New York Books

I used to work in WTC building #7 until I moved to LA about a year before 9/11. I never felt so out of place as I did for a few weeks after 9/11 as I watched the recovery and clean-up efforts from Ground Zero from California. I wanted to know everything I could which is of course impossible unless you were there. This book gives you incredible insight to the bravery, courage, strength and gut-wrenching horrors of those who were there to find, clean-up and recover.

This is absolutely a great book, probably the best one for getting you into ground zero and feeling what they felt, to as great of an extent as you can. I don't quite understand all of the [---] he uses, for example, "the [firefighters] started down Vessey". Is he just trying something new? I don't care though, I have never read a book that is as honest and makes you feel like your fighting the fires with dennis more then his series of books. Great job!

A very readable, moving book that adds still more to the memory-bank of September 11, 2001. The book is divided into two sections: 9/11 itself and the first months afterward, recounted day by day. Most of the second section is Smith's own experiences, with fewer "interviews" with others; however, this doesn't take away from the power of the work.

One peeve is that Smith too often refers to his previous work "Report from Engine Co. 82" in terms of whether or not people were aware of it--including incredulity that a police officer guarding the crime scene a few days afterwards didn't know. However, he writes some of the best descriptions of a profession, any profession, that I have ever read: "...to me it was always the best responsibility to have in a fire--to be on my stomach and to have the officer and the men shouting, 'That's it, you got it, move in, a little more, get the ceiling, get the ceiling, watch the windows, you got it now...".

One quote from an Assistant Chief of Department captures how quickly people forget--from November 5, 2001: "They came down to the World Trade Center in fire trucks and we should not let them leave in dump trucks." Five years later, don't forget all of those who did not leave that day the way they started it.

It's hard to not give this book a 5-star rating because I was moved in many places and I'm so grateful for the sacrifice of the firemen on 9/11. This book opened my eyes in many ways to their ultimate sacrifice and their continued efforts to honor their own.

I do think, however, that this could have been edited a bit better. The aftermath section (which is about half of the book) seems repetitive to me and thus, not quite as powerful as the earlier section. Also, I found it strange that there was no mention of the crash of flight 587 on November 12th, 2001. Mr. Smith records that on that day he was in a meeting with Mayor Guilliani and other firemen about their role at ground zero. He focused on this day for several pages and failed to mention that 250+ people perished in a NY neighborhood aboard that flight and everyone initially suspected terrorism as the cause of the crash. This omission, perhaps, would have been more understandable had he not mentioned 11/12/01 at all, but there is a whole section for that day and certainly this crash was on his mind, since it did indeed involve firemen.

Overall, I recommend this book.

"Report from Ground Zero: The Story of the Rescue Efforts at the World Trade Center" by Dennis Smith provides a poetic-journalistic look at a tragedy which still continues to shake America. You'll find the book stronger in intensity than many of the photographic collections of September 11, 2001.

Why? Dennis Smith was a fireman who understood tragedy from an experienced viewpoint. Like all of us, he saw the worst of humankind crash into the World Trade Center. Then, he saw the best of humankind enter those same buildings to save the victims.

Now, three years later, after many in America have preferred to see terrorism as a political event and not one of evil and hate, it is important to remember the violent images, and the tender responses to the hurting and scared. America was in one its greatest moments in those torrid days, and we should never forget.

Smith's descriptions are more than photo-realistic versions of what he saw, but brings forth the anguish and passion, and the smell of wet ash and burning debris. Smith manages to connect with the reader beyond the hype and politics. You will not be able to read this unaffected.

The people in the high-rises, on the planes, and the policemen and fireman all were real people. Even the foolish young men who hijacked the planes, the ones who believe Bin Laden -- all real people who died for another man's lie. Smith draws out the real, draws out the essence as well as the actual accounts of the awful events.

I fully recommend "Report from Ground Zero: The Story of the Rescue Efforts at the World Trade Center" by Dennis Smith.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

Nick Carbo has us see New York through the eyes of a Filipino immigrant with such candor, humor, and savvy that it's amazing to me that this book hasn't been optioned for a movie! Or maybe it has? It's poetry to be sure but it's also a screenplay, a novel, a multi-genre cyber cartoon. Carbo enlarges world poetry and what it can do!

I would never have purchased this book, nor would I have even become familiar with the (frickin' awesome!!!) work of Carbos without my needing the book for a class... some classes really are worthwhile!! I recommend (highly) ANYTHING by Nick Carbos.

I've just discovered Nick Carbo. Thank God. Thank God.

Nick takes it to the hilt on this one. I felt like I was reading a suspense thriller as I get taken through the life of one Ang Tunay ng Lalaki who interacts both in the "real" world where he meets Nick Carbo but also falls hobnobs with kindred icons of advertising and lore: Hello Kitty, Orpheus from a previous Carbo poem, and Barbie. And it's only in this in between world where Carbo can take on Asian and American ideals head on.

