Father's Day Books

Sadly enough the person I wanted to surprise did NOT receive this item yet. It's been a full month already...

I love this book. It is broken up into the different stages of your life- Early years, high school, young adult- etc. I have yet to experience my first child and such so those pages are blank, but they are waiting to be filled. I love that I have it sitting at my bedside and when I think of something I have it and can start writing. There is one page for each question- just enough room to write about it.
My husband wil pick up and read page here and there and it is an interesting conversation starter. I have bought several as presents.

After purchasing this book for myself, I bought one for my Mother and Daughter. What a great journal of your life and thoughts!

My husband and I bought these to fill out together, but it's not really like that. They are in depth answers that require thought. Perfect for self reflection if you have a lot of time to write. Good thought provoking questions.

I love the premise of this book--and got copies for friends and family members--but the point of it is you have to contribute the memories. There are 201 questions that, when answered by the recipient, will produce an autobiography that could turn into a family heirloom.
If you're giving this book to an elderly person, why not ask them the questions and then fill in their answers? That way you will have some great personal time, find out a few surprises, and produce a journal of life stories that will record some family history.
You get out of Book of Myself just what you put into it. Maybe this is the year to finish this project.

What a serious world we live in these days. Have people forgotten the ability to simply switch one's brain to pure "enjoyment" mode? Judging by most of the reviews below, I think so. Has anyone here heard the term 'suspension of disbelief'? Try it people, you might find you get more from your books rather than moaning about how or why something couldn't feasibly exist or occur in reality. "Nano" is pure (however cinematic) fun - an E-ticket, summer blockbuster, popcorn book sure - but it is also conceptually exhilarating and well written too. Yes, that's right, I said well written. I haven't mainlined sheer entertainment in book form like this for a good while and if you enjoy a good tech-yarn with plenty of eye-popping ILM-style FX and the odd concept that makes your brain itch with possibilities then you can't go past "Nano". In fact, this was such cool fun, it has prompted me to write my very first Amazon review simply and because I felt the other reviews did not do the book justice. I look forward to John Robert Marlow's next with anticipation!

With any luck, Marlow's 'first novel' will be his last.
Based on an unsold screenplay(and after reading, it's easy to see why it didn't sell), 'Nano' takes an interesting premise, and paradoxically dumbs it down even as it seeks to educate its readers in the history, and plausability, of nanotechnology.
Unfortunately, the story is a jumbled and badly-written mess, full of scenes that would probably look 'cool' onscreen, but are simply torturous in print.
Marlow relies too much on exaggerations, cliches, and simply bad science, (probably 'assembled from stray molecules')as well as a terrible habit of William Shatner-like italicized emphasis on syllables, which grates after a few pages. I won't even get into Marlow's preachy and self-promoting 'Afterword', which is merely a cut-and-paste job from his web site, containing about half a dozen reminders to go to his web site for more information..kind of like being reminded to read a book you're already reading!
I've noticed a lot of the reviewers who liked 'Nano' didn't care for Michael Crichton's 'Prey'. I definitely prefer Crichton's more reasonable approach, which explains nanotechnology without over-explaining it,over Marlow's disjointed 'sky is falling' tale.
I'd write more, but I live in the San Francisco area, and one never knows when a stray nanite might...

It's no coincidence this book won the Editor's Choice Award from Nanotechnology Now, or that its author was nominated for the Foresight Institute Prize in Communication (for excellence in nanotechnology journalism) for his online Nanoveau column and other efforts.

As fiction, this book rocks. It's also, in the words of Nanotechnology Now editor Rocky Rawstern (who knows a heck of a lot more about nanotech than the folks writing some of these reviews) "plausible, scientifically accurate, and timely...the most important piece of fiction written to date."

I've read every nanotech-related novel I could get my hands on, and NANO is by far the best; it beats Crichton's PREY hands-down, and I can't wait to see it on the big screen.

Buy it, borrow it, steal it--but read it. This is the future.

NANO (2004) is a not very believable near-future (2010?) SciFi Thriller, about the good and bad possibilities of Nanotechnology.

The technology described in the book is pretty cool, but really not very believable when you get right down to it. For example, the first guy who invents working nanotechnology can make it do all sorts of wonderful things almost immediately (Singularity!) - but technology breakthrus DON'T work this way in the real world... first, one would see some lower-level practical breakthrus, not this wild fast-breakthru scenario.

The story is somewhat exciting, but the main and small characters are all fairly annoying and unbelievable - the main character John, is supposed to be Robert Oppenheimer's grandson; who has been somehow "hand-guided" by him to make nanotechnology breathroughs, in a corny scenario which involves his father failing to live up to his own father, and dropping out of the son's life.

One thing good about the book is that it is a fairly quick read, coming in at about 375 hardcover pages.

Unfortunately, about every 25 pages or so, you will come across some scene or technology that is so unbelievable that it pretty much insults the reader's intelligence.

Synopsis:

A science fiction techno-thriller depicting the hastened introduction of nanotechnology due to the assassination of the world's richest man who wanted to give it away for free creating a world without scarcity, work and inequality.

Due to the assassination of his financial backer the inventor of practical nanotechnology has to flee for his life along with an inquisitive female journalist who identified him before anyone else. Rogue elements in the US military-intelligence community start a hunt for them forcing the scientist to use lethal nanotechnology to defend himself and the woman.

The novel presents a few dozen hours of their flight as they wait on a nanotechnology-based supercomputer to calculate the correct steps in introducing nanotechnology at large without dire consequences to society. In the meantime they are hunted by top commandos, a nuclear missile and classified, untested weapons.

Positive elements:

Mainly accurate science - as a nanotechnology columnist the writer has a good overview of the field; snippets of scientific background and thoughts of scientists make this an interesting and imaginative read. However, there are no explanations for key scientific elements such as the force needed to pull molecules apart or where the disassembled atomic particles go.

Great ideas - thought-provoking positive and negative futures, galactic consequences after the introduction of nanotechnology, theories on the origin of life on Earth, the development of superhumans, etc.

Scrutinizing the ethics of introducing nanotechnology - malevolent political, military organizations are characterized accurately; tough and contradicting questions and answers about the short and long term aspects of ubiquitous nanotechnology

Negative elements:

Poor writing style - this prose never soars, the writer attempts to sound very much like Tom Clancy writing about nanotechnology, there a couple of annoying words some stressed even in italics: the vehicles can be described as 'bulletproof" four times on the same page, the guns are always "snakking", the building or disassembling molecules are always "chittering", there are specific phrases, sentences to make you think about film shots instead of using your imagination.

Dull Hollywood blockbuster like scenes - too many last minute escapes from explosions, fights; too many secret military technologies and weapons introduced at once; male and female lead fall in love after a few hours of hiding; male and female lead have hours of discussing science (cheap way of informing the reader) punctuated by the occasional military commando, nuclear missile, stealth bomber, etc. attack wiping out city blocks, a bridge and a city at the end; the rogue elements in the US Military develop competing nanotechnology in an hour instead of the predicted ten years, makes one wonder why they haven't done so in the past.

Focus on violence - The whole book is a non-stop roller coaster of escaping ever stronger military attacks by nanotechnological defenses; there are only a few instances of positive, imaginative application of a powerful new technology. The male and female lead introduce body- and mind-enhancing nanotechnology into their bodies, however, there aren't more than two sentences about their feelings, thoughts; this area could have been better explored.

All the negative aspects can be summarized by comparing the book to a Hollywood script written by twelve studio writers or a cheap novelization of a summer blockbuster movie. There is nothing extra to make it into a great 'novel' or a 'science fiction book'. When the jacket blurb on the book said "Reads like a big-budget summer blockbuster", I thought that it was a positive comment... I should have remembered the last decade of summer blockbusters to give me a jolt.

John, I'd like you to keep the grand scientific ideas and your quest for knowledge and justice while developing your writing style. Work harder on the plot of your next book, there doesn't have to be a hidden new weapon every 5 pages to make it interesting. I will read your next effort but I won't buy it - will borrow it from a friend or a library. If it is any good, I'll buy the third one. ;)

In Philip Galanes' Father's Day, Matthew Vaber, the narrator, takes us through the year following his father's suicide. Along the way he throws in many experiences from to his earlier years including his unsatisfactory relationship with his father. Matthew is in his thirties, living by himself in New York, he successfully manages a photography gallery, and he is lonely and gay. To help cope with the loss of his father, (he blames himself for his death), he is seeing a psychotherapist, and he also regularly travels home to see his mother, whom he perhaps loves too much.
He spends a lot of time calling the Pump Line, "New York's only phone line for men who are serious about their bodes!", which is a contact line for gay men; