New York Books

I picked up the book a little skeptically, even though I admire the author, because I was afraid it might glorify a murderer. Richard Jacoby has a simpler goal. He humanizes the Capeman and makes him understandable.

The Capeman was a 16 year old involved in a gangfight in which he stabbed two other teenagers and they died. Sentenced to death, Governor Rockerfeller commuted the sentence under heavy pressure.

Meantime, Richard Jacoby was doing a thesis about whether people on death row had life changing experiences. He got in touch with the Capeman, letters were exchanged, then they met in person and a deep friendship started. The author also got to know the Capeman's family very well. The original goal was for the Capeman to write his life story, but as it becomes clear, after he's paroled that he won't really do it, Jaocby uses all of his notes to put the story together.

Meantime, Paul Simon wrote a musical based on parts of the Capeman's life. It's a story of redemption, but to Richard, that's only part of the story. He uses this book to tell the whole story, not just about the Capeman's life, but about our prison system and about our insane asylums. He's very careful to let the fact's speak for themselves.

The biggest surprise is how hard the book is to put down. You get inside the head of the Capeman and his relatives and his story becomes an American story and yet, still a very individualized story. The book can perhaps best be summed up by Jacoby's encounter with a racist cop, where, referring to the Capeman, he tells the cop "Yeah, but he's still a human being" At it's most basic, that's what the book is about. Without glossing over his crimes, Jacoby shows us the Capeman as a human being. It's a moving, well balanced portrait that is completely compelling reading. Highly Recommended.

Conversations with the Capeman is an absolutely stunning, beautifully written book about the life of convicted murderer Salvador Agron. Richard Jacoby weaves a brilliant and sensitive memoir of his real-life interviews and relationship with Agron. Jacoby paints a compelling, unbiased portrait of a tragic life; from Agron's youth as a member of a violent New York street gang to his conviction for a murder that he may not have committed, to life beyond prison. This impossible to put down book reads as if one is watching a motion picture. It involves all the elements of a modern-day epic; heartbreak, mystery, deception, love, friendship, redemption, and ultimate tragedy. This novel, of all the books I have read, has had the biggest impact on me...Simply amazing.

Each page of this beautifully written book brings raw emotion to the surface. Richard Jacoby paints a vivid picture of the poverty stricken, abusive childhood that surer than any court sentenced Salvador Agron to a life of alienation and despair. Yet despite being the youngest person ever sent to New York State's electric chair, Agron possessed a spark of human spirit that would not die. It is Jacoby's great accomplishment that he lets Agron's story speak for itself as he takes us through the dark alleys of Puerto Rico, the doo-wop drenched streets of New York and the cold corridors of state prisons where despair is plentiful, yet hope lives. If you want to know why we should treat our kids better and why giving people in trouble a second chance is NOT some mushy-headed idea, read this extremely engaging book.

This insightful, sensitively written book which brings to light Salvador Agron's life that was imprinted by race, sexual abuse and the condemnation of society gave me not only a new awareness of the criminal justice system, but of human redemption as well. Reading Conversations with the Capeman was a powerful eye-opening experience.

Conversations with the Capeman, the story on which the musical Westside Story is loosely based, blew me away. I literally read this 500+ page book in two days. I almost could not sleep for want of finishing it on the first day.

The life of Salvador Agron provides a window into humanity that society tends to overlook when confronted with a crime in light of the death penalty. Mr. Agron's life can be viewed as social commentary that makes this a very important look at our penal system but more importantly it renders him human.....not an evil animal. The loyalty that Salvador garnered from people he didn't even know was overwelming. This is the first book that ever brought me to tears to the point that I could barely see the words on the page while reading the last two chapters.

I subsequently bought Paul Simon's Songs from the Capeman and was pretty impressed by the way that he captures Salvadors life in music.

love this book broke down many times on some of the letters great book!!

This marvelous little book offers a parallel and human voice to the more academic books about Vietnam.
There is no "agenda", here just a selection of moving, articulate, impassioned voices talking about their experiences and feelings at the time they were there. Some of the most moving, of course, being those from young people who would die shortly thereafter. We see through the letters in the book that even on the front lines this "war" was seen through a wide diversity of opinions, from those that were totally committed to it, and why (though they tend to become less prevalent as the years pass), to those who came to believe it was not a worthy effort to justify the consequences. And the majority, just confused. A must read.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who wants to see the Vietnam war from the eyes of those who were there. The book is a collection of writings from Vietnam veterans that were written during there time in country. This book shows the War as more than casualty numbers and battle field dates. A good read for everyone.