One of the reasons I like to review books of poetry is it gets me out of the "ME" kick that poetry is too well known for. Ask yourself this: how many poetry readings have I been to where I spoke soley of someone else's work? Someone who is alive, but that I don't personally know? Not just to say that I like their work, but what I like about it and how it inspires me? Can I, as a poet, go for a month, talking about this person's work, pushing this person's book, without ever mentioning my own poetry? Poet Karla Huston turned me on to Nick Carbo's Secret Asian Man and he's the latest poet I'll be pushing. His new book is full of satyrical irony and poem after poem makes you both cringe and laugh out loud. This is one of the few books of poetry that I'd like to see Quintin Terrantino or the Zucker Brothers make into a movie. Carbo lives in two worlds, the American's and the Filipino immigrant's. But the reflections and dichotmy don't stop there. His main character is Ang Tulay Na Lalaki, is the Filipino version of the Marlboro Man. Carbo starts each poem off "Ang Tunay Na Lalaki..." does something. Like Lyn Lifshin's Mad Girl poems this gives the reader an instant image of who the main character is in a series format. Unlike Lifshin, Carbo forces his white American reader to face up to accepting a non-white- American name. In some poems he does shorten it to 'Lalaki' within the poem, again forcing us to confront our written prejudices. Carbo plays on both sides of the prejudice field. In one poem he criticizes American film makers for having no roles for Asian American Men (only women), while in another he pokes fun at a visiting Filipino friend who's accent is too thick. He has Wonder woman fight a fetus-eating Filipino demon-goddess, picks up Barbie from a shopping bag to tell here about her about her part overseas Asian slave labor, and as Secret Asian Man, helps unite Hello Kitty and Barney the Purple Dinosaur. Even one step better is how Secret Asian Man flows. It reads in part poetry, in part story. No poem should be randomly turned to. Like reading a Richard Brautigan story and the more you read from the beginning, the more you understand the sequence. Early on in the book, Ang Tulay Na Lalaki meets up with a character, Orpheus, who tells him that he feels like a character written by poet Nick Carbo. Later on, Ang Tulay Na Lalaki takes a writing workshop from Carbo and we get to see how Ang Tulay Na Lalaki's poetry differs from Carbo's and how Carbo would run a writing workshop. To add another layer to Carbo's maze of mirrors, I got the book from someone who attended Carbo's workshop. Now I'm beginning to wonder if she is a character written by Nick Carbo? Pushing Secret Asian Man, one might only conclude that I am just an ongoing workshop exercise by Nick Carbo.

Terry Matthews, Reviewer

I have waited 18 months to get a copy of this book and I am delighted to have finally obtained one. Aa a travel agent, I brought out a group to New York CHristmas shopping and arranged for a guide and a coach to take us round the city.The group was from Leeds, England and the majority were from Yorkshire Television PLC How lucky we were to have Tim Levitch. This was 1995.I have spent my life in travel but have never experienced such an interesting, caring and totally dedicated guide. His wit, depth of feeling, knowledge and clear love of the city shone throughout. His comments were thought provoking and deep - this outstanding ability shines through in his book. To really appreciate the book and the mind behind it it is preferable to have met him - however the book is an excellent buy as it stands. Well done Timothy - we all loved you and your book is just icing on the cake

CHristine Hill

WOW, if you've ever been to NYC.... this embodies it all. If you've NEVER been to NYC... you'll have to go after reading this book! Get one while you can, if "they" all find out about it... it'll not be available soon.

Speedology: Speed on New York on Speed is really superb. the title suggests where the book goes: Speed tours you through a few of his guided tours of NYC while imparting life lessons, yoga lessons, and smiles. It's a fast read, like on speed, but there's no actual speed. Speed is just the author's moniker. Speed speeds you through NYC giving you a little bit of history, mystery, and nowstory. If you've never let Speed sleep on your couch, you really should! Ask Speed about his Shakesphere evenings too. -I am curious why copies of this book, which were 16 bucks new, are listing on some websites, unsigned by the author, not first edition, and they're listing for 700 bucks? what's up with that. Who's gettin rich THERE?

Timothy "Speed" Levitch is a creative maelstrom. After reading Speedology, I have never felt so utterly alive and ready to overcome fear in my life. It has made me hunger to visit New York to see the world through the literary eyes I have been given as well as a need to think, feel and express more than I previously have. The poetics and spiritual reflection are superb to the point that even an atheist or skeptic can find utter beauty in them...the question of god is irrelevant, as the book is about Cruising with one's self. The oxymoronic idea of "spiritual non-belief" kept floating through my mind as I read and yet it made total sense.

This is a book that is difficult to categorize. It wants to be a New York guide book, but also speaks a great deal about Western and Eastern Philosophy, performance art, tantra and much more. It is perhaps best to consider this the colors of life using New York City as its canvas. Breaking down the ideas that are taken for granted today (money, sex and sexuality, freedom, fear, materialism, etc.), Speed shows us just how connected we can be through discovering, loving and then shattering our own alienation. I can only hope to be a fraction of the creative creature that Speed Levitch is, after all, we are all members of the exuberant party, the Cruise that is the world.

