California Books

I usually read non-fiction when I need help getting to sleep. Not so, Enigma Woman. I was up until 1:00 A.M. finishing it.

Well written, good historical background, and an exciting real life story.

I highly recommend this book. But don't plan on falling asleep reading it.

This book is about my aunt(through marriage) and I personally know the author did a lot of research. I commend her.

This book has something for everyone. It's a compelling crime drama, a carefully layered character study and a cultural history that provides insights into gender roles, the legal system and the media of the 1930s and the 1940s.

Nellie May Madison was an unusual and at times a desperate woman, but she found the inner strength to avoid being a victim on two occasions. The author masterfully re-creates her story, including pain-staking research about her Montana pioneer family.

The book has lots of surprising legal twists and turns. But what sets it apart is the larger story it tells about the life and times of Southern California during that period.

One note of caution: don't start the book if you need to go to bed early, I couldn't put it down.

I first became aware of Nellie Madison in the summer of 2006 when I was told that she was buried at the historic Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernadino, CA. Well, I was told that a "woman who was on death row" was buried there, but no further information was given. A few months later I located Nellie's victim, her husband Erik Madison, at Vallhala Cemetery in North Hollywood and the pieces of the puzzle all came together. Then I heard that Proferssor Cairns was about to publish a book about the entire case! Talk about it being a small world.

The book is excellent. Sources are cited throughout, no tabloid style writing, no sensational prose. A welcome relief from most true crime stories. She did an amazing amount of research, interviewing people connected to Nellie, obtaining archival photos, everything you would hope to see but rarely do.

Nellie Madison's story deserved to be told, and Ms. Cairns did an excellent job sharing it.

The doctrine of self-defense has always required an "imminent" danger. To a man, "retreat" involves a physical act. But a beaten woman who decides to get her man before he gets her often preemptively strikes while he's incapacitated.

Alas, the law has always shaken a finger at slaying a sleeping drunk.

Nellie Madison woman shot her sleeping husband in the back, and the lawyers and the press didn't know what to make of it. Indeed, her lawyer kicked women off the jury and refused to put on the evidence that would explain why she did it, and the puzzled jurors contemplated the bloody bed set up in the courtroom and sentenced her to hang.

This book finally tells us the entire tale of Nellie Madison for the first time, and it is so terrifically researched, so well put together, you might forget the story took place in 1934. It's supposed to be an "academic" book, and was published by The University of Nebraska Press, yet it's anything but a stuffy academic treatment, and it's a physically lovely, beautifully produced book.

The crime rags were quick to put a moniker on Mrs. Madison, referring to her as "a real-life Roxie Hart," among other names, and dubbed her crime one of the most mysterious in the annals. An investigator called her "the coolest woman I have ever questioned."

Purple prose never fades, and the author couldn't help but quote some of the press accounts. My favorite, courtesy the Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express:

"Like the opening of a detective mystery will be the prosecution's evidence in the trial of the comely 'enigma woman.' There will be told in court the screams of a woman at midnight, excited footfalls in dim halls. Then, like the closing chapters of a 'thriller,' in which the mystery is solved, the story of Mrs. Madison will unroll before the jury, providing, it is hoped by the defendant and her counsel, an adequate excuse for blasting Eric Madison into eternity as he lay on his bed that fateful night."

She was an unusual woman; she began her marital adventures at 13 and was divorced several times -- this when divorce rates were in the single digits -- and yet she never had children.

Then she bought a handgun and made herself a widow. Witnesses originally thought the gunshots came from the adjacent Warner Brothers Studio. Despite the Hollywood backdrop, Nellie May missed her cue; she didn't weep into her handkerchief for the press. Indeed she refused to say anything at all about the murder until she was behind bars and sentenced to swing.

Then she told a story of rib-cracking abuse -- and it was backed up by the dead man's other loves, who told virtually identical stories of stranglings and beatings and humiliations that the flashpoint-tempered Eric Madison heaped upon the many women in his shortened life.

The Enigma Woman is a wonderful piece of storytelling, masterfully constructed, and the author obviously put many miles on her car getting the full story. I wish I'd written it, and I stand in awe of anyone who can glean so many fascinating details from a case that's coated in decades of dust.

I also noticed Amazon is pairing it for sale with The Good-Bye Door, the book out last fall about electrocuted 1930s serial killer Anna Hahn, another I enjoyed very much for the same qualities.

The Enigma Woman is top-shelf stuff for votaries of high quality historic crime stories. Professor Cairns will keep you mesmerized in contemplation of a most curious murder case, one in which our recalcitrant heroine could not speak until she was within the shadows of the gallows, one in which the victim may well have had it coming in spades and by golly got it.

This is by far my favorite vegetarian cookbook. I've owned the book for almost 6 years now and given it as a gift to friends atleast 3 times :) Nothing at all needs to be done to these scrumptous recipes to "doctor" them up. My wife and I are vegetarians, but really require a lot of flavor in our dishes, and in our experience many recipes in the vegetarian cookbooks lack the flavor...we are often times needing to add a little of our own spices or salt to make them taste they way we would like them. These recipes are good as they are and oh so tasty!!!! My favorite recipe is the Indian Garbanzo Bean Curry (it's not the actual name given the recipe in the book) but it is oh so good. I have made it atleast a dozen times and have never had left overs. My favorite story is, I once made this recipe for a friend in order to deliver some as a gift, and by accident got my gift sack containing my tupperware of curry mixed up with an East Indian family's Indian dish that they were bringing for their Indian friend :) To make a long story short, their friend got my dish by mistake...or... divine providence, and loved every spoonful and thought it had been cooked by an Indian, which I am not. Two THUMBS UP!!! It's really a nice collection of Recipes.