This book captivated me so that i could not put it down, untill i had finished. It touches your heart and soul. Wonderful read!! Please put it on DVD!!! Thank you :-)

After the amazing documentary about Vietnam that solely exists of actor voice overs of funny, goofy, anxious and heartbreaking letters home from soldiers at the battlefront in Vietnam, accompanied by graphic footage of the war itself, this book came out. It contains the letters read out in the movie, and additionally has some more background information about the soldiers who wrote the letters.

Even without the trained actor voices reading the letters out loud to you, and without the grim and realistic war images, this book is a pageburner. Heart-wrenching accounts of the legacy of war written by the soldiers that fought it, as well as by the people they left behind.

This book is adorable! It's so fun and the creativity is amazing. My 14 month old loves dogs and this book has become one of his favorites!

With kids toys being so much about brands and high tech capability - this whimsical and imaginative book is such a delight. I can't wait for my son to see it on Christmas day. Adults I have shown it to have enjoyed it too.

This book is wonderful! I bought several copies for my dog-loving friends because the price was very reasonable- they all thought it was delightful. The illustrations are fantastic, and the broccoli/cauliflower poodles are especially cute!

I cataloged this donated book into the academic library's collection where I work. I selected it from the books that had been donated for our annual book sale because I knew parents with little children would enjoy having something to occupy the attention of their kids while they were studying/researching. What a remarkable imagination this book testifies to! I photocopied the "Working like a Dog" page to testify to my meager efforts, it adorns my cubical. Everyone with children will want a copy of this book.

My daughter, age 20 months, just loves this cute little book. She asks to read it again and again.

If you think the book was about bragging rights, think again! I read the book with the intent to satisfy my interest about the "drug game," and this one did it and then some. I had read some so-called drug stories, but this story is so different in a sense that you can feel the remorse of Azie, through details about this lifestyle that is still glamourized by "rap stars." Azie takes you from his innocent early childhood, to his administrative position in dealing with drugs, to the aftermath of his envied lifestyle. You actually get to understand the relationship of everyone involved. With every page I read, I was piecing together alot of the mystery about the drug game. When I finished this book, I walked away with a fulfillment of why and how Harlem and other black communities were lured into a pseudo life of selling drugs.We all should give one copy to a young person as a gift. IT may save their life. I want to aknowledge the co-author Agyei Tyehimba for his literary skills that also kept me glued to the book. I, too, look forward to more projects from these two. Talk about being real...

Bought this book on Friday, Never put it down til early Saturday Morning. Such compeling hard gritty truth !

I thought this book was absolubtly "wonderfull"!
As a former resident of Harlem during AZ's reign, I can assure you of the accuracy of this well written, informative book. I laughed, I cried, I felt fear, and I celebrated, as I was entertained. I believe this book should be a required text of all schools; for it is a lesson that both teachers, and students can benefit from. I applaued AZ for his candid accounts, and his chosen co/author (Agyei Tyehimba). This Authors abilities breathed litterary life into a story now not soon to be forgotten. I look forward to Mr. Tyehimba's next projects, and Az's future accomplishments. Wishing you both continued success... Mochabreez

THIS AUTHOR HAS BEEN THROUGH HELL AND BACK, WHAT WITH THE LOSS OF SO MANY FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES!!!! I AM SO VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT YOU ARE NOT GLORIFYING YOUR FORMER LIFE,BUT YOU ARE UPLIFTING YOUR FAITH AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT!!!!!I REALIZE IT PROBABLY TOOK A LOT TO DIVULGE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU DID,RELIVING THE PAIN OF THE DEATHS, THE ATTEMPT OF YOUR OWN LIFE,AS WELL AS HAVING THE COURAGE TO LEAVE THE FAST MONEY BEHIND AS YOU'VE SAID IT'S VERY ADDICTIVE!!!! A COPY OF THIS BOOK SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ALL OUR STREET VENDORS,I'M SURE SOME OF THEM NEED TO BE ENLIGHTENED AS WELL!!!!!

