New York Books

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Several of my grandchildren have learned to love van Gough's art. This is a nice introduction and an easy reference.

This is a beautiful book and a wonderful introduction to art for young children. In addition, children who are just learning to read can read the book themselves. My kindergarten aged grandson can read most of the book and loves to talk with an adult about the art. This book links meaningfully to the Baby Van GoghBaby Van Gogh video in the Baby Einstein series.

I have been an early childhood educator for over 36 years and am delighted that "Vincent's Colors" is available to my young students, ages 3-6. It is an exquisite introduction not only to the work of Vincent VanGogh but to the observation of color and art forms. In addition, the vocabulary associated with each picture links literacy to this introduction to art. Research clearly shows that the arts strengthen brain connections, particularly during the first five years of life. Every young child deserves this book in their early library!

I am a teacher in a class of 2 year olds and they LOVE this book. I have to read it at least 3 times per week, in addition to the children "reading" it themselves. The pictures are so bright and the words are so simple. We have even done pictures based on their favorite painting "Starry Night". I highly recommend this book to be added to any personal or classroom collection, especially if you are promoting art.

Vincents Colors is a beautiful book. I purchased it for my preschool to go along with the theme of illustrators and authors. The teachers used this book as a resource to go along with that theme.The children loved looking at the pictures.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Picking up two years after events depicted in "Closing Time" very little has changed for Terry Orr. He still misses his wife and young son and he still isn't writing. He is still doing some private investigator work in the hopes of learning the skills necessary to take down the madman responsible for the pain he and Bella feel.

When his housekeeper asks him to talk to a friend of hers in need, the least he can do is talk to her. The friend's name is Dorotea Salgado and she wants her daughter Sonia Salgado found. One wouldn't think it would be too hard to find her since Sonia only recently got out of prison after serving a thirty-year prison sentence for the murder of a diamond merchant in the course of a robbery. The murder was particularly brutal and Terry wonders from the beginning how a physically small high school student could have done it. He wonders that and a lot more when he finds Sonia dead days later. The case quickly becomes something he can't give up and before long this obsession, like his others, puts him crosswise with everyone around him.

This second novel of the series does not suffer the usual fatal flaws most second novels do. The writing remains top notch as the author continues to expand Orr's world and further nuance the cast of recurring characters. Bella continues to appear smarter than her years to the reader and yet, at other times, there is an endearing child like quality to her known by many parents of the young teenager set. Also realistic is Terry's continuing pain over the loss of his wife and young child as well as his first real tentative steps in returning to the world around him instead of just living day to day. Overriding everything is another complicated and well done mystery where almost everyone has a hidden agenda quite possible worth killing for.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

New to me, at least. This is the first book by him that I've read. I loved it.

Talk about atmosphere. This is a gritty NYPD kind of Manhattan book. Some of the police are just a tad better than the criminals and it's not clear who you can trust. The book is set in Manhattan just after 9-11, and the detective-protagonist lives not far from the site. From time to time, some memories of 9-11 are introduced. Everyone is still dealing emotionally with the impact of the attack.

Terry Orr, our detective (he's an independently wealthy but living modestly author turned private investigator), is also recovering from a devastating loss: his wife and infant son had been killed in a random act of violence in the subway, and he is left grieving and raising his daughter by himself. His housekeeper approaches him about a woman who is trying to locate her daughter, who has just been released from prison after serving 30 years for a violent murder. She says she needs to talk to her about her grandchild, the daughter's son she has raised.

Lo and behold, Orr learns that the daughter had no children, so he's left wondering what's going on. Before too long, he gets caught up in a murder investigation.

The writing, plotting, and character development in this book are very good, and it was compelling enough to keep me up long after my bedtime. I only hope his other mysteries are as good. I look forward to reading them.

If you want a mystery that does nothing but deliver suspense, this is not the book for you. This book opens with a quotation from Epictetus which speaks of the human soul and choice, and concludes: "For ruin and recovery alike are from within." A WELL-KNOWN SECRET offers both a literary mystery and a very engaging exploration of human ruin and recovery.

I see that this is the second in a series. I had not read the first, and found that the book stood on its own.

Terry Orr, our hero, is a writer turned amateur detective. He is engaged to solve mystery of Sonia Salgado, who has spent 30 years in prison for a murder she did not commit. What really happened? Why did she do it? Why was she murdered after being released from prison? Terry unravels this decades-old mystery in classic amateur PI fashion -- asking questions, getting less-than-straight answers, getting a bit battered in the process. That part of the novel is well executed, but not overwhelmingly new and different. What makes A WELL-KNOWN SECRET stand out -- and it does stand out -- is the other stories that Fusilli is telling.

A WELL-KNOWN SECRET is set in post 9-11 New York City. That story of ruin and recovery runs throughout the book. The more personal ruin that we unravel is that of Terry Orr himself. We read in a newspaper story at the beginning of the book that Terry's wife and infant son were killed four years ago. In the course of his solving the mystery, we find out more about what happened and why, and watch to see if and how Terry and his daughter will recover.

A WELL-KNOWN SECRET is a fine novel and an enjoyable mystery. Its somewhat leisurely pace will likely madden anyone after a strict suspense fix. However, if you are willing to slow down a bit, it is a very rewarding read. I found it a bit slow at first, but once hooked, I could not put it down. I read A WELL-KNOWN SECRET in one sitting. I will definitely pick up the next Terry Orr novel!

For someone only on his second novel, Fusilli certainly has it nailed. Terry Orr, historian turned private detective, lost his wife and infant son four years ago when a madman (whom he thinks of as The Madman) pushed them in front of a subway train. Now he obsesses on revenge, to the detriment of his career, his friends, and (sometimes) his precocious daughter, Bella. The plot this time revolves around a thirty-year-old mugging that became a murder, and the death of the newly-released woman who went to prison for it. Everybody in the case has secrets, not least of all the Mango brothers, who are a good deal more scary than in Fusilli's first book. Terry works things out in a wholly believable manner, partly by research, partly by instinct. The subplot, about Terry's buddy, rock critic Dennis Diddio, and his hopes for an industry award, is funny and compassionate. So is his struggle to deal with the attentions of Julie, a very nice ADA who believes in him. But arching over everything else is New York City in the aftermath of September 11th, when Terry's personal loss is overshadowed. Fusilli's work has great specificity of place -- you could walk through the city, book in hand, and see every detail he talks about -- and that's what makes this a standout piece of writing.

This book is a fantastic work of love. Love for New York, pre and post 9/11, love for music, food (especially Italian) and it's characters.
The central character, Terry Orr, is mourning his wife's death and acts as a sort of detective. His slow progress back to the world of the living parallels his attempts to unravel a mystery from the 70's. It's a great piece of writing, filled with poetry and hard, tough words.
There may be a few too many plot contrivances but the clear picture of modern NYC and the people who fill it more than make up for them. This is a great modern detective novel equal to anything by James Lee Burke, the other master of this type of novel.
I'm psyched for the next book.