It is a sorry state of things that this book is priced the way it is from second hand dealers. The publisher, Context books, is indeed out of business, but $60 dollars is a ridiculous crime. Look for your profit in $25 at best. It should be enjoyed by those who want to read it, not just by those who can afford it. I found my copy at Strand Books out of New York, the only company that had a copy priced as a book and not as an antique.

I have had the pleasure of crusing with Speed in New York last year and I bought my copy from him. (Sorry AMAZON) He is an artist. Of what, I don't really know, but that's the beauty of Speed. Time with him on our cruise is genuine, funny, endearing, educational and most of all precious. His book Speedology, is not just a tour guide, it is this psychatrist/poet's interpretaion of New York and it's many layers itself.
A note to Speed: Coming out this summer. Hope to catch up with you again.

Cavaliere

This is a good introduction to the New York Jets. I consider myself a big fan of the Jets and I really enjoyed the book. It's not loaded with to much information and statistics that would bore someone who is not a die-hard football fan. Easy reading with some interesting information on some of the Jets biggest names, new and old. Also talks about fans, owners,the AFC and NFL.

This is the best sports book to come out ever. Usually I find these books boring, or uninteresting, but this book is completely different. It was a great book, and once i started reading i couldnt put it down. I suggest this book to everyone, even if you usually dont like sports books. This book is different, and amazing.

This is the best sports book of the year! I Hope he writes another one.

i have been a jets fan for many years now, and this is the best jets book to ever come out! Everyone go read it now!

An absolute must have for EVERY Jets fan, and a great read for any football fan. This book is not your typical home-team love fest; Mr. Lange regales the reader with stories of triumph and of tribulation with equal aplomb. Book is loaded with facts, stats, and history. Highly Recommended!

Excellent translation of and introduction to the works of Rumi regarding the end of all relgion, the ocean of unity, the wholeness of God and His creation, the source of Life itself, the meaning beyond form.

Or to quote the words of Bohm a physicist:
One of the most impressive theories emerging out of scientific cosmology respecting the ancient truth was set forth by the late physicist, David Bohm in his book, Wholeness and the Implicate Order. Using the language of mathematics, Bohm set out to describe the transcendent reality and its graded energetic hierarchy in four basic states or orders of energy beginning with the physical world, which he called the Explicate Order. "The Explicate Order, weakest of all energy systems, resonates out of and is an expression of an infinitely more powerful order of energy called the Implicate order. It is the precursor of the Explicate, the dream-like vision or the ideal presentation of that which is to become manifest as a physical object. The Implicate order implies within it all physical universes. However, it resonates from an energy field which is yet greater, the realm of pure potential. It is pure potential because nothing is implied within it; implications form in the implicate order and then express themselves in the explicate order. Bohm goes on to postulate a final state of infinity [zero point] energy which he calls the realm of insight intelligence. The creative process springs from this realm. Energy is generated there, gathers its pure potential, and implies within its eventual expression as the explicate order." Will Keepin, Noetic Science Journal

"It is proposed that the widespread and pervasive distinctions between people (race, nation, family, profession, etc., etc.) which are now preventing mankind from working together for the common good, and indeed, even for survival, have one of the key factors of their origin in a kind of thought that treats things as inherently divided, disconnected, and "broken up" into yet smaller constituent parts. Each part is considered to be essentially independent and self-existent." - David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order


Also recommended for Christians who want to compare and understand the words of St. John of the Cross in the light of union of the Spirit, to love the creator more as the created.

Man created in the image of God, to mirror his light.

This is by far the best book on my favorite spiritual poet. The poetry of Rumi is truly awe inspiring and the examination of his teachings by William C. Chittick is first rate. I can't even begin to guess the amount of time I've walked around with this book in my hand. You will want to read this over and over. It's a true spiritual classic and contains some translations of Rumi's poetry you wont find elsewhere.

This is a good book on explaining some of the poems of the great mystic Rumi. I somewhat disagree with the authors choice of title. many great sufis refrained calling themselves sufi, after the movement became popularized and took a different color. Sufi orders sprung up like mushroom and every group claimed to follow a great mystic figure, like Rumi. one often wonders if Rumi and his like would have approved of notions like "Sufi order" which seems like "feudaliztion" of the movement. Many great mystics avoided " orderization" of their path. Their "order" was simply Islam and the path to realization was sharia itself. To many, becoming a sufi is nothing more than repeating certain names of God about a zillion times and whirling around till one gets dizzy or as one of my modern day sufi friend puts it " one becomes natural high". And that dizziness or " natural high" is interpreted as " self disclosure" of God. It doesn't take much to " unveil" God, does it?

