Massachusetts Books

This book was outstanding. Especially towards the end when the chase for murderer was in act. Your books are my favorite ever. I own two of them already. Thank you for coming to our class that day. My mystery story is on a roll because of your idea's of how to make them better. I made sure that I used an amature detective because that is what I know most about. The pizza party was great, and I'm glad that we got to ask you all of those questions about your carerr and the books. Thanks again!

From: Kayla/ Mrs. Cowell's student

This book was incredible. If you like action and suspense, this is the book for YOU. I really enjoyed this book towards the end, when the chase for the murderer was in action. The Matty Trescott Novels are the best group/novels of books I have ever read. I already own 3 of them. Thank you again, Mrs. Shmurak, for coming into our class to talk about your novels you have written. I am glad that I got to ask you all of my questions about your career and the books. Thanks again for coming in. So, if you like suspense and cliff-hangers, you will truly enjoy this book from the beginning to the end!

Sublime and enchanting is how John Hay has the reader feeling. It is truly a superb book, well written and thoughtful as well as thought provoking.

I first read this book in the early 1970s when I was conducting my Ph.D. thesis research, which dealt with the migratory behavior of a fish called the alewife, also known as river herring. Alewife are like small, silvery salmon. About 10 inches long, they migrate into small streams and rivers along the East Coast in the spring to spawn, and the juveniles then migrate to the ocean in the fall, where they live for four or five years before returning to their home stream to spawn. John Hay captures the mystery and delight of an alewife run. Unlike salmon runs that occur in large rivers where the fish can't be seen, alwife migrate into many very small streams, many of which pass through towns and under old mills, such that the fish are readily visible to people. To see thousands of fish stacked up at the base of a dam, knowning that they had traveled thousands of miles in the Atlantic for years before finding their way back to the location where their life began as an egg, is almost incredible. John Hay describes the essence of the alewife in a very informative but tremendously readable style. This is a must read for anyon who enjoys fine writing and has an interest in the natural world.

Despite the fact that the typeface on cover of this book is perhaps too reminiscent of Bram Stoker's classic novel, this is a solid, "no nonsense" reference work. It does not attempt to sway or influence the reader's opinion of the Salem witchcraft trials episode, but instead offers a precise, objective overview of all its events, complete with a wide variety of academic interpretations, representative original documents, key biographies and various other related bonus materials. When used in a classroom setting, or as a general reference on the subject, this edition eliminates the need for separately published collections of primary sources -- an indispensable quality for any introductory book.

As an educator for 25 years teaching colonial New England, I was excited to see this book being published. I received my copy and I feel it is the best resource there is on the witchcraft trials. All the information you need is here.

Children's detective stories seem to be perpetually "in," and The Salem Witch Trials: An Untold Mystery from History (as with others in this series) plays on that theme successfully. Without giving us a name, the author introduces us to the narrator, a young girl who is curious...a trait that every detective needs! This young lady isn't curious about just anything, she's particularly curious about her fathers file of mysteries that have never been solved..."histories mysteries." The narrator then goes on to detail her "process" for trying to figure out the given mystery...first she reads as much as she can about the incident, learning everything she can, and she keeps a notebook of the most important clues and information. Some of the books in this series include maps and timelines (though this one does not)! This particular "case" focuses on The Salem Witch Trials (its possible causes).

With that bit out of the way, the book transforms into a fact filled narrative of the events, starting with the long cold winter of 1692, leading into the various events that lead up to the witch trials and ending with a summery of five of the most popular theories "what really happened." This final section is done in the notebook style, and the narrator has included questions for the reader to answer, which if answered, will help the reader figure out which of the theories are most likely...at the very least, it's an excellent opportunity for a class project (dividing students up into groups and each exploring a given theory and presenting to the class, with discussion at the end on which of the theories are most likely...and maybe even encouraging students to come up with their own theories!). The story ends with the narrator saying she's really not sure WHICH theory is right...but she's got her own and now she hopes you (the reader) do too.