I was excited to happen across this book and was hoping the recipes would offer simplicity and they do. Not only that, but most every ingredient can be found in your local grocery mart. No need to shop exclusively at organic / natural food stores for many of the ingredients contained within. The recipes are simple and short.

I spent a few days at The Expanding Light a number of years ago and recall my hesitancy over the menu. Not being a vegetarian at that time and not totally understanding what I was going to be eating left me a little wary. I have to say that I walked away from the retreat with a new found love.

If you're looking for good, wholesome and simple, this book is one of the best. Furthermore, if you're a new vegetarian, making this book part of your kitchen will get you off to an excellent start.

This book by Blanche McCord has the most fantastic, easy to follow recipes. Everyone absolutely loves the food I make when I cook from this cook book. Example: While camping last weekend one of our friends sampled a little of the red pesto pasta salad. The next day before we left he asked if I had any left. I said yes, that he should help himself to it. Later when I returned to our RV I spotted the empty container that had held the salad. He couldn't help himself. He finished it. Aside from the food being out of this world, you get insight as to why the food that comes out of Ananda is so outstanding.

We've been vegetarians for many years and have all the popular vegetarian cookbooks--but this is something different. The recipes are healthy and yet very tasty. I would say these recipes satisfy. I especially liked the menu ideas in the back of the book, which offer very creative and thoughtful combinations. It's also very interesting to learn how this yoga retreat makes their food "better"--I found the tips very helpful and inspiring.

I recently stayed at the Expanding Light Yoga Retreat and was awe-struck at the wonderful, flavorful foods created by Blanche. Eating was truly a spiritual experience that left everyone with satisfied bellies, calm minds, and smiling faces. As a vegetarian who loves to cook, there was no question that I would leave this place without this book. I have been nothing but delighted to read and create beautiful meals that are easy to make, maximizing the yield of flavors from just a few ingredients which I almost always have in my kitchen already, and well explained. The interview with the author at the beginning of the book, having spent time with her at the retreat, truly exemplifies the spirit in which she approaches her meal-planning and cooking-creating healthy food with a loving heart warms the spirits of all who share in eating it. The meal plan suggestions are truly thoughtful and outlined according to the season of the year. I cannot say enough good things about this book, and I have given it as a gift to a vegan already (almost all the recipes are vegan!). I highly recommend it to anyone.

Two years ago, then San Jose Sentinel reporter Linda Maldonado worked with private investigator Allen Choice on a case (see UNDERKILL). They became lovers, but eventually she ended their romance without explanation. Saddened he moved on professionally and personally.

Linda comes to Oakland where Allen is a partner in Baxter & Choice, a private investigation firm because her niece has been abducted by her nasty abusive father. She wants to hire Allen to rescue nine-year-old Nora from Frank Staunton, who snatched the child because he loathes his former wife and will do anything to hurt her. Allen's current girlfriend Serena Yew would prefer he not accept the case because of his previous affair with the client that he may not have gotten over. Allen himself knows how dangerous the rescue would be as the target is mean and cruel, but a pussy cat next to the guy's killing machine brother. Though facing Hobson's choice, Allen accepts the challenge in which law enforcement at all levels have failed.

FADE TO CLEAR is a terrific private investigative urban noir story starring a delightful protagonist, who is a hodgepodge of conflicting emotions that make him endearing to the audience (don't tell Choice what I called him). The story line is action-packed yet at times quite humorous as the bewildered Allen often leads with his chin in spots that could prove deadly when the case turns out even more dangerous than dealing with the lunatic Staunton siblings.

Harriet Klausner

Fade To Clear, $23.95 US, was penned by Leonard Chang. Thomas Dunne Books published this title in 2004. This novel is the third entry in the Allen Choice Series. The two books preceding it are Over The Shoulder and Underkill. Allen Choice is a thirtysomething private investigator living in San Francisco, just trying to succeed in the world.

As we enter this new installment, we find Allen Choice is now a full partner in Baxter & Choice Investigations. The story launches in an Oakland warehouse chock full of stolen computers and peripherals, where Allen and his partner Larry Baxter are being held at gunpoint by a fast-talking Jamaican gangster. Maybe breaking in here wasn't such a bright idea?

Despite being surprised by the thug, Allen and Larry outsmart him long enough to get away before even more armed criminals arrive. B&C bring the police in on the multimillion-dollar fencing operation after fleeing the warehouse. However, Allen isn't enjoying this work very much. His employment seems tenuous at best; he's also unsure where he stands with his girlfriend Serena.

Enterprising though he may be, Allen is actually overly introspective compared to protagonist in other series fiction I've read. He's fixated on the works of Kierkegaard and other philosophers -- when he isn't working as a P.I. -- and he's also obsessed with long-distance running. Oh, did I mention? He's Korean-American, but speaks no Korean, and feels guilty about this.

These identity paradoxes intrigue me and I find Chang's writing fascinating. Allen's father died while he was young, so he was raised outside Korea by Aunt Insook. He's Korean but he doesn't feel Korean. He feels American. It bothers him when people bring up ethnicity. Serena is Korean. Ex-girlfriend Linda wasn't. He seems conflicted about his race -- fitting in.