The reviewer below shows typical Western arrogance and ignorance. He/she obviously knows nothing about sufism and the political role it's played throughout history. It's always come in as a political tool to fight extremism as it is (slowly) doing today. I wish people who didn't know anything about a tradition that is not their own would refrain from speaking from a position of supposed knowledge. It's the problem with Western political arrogance and what causes bloodshed, both literal and metaphorical. And sufi poetry is not "romantic"; that is simply the interpretation of unrealized minds. Please learn about the things of which you speaking. Otherwise, silence is still a virtue. Om Shanti.

Apart from Nicholsons translation of the Mathnawi and the works of his students Iqbal (Life and works) and Arberry (who transltated the Fihi Ma Fihi as the 'Discorses of Rumi) All other so called 'translations' are pretty much worthless because 1. They are not translations at all but rather re-writes of Nicholson 2. They are just pandering to an ever growing market of supermarket spirituality. Chitticks translation however, is very different.

For a start, Chittick is a scholar in Persian and taught in Iran for several years and had first hand knowledge of not only the Persian Mathnawi but some of the major comentaries in Persian (which may explain why a previous reviewer found many parts of the book similar to Shia text he had read)

Chittick may be covering the same ground as Nicholson here but his translation is well put together not only applying modern English but also a knowledge of the original.

The book may not be of much use to everyone especially if you have already the Nicholson translation but if you are seeking a book that covers the fundamentals of the teachings of Rumi then there is no better place to start than this book.

I rejoice that this short work has come into print again, though it's rather sad that it took the author's recent death to prompt the publishers into action. I'd read an extract in a guide to the top 100 books of the twentieth century and was surprised and disappointed not to be able to get my hands on the full edition.

Jansson has an inate understanding of the wisdom and skewed world-view of children, and manages to capture the fragile - and ephemeral - friendship which can exist between the very old and the very young. There is a freshness about her style which never teeters into whimsy. A rare achievement indeed.

Yes, this is truly a great work of literature. For one, the unique, intimate descriptions of life on a small island off the west coast of Finland are exquisite. The writing captures so much of this maritime word in such sure, spare language, that the reader is placed there among the nordic flora, tasting and feeling the ocean, the sky. Nature binds this book together.

The other facet of this book is the relationship between the child, Sophia, and her Grandmother. We do not learn anything about the father, other than that he works at a desk, plants flowers, and skeins. We do learn early that the mother has died, but aside from its initial mention, it is never directly addressed again. Instead we get an oblique look at grief through the interactions between the two primary characters -- granddaughter and grandmother. Sophia deals with the loss primarily through questioning the natural world around her, observing and mourning the deaths of other small creatures, like mice and birds. In fact a lot of dead animals make an appearance in this work. The psychological portrayal of Sophia is astute, at times subtle. Perhaps the strongest part of the books is when she dictates a book to her grandmother about the death of a worm, which turns into a free-flow stream of conscious on death in general. Powerful stuff.

The grandmother seems less affected by the loss of Sophia's mother (her daughter-in-law?). She does not seem overly concerned with death, although she has to deal with its imminence daily through her own physical limitations, but more with the emotions of her granddaughter. She proves to be very tolerant and wise.

The book's ultimate power and brilliance rests heavily on the use of an old woman juxtaposed against a child. They are both confronting the mystery of existence, and their conversations and interactions reveal a deep longing to understand the eternal. A great book.

PS -- this reader felt that the illustrations added to the work, however the few with human characters seemed strangely off-putting.

Mm, this is a beautiful, wonderful little book! It is a collection of little stories of a very small girl and her small grandmother going adventures on their little island in Sweden. So full of green things and little bites of happiness. The grandmother is oh so clever and says so many poignants to the girl. The girl is wise too. So full of joy.

As a child, Tove Jansson lived in summer on islands in the Gulf of Finland, and later she and her partner Tuulikki Pietilä lived on a small island called Klovharu. Jansson wrote many children books, including the Moomin series, and ten books for adults.

The plot of the most famous of her adult novels is very simple; an elderly artist and her six-year-old granddaughter Sophia spend the summer on a tiny island exploring and talking about everything but Sophia's mother's death and their love for each other. They wander, pick flowers, watch storms, take trips in a rowboat. The 22 short episodes create a unity: "On an island," thinks the grandmother, "everything is complete."

The interaction between Sophia and her grandmother is a clash of wills, Sophia stubborn, impetuous and supportive; her grandmother wise, unsentimental, on the edge of exhaustion, dizzy, fearful of losing her balance "the balance between survival and extinction was so delicate that even the smallest change was unthinkable".

"It was just the same long summer always, and everything lived and grew at its own pace."

The book has been a major best seller in Scandinavia since it was first published in 1972. Thomas Teal has produced a wonderful English translation. This new edition from NYRB Classics is beautifully printed and bound. This novel captures a summer growing "at its own pace."

Robert C. Ross 2008

This book was given to me by an uncommon friend and I enjoyed it very much. It is about the friendship between a grandmother and her young grandaughter who live on a bit of an island in Finland (?). The beauty and treasures discovered in the quiet lives they lead, finding joy in simple things and loving each other besides those petty annoyances of personality (they are very much alike). There are many "huggable" humorous moments. I think of one in which they trade cats--their cat is indifferent to the grandaughter's overtures and the one traded was much more warm and cuddly, but then (and I quote from the book).

