New York Books

This book just takes me back to the Woodstock Days....I was 19 and never went as I had a 3 month old baby at the time..lived in Brooklyn..reading Elliot Tibbers book about the White Lake area brings back such funny memories as my parents used to take my brother and I to the bungalow colonies in Monicello NY and Woodridge area each summer.
I was just cracking up at his accurate discriptions of the area and reading this book reminded me so much of my own Jewish parents and paternal grandmother from Minsk, Russia.
Wonderful book!

wow. a great book to collectors of woodstock trivia and the awful
stuff during that time of vietnam to one of peace and music! the
author shows a great ability to tell a story that kept me glued to the
pages. read it overnight!!! someone ought to make a movie of this
unusual tale.

Born Eliyahu Teichberg, poor Elli struggles to break what he calls the "Teichberg Curse" and changes his name to Elliot Tiber--hoping that would break the curse. Always on the brink of financial ruin and trying to hide his deepest secret, he dreams of the miracle that would change his life.

In 1969, he got that miracle. Manager of his Jewish parents' failing resort hotel El Monaco in White Lake, New York on the weekends, Elliot runs during the week to Greenwich Village where he can live the life he chooses as an interior designer and meeting the likes of Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams and Robert Mapplethorpe--all the while keeping his gay life a secret from his family. That is, until June 28, 1969, when he finds himself at the Stonewall Inn and the famous "Stonewall Riot" that would revolutionize the gay culture breaks out. With a newfound boldness, he finds out in July that the town of Wallkill has revoked the permit for the Woodstock festival. So he contacts Mike Lang, the concert's promoter, to offer his 15 acres for the concert. While Elliot hopes this is the miracle he has been waiting for, Mike Lang and his entourage arrive by helicopter but they end up feeling that the swampland of his resort hotel won't work for the concert. Tiber assures Lang and company that, since he has been the president of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce and has held a concert and art show for the past few years, he can get the necessary concert permit. Quickly, he calls his good friend Max Yasgur--who supports everything Elli does and only lives four miles up the road--and asks him to hold the concert. Elli explains to Mike that Max has a dairy farm on a hundred acres--more than enough to hold a concert. Arrangements are made and, before he knows it, Elli is caught up in the magic that will change his life forever. He is introduced to the hippie scene where everyone is accepted no matter who or what you are and learns he can love himself.

Whoa! Totally awesome and even far out and groovy! This book is absolutely amazing! This reviewer couldn't put it down--in fact, read it twice before writing this review. If you've ever dreamed of being at Woodstock or even if you were there, the author Elliot Tiber will take you back. The Sixties will come alive and you won't want the trip to end! But that is only part of the story, as Elliot takes you through the time of his troubled past and describes in perfect word pictures the struggles of his secret life, his childhood, the insanity of running the hotel resort, and dealing with bigoted locals who persecute him because of his Jewish heritage. In the end, you'll feel you know everyone and that you were there, too.

See Woodstock through the eyes of someone who lived it, who helped bring it to life - you'll never look at this period of history the same again. Don't pass this one by, as this autobiography guarantees to be one of the best reads of 2007 and is to be released just in time for the media's annual August remembrance of that great music festival. Also an awesome unique feature that this reviewer really likes is the reversible dust jacket--one side conservative, the other psychedelic. This feature, according to Square One's publisher Rudy Shur in Publishers Weekly, represents "The notion of duality [that] has been a central theme throughout Elliot's life, and we wanted the book to represent that notion of difference in a very direct and colorful way." So whichever trip you decide to take, this is one you'll never forget.

Cheri Clay
Reviewer's Bookwatch

Being just a bit too young to have lived the Woodstock experience, I have been left to rely on the tales of others, mainly from an audience point of view. Having read Tiber's accounts of the experience from conception to fruition, brings a new appreciation for the era, the event and the effect on those who were a part of it.

The above would be an appropriate subtitle for this heartfelt but energetic and witty coming-of-age autobiography/memoir by Elliot Tiber, whose main claim to fame is that he fought the petty politics and narrow-mindedness of his small town of Bethel, NY, in order to make possible the Woodstock Festival in 1969.

The author (born Eliyahu Teichberg) grew up in the richly ethnic neighborhood of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn in an emotionally-starved but hardworking family with his Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. His father worked as a roofer, while his mother ran a housewares store in which they all helped out. Elliot finished college and began a moderately successful career in art design, primarily starting out dressing store windows and painting murals for rich Manhattanites. A trip to the Catskills resulted in the family buying a run-down motel right off Highway 17B at White Lake, in the town of Bethel NY, and Elliot found himself splitting his time, working weekdays in NYC and spending weekends doing whatever had to be done to keep the motel operational and barely financially afloat.

At the same time, Elliot came to the realization that he was gay, and - for whatever reason - favored the underground S&M flavored scene that existed in NYC in the mid 1960's. He met and partied with Robert Mapplethorpe, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, and even encountered Rock Hudson at one point. Of course, coming out to his conservative parents wasn't an option for him at the time, but his "secret life" during the week somewhat served to make bearable the weekends at the motel, scrubbing toilets and dealing with customer complaints (The Teichbergs cut a few corners in customer service. For example, they had phones in each room, but they weren't connected to anything. The TV was an empty box, as was the air conditioner sleeve below the window. Need soap and a towel? It'll cost ya extra, but you're lucky you made it in today, since Dad has hosed off your sheets - the only cleaning they ever got - just yesterday.)

In early 1969, Elliot read with interest the news accounts that the promoters of the planned Woodstock Music and Art Festival had been denied a permit by the town of Walkill, their planned location. As president (nobody else wanted the job) of Bethel's Chamber of Commerce, he had the authority to issue festival permits, and contacted the promoters about the possibility of moving the festival to Bethel, and offered the meadow of a friend, dairy farmer Max Yasgur, as the perfect venue. Much of the book details the whirlwind events that followed, as the festival took on a life of its own, eventually attracting around 500,000 people to the small town, resulting in threats by locals, payoffs to those who opposed it, nudity, drugs, gangsters, people bathing in the lake, shortages of food and water, but - despite it all - the most historic event in music and counterculture history, after which nothing would ever be the same again for Elliot and his family.

The author has a gift in telling a story, even one as obviously self-centered as this one is, for the most part. Witty and engaging, sure to bring back memories of that era. Loved the reversible (regular/psychodelic) dust jacket! 5 stars out of 5.

I ordered late for a Holiday present and was worried about getting it on time. The package arrived well before I ever expected it in the promised condition. I would look to this site for future orders.

I picked up this book purely by chance and, in doing so, I did myself a great favor. I have not been as captivated by a book since "The Godfather." Author Leo Gutman has crafted a tale of boxing and the Mafia that ought to make a movie just as good as the Godfather saga. The plot is intricate, the characters are fascinating, the boxing bouts are riveting. I am fervently wishing there could be a sequel. Thank you, Leo Rutman, for a terrific read!!

I picked up this book purely by chance and, in doing so, I did myself a great favor. I have not been as captivated by a book since "The Godfather." Author Leo Rutman has crafted a tale of boxing and the Mafia that ought to make a movie just as good as the Godfather saga. The plot is intricate, the characters are fascinating, the boxing bouts are riveting. I am fervently wishing there could be a sequel. Thank you, Leo Rutman, for a terrific read!!

WHAT A GREAT FIND. NEVER THOUGH I'D LIKE A BOOK ABOUT BOXING AND THE MOB BUT I JUST COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. I WAS UP UNTIL 2 AM. THE SUSPENSE WAS RIVETING. I RECOMMEND HIGHLY AND CANNOT WAIT FOR HIS NEXT RELEASE. PLEASE , WRITE AGAIN SOON RUTMAN!!

This impressive new novel is a well crafted blend of gritty NY gangster life, the sport of boxing, and an intriging, albeit semi-believable, love story. I felt that I was truly taken back to a time uncomplicated by 21st century technology. A great escape. This book is easy and fun to read, but has layers of complexity.