Of course, I can't recall any other character in series fiction that's been assimilated into another culture. Can you? Broadcast and newspaper coverage about immigration seems abundant in 2006. Present-day immigrants (legal or otherwise) typically don't assimilate; they reside in `language enclaves' and resist learning any English. Allen Choice represents the antithesis of these trends; ergo Chang's novel feels sophisticated.

Complications arise for Allen when Linda Maldonado reappears in his life. Needless to say, Serena doesn't like it when Allen agrees to take on a case regarding ex-girlfriend Linda's abducted niece Nora. Allen's ambivalence about the case is tempered by the urgent need to locate Nora; she's merely a little girl caught in the crossfire of a bitter divorce battle.

Looking into Nora's abduction requires Allen to scrutinize Linda's former brother-in-law Frank. This guy was rich -- he was going to lose a fortune in any divorce -- so when Linda's sister Julie started playing hardball in the custody case, Frank decided to liquefy his assets, grab Nora, and flee to Mammoth Lakes with the help of his family and business associates.

Eventually Allen realizes Frank Staunton is a bad seed. He's involved in drug smuggling and money laundering through shell corporations. Frank's got a nasty brother (named Rick) that's running interference for him when Allen sniffs around and his sister (Deirdre) and parents in Seattle (Doug and Marilyn) aren't much help to B&C either. Allen ultimately locates Nora by investigating Staunton family contacts.

As you might know, excellent writers like Chang assign characters at least one major problem they must solve before the end of the book. Chang wisely hinders Allen Choice with two major obstacles. The first involves an arson fire that destroys his office (foreshadowing) during the abduction investigation; the second involves the unexpected death of a beloved friend. I won't divulge whom.

Readers will find that Leonard Chang pens dark crime novels that defy the conventional. If you're studious, you'll realize this nuanced novel has mass-market appeal. My one recommendation to Leonard would be that he may want to double or triple his chapter count, and concentrate on writing shorter chapters. More `action' and `less literary' would signify the ideal way forward.


______________________________________________________________________


The Book:
Fade To Clear,
Thomas Dunne Books

ISBN:
0312308450 or
9780312308452

Pages:
322 Pages

Rating:
5 Stars

Chapters:
29 Numbered Chapters

If You Like Fade To Clear, you might enjoy:
Choke Point
Country of Origin
Little Girl Lost
The Interpreter
The Wake-Up

Recommended:
Yes

All of Chang's books are worth reading. This one, the third in the Allen Choice series, is no exception. The plot is well crafted, the characters well-rounded and believable, and the suspense written perfectly. I'd be hard-pressed to come up with a better contemporary crime novel. To top all of this off, Chang's use of voice, and the change of point of view in this novel (third person here, first in the previous two), make for an interesting literary read as well as for a page-turning crime yarn.

The sad part? The rumors are that this is the last in the series for a while. Maybe the publisher deserves some emails?

The third Allen Choice mystery is the best yet. I'm so glad I discovered these books and gave them a try. If you haven't read these yet, you've got some pleasant reading waiting for you.

Choice is a great character, easy to identify with. You want the best for him, even when it looks like things can't possibly work out. He knows he should be paying more attention to his current girlfriend, Serena, but can't help himself when former girlfriend, Linda, featured in the previous two novels, comes looking for his help in finding her niece, kidnapped by her estranged father during a custody dispute. Linda seems to have some sort of hold over him, yet the more he thinks about it, the more he realizes how much he loves Serena and that he wants to be with her.

Allen is an introspective, lonely guy who is quietly becoming something of a success in his chosen profession of private detective. Yet he still finds it hard to fathom other people and he hasn't quite figured out why Serena keeps getting so mad at him during his investigation. There's a philosophical undercurrent running through things, too, as Allen keeps coming back to the Kierkegaard he's been reading and trying to fit it into his everyday life.

There are some dangerous bad guys at work, and bad things happen to the people he cares about, but Allen is ultimately able to solve the mystery and make a real step forward in his relationship with Serena. Here's hoping this series lasts a long and satisfying time. Highly recommended!

What is really interesting about this novel and the others by Leonard Chang is how they are not just about solving a crime. These novels are about a lonely man trying to figure out his relationships and his place in the world. He just happens to be a PI now. It's not as hardboiled as I usually like my crime novels, but it's deeper and more thoughtful than pretty much any other crime series out there. Smilla's Sense of Snow is similar. Henning Mankell's series are close. I also like these novels are about a Korean-American guy, but not overdoing the race issue. He's Everyman.

Some time ago I was fortunate enough to bump into the books by Jan Karon's Mitford series. I never ever, in my wildest dreams, imagined that I would or could find another author to compare in almost every way to Ms.Karon. Until JoAnn Levy and her "For California's Gold! Her Sarah Daniels completelly captivated me. She is real, and so very human!She became someone who I knew, not one I simply read about. The events, the happenings, the turmoil, the tragedies, all were not simply constructed descriptions. They catapulted me right into those times, those places, and I shared Sarah's sorrow, her utter despair, kl and her unheralded courage and feelings of fear, guilt and despair. The members of her family became as close to me as they were to her! And when she finally cried, I also cried. And yet, I was so very glad that ultimately she found a measure of peace and acceptance so that she could go on with her life. And so did I. Her most appealing quality was that she definitelyl was NOT a heroine, and the ones she met along the way were definitely not heroes. Thank God for that, and thank you, JoAnn Levy for allowing me to find true and honest ability and talent in a journalistic world filled and overflowing today with incompetence and unmitigated commercialized trash! So JoAnn, I also am pleased to utter what Mr. J.S.Holliday scrawled on your manuscript, "This is good! Ed Stember Sr.