This book was excellent and should be passed out at every juvenile system and prison. I wish I had read this book before my son turned 20 and moved out. I would have made him read it and right me a full report about! I have a younger son and it will be a must read in a couple more years!
Thank you for sharing and writing a powerful and enlightening book.

This book was a revelation! I was curious, but had no idea, what really goes on in the intriguing world of the funeral industry. Ms. Mosca presents an unflinching look at the kinds of challenges and issues that those in this profession are confronted with. What's more, she also shows some fascinating glimpses of her life apart from her work. These facets include a stint with Playboy, acting roles in community theater, and writing assignments for popular funeral trade magazines. I am excited to see that these journalistic adventures have led Ms. Mosca to the writing of a new book, this time, about one of the most famous cemetaries in the country. I look foward to the book's publication later this summer. If it's as compelling as her first book, it is sure to be another hit. Can't wait to read it!

Grave Undertakings was a pleasant surprise to read! The author, Alexandra Mosca, comes across as so genuine, sensitive and caring, that it made me look at funeral directors in a whole different light. Before reading this book, I will admit, I did not have a high opinion of the funeral industry. But, Mosca conveys through her writing how difficult the job can be emotionally and what a special sort of person it takes to do this work. Perhaps, because of her own difficult childhood, the author has a particular empathy for people who are grieving and in pain.
I purchased this book because I recalled seeing Mosca on talk shows over the years, especially when she was a Playboy model (there is a chapter about this), wondering what she had to say about her funeral career. Frankly, I wasn't expecting to be this engrossed by what turned out to be a most sensitive and tasteful memoir. The book takes us through her beginnings as a naieve young woman starting out in a rather hostile environment, trying to learn her trade and do right by her clientele. Despite coming across some rather unpleasant colleagues, (what a bunch of losers) she is determined to succeed.. Along the way, she has many unusual experiences such as attending John Gotti's funeral (another reason I bought the book), as well as poignant ones like working on the charred bodies in the Flight 587 plane crash in NY, shortly after 9/11.
Mosca has guts She is not afraid to take chances and try her hand at different careers, while always remaining dedicated to her role as a funeral director. She has a good sense of humor and is not above poking fun at herself. She sounds like a lot of fun to hang out with.
I hope we hear more from her in another book. Maybe even a televison show with Mosca as the main character. She's a lot more interesting as a real funeral director than any "Six Feet Under" fictional character.
And, Amazon, I hope you will soon be restocking this book!

This book gives great insight into the funeral business. Alexandra has a terrific style and flair for writing. I am awaiting her next work.

From life as a wistful adopted child to her days gracing the pages of national magazines with her Italian-Greek beauty, Alexandra Mosca certainly has a story to tell. And tell it she does! She overcame alot of unhappy days to become a funeral director, model and actress. Her book is filled with stories about the struggles of a young woman trying to make it in a man's business. It is absorbing, funny, sad and poignant. Her sensitivity to the needs of the people and families she serves is evident from the stories that make up this great book. The photos of her as a child are touching and her later good looks radiates through them. This volume some eye opening details of the business as well. The author comes accross as a caring and sensitive funeral director. This book is certainly a must read for anyone interested in the funeral business or contemplating a career in that industry. The publisher should bring out a new edition and make it available as a current book. It is worth it and certainly has the potential to sell. Hopefully, we will see more books by Ms. Mosca!

This was a superb book! I bought this book while still a student of mortuary science, and I have re-read it dozens of times since. I turn to this book for comfort and inspiration when I find myself struggling in the business. I am also a young female funeral director and Alexandra's book is a true-to-life account of what we face. Any young woman hoping to break into the funeral industry must read this book!!!

Moe Prager, P. I. and wine shop owner, interesting, kind of like Sam Spade owning a gourmet cheese boutique or maybe Raymond Chandler a nice little French bakery.... But, Reed Coleman pulls it off and the James Deans won't disappoint even the most discriminating imbiber of classic P. I. Noir. Plus, I met Mr. Coleman on one of his tours and he's a nice guy. Buy this book!

An ex-cop turned successful wine merchant and sometime PI. A golden-haired politico wanting to be another "comeback-kid." An office intern who turned out to be a deadly researcher. These are the intriguing main characters in Reed Farrel Coleman's third Moe Prager mystery, The James Deans.

