New York Books

Like Linda Sue Park (as she says in her afterword), I don't remember learning to score a baseball game, but I know it was one of the many things my parents taught me to do as I was growing up. And like Maggie in this wonderful story, keeping score only added to my love of the game.

Park combines a story of a girl growing up with her love of the Brooklyn Dodgers (although the story ends before she would experience the ultimate disappointment of their move to Los Angeles) with a story about her concern about a friend who is sent to Korea and her growing awareness of the conflict there.

I couldn't give this book 5 stars because it gets a bit sappy near the end. But the rest of the book is well worth it, especially for Dodgers fans!

In Keeping Score, Linda Sue Park again gives us an opportunity to really feel what it was like to be a particular kid in a particular place and time quite different from our own. In Maggie-O's mid-twentieth century New York, the technology was different, but the kids still had problems that today's kids can relate to. Baseball without TV or the Internet -- just imagine! Maggie tunes in to the game by listening to radios through open windows while walking through the neighborhood. She shares the ups and downs of her favorite team with the whole community. Her baseball experience includes no visuals at all except the black-and-white photos in the morning paper. When Maggie-O first lays eyes on that field we are right there with her, seeing what she sees (GREEN!) and feeling what she feels. Her obsession with score keeping, her magical thinking and superstitions are quirky but quite age appropriate, and her growth through disillusionment seems quite genuine. Maggie's experience of the effect of the Korean War on her friend Jim will give today's kids a peak at some of the difficulties facing our own soldiers today. Here's a book that is serious and intelligent, but tremendously engaging. It's a great choice for preteens who like to see how the world looks through someone else's eyes, even if they couldn't care less about baseball. I think this wonderful story also has cross-generational appeal--giving parents a glimpse into the universal experience of tweener angst and giving sixty-somethings a chance to rekindle memories from their younger days. Another home run for Ms. Park!
Janet Gingold
author of Danger, Long Division

Here is a baseball book that appeals to both boys and girls and to kids who may not know a walk from a balk or what team Willie Mays played on.

Willie Mays plays a central role in this novel set in Brooklyn in the early 1950s. He was a New York Giant then and, amazingly, the favorite player of young Maggie Fortini.

Amazing, because Maggie lives, breathes and suffers with her hometown Dodgers, and the Giants are their archrivals (still are, in fact). Maggie's brother Joey-Mick tells her she has to have a Dodger as her favorite. "Besides, it's double-stupid to pick a player from your worst-enemy team."

But her buddy at the firehouse, Jim, is a Giants fan. Jim teaches Maggie to keep score while listening to Giants games during Willie Mays' breakout rookie season. Keeping score makes Maggie feel as if she has some control over the progress and outcome of a baseball game.

She also uses that skill to "keep score" of the Korean war after Jim is drafted and then stops sending letters home to Maggie.

Linda Sue Park does an excellent job implying that Jim is suffering from PTSD, a disorder not recognized in the '50s but familiar to kids who know about veterans from our current wars.

Resourceful as ever, Maggie cooks up a scheme and saves all her money to pull Jim out of his funk and get her family and friends to a Dodgers-Giants game. She isn't entirely successful, but she doesn't strike out either.

Maggie-O is a believable, eminently likable character with a good heart and who knows her game.

[Review originally appeared in the Palo Alto Weekly, 7/9/08]

Of me and my sis -- growing up in the Bronx in the 1950's. I was personality-wise, something like Maggie (but I could not work a scorecard) and Sis was a little like Joey-Mick

Sis was a Brooklyn Dodger Fan-atic. Like Maggie, Sis kept METICULOUS score sheets of their games. For the life of me, I (a YANKEE FAN) tried but could not master that system of keeping score -- but then again I was having WAAAY more fun, going outside and playing baseball like a maniac (I am a GOIL) -- AND one of the big guys who lived across my stoop usta be a New York Yankees Pitcher!!! What a wonderful life for a skinny little kid (me) growing up in the Bronx!!

Sis threw a fit, just like Joey-Mick-- when I named my tiny little kitten (whom I'd gently carry thru the apartment in the palm of my hand) "Pee Wee" -- ("I KNOW You named her after Pee Wee Reese!!!" screamed Sis, indignantly. Well, no I didn't)

Anyway -- these personal memories kept cropping up as I read through Linda Sue Park's excellent book -- And, when I read of Maggie's scrupulous conscience (LOL!)) oh how that reminded me of myself, as I was "fine-tuning" my way thru the world, as a child becoming a teen-ager.

Seems like Maggie was a very thoughtful introspective and tough little kid -- but hey Maggie if you had just picked up a bat and hit a few fungoes to the outfield- I think you woulda gotten hooked.

Linda Sue Parks takes the stuff legends are made of and weaves them into the life of a little girl, Maggie (named after Joe Dimaggio by her dad), an ardent Brookly nDodgers fan.

Women's baseball teams of the 1940's, The Brooklyn Dodger ("Da Bums" as they wuz affectionaly called), the Yankees, the great neighborhoods of Brooklyn (each one a world unto itself) and their equally memorable denizens come to life through Maggie's eyes and experiences.

