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California Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

California
Intimate Strategies of the Civil War: Military Commanders and Their Wives
Published in Paperback by Oxford University Press, USA (2007-09-13)
Authors: Carol K. Bleser and Lesley J. Gordon
List price: $19.95
New price: $3.98
Used price: $12.55

Average review score:

very insightful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-08
Carol Bleser and Lesley Gordon did a wonderful job with this book,delving into the personal lives of several famous civil war figures, along with black and white photographs of the couples.Some of the marriages in the book include the Shermans, Grants, Lee's, Custer's , Stonewall Jacksons, and many others. With so many figures from the civil war this book gives a wonderful overview of some of the more famous marriages and there family life. With so many figures to choose from I think the authors did a suberb job with the couples they featured. This is a book not to be missed.

very insightful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-08
Carol Bleser and Lesley Gordon did a wonderful job with this book,delving into the personal lives of several famous civil war figures, along with black and white photographs of the couples.Some of the marriages in the book include the Shermans, Grants, Lee's, Custer's , Stonewall Jacksons, and many others. With so many figures from the civil war this book gives a wonderful overview of some of the more famous marriages and there family life. With so many figures to choose from I think the authors did a suberb job with the couples they featured. This is a book not to be missed.

very insightful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-08
Carol Bleser and Lesley Gordon did a wonderful job with this book,delving into the personal lives of several famous civil war figures, along with black and white photographs of the couples.Some of the marriages in the book include the Shermans, Grants, Lee's, Custer's , Stonewall Jacksons, and many others. With so many figures from the civil war this book gives a wonderful overview of some of the more famous marriages and there family life. With so many figures to choose from I think the authors did a suberb job with the couples they featured. This is a book not to be missed.

Fascinating insights re personal lives of Civil War leaders
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2001-11-22
This collection of twelve essays explores the personal lives of prominent Civil War military commanders and their wives. The writers paint vivid pictures of how family life and the war were interwoven. The most striking thing to me is the great variation between the relationships of the various commanders and their wives, all within the Victorian societal structure. I think this book makes great reading for everyone, regardless of a person's interest in history.

very insightful
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-08
Carol Bleser and Lesley Gordon did a wonderful job with this book,delving into the personal lives of several famous civil war figures, along with black and white photographs of the couples.Some of the marriages in the book include the Shermans, Grants, Lee's, Custer's , Stonewall Jacksons, and many others. With so many figures from the civil war this book gives a wonderful overview of some of the more famous marriages and there family life. With so many figures to choose from I think the authors did a suberb job with the couples they featured. This is a book not to be missed.

California
The Island of Lost Luggage (First Book Awards)
Published in Paperback by University of Arizona Press (2000-07-01)
Author: Janet McAdams
List price: $13.95
New price: $5.00
Used price: $1.99
Collectible price: $14.00

Average review score:

personal and political
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-27
This collection is among my favorites published in recent years. Janet McAdams lyrically links the personal with the political. Her work is engaging, memorable, passionate, yet not didactic--some poems will even keep you awake at night. Many poems reward multiple re-readings. I'm already looking forward to her next book.

A Great Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2001-06-14
As a poet myself, I can only stand in awe of the work in "Island of Lost Luggage." Janet Mc Adams is a major talent. I've turned my initial envy of her gift into a goad to write better and wider myself.

Wonderful stuff!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-10
This Island of Lost Luggage is wonderful. Janet McAdams's poems are lyrical and gritty at the same time, swollen with life, drenched with place, and she never seems to take the easy way in or out. Highly recommended!

This Book Deserved The American Book Award, and More
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-05-16
I used to write poetry, even studied with some of the greats, including C.K. Williams, Ellen Voight and Louise Gluck. But I found that in any workshop, I could rarely tell a great poem from a mediocre one. This made me feel less than smart about poetry. Janet McAdams has helped revive my love for the form, and my sense of poetic savvy. For with "Island of Lost Luggage" I Know I'm in the presence of Great poetry. That is clear from page one. How to say why this is Great isn't as easy, but I'll venture the following: Mc Adams is gifted with rich language, of course, but she is a more than a fine wordsmith. She takes on issues that have huge resonance, that go beyond any mere narcissim. Each time I enter one of her poetic worlds I find more layers within it, more associations building within me. So, Thanks Ms. McAdams for restoring my poetic sensitivity, and for this wonderful book, a gem, that's most highly recommended for all readers, lovers of poetry or not.

Dense, Profound, A Joy
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-05-14
Even if poetry isn't your "thing" this book, given the quiet and serious attention it deserves, will unlock many mysteries. Highly Recommended.

California
Iwo
Published in Paperback by US Naval Institute Press (1994-10)
Author: Richard Wheeler
List price: $18.95
New price: $6.63
Used price: $2.50
Collectible price: $18.95

Average review score:

Where uncommon valor was common
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-27
Iwo tells the tale of the battle for Iwo Jima, as a veteran of the battle, Mr. Wheeler was in an excellent position to tell us about the battle that few historians would be able to meet. Mr. Wheeler opens his book by describing the Japanese leaders and preparations for defending Iwo Jima. This is rapidly followed by the American preparations and the initial landing. The center piece is the assault and flag raising on Suribachi; concluding with the Americans taking Iwo Jima

My Likes
Mr. Wheeler tells this in a very gritty way, that of a Marine who was on the beach and tasted the sulfur in the air and dirt. When reading this book you can almost feel the shells crashing around you and know that someone is watching each move you make up the beachhead. I particularly love how Mr. Wheeler provides nice details about each of the Marines he covers; a little more than most historians would provide you. Another love is the details on E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division; his old unit. When describing his unit, Mr. Wheeler provides excellent background and feeling for the men. Particular attention is paid to the two flag raisings. Another great addition Mr. Wheeler provides is on the Japanese, their preparations and their leaders; something just starting when this book was originally written. The additional pieces about the Japanese help us to understand more about the battle.

My Dislikes
Maps. The few maps in the edition I have are of lower quality. I would have loved to have seen some nice maps included in the book that showed where the Marines were on at the end of the first day and other significant days. I also would have enjoyed having a nice breakdown of what the Japanese bunker networks looked like. This would have been great for showing readers how terrible the fields of fire were. I also wish the Navy would have been included a little more than they were (they're there, but more to take the Marines to Iwo, prep the area, and then support them). My other desirement for the book was focusing on the other Marine units as well as he did his own.

The Rating
A very solid 4 star book (going rapidly to 4.5 stars). The writing is nice and clean as it's told from the Marines perspective. There's also excellent photos. This made me lean to 5 stars, but with the lack of maps and the coverage of the other Marine units not being as good as the assault on Suribachi I'm rounding to 4 stars. That said, I seriously doubt that any book can describe the valor of E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines as well as this one did. A very good book!

IWO - excellent source
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-07
We were searching for books that would depict the true situation on Iwo Jima during WWII. We were thrilled with this selection. We found two pictures we believe to be my husband's father. We have looked for photos where my mother-in-law could see well enough to say if it was her husband. These photos were excellent.

Taste of the bloody battle...
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-25
written so excellent, one will hardly ever forget. Dramatic, shocking and sad book about proud not afraid to die but nevertheless doomed Japanese soldiers and desperate, brave, pushed to the limits Marines, all dying for..(?!). Books about Stalingrad and Monte Casino come to my mind and "Iwo" should be on your shelf together with them. Maybe your children will read it some day and try to ponder nature of wars decided by individuals (rulers/politicians) and resulting in tragedy for many; as
Bertrand Russell noted: "war does not determine who is right, only who is left".

Great read!
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-19
I am a USMC veteran who reads extensively about WW II. This is the best book about Iwo Jima I have ever read and have recommended it to my old buddies.

MUST OWN
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-20
IWO is spellbinding. Written from the point of view of the Marines that fought, it tells their story and keeps the reader glued to the pages. Graphic discriptions of life and death hold the attention and provide a new insight to this battle. A must read for anyone intrested the military and war history.

California
Karoo Boy
Published in Paperback by Harvest Books (2005-09-05)
Author: Troy Blacklaws
List price: $13.00
New price: $0.01
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $13.00

Average review score:

A Colorful Book for Sure!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-05
I read Karoo Boy with an eye for selecting a novel about other cultures for high school students to read. I devoured the book in one day and was completely swept up in the colorful, descriptive writing and word choices. Now, not being South African myself, I found that I was perplaexed by the meaning of many of the words/phrases, but I was usually able to asertain the meaning from the context of the paragraphs. And I enjoyed rolling the unfamiliar words around on my tongue and guessing at their meaning.

Unfortunately, because I love this book and think many students would feel the same, I don't think I will recommend that this book be placed on the list of "recommended books" for the assignment because of the sexual situations/comments. But I will recommend this book to students who are looking for a good coming-of-age novel, in the same vein of The Catcher in the Rye or The Perks of Being a Wallflower, that aren't using it for a required assignment.

This book has been my favorite summer read and I bet that you will think it is uniquely good, too.

dope
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-08
Once you start reading, you cannot put this book down. This book is truly a way for people to visit Africa spiritually and experience another culture. Blacklaws' rich and detailed imagery takes readers on a journey of their own; this is probably why Chris Martin the singer of Coldplay said the book was so colourful. To truly enjoy the adventure u must read it with an open mind.

wonderful language...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-09
the african setting is poignant, evocative, romantic -- but the author's vocabulary and use of language raises this book to high levels of literary enjoyment...sort of like dylan thomas in its lyricism and poetic achievements...

Fantastic
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-02
This beautifully-written book is full of rich characters and convincing settings, but what makes this book special is the story. The protagonist of this coming-of-age tale (set in the South Africa of 1976) must wrestle with deep and painful problems under adverse circumstances. The ending is a stunner. I reread it within weeks of first reading it. Best book I've read in a long time.

"The air floats unanchored in space."
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-05


"My mother's cry is a sky full of gaping-beaked seagulls." On the Cape in South Africa in 1976, Dee's twin brother is killed in an accident, struck in the head by a ball while playing cricket; the twin loses the other half of himself, his anchor. His mother can't forgive her husband, who threw the ball, determined to make him suffer for the tragedy. The small family unravels after Marsden's death, the parents drifting away from each other in their grief. In Cape Town, "an un-African Africa, death catches the unsuspecting off guard, dealing the cruelest blow." Dee soon realizes that every time his father looks at him, he sees the boy he killed, a constant reminder of his identical twin.

When Dee's mother leaves the Cape for the more rural Klipdrop, south of the Free Orange State border, the white boy finds himself in unfamiliar territory, a Karoo boy. The Freedom Movement has already begun and is growing in momentum, crowds chanting, the authorities responding with violence, bulldozing the Crossroads shanty town. Apartheid has not yet been defeated. Curious about the township, the black shanty town not far removed from the white enclave, the bright-haired Dee wishes to make friends with the Xhosa boys. Dee's new friend, Marika, defies her father to visit the township with the boy. This precipitates a series of unfortunate events, all of which could have been avoided had the adolescents realized the inherent danger they brought along on their excursion.

Caught between his affection for an old garage man, a black appropriately named Moses, and his friendship with Marika, a white girl his age, Dee's wants are few, mainly to live without conflict in his new environment. Moses is a precious commodity, his willingness to make friends with the white boy putting him in constant danger of reprisal, while Marika is careless, impulsive. But Dee hasn't reckoned with the harsh lessons of apartheid. His young world already broken apart by the loss of his twin, Dee's coming-of-age is painful, a rude awakening for a boy of generous heart in an uneasy land. The author sensitively handles his protagonist, exposing the boy's vulnerabilities as he is transplanted from the relative security of Cape Town to the chaos of his new home, where a carefully constructed world is transformed almost overnight and a fourteen-year old boy passes the boundaries from child to man. Luan Gaines /2005.

California
Liberty: The Ships That Won the War
Published in Paperback by US Naval Institute Press (2006-03-29)
Author: Peter Elphick
List price: $28.95
New price: $18.08
Used price: $15.00

Average review score:

excelent book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-17
I have been sailing on an C2 (Antilian Baron) and T2 tanker.(William T Steele) (The Cabins) On board I have heard about the stories around these ships. With this book I get an complete vieuw about the tremendes job done during ww2.Realy an excelent book

John Vermeulen Netherlands

Exhaustively researched
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-08
My father sailed as Chief Radio Officer on Liberty ships in several convoys, including to Murmansk in 1942. He reports that this title is "the best book [he's] ever seen" about the Liberty ships and their missions, with research that "must have taken years" to assemble and virtually no factual errors.

Complete !!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-02
This is far the most interesting and complete book about the mercant marine in the wwII era. It realy describe the hole story about the libery project.
Tommy Andersson Sweden

Liberty a One-Of-A-Kind Resource
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-03
If you are interested in Liberty ships and the critical role they played in WWII then you owe it to yourself to purchase a copy of this book. The author has accumulated a massive amount of information describing the design, construction, role, problems, and victories of the Liberty ship as a class of vessel as well as descriptions of epic adventures and misfortunes of many individual ships. This is certainly a "must own" book for anyone who has an interest in WWII merchant shipping.

A Non-Glamorous but Very Important Aspect of WW II
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-28
The very concept of a mass produced ship was unknown before World War II. But with the German subs sinking more ships than could be produced. With these ships being built faster than the Germans could sink them the supplies, men, and weapons got through to England and around the world.

This is really two books in one.

The first half or so of the book is on the plans of the ship and the design and construction of the plants to build the ships. One critical point was that these ships were welded rather than riveted as had been done before. This caused a good bit of conversation. 2710 Liberties were built and they worked literally around the world.

The second part of the book is a collection of stories of some of the ships. About two hundred were sunk due to enemy action. A few hundred more ran aground, collided, caught on fire or whatever. Several of the ships simply broke in two, for no known reason. One ship, sinking just outside of London is still loaded with 3,000 tons of explosives.

Only two Liberties remain afloat. They were not the collectors items that got preserved, just a reliable workhorse. But by post war status they were to small, to slow. and one by one they were scrapped.

This is an excellent, very readable book about a non-glamorous but very important aspect of World War II.

California
A LITTLE SHORT OF BOATS: The Fights at Ball's Bluff and Edward's Ferry, October 21-22, 1861 (Discovering Civil War America)
Published in Paperback by Ironclad Publishing (2004-10)
Author: James Morgan (III)
List price: $18.95
New price: $12.09
Used price: $11.32

Average review score:

Terrific Book!
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-06
James Morgan is known far and wide as THE expert on the Battle at Ball's Bluff. There have been other works and articles published on the battle, but Jim's far outranks them all and is now the standard for the fight and battlefield. He also dispels disproven myths about the battle and for the first time presents an extremely well documented telling. The special bonus is that, as with all volumes of Ironclad's "Discovering Civil War America" series, there is an expertly-crafted guided tour in the back of the book.

For anyone interested in a little-known early clash of the Civil War, or even if you think you know what happened there, you must get this book. Read it through, and then take it to the battlefield with you for the tour, especially the little National Cemetery there. If you're lucky, Morgan himself will be available to tour with you. - he's a battlefield guide there.

Fantastic writing, impressive bibliography and sources.

Difficult but rewarding
Helpful Votes: 24 out of 25 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-21
This is the second book in "The Civil War America Series" which "features soft-cover works that focus on less publicized Civil War battles and sites." This is the series strength and also its' weakness. Little known can make a difficult read as you lack reference points and faces for names. The reward is learning something new not covered in multiple books. This is both a rewarding and difficult book. I did have problems keeping the names on the right side of the field but I came away with a much better understanding of this important little battle. This well told story shows James Morgan's knowledge of the battle and the aftermath. He can quickly give us a personal experience or detail and return to the battle with out missing a step. His very detailed narration gives us the full story from both sides of the line while keeping the "Fog of War" for the commanders.

A big plus is the full battlefield tour included at the end of the book. Action is often tied to the current battlefield giving us a reference and a guidebook if we ever get a chance to visit the park. A good selection of photos and maps keep the reader in the picture. This is a battle book. The focus is on General Stone and the men on the field not back at Army HQ. A logical interpretation of HQ's messages helps us understand the assumptions made that day.

Another plus is the price of the book. Ironclad lists this book at $18.95 but packs more and better information, maps and photos into this small package than many books selling for $29.95.

Great Detail on the Small battle That Shocked the Union
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-24
Although I have read and enjoyed Byron Farwell's book on the disastrous Balls Bluff battle that caused such a psychological shock on the Union, Morgan's book provides deeper analysis into what occurred virtually blow by blow that will appeal greatly to the serious Civil War student. The book may be a bit challenging for those less familiar with Civil War history due to depth of the descriptions that breakdown movements virtually by company; however, the several maps included provide a great assistance. The numerous bios and command distinctions does slow the action some times and causes periodic distraction. Morgan describes the battlefield with references to its modern state making it a particularly handy read and companion when visiting the battle site that has suffered some modern encroachment. What I found most interesting about this book is the study of both the union command structure, which was fragmented between commanders of similar rank compounded by the late arrival of the commanding officer Colonel Baker. The force that was initially suppose to be a reconnaissance in force across the Potomac coordinated with a lower movement at Edward's Ferry and a move by McClellan further east but its purpose seemed to lend itself to full committed due to a misperception of grautious success. The author also provides a profile of the odd confederate command with the infamous Major Evans commanding in spite of Colonel Hunton's superior rank. Morgan does a great job capturing the detailed movements of all the forces involved resolving some of the mystery of confederate forces that were largely unseen by the union forces. The command structure of the Union is handicapped by faulty information supplied by an earlier scouting expedition that misinterprets landmarks for a confederate encampment. This confusion contributes to the poor disposition of troops that concentrate on the south and west while the majority of the officers recognize that the east wooded area that also encompasses a ravine, is the most vulnerable area. This recognition of the east vulnerability is discovered late, not long after the commander, Colonel Baker, arrives on the scene. Morgan takes away a lot of the mystery of what happens next by detailing the confederate attacks and late union shifting of units that ultimately leads to a collapse of the union position. With the high bluffs on their back with a relatively deep river behind, the collapse of the union left leads to an abrupt fragmentation of order. Morgan goes further in his book describing the overall campaign that is obviously hindered by the newness of the war's command structure and communications. Neither Stone, overall commander at Balls Bluff and Edwards Ferry, nor McClellan has a real feel for what is occurring until the collapse. Morgan also captures the fighting around Edwards Ferry that coincided with Balls Bluff and McClellan's ineffective movements that contributed to the isolation of Baker's forces. In addition, Morgan tells how General Stone is severely punished, including incarceration, by vengeful politicians and is neglected by General McClellan. Baker was a popular politician and friend of Lincoln's that contributes immensely to the severe reaction to this union defeat. In this book, Morgan also provides a walking tour of the battlefield that identifies significant landmarks even obscured by modern housing units. This is the ultimate book that will give you the in-depth story of this small battle that had far reaching effects on the north while also assisting you in your visit to the battlefield. Farwell's book is also a good read and captures more detail on Stone's fall.

A first rate book
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-12
Clearly the best treatment of the Battle at Ball's Bluff available. An excellent telling of the little known fight drawn from good research and a thorough bibliography. The included tour guide alone is worth the price of the book.

The definitive Ball's Bluff account
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-28
There is little to add that already hasn't been said in the other reviews. I just wish it was available in hardback! If the future titles in this series are as good as this then Ironclad is assured of repeated patronage. I only have one very very minor criticism. Though the maps are generally quite good, I wish elevation lines were included as the topography of the Union left flank had a critical effect on the fight and the text covering it was a little confusing at times. None of this detracts much from this wonderful work, which is easily the best battle history of 2004.

California
Living Life (Inside) The Lines: Tales From The Golden Age Of Animation
Published in Hardcover by University Press of Mississippi (2005-04)
Author: Martha Sigall
List price: $50.00
New price: $42.50
Used price: $38.75

Average review score:

Terrace history
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-05
This is such a treasure! It shows life inside Termite Terrace and preserves the history like a textbook. The author shares stories that aren't covered in other books and talks about the people who weren't in the spotlight of the Golden Era. I was amazed to find someone who had lived through it and been there had written this. Any students of Looney Tunes, animation, or cartoon history should read this book.

A must have for anyone interested in animation history.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-02
If you've read any other animation history books, you've gotten a basic idea of how things were during "Golden Age" of the 30's and 40's. But not only is Living Life Inside The Lines one of the few books written someone who actually worked in animation during that period, it's the only book I've seen written by an ink & paint artist, which gives it a point of view of the animation world that other books never mention.

Sigall also tells stories of people like Irv Spence and Phil Monroe who were a big part of animation history, but have never gotten much mention in books. And having worked at numerous studios and ink & paint houses, she has very broad perspective on how the animation industry has changed from the 30's thorough to the 80's. Plus her pleasant demeanor makes for a nice, easy-going read.

If you're interested in animation, this book is a perfect supplement to your library.

Living Life Inside the Lines--A wonderful treat!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-10
I know the son of the writer and was eager to read her book. I have done computer animation and presently am in involved in video production. I found this personal history of the early days of animation to be fun, informative, and came away feeling I had a better knowledge of the people involved in this wonderful form of visual art!

If you love animation, history of early animation days...this book is a wonderful read!

A Joyful, Priceless Personal Memoir
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-23
When Chuck Jones received his special Academy Award in the mid-1990s, he wondered aloud from the stage where all the "laughing faces of Termite Terrace" had gone. They're right here in Martha Goldman Sigall's wonderful book. Martha was a central participant in the Golden Age of the animated short: she inked and painted on timeless, classic films directed by Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, Bob McKimson, Frank Tashlin, Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, and others, and almost certainly contributed to more animated films than all of them combined, probably without receiving a single screen credit in that era. But she sketches the men and women who sketched Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry masterfully in this extremely well-written book, which, like Martha herself, is very warm, funny, and people-oriented. Her personal portraits of artists like Treg Brown, Virgil Ross, Ben Washam, and many others are a crucial contribution to animation history as well as a fun and funny reading experience.

This is the best book on the Schlesinger studio (birthplace of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and many others), and provides perhaps a thousand important details about that historic cartoon studio and MGM's that aren't found elsewhere. Martha sketches the 1941 strike, the Red Scare, wartime Hollywood, and other events from the animation community's perspective, and also sheds light on the historic industry locations such as 861 Seward, where six different studios sought shelter through the years; the neat and clean (but long gone) MGM building in Culver City, and the shabby Van Ness home of Leon Schlesinger and his "kids".

In what may be the last major eyewitness account of the classic era of animation, Martha raises the spirit of those long-gone laughing faces, and humanizes the creation of the great cartoons and timeless characters that will last forever. The joy she obviously felt in her career infuses the book and the reader.

Martha and her husband Sol, who, happily, is also heard from here, have always been like beloved grandparents to animators in Southern California (one of which this author was for a few years), but in 1996 they kindly donated themselves to the Warner Brothers Museum and are now officially public treasures. If you're not in the area, you can claim your share of them right here in this wonderful book. They should designate a rating higher than five stars for it.

Delightful History
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-23
I love reading stories from animations golden age and this book is especially charming.
Most people don't know it, but the ink and paint departments in all the major and minor studios were the real unsung heroes of the cartoon business-many ladies being accomplished artists in their own right and having the ability to take well drawn line drawings and just adding the right touch to each cel that the scenes would really shine. Water effects being one of the areas of animation that without great inkers and painters could tend to look "hokey".
I give this book 5 stars, but I wish it had more pictures!!

California
Los Años Con Laura Diaz
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Suma (2001-06-01)
Author: Carlos Fuentes
List price: $12.99
New price: $4.00
Used price: $1.88

Average review score:

Bellísimo...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-03
Una relato lindísimo sobre la historia de Mexico, el amor y la vida en general. No dejen de leerlo...Me ha costado conseguir un libro que lo supere.

La gran dama Laura Diaz
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2002-05-28
Este es uno de los mejores libros que Carlos Fuentes ha escrito. Digo que es uno de los mejores pero no el mejor que a esrito. Si te gusta la historia entonces te va guster mucho. Si tienes interes en la historia de Mexico te va gustar mas porque es una novela inolvidable que puedes ver por los ojos de Laura Diaz, una mujer fuerte y sensilla que tiene que luchar para los derechos que hoy en dia apenas las mujeres estan disfrutando. Es una bonita novela que se trata de los cambios que han occurido en Mexico durante el siglo XX. Es muy emocional la historia, especialmente si conoces familia que a vivido los cambios durante los ultimos cien anos. Yo pase el tiempo leyendo este libro y pensando en mi abuelita que hace unos anos fallecio a los 99 anos. Como Laura Diaz estuvo presente para ver los cambios entre el gobierno y los atitudes de la cultura sobre los derechos de los humanos sin pensar si es mujer o hombre. Laura Diaz vive una vida completa con gran amores, familia y todo el tiempo al lado de los famosos y un testigo de la historia de Mexico. Te recomendo este libro para entender la historia de Mexico y como la mujer es parte de esa historia.

Una historia que vale la pena leer.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-10-13
La historia de Laura Diaz puede llegar a ser tomada como idealista, pero encierra los deseos de todo ser humano y muy intereantemente nos lleva de la mano de la historia de Mèxico del siglo XX.
Yo soy de Guatemala, pero ambos paises tiene una cultura paralela en el tiempo y con muchos puntos en comun, por algo fueron conquistados al mismo tiempo y por casi las mismas personas.
Tanto en lo social como en lo polìtico este libro pudiera llegara a ser tambien la historia de ambos paises, ambos con revoluciones, represiòn y corrupciònm que hacen que uno se sienta identificado con el tema.
En resumen una lectura fascinante.

Historia y novela
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2002-01-11
Los años con Laura Díaz es como la novela gemela de La región más transparente, porque con ambas obras se puede aprender, analizar y entender la historia de México, sobre todo la del siglo XX; Fuentes demuestra en esta novela su calidad como narrador, su conocimiento del español que fluye en la creación de los personajes y su ambiente. El viaje entre Veracruz y la Ciudad de México que emprende Laura Díaz es un tejido que señala los entresijos de la historia del México contemporáneo. En fin, el lector queda enamorado de Laura, una especie de Beatriz que nos guía por los espacios cósmicos de México.

Los Anos con Laura Diaz
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2002-01-13
The 5 stars I give this work is not because I am in love with Fuente's overall work, but because this historical fiction provokes thought and analysis in a poetic way of the life as seen through the eyes and feelings of a woman.
If the reader wishes to to learn the history of a country while becoming enveloped in how a woman, a wife, a daughter, a lover and friend is impacted by the choices made, this is a book to read.

California
Los Gatos Observed
Published in Paperback by Infospect Press (1999-08-19)
Author: Alastair Dallas
List price: $24.95
New price: $1.91
Used price: $1.75

Average review score:

Los Gatos
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2001-04-05
Now Los Gatos in Spanish means The Cats. I just would like to say Waaaaasssssssssssuuuuuuppppppp to all my homedoggs. EEEYA I have learned a lot from the grate scool district. It is absolootey the best in the wurld. YA! I go to highschool and I is gettin the beest education that this here town can offer. bi guyz

Absolute necessity for Silicon Valley residents
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1999-09-25
I live in Los Gatos and this is the most fun I have had looking at a book in a long time. I wish there was such a book for everywhere that I have lived. The research that went into it is incredible. The detail and the photos are great. People interested in writing a book about someplace should use this as a model. I learned a lot about many places that I have wondered about for a long time. Great fun!

An excellent piece of work, clearly done as a labor of love
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-01-05
I moved to Los Gatos in 1996. Before I read this book I had virtually no idea of the town I lived in. Now I understand it very well. It's actually interesting! By the way, this book was obviously created as a labor of love by someone with a genuine interest in their community.

Los Gatos Observed
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 1999-12-30
This book displays a wonderfully compiled history of Los Gatos. The photography is beautiful, and just about every fact is historically accurate. A good section of the book is where the buildings are shown today downtown, and then their original use is displayed below the photo. Anywone who lives in Los Gatos or anywone who loves Santa Clara County history will love this book!

Great Book!
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 1999-10-07
I also live in Los Gatos,and was surprised and pleased to see my house pictured, and written about in the book! I have always wondered about many of the homes shown in the book, and especially about where I actually live. This book has sparked my curiosity even more, and I am looking forward to having more detailed conversations with the owner of the house, to get additional information! A must have book for anyone who lives in Los Gatos, or has visited and enjoyed the town. Also a great book for California history buffs! My only suggestion would be to possibly print some in hard back!

California
Love and Remembrance
Published in Paperback by 1st Books Library (2002-10-28)
Author: D. Jovanovic
List price: $31.95
New price: $12.95
Used price: $10.50
Collectible price: $31.95

Average review score:

Intruiging and Original Plot
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-29
I really enjoyed reading this book. The plot kept one guessing through the entire book. It is intensely emotional at times and there is a bit of humor on occasion. It would make a great movie! The paranormal theme throughout the book is very believable. I will definitely recommend it to my friends.

Wow, wow, WOW!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-17
I LOVED, LOVED it!!
I am used to a novel starting out like a good, friendly read,and this book does just that. Once I got past the second tape (chapter) and found out that this story was much like a text book with footnotes. the reading just flew and flew. It was almost as if I couldn't read it fast enough!

The character development is marvelous. Sophie and Dr. Levy
became a part of my household and I felt as if I was part of them as well. The young physician, Shoshana, fills in the blanks with explanations and feelings. And Harry -- he is everpresent and gets into your soul!

The ending!! again, wow...wow...wow.....................WOW!!!!

The writer has done all of his/her homework regarding the historical background and has created a heartwarming, fascinating read.

THANK YOU D. JAVANOVIC!!

Stupendous Dialogue - Can't Put It Down
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-02
Caution! Open this book and you may have to pull an "all nighter," as you can't put it down. Free yourself from the doldrums of popular fiction. Here is great plot, great thematic structure, and most of all, great dialogue, as psychiatrist and patient joust over whether Aristotelian metaphysics will triumph over the paranormal, and whether the psychiatrist's ever-increasing empathy with his patient's history will resolve his own personal conflict, as the dual theme of the effects of WW II on both reaches a crescendo in the last chapter, bringing into question the existentialists' credo that "everything has a purpose." Get this book, read it, and then look for a producer and lock up the film rights. Take the dare. You will read it straight through.

Intreging.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-16
I was held in suspense until the last pages of the last chapter. A book I did not want to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed the intrigue and recommend this book to anyone who can say,in regard to the paranormal, "Why not?"

CAPTIVATING
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-03
Although I have little tolerance for subjects that do not adhere to the laws of
empirical science, Jovanovic's novel "Love and Remembrance"
purported to be a tale of pure fiction, seems to report actual occurrences.
The dialogue between the troubled patient and her sympathetic Doctor, proceeds at a "can't put it down" pace, holding your attention until the final revelation, where the Psychiatrist is led to recall, and finally apprehend, his most troubled past.


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