If you've got politicians in a story, then you know what the other elements will be--greed, betrayal, misuse of power, dishonesty, and in the wake of Monicagate and GaryCondit/Chandra Levy, sexual dallying will play a big part too.

Or will it? That's what's so intriguing about this specific mystery and the skill that author Reed Farrel Coleman brings to his stories--you think it's going to follow the path lead by headlines, then it veers off into uncharted territory, with roots laid deep and long ago. His style is lean and mean on one of its threads and spiraling with imagery on another. The combination makes his writing exciting and hard to forget.

The James Deans is a terrific page-turner, complicated with plenty of twists and made rich with believable, flawed characters. It's only a matter of time before Coleman and emerges from the pack and shines in the spotlight.

Moe is the refreshing antithesis of most characters being written today. He is a loving husband, father and brother, neither an alcoholic nor a drug user, but with secrets and burdens of his own. I still rave about "Walking the Perfect Square" as one of my favorite books. Coleman creates an environment that feels personal. But it's the writing that makes this book and series one I feel deserves attention and recognition. Highly recommended.

A pretty decent, fairly engaging mystery. The characters are pretty well fleshed out and the relationships, for the most part, are very believable and sympathetic.
The plot is a good mix of an old-fashioned Hammettesque detective story and modern day mystery.
My main problem is the observations, obviously from a post 9/11 perspective, of 1980's New York. I mean, come on, why would a 1983 detective be looking for the twin towers, thinking that "the skyline wouldn't look right without them?"
Over all, I enjoyed the characters enough to try another Moe Prager mystery. It's a decent, light read for a Saturday afternoon.

When he is cornered at an employee's wedding in 1983 New York, the last thing wine shop owner and private investigator Moe Prager is to work for a politician. A former cop who was forced on disability by a piece of carbon paper on a waxed floor, Moe has had enough of being manipulated and holds a secret that could destroy his marriage. However, a carrot and stick approach by the bride's father forces Moe into working for State Senator Steven Brightman and investigating the disappearance of his female intern in Reed Farrel Coleman's The James Deans (Plume)..

Moe soon makes headway into the case, but after coming to a conclusion that leaves everyone satisfied niggling doubts begin to force Moe into looking a little closer at a case that has been tidily resolved. Now, Moe must decide whether to open a can of worms that would leave the powerful and his own friends particularly unhappy with his actions. From the Senator down to the neighborhood bar owner, all are invested in the nicely wrapped package Moe has presented to the city. To continue investigating means that Moe risks sacrificing his career, his family, and his friends.

Moe Prager is a wonderfully down-to-earth detective who, although bored with his mundane life, would rather avoid a fight than wield his muscle. His love for his family makes him engagingly human, especially when he knows that a secret he shares with his father-in-law will one day explode and shatter his marriage (Walking the Perfect Square, 2001). Not overly bright but always quick with a quip yet never annoyingly so, it's his ethics and sense of honor that make Moe shine. Taking a turn at writing his version of the Chandra Levy/Gary Condit scandal, Coleman does an original twist with the plot as halfway through, just when you think the mystery has been solved, he boomerangs the story and leads Moe into making a decision that forces him to look deep into his soul and his sense of justice. While Coleman does make a few obvious references meant to give a wink and a nod to the present (a poetic look at the sturdy World Trade Center and jokes about a going-nowhere Arkansas Senator), he writes a riveting plot and creates a vivid portrait of eighties New York City. Always entertaining with a character who is never disappoints, Coleman continues a series that improves and expands on a truly unique character.

I was amazed at how many photos were included in this book that I had never seen before. I was equally amazed to discover that Gruen had taken some of the most well known photographs of John Lennon during this time period; and it's interesting to know the story behind them. The book is entertaining to look at, but it's also an interesting read with Gruen providing a "fly-on-the-wall" perspective of what it was like to hang out with John & friends during the New York years. Gruen provides a detailed account of what was going on in John's life when a certain photo was taken and, unfortunately, what it was like walking into the Dakota a few hours after John was shot to pick up a package at the front desk that John left for him.

I like very much this book, because has a lot of pictures with John in his intimate life, but i think Bob Gruen as a photographer is not the best. The pictures he had taken of John Lennon, are more a "fan photos". Of course there are "iconic pictures", like the New York series. But still a nice book to have to all the Lennon fans.