So often, lesbian books are filled with adolescent cravings and sexual lust. This is a wonderful book that integrates lesbian sexuality with the reality of a specific time period. I loved the mystery and the history. I trusted the author in her research and I loved her ability to weave a tale. I think it has much to do with the author's research as well as her wonderful ability to write. We need more authors like this. Great talent is found here. Thank you for an interesting and informative read.

Rarely do I find a book so engaging that I just can't it down. But that's exactly what happened with Under the Mink--I barely even paused to eat! The descriptions were incredibly vivid, the characters were extremely interesting, and the story was suspenseful and highly entertaining. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-told tale, especially one so evocative of a time and scene that aren't exactly overexposed. I also agree with another reviewer--Under the Mink would make an incredible movie.

What's a drag kig to do when she finds a dead body in the bathroom? Torn between the mob, the cops, and deliciously different women, Blackie has a lot on her hands in this novel. The settings are impressively depicted, but the characters a bit stock. Overall, this one was worth waiting for, and I'm ready for another offering from this writer.

This thriller set in 1949's New York City stars a wild assortment of characters (heroes and lowlifes), and is a real page-turner. It centers mostly on Blackie Cole, a butch nightclub singer employed by the mafia, who discovers a dead man in the club. When the dead man's sister shows up, Blackie is torn between her growing desire for the uptown woman and her duty to her mob boss. And Blackie's ex-girlfriend isn't quite through with Blackie either. Through a series of mishaps, Blackie's mob boss thinks she's ratted him out, and targets her for elimination. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and found it rather intoxicating at times. I felt the story as a whole was diluted by the tidal wave of characters populating the novel, some of whom were throwaways lasting a page or so. Some of these details became distracting to me because they seemed unnecessary by the book's end. Nevertheless, I would highly recommend "Under the Mink" not only to lesbians in search of a new romantic thriller, but also to anyone searching for a well-written and involving historical novel. Lisa Davis is certainly a writer worth reading.

This fast-paced book is a fabulous and fun blend of noirish action, riveting romance, and detailed and colorful descriptions of Greenwich Village in the 1940s. With each page of this hard-boiled thriller I was pulled along by the well-drawn, likeable characters: glamorous chorus girls (who are really boys), handsome emcees (who are really women), madames, ... mob kingpins, wealthy socialites, corrupt businessmen, and crooked politicians. Think L.A. CONFIDENTIAL but with a lesbian/gay twist and set in the seedy but sexy world of 1940s NY nightclub life. Can't wait for the sequel!

I stumbled across Helene Hanff in a place no devout reader should ever be--a video store. After watching '84 Charing Cross Road' I was enchanted with Miss Hanff's wit and humor, and needed more. After an arduous search, I found a used copy of 'Underfoot...' and read it in less than 2 days. I even found myself laughing aloud at parts, which greatly disturbed the people sitting next to me. Hanff's ability to laugh at herself and to extract the humor from any situation is addictive. The book begins with a note to the reader: 'Each year, hundreds of stagestruck kids arrive in New York determined to crash the theatre, firmly convinced they're destined to be famous Broadway stars or playwrights. One in a thousand turns out to be Noel Coward. This book is about life among the other 999. By one of them.' From there, Miss Hanff takes the reader on a tour of her adventures and experiences as a struggling playwright in an honest and spirited manner. I was left wishing that my life was as unpredictable and ironic as Miss Hanff's struggle to live her dreams.

This witty, touching memoir tells the story of Helene Hanff's attempt to "crash the theater". It is as entertaining and charming as her great book, 84 Charing Cross Road

I first heard of this book 20 years ago, in a letter to the editor in Seventeen Magazine. The letterwriter was distantly related to Helene Hanff and was recommending the book. At the time, I was deeply involved in my high school drama program and the title of the book appealed to me. I tried for years to find the book, but it was out of print for a time. When I did finally find it, it was worth the wait. It is laugh-out-loud funny and touching to anyone who has ever been bitten by the drama bug. I was sold on the book the minute I read the preface, which reads in part, "Each year hundreds of of stage-struck kids arrive in New York determined to crash the theatre...one in a thousand turns out to be Noel Coward. This book is about life among the other 999, by one of them." This book turned me on to all of Helene Hanff's other books, each of which is worthwhile in its own right. However, the best of the bunch is right here. This book should be on every booklover's must have list!

I once had to read a bit of this book out to some strangers on a plane who wanted to know why I was laughing out loud and then we had champagne and it was a great flight and Miss Hanff had even more fans. The tears were running down our faces. [ For those of you who have read it already it was the bit about the funeral parlour].

This book, like all of Miss Hanff's works, makes you feel great to be alive.

I've come to love my native city more and more by seeing it through Miss Hanff's eyes.

Helene Hanff published this, her first book, in 1961. She shares stories from her years as a struggling playwright in New York City; her good friend Maxine was a struggling actress. Practically penniless, they still managed to see first-run shows and movies regularly. How they did it is one of many memorable and funny tales.

I couldn't help laughing at the merry-go-round of a Broadway agent shopping a play all over town. Ms. Hanff tells how 'Oklahoma!' was named (she was there). One of her many jobs involved speed-reading long novels; her take on Tolkein is slightly different than Peter Jackson's.

I echo a previous reviewer's thought: this book would make a terrific film. 'Underfoot in Show Business' is a gem, a memoir full of magic and wit. Highly recommended.

As a black female living in Orange County I was very touched and inspired by this true masterpiece.I would have rated it TEN STARS if I could. I urge all Americans,Black,White,Hispanic,Asain etc to buy and read how great things are accomplished when the races work together.The heroes are the black runaway slaves and their white friends who helped them at risk to themselves. God Bless Roger King who wrote what could have been lost to history.Those of us who live in Orange County know Mr.King and are lucky to attend his lectures.Keep up the good work Rog. Stacey McKeon.

this piece of history is cleary written , with factual items as well as tales handed down from generations. it is an entertaining read with an important theme

After reading this book, I will start to refer to author Stephen King as the "other King." Roger King's historical cronicle surprised me and I considered myself a "hisory junkie."

As a resident of Orange County I was lucky to attend one of Prof.Kings lectures. I was awstruck by this great mans wit and powerful intellect.This thoughtful and informative book is a MUST read for the young people because it tells the story of of Orange Counties past,Americas past and the struggle of the African Americans in the 1850 era.If you get your child one book this year,make this one it.Where can I attend another Roger King lecture?

I loved it! I couldn't put it down! I read it in one afternoon without stopping, something I never do. I never realized the plight of the slaves in the North. It made me proud to be an American.

Without fictional artifice, the author reveals the hearts and souls of her characters who are so like my mother and her five sisters who sprang from Russia and Brooklyn. Merrill Joan Gerber has again produced an insightful, human story that makes you keep reading and thinking.

Book Review in National Jewish Post and Opionion April 16, 2008
By Morton I. Teicher


The Victory Gardens of Brooklyn by Merrill Joan Gerber. Syracuse, NY:
Syracuse University Press, 2007. 360 Pages. $24.95


Prolific author of short stories, novels, and books of non-fiction, Merrill Joan Gerber teaches fiction writing at the California Institute of Technology. She is a one-woman refutation of the canard that those who cannot do, teach. Her well-warranted popularity is reflected in her many fans and the prizes she has won, including the Ribalow Award for her outstanding novel, The Kingdom of Brooklyn.
Gerber's prowess in prose is fully demonstrated in her new novel, The Victory Gardens of Brooklyn. She vividly recounts the afflictions and adversities of three generations of Jewish women in New York. The story is divided into two parts: "The East Side, 1906-1925" and "Brooklyn, 1925-1945." Two sisters, Rachel and Rose, have immigrated to America and settled on the Lower East Side of New York where Rachel is married to a ne'er do well, Nathan, and Rose is married to Hymie who is disliked by Ava, Rachel's daughter. The hostility Ava feels for her uncle is intensified when she is forced to live with Rose and Hymie after Rachel catches her husband with another woman. Nathan leaves and Rachel has to make a living by working as a midwife. She is unable to look after Ava or her son, Shmuel, who is sent to an orphanage. This melodramatic opening is followed by a series of emotional events.
One of Rachel's patients dies in childbirth; she marries the widower, Isaac, telling him that her first husband, Nathan, is dead. Rachel and Isaac have two daughters, Musetta and Gilda, who have a complicated relationship with each other and with their half-sister, Ava. The three girls represent the next generation and their ordeals with their parents and with men are filled with complexity and difficulty. World War I provides the backdrop for their arduous adventures.
As the saga unfolds, all sorts of problems emerge � making a living, Jewish-Gentile relationships, family rivalries, intermarriage, dubious romances, shady activities, tragic losses, difficult illnesses, and many more. The situations in which these issues arise are intensively described. Throughout, emphasis is placed on the vantage point of the women.
The second half of the book, opening in 1925, during the era of American prosperity, begins with the families moving to Brooklyn. Ava gives birth to a second son while Musetta and Gilda undergo many difficulties. Eventually, Musetta reluctantly marries and has two daughters, Issa and Iris. This brings us to the third generation with continuing complications, especially involving male-female relationships. The Great Depression contributes its share of complexities as it gives way to World War II and its accompanying tragedies. At the end, Rachel and Rose, still alive, look back on their ordeals and Rose sums them up by saying, "We're here, we have a life, we suffer, we love."
This powerful and perceptive presentation describes the adaptation of Jewish immigrants to America and the experiences of the next generations, all poignantly set forth as encountered by the women. In this book, Merrill Joan Gerber continues to display her remarkable talent.


Dr. Morton I. Teicher is the Founding Dean, Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University and Dean Emeritus, School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Merrill Joan Gerber opens the door of a tenement household over a hundred years ago and invites us into the sounds, smells, lives, and drama of a Jewish immigrant family struggling to survive on New York's Lower East Side. In this family, Ava is abruptly separated from her beloved, handsome, philandering father; then from Rachel, her Mama, and her brother as Mama works as a midwife to pay for a divorce.

Ava finds herself an unwelcome guest in Mama's sister's home until Mama marries a cold, tyrannical tailor so that her family can be together once again. Ava finds refuge in school and tries to be invisible as she is excluded again and again when her half-sisters are born. She finds meaningful work, then marries the brother of her friend Tessie. Here the saga begins to include her younger stepsisters, Musetta and Gilda. Although Gerber's three generations of women dominate this rich stew of mothers and daughters, aunts and uncles, a couple of sons and a couple of husbands during the two World Wars have a deep psychological influence upon how the women respond to life's joys and difficulties.

The Victory Gardens allows us to witness the passions, both positive and negative, and personal growth of four Jewish women. Gerber is skilled at inviting the reader into the story with her strong, realistic prose. This drama of the not-so-distant past captured my interest from beginning to end.

by Judith Helburn
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

The Victory Gardens of Brooklyn (Library of Modern Jewish Literature)

Merrill Joan Gerber is a writer who never disappoints me. I have read her books over the years and am one of those people who can't wait for the next one to come out.

I read this great story in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. I loved it. Felt like I was there all the time. I am so happy this one was published so that I could share in her world.

Thank you.

I have been reading her books since I first discovered them in the '60s. I await each new publication with eagerness. This book is Merrill Joan Gerber at her best. What could be better than a multi-generational family saga rich with character development and stories about an immigrant family just living their lives and trying to fulfill their dreams. This is "faction"--fiction based on fact. The book cover is an introduction to the family saga inside of the book.

This beautiful, well-written book even gives middle-schoolers a taste of literary criticsm. The text is adequate and sometimes even moving, working well with the decadent illustrations. My favorite thing about it is its depiction of Whitman's feelings about Lincoln, since many kids will only know Lincoln from the penny.

I am doing my Masters Project on the life of Walt Whitman during the Civil War. Though this book does not add anything new to my project, I am including it in my Bibliography because it is a book I think everyone should read. Yes, it is a children's book, but it accurately portrays the life of Whitman from the time he was a child to the time of his death. I particularly like the section about the Civil War and I know that the author has all the facts correct. What makes this book such a great reading experience is the accompanying art work on each page. The art is exceptional and adds to the reading experience. Whether you are a child or an adult with a passing interest in Whitman, this book should be on the top of your reading list.

My favorite page is the one directly after the Civil War spread. It contains the portraits of Civil War soldiers. What makes this special is that each picture is based on an actual photo of real people, and the one portrait in color is really Whitman's brother George (I am using the same picture in my Masters Project). Each painting of the portrait really captures the expression of the soldiers. My other favorite painting is the close up of Whitman's face as an old man at the end of the book. The sparkle in his eye captures the sparkle in the man's entire life.

This is a fantastic book that I highly recommend. You should look at it as an experience - it is not a complete biography of America's famous poet, but an interactive experience between the important events in his life and the paintings that convey meaning and significance. I am very happy I came across this book, and I think everyone who buys and reads this book will also be impressed.

This is the life story of the famous poet Walt Whitman. We learn about his life growing up on into adulthood. We learn that he had a real passion for America and it;'s people. This is where the inispration for his poems came from.



The book was written in picture book/ storty book form. Although it was a non-fiction book it was fun and easy to read.


We would recommed this book to others who are interested in knowing more about Walt Whitman. This would be helpful to students who might be researching his life for school projects.

The Barbara Kerly/Brian Selznick combination becomes more powerful each time it occurs. First of all, if you haven't gone out and viewed their "Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins" then you should do so immediately. Do not halt for man, angel, or beast. Just get out there, grab yourself a copy, and thank the high heavens that you did so before reaching the end of your brief span upon this globe. After having read that book (and you will be glad you did) you'll be ready to fully appreciate this author/illustrator duo's latest exploration into another fabulous human being's life. Our dear gay American poet Walt Whitman is their most recent subject and he is rendered here in full glorious life. Spotted with his poetry, his beliefs, and his incredible life, "Walt Whitman: Words For America" offers an answer to any kid who wonders why the heck they should study some old dead white guy from more than 100 years ago. A stirring answer at that.

Aside from the circular picture of Walt standing with a cocky fist on his hip, your first image in this book of the man displays him at the tender age of 12. Working carefully as a typesetter for a newspaper (comparisons to Ben Franklin seem obvious at this point), Walt began his career as a poet with a job that put him into direct messy contact with all kinds of letters and words. In addition to creating his own newspaper at 19, Walt read fantastical stories for his own amusement. You see him as a young man rushing through the streets of Manhattan fully clothed and along the beaches of Long Island buck naked (tastefully, of course). As Walt grew, his concern for fellow human beings, including the slaves of the South, did as well. He published "Leaves of Grass", traveled the country, then became involved with the war between the states. It's the Civil War that takes up most of Walt's life in this book. Whether he was tending to those wounded in battle, debating his own feelings towards President Lincoln, or collapsing from the exhaustion of working too darn hard, the book follows Whitman hither and thither. By the end Whitman truly became the poet of the people, giving the world poems that have remained deeply embedded in the human psyche, whether we know it or not.

As with their previous collaboration, Kerly and Selznick follow up their book with a long and extended section of additional facts about Mr. Whitman. They talk about how they become interested in the project, where their research took them, and how they feel about the man. They offer addition info on his life (preferring not to mention the whole homosexual aspect, I guess), Lincoln's life, and what Walt's life was like after the war. They also include eight poems, some complete and some just important snippets. It makes for a truly comprehensive picture book, I can tell you.

The book itself, however, is a visual delight. There are some truly gutsy moves being made within its pages. At one point you see only a bright blue sky containing a yellow sun and fast moving clouds containing the words, "Whoever you are now I place my hand upon you that you be my poem". At another point Selznick takes the photographs of the wounded holding slates and puts a word from a Whitman poem on each and every one. I was pleased to note that the authentic daguerreotypes that Selznick has reproduced here include black as well as white soldiers (something not every illustrator would think to include). Finally, in a truly cute move, Selznick just barely includes the two oranges and paper crane he found at Whitman's grave in the picture of the same.

As picture biographies go, this one is wordy but worth it. Kerley knows how to write an exciting tale and Whitman makes for a remarkably exciting personality. He's one of those heroes you aren't ashamed to call as such. A wonderful addition for anyone whose juvenile Whitman section seems a bit lacking.

Walt Whitman lived a life of a "rough", or an everyman, and his poetry reflected his very special common uniqueness. Going against prescribed form of the time, Whitman fashioned himself a style of poetry unto itself, brash, fresh, untamed. Such words can be used to descirbe this stunning, and I mean absolutely stunning, children's book on the life of Walt Whitman, by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Brian Selznick.

Never before have I seen a celebration of a poet's life done so wonderfully. It manages to capture the beautiful essence of the man, while explaining to children in an easy to understand manner. The life of Walt comes alive, from his childhood to the very last years of his life, and the text is peppered with awesome quotes from some of his most famous poems.

Particularly amazing his how Kerley describes Walt's selfless love of the Civl War soldiers whom he tended in Washington DC hospitals. His actions during this time show the depth of feeling he had for these poor boys, and children will respond with their innate sense of empathy towards Walt.

The text is amazing, and the pictures equal it. Selznick has illustrated Walt in all stages of his life, from child to the wizened old man we've all come to associate with him. Selznick's pictures are honest and endearing, again, those that relate to Walt's caring of the soldiers. Even using type similiar to that Walt would have used in his earlier typesetting days, the pictures support and extend the text timelessly.

It's been amazing that within the last few years, a spate of books celebrating our nation's most beloved poets are coming to fruition. It's about time. Our youth need to hear the voices of these people... Langston Hughes... Emily Dickinson... and now Walt Whitman, not only to instill a sense of pride with the country that they live, but also, within the sense of pride within themselves. This book will serve as a benchmark for these books in years to come.

This is a coming of age story of a girl and her brother living in a dysfunctional home. There were definitely times when I wanted to shout, "enough!". Still, the novel rings true, emotionally, and the protagonist is exceptionally well drawn, slowly maturing before your eyes. Thankfully, Eisenberg has a great sense of humor and there are some wonderfully lyrical passages. When the characters are briefly happy, so most definitely is the reader.

This is a brillant book, tracing a young kid's passage through family violece, addiction, pain, and love. The narrator blends the child's immediacy with the adult's wisdom, both touching you and teaching you. It's a real story that engages, reaches into your heart, and reminds you of your own pain and strugges. I love this book. Lucy is a winner, defying all odds--like David Copperfield, but from the Bronx! I can't remember when I read book I liked this much and that stayed with me this long.

Nora Eisenberg has written a book about growing up that is both achingly moving and hilarious--quite a feat to pull off! The small vignettes about her childhood gave me entrance into her family and neighborhood, and more than that, into life in New York in the 40's and 50's. I loved the honesty and compassion, the beauty and humor on every page of the book. A delicious read!

The "War At Home" is a beautifully written menoir-novel of a child, Lucy, struggling to grow up in a chaotic home where her parents are not up to the job in which they find themselves. The author writes in the child's voice with sensitivity and humor, the challenges growing up in a disfunctional family. The bond between Lucy and her brother Nicky is particuarly poignant, as they each find different ways to cope with their family's plight. The author, also, is adept at presenting a balanced picture of her parents, their strengths and weaknesses that gives depth to the story. I loved this book, and reccomend it highly. It stays with you long after you are finished with it.

This is an amazing book. It is the story of children who have to parent their parents. It made me cry but it also made me laugh over and over again. Once you start it, you can't put it down because you're rooting for the kids so hard. It is beautifully written and emotionally so true and satisfying. If you've experienced family violence, alcholism, drug addiction, or madness, you'll connect immemdiately; and if you haven't, you will feel like you have! If you liked This Boy's Life or Angela's Ashes, you'll love The War at Home.

A cousin of mine lives in Italy and her women's book group is considering inviting the author, Janice Eidus, of War of the Rosens to participate in their fall event. So she asked me to read it. The author is new to me and she is a deceptively powerful writer. I don't know how she did it but eventhough this age group, location, the projects in the Bronx in 1965, were totally foreign to me, I was there! It taught me that you don't have to identify with characters or their circumstances inorder to appreciate fine writing and poignancy.Do yourself a favor..read it, buy it!

I loved this book! I didn't think I would at first. Why would I be interested in a coming-of-age tale of a 10 year old girl? But Janice Eidus is such a talented writer. Before long, the reader discovers that this is more than the little girl's story. Eidus has an amazing ability to explore the actions and inner feelings of all of the book's main characters. I feel as if I've come to know these characters as well as I have ever known any fictional family.
Also, while Eidus does a wonderful job of depicting the lives and times of Bronx in the 1960's, her story is universal. The issues faced by the Rosen family, crises of religious faith, love and fidelity between husbands and wives, sibling rivalries, adolescent love, tensions between parents and children, and questions of illness and mortality will resound with readers of any time and from any background.
The book made me laugh and cry and I recommend it highly.

A book about a 10-year old Jewish girl in the Bronx seemed to me an unlikely page-turner, but I found this a compelling read. The social milieu is well-defined, and the characters are alive. Eidus does not shy away from portraying the little black corners of the two sisters' hearts (nasty characters are always more interesting), but the ultimate result of this 'war' is not devastation, but creation. Her quirky sense of humor(great names, for example)keep things moving along. I look forward to a sequel.

I found myself so engrossed in the Rosen family, that I read this book in 3 days. The characters were unusual, complex, yet sympathetic despite their flaws. They continue to linger with me, and I'm looking forward to the next book. (I also recommend "The Celibacy Club"--a short story collection by the same author. The first story "Elvis, Axl, and Me" is hysterical!)

This is a novel about the relationships among and between a mother and father and two daughters. The narrator reveals her family; her father whose politics put him at odds with the rest of the neighbors, her mother who works hard to care for husband and daughters, and her sister with whom she has tremendous sibling rivalry.

In one incident, the ten-year-old narrator sneaks into a Catholic church and has a conversation with the Virgin Mary. She dips her hand into the holy water font and fears that she has baptized herself.

I have met the writer and plan to read her other books.

We Think The World Of You is basically a tale of "you don't
get what you want you get what you get". In the case of Frank
he wanted Johnny but ends up with a dog named Evie. An amusing
and sly look at some working class personalities and carry on.

Fantastic book !

John

First published in 1960, this book is a delicious souffle, which J. R. Ackerley has whipped to perfection. It tells the hilarious story of the love triangle involving Frank, a buttoned-down civil servant, Johnny, the working class guy he's in love with, and the beautiful, headstrong Evie. As the story opens, Johnny has been sentenced to a year in jail for breaking and entering, and Frank is worried that this will give Johnny's pregnant wife, Megan, the chance to freeze him out of Johnny's life altogether.

But in the end it's the beautiful Evie that precipitates the final crisis, forcing Frank to go through some painful self-discovery along the way. Ackerley's tone is pitch-perfect throughout. An offbeat book that is completely hilarious.



Did I mention that Evie is a German shepherd?

It would be hard to make the case that WE THINK THE WORLD OF YOU is by any means a major work, but why should that lessen your fun? Ackerley's novel is very much a surprise in its relegation of its homoeroticism (dealt with very honestly and matter-of-factly) to the background; the protagonist's homosexuality is treated as simply a matter of course rather than as the center of concern, and what gets greater attention is his complicated relationship with his lover's family and dog.

The narrator himself is a terrific creation: sneaky, pompous, arrogant, and yet also somewhat likeable despite it all. And so too are the lover's parents and the dog herself--it all has the ring of reality about it. This is a minor delight, but a delight nonetheless.

This fantastic piece of high art just gets funnier and funnier and more blackly though generously hilarious with each successive page. Brilliant.

It's practically impossible to imagine a book like this being published in today's publishing atmosphere, but thankfully, NYRB is around to buck that trend. I mean what editor today would manage a straight face upon opening a proposal about a middle-aged gay man taking care of the irrepressible dog of his working-class lover who's in jail? But as usual, with any work of art -- craft, talent, intelligence, compassion -- this remarkable work is so much more than that. Around its droll premise, Ackerley found a way to brilliantly expose the pettiness of people, regardless (or precisely because) of their social standing. The dog, which is just as vividly alive as each of this novel's (bipedal) characters, is really only it's lovable catalyst. But finally, what makes this work astounding is how it slyly and assuredly gets funnier and funnier and more blackly though generously hilarious with each successive page. A real snicker of a book.