Massachusetts Books

"... a great pleasure to read, even if you're not looking for a place to stay. You can feel the authors were bent on romance... not just filling up the book. Accommodations are described in charming detail, also meals, with the occasional recipe. If you contemplate a getaway in new England, this is the book to take along." Travel Writer Marketletter

"[The] captivating prose invokes the spirit and visual appeal of the places described. [The book] provides perfect fodder for couples [and is] an indispensable planning assistant." About.com

"Where to eat, where to stay and what to do are covered. The Foulkes also throw in tidbits such as tasty regional recipes, a bit of poetry by Emerson and a love letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne." Chicago Daily Herald

This is far more comprehensive than other books in this area -- it's well written and the layout made it easy and a pleasure to read. The recipes and maps made it practical and much more interesting than a typical travel book.

A selection of recommended inns, delightful restaurants, resorts, festivals, the best places to stroll together under the stars or have a secluded champagne picnic - the most romantic places. This book visits special spots in in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont. Each place has been carefully selected, making sure that it offers something special - in-room fireplaces, four-poster beds, Jacuzzis, enchanting gardens, five-star cuisine.

I teach Pre-K, and used this book along with other books by Kate Waters (The Mayflower,Sarah Morton's Day, and Tapenum's Day)to teach my November unit on the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. The photographs, which I primarily used, are an excellent source for my young students to visualize how things were. (I also left them in our library to look at at their leisure.) The text, which is understandable for this age, was a bit long for them to sit for during circle time. However, I wish I had these books when my own children were younger, because they would have had no trouble listening to them one on one. I remember how excited my children were when learning of this era. These books would have been some of their favorites, and I highly recommend them.

This is a wonderful, wonderful book. It will help you teach your children about hard work, perseverance, and family. My children want it read to them again and again.

Young Samuel Eaton (a historical character) is looking forward to his first chance to help his father bring in the crops. He finds the work incredibly hard, and the coarse grain raises bad blisters on his hands. But he perseveres, and at the end of the day when his father tells him "you did a man's work today, Samuel," we feel his pride.

Masterfully written, beautifully photographed, this is a gem in every way.

I used this book as part of the third grade curriculum. We are studying Massachusetts History. This book and its partner books about Sarah Morton, a Pilgrim Girl and Tapenum a Wampanoag Indian boy were excellent!!
The texts and pictures were well researched and presented. Plymouth Plantation and the reenactors there provide an authentic setting. Homes, clothing, work and play of children during this period are acurately shown. These books should be in every school library.

I am continually amazed at how children's books offer detail and insight into daily life that no stout history book can provide.

Writing the same review for the other two in this trilogy. Excellent all!

This book took us back to 1627. We learned all about Samuel Eaton's first day as a man. He told us all about the hard work he had to do in the fields. It was so interesting to read a story that used different words from long ago. The pictures were awesome! They showed us the clothing the pilgrims wore, what their house looked like, and the hard work everybody did. We thought it would be difficult to be a pilgrim boy! We think everyone should read this book because you can learn a lot about how the pilgrims lived. Read this wonderful book!

Good book about something my US history teacher failed to mention or did not dwell on. This book is a must buy for those interested in the founding of this country,and a historical perspective of tax and monetary policy.

Richards' book on the Shays's Rebellion (or the "Regulation", as the rebels referred to it) is absolutely first rate. Six stars!

During the course of other research in the Massachusetts state archives, Richards came across a list of 4000 people who, upon participating in and losing the Shays Rebellion, had signed an oath of loyalty to the state of Massachusetts in order to be given clemency. Apparently, this list was in barely legible handwriting and had never been translated. The amazing breakthrough came when Richards decided to take this list, decipher the names, and find out who all the participants were, person by person. What he produces is a tremendously revealing and much more accurate account of the rebellion.

Through what must have been months of painstaking, dogged research Richards attempts to prove that we, today, have many misconceptions about the rebellion. Particularly, Richards makes a point that the rebels were more upset by very understandable abuses by the Boston-centered Massachusetts state government than by poverty. He also shows that the most important factor in recruiting rebels was their clan association. People joined almost exclusively as part of a clan, and this explains why some towns had widespread participation and others had minimal. He does a great job of fleshing out who the leaders and opponents were. A true local history project.

Richards also does a nice job of relating how the rebellion fit in with the national movement to form a stronger union among the states. This occurred in Philadelphia the next year at the Constitutional Convention. The rebellion played a very important part in our history that many today do not fully appreciate, and Richards does a fantastic job of putting it all together.

Last, three things. One, after reading this book I have a much better understanding of why the rural parts of the new nation feared Hamilton and his drive to strengthen Federal control. I also have a much better understanding for Hamilton's genius. You will, too. Two, I think it helps tremendously that Richards himself is a history professor based in Amherst, Massachusetts, in the heart of Shays country. You get the feeling that telling this story accurately is a labor of love for Richards, close to his heart. And three, apparently the possessive form of Shays in all the places I've seen it written is spelled "Shays's". That's right, "s's". It seems wrong, but that's how professor Richards and everyone else spell it. Go figure.

Do you hold dear, the Constitution of the United States? If you do, then you can thank the farmers involved in the Shay's Rebellion. This pivotal piece of early American history has been revisited by Professor Leonard L. Richards of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, in his book SHAY'S REBELLION: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONS FINAL BATTLE, and has brilliantly clarified some of the misconceptions revolving around the event, particularly its cause.

In previous popular belief, it has been widely held that the farmers revolted due to their being dragged into a global market, which forced them into debt. This rather simplistic view misses many crucial elements, to which Dr. Richards superbly lends enlightment. The principle causes ran much deeper than that. Primarily, the farmers were being overtaxed and forced to pay creditors at the benefit of Revolutionary War bondholders, who were typically, either members of the Massachusetts Legislature or closely related to someone who was.

Ultimately, their revolt ended up helping in the ratification of the Constitution that we enjoy today. Richard's book also gives a slant contrary to popular thought, that the farmers of the Shay's Rebellion did in fact gain victory. Though they opposed the Constitution and their rebellion was squashed, it did result in substantial tax relief from the legislature.

I was also delighted to find a cameo appearance in the book of Mumbet, aka Elizabeth Freeman, the slave who sued for her freedom. Upon the outcome of her successful lawsuit, all slaves in Massachusetts were emancipated. Her story appears in Richard's book for her part in protecting from the Regulators, the valuables of Theodore Sedgwick, for whom she worked and had also served as her legal counsel.

At just over 200 pages, this is a quick and easy read, with no fluff added to fill more pages. Richard's writes succinctly and has done a brilliant job of shedding new light on the Shay's Rebellion.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

The revolutionary war was won leaving America the victory and states burdened with the debt to pay for the war. War notes were issued by each state to pay military men for their service. Most of these men were farmers. Because legal tender was scarce, the men exchanged their notes for hard currency with speculators willing to pay cents on the dollar. In Massachusetts, these speculators were Boston merchants; merchants, who maintained a significant influence on the political machinery and helped, formulate tax policy requiring the citizen to pay tax money used to shed state debt and interesting the notes would be paid back at original issued value.

In 1780, the notes debt were consolidated and 6 percent bonds secured against the debt and L265,000 paid to make good on the interest with the state making four installment payments. Consolidation worked to the advantage of the Boston merchants capitalized on incredible buying leverage gaining 1/40 depreciation value of the note, it was a bonanza for the speculators.

One possibility explaining Shay's rebellion was the rebels were protest unfair tax policy. When the legislature decided to pay the original value of the note rather than the purchase price, the people of Massachusetts insisted they only receive the purchase value of the note. This cry went unheard as the state earmarked L1,250,000 for the holder, L270,000 for the holders of the original note; 80 percent of the state debt made it into the hands of the speculators, who were gambling on the future; 35 men held 40 percent of the state debt; the future did not look bleak because the new tax system benefited the speculators, by 1786 the increased tax burden impacted the farmer five to six times the preexisting tax burden providing the state a property tax and a poll tax on all male 16 year olds.

The farmers wanted the state to provide more money for debt relief: the back country was in bad shape, creditors wanted the farmers to pay their debts with hard currency; the court systems had numerous layers and fees and the people felt that it needed restructuring and additionally they wanted the state constitution to be revised or a new constitution formed; the people questioned why there was a state senate claiming the existing senate was a bastion for the privileged of Boston and the political machinery being influence by the merchants to pay back the war debt.

What were the laws of debt? The confession act of 1782 required debtors to go before a justice of the peace and acknowledge their debt and avoid court costs and 790 men made 4,000 confessions. In 1654, an outgrowth of the English Common law, Debtors could be arrested for debt: 1. confined to reveal hidden debt or force relatives to pay the debt 2. Seizure of the debtor's property 3. or liquidation at "auction" price rather than fair market value to generate hard currency. The creditor paid for the debtor's jail time.

Farmers owning money got the screws as they were harassed by creditors for immediate payment of their debt. A chain of debt prevailed with almost everyone owning debt of one sort. Farmers did not expect to pay in full their debt immediately. Boston Merchants pressed for local merchants to pay. The reason for the panic was result of England closing their West Indies trade. Now, wholesalers had no way to trade out their debt. Wholesalers imported English goods and sold these goods to local merchants extending an immense credit. In 1787, the wholesalers sued the back country, who sued the farmers. In 1786, Connecticut creditor filed 60,000 suites. 1/3 of the men in court were involved in a credit dispute and 20 percent of the tax payers were taken to court. The credit pressure caused a revolt to revise or redo the state constitution and restore the republic.

Farmers were facing new taxes; notes IOUs for service that could not be used as collateral to buy land, pay debts, or be used as currency; shortages of legal tender; and a government restructuring. The state constitution was in question, the people was to abolish the upper house of the state legislature and revise the lower house to force re election of government officials each year and the lower house to set the salaries. Included in the people's demands were the abolishment of the "Court of Common Pleas" and the "General Session of Peace".

Shay's Rebellion: The American Revolution's Final Battle by Leonard L. Richards (Professor of History, University of Massachusetts) provides a detailed and scholarly look at the farmer's revolt in 1786-87 that drew General George Washington out of retirement, and ultimately forced the Articles of Confederation of a fledgling nation to be scrapped in exchange for what was to become the American Constitution. A meticulous, thoroughly researched, deftly written study of a pivotal point in American political and military history, Shays's Rebellion is very highly recommended reading for students and scholars of American History.

I first read Mong-Lan's "Why is the Edge Always Windy?" before reading "Song of the Cicadas," and I must say that I have seldom encountered a masterly poet such as her. She captures in a few words gracefully what other poets would need ten. You don't need to have travelled to Vietnam or Mexico or San Francisco to understand/feel/intuit the primal exigencies of the land, of history, of the heart, of what she writes. Mong-Lan, apparently, went back to Vietnam in the mid 90's, at a time when very few Viet Kieus have gone back--these experiences form the crux of the book. What she has put into verse is new vital terrority, exploring not just the psychology of displacement, the aftermath of war, but the beauty, both visual and visceral, of experiences striking, commonplace and haunting.

Mong-Lan is also a visual artist and her drawings and cover photo grace the beautiful book. A must have!!

Scarcely with a first book does a young poet approach such a mastery of craft as Mong Lan does here in this poignant, graceful, inimitably organic collection. She achieves those special balances - passion and restraint, lyric and narrative, naivete and wisdom, intelligence and honesty - which are so rare in published contemporary poetry today, which is riddled with flagrantly duplicitous, smarmy, disjunctive, and/or watered down prose, which (of course) passes as the best poetry thanks to the influx of critics whose will is bent by the political pressures of the literati. But enough of that, and back to Mong Lan. Those poems within the sequences such as "Trajectory" and "The Golden Gate Bridge" seem to hang carefully like magnificent stained glass windows; in which intense color, silky texture, and story power are all constantly self-evident and at play; and through which the author's essence yearns to touch your own. I'll admit, I'm a pretty voracious reader, snobbish and not-easily-impressed; "Song of the Cicadas" haunts me for hours afterward; the poems are arrows into the heart. A must read.

I can see war in these pages, but it's more than that. It's also about ordinary people and their lives, not just Vietnamese culture but something universal in all of us. Highly recommend!

This is a very impressive book of poetry. Mong-Lan is a gifted writer who conveys the lyricism of language in the description of diverse experiences in Vietnam. Highly recommended.

Read this beautiful collection of poems. They will move you with their grace, insight and strength. Notice the blank spaces between the words and lines-more is said at these broken places than mere words.

This brilliant little book (71 pages of actual text) records twenty days in which Hawthorne was in effect a single parent for his five year old son, Julian, during August 1851. Hawthorne's wife Sophia, called Phoebe in the book, and two daughters (seven year old Una and newborn Rose) go off to visit Sophia's parents. Hawthorne is with Julian for just about every waking moment of Julian's day, running from six or seven AM to seven or seven thirty PM. He records their days in his notebook; and, despite the brief and informal style of these notes (and they are notes and not a detailed chronicle), succeeds in evoking nearly the totality of a child's day. I doubt that any major writer has ever so completely and carefully focused on what a five year old actually does and what his life is like.

Hawthorne is also direct and frank. He gets exasperated (as all parents do) about the constant demands for attention, the nonstop childish chatter and the endless sometimes inane questions but only rarely rebukes Julian. On the whole, Hawthorne is remarkably patient. He is amused by Julian's battles with the monsters that appear in the form of thistles and weeds which Julian routinely and daily slaughters. He is fascinated by Julian's determined and uniformly unsuccessful fishing. He admires Julian's great good nature and his gusto. Hawthorne takes care of the boy's minor illnesses, injuries and accidents. He feeds, dresses, bathes and clothes him daily. He also tries to curl his hair. Some of these actions he admits are badly or clumsily done but they are all clearly done with love.

The book also contains a few insights into other aspects of the normally reserved Hawthorne. He is positively volcanic about his dislike of Massachusetts's Berkshire region and its weather and his contemptuous and angry references to a neighbor and to (of all things) the Shaker sect are painful to read. Also clear, however, is his deep love for his family and for friends such as Melville and his love of life generally. He goes to considerable lengths to rescue a kitten trapped in a cistern and does what he can for the well-being of Bunny, whom he obviously considers a rather dull creature. There are observations on the daily round of country life in 1851 as well, including the contents of meals (little meat but plentiful milk, vegetables and rice), interactions with others, visitors and other matters.

The prose is very direct and clear, a far cry from Hawthorne's complex, allusive and often indirect formal style. This is a record of parenting and of a child's life that is moving and beautiful. There is also a useful if perhaps somewhat overlong introduction by writer Paul Auster.

This is abrief book, but full of great writing. It's very interesting to see what has changed in 150 years - the food, the activities, the words, and what hasn't - how little kids behave.

Hawthorne really captures the boundless energy and joy of small children, as well as his own sense of bewilderment as a father.

I had previously thought of Nathaniel Hawthorne as serious, stuffy, reclusive - as indeed many contemporaries thought of him. However, _Twenty Days with Julian_ show another side of the man - and the eternal joy and wonder of childhood.

While his wife and daughters were away, Hawthorne spent three weeks alone with his son, Julian. Chronicling their activities, you get a clear sense of the time and of the person Hawthorne was. But what was most pleasant - and surprising - was how similar 4 year old Julian was to children today. A joyful read that would make an excellent Father's Day present.

Everything positive said about this book is true. But I would add this: Mr. Auster's introduction is excellent until he reaches a point where he starts divulging some of the best points in the diary. So buy the book and go straight to the diary. Then enjoy Auster's wonderful intro. Bravo to NYRB for publishing this as a stand alone book; what a great gift for a new parent!
CS

From July 28th until August 16th, 1851, Nathaniel Hawthorne's wife Sophia took their daughters on a visit to her relatives, leaving her husband home to care for their 5 year-old son, Julian. Hawthorne kept a record of his time with the little boy in a journal, calling the episode "Twenty Days with Julian & Little Bunny by Papa". Anyone familiar with Hawthorne's exquisite, almost recondite writing style as exemplified by his novels and short stories will hardly recognize him in the guise of babysitter and chronicler of his jet-propelled kid's activities. Driven nearly to distraction by Julian's nonstop chatter and noisemaking (Hawthorne's wife had recently given birth to baby Rose, and the little boy was constantly being told to keep quiet), Hawthorne nevertheless decides to allow the child the freedom to be as noisy as he likes while the baby is away. This proves to be an exercise in forbearance for poor papa, as Julian proves to have no off switch, making it "impossible to read, write, think, or even sleep (in the daytime) so constant are his appeals..." Over the ensuing three weeks, the two take daily walks to fetch the milk, and to the lake where Julian fishes with furious, single-minded determination and catches absolutely nothing. Hawthorne struggles to figure out how his wife curls the kid's hair, and there are several unfortunate events - a bedwetting accident, a pants-peeing incident, the kid gets stung by a wasp, the pet bunny, Hindlegs, dies and is buried in the garden, much to Julian's amusement. (He hopes a Bunny Tree will spring up, covered all over in bunnies hanging by their ears.) Through it all, Hawthorne, in spite of his befuddlement with the finer points of child care, bears up gracefully, proving himself not only a gentle and loving father, but a genius at capturing the essence of childhood and the joy of witnessing,close at hand, his little boy's joie de vivre.

L chose this book because it was featured on a trip to Martha's Vineyard and I love the photograph in it.

Beautiful and insightful book on Martha's Vinyard. A must have book!!!

Peruse this impressive volume and step out of your world and right into the Campground in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. Experience all four seasons there through Betsy Corsiglia's lush photography, and learn it's history and meet it's inhabitants through Mary-Jean Miner's absorbing text. This book is a must-own for anyone who loves the Vineyard.

What a wonderful book about such an inspiring and inspired place. The pictures are bold and bright, and the text is tremendous. Betsy and Mary-Jean have done a great service to the Campground and the Camp-Meeting Association by providing such insight and memories of the Campground experience. A must have book if you've ever been to Martha's Vineyard. Great first book... hoping for many more.

The true flavor of the Campgrounds has been captured in this marvelous book. Photos and script leads the reader through the delightful history of this endearing place. Watching it change over the past fifty years, I can say it never looked better. Although long overdue, the talents of these two gals brings the Campground to life. A book to be cherished.

    I recently completed the novel and found it a most compelling work.  I believe that it successfully assimilated historical characters and events with fictional accounts while exploring some of the challenges we face under the human condition.  I believe that this work illustrates the significance of the the choices we make and the impact our actions, for good or for worse, may have on others, our families, our communities and our world.     Gertrude's choice never to love again or  be happy again affected Dr. Flagg and his family into the next generation (his nephew) as they held on to anger, sadness and disappointment due the rejection of Dr. Flagg's unyielding, all encompassing, and nurturing love.   Eleanor, caught in the same web of self-distruction learned from the Gertrude/Flagg experience, to gain a new lease on life and emerge from the ashes like the mythical phoenix.  It was pleasurable, clear, and concise reading which left the reader wanting more.   It provided an opportunity to expand knowledge on, and an appreciation for the  works of a renowned nineteenth century American Artist.  This work effortlessly captivated and aroused intellectual curiosity, a desire for greater self-awareness, the penchant to unmask and overcome deep fears and inhibitions, and one's mind's eye.     In summary, the clarity of the writing, the descriptive detail, the simplicity of the characters, and the complexity of the circumstances seamlessly worked together to give us a glimpse into lives which inspired artistic paintings, an unceasing love and devotion;  yet, still gives us cause to re-invent ourselves through self-inspection and the realization that a single life is intertwined and interdependent upon other lives.  The choices we make in how we face life and death are not choices we can make in a vacuum.

"Walking Through Time" is one of those rare books that you simply do not want to put down. Its two storylines run parallel, often intersecting and ultimately merging into one very satisfying, engaging tale.

Alternately written in the form of letters and prose, the book blends art historical fiction and a bit of suspense. The novel intertwines the lives of two women born a century apart who share little, but nevertheless sustain a deep connection. Eleanor, who lives in the present, discovers a packet of Gertrude's letters which lead her on a journey of self-discovery. At the same time, Gertrude's life unfolds, transporting the reader into the nineteenth century and the art world of the day.

After reading the book, I was not surprised to find that the author is, in fact, compiling the definitive text on the artist William Lamb Picknell -- who is Gertrude's husband in the novel! Rabb richly weaves her knowledge of the artist and the time period throughout the text, providing the reader with lots of historical reference. The history greatly enhances the novel and serves as a spiritual complement to the collective memory that generations seem to share.

I absolutely love this book! I felt like I was Eleanor. I, too, was eager to read the next letter from Gertrude. The reader can tell that the author put her heart and soul into this book. There is a lot of factual information that I find fascinating. I cannot wait to read the next book that Lauren Walden Rabb publishes! I definitely recommend others to read this heart-touching book!!!

A 20th century widow becomes open to love and experience through her infatuation with the letters of a 19th century woman, found in the attic. The author shares her philosophy of life through the protagonist's pondering on her relationship with her 14 year old son, a friend of the dead husband (the love interest), and a young woman from the local historical society who helps her answer questions about the author of the old letters. Flawlessly written and flowing.

I didn't believe I could be so enhanced and engrossed by a story of two different very generations. All the characters involved me, and I could not wait to know what happened to all of them. I want to write the author and find out more! I feel so much truth in the story. I am going to look into the artist since I saw where his art is now exhibited. This was a lovely reading experience. Thanks Lauren Walden Rabb!

There are many great words to describe this book (and many others) by David Grayson. I can't believe there are so few reviews either, the last ones were in 1998! I think it's high time to spread the word about this man and his beautiful observations of who we are and how the simple things in life are what really matter.

This is the first in a series of around eight books by David Grayson (actually this is Ray Stannard Baker writing as Grayson).
The title of the work says it all. If you are looking for a very, very mellow read, simply stuffed with wonderful observations, then this is one for you. The style/syntax, while admittedly archaic, is great and it takes only a couple of pages for you to fall into it's rythm. This book was written in the early part of the last century. This work reflects a time long past in this country, but that being said, this work still
touches many aspects of our lives we often overlook in one way or another. If you can find this work, and the rest of the series, I strongly recommend you purchase them as you will want to read them over and over again. It is a shame we seem to have lost such books.

My first exposure to this book was ten years ago, when in the LSU library I stumbled upon some very old, very dusty books. Being intrigued by old books, I found his simple titles (Adventures in Contentment, Adventures in Friendship, Adventures in Solitude, etc.) irresistible. I read 5 David Grayson (Ray Stannard Baker's pseudonym) books in two days. I returned them to the library, then soon afterward moved to California. I could not remember Grayson's name, though I would tell stories about those wonderful books that influenced my life and my writing.

7 years later, I came across a 90 year old copy of Adventures in Contentment, and found that it struck me as even more profound, having tasted a little of the cynical world that drove the main character from the city to the farm. This is the only book I have ever read that made me cry tears of human experience -- and then the very next chapter had me laughing out loud. (I was sitting at a coffee house with my friends when this happened, after which they wanted to borrow the book.)

If you are a person of thought, this book will move you. Grayson will take you on a tour of his farm and his mind. You will give him a voice, and you will hear that voice speak the words as you read. You will quote this book, you will reread this book, you will think of this book with the fondness of a close friend.

The simplicity of the essays will charm you, his masterful vocabulary will force you to grab your dictionary, and his expressive literary patterns will strike you as being as close to poetry as prose could possible come.

A picture may say 1000 words, but David Grayson's simple essays about small town life in the early 1900's will paint more vivid images in your mind than 1,000,000 Michaelangelos ever could. Simply stated, this is the greatest literary work ever written. Unfortunately, modern literary critics refer to this type of work as unimportant, sentimental and preachy. So this book will probably never be placed in its rightful spot in the literary canon.

Still, don't think the author died in obscurity without his talent being discovered. He was a lifelong friend of Woodrow Wilson, and in his old age, Ray Stannard Baker won the Pulitzer Prize for his biography of his famous friend.

I wonder why there aren't any reviews on this book? It is the greatest book ever written. This book is about a person who has found a perfect harmony in life. Escaping all the scholastic philosophy and theological quest David Grayson here settles for what I regard the highest wisdom and the true purpose of life, and that is living. The book is potrayal of extra-ordinary experiences of a farmer poet who discovers a world within and without and adds a dream world quality with a sense of humour to our everyday experiences. A return to nature, beauty, simplicity, spontaniety and harmony!

I was apalled to find that my uncle, Michael Boland, was nothing but a con man and a thief. And from what I know about his perosonal life, a child molester too.

Great book, but embarrassing...................

Got so wrapped-up in the story of the book I finished it in one weekend. This should be a movie (w/ Richard Dreyfuss as Vevel. Heck; I've got the whole cast in my head...).

I got Debbie Hagan's book not long after I read the first three volumes of Dean Lawrence Velvel's account of his own experience with the legal profession in the United States over the past half-century. I knew that Velvel's stories were true to life - the names changed to protect the guilty, so to speak. However, in Hagan's book, one sees in true-life form the same institution that is formed by Velvel, and the kinds of difficulties that arose because of this.

There is a near-monopoly in the United States on legal education and accreditation by the American Bar Association. Most recently, the ABA was in the news as it traditionally gives a rating, a blessing or imprimatur if you will, to Supreme Court nominees. At first, the current Bush administration said that they didn't care about the ABA rating; when it became a favourable rating, however, it then mattered to them (we shall have to see what becomes of the next nominee and whether or not that person gets a favourable rating). The ABA is a powerful fraternity, one that includes as its members not only the attorneys who argue the cases, but also the judges who try them, the Departments of Justice that administrate legal issues, and, for the most part, the schools and training programmes that produced the people who fill these positions.

The story that Hagan recounts in 'Against the Tide' is the story of Dean Velvel and others who had a vision of a law school specifically devoted to pluralism and accessibility, one that focused more closely upon useful law and legal issues, and one that more adequately reflected the diversity present in the American population. Velvel and the Massachusetts School of Law was not the first place to attempt this - in the introduction, Hagan discusses other similar attempts (Antioch in Washington DC, Laclede in St. Louis) that failed, in large part because of lack of ABA recognition.

Hagan has a style not dissimiliar to Velvel's own style, and for those who like a true-life story, this is a book for them. It captures the true spirit of the fight that MSL has had to endure to gain credibility and what recognition it has, while maintain itself in the spirit of the sign that Dean Velvel keeps posted in his office - Ut Veniant Omnes, Let them all come.

Against the Tide is the true story of a law school that dared to buck the American Bar Association's requirements for admitting candidates. In an era when only those who score high enough on LSATs and have the money to attend the most costly colleges can even attempt the bar exam, the dream of becoming a lawyer is open largely to those with money and privilege. The Massachusetts School of Law was not the first law school that attempted to be affordable, accessible to students of all socio-economic groups, and relying on its own admissions standards rather than ABA-dictated criteria, but it put up a fiercer fight than its predecessors. The MSL took the ABA to court more than once after they withdrew their accreditation, accusing the ABA of antitrust violations and anti-competitive tactics, arguing that the MSL attempted to fulfill as many ABA requirements as it could, but the demanding costs of fulfilling them all would have resulted in a tuition spike that would price their courses out of the reach of the very community they were trying to serve. Against the Tide is a courageous David and Goliath story, and even though The Massachusetts School of Law did not gain accreditation from the ABA, it was victorious in other ways - for one, it earns accreditation from the reknowned New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Highly recommended.

I had to read this book slowly, one story at a sitting, to give myself time to fully absorb all of the layers of experience presented in each piece. These are small, complex, multi-faceted gems of writing. The stories drew me in, devasted me, transported me, enlivened me, spit me out. I highly recommend Katherine Arnoldi's work!

"All Things Are Labor" kept me up at night. It's a truly haunting book...the difficult stories are told with an exacting delicacy...like a ballerina who has learned to dance on burning coals. From a renegade mother tracking down deadbeat dads to a woman who allows herself to be abused in order to live in the suburbs, Manhattan to Arkansas...the strength of Arnoldi's disparate voices draw you inside their indelible worlds. She's a Joyce Carol Oates with street cred.; she knows firsthand what it is to be poor, what it is to be alone, what it is to be struggling, surviving, persisting. If you like Dorothy Allison or Sapphire, please read Arnoldi.

The narrator's voice, confident in its vulnerability, is the portal to the reader's intimacy with the related experiences. These are stories that stay with the reader for a long time.

This is a collection of beautifully written short stories. Moving, sometimes humorous--always deeply honest and unpretentious. She gives voice to many who are forgotten or invisible in our society, revealing their strength (and hers and ours); revealing the poignancy of life itself. Its a book to keep and enjoy more than once.