Fortunately for us, Bob Gruen was there. I must admit that the book show mostly really great photos, and some others are not (I mean the focus, light, etc), but you can saw John as he was, a normal guy, doing daily stuffs, playing with his guitar, in the studio, off course with Yoko, with baby Sean, public events, etc, a great review of those last years in NY.
I didn't know that so many of the famous pictures of John where taken by Gruen. The quality of the book is great, I think that every Lennon's fan will love this book, and I hope that Bob Gruen show more of his John Lennon's photo collection in a near future, he share a lot with him in those New York days and probably he got more to show!

If you enjoy black and white photos with interesting and informative commentary and John Lennon happens to be one of your musical heros, consider adding this book to your library. It just has a nice touch.

Bob Gruen invites readers and photo aficionados into his chronological photo portfolio into former Beatle John Lennon's life with the book John Lennon: The New York Years. Gruen provides a combination of never before seen and seen candid and photo shoot images of Lennon during his years in New York. Gruen closely associated with John and Yoko as a neighbor and as their personal photographer, and the images show the intimacy and the trust they had in him in capturing their moments in just about every situation, in the studio, a walk in the park, or simply hamming it up for the camera; every picture tells a story behind it.

The difference with this book of photographs and others is that Gruen offers much insight of the time and place in which he took each photograph. Gruen specifically shares with the public his personal account of knowing John as a friend or as he refers, "just a New York guy." He does not concentrate on over wrought information, but rather recounts the first time he met and became friends with John and Yoko and the events that made an impression on him, such as the story behind the most iconoclastic poses: the New York City t-shirt and Statue of Liberty pose.

Bob Gruen covers much ground in a little less than ten years, 1971-1980. However, in that time, he covers the most interesting and controversial period in John's post Beatle life. John Lennon: The New York Years is recommended for all Lennon as well those interested in documentary photography, and is yet another welcome addition to anyone's collection of rock and roll oriented books.

This is one of the best memoirs I've read. Broyard is brilliant, an elegant writer, and his story is interesting. Anyone in love with New York, or just in love with good memoirs, should read it.

Returning from World War II, Anatole Broyard, a young man of New Orleans Creole stock who had grown up Brooklyn working class, took advantage of the GI Bill to jumpstart his fortunes. Manhattan beckoned across the river, and upon enrolling in The New School, he fell down the rabbit hole and into the Wonderland that was Greenwich Village. At The New School, he sat in the classes of the major intellectuals of the era, many of them from Europe. He had only just begun when he met artist Sheri Donatti, a protégé of Anais Nin, who instantly provided him with a place to live and a relationship that would come to define the entire mad scene, where everyone read Kafka and modern art was It. The old rules, whatever they were, were out the window and where Sheri was in command, the rules changed daily. Broyard, who paints himself as an outsider has enough access to the epicenter of the action and thinking of the place in this time frame to be its ideal interpreter.

This memoir covers just a couple of years, but that's enough to get down the Bohemian culture of Greenwich Village a few years before Keroauc appeared on the scene and nearly a couple of decades before the sixties would recast their own version. Broyard went on to become for 3 decades an admirable book critic for The New York Times and to live a happy, domesticated family life in the suburbs. His lucid, literate and witty style shines in KAFKA WAS THE RAGE. He was working on this memoir when he died of cancer in 1993.

My first reaction was, I wish I had been there too. As he said, the public was visually hungry at that time. Now the public is pretty much jaded in mho, but also, there are probably many more visual artists per capita than in 1947.
Other quotes I liked: pp129 On Delmore Schwartz, he was like the grammar-school bully who rips open your fly buttons. It was Delmore who helped me to understand what I came to think of as the malice of modern art.
pp134 The social history of the world is, in some ways, a history of censorship.

One brilliantly sunny day in July, I decided to head out to the lake to bask in the sun and read. Unforuntately, I realized halfway there that I hadn't bought anything to read. So, I trotted over to my local used bookstore and began browsing their recent acquisition table. This little volume immediately gained my attention. It looked like fun, it looked like it would be a quick read, and it was short enough that it wouldn't keep me from continuing in any of the other books that I was already reading. So, off to the lake with this book in hand I went.