Each two page spread (illustration done in subtle tones which emphasize the bleak New England winters and adds to the somber tone of the Puritan lifestyle) is given a narrative box and most include "post-it" style pink, yellow and orange boxes which define terms used in the narrative box and most include a cut out of a spiral notebook which is meant to be the narrator taking her notes...which provides additional information and/or perspective on the information given in the narrative box. I love the section on the theories...the way they are presented with questions that the reader should be able to answer directly out of the text and/or with minimal additional research. I really do think this would make an excellent group project for a classroom, or the jumping off point for a written report by a single student...or just interesting reading!! I'd say this book is idea for kids ages 4-10, as a real aloud to about age 6, older kids will enjoy reading this alone...the text is EASY...but the opportunity for exploring the theories and doing additional research is what I think makes it suitable for readers 8-10. I give it five stars and think it would make a fine addition to any classroom or school library. I love the format; it presents the necessary information (and definitions) on the page (without flipping back and forth to a glossary) in a way that doesn't detract from the narrative or the illustrations. There is a bibliography, but it's located in the front of the book, just before the title page, rather than in the back. Pick this up for your curious young reader, you won't be disappointed!

I picked this book up at my local library, keen to know how the authors and illustrator approached a dark theme in our history catering to younger readers [Grades 3-6]. I was pleased with the approach as though it doesn't provide comprehensive details on the events surrounding the Salem Witch Trials, it does have a unique approach.

The illustrations are done in somber hues, which enhance the bleakness of the period in which the events occur. There are boxed texts explaining how the witch trials unfolded, and difficult phrases or words are explained, also in boxed text.

What I liked about the book was its investigative approach. The reader is given a set of leading and thought-provoking questions at the end of the book which are meant to help the reader come to his/her own conclusions about the true origins of the historical event. A possible set of hypotheses are provided for us to ponder over, and the questions are simple [as they are aimed at a younger audience], yet thought-provoking.

All in all, this is a refreshing approach to a significant event in US history, simply written and beautifully illustrated.

I truly enjoyed this book. This is the most detailed account of the Saturday Evening Girls that I have found. The pictures are marvelous...

I bought this for my wife who is a potter as a hobby. She likes the book a great deal and continues to use it extensively as she does her pottery design work. It seems to be a very good reference document with great pictures.

Book is exactly what I ordered and was in perfect condition.
Many students in my class were not able to obtain this book through the university bookstore.

From the1940s to the mid-1960s, several evenings a week, thousands of Irish and Irish Americans flocked to Boston's dance halls on Dudley Square to enjoy an unparalleled social scene of music, dance, and shopping. Musician and music book editor Susan Gedutis is also a performer of traditional Irish music in the New England area, and she's the logical author to add rich detail and social history to See You At The Hall, a probe of the history of Boston through the eyes of those who performed there. Narratives weave with social history to make for a compelling study in See You At The Hall.

Would you like a cup of tea? How about a slice of soda bread? This book is as warm, lively, and fun as an Irish family gathering. Though the author is a music scholar, this book is refreshingly free of the weighty tone of most academic works--the writing is smooth, informed, and accessible, the tone affectionate. Ms. Gedutis has interviewed many performers and fans about this era, and their recollections are amusing, poignant, and nothing if not sincere. Not only do they recall strong images of a lost city, but they place the music in historical context: as the author points out, when the Irish first came to America, music halls--like social clubs, pubs, and church groups--were just one of the "meeting places" where new immigrants could relax among their own as they tackled the routine problems of life. The Irish well know the power of story and song-- in relating our history, in affirming our personal and collective identity, and in establishing a foundation of shared experience and hope in building a community.

Ms. Gedutis refuses to paint the tale with a broad brush, however. She addresses the social and cultural forces that less informed authors might miss. One example is the tension between some Irish and Irish-American musicians. The former apparently felt that the latter, not born of the Sod, weren't "real" Irish musicians. This view was heartily countered by Irish Americans, who pointed out that many of the "real" musicians couldn't read music. On the argument went, while people danced in the background.

In recalling this era, this book can't help but make one wonder if, in a world where Play Station and cable tv isolate us from one another, perhaps more of us (of all ethnic backgrounds), need to "go to the hall," to reconnect with our neighbors and friends for a dance, a drink, and a bit of chat. (Of course, the photo of Cardinal Cushing doing the Highland Fling is itself worth the price of the book.)