"For California's Gold" filled in a lot of blanks for me, and it should do the same for most readers. We all know the rush west was an extreme ordeal. We all know settling California was an ordeal of another kind. We all know tragedy dogged the steps of the men and women who took on the challenge. But therein lies the unsuspected void in our knowledge, certainly in my knowledge.

Before reading this book I gave no particular thought to the nature of my understanding of these historical events. Now I've learned a new perspective is as beneficial in literature as it is in trying to find the car keys. In one 280-page book, JoAnn Levy has given the whole thing life.

Ms. Levy is a unique writing talent - she has done what few authors have the nerve to try; she has written a historical novel in the first person, and she has done it so beautifully it seems as if the book was indeed written in 1856 by a tempered-by-tragedy woman named Sarah Daniels.

Ms. Levy is remarkably clever in her use of storytelling techniques which successfully weave multiple threads of interest from the first page to the last. The attentive reader will pick up on this finely developed skill in the second sentence of the first chapter. Ms. Levy employs similar techniques throughout, and it is a delight.

This book is such a good read that it is recommended on that basis alone. But if a fascinating and unique look at one of the watershed eras in world history also interests you, then you will be doubly rewarded.

Thank you, Joann, for sharing Sarah Daniels with the rest of the world. I realize that she is a compilation of many of the ladies you found in your research for your earlier books on the Gold Rush, but her character is so real you can just picture her walking through her life with all its joys and sorrows. The numbness she felt at the death of each of her children especially rings true, as I watched my mother do the same thing.

This is Joann's best work yet. I look forward to the next.

This is surely Levy's best work yet. If I didn't know for sure that Levy is alive and well, I'd swear this was autobiographical. The main character, Sarah, is so complete, so real! She's the type of character who proves that greatness and heroism comes from simple, down-to-earth determination. The book is no-frills, no pretense. Just a deeply touching, well-written story. I highly recommend this to anyone who, like me, reads to celebrate the human spirit.

For California's Gold is a gem of a story! JoAnn Levy's tale of Sarah's journey through life is enduring to all women. She writes with great heart, compassion and knowledge of women's hopes, fears, loves and losses that are timeless. If you read just one book this year, let it be For California's Gold.

This is a great little book. I love the way it's organized and love that it includes web addresses for everything, as well as days, times, and seasons for events, information on public transportation routes and free parking, etc. I'm traveling a long distance to spend just less than a week in SF on a small budget, and I've got my days entirely planned out because of the information in this book. It's well worth the small expense. When I'm done with my little trip, I'm gifting this book to my son who lives in the Bay Area, and I'm sure he'll use it until it falls apart!

I've grown up in the Bay Area and there are so many things in this book that I've always wanted to do. Now that I know they are FREE I will do them! I'm always looking for fun stuff to do with my 2 young boys and I now have a long list of activities to look forward to (like the SF Firefighter Museum). The book is super easy to use too, which is a bonus since I don't have a lot of time to research things. I'd recommend this book to both visitors and natives.

Troy Corley, the "Free and Frugal Fun Expert" from Corley Guides, publishes a series of pocket travel guides to free fun in major metropolitan areas. Free San Francisco is the newest guide in the series, which also features titles on Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and New York. As a bonus, the California titles also include Thomas Guide map coordinates for all guidebook entries.

Free San Francisco covers not just SF proper, but also Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, Marin, The Peninsula, and Wine Country. Attractions by the bay include bridges, public beaches, visitor's centers and landmarks like Telegraph Hill, Chinatown, the Haight, Nob Hill, and the cable car interchanges. Golden Gate Park and Gold Gate National Recreation Area each warrant their own chapter, and with dozens of attractions each, one could spend the better part of a year having fun for free near the Golden Gate. One can imagine spending a few tourist dollars at some of these sites (riding the cable cars, for instance), but it would be possible to enjoy all these landmarks for free.

I recommend Free San Francisco not just for the budget-conscious or family-oriented traveler. This is a must-have guide for locals, too! I know I couldn't take advantage of a fraction of these opportunities during a San Francisco vacation, but fortunately I visit from Southern California, so I can make some repeat trips to take advantage of all the bargains.

As someone who has been criss-crossing the country for six years (see my book Cheap Motels and a Hot Plate: an Economist's Travelogue), I am always looking for good travel guides. This books is one of the best I have seen. It is well-conceived, organized, and written. I had no idea that there were so many great free and cheap things to do in the Bay Area--from concerts, to museums, to art walks, and hikes. I will definitely check out the other books in the series. And I'll be keeping this one, since we are planning to move to Berkeley next year. Michael D. Yates

I have gotten all of these books, Free L.A., Free Orange County... These make perfect gifts, stocking stuffers, or just given on a whim. I got a copy for neighbor who lived in San Francisco for the first part of her career, and who goes back often. And I got another copy for a gal in our office who travels twice year up there to visit family. And, why not, I got one for myself for when I visit the Bay Area. Great concept and well done.

