New York Books

"Letters of Transit" is a collection of five essays originally presented, in somewhat different form, as lectures sponsored by the New York Public Library from November, 1997, through February, 1998. Andre Aciman, the editor and author of both the Foreward ("Permanent Transients") and the first of the essays ("Shadow City"), focuses on the theme of being an "exile" (as opposed to being an "expatriate" or a "refugee" or an "emigre"). Aciman suggests, in his Foreward, that "[w]hat makes exile the pernicious thing it is is not really the state of being away, as much as the impossibility of ever not being away." He goes on to elaborate, in his ensuing essay, that the exile is not just someone "who has lost his home; it is someone who can't find another, who can't think of another." Aciman, impressionistically explores the way in which living in a new city (New York) can vividly reincarnate the memories of cities in which the exile has lived previously (the "shadow cities" of his title). Aciman's essay is fascinating, perceptive and insightful; it is a wonderful short piece which illustrates why his much-praised memoir, "Out of Egypt", has become a minor classic of the genre.

Similarly, Bharati Mukherjee's essay, "Imagining Homelands", provides thoughtful elaborations on the nuances and connotations of the words "expatriate", "exile" and "immigrant"; she draws fine and interesting distinctions among these words and carefully entwines these distinctions with an elaboration of her own life experiences.

The strongest essays in this collection, however, are those of Eva Hoffman, Edward Said and Charles Simic. All three of these writers provide classic insights into the experience of "exile, identity, language, and loss" which are worth careful thought and consideration. All three suggest (as does Mukherjee when she describes herself as an "integrationist" and a "mongrelizer") that the exile can only ultimately be redeemed by rejecting irrational devotion to the narrow and myopic tribalism of nation, ethnicity, religion, and ideology which so often encumbers the exile community; that redemption comes only through freedom, reason and syncretism. Thus, Simic writes, in concluding his essay, "Refugees", that the poet "is a member of that minority that refuses to be part of any official minority, because a poet knows what it is to belong among those walking in broad daylight, as well as among those hiding behind closed doors."

Hoffman's essay, "The New Nomads", is clearly the best of this collection. She carefully delineates the universality of the exilic experience, an experience which can be found in the Ur-text of Adam and Eve's exile from the Garden of Eden. She then discusses the way in which exile can magnify the impulse to "memorialize" the past. The result, she suggests, is that exile distorts the vision of the past, tending to make it an idealized "mythic, static realm" which forever impedes the ability to deal with the present (what Hoffman perceptively characterizes as the "rigidity of the exilic posture"). She then provides an interesting discussion of A.B. Yehoshua's provocative essay, "Exile as Neurotic Solution", wherein he postulated that there were many opportunities for the Jews (prior to the creation of the modern State of Israel) to settle in Palestine more easily than in countries where they had chosen to live, but it was the one location they avoided. In Hoffman's words, "[i]t was as if they were afraid precisely of reaching their promised land and the responsibilities and conflicts involved in turning the mythical Israel into an actual, ordinary home." The ultimate result of the "memorialization" of the past and the "rigidity of the exilic posture" is that exile communities often cannot function in the locus of the larger society; rather, they conceive of themselves as perpetually "Other".

Edward Said's essay, "No Reconciliation Allowed", describes the dislocation of the exile in vivid terms: "a Palestinian going to school in Egypt, with an English first name, an American passport, and no certain identity at all." Thus, he finds himself in a secondary school where only English is permitted to be spoken, even though none of the students is a native speaker of English. While his entire educational experience is Anglocentric in the extreme, he is also trained to understand he is a "Non-European Other", someone who can never aspire to being British in any true sense of the word. While Said has been criticized recently for allegedly misrepresenting his past, he is quite forthcoming in this essay in acknowledging his admiration for "self-invention". In some sense, Said's essay and the narrative of his life reflects his theory, specifically the notion that we can (and do) use language instrumentally to construct social realities (in this case the reality of his life).

While somewhat uneven, as all collections are, "Letters of Transit" ultimately provides a rich, varied and deeply insightful range of readings on what it means to be an exile.

This is a very important book from 5 writers who have suffered the unease that comes from being "neither fish nor fowl", something I've always felt as a Jew, but never related to other immigrants, expatriates, or those in exile. This book also draws in writers and their craft, the work that comes out of "homesickness", the instinct to "memorialize in prose". I read this book in a light trance, feeling if but for a moment as if I lived somewhere. Anyone looking for where they come from or even where they got to should read this book.

This is a great book for those who want to be able to place Exile, Identity, Language and Loss in some kind of coherent context. It allows the reader to be able to understand his/her own behavior and the behaviors of those around them. It can also be applied to novels written in the various genres that deal with immigration and exile--to understand the motivation of the authors regarding plot and character development.

There is not, however, based on just one perspective. We read five different authors' point of view and their personal experiences, which allows for a range of inquiries.

I highly recommend this book.

I loved the book becuase the authors have written very honestly about their feelings and about being different in a society. As a emigrant who has lived in the United State for the past 20 years, the book hits home for me. And I will read it again and again.

This book is wonderful. The pictures bring back a time in our country's history that was hopeful and expansive - a nice antidote to today's closed attitudes. Anyone with an interest in American history and the story of one our momumental achievements should have this book. P.S. Children love this book too -- my two sons take it off the shelf almost every night!

I like architecture. I like buildings. And I adore The Empire State building in New York City. (as if I need to mention location) This is an informative book by Mr. Doherty and others giving us a detailed view into dreams coming to life of the then tallest building in the world. How it was built, human drama behind the scenes, how fast it went up---4 stories a week, the limestone that was only brought in from Indiana, and other fascinating information.

With a glossary, index, photo's of helmeted men in 1930---daringly straddling beams above a floor of cement doom, one can relive visiting this icon or enjoy true anticipation of using one of its 73 elevators to reach for the heavens on an open aired viewing floor where everything from weddings to arm wrestling competitions take place.

Did you know they began using outdoor lights due to an aircraft bomber, lost in the fog and crashing into her 79th floor back in the 40's? And now, one can see it adorned with special lit colors--Blue was done as a tribute to Frank Sinatra, Blue & White for Churchill, and Gold for the Pope.

Yes, the building that may now not be the tallest, will forever hold a special place in our hearts. As seen in many movies, from King Kong to Sleepless In Seattle, we can step back and wonder who is behind those 6,000 windows ( you might spot Donald Trump, he owns part of her now ) and wistfully sigh at the romance of it all.

other reading suggestions: "The Majesty of the French Quarter" by Kerri McCaffety

--CDS--

The sixty-five photographs in this book are probably the best of the thousand Lewis Hine took during the construction of the Empire State Building. Several are now the standard image used to depict industrial output during the Depression and rightly so. Hine concentrates on the workers rather than the actual building and you can see just how precarious some of their activity is. Years before hardhats and workman's comp hundreds of seasoned craftsmen managed to erect a building nearly a quarter of a mile high in 410 days and weighing 365,000 tons.

Author Freddy Langer writes an interesting short essay about Lewis Hine explaining how he became interested in using photography to expose the exploitation of child labor during the early years of the last century. These photos were used in his book 'Kids at Work' (ISBN 0395797268). His interest in photographing the workplace got him the commission to record the building of the Empire State and some of these images also appeared in his 1932 book 'Men at Work' (ISBN 0486234754).

It is a shame that the book does not give more explanation to what the craftsmen are doing in the photos. A book that does have photos (though not by Hine) and detailed captions is 'Building the Empire State' (ISBN 0393730301) edited by Carol White, it reproduces seventy-seven pages of typewritten description, some of it quite technical, that someone at Starrett Brothers, the builders, produced as a record of the construction.

The Empire State was in competition with the Chrysler Building and a book by David Stravitz, 'The Chrysler Building' (ISBN 1568983549) is a week-by-week photographic construction record of Van Allen's Art Deco masterpiece with detailed captions to the pictures. Strangely many of Hine's photos clearly show the Chrysler Building in the background.

All three books celebrate the building of two stunning New York skyscrapers.

Pictures that are not well known, but warm the heart

This book earns a place in our "Hall of Fame." It has been read for 3 years now and memorized time and again. It inspired my [...]to memorize the New Colossus. She was Lady Liberty for Halloween for two years now. The story was very well written in a flowing, poetic, and rhythmical context. It is a great introduction to our nation's beauties, people and spirit. It is also amusing. We have a ticker tape parade every time we read this book! Thank you, Ms. Dipucchio, for giving this treasure to the world.

Newsbee, the voice of Book Buzz, an NIE project at The Washington Missourian, has chosen "Liberty's Journey" as a book pick for July. When Liberty takes a walk through bustling cities, into states with amber waves of grain, across vast deserts, she loves what she sees, but Liberty is sadly missed in New York Harbor, so it's back to work for the grand ol' girl who joyfully returns to the isle of Manhattan.
The wonders of America come to life on the pages of this wonderful picture book Book Buzz is proud to suggest.

Liberty's Journey is a moving adventure about the Statue coming to life and seeing all of the states and people she stands for. This book reminds me of the true patroitism, commitment, freedom, and generosity of our democratic America. We take it all for granted. Children can get a real glimpse of who and what our statue stands for through this beautiful story and the brilliant way it was written. The outstanding artwork shows the true Liberty, (all she needed was a personality that relates to the children as well as adults). I think that families, libraries, and schools alike would benefit by adding this work of art to their bookshelves. Liberty's Journey represents the heart of America!

Each time I read this book I get a warm feeling when I think of all the immigrants who love and depend on Lady Liberty every day. I am so glad she is "back" on her pedestal at the end of the book.

Wow. Couldn't put it down. Such an amazing person - he's done so many things in the course of his life. A Must-read!

Wow. Couldn't put it down. Such an amazing person - he's done so many things in the course of his life. A Must-read!

I started reading this book one shabbos and had trouble putting it down to daven. After shabbos I didn't put it down until I finished on Sunday. For any serious Jew this book will be absolutely inspirational, for others it is very interesting. You read about Meyer Birnbaum's life in such a way that you can picture yourself there. Learn what it was like to grow up as an Orthodox Jew in a poor family early in the Century. He was there for the near beginnings of the Agudath movement in the U.S. He was an officer in the U.S. Army (a combat soldier no less) who managed to remain observant under some very difficult experiences, not all due to combat- sometimes fellow soldiers weren't all that understanding, picture wearing tifillin to daven in the morning during basic training (anyone who was in the military should be in cold sweats at that picture). He helped with concentration camp survivors and helped get many to Israel and he moved to Israel in time to see the birth of a nation. This is an inspirational story, with doses of intrigue and suspense. One of the best books I ever read.

A detailed account that keeps the reader turning page after page in excitement. This autobiography by a devoted orhtodox Jew who maintains his traditions and integrity throughout the hardships of life, growing up poverty-stricken in America, and serving in the Untied States army during World War II, will surely inspire and enthrall readers from all backgrounds.

GREAT book. GREAT shots. This book is simply beautiful. Christophe is amazing at what he does and what he has gotten away with in this book. I definetly reccomend this book to anyone who loves NYC, the subway, or street photography in general. DEFINITE BUY!

this book is a masterpiece of subway photography. the author/photographer caught exactly the feeling you have, when you travel with open eyes in the nyc subway........lots of different faces, bodies, fates,.......individuals.
i have travelled myself in many, many subway systems, but new york, as it is very special place itself, has the most interesting mix of people and he did catch this feeling with his camera.........he did protrait these individuals with the glimmering light of the subway.
a book i will often take to my hands in combination a nice glass of wine to relax and to shift to this amazing place.....

ruediger glatz

Several years of work by a very talented and inspiring photographer. Dramatic pictures, unseen since the Bruce Davidson's Subway. Definitely taking subway pictures to another level.

1.A GREAT BOOK THAT BRINGS A NEW VISION TO THIS WELL DOCUMENTED PLACE
2.A POET AT WORK ,WHO JOINS ROBERT FRANK ,WALKER EVANS,GENE SMITH, IN THE CHURCH OF WHAT IS HAPPENING BABY!
3.A BOOK COLLECTORS ADVICE: BUY A BUNCH OF THESE ,OH WHAT A HOSTESS GIFT!
4.THANKS FOR A BEAUTIFUL BOOK ,MY GUESS IS THEY ARE ALSO BEAUTYFUL PRINTS IN ORIGINAL ,WELL THE PUBLISHER DID THE PHOTOGRAPHER PROUD.
5.POUNCE!!!

This is the splendid autobiography of Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangrol (1781-1851), a yogi who wandered far and wide expressing his realization, as a fully accomplished adept of the Great Completion (Dzogchen).

From the Foreword by HH the Dalai Lama: "Regarded by many as the greatest yogi after Milarepa to gain enlightenment in one lifetime (...) as source of inspiration to Buddhist practitioners and general readers alike." HH Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche: "As one reads it, one's mind cannot resist being turned toward the Dharma."

This autobiography is full of humor, wit and playful joy, intense self-discipline as well as magnificant flights of imagination. An accessible book full of telling stories, a must-read, must-own for those interested.

"Man -
If you have any self-respect,
A heart in your chest,
Brains in your head, and
Some sympathy for yourself,
Regret your past actions and
Improve your whole behavior.
It's time! It's very late!
- Shabkar

Never have I come across such an inspiring piece of buddhist literature. Plan on having your life and your practice changed forever after reading the life story of this amazing yogin.

Considered as one of the master works of Tibetan religious heritage.
For people who have a connection with Tibetan Buddhism this book is a true treasure. And, dear vegetarians, you are right :-), many Tibetan Buddhists might prefer to ignore the fact, but Shabkar as a non sectarian Tibetan yogi gave up eating meat for the rest of his live when he was 27 years based on his sincere conviction that a Buddhist - at a certain stage - should gave up "the negative act of eating the flesh of beings" (p.232). See also his book Food of Bodhisattvas: Buddhist Teachings on Abstaining from Meat, ISBN 1590301161.

Matthieu Ricard has created a work of art. Remaining true to the poetic beauty of the Tibetan original he has for the first time presented this important work to the west. Also, his notes and appendixes on historical and buddhist backgrounds are invaluable. For the first time the reader is presented with the life of a Tibetan saint and his lineage formerly largely unknown among western students of Tibetan buddhism. A tuely inspiring page-turner !

It is a book about a hero that evrybody thought was perfect. In this book you get to see the life behind the face. There are so many legend and this book so the truth and tells you the miths.

every sentence filled with facts. research done is tremendous. best sports book i ever read.

This biography, although scholarly, is entertaining throughout and easily read. Smelser was a life long baseball fan and his love of the game animates every page. As an undergraduate at Notre Dame, I studied under the author. Now deceased, he was a professor of history. Smelser demanded from his students the thorough research he displays in this book. But he was also a wonderful storyteller. Both qualities are apparent in this work. Like the best biographers, the author has only mild affection for his subject. The Babe's qualities and failings get equal attention. But today, when the word "superstar" is wildly overrused, you see the extraordinary level of fame this man achieved. If you really want to understand the Babe's life, read this book.

Some legends are larger than life. Some legends are made up. Then there's Babe Ruth, than man by which all other baseball players are measured, even today. George Herman Ruth comes to life in this riveting, yet easy to read biography by Marshall Smelser.

You follow the bambino from his early days at St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys to his early days with the Boston Red Sox. You read about his turmoil with the fans, his trade to the New York Yankees, that later became the curse of the Bambino.

Smelser's accounts of Ruth's life from his first wife to the run ins with Yankees manager Miller Huggins to the called shot in the 1934 World Series and so many others, will have laughing on minute and on the brink of tears the very next.

I have always been a great Babe Ruth fan; so reviewing this book was a no brainer. Smelser writing style made it easy for me to read along and finally get a true picture of the man so many either loved or hated. I would highly recommend this book to any serious baseball fan!

"Life's Pleasure: The Ashcan Brush with Leisure" is a wonderful reminder of the Ashcan artists show at the Detroit Institute of Art. Beautifully written and illustrated, "Life's Pleasure" comes highly recommended, especially if you cannot get to the exhibition to see in real life what is rendered by the presses.

While this book is well illustrated ,it has many fine full page reproductions it has many painters of minor importance to the Ash Can school.Gifford Beal looks like an uninspired Dufy..Jerome Myers ,Edward Manigault I can do without. It is interesting to see some of the early work( of the later abstract art) of Arthur B Davies and Alfred Maurer.Few books on these artists discuss the techniques they used. The focus is on subject matter. Something that docents and guides are always talking about when you hear them in the gallery. Maurice Prendergast ,seems a gentler soul than the others,he fits here where he doesn't in other studies of the group.A uniting factor I think is the fluid brushwork of the Ash Can Painters. In the case of Bellows and Sloan composition and unity of the artist brush/touch were hard fought.Doezema's "Representing Woman" essay is a bit superficial Sloan and Bellows had complicated feelings about woman. Dolly was often in his pictures as he wanted to show her as central to his art and life.There is an in depth discussion of the groups use of frames.This is a good companion book for the show at Detroit's Institute of Art.The exhibit will be there thru this month and May 25th. Later it goes to Nashville and then to New York City, You will get more out of seeing the show then what is in this book. I am satisfied that I will be able to see Sloan's "New York" at the Smart Museum of the University of Chicago.Life's Pleasures still has the dark palette of these painters. Their interest in color is something that is only hinted at in the biography of Sloan.It is this limited palette that may have led Maurer and Davies to become all out abstract artist.My fault isn't with the book it is the focus of the exhibit.We are seeing more art shows nowadays that seek approval for a hungry subject matter public , in the Fifties there were many shows that sought to expand the awareness the public have of the visual principles of first rate artists. Katherine Kuh for one was instrumental in putting on shows of Leger,Rothko . With helpful commentary that showed that she knew what it was all about. But! I am glad to see a revival of interest in publications of this important school of American Art.

We are finally recognizing the importance of the Ashcan Artists to American and world art. This book should be in everybodys' library who likes art, particularly American Art.

Relatively few primers offer in-depth details on the Ashcan artists: a school of early 20th-century American artists whose work centered around New York City life. Here the underworld of the City was often displayed - and LIFE'S PLEASURES is the first book to explore the lighter side of the Ashcan artists' works, featuring leisure scenes in cafes, bars and parks and movies. You'll recognize the artists' names ' Edward Hopper, Rockwell Kent, John Sloan - and the essays offer further insights on New York culture and artistic sentiment, making LIFE'S PLEASURES a top pick for both New York and college-level art libraries.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Terrific novel. Such a genuine, non-judgemental look at extra-relational relations (a euphemism if there ever was one), and so skillful at portraying how society deals with pedophilia. I was also impressed that a man caught the classic "Queen Bee-ness" of Mary Ann's character, and how her sidekicks were so driven by fear of her disapproval. I sympathized will all the characters, even the slimeballs. I sensed that the author didn't quite catch the "dialect" of three-year-old speech. Something to work on for his next great novel!

This is a wise and humane novel and one of the very few American novels to deal with marital and extramarital sex with honesty and understanding. Both the plotting and the characterization are exceptional and I hope this book finds a much wider audience.

I haven't seen the movie and don't know if I intend to. I just wanted a great book, and this was definitely a perfect choice! It's the kind of story that pulls you in immediately, and you can't put down, even though it's really time to go to bed!

There is suspense, electricity, and a twist. It should go on your list if you ever wonder about having a lover. Or want to read about someone who took the plunge.

Little Children was my favorite movie of 2006, and also my sister's favorite. So someone gave my sister a copy of the book it was based on. After she finished it, she gave it to me. It is a lot like the movie, only longer, since it doesn't have a two hour time limit. There are many extra scenes here that didn't make it into the movie. Much more background into the characters' past. One main difference between the book and the movie is that the actors in the movie don't match the descriptions of the characters in the book (not that they have to). The main difference plotwise is that the character of Ronnie meets a different fate in the book and the movie. Anyway, this is a great book which I enjoyed very much.

This book is a treasure and a new classic. I've given several copies to friends and family. If we're very lucky, this story of a six year-old boy 'Little Lion', will be just the beginning of a long-term relationship between children and a wholy original character that is adorable, eccentric and very special.

In addition to being an engrossing, colorful read, and a great way to introduce or reinforce the values of tolerance and individuality, Little Lion is also a beautifully written, poetic work of children's literature. In the much more eloquent words of Jamaican scholar Dr. Elsa Leo Rhynie, "Little Lion is a book that should be in the library of every Caribbean boy and girl...The flow of rhyming is like music to a child's ear."

With great animation and just the right inflections, this book is perfect fodder for bedtime reading for toddlers.
Since I am determined for my chil to be literate by the time she is 3, I have been reading to my daughter since infancy and now she mocks my behavior by grabbing one of her numerous books and reading to herself.
I introduced this book t her after meeting the author in a bookstore and having it signed. My 2 year old fell in love with it immediately ! The next day I saw her in her favorite chair, trying to mock my voice while flipping through the pages. Mind you, this was only after ONE reading!
Ms. Magnus has that "it" Oprah raves about .. to write outstanding children's books. This book has a storyline any child can relate to and appreciate. This is a highly recommended one for your child's library.
The illustrations are outstanding as well.
This one is right next to my other favorite "Please Baby Please"
PICK THIS ONE UP... YOUR CHILD WOULD LOVE YOU FOR IT!

I simply love this story! Little Lion is truly an inspiration to children and adults regardless of ethnicity or cultural background. The illustrations are vibrant and fun, and the themes and tenets of the story are witty and heart warming.

I fell in love with this inspiring story. I'm Jamaican so I really appreciated the cultural references, but I've shared Little Little with some of my American friends and they enjoyed it too. My son, who is almost two, also loves it. He's particularly fond of Little Lion's shoes and socks (the illustrations are great).