It's hard to imagine how much work went into the research of this book. To find the details and documentation is mind consuming. The story puts flesh and blood onto a part of history that was forgotten and lived only in bits and pieces. Truly the work of a dedicated individual.

Shadrach who?? This book provides amazing insight into the experiences of an unlikely hero whose story should be taught in grade school. A terrific amount of information condensed into a readable, enjoyable package--I can not imagine how difficult it must have been for the author to gather such little-known information. I only regret that I hadn't known the book or its main character years ago.

This novel will take your breath away. It is horrendous that not enough information has been written about others that sufferd through the scourge of Nazism. And there's scant amount written about Blacks in Nazi Germany. The Rhineland Bastards (children of mixed race in pre-war Germany) were the first victims of the Nazi murder machine. But little is known or has been written about them. Their skin color placed them in a most precarious position: impossible to hide and no amount of bleaching the hair would change that. But Mr. Masaquoi's book is enthralling and exquisitely rendered. One particular passage made me cringe with excitement: being a child and wanting to be like his peers, this young boy of mixed race wanted to join the Nazi Youth like his other friends were doing, knowing little of the atrocious policies of the Third Reich. Well, his mother, fearing she couldn't just tell him NO decided that a better lesson would be to take him to the local Nazi Youth headquarters and attempt to sign him up for the organization....well, you'll have to buy this book to find out what happened. In all, this is a tremendous work and one that has not received, unfortunately, as much attention as many other books on personal accounts of the Holocaust.

The publication of Showing Our Colors: Afro-German Women Speak Out was groundbreaking not only because it examined the Afro-German experience, one that had been highly ignored or denied, but also because it provided a forum for Afro-German women to discuss issues that affected them. This was difficult before the publication of this book because of the way that German historians had examined what they called "the problem" of the "occupation babies," and because Afro-Germans had generally been raised isolated from other Afro-Germans. This book discusses the concept of German identity and why Afro-Germans have been a marginalized group because of the concept of Germany as a homogenous white nation.

This book confronts the ignorance concerning Afro-Germans in Germany and exposes the reader to instance after instance of subtle racism including and ways in which different expressions concerning race, color, and mixedness are used derogatorily and what connotations they have. It explains why racism is often an accepted part of the social structure and exposes the fallacies that are used to justify ignorance and violent behavior. The personal experiences give an intimate perspective to a history that can otherwise be viewed objectively. By attempting to educate the public with this book, the contributors create a context for themselves in German history and modern German culture. The existence of Afro-Germans is no longer a mystery, nor denied; instead it is claimed by them.

When a society is ignorant of its own history it can not begin to remedy the problems within. Because it provides a community for people formerly isolated, because it examines a history not previously discussed, because it educates a public in the hopes that some change will come about: for those reasons is Showing Our Colors a groundbreaking book.

I was left with one thought after reading this book: when has society done enough? What is the social obligation to a young woman who willingly leaves her home to live in the streets because she isn't happy living with her family? I felt little sympathy for Amanda, the first of two homeless Boston women who were profiled in the book.

Wendy, the second woman profiled in the book, ended up living on the streets through a far more complicated set of circumstances, and reading her story was a far more profound experience. Getting her off the streets and keeping her in sheltered care would be a difficult and perhaps impossible goal to achieve. A person must be amenable to change if they are going to succeed in long-term shelter care or assisted living, and someone with a bad drug habit and mental health issues may not be willing or able to succeed even in the most structured living environment.

I'm disappointed to note that this book has gone out of print.

We hear the phrase "it could happen to any of us" so often but most of us don't believe it. This book will tell you how easily it can happen. The stories of these women are heartwrenching, but yet, very educational. I could not put this book down and since reading it, I have been looking for similar books to purchase. We all need to educate ourselves more about people on the street. We should be outraged that this can happen in a rich country as ours. Next time you see a homeless person, don't look at that person in disgust and be jugdemental. Instead, think of ways you may be able to help.