KAFKA WAS THE RAGE was quite a nifty little read. I had read a fair amount about the Beats at one point, so this had some of the same post-WW II Manhattan atmosphere, but that was set more in the area of Columbia University, so this shifted the scene further south. There is no real story to tell here. Broyard merely recounts in a more or less anecdotal form a number of events and individuals from a particular moment in time. He has a gift for summoning up particular moments in vivid detail, and a talent for the brilliant line. An example of the former is his recounting of an adventure in which he took Delmore Schwartz, Clement Greenberg, and Dwight MacDonald to a Spanish Harlem nightclub. Another is his description of his art professor Meyer Schapiro.

Some great lines:

"I thought that being a Communist was a penalty you had to pay for being interested in politics."

[on Dylan Thomas] "To him, an American party was like being in a bad pub with the wrong people."

[on Delmore Schwartz] "Like Samuel Johnson, whom he resembled in many ways, Delmore was not interested in prospects, views, or landscape. He had looked at the city when he was young, and saw no need to do it again."

[on a painter friend] "His voice was soft, deep, and cultivated and his manners were a history of civilization."

As one might expect (and hope for) in a memoir set in such a vibrant era, the book is marvelous for its incessant name-dropping of famous individuals who pop up briefly as characters: figures as diverse as Erich Fromm, Maya Deren, Anais Nin, Caitlin and Dylan Thomas, W. H. Auden, Gregory Bateson, as well as the previously mentioned Schwartz, Greenberg, MacDonald, and Shapiro.

If you're expecting an overview of the 1940s Greenwich Village scene, adjust your expectations. This is for the most part an account of Anatole Broyard's life, as he lived in Greenwich Village in the 1940s. The focus is on Broyard's concerns of the time and his particular perceptions. It is a distinct difference.

That acknowledged, I'd like to say that I recommend the book anyway. Broyard's account is valuable for its loving criticism of the 1940s art world, for its honest recognition of the stupidity of youth, and for its meandering remembrances, repleat with similes and earnest attempts to find meaning in the past. The book is valuable because of its examination of life, an examination that is all the more interesting for the time period and the location of the subject.

I said that Broyard's account was more an account of his own life than of the times. But it is also an opinion of mine that one life tells a lot about a time period. The setting for the memoir is New York just after WWII--the whole city is glad to be alive and glad to be carefree for the first time since the beginning of the war. And Broyard's account of himself and others in the period is fascinating for that reason, for the way this made people act. Need another reason? Broyard's memoir is peppered with chance meetings with prestigious artists and writers of the time. He exposes the mentality they all lived with--the way they lived with art the way other young people live with football or pop music. He exposes the advantages and disadvantages that that presented. Most of all, he exposes your youth--your own youthful pretensions, and stupidity, and wisdom. It's the account you would write if you had the time... And the insight.

"Leaps of Faith" is a work of love. It is warm, funny, sweet and moving, with elements of suspense and drama. Rachel Kranz tackles major themes of race, sexuality, family and betrayal. She searches her characters with great affection for the best they have to offer and finds an array of human qualities that contribute to a most satisfying reading experience. The book is stylishly written, but in a friendly, down-to-earth way, and at the end of the nearly 600 pages, I only wished for more. I can't wait for Rachel Kranz's next book.

Kranz's remarkable novel is a hefty mix of comedy, politics, and the daily grind of love in all its forms. Flip's psychic boyfriend Warren doesn't fully support his fledgling acting career. Rosie, Flip's sister, is juggling what could be her first union strike with her so-called dating life. While Flip and Warren's relationship struggles, Warren's estranged sister sends her biracial daughter into Warren's life, causing him to adjust to life in totally new ways. Kranz changes viewpoints through the story, making it a mosaic of life in New York City, and this is one of the strongest aspects of the story. The most potent aspect of the story is Warren and Flip's love. It's incredibly tangible in its constant variations from positive to negative to inbetween. Like real life, their love is inconsistent with one saying something honestly to the other, and watching as it's misunderstood. And it's this honesty that resonates with the reader, drawing us further and further into the book until it's unquestionable that this book would be set aside. If you want to give yourself a fulfilling, joyful treat, grab this book and settle into a comfortable chair.