"Hunt! Do something! Be like a cat!" And then she started to cry and ran to the guest room and banged on the door.
"What's wrong now?" Grandmother said.
"I want Moppy back!" Sophia screamed.
"But you know how it will be," Grandmother said.
"It'll be awful," said Sophia gravely. "But it's Moppy I love."

We once again join Irish immigrant Molly Murphy in her New York adventures as a private investigator in the early 1900's. Work seems to be pouring in enough that Molly is able to hire her beau Daniel, a police Captain who has been suspended but whose charges have been dismissed. Pending approval from the superintendant, Daniel will be reinstated, but until then he is doing nothing but getting under Molly's feet, so she decides to put his skills to good use by giving him work to do by finding the missing nephew of a wealthy society matron with whom Molly is friends. But could this young man be on the lam with the loot from the latest job of burglaries?

Molly is busy trying to unearth the supernatural pranks that threaten the well-being of a well known actress who is friends with a former client of Molly's. As Molly begins to suspect that no ghost is responsible for the mischief, she winds up with a role in the performance and less time to work on her other cases. Her biggest concern is the young woman she found in the snow in Central Park, almost dead. Mute, Molly calls her Mary and visits her in the hospital to see if there is any improvement in her health. Upon finding out that she will be shipped off to the mental institution upon discharge, Molly kidnaps her and takes Mary home to rehabilitate herself. Daniel, frustrated beyond measure, tries to take the upper hand in the relationship, but Molly will have none of it. The two continue working their cases as best they can with the little time they can spare.

In between the drama of the private investigations that Molly is running we get to peek inside her social life and update on her multitude of friends from the variety of stations in life. Like many Americans in the coming years, Molly's friends come from all walks of life - the caste systems are not nearly as strict in the Melting Pot as they were in many of the Home Lands. Bowen's portrayal of the early twentieth century can almost make you feel as though you are shivering in the slushy streets with dripping petticoats along with Molly.

I have enjoyed every one of Bowen's books. I love Molly's ferocity and loyalty and independence, not to mention intelligence and heart. But I do not like Daniel. I haven't liked him since after Murphy's Law, although I cannot say why in particular. I understand the gender assignments, especially for the era, but for someone who supposedly loves Molly so much, he simply does not understand her. So I guess I have to say that is my beef with this series. I don't want them together. I don't think Molly should have a `yes man' but definitely not someone who expects her to stay home and be taken care of, and to do the cooking, etc. If Daniel hasn't picked up on that by now, which it doesn't seem to appear so, then he isn't going to. Keep looking Molly!!!!

This is a great addition to the series! I wasn't as fond of "In Dublin's Fair City" and was worried this installment would go in that direction. No worries. I enjoy how Ms. Bowen works actual events into her books. It's a great series that should be good for a while yet.

(Seventh in Molly Murphy series)

Police in New York have their eye on an Italian gang from Sicily calling themselves the Cosa Nostra. Molly Murphy listens to the rumors about the new gang but feels that it is nothing to her - or is it?

Molly's detective agency is booming and she finds herself going off in a dozen different directions. Daniel Sullivan, Molly's boyfriend, is still on leave from the police department so Molly hires him to help her in her investigations. Molly sometimes fears that this was not a good decision. She is a very independent person and does not appreciate it when Daniel tries to take charge.

Molly has several interesting cases going on in this seventh addition to the Molly Murphy series, and maybe the best yet.

Molly has been hired to check out the background of Leon Roth, who is to be married soon. His future in-laws want to be sure he is the right person for their daughter. Molly is also hired by a famous actress to find the ghost that is haunting her new production. Molly finds herself on stage and in costume and suffers a brief bout of stage fright. She also becomes very familiar with "stage-door johnnies." Yet another case takes her to New Haven and the Yale campus.

What touches Molly's heart is not one of the cases that she is being paid to investigate, but the matter of the beautiful young girl she finds in the snow in Central Park. The girl cannot or will not speak. Molly is determined to solve the mystery of how this girl wound up in a snow bank wearing only a flimsy dress and delicate shoes. Molly's determination to find the answer puts Molly in grave danger.

Molly's old friends Sid and Gus are still around and make for very interesting characters. I would highly recommend this intriguing story and a peek at life in New York City in the early 1900's.

Armchair Interview says: A high-quality addition to this series.

December 1902 finds Molly back from her ill-fated trip to Ireland and trying to juggle multiple cases at once. First, there's the prospective husband she's been hired to tail to make sure he is above board. Then she is hired to protect aging actress Blanch Lovejoy from the ghost haunting the theater where her comeback Broadway play is supposed to debut. Next, she's hired to find out what happened to John Jacob Halsted, a rich Yale student who is accused of robbing friends right before he vanished. Finally, she and beau Daniel Sullivan find a woman unconscious in the snow in Central Park. The woman wasn't dressed for the outdoors, and when she awakes can't speak and doesn't seem to track with anyone.