It is so refreshing to fine a new and simple to follow cookbook. I have hundreds of cook books, Chef Ash teaches and reminds of things we should all know about cooking. If you are just starting to cook or are a seasoned cook you will absolutely love have this in your kitchen. I received this for a Christmas and have not stopped cooking from it. I've made all my friends buy it because I'm tired of writting down the recipes. Get yours now.

I've had the pleasure of taking a cooking class with John Ash. He's fun, informative and passionate about quality, organic food. His knowledge is deep and his ability to communicate, written and verbal, is first rate. The cookbook is loaded with fabulous recipes that are easy to follow and delicious.

I love this cookbook, not only because I love the flavors of the wine country and John Ash has a great mix of recipes that convey them, but also because the philosophy behind the recipes relies so heavily on using fresh, seasonal, local ingredients. The recipes are not super-simple, but if you have some cooking experience and are willing to take the time to search for the best ingredients, the rewards are well worth it.

I have used this book more than any other cookbook in my home. I am constantly learning about new, fresh ingredients and the results are really wonderful. Every time I cook using these recipes, my friends ask me for the recipe. I've purchased this book for several friends too - it's a great gift, especially if you live in Northern California. Visiting John Ash's restaurant is a wonderful experience too!

A new revised and expanded edition of an old favorite. We all know that the process of getting food is to plant, raise, or catch it, then cook and eat it. But John Ash takes it a bit further. He concentrates primarily on serving what is in season now, what he can get fresh - especially fresh from his own garden or at least local.

Sometimes, of course that's a little hard to do. For instance he cooks a lot of fish, tuna, sturgeon, pacific rock cod, halibut and more. It's a whole bunch of miles from here (Nevada) to the ocean, you want tuna, it's frozen. Sturgeon, never seen it here. Cod, I got some a couple of weeks ago for the first time. Now I wish I had had this book then, as the recipie of cooking it with oranges, tomatoes, and olives sounds really different and something worth trying. ==One point I really like about this book is his wine recommendations. With the rock cod he says sauvignon blanc, rieslings, Pinot Grigio or Noir. I think I could go with any of these.

On the whole, his earlier version of this book was good, this new one is even better, more recipies, more things to try, and nearly all of them sound good.

Prof. Schatz does not suffer from the scholar's disease of academic-speak and writes a book that clearly demonstrates his expertise on the studio structure. Most books I have read extended the view of the outsider looking in at the star system and not the economics of the studios. "Genius of the System" chronicles the history of the studio's business, that is to say the economics and the people behind the economics.

If you want to read about the business structure of Hollywood during its beginnings, this is the book for you. I cannot recommend it enough.

An easy to read writer, Thomas Schatz details how the studio system worked from the silent era to its final collapse in the 1960s.

He illuminates both the art and the business of films, with keen analysis of how producers, directors and screenwriters created such fine art (and rich profits) -- especially the producers, who are more the authors of Hollywood films than any other group.

He convincingly portrays MGM's Irving Thalberg as a genius of art and commerce and MGM's Louis B. Mayer as a clod (except when dealing with difficult stars).

Schatz offers telling portraits of many others who did their best work under the constraints of the Hollywood system. He details the major studios' styles and how they evolved over the years. It's clear he has read file cabinets of documents, from endless -- but revealing -- memos to how much the stars made(!).

He also puts the film industry in social and cultural context; he even says the anti-communist witch hunts of the 1940s and 1950s were a disguised form of anti-semitism.

In the end, Schatz offers a convincing alternative to the auteur theory.

Thomas Schatz argues in this brilliantly detailed book that even more remarkable then the motion pictures Hollywood produced from the early 20's through about the end of the 40's, was the detailed process of how Hollywood was able to churn out these quality films on a routine basis.

Schatz does a remarkable job of diagraming the rise of the studio system in Hollywood. The book is remarkably easy to follow (compared to any of Andrew Sarris's works) and includes numerous photographs. He focuses most on the trials and tribulations of Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and MGM and their distinct, integrated studio styles (RKO is mentioned to a lesser extent as well).

Producers Irving Thalberg, David O. Selznick, Daryl Zanuck and director Alfred Hitchcock are featured prominently and rightfully so. Also, includes many of the behind the scene battles between studios and directors/producers.

There are some minor criticisms though. He almost completely ignores Paramount and Colombia Pictures. Paramount was as much a factory set-up as MGM and deserves more attention. And the decline of the studio system is sparse compared to the rise of. But aside from that, this book is an enjoyable read and recommend it to anyone who is fascinated with early Hollywood.

Schatz's book is well-rounded and nicely structured. It was a good decision on his part to take a round-robin focus on each studio instead of trying to mix them together, as some authors have. All of the studios had different ideas about what they wanted to achieve in their work, so this approach makes sense. Twentieth-Century Fox and Paramount were left out completely, but Schatz was clearly trying to choose one studio of each type of size and characteristic so as to keep control of the scope of the book.

I did find a glaring error--the finale to "Babes in Arms" was not the minstral number, but the song, "God's Country." In a book of this size, or of any size for that matter, errors will creep in, so it isn't the kiss of death. However, if the reader is familiar with MGM musicals, it may be a small turn-off.

Also, I wasn't satisfied with the epilogue. Instead of citing examples of the comeback of the studio system (LucasFilm, for instance), Schatz simply outlines the creative decline of Alfred Hitchcock. Huh.

Slight shortcomings aside, this book is very entertaining. I wish my film studies textbooks had been this interesting.

Film theorist Andre Bazin once wrote "The American cinema is a classical art, but why not then admire in it what is most admirable, i.e., not only the talent of this or that filmmaker, but the genius of the system." Quite simply author Thomas Schatz had done just that with this groundbreaking and wondrously entertaining history of the Hollywood studio era.

Up until its publication in 1988, film history had been defined by the "auteur" school of thinking where the director is the supreme artist who nurtured the art form. The studio executives- the money men- were relegated to the background and often depicted as crass capitalist who often hindered the creative process.

In Schatz's eyes, men like Carl Laemmle, Darryl F. Zanuck, David O. Selznick, Harry Warner, and Irving Thalberg were intuitive geniuses who understood the art of storytelling and were able to systematically deliver that art to the masses with drive and innovation. From the low rent beginnings of the Nickelodeon to steady decline of the studio system amid the dawn of Television, these men set standards that are sadly not met by today's faceless conglomerates. They all created "the movies" as we fondly perceive it and Schatz lets the creation of 20th century popular culture unfold with a finely turned narrative sweep.

This is a clear, amusing and readable account of how Joan Darrah went from being a volunteer leader to become the mayor of Stockton, CA. Her engaging style makes it seem both doable and worthwhile. She recounts how much she was able to do by diplomacy and persuasion to dramatically reduce crime in the city and to take control of the city's development away from the developers and give it back to the people. Inspiring. And she is so likable. You end up feeling as though you have just had a good talk with a fine mentor. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone concerned about civic affairs.

This memoir is one of the most potent stories I have ever read about a woman politician. Joan Darrah is a phenomenal example of what women can do and overcome in the largely male dominated world of politics. I was so inspired not only by how she rose to the powerful position of mayor, but the ways in which whe changed the city of Stockton. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a strong woman who has accomplished so many remarkable things.

Women working in the political arena, whether as politicians, activists, or in a myriad of other areas, struggle with finding traveled paths relevant to their goals. What Joan Darrah has ratified is that our desires to be agents for positive change in our communities are worthy and that a path has been traveled. GETTING POLITICAL - STORIES OF A WOMAN MAYOR recounts her experiences as Mayor of Stockton, CA that led to a resurgence of community pride in her city and tremendous personal growth for herself. Darrah's book is a candid, intimate, and inspiring look at a woman successfully putting herself "out there." The community Joan speaks of is 250,000 but the experiences of a woman leading are universal to all that have chosen to put their foot forward. A must read for women that have been there and those that want to go.

Joan Darrah presents us with a remarkable testament of one strong woman's effort to change the political terrain of a community of 250,000, Stockton California. She succeeds.

Why wasn't there a book forty years ago when I was in college like this book? It is a real political primer, one which in real life stories, detail the evolution of a woman from a non-profit type leader to a shrewd politician.

Episode after episode detail the daunting challenges of Stockton in the nineties: the drowning of several children by the out of control Calaveras River, the disastrous designation of Stockton by FEMA as being in a flood plain--it could have been an economic calamity for Stockton, and the tragic shooting of a property owner and a policman in a drug raid.

Nothing could probably overshadow the horror of the lone gunman who shot to death several students at their school. How does a relative newcomer handle such awesome challenges? Joan Darrah does and jumps back and forth successfully from being the loving caretaker to the shrewd politician.

One incident, however, enfolds into a huge drama with the mayor pitted against powerful gambling interests as well as the city council. Her move to get the entire community to vote and drive the gambling interests out of town, is nothing short of exciting.

The style of the book moves you along. If a detail here or there doesn't appeal, right away you will find yourself in the middle of new and even more absorbing story.

And you are learning. This story could be the story of just about any modern city in this country with a multitude of challenges. And the book tells us how Mayor Darrah's wonderful patience and courage change things for the better.

There is the colorful story at the end of the book of how ships brought men from San Francisco, bound for the hills during the Gold Rush, right into the deep water port of Stockton, where they disembarked and set off by horse or mule into the foot hills.

Joan Darrah is the first person in a half century of efforts to successfully launch the re-vitalization of this downtown area.

If the facts don't fascinate at times, then the biographical aspects of the book will have appeal. A determined girl, promoted by a high energy dad and a loving mom, Joan presents us right away with a young person with much promise. Yet, in retrospect, Joan's marriage to a fifth generation attorney from a prominent Stockton family might have been the best choice to nail down her long term possibilities of a political career.

Linking with the right people is demonstrated over and over, and Joan's affirming these persons' special contributions is a clear key to a politician's success.

In a further bigraphical vein, Joan must be incredibly proud of her high achieving three children. They are contributors in the best possible sense of the term. Joan combines the best aspects of being a mom and wife with the conviction of being the best possible mayor.

This memoir is one of the most potent stories I have ever read about a woman politician. Joan Darrah is a phenomenal example of what women can do and overcome in the largely male dominated world of politics. I was so inspired not only by how she rose to the powerful position of mayor, but the ways in which whe changed the city of Stockton. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a strong woman who has accomplished so many remarkable things.

Well written and wonderfully informed, this well designed book presents a comprehensive review of the appearance and use of the great cathedrals and abbey churches built across the middle ages in France and England. It also includes a wonderfully precise presentation of the social, economic, and political order of the time, and it discusses how the great buildings were built and what is known of their builders. Overall, it is the best general introduction I know of, easily accessible to non experts and a wonderful review for the better informed.

This book is both a wondrous introduction to Gothic Cathedrals for those who are newly curious about them and a concise but thorough resource for those who have long admired and read about the Gothic Cathedral. The author often takes a personal approach in his narrative, which seems quite appropriate given the personal impression these buildings were designed to make (and have made on most who will read this book). The book is both well-researched and easy to read, a difficult achievement. Its description of the elements of Gothic architecture, for example, is one of the most complete and clear treatments I have read.

The broad perspective taken (historical, intellectual, religious, architectural, sociological) helps bring together into one coherent whole the many different faces of the cathedral. Even those who may know the historical and intellectual origins of the cathedral will learn much about its other aspects here. For example, some of the details on construction techniques and parts of the discussion of "sacred spaces" within the cathedral were new even to someone who has read many books on the subject.

Medieval intellectual history and its relationship to the cathedrals is explored, and the coexistence of the potentially conflicting reason and faith in a single building is explained. Some discussion of how the cathedrals and their attached schools gave rise to the medieval (and hence the modern) university would have been helpful.

Overall, though, the book provides an excellent introduction to the topic and a comprehensive explanation of the "why" and "how" of Gothic Cathedrals (in addition to the more mundane, but still important, "who", "when", and "where").

Before this book, one would have to read many volumes to get such a complete picture of the Gothic Cathedral. This book is appropriate for anyone with an interest in the subject. It is the book that I'm sure many Gothic Cathedral enthusiasts wish they had written.

I would highly recommend Robert A. Scott's new book, The Gothic Enterprise. Although many books have been published on the topic of Gothic Cathedrals, Scott has approached his subject with a new perspective. He asks the reader to think as much about the "why" of cathedral building as the "how." The reader will still find lots of information about the practical aspects of cathedral building, most helpfully enhanced by a discussion of the social, political, economic, and even climatological factors that complicated such long and challenging construction projects. But above and beyond this, Scott is interested in the people who conceived, designed, and built these great churches. What motivated them? How did hundreds of people with varying and often conflicting interests work collectively over long periods of time? What did an individual or a community expect in return for their contribution to such a bold undertaking?

Scott answers these questions and more. In turn he challenges the reader to see the cathedral in a new light, not only as an example of great architecture, but as tangible evidence of the commitment, creativity, hope, and faith of the people who, against great odds, undertook such a bold and difficult enterprise.

Having visited dozens of cathedrals, I think Scott is right on target. A cathedral is more than an amalgamation of stone, timber, and glass. If we look closely, we can still see traces of the contributors: in a mason's mark, the carved face of an 800 year-old effigy, a bishop's ring, or an irreverent carving high in the rooftops. It is the collective presence of these long-dead individuals, as much as the grandeur of the architecture that makes a cathedral so memorable, so tangibly the result of a collective human enterprise.

Scott's book is beautifully packaged with many photos and charming illustrations. It would be a handy guide for a traveler visiting cathedrals or a great read for an armchair traveler. I suspect the reader of The Gothic Enterprise will never see a cathedral in quite the same way again.

Author Robert Scott had much the same the experience at Salisbury Cathedral as I had - a sense of awe and wonder, and a desire to learn more about it, not just as a place, or as an architectural wonder, or as a place of worship, or as a cultural icon. Scott wanted to get at the heart of the idea of the Gothic enterprise as a whole - a trained sociologist, Scott knew that the bigger picture is sometimes lost by too narrow a focus on particular details to the exclusion of others. The sociology background also gave Scott a sense of wanting to understand the hearts and minds of the people involved.

While the principal focus of Scott's travels started with Salisbury Cathedral (in full, the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Salisbury), Scott draws examples from the breadth of the Gothic cathedrals, churches and other buildings. There are literally thousands of such dotted across the European and European-influenced landscapes. Each building has its own unique characteristics, but they share a common spirit.

Church building in particular was 'big business' in Christendom for a long time. Scott quotes estimates of that there are nearly 19,000 ecclesiastical buildings in England and Wales, nearly half of which date to the medieval period. The first Gothic church was the Abbey Church of St. Denis, just north of Paris, built under the direction of the 'founding father' of Gothic style, Abbot Suger.

Scott's first major section looks at how cathedrals were built, in terms of materials, architectural design, settings, and workforce. With regard to the workforce, the numbers were large and the division of labour highly specialised. In the records of the construction of Westminster Abbey, there were fifteen different categories of workers listed in 1253. Workers were often local, but supplemented by those who traveled, particularly if special skills were needed. Construction was often suspended in winter months, not just because of the cold, but because the number of daylight hours greatly diminished (in England, there can be fewer than 8 hours of daylight in the winter months).

Scott's second major section explores the history involved. The Gothic enterprise grew up out of the feudal system as it was trying to define itself in a sea of shifting political structures. It is no mistake that the Gothic ideal was born in an Abbey rather than a Cathedral; bishops had become increasingly involved in secular and political matters, while the monasteries remained closer to the common people and closer to the spiritual ideals of the church. 'Monasticism was a continuous effort to surmount sense perception and intellectual understanding to achieve knowledge of God, to experience communion with God, and by so doing to reveal the divine mystery and achieve special favour in the eyes of God.' Still, the particular abbey of Gothic's foundation, the Abbey of St. Denis, had a particular attachment to the French monarchs, and for a time the Abbey enjoyed a supreme reputation, 'from 1124 onward the Abbey Church of St. Denis became the religious and, in an important sense, the political capital of France.' From this place, the influence of Gothic style spread through the Paris region, then outward into France and beyond.

In the third section, Scott highlights some of the classic details of what the Gothic look entails. There is a geometric symmetry involved, which, 'when followed consistently, gives Gothic cathedrals their characteristic organic unity.' There is a logic and harmony built into the design. High vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses, pointed arches are other features. However, the key element in Gothic design is light, and it is in aid of this aspect that the other elements are enlisted. Gothic cathedrals in comparison with the dimly lit Romanesque predecessors are flooded with light. Be it clear or stained glass, the incorporation of windows and lighting techniques hitherto not done makes the Gothic space a brighter surrounding. Heaven would be a place of light, and the Gothic cathedral is intended as a foretaste of the heavenly banquet.

The fourth section explores the religious experience in Gothic structures, and how liturgies and worship are carried out, how they serve as temples of the imagination in addition to being the centre of worship, and how they become a repository of history. Part of this history was the incorporation of the memory and power of the dead into the fabric of the cathedrals - many became pilgrimage sites or burial sites; royal and other notable society figures also became part of the structures of cathedrals and churches. According to Scott, the cathedrals provided the saints with a focal point of veneration, and the saints in return provided a steady income (from the pilgrims) for the buildings to be completed.

The final section looks at the community that surrounded the Gothic enterprise, be they parish churches, abbey churches or cathedrals. Scott explores the living standards of the time, the stratification and specialisation of people in the different roles in society, and the questions not only of how the communities built the churches, but how the churches and cathedrals in turn built the communities. 'We might ...imagine that the long time required to build Gothic cathedrals added to the depth of the collective identity they engendered.' Indeed, in some regards, the building of a cathedral was never supposed to be completed. Spanning generations (sometimes, as in the case of Canterbury Cathedral, nearly 400 years) such enterprises defined the community in ways that no building project in modern times could approach.

Scott ends with a small essay regarding Stonehenge, not too far from Salisbury Cathedral, showing some similarities and differences in the way people built and found identity then.

Scott quotes Samuel Johnson as declaring Salisbury Cathedral 'the last perfection in architecture'; however, it is clear that there is much perfection to go around when it comes to all things Gothic. Scott's passion for the material and love of discovery is apparent on every page. A good writer, he serves as teacher, tour guide, and co-discoverer of ideas with the reader. This is a wonderful book.

The people who reviewed this book before me did a great job of describing this wonderful book, so I'm not going to repeat their observations. However, one aspect of the work I personally appreciated was the way Scott examined the cathedrals as architectural responses to the cultural context. His analysis is clear and straightforward. Excellent book!

My son received this book as a birthday present when he was five years old. He was fascinated by the story and beautiful pictures. Since we live in the wine country, and watch the "grapes grow sweet" in real life, it was wonderful to have such a wonderful book to read. Now that he is eleven, he reads it to my grandson who is equally enchanted, and asks us to read it each time he visits.

As a resident of northern California I enjoy reading "The Grapes Grow Sweet" to my daughter, which describes a fall grape harvest from the perspective of a young boy growing up in a family vineyard. I am also a school teacher and use the book in my classroom. Many of my students have family members who are farm workers so they have background knowledge of life in a vineyard and can relate to the story being told. We spend a few days in my class each fall completing an integrated thematic unit that includes reading, descriptive writing and art. We finish the unit by bringing in different foods made with grapes that we can eat in class. Typically we have grape juice, grape jelly, raisins, grapes, etc. It is easily adaptable to the state standards and has amazing water color art that inspires the children to create their own works of art! The text offers descriptive writing samples to students by describing the pale green leaves, rattling, roaring tractor, shiny bunch of grapes, bouncing jackrabbit and sunbathing lizard. I look forward to fall each year and the opportunity to read "The Grapes Grow Sweet" with a new group of students.

"The Grapes Grow Sweet" is well-summarized in the other reviews, so I won't go into that. My four-year old and I really enjoyed this book he received as a present. The pictures are copy an Impressionist-era style (nice for adults) but have a lot going on in them, from the bees that constantly hover over the sweet grapes to the grape pickers rushing to fill the gondolas. I love the fact that the author doesn't talk down to her audience, she talks about gondolas instead of "big trucks" and grape cutting knives instead of "cutters." Every character has a different voice, and the aspects of family life, community pride, migrant farming, and the life of a four-year old are all highlighted without the author shoving it in your face.

I highly recommend this book to children 4-8 and their parents.

Lynne Tuft is a fabulous artist. I think she should win an Emmy award for the best artwork of the year!!The story hooks you from the start, and she gives you such description that you can practically taste the grapes in your mouth and feel the summer heat and the years that Julian has waited to work in the fields! I would recommend this book to everyone because of the wonderful story as well as the incredible art.

This narrative proves that us kids and our parents are safe around wine despite what others may think! Lynne teaches us about the way it is when the grapes, which are made into wine, jelly, or jam, remember this book and all the hard work, long years, and effort put into it. If you read this book, I can guarantee many readings of pure enjoyment!! Estelle Wagner, Age 10, grade 6

I bought this book not knowing anything about it for my nephew who lives in a large city so he could have a book about what I do out in the country. I was VERY pleasantly surprised by just how nice a book it is. The story is great and the pictures are wonderful. It now tops my list for baby/childrens presents.