Leaps of Faith is truly captivating. Its plot is rich and moving. Its characters are endearing and vividly alive, especially Warren and Flip. However too much emphasis is placed on the union and the strike. Also, the side stories of Tanya and the lesbian couple in Flip's theatre group seem irrelevant. But the relationship developments between Warren and Flip, between the couple and their respective sister, between the couple and their little girl,Juliet, makes the book shines. The strength in Warren and Flip's relationship culminating to their "marriage" is rare, touching, deeply emotional and beautifully told. I hope Kranz will invest her talents in another novel soon.

Set in the vibrant Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen neighborhoods of New York City, Leaps of Faith explores gay and lesbian relationships, struggling actors, racism and union activists. There's something for everyone in this novel, but the author invested so much of her own experiences, I wonder if she has anything left to contribute to subsequent novels.

Warren is a professional psychic, raised in a wealthy family who only partially accepts his gay lifestyle. He is suddenly saddled with raising his sister's French bi-racial 8-year old daughter, Juliette, after his sister admits herself into an asylum in Paris. Although he is totally unprepared for this role, he adapts quickly to it and learns to love Juliette totally. The central theme of the novel is Warren's volatile relationship with Flip, 13 years younger, struggling actor, and the love of his life. After much angst and soul searching Warren and Flip decide to pledge their troth to each other, and many humorous scenes are built around their "wedding" planning.

Flip's sister Rosie is also struggling to come to terms with her love relationship with a much younger man of a different ethnicity. She is also a determined union activist and struggles with some serious health problems. I found the chapters relating to the clerical workers strike at the university to be overdone and boring, and some skillful editing could have made this section of the book more concise and entertaining.

The structure of the book, which was told in multiple voices, allowed you to have insight into the perspective of multiple characters, and was a useful device until the chapters relating to the strike. Moving rapidly from the voice of one character to another character, none of whom were adequately fleshed out, was confusing and tedious.

But, all in all, the book was amusing, quick reading and gave some fascinating insights into New York, the gay life, the theater, and the behind the scenes union organizing. A little less detail in some areas could have shortened it somewhat and made the pace more brisk.

I loved this book! It's a real page-turner. Ms. Kranz has captured the pulse of New York City with an exquisite array of pitch perfect voices running the spectrum of sexual orientation, gender and political position. It is epic in scope and yet very detailed and personal in each of its unique points of view. She has written a novel about intimacy and how we construct our intimate relationships that is political without being preachy. Her insightful glimpses into actor's lives, union organizers, traditional and non-traditional family structures and the web of relationships that keep them together are both painful and heartfelt. The characters have lingered with me long after the last page has been turned. The book reminds me of a fine tapestry, rich in texture and pattern, its story-lines beautifully woven together into a satisfying whole. I highly recommend this book!

I'm sure I'll love this book. Once I receive it. It's been nearly 3 months since I ordered this...Amazon will no longer be the beneficiary of my internet commerce.

Kind of essential lookback to something we'll never see again. All the messiness, sloppiness & amateurism that had me and my pals going all the time to the FE (Friday Night Late Show Only please!). One of few worthwhile rock books.

I love this book. I frequented the Fillmore East 18 times between 1970 until it closed in June of 71. This book brought back so many memories. The Fillmore East was without a doubt the greatest place to see and hear a concert and I miss it. I am glad that I was able to be a part of the Fillmore East - even got to speak to Bill Graham the night of the last public concert. I am very glad this book was put together and anyone who was there will enjoy it. I sure do miss those days - Thanks Amalie!!! Got anymore tidbits - any chance of a Fillmore East Late Show edition?

This book provides a list of the bands playing each night the Fillmore was open! Great historical insight!

The Fillmore East was not only the Mecca of Rock Music in the late sixties and early seventies, it was also the epicenter of all Rock Music, as well as jazz and performance art from the era. Live at the Fillmore East captures the ambience of the era by capturing not only the acts performing on stage, but the audience's exuberance and the backstage scene in wonderful photography by Amalie R. Rothschild. I'd highly recommend this book to all music lovers, like myself, who have an appreciation for the music of Jimi Hendrix, Janis, The Who, The Grateful Dead (many great pictures of the band on stage), Miles Davis, etc.
A special portion of the book is dedicated to the light shows that were so valuable in those days in highlighting the music as it was being performed. If you ever attended a show at the Fillmore East, this book is a must! If you know the reputation of Bill Graham and the Fillmore East and never attended a show there: this book is a must also! Great forward by Mickey Hart and great text by the author. Buy this book and treasure it for the testament of a great, historical era in music.