaknesses in this series. She is a three-dimensional character. She also has a great relationship with Ellen -- who is a character in her own right.

The society ladies that Desiree investigates are very realistic. It is easily believed that they could be hiding something and adds to the overall mystery.

At the end of this book is a tasty new recipe for Desiree's Wild Mushroom Croustades. Food is a big focus in this series.

This cozy is one of my favorite series. I highly recommend this book. When you read one book, you'll want to read the whole series.