California Books

In War Orphan in San Francisco, Phyllis Helene Mattson tells the engrossing story of her childhood spent in San Francisco where her mother managed to send her in 1940, in the final window of opportunity for escaping the Nazi occupation of Vienna. Initially Mattson stays with an aunt and then in foster homes and orphanages. Her mother, never able to secure the necessary papers that would allow her out of Austria, worked as forced labor. Mattson's father was thrown out of Vienna late in 1939 by the Germans and then spent the war in an Australian internment camp when England, his temporary home, declared war on Germany and he became a prisoner of war.

Mattson found herself as the primary link for the scattered family from the time she was ten until her father came to the US when she was seventeen. She used the treasure trove of letters, long stored in a box in the garage, to help tell her story.

As a woman's memoir writing coach, I read memoirs at multiple levels. I examine each story for its strength in writing, in engaging the reader and in providing ideas to other women who are writing their memoirs. Mattson's book gets stars on all of these dimensions. In addition to being well written and engrossing (I tried to figure out how I would handle a similar situation and could not envision that I would be as strong as she was), I especially liked the way she used her source documents.

If you are working on your memoir consider: Do you have documents or records that may shed light on your story? Family records? Letters? Legal documents? Medical records? How might you use them? As background information? Selected brief quotes? Organizing themes for chapters? Reproduced in full? The Internet offers many opportunities to research elements of your story even when you don't have copies of documents and records.

Mattson writes, "As I told my story, I told it as through it happened to another child, factually without emotion, a way to distance myself from the tragedy that I had experienced..." Again, as a memoir writing coach, I value how this book raises the question: How close or how distant do you need to be from your story in order to tell it? Many women with difficult, even tragic stories, need to find enough distance from the story to write it, yet show enough closeness that the reader shares in her experience. Mattson has gracefully achieved both of these goals.

I loved reading Phyllis's story; it provoked every emotion in me.

She tells her story of separation from her family and living in a strange country with strange people in a very insightful manner with perceptions very mature for a young girl. Throughout her ordeal she grows through lifes' stages well adjusted and content despite experiencing dire circumstances. The love that stretched across the miles held her steady to refute bitter scars and rebellion.

The thoughtful retelling of her youth made me laugh as I had recalled similar attitudes growing up but in much different circumstances.
Her spunk as a teen in San Francisco is high spirited and joyful. The written teasing with her father, so many miles away, .... is truely endearing and inspiring. Her deep love and longing for family back in Europe emanates from the pages. And the answers to her life long questions made me sob.

Phyllis writes her wonderful story of courage and inspiration. Young and adult readers will enjoy her heartfelt story.

Imagine yourself in an old attic. A dusty trunk beckons from the corner and you crawl over to it, aware that the attic and the trunk don't belong to you. But your curiosity overpowers your propriety and you open it to discover it brimming with intimate letters and photographs of a family from a time and place foreign to your own. Such is the wealth of experience awaiting you in Phyllis Mattson's memoir of her childhood surviving the Nazi holocaust.
She sets the scene - Vienna just before Nazi takeover - and introduces us to her humble, but proud Jewish family. As a child she witnesses the march of Nazis into Vienna and hears the "Christkiller" chants. A dark cloud of fear settles over her family and friends as parents begin desperate efforts to get their children out of Austria on a Kindertransport - to the safety of Britain or the US. Through letters and photographs, we wake with Phyllis to the terrors of Kristallnacht, as her family is dragged from their apartment by Hitler's SS. When her father is taken to prison the real horror starts. Her mother frantically pleads with relatives in San Francisco to take Phyllis in and, when they agree, mother and daughter part at the train station, never to see each other again. Phyllis arrives in New York and struggles to learn a new name, a new language, a new country, leaving behind all her traditions. Five days alone on a train, unable to communicate to anyone, finally brings her to San Francisco.
Only letters bind this extended family across oceans and time and Phyllis makes you eager to turn the page, read the next words from father, mother, friends and relatives, and her own letters. In a quiet child's voice you hear the resilience of the human spirit, to not just survive, but to thrive in a new home of challenges.
With a teacher's objectivity, Phyllis recalls world-shattering political events through her own ten year-old eyes. She frequently admits her adult memories either clash with her own written words as a child, or don't exist at all. Her own awareness that she has psychologically buried memories makes the child's letters even more poignant.
I strongly recommend this book to any student of WWII, but I believe all freedom-loving people would be touched by this story of survival and the bond of family.

I have known Phyllis for about a year, have heard her speak to middle and high school students several times, and thought I knew what would be in the book.

I was wrong.

This is a story of a young girl growing up in the most unstable of times. It is written with truth and honesty, and makes Phyllis a three-dimensional person to the reader. I highly recommend it!

You wouldn't expect a war story to leave you smiling, but that is what Phyllis Mattson's "War Orphan in San Francisco" does. It is a surprisingly upbeat story of 10-year-old "stateless" Felicitas Finkel sent to safety in the U.S. by her parents in Austria in WWII. It is drawn from letters and a few photos kept for years in a box in the garage, a box like many of us probably have in a corner somewhere, with stories too sad or scary to bring out very often--but when we do, we find stories of adventure, bravery, growth, dreams, and all the joys of life mixed in with the sad, scary parts.

As an English teacher, I am interested in letters. They record events and feelings and reflect our growth. They catalog our special story and place us in the world. They are evidence that we lived.

As I sit at my computer writing email that is delivered instantly, I appreciate the time and effort people spent writing letters to maintain ties. They wrote during war when paper and pencil were difficult to get, going from edge to edge on pages of thin paper, knowing that the messages might take weeks or months to arrive, and might arrive with pieces cut out, or not arrive at all. They wrote because the connections were important to them. And they are important today because they record the world as it was, with the dailiness and details of how people survived, and suggest where we might go next.

Felicitas / Phyllis's mother told her not to cry, to be brave, and to "write to me and Papa weekly, giving all the details." Phyllis's letter writing started in 1940, when she arrived in San Francisco, and continued through 1946, when her father was finally able to join her in San Francisco. Her mother's letters stopped in 1942, and the reader feels 12-year-old Phyllis avoiding the obvious conclusion, stepping around the larger-world facts, and continuing to write to her Papa, "giving all the details," while avoiding the big picture.

Reflections by the adult Phyllis are wonderfully insightful. The adult wonders why she and her father never mentioned the lack of letters from her mother. Even years later, things hinted in the letters remained unresolved. Sometimes the letters give the bare bones of what was happening, and details are filled in by Phyllis today; sometimes, there is nothing beyond the letter. In her first year, Phyllis went from speaking no English to speaking, reading, and writing English and her mother, in a letter, implored her to not forget her German. Today, Phyllis has published articles and a technical book in English yet had to get a German translator for her treasured letters written in German.

The family always signed their letters with endearments--love, hugs, lots of kisses, millions and millions of hugs; yet other everyday feelings are side-by-side in the letters, as when her father wrote:
"... Much as I like reading your letters, however there is always something in it that I do not like. For instance in today's letter the language used by you ... is shocking... All my love and heaps of kisses from your Daddy."

Interaction at a distance is not perfect but as the saying goes, it beats the alternative. Letters were better than nothing at all. They buoyed the young girl alone in San Francisco as she moved in and out of foster homes. As the adult Phyllis observes, her early success in moving on alone led her eventually to new experiences all over the world. "War Orphan in San Francisco" is a reflection of and tribute to the human spirit finding and upholding values in life, building bridges in hard times, through one of mankind's oldest ways of communication. It will make you want to sit right down and write a letter.

This book is an in-depth and thoroughly detailed discussion of the various features of Painter X. But more than that, it is also an excellent step-by-step how-to for using these features to create a very satisfying painting from a photograph - with almost limitless potential variability. While artistic effects are certainly involved, this is not a book for the graphic artist who has the ability to create a painting starting from scratch on a blank canvas. For that one might consider Painter X Creativity: Digital Artist's Handbook by Jeremy Sutton, or the Painter X Wow! Book by Cher Threinen-Pendarvis.

The only flaw is one found in the otherwise useful accompanying CD. While most tutorials were easily viewed, some were obscured by a red screen, with an error message stating that the problem was due to an error using Macromedia Projector.

But don't let this one flaw deter anyone interested in this book. The book is excellent.

The author also writes for the San Diego U&T; many of these trips are culled from his archives.
He knows the area, and he has an adventurous spirit. He maps out routes that are out-of-the-way, ones that you wouldn't think of yourself, like out to a desert town, but also more urban trips. The attention to detail is key; miles, times, markers, etc.

A great guide if your new to the area, or, if you've lived here for awhile and want to experience a part of San Diego you've missed.

I had the chance to see and hear this author at a local community college. In addition to his appearances on a local television station, he has written for the Travel section of the San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE. No other county in the United States offers beach, mountains and desert all within its boundaries. And such treasures as a historic gold-mining town turned picturesque destination, an almost-unspoiled desert, a world-famous observatory, an authentic Mexican village. the first California mission are also contained here. One can almost spend a week or more on a vacation without traveling far from San Diego and still feel that he has been to unique places.

This book is great! We have done one drive so far and it left from our front door. We did everything he instructed and had a GREAT time! We went to a restaurant he suggested and it was awesome. My advice is to call ahead if you plan to go to a restaurant he has suggested because some close early. If you are a local and want a great book to liven up your weekends, this is it. You will explore San Diego and have a blast while doing so. All in your backyard!!

My husband and just got home from one of the trips in the book, "Russians, Wineries and the Real Baja," which goes from Ensenada, to Tecate, Mexico. We had a wonderful time. It is so beautiful and we saw a side of Mexico we never expected. I highly recommend this book.

Coming from New England I needed a lot of advice on what to do with the clay soil and arid climate in Southern California. The Sunset Western Garden Book along with this selection is a great combination for those new to gardening in Southern California. (Try the soil amendment recipe, it worked wonders form me!)

The combination of this book plus Sunset's Western Garden Book will arm the southern California garden enthusiast with all the tools and experience necessary to give a green thumb's up. A true plant geek will find validation and a friend in Smaus' and will read the book saying "been there, loved that". Activities like hoarding plants bought from the Huntington Garden's May plant sale struck a familiar chord.

A transplant to Southern Cal. will quickly gain the inside track to where to go and what to plant to make the best of this unique climate.

Thank You Mr. Smaus ! Finally a book that talks directly to the Southern California gardener. If you live and garden in the So. CA area this is the book you need. Maybe I won't have so many failures in the coming year. This book opened my eyes wide.

If you live in Los Angeles, you need this book. Smaus is the garden writer for the excretal Los Angeles Times and one of its sole redeeming virtues. Smaus covers a range of topics, including plantings suggested for our area and timing of various tasks. Unlike most gardening books, which are written for East Coast or Mid-West audiences, and which are generally unhelpful for our unique climate, Smaus' advice has proven consistently accurate. The book's sole flaw is the lack of an index. Because the articles are short and there is a detailed table of contents, this is not a major problem. Highly recommended.

If you are tired of gardening advice that's good on the East Coast, but doesn't work in Southern California, this is the book for you. It provides real solutions for our unique climate, advice from local professionals, and a reliable planting schedule. This book and Sunset Magazine's Western Garden Book are all you need for successful gardening in Southern California. And in spite of the tone of this review, I have no affiliation whatsoever with the author or publisher :)

Reviewed by Sheryl Root

Andrea (Andi) Carter certainly didn't intend for an impromptu horse race down Main Street with her friend, Cory, to end with almost trampling their new teacher. Not the best first impression! If that wasn't bad enough, Virginia Foster, the teacher's daughter, seems to find great pleasure in tattling on Andi and getting her into further trouble any chance she can.

Andi's mother tells her she needs to treat Virginia with Christian kindness, no matter how Virginia treats her. But when an escaped prisoner comes into their classroom and takes the students hostage, Andi faces the hardest and most dangerous decision of her life. Will she have the courage to do the right thing, no matter what the cost?

Andrea Carter and the Dangerous Decision is the second book in the Circle C Adventures series by Susan K. Marlow, set in 1880s California. Readers will empathize with Andi's struggles and failures as well as her courage and spunk. Like most of us, Andi tries to do the right thing, but finds herself often falling short. I laughed and cried with Andi--she's a very likable heroine.

Armchair Interviews says: This was a page-turning read and a satisfying continuation to the series.

Andi and Taffy are back in this sequel to "The Long Ride Home", and they are up to no good from the get-go, leaving the new schoolmaster in the dust and getting off to a bad start for the school year. The schoolmaster's spoiled daughter, Virginia, makes life miserable for Andi, and we accompany our young friend on her journey of accepting and even learning to love as God loves us...even people who seem to want to make our lives miserable.

I love the Circle K Adventure books, and I left my 'tween days behind a very long time ago. Without being "preachy", Mrs. Marlow incorporates the Lord's directive to "love one another as I have loved you", something that we can all use a reminder of, no matter our age!

Hurry back, Andi. I'm dying to know what you're up to now!!

Susan Marlow's latest book is packed with even more fun and adventure for her main character, Andi. The story is set in the old west with plenty of horses and activities that will appeal to young girls. Along with all of this Andi has to make some hard life decisions that reinforce good moral qualities. This is a book I would recommend to any parent or young girl.

There's action on every page of "Andres Carter and the Dangerous Decision" by Susan K. Marlow. Readers will cheer Andi through one adventure after another. Will Andi decide to walk into a life-threatening situation to save a mean-spirited schoolmate? This will be the hardest decsion in her twelve years of life.

Well, I'm jealous! I wish Susan Marlow had written about Andi Carter and her palomino Taffy a lot sooner. ANDREA CARTER AND THE DANGEROUS DECISION takes us back to the heyday of children's books. The setting lets you take an authentic look at frontier California in the 1880's. Andi lives on the Circle C ranch, and there are plenty of horses (even wild ones) to hold the reader's attention. The promise of more Circle C Adventures to come in this series takes me back to when I could hardly wait to see what happened to my book friends in the next installment.

Many series have come down the pike since I was a kid. Marlow's mixes all the elements that I found so enticing, but thank goodness ANDREA CARTER doesn't stop there. There are genuine plot twists, and Andi and her friends are so real that you can see them talking. The bonus is that Andi knows the Lord and depends on Him when she volunteers to go with an escaped convict as a hostage. No easy answers mar the story. Andi is a real girl with real problems, one that readers will welcome as a friend. And yes, I'm looking forward to the next book! Hurry, Andi!

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2BQ4EWXI8X74C This book transcends genre -- it's a good collection of memoirs, entertaining style, nice splash of humor, an extremely detailed travelogue with beautiful photographs, a good description of technology, a touch of Science Fiction (since it is purportedly written by a Artificial Imagination program) and suffused with philosophical musing and last but not the least, a moving love story.

Even though it's obviously written by a Technologist, the book is very human. It is primarily about the immigrant experience, but Kalpanik is extremely observant and has an eye to look for the unusual, notice what stands out and build humorous side of people, places and his own life.

Wonderful! I am specially moved by his bitter-sweet love story at the end.

Here are some poster size photos and calendars from the book:

Scenic City and Boat Photo Poster
University of Washington Photo Poster
Seattle Secenic Sunset Photograph
Thonging At the Beach
San Francisco Scenic Union Square Photo Poster
Nashville Tug Boat on Cumberland River Photo Poster
"Playing Guitar" Photo Poster
Pike Place Market Photo Print
Beach Hotties Poster

This book combines elements from good humor, a memoir, a scenic travelogue, a touching love story, science fiction and philosophy.

Whether you ever wondered about meaning of it all, or you want to read something light amusing, or want to see places like Seattle, San Diego, Nashville from the eyes of the writer, or vicariously live the life of a
student at University of California, this book is for you!

The author, purportedly an Artificial Imagination computer program simualting a life/career journey through the Hi Tech and yet very sdcenic world of California and Washington (Settle) is witty still though down to earth and funny! The book is written in a very conversational style, as if you are reading a letter from a close friend!!

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RH3902RKHGQYG reat book, will make you laugh, smile, giggle, chuckle, giggle, crack up, guffaw and generally have a good time. Extremely nice photos. And it is actually very thoughtful, one can quickly see through the pretended thoughtlessness. Here are some posters and calendars with the high resolution versions of the book:
Scenic City and Boat Photo Poster
University of Washington Photo Poster
Seattle Secenic Sunset Photograph
San Francisco Scenic Union Square Photo Poster
Nashville Tug Boat on Cumberland River Photo Poster
Pike Place Market Photo Print
"Playing Guitar" Photo Poster
San Diego Scenic Waterfront Poster

This book transcends genre -- it's a good collection of memoirs, entertaining style, nice splash of humor, an extremely detailed travelogue with beautiful photographs, a good description of technology, a touch of Science Fiction (since it is purportedly written by a Artificial Imagination program) and suffused with philosophical musings.

Even though it's obviously written by a Technologist, the book is very human. It is primarily about the immigrant experience, but Kalpanik is extremely observant and has an eye to look for the unusual, notice what stands out and build humorous side of people, places and his own life.

Wonderful! one can feel a touch of his bitter-sweet experiences but one is encouraged by his ability to find humor everywhere.

Great book, love it! It's hilarious! I could not stop giggling, I cracked up page after page. Really Nice!

And so many nice photographs. I was traveling with the author, feeling his ambitions, his surprise, excitement and pain. And what a brave soul! He (yes, despite its claims to have been written by an AI program, this book is written by a loving, feeling, breathing human for sure!)--He is able to maintain his sense of humor even as he moves from one place to another, faces one set back after another! He always comes back!

Wow! What a story!!

Oh, And the love story in the end is touching.

Small heafty book feels good in your hand and is a total pleasure to read. I kept reading "jokes" and "wisdoms" from the book to my husband and couldn't wait to read the next little chapter. I hated the book to end. What a wit Bruce Bellingham is!

"Bellingham by the Bay" is relaxing reading -- and entertaining. It's something I keep by the bed. I'm a retired English Lit teacher and when the world grows too serious, I keep returning to "Bellingham" for its good writing and witty, irreverent insights. At my age, laughter is a great elixir. Try it!

I was overwhelmed by how engaging this book is. It is, indeed, staggeringly good -- the writing is casual and accessible but Bellingham maintains an endearing respect for both his subjects and his readers. I question why it is simply categorized "Humor." Though it drips with insurrmountable wit, it goes beyond being funny. It's a riveting memoir and passages, such as Bellingham's experience in the Bay Area earthquake of 1989 is downright excellent reporting. With all of the romance and literary history that come off the pages, I think a visit to San Francisco is in order this summer. I've bought several copies to donate to my high school library (Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest, New Jersey, where I teach English, Journalism and Film) as well as a number of branches of the local public library.

WARNING: DO NOT BUY ONE COPY OF THIS BOOK! You will need at least two copies whether you buy it for yourself or for a gift. Don't think you can pick this up as a gift, browse through it to pick up the highlights and then pass it along, no, you're going to want your own copy. And if you do pick it up for yourself, you will undoubtedly add it to your Christmas gift list. It's a great book for anyone; they just have to have a sense of humor. What makes it a keepr, though, is Bellingham's jabs are as insightful as they are funny, his one-liners are as timeless as they are topical. His slice of life encounters with various celebrities give the reader a fun account of the media scene in everybody's favorite city by the Bay. I practically read this book in one sitting because I kept saying, "just one more chapter" (they're short). It's that kind of book, a pick up and read anywhere book, a great "airplane book", if you will. Check it out for chuckles.

It makes you laugh out loud. Hail the apostles Bellingham! From Nigel, the rabbit - to Susan, the estranged wife - Looking at life through rose coloured glasses indeed.Why hasn't a daily picked this guy up? Bellingham, a man in love with his adopted city of San Francisco. Not a bit of underdone potato - as saterical writers tend to be. Curmundgeons have a hero - a passionate one at that.

I discovered this book quite by accident. I had already read Birthright by Jean Strauss. I was doing a search on Amazon for a review of that book for a friend when this title came up. When I finally got a copy, I couldn't put it down. Simply, it is an incredibly well written book on searching for one's roots. In the end, its both one's adoptive and biological ties that matter. I particularly appreciated the author's final family tree which included both her birth family and adoptive family. The insight I received from this book will be invaluable to my wife and I as we raise our 7 yo son and 2 yo daughter who were both adopted as infants. Many thanks to Jean Strauss.

Strauss ambles through a fairly predictable first few pages, and
then revs up the motor and we're off on a very UNpredictable
read. Obviously lots of research -- and on the surface it would seem that, heck, everyone has a family tree. But if you don't get interested in your own family tree after reading this, then the problem is with you, not with Strauss' book. What drives her to do the search for her birth mother? And what does she find? And then what? And how do her kids in 2001 eerily but accurately reflect a Civil War vet she didn't know existed? Have fun. Great especially for those who know someone adopted, or are planning to adopt, which includes just about everyone!

If "beneath a tall tree" doesn't tug at your heart and bring tears to your eyes, go see your doctor for a checkup. Strauss bares her soul in this fascinating adventure about her life. Besides being enormously helpful to adoptees, it provides a deep, raw look into the mindset of an adoptee. Her fluid style makes this an easy read.

I am an adoptee and I'm currently in a stage of my life where I'm becoming more curious to find out about my birthmother and my background. I was kind of scared and didn't really know where to start, but this book really helped me to realize that I CAN do something about it and that it's really nothing to be scared of. It gave me the perspective of the birthmother as well, wanting to know about the daughter she gave up. I have a feeling that when the time comes to contact my birthmother, she'll be more receptive than not - something I was very unsure of before I read this book. Jean Strauss and her book have kind of helped me to get the ball rolling and start seriously thinking about contacting my birthmother.

Having recently been involved in a reunion with a sister that we did not know existed, this book (as well as other Jean Strauss books) gives valuable insight into the feelings of the adopted individual as well as some of the feelings of the other members of the family circle. Jean's struggle and sometimes blunt feelings toward her birth mother open up a new area of human feeling. How should we relate to this new person in our life and all these new relatives? All the details of the reunion and building a new relationship with siblings and her mother over the years gives valuable knowledge to others involved in their own reunion process. Jean shows us that a "blended" family can happen. She has not forgotten her adoptive family that raised her, but she also appreicates the family ties of her natural family. This book illustrates that you can have more than one mother/father. You can have many siblings and extended family and make it all work. We have done this in our family situation. This book is well worth the read. I highly recommend it to anyone in the reunion/adoption process.

Richard Schwartz paints a picture of Berkeley in words that transports you back in time. Interesting and lively, the stories show life around the turn of the 20th century. Even for people who don't live in the Berkeley area, the characters and pictures are fascinating. A must-read for anyone who wants a sense of how life really was around 1900.

This book really gave me a different perspective on Berkeley, the geography and the people. The way the information was delivered brought the book to life and added depth. It is not in any way a "typical" history book. The vignettes about the people made the time period approachable and real. A must read for anyone who has ever been to or lived in Berkeley.

Just a few words to tell you how much I enjoyed "Berkeley 1900." I saw
pictures about a past I never knew existed. It gave me an appreciation of
Berkeley I never thought I would have. Prior to seeing the book, I thought
Berkeley was just a bunch of pinkos.
jake

This compilation of hundreds of newspaper articles shows a small town at a point in its evolution. Berkeley, California is now a well known city throughout the USA, but it started out from humble beginnings. Each article reveals something different about its people, its society and movements and norms of the day.

I expecially enjoyed items such as these:

Chapter 18. Saloons and the Temparance Movement. "Scientists. . .reported that daily indulgence in beer would result in a mental state akin to criminal insanity. . ." Fascinating stuff.

Then dive into Chapter 19. Milk, the Problem. In a creamery's advertisement one can learn "Absolutely pure country milk and cream from healthy cows and fed in a well-ventilated and sanitary barn -- fed on only the best food obtainable."

Just slices of 100 year old life in Berkeley. . .

Some historians avoid the controversal events of history. Richard Schwartz's book paints a realistic view of of life in Berkeley, California at the turn of the century.

From articles condemning dairymen for not giving their milk cows the tuberculin test, to stories about organizations forming to discriminate against Asians in the city, Schwartz tells it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

A great portion of the book is devoted to "human interest" articles. There are stories that deal with fires, ferries, and the conflicts between horses and the new automobiles.

Richard's book is filled with interesting articles, artwork, newspaper ads, and photo's. It makes a great coffee table book, one that can be picked up anytime for a few minutes of exceptional reading.

I really enjoyed this mystery. The plot was a challenge and the characters well developed. The political and social background information added to my limited knowledge of that era and made me want to find out more about those times in America. This would make a very good live performance production as well as a movie.

Forrest combines history with suspense and comes up with an interesting and very readable instalment in the Kate Delafield Mystery series. An unpopular tenant is poisoned in a slightly seedy apartment block peopled by Hollywood employees of the forties and fifties. These eccentric and enchanting characters bring to life the era of McCarthyism and the House Un-American Committee, as well as nostalgia for the glamorous Hollywood of that time. Of course, lesbian detective fiction wouldn't be complete without romance, and Kate Delafield finds that in the Beverly Malibu. This novel has a strong story line and keeps you guessing until the last moment - I recommend it.

I found the Beverly Malibu a fascinated book. It held my interest till the last page and I couldn't guess the murderer. It think it will be difficult for anyone to even though the evidence is there in front of our faces. We can't see it because like a magician, Forrest focuses our attention elsewhere. I thought the dynamics of the relationship which developed between Kate and both Grant women quite interesting and she pulls a twist on that one too. All in all, a very satisfactory read. On top of that, we learn a lot about the House on Un-American Activities Committee. It just amazes me how a committee could gain such power and igore due process. Sometimes it makes me wonder just how much freedom we truly have. It is a scary thought and we should never allow such a witchhunt to happen again. In fact, I found the subject so interesting that I ordered Scoundrel Time by Lillian Hellman (from amazon.com, of course). I want to learn about what life was like in that era from someone who lived through it and suffered from it.

This, along with Nightwood, is one of the best reads in the Delafield series. The murder plot and details are simple, as opposed to those in Apparition Alley or Liberty Square, and the story of the new relationship is unforgettable.

Owen Sinclair, a B-movie director is murdered in a hideous manner. This makes Kate Delafield think the murder was one of revenge. Through sleuthing, she finds that Sinclair was a "friendly witness" during the McCarthy witchhunt era. He spoke to HUAC (House un-American Activities Committee), which was the House arm of McCarthy's own Senate hearings. Hollywood was especially vulnerable at this time. Forrest skillfully weaves in information about that period through her characters but never allows it to overshadow the mystery. There are red herrings galore and Kate lets herself get emotionally involved with several of the people and there's even a romance in it for the lonely Kate who feels that she must protect the people she loves from the horrors of her job. She is also isolated because she is gay and must remain closeted to be able to do her job. The LAPD has a policy not unlike the military: Don't ask, don't tell. Every Delafield book reveals a new facet of Kate and this is no exception. If Forrest wrote mainstream detective mysteries rather than mysteries with a lesbian heroine, she would probably be as popular as P.D. James or Ellis Peters or Elizabeth Peters. It's unfortunate because all her mysteries are first-rate. As I said, the politics never get in the way of the story, although this book did introduce me to Scoundrel Time by Lillian Hellman, which I later bought.

I bought this book to replace an old birder's book whose binding finally fell apart. In the month since I've had it, I've been able to identify three local birds whose names I couldn't figure out from the previous manual. The color illustrations are large and the comparisons listed on each page help you figure out what other bird it might be if your first guess isn't the right one. Love this book! It sits right next to my binoculars in our second floor bedroom. The trees around our house are full of birds and the fall migration has begun in Los Angeles. Don't waste another minute--buy this book!

Although I was somewhat disappointed with its reference to only three hummingbird species, I've identified several others found in other sources, this book has been helpful with identifying certain bird feeder visitors like the House Finch. I had thought all the small birds in my yard were simply common House Sparrows. A pair of binoculars nearby, come in extremely handy in making out minor details and color patterns. A must for those living in the L.A. area newly addicted to bird watching.

Excellent. This is real book put together with loving care. Also useful for those who sail the coastal waters and who might wonder what kind of little warbler is hitching a ride on the sailboat in San Pedro Bay.

I have tried identifying birds with other books before, and I usually gave up in frustration because there'd be, like, 20 birds that mine could possibly be related to, but no exact match. These were mainly books that covered all of North America, or all of the Pacific states.

With "Birds of Los Angeles," I have actually identified several birds! The pictures are big and colorful, the information (habits, habitat, etc.) enough to tell you what you casually want to know. Its dimensions are compact but it is a little heavy, because of the weight of the glossy paper, but not impossible to take along backpacking.

This book easily deserves a 5 Star rating. It is, I think, the best book to get if you are beginning to get interested in birdwatching and live in the Los Angeles area. First, it is comprehensive - it covers almost all of the birds one is likely to encounter when doing basic birdwatching locally. Second, the illustrations are nicely done and large in size, making it easy for the beginning birder to identify area birds. (Although pictures may seem "better" to the beginning birdwatcher, as you gain experience birdwatching you will eventually learn that illustrations are usually better for birding field guides than photographs.) Third, it is thorough and engaging, each species' listing contains habitat and basic behavior information, (written in a short, concise way - see photos) list of similar species, "quick i.d." guides, and month to month abundance charts. This is all presented in easy to understand, non-pretentious language that is easy for anyone to read, though he also includes a glossary of difficult terms. To round out the complete effort, he includes a few birdwatching sites in Los Angeles (though this is very limited and you'll want to look up more information on each site online), as well as a list of further books you can look at and a list of birds that you can check-off as you go along. Finally, as one would expect of a field guide, the book itself is well made and durable, the spine is sturdy and the pages glossy - a good thing if you end up dropping it along trails (as I have) or read it from cover to cover several times (again, as I have). I disagree with a previous review - it is very lightweight much more manageable than most other field guides. (Amazon's estimate of 9 ounces sounds about right.)

To sum up, this is the book that got my son and I both hooked on birdwatching, and it is still the first book my son (8 years old) chooses to take with him to birdwatch around Los Angeles. It is a superb effort and, at $9.95, a great value. If you remain interested in birdwatching after this guide, you can always "upgrade" to the much more thorough and technical Sibley's Guide to Birds later on. Even though I have Sibley's, I'm looking forward to purchasing the San Diego version of this guide soon!