While Molly is pleased to have so much work to pay her bills, she also can't juggle it all. So she approaches Daniel, a wrongfully suspended police captain, about helping her. But that potential partnership seems to only cause more friction in their relationship. Can the two find a way to work together and successfully solve all these cases?

When done right, this series is as much about the historical as it is about the mystery. Here, it is done well. Occasionally, the plot appears to wander, but every one of those details becomes an important part of the story. There is still plenty of coincidence here, but Molly is also able to make a few deductions herself. The cases are juggled well, and one plot or the other was always moving forward.

What I found most interesting is the relationship between Molly and Daniel. I have never really liked him, but here I couldn't decide whose side I was on. One minute, I was mad at him, but a few pages later I couldn't believe that Molly could be so childish. I'm still not sure where I want their relationship to go, but I am more open to the possibilities then I used to be.

This series uses mystery to entertain and give us a glimpse into life 100 years ago. And you'll enjoy every minute of this time machine.

***SPOILERS***

I did not enjoy "Tell Me, Pretty Maiden" as much as I have enjoyed the other books in the Molly Murphy series. I feel like Molly & Daniel's relationship needs to make some headway; there is no tension now that Arabella is out of the picture, & Daniel persists in his archaic views on a woman's role in marriage. The entire scenario is running thin with me. Another reason I did not find this book up to par is the 3 different plot lines that made the book feel scattered. Molly & Daniel ran back & forth between investigations, but, in the end, all 3 cases were linked, which was a little too unbelievable even for me. Even so, I will definitely continue to read this series.

Paul Bowles's collection of travel pieces dating from 1950-1963 reveals a love of solitude and the unfamiliar road in a time when American influence began to dominate the post-war world. Seeking refuge from growing American conformity at home, Tangier, Morocco became Bowles's permanent address in 1947. Tangier made an ideal jumping-off point for Bowles, who visited Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1950, Cape Coromin, India in 1952, Istanbul, Turkey in 1953, and made frequent trips into Morocco and the Sahara, where he documented and recorded its music and musicians.

His travel writing can be at once witty and withering. Many of his observations are about the discomforts and disappointments of traveling; reading the more sour reports one might wonder why he put himself through all the trouble. Bowles obviously relished his role as the cultural outsider, and enjoyed writing about drugs, sex, and traditions the West found taboo. The people he describes are individuals, sketched boldly and without reserve. A trip to Ketama, "the kif center of all North Africa," becomes a chance to provide an extensive description of Morocco's drug culture.

His willingness to describe the whole of his experience makes Bowles's writing more than mere reporting -- from an unexpected swarm of flies, to the unrelenting sun, to the cool desert night and the noisy neighbors in an overcrowded hotel. He was blunt about writing these pieces for pay (and published in American travel magazines) but the result remains an engaging and entertaining collection.

Unable to write a review of the above title; the book was given to someone as a gift. The book was chosen because the author is a favorite of the person who received it.

Bought as a gift. Have not read it, though I will eventually

I must disagree with the review written by T. Ross. The essays on travel are not dated any more than Paul Bowles wonderful prose is, which borders on the poetic. Certainly these essays were written in the fifties, but Bowles portraits of North Africans (and European settlers) are so vivid one can almost feel them breathe. The essay concerning Mustafa, a male Muslim and his beliefs should be required reading for the State Department, the Pentagon, and the Administration. As a poet and writer I appreciated Bowles style and his skill in presenting physical, philosophical and emotional landscapes. I highly recommend this book.

I like this book better than some of Mr. Bowles' longer fictional efforts. He is good at relatively short accounts, where his rich life experiences are related through highly descriptive prose. Bowles captures the abnormal psychology of the planet itself moreso than that of the individual, which is better left to Camus or Faulkner. Also, he is able to find some humor and meaning in the Western-Arab relationship, which helps relieve some of the strain of our current showdown, which Mr. Bowles foresaw. Especially funny to me is an account by Bowles of finding a filthy rag at the bottom of a pail of murky water he and his Arab travelmate had been using for drinking water. They up and left the "hotel" (and town) that day.

Also of interest are chapters on Ceylon.

Bowles seems to be more capable writing about real people and events than he is when functioning in the only slightly altered world of his fiction. I think it has something to do with him being an emotional loner. Like Sartre, he is more of an observer, more of a thinker, than a writer, so his fictional characterizations are, like Sartre's, often wooden and unconvincing (to me at least). To this viewpoint, he would strongly object I think. But, notice I refrain from calling him a moralist or a philosopher. If he were a painter, I would classify him as a post-impressionist like Matisse (great colorist, intriguing designs, romantic, but limited by "decorative" priorities.) And, like Matisse, he never really shocks me like a true Fauve because, no matter how gruesome the details of the narrative, his narrative voice is always too cultivated. He can't help it; he's from New England. For his fictional style to match the content, his manner would need to be cruder, like Kirchner or Vlaminck. And he is really not a portrait artist like Dickens, Joyce or Faulkner either. Or, maybe it's that his portraits capture places and milieus moreso than individual psyches. In this book, it doesn't matter because he is truly in his element: he travels wildly, observes meticulously and remembers creatively.

Author Susan Braudy admits that she began writing this book to prove that Dominick Dunne's book The Two Mrs. Grenvilles and Truman Capote's unfinished novel Answered Prayers: The Unfinished Novel contained the REAL story about the tragic 1955 Woodward murder. While doing a thorough job of research, Susan found herself swayed.

Ann Crowell was a beautiful young girl from Kansas who wanted to be famous; she downplayed and changed her humble beginnings and enjoyed modest success as a New York City radio actress. She met wealthy Billy Woodward, Jr. and a tempestous love affair began for the two of them. Woodward's snobby family though Crowell beneath them, and never accepted her into the fold. Ann fought for acceptance until they day she died, attempting to better herself and mimic the gestures, vocal inflections, and sense of style that were part of the upper crust. Woodward preferred her as she was, and her social climbing caused many a problem for the marriage. Ann constantly sought Billy's approval in everything that she did; Woodward's affairs and bisexual leanings did nothing to help allay her insecurities. Tragedy came in the form of Ann accidentally shooting her husband, thinking he was the prowler that had been terrorizing the neighborhood. Although found innocent in a court of law, Ann was privately found guilty by society, and lived the rest of her days floating from one city to the other, looking for love and acceptance. It is truly a sad tale, and much more fascinating that Capote's acidic bitter grapes story that was founded on hateful gossip.

Braudy has used Ann's journals as well as firsthand witnesses to recreate her; Ann becomes a living breathing human being again through Braudy's account. What a heartwrenching tale, especially for Ann & Billy's children . I HIGHLY recommend this book! Plenty of great photos as well.

This is an excellently written book. So many true crime books tend
to bore me or I find too bloodletting to stay with it. This book is
a refreshing change. It is a big book but I find I couldnt put it down
til done. She explains beautifully all the trials and tribulations the
poor little girl from Kansas faced when she landed one of the richest
men in the country, Billy Woodward. Coming from two entirely different worlds, you wonder how these two stayed married so long before
tragedy struck. Their love and hate relationship ultimately destroyed
one then the other taking other family members down with them.
At about 420 pages, it is well worth the time to read this fascinating story.

Whenever I read about the rich and of the problems they may have, I feel less inclined to lament the fact that I am not wealthy. If ever there was a case to support the statement: Money does not buy happiness, this sad story should do it. If Ann Woodward had only studied the moral of Scott Fitzgerald's story "The Great Gatsby", the fairytale might have had a happy ending. Read this book, enjoy the excellent writing, but learn something of human nature that, deep down, you should already know.

This story had all the trappings of a Ross Hunter production of a Lana Turner tearjerker. I can see John Gavin in the Billy Woodward part. It was fifty years ago that Ann Woodward made a double-barreled blast into the headlines when she mistook her husband for a prowler and shot him. Twice. (The first time, she missed.) And thus was born not only the misery of Ann Woodward and her children but the delight of Truman Capote and his book "Answered Prayers." Tru intended to make the Woodward murder the highlight of his first excerpt in Esquire magazine, labeling her a "malicious Betty Grable." When word filtered back to her, Ann Woodward swallowed a cyanide pill leaving her two sons orphans. What makes this tale of passion and death so moving and sad is the children. Both of them followed their parents to an early grave. Both by jumping from windows. They say the murder house is haunted to this day.

Dominick Dunne would go on to soften Ann's image with the two Mrs. Grenville's, giving justification for her bewitching success in captivating society's finest and most eligible bachelor. She couldn't be completely bereft of any redeeming features whasoever.

Susan Braudy attempts to fully rehabilitate Ann's image here, and the mistruths told about her case. Her attempt is largely successful except for one major thing. Ann Woodward aimed at her naked husband (most prowlers arrive clothed) and fired. Twice.

Although meticulous, Braudy doesn't address a theory put forth that the elder Mrs. Woodward paid the prowler to confess to being on the roof that night. If that theory is false, then Ms. Braudy has posthumously exonerated Ann Woodward and is to be applauded.

This Crazy Thing Called Love is a beautifully written book, spare and yet lush at the same time. I could not put it down because everything is spot on perfect, not least of all the idle arrogance of the upper classes who flocked to parties featuring those boring marionettes, the Duke and Dutchess of Windsor, who were reduced to charging their hosts by the hour for personal appearances.

Braudy knew William Woodward III and was actually introduced to Ann Woodward herself, and she writes about a meeting with her at her maisonette apartment which had me riveted to the page.

It is interesting to note that the Woodward women, strivers in their own day, all turned out to be perfect little snobs themselves. But isn't that always the case.

If you are as obsessed with the Woodward case as I am (I grew up nearby and remember the case), this is the definitive word on this particular crime. I read Truman's La Cote Basque piece in Esquire and of course Dominick Dunne's book The Two Mrs Grenvilles. I even drove out to the Woodward "Playhouse" where the murders took place and swung my car around on the same cobblestones Mary Queen of Scots walked over to her execution. Ann was so proud of them. Suddenly, there it was, the plain, art deco-ish exterior with the trellis and the porthole windows.

I noticed that Dominick Dunne had the author of this book on as a contributor to a segment he did on the Woodward murder on his television program. She has done a masterful job putting together this book. Although Dunne is not listed as a source, a clue is given as to who the real "Basil Plant" is in The Two Mrs. Grenvilles. It isn't Truman Capote, but an actual employee of a cruise ship, the cruise ship from the opening of The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, who knew both Dunne and Capote.

Five stars. Great read.

Unlike The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, this book is based on truth. The author was a friend of Mrs. Woodward's son. Doing her research she takes us through the nuts and bolts of Ann's marriage, and what most likely happened the night her husband was killed. It is probable that Ann did NOT mean to kill her husband, as he was her meal ticket, so to speak, and her entire life revolved around him and the comforts and acceptance (from society) that he provided her with. True, she was more emotional than the typical "society lady" who allowed their husbands to wander...

It was interesting how Ann had been brought up - by a liberated mother with apparently very poor taste in men. This book shows much empathy to Mrs. Woodward and explains a lot of unanswered questions.

This book reminded me much of how people who don't have, are grateful for the little things. What joy to know when one can bring home a small Christmas Tree who can't afford to purchase it. To decorate with what is available and be SO thankful and happy with just the meager existence is a truly thankful heart. I didn't see the envy of what wasn't available. Money and things do not buy peace in the heart.

The tree and the story live on to help us remember to be thankful even in simplicity.

My mom likes this book. Although she hasn't finished reading it yet, she finds what she has read to be really interesting and heart warming. So far it has been good readings for her. She can't wait to finish reading it.

The Tree Nobody Wanted: A Christmas Story is a short novel for young adults that truly embodies the holiday spirit. Set in a poverty-stricken area of Brooklyn the year after the end of World War II, The Tree Nobody Wanted tells of an eleven-year-old boy assigned to pick a Christmas tree from the few leftover trees no one wanted, and bring it back to the apartment where his Nanny has looked after him since he was a baby. Charmingly illustrated with soft, grey-and-white artwork A gentle, heartwarming tale about the true spirit of Christmas and the depth of family bonds.

I used to try to read A Christmas Carol every Christmas Eve, and now I have two options for all of the Christmas Eves to come. With The Tree Nobody Wanted: A Christmas Story, Tom McCann has written a wonderful, touching story that truly runs the gamut of emotions. At 39 pages, the story is not a long one, but its message is as big and significant as life itself. This is not a children's story, as I do not think many children will fully understand its underlying meaning. You need to have the perspective that only adulthood can bring, especially a nostalgia for Christmases past, in order to appreciate the breadth of feelings that McCann condenses so effectively in what he refers to as "part fable, part remembrance, part miracle."

Eleven-year-old Thomas and his grandmother have each other and that's about it. Unable to afford a tree, Thomas goes out on Christmas Eve night to search for one among the unsold trees that had been left out on the lots. His choices are quite limited, and he ends up returning home with an ugly and misshapen one -- yet somehow he knows that this particular tree is special. Waking up on Christmas morning, the tree is a beautiful sight to Thomas - despite the fact that he had to rig a stick to the top of it in order to hang the star, the only ornaments are a handful of little personal family mementoes, and there is not a single present to be found underneath it. Poor they may be, but this boy and his grandmother spend a wonderful Christmas day together--but the story doesn't end there. Thomas loves the little tree so much that he can't bear to throw it out, and that sets the stage for the real miracle of the story.

This is really a heart achingly beautiful story. Carrying the tree home, Thomas thinks about how it must have felt to be chopped down so early in life, carried off far away from home, and subjected to repeated rejection by potential customers. That's the kind of beautiful sentiment that runs throughout this precious little book. It's painful to think of this little boy and his grandmother having to live in such poverty, yet it's incredibly touching to realize that this little family has a more joyous and meaningful Christmas in their tiny Brooklyn apartment than the richest of Manhattan families ever will. There aren't many books that can make you cry and smile at the same time, but The Tree Nobody Wanted is definitely one of them.

"Part fable, part remembrance, part miracle" -- that's the way the dust jacket aptly describes this miraculous little book. This perfect gem of a story puts one immediately in mind of "The Greatest Gift" which was adapted into the Christmas movie classic "It's a Wonderful Life." It's a warm and moving story to read to the family -- a wonderful book to wrap for someone you really like -- and just the thing to read quietly by yourself when you need reassurance that good things, miraculously, do happen to good people.