Sal Maglie, Duke Snider, Raplph Branca, Jackie Robinson -- Say Hey Wille Mays -- those legendary players come back to life in this book, and once again thrill us with their love of the game, and I saw them thru the eyes of a 13 yr old -- me -- in the same way as Maggie would view their heroic exploits.

Linda Sue Parks enthralls the reader with the true stories of the agony and ecstasy of those magic years of the early to mid 50's when the Brooklyn Dodgers came so close to grabbing that GOlden Fleece (winning the World Series), and how this impacted Maggie and her friends at the firehouse who listen spellbound to each Dodger game on the radio (and Mel Barber's mellifluous voice -- how can I ever forget that voice?!!).

The part about the radios tuned into the game thoughout the neighborhood, so Maggie could hear the games, even though she was running errands for her mom and Dad -- is So very true!!! Yes that DID happen -- the play by play from those radios (being played in every mom and pop store) and those cheers echoing down the street was the next best thing to Actually Being There!!! And I (sadly!!!) remember walking past my Bronx neighborhood candy store when Mazeroski hit that home run in 1960.......

Maggie has some tough decisions to make -- she grows up a little more each day as she tries to reach out to a friend who has vanished, even though he is still there in the flesh.

Treecie, her best friend, is a good foil for Maggie - a little more practical and a good stabilizer for Maggie's emotions, I think. The guys at the firehouse are good friends of the family-- her Dad, a former firefighter is Maggie's rock. Maggies Mom has a few surprises up her sleeve, and Maggie's faith in her friend Jim's ability to heal, and her Childlike Novena is very touching.

And the games play on, and the Dodgers win em and lose em. But they don't win the ones they should.....and all of Brooklyn was still waiting.....

The Korean War (which is what we called it back then -- I remember Mom saying in 1953 -- "It's finally over!!!") is brought to life in the Maggie's thoughful tracings of those maps over the years, sobering images of what was, then.

And the finale of this great book is heartwarming -- a one-two punch -- Giants and Dodgers -- and I can still hear those Cheers from those stadiums, and from those little radios in every Mom and Pop shop, from more than 50 years ago.

And BTW - if MAggie had only grabbed one of her brother's bats and hit a few fungoes into the outfield, she WOULD have been hooked on playing baseball-- even my very own Score-card keeping Sister played a few games with me!!

This heartfelt, endearing, nostalgic and educational tale is set in Brooklyn, New York in July 1951. The main character is Maggie Fortini who is nine going on ten years-old. She is known to everyone as Maggie-o and her older brother is known as Joey-Mick, both being named after their Father's favorite New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio. But here's the "rub": Maggie-o, Joey-Mick, and their Mom, absolutely love and "live-and die" with the Brooklyn Dodgers! "DEM BUMS" as all Brooklyn fans affectionately called their beloved Dodgers, were the center of their lives. Their entire neighborhood regardless of race, creed, color, or sex, shared their mutual love of the Dodgers in the same manner as "O-positive" blood was a universal donor in an emergency room. Whenever there was a Dodger game being played, the radio in Maggie-o's house was always turned on with Red Barber (and later on Vince Scully) providing the play by play with such favorite phrases as: "a can of corn" for an easy pop fly, and "sitting in the catbird's seat" when "DEM BUMS" had a good lead. It was an unspoken rule in the house that if Mr. Fortini wanted to listen to a big Yankee game he had to go somewhere else. If Maggie-o had to leave the house to go to school, or go to the store, or go to the firehouse, while a game was on, she never missed a pitch as long as she was in the neighborhood. Every house and every store she passed had the Dodger game on and it was like stereo coming from all the windows.

Maggie-o's Father had been a fireman until he suffered a bad leg injury fighting a fire. Now he worked in an administrative position at another location. His old firehouse was just down the block and Maggie-o spent countless hours there with the firemen and their dog Chalky. During baseball season the men would sit outside and listen to the Dodger games and Maggie-o would always join them when she wasn't in school. There was nothing but Dodger fans at the firehouse until one day there was a new recruit named Jim Maine who was a Giant fan. The other firemen wouldn't let Jim listen to the Giant games loud, so at times he would lay on the floor next to his radio. Maggie-o befriended Jim or it could just have easily been the other way around, and before you knew it, Jim was teaching Maggie-o the official way to keep play-by-play score of a baseball game. Maggie-o started keeping "official" scorecards of every inning of every game when she wasn't in school. Jim even taught her how to keep track of every ball and every strike, even differentiating between called strikes and swinging strikes.

This was the point in time of the Korean War/Conflict, and bad news hit the firehouse when Jim received his draft notice and had to report for active duty. Maggie-o immediately started writing letters, even before his ship crossed the ocean to Korea. Jim started writing back for awhile, and then all of a sudden he stopped. Maggie-o was distraught and couldn't find out why Jim had stopped writing. She then put as much effort into learning everything about the Korean Conflict (It hadn't been officially classified as a war yet) as she did into learning how to keep official score. I must admit I learned things about the Korean War that I didn't know based on Maggie-o's maps and footnotes. During this gloomy time in Maggie-o's life, she became extra diligent in her scorekeeping in honor of Jim. She even prayed harder, and without giving away a major part of the story, I'll suffice to say that she even convinced herself to commit the biggest sin in Brooklyn, by secretly rooting one year for the HATED Giants to win, because she hoped and prayed that would help Jim.

According to the promotional information regarding the release of this book, it is supposedly geared for children aged 9-12 years old. I am a Grandfather, who is originally from Brooklyn, and my entire family was born with the Dodger's as the very blood that pumped through our veins, and this story is so realistic in every way. The pedestal that Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, Carl Furillo and Maggie-o's Mother's favorite pitcher that "fine young Mr. Labine", and the other bums were put on, was portrayed as true as life! I actually had tears come down my face a number of times. Some of the tears were because I got to go back and relive some of my fondest childhood memories by living through Maggie-o's beautiful Brooklyn Dodger loving eyes. My parents are long gone, but this story brought my families most cherished times to life again in my heart because of this author's beautiful (And for my family accurate) story telling. Other tears were because of the many sorrow's that are an awful by product of war. This is a wonderful, wonderful, book that would make a great "Hallmark Hall Of Fame" type movie that would be enjoyed by entire generations of a family.

As far as my tears; Maggie-o said it best on page 179: "MAGGIE BLINKED SEVERAL TIMES, HARD. THERE WASN'T ANY WAY TO STOP TEARS FROM FILLING YOUR EYES ONCE THEY HAD DECIDED TO DO IT. YOU COULD BLINK THEM AWAY, BUT ONLY AFTER THEY WERE ALREADY THERE."

These Knopf Guides are fantastic. They are beautiful little books, they are not quick guides, they are conscious and indepth. The images are well presented and the text highly informative. This book on New York is especially good, New York is unique and lends itself well to a guide of this kind. Highly recommended.

It's the most handy guidebook I ever used. It tells you all the attractions in Manhattan and it doesn't flood you wth words. It organized into sections, so you don't have to fold the map over and over to find where you want to go. If you love to travel by yourself and you don't want to carry a big book around and look like a tourist, you should get this book.

It's only good for Manhattan though.

If you are traveling to NYC, and spending your time in Manhattan, this is the only map book you will need. It's compact, and will fit in your pocket, and is easy to use and to read.

It starts with a map of Manhattan, which is divided into several sections. Each section has a corresponding map. When you open the book to a section, you will see some text and small pictures showing some of the highlights that you may want to see in the area. Then, the page folds out to a detailed map that is large enough to read easily, even while your walking, but still quite compact. The paper is very heavy, and after ten days of extensive use, my book has no torn maps, or even battered edges.

The back of the book has both bus and subway maps, and although they are pretty small, you can still use them to get around on public transportation. The only thing I used to supplement this book was a compass, which helped when we emerged from a subway tunnel, and needed a quick direction.

The cost of this book is only slightly more than a traditional map and is, in my opinion, an incredible value for the money. As a first-time visitor to NYC using this book, I was amazed that I never got lost; not even once!

We used this book on our first visit to Manhatten and found the book to be very helpful. After preparing for our visit with this book, I felt comfortable and a familiarity with the city.

folks, this is the best idea for a tourbook/map that i have stumbled across yet. i'm not prone to raving, but this will garner praise from me until the cows come home (bearing foot & mouth) no doubt.

so, why is this so great? first of all, it's simple and well designed. the city is broken down into sections. you turn to those pages and there is a brief description of places to eat, shop, etc. the pages then open up into a map of the section with a description of major sites in the area.

brilliant! no fumbling around a big map trying to find your street. no squinting to figure out where you are. it's easy to find landmarks, metro stops, etc.

the card stock is nice and heavy and has lasted well even in my back pocket. the descriptions have been helpful without being too lengthy. and at this price, it's quite competitive with other maps while providing much more.

Best travel guide bar none. Fits your pocket or small purse.. Visually great looking. There are actual pictures .... All high recommended hotels different prices..Great maps.. hard to get lost . Great recommends for food I am a shopper.. Absolutely great & unusual shops ..None of the bad tourist gear only the styling gear.. .I am familiar w/ New York but I still use this guide. This is the one I get around with...I do not go anywhere without this guide if there is one available for the destination Im will be traveling to....

This is the most ergonomically designed useful city guide I've seen.
100 percent portable, no batteries, internet connection and user friendly.

I have bought several editions of this handy little guide over the years and am now giving one to all the guests at my daughter's New York wedding. It is very easy to use and has great suggestions for dining, sight-seeing etc. with very simple sections for each area of the city. I call it my New York bible.

I went to New York for the first time for two weeks. This map is great. It's small, easy to carry, and easy to read. You won't feel so obvious if you have to pull it out on the street corner or on the subway. It was so much better than the full size map that I got from the hotel. Beware, it only covers Manhattan. So if you have to travel to the outer boroughs (Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Queens) you'll need a different map. However, since all the siteseeing, shopping, and eating I wanted to do was located in Manhattan, it was the only map I needed.

The first time I went to New York, my mom bought this for our trip. It's been a life saver since. The maps are very detailed but small enough to carry with you without looking obnoxious. The subway map is detailed as well and when you use them with your sectioned maps, it completes the whole picture. This is a must have especially for first time visitors as the maps are very easy to read. I'm going on my third trip in two months and had to pick up another copy of this, as I can't seem to find my older one. I couldn't imagine a trip to NYC without it!

It took me awhile to get into this book but it was worth it in the end. Serious book about a very serious issue. Good read and a very deep story.

Stunning. Poetic. Mr. Bernard did not merely "scratch the surface" but more like savagely clawed the surface (smile).

This book exposes or has the reader examine the whys and whats of what we, as humans, do, in all aspects concerning the way we live our lives.

There were times when it got to be to much as I was like "I'm going to read something else as this is too deep even for me," but by saying that it made me want to read more as I became addicted to this book. This book similar and different than when I read "The Darkest Child" was intoxicating.

This book, the characters, all became real and I recognized that this was fiction, but Mr. Bernard wrote this in such a fashion that made it real.

If you want a book that is and will take you on a trip that delves into the human psyche then I stronly recommend "The Last Dream Before Dawn" as it will truly rock YOUR world and have you examine yourself and others more closely.

D.V. Bernard presents a fresh viewpoint of the rising violence and scandal in America in his debut novel, THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN. Twenty years ago, Roland Micheaux's innocence was shattered when his father was executed for heinous crimes. Now, as a successful New York attorney, Roland finds himself face to face with the very thing that he has tried to put behind him. One night in a parking garage his father's persona comes to haunt him as Roland makes a calamitous move that will send his life into a tailspin and cause him to question reality. Roland then meets Jasper Kain, a seer of sorts, who tries to convince him that the world is coming to an end and that madness will take its reign on the city. Kain's prophecies defy rationale, but Roland soon sees that these ideas should not be so easily dismissed.

THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN is a flurry of characters, scenes, and plots, but somehow, Bernard coheres it all together into cerebral fiction that challenges reality and sanity. A distinguished entrance into the literary arena, this novel is splendidly written and brilliantly executed.

Reviewed by CandaceK
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This book was a great departure, from what I normally read, which is black fiction, based around romantic relationships. These books are more commonly known as "sistagurl" books. This book was written intelligently, and dealt with issues that we can all relate to in society. This book was a page turner, filled with mayhem, suspense, love, hate, violence, peace, and introspection. This novel makes the reader feel as though they are a part of the story, and I hope it will go on to be a best seller.

Roland Micheaux is no stranger to violence and holds a secret that he hopes will never be discovered. He is sitting on top of the world working as a successful attorney with a top law firm in New York City. Then one day he commits an unspeakable act and his world is turned upside down; and he is left pondering the question of who and what he has become. Leading him down this path of self-discovery is the unusual and elusive Jasper Kain.

Jasper Kain is a mysterious man who seems to just appear out of no where and feeds on evil and chaos. He is one of the most important characters in this book because he seems to hold some influence over all of the major characters.

Alexander Randolph is a Black Republican and Mayor of New York City. In his mind, he is one of the most important men in the world. Even though he has all of these things going for him, Mayor Randolph is not immune to madness.

The paths of these three men cross continuously throughout the book as each of them is touched by the madness and evil of the world. In reading this book, just when you think things can't get any worse they do. THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN is an unusual book.

Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I'm looking forward to hearing this guy read. I'm curious if his speaking voice is as fluid with both English and Spanish as his marvelous prose. No compromises here, language is like a third character nuanced with the cultural beauty of the Southwest. My favorite piece is definitely the story A Rock Trying to be A Stone. The images are disturbing, the messages are as dangerous yet mesmerizing as a body going up in flames. (I hope I didn't give too much away here.) He must write a novel next. He owes it to us after a taste of his shorter works.

I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Troncoso read one of his stories in person. It was a pleasure. I could close my eyes and picture the places around town. The stories are vivid and deeply appealing. They touch a chord with many of us who grew up in the El Paso area. I can't wait to read the novel he is working on.

These stories, man, I can't forget them. About time somebody was writing about poor mexicanos in a way that doesn't put us down. Everybody should read this book. Even if you aren't chicano. It gets to some very basic truths about people and survival and amor.

These stories haunt me for days on end. I find myself unable to let go of the ideas and imagery that they present. Very seldom do you see a modern writer who is so accessable, yet also makes you think.

"The Last Tortilla and Other Stories" is a rich, poignant, truthful look at life of the poverty of Mexican/American culture along the Texas/Mexican borders. Extremely honest, the stories come to life in a splendid array of experiences melded together by various inhabitants. The tales are sometimes humorous, often brutal, always stark and honest, direct from the soul of this grand writer. Troncoso bares all with eloquence and dignity and the stories compell the reader to their pages. My only regret is I am not more prolific in Spanish, but it did not deter my fervor for these mini-masterpieces. My personal favorite was "The Albuelita," but all held my interest and my heart.

Muy bien!! Mas, por favor, Mr. Troncoso. Pardon my Spanish, but your destined career is just starting!!

I love this book...I currently have about 4 chemistry review books, including an older edition of this book from my brother. The SAT II Books (like Princeton Review and Barrons) are good, but this book is very clear. There are a few trick questions, but mostly it is about the concepts. Very helpful with all the extra questions at the end of the chapter. Absolutely great! Thanks

This book has helped me so much with honors high school chemistry and explains everything so clearly and the convenience of having 40 practice questions per chapter really helps me truly understand the concepts of each chapter. I recommend this book to anyone taking chemistry!!

It may be a little too detailed for the regents student. Since the regents is getting dumbed down, I reccomend getting an older copy of the book (before 2001)-- It has more details and helpful hints in it

This is about the best book on high school level chemistry I have come across. Albert Tarendash explains each concept with care and very helpful example problems are worked out. I would recommend this book to anyone who is taking an introductory chemistry course.

This book has helped me so much with honors high school chemistry and explains everything so clearly and the convenience of having 40 practice questions per chapter really helps me truly understand the concepts of each chapter. I recommend this book to anyone taking chemistry!!

I am about through with the book and I normally don't make comment until I'm done with a book, but this man is truly remarkable. The author has lived a remarkable business life and the book is an inspirational biography full of relatable business lessons or nuggets. I have had a lot of fun laughing and learning from his life lessons.

On the other hand, I feel that the lesson I have learned most is that a balance of work and life is imperative to me. The author is twice divorced and I believe he dedicated more time to his work life than his family life. I think he is kinda reluctant to talk in more depth about it having only dedicated three pages to the topic. I think he would agree. Nonetheless, I have become a huge fan of John C. Whitehead.

A brief summary of John Whitehead's accomplishments thus far indicates the nature and extent of his "life in leadership": most recently, chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC); previously, co-chairman of Goldman Sachs and then deputy secretary of state, second-in-command to Secretary George Shultz, in the Reagan administration; also tenures as chairman of the governing boards (at one point or another) of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the United Nations Association, the International Rescue Committee, the Harvard Board of Overseers, Haverford College from which he earned a B.A. degree, and the Asia Society. It should also be noted that, during World War Two, Ensign Whitehead commanded a Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP) or "Higgins boat" that successfully delivered troops to Omaha beach on the first day of the Normandy Invasion.

With all due respect to Whitehead's numerous and considerable accomplishments, however, what most impressed throughout his memoirs is his passionate commitment to being an effective leader of others whose welfare has been entrusted to his care. He has always cared deeply, indeed passionately about sustaining that commitment, whatever the given circumstances may be.

As a case in point, after retiring from Goldman Sachs, Whitehead was determined to disengage himself from his various responsibilities and therefore "was dead set against" accepting New York Governor George Pataki's invitation to serve as chairman of the LMDC, following the attack on the World Trade Center. After completing a rigorous analysis of the "pros" and "cons" of acceptance, "it was clear to me that I had to say no." Then, after he looked around his office at all the photographs and memorabilia, "I took a deep breath, and I knew what I had to do. I picked up the phone again and dialed the governor, and when he came on the line I told him I'd accept." There are dozens of other, comparable situations in which White also had to make an especially difficult decision, none of which he later regretted. "I don't allow myself that luxury. What's done is done."

There are several important lessons that can be learned from Whitehead's personal as well as professional experiences that he so generously shares in this volume. Those of greatest interest and value to me include these three:

1. Effective leadership is first and foremost both a privilege and an obligation; those who would lead others must embrace the obligations of trust, compassion, and dedication as well as of rigorous preparation, precise and enlightened decision-making, and courage. It is worth recalling that Dante reserved the last and worst ring in hell for those who, in a moral crisis, preserved their neutrality.

2. Effective leadership also requires not only an understanding and appreciation of teamwork but also a determination to help develop effective leadership skills in one's associates. Hence the importance of recognizing and, yes, celebrating the achievements of others.

3. Finally, effective leadership functions simultaneously within three dimensions: the intellectual, the emotional, and the spiritual. Throughout history, the greatest leaders are those who possess (a) highly refined analytical skills and sufficient knowledge that enable them to make appropriate decisions, (b) a temperament that enables them to sustain a proper balance of what is most important, and also (c) what is often referred to as a "moral compass." As Bill George has so eloquently explained in his book True North, authentic leaders must be authentic people.

When concluding his memoirs, Whitehead observes that he can't help thinking how "lucky" he has been. "Mine has been a good life, filled with lots of fun, interesting experiences, drama, and an engagement with serious issues at the highest level...I have lived at a time when there has been a lot to be done, from fighting the Nazis to battling terrorists. I like to think I have risen to many of these challenges in my own quiet fashion, and I am confident that the next generation of leaders will meet them in their turn. I have been glad to do my part in all of these great endeavors. More than glad. From first to last, I have been thrilled to be in on the action."

John Whitehead is an exemplary leader but also, in my opinion, an exemplary human being. My hope now is that many others, especially those preparing for a career or who have only recently embarked on one, will read and then re-read this compelling personal account of a life well-lived, committing themselves to honorable and productive service when they are also "in on the action," whenever and wherever that may be.

A brief summary of John Whitehead accomplishments thus far indicates the nature and extent of his "life in leadership": most recently, chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation LMDC); previously, co-chairman of Goldman Sachs and then deputy secretary of state, second-in-command to Secretary George Shultz, in the Reagan administration; also tenures as chairman of the governing boards (at one point or another) of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the United Nations Association, the International Rescue Committee, the Harvard Board of Overseers, Haverford College from which he earned a B.A. degree, and the Asia Society. It should also be noted that, during World War Two, Ensign Whitehead commanded a The Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP) or "Higgins boat" that successfully delivered troops to Omaha beach on the first day of the Normandy Invasion.

With all due respect to Whitehead's numerous and considerable accomplishments, however, what most impressed throughout his memoirs is his passionate commitment to being an effective leader of others whose welfare has been entrusted to his care. He has always cared deeply, indeed passionately about sustaining that commitment, whatever the given circumstances may be.

As a case in point, after retiring from Goldman Sachs, Whitehead was determined to disengage himself from his various responsibilities and therefore "was dead set against" accepting New York Governor George Pataki's invitation to serve as chairman of the LMDC, following the attack on the World Trade Center. After completing a rigorous analysis of the "pros" and "cons" of acceptance, "it was clear to me that I had to say no." Then, after he looked around his office at all the photographs and memorabilia, "I took a deep breath, and I knew what I had to do. I picked up the phone again and dialed the governor, and when he came on the line I told him I'd accept." There are dozens of other, comparable situations in which White also had to make an especially difficult decision, none of which he later regretted. "I don't allow myself that luxury. What's done is done."

There are several important lessons that can be learned from Whitehead's personal as well as professional experiences that he so generously shares in this volume. Those of greatest interest and value to me include these three:

1. Effective leadership is first and foremost both a privilege and an obligation; those who would lead others must embrace the obligations of trust, compassion, and dedication as well as of rigorous preparation, precise and enlightened decision-making, and courage. It is worth recalling that Dante reserved the last and worst ring in hell for those who, in a moral crisis, preserved their neutrality.

2. Effective leadership also requires not only an understanding and appreciation of teamwork but also a determination to help develop effective leadership skills in one's associates. Hence the importance of recognizing and, yes, celebrating the achievements of others.

3. Finally, effective leadership functions simultaneously within three dimensions: the intellectual, the emotional, and the spiritual. Throughout history, the greatest leaders are those who possess (a) highly refined analytical skills and sufficient knowledge that enable them to make appropriate decisions, (b) a temperament that enables them to sustain a proper balance of what is most important, and also (c) what is often referred to as a "moral compass." As Bill George has so eloquently explained in his book True North, authentic leaders must be authentic people.

When concluding his memoirs, Whitehead observes that he can't help thinking how "lucky" he has been. "Mine has been a good life, filled with lots of fun, interesting experiences, drama, and an engagement with serious issues at the highest level...I have lived at a time when there has been a lot to be done, from fighting the Nazis to battling terrorists. I like to think I have risen to many of these challenges in my own quiet fashion, and I am confident that the next generation of leaders will meet them in their turn. I have been glad to do my part in all of these great endeavors. More than glad. From first to last, I have been thrilled to be in on the action."

John Whitehead is an exemplary leader but also, in my opinion, an exemplary human being. My hope now is that many others, especially those preparing for a career or who have only recently embarked on one, will read and re-read this compelling personal account of a life well-lived, then commit themselves to honorable and productive service when they are also "in on the action," wherever that may be.

This fascinating book will be of interest to a wide array of readers. Previously, I knew a little about John Whitehead's illustrious career of leadership in three sectors: as an icon of Wall Street, Deputy Secretary of State, and a philanthropist. Whitehead describes how his professional and personal goals were achieved. With humor and low-key modesty, he shares his experiences throughout his life, and admits to the cases of serendipity that marked aspects of his career.

Readers interested in business and finance will enjoy reading how John Whitehead realized his vision of turning Goldman Sachs & Co. into a global investment banking powerhouse by the application of straight-forward methods. With determination, clear-thinking, good planning, and honesty, he rose at Goldman Sachs from a young Harvard MBA to co-chairman in the span of 29 years.

Whitehead promoted innovations at Goldman Sachs that were later adopted throughout the investment banking industry: the first initial public offering, preferred stocks and convertible bonds. His nine-point memo with advice to the New Business Department was revolutionary at the time. It included the famous aphorism, "You can never learn anything when you're talking." The co-chairmanship of Goldman Sachs that he established with John Weinberg was a novel leadership solution, as no Wall Street firm had ever had two chairmen before. John Whitehead displayed determination and thoroughness in his work. For example, no one outside of privately-held Ford Motor Company knew exactly how big the company was. In the mid-1950s, Whitehead took the train up to Boston and personally went through the public records in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts files, to find a copy of Ford's balance sheet. This information stimulated Goldman Sachs to initiate a relationship with Ford, which culminated in its managing the IPO of the largest family-owned company in the world.

For readers interested in foreign policy, the book illustrates how to achieve results inside the government. Even before his confirmation as Deputy Secretary of State under President Reagan, in the face of Senator Jesse Helms' obstructionism, he learned the value of speaking directly to an adversary in a successful effort to work things out. Whitehead wanted to make a difference in the world, which he accomplished "with just a little insight and persistence." One of his key successes was to begin the process of weaning Eastern Europe away from the Soviet Union through astute diplomacy, while US foreign policy was still focused on Moscow. He gives a riveting account of his meetings with Lech Walesa and Poland's president Jaruzelsky, Rumania's president Ceaucescu, and Bulgaria's dictator Zhivkov.

John Whitehead also made a strong imprint in the world of nonprofits. "They appealed to the idealistic side of my nature," he writes. Over the course of his life, he has given away more than $100 million. His involvement in nonprofits began with assistance to freedom fighters resisting the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. He describes his exciting experiences with US-supported mujahedin fighting Russian invaders in Afghanistan, including witnessing an attack on a Soviet fort led by a Harvard Law School graduate from Pakistan! More recently, Whitehead's chairmanship of numerous nonprofits - notably the International Rescue Committee, United Nations Association, Youth for Understanding, International House, and The Asia Society - coincided with their spectacular growth.

What makes Whitehead's book especially appealing are the captivating details about his personal life. He relates how his dashing father would land his single-engine plane during World War I on an athletic field on the Bryn Mawr campus, to court his future wife. Upon graduating from high school, John Whitehead worked at the 1939 World's Fair running a concession guessing customers' weights. That summer, he earned enough to pay for his first year's tuition at Haverford College. When he joined the State Department, his daughter made up flash cards to help him memorize the capitals and the names of the political leaders of the 185 countries recognized by the United States.

The book enters the new millennium with John Whitehead's tenure as chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, to which he was appointed by Governor Pataki. Its mission was to rebuild the World Trade Center following the tragedy of 9-11. Whitehead describes the vision and challenges of rebuilding Ground Zero. The book concludes with his ideas about leadership, and comments about foreign policy and the general state of the nation. In Whitehead's model of "quiet leadership," the most effective leaders are patient, thoughtful people who are guided by high ideals and do a lot of listening. The ethical dimension of John Whitehead's life and leadership style, and his credo of "doing well while doing good," are truly inspiring - as is this book.

I had trouble finishing this book because I could barely get through a couple of pages without getting so inspired that I had to stop so I could take action on my own dreams. As a recent graduate of NYU, I was reminded that my career path will take many unexpected turns and of the possible impact I can have by following my vision and sticking to my values.

This autobiography is written with such authenticity that it is completely relatable. The author's struggle to pay his own way through college in 1939 reminded me of my own in 2000. I could relate to the feelings of triumph. And I could certainly relate to the mortifying mistakes (although perhaps I haven't yet experienced anything as bad as driving Henry Ford home in a Chevy!).

At the same time, the book is incredibly educational. History, business, political, and leadership lessons are encapsulated in every story. As Whitehead describes his experiences, certain themes begin to emerge, giving the reader tools they can apply to their own life. I found myself using lessons I derived from Whitehead's diplomacy missions in my work with others!

I would highly recommend this book to anybody interested in leadership, but especially young business people at the beginning of their careers. This memoir gives an incredible inside and frank perspective on leadership of an individual who has had a more ecclectic and successful career than most people could ever hope for. Furthermore, this book is also fascinating because it provides a historical insight into the business world that a history textbook could never provide.

Lastly, I recommend this book because the leadership lessons it provides are universal. They aren't fly-by-night strategies, but basic and simple values that can be applied to almost any leadership position at any time.

1993 and the city doesn't really want to know they're in the peak of a crack epedemic. Giovinazzo tells it all with all the "in your face" brutality and dirt that New York wanted to keep confined to the Port Authority Buiding and 42nd st. before it turned to Disneyland. You know what? It's all still there, just spread around more. Disturbing and straight from the hip,but it wasn't till years past that those very images have come to permeate our music ,literature, art and films. Take a ride on the crack train and while you're at it check out BG's outstanding film work like No Way Home with Tim Roth. A local guy who is a Euro cult star and fabulous drummer as well as director. I need another hit of Buddy G

I was first interested in "Life is Hot in Cracktown" after hearing it was the new sequel if you will to Selby's "Last Exit to Brooklyn." While Last Exit is a classic, this book is fast-paced, contemporary, and ambitious. This string of distantly realted stories exemplifies the horror the criminal underworld and idolizes the good people caught the system. Some characters are good, some are bad unlike Selby's books in which all are truly wicked. I suggest you read this. Throughout the reading, you will feel a sense of hope pervading the most horrible of situation. Good look and enjoy.

Well, these vignettes are eerie, well written, and intense! He has a way of keeping you reading! Giovanazzo's other books are similar...and just as well written.

Giovanazzo has trained his magnificent eye on the lives of some of New York's trash heap. The prose style is clean and unpretentious, and the portraits are sometimes touching, sometimes horrifying, but always real.

This book will make you think, and feel. Its characters are complex people. But what makes their lives so tragic is their direct or indirect involvement with the homogenizing grind of crack addiction. As this currency and the pursuit of it control varying, but always overwelming amounts of the characters' time and energy, we see them stripped of all human traits except pain. And this, in action and ideation, is the sad fate of the addict. Superb, truthful book.

Having met the author, Lester Atwell, and interpreting his comments about his youth, it is concievable that this wonderful treasure, Life with its Sorrow, Life with its Tear" is, indeed, a "curtained autobiography" of his days of youth. Truly a gentleman with an incredible sense of humor and memory! He was legally blind when we met him in 2001, shortly before his death. A veteran of WW11 as an infantryman in the 87th Infantry Div. of General Patton's 3rd Army, Atwell also wrote,"Private," his experiences in the European Theater 1944-1945. WELL WORTH THE READ!

This book is one of the best I've ever read---the story is wonderful, as well as the writing. I first read it when I was a teenager--now in my 40's, I have reread it more times than I can count. I am now passing it on to my daughter to read; I am sure she will enjoy it as many times as I have!

why i didn't know about this book, before a very well-read friend gave it to me and told me that it was one of her all-time favorites. readable, accessible, but beautifully-written and perfectly-described, it will absolutely transport you to another world. what can i say? it's made me give up TV. and i'm dreading reaching the final page because i just don't want it to end. do yourself a favor and order this one.

Paul. Uncle Reggie. Aunt Dottie. Aunty. Audrey. Aunt Viv. The cousins. "As the train roared in" you will be on that train and instantly captivated in their tale. The Great Depression is just a nuisance; Prohibition is a joke. Their parties and plans and hopes continue. Paul,the orphaned son of the family's sister, has heard from his late father about the family's extravagances and 'pretensions' all his life, but finds himself drawn into their way of life. Encouraged by them all, especially Uncle Reggie, his dreams grow beyond anything he had ever imagined, only to find that the people who love you most can have nearly fatal flaws.

I first came upon this book in a thrift store, and bought it because liked its title. From the moment I began to read it, I was totally absorbed in the story line, but what impressed me most was the character development. The characters ran the gamut from flamboyant and boastful to young and shy. Although the characters were all very different from one another, they melded perfectly in this story. This book has a very special place in my heart, alongside Gone With the Wind, Grapes of Wrath, and Thorn Birds. It is well worth the read.

My son (2yrs) got this book and loves it so much!
the colors and real life action!!

he loves to watch kids do karate!
i recommend highly!

This is a great non-fiction about Chinese New Year, for ages 4-12! The text is simple enough for younger children and detailed enough to really be informative for older children. Following a young child through his preparations for the celebration immediately brings young readers (and listeners)into the story. Vivid photographs of familiar and novel scenes help children to relate to Ernie Wan while learning about a significant aspect of his culture. Rather than lecturing the reader, this book invites the reader to share in one boy's celebration of the Chinese New Year while teaching about the holiday at the same time. This book has been well-loved by my children (now ages 8, 10, 12) for many years. We are now on our second copy of the book! It comes out every Chinese New Year, and even some other times through out the year. My children often ask to take this book to school to share at Chinese New Year. (Bonus: inside the back cover is an explanation of the Chinese zodiac with years and personality traits.)

Follow Ernie Wan and his family throughout a traditional Chinese (Cantonese) New Year Celebration! Colorful photos and detailed text provide good insight to a fascinating and beautiful culture! Photos of New York's Chinatown and Chinese schools are accompanied by cultural facts. From kung fu school to New Year traditions, this book is more than I expected. The Lion Dance is covered very well, but is certainly not the sole topic of this outstanding book! Ages 4 and up.

For my preschool class, I am pairing this book with an 11' long paper dragon and a stuffed dragon puppet. The children will be making paper lanterns and sampling various Chinese foods. They should really enjoy the unit on Chinese New Year!

Gung-Hey-Fat-Choy! Happy New Year!

If you have small children,their first encounter with the lion can be the stuff bad dreams are made of. Our 16-month-old son was both frightened and intrigued by the lion that came to the Chinese restaurant where our friends' son was enjoying his first birthday. The book follows Ernie Wan through his preparation to his first lion dance one Chinese New Year's day in New York's Chinatown. You see the customs and rituals that lead up to his debut. More important, you see the closeness of his family and the value of rites of passage in gathering people together. My family is not Chinese but my wife and I have immigrant parents. If you are trying to demonstrate why maintaining your cultural heritage is worthwhile, Lion Dancer will support your cause. My son literally drools on the pictures of the Chinese dishes and the kung-fu kicks of the lions amid the firecracker smoke. If I have a single criticism, it's that the pages of this paperback will fall out after repeated reading. And if I'm entitled to menion one mature indulgence, the book includes a section describing the personalities of the various animals in the Chinese lunar year. You might agree that the year you were born is more telling than the month.

I thought the book was very interesting with wonderful pictures
for children to look at. Despite being written for children to enjoy, it gave some insight to anyone, curious about this aspect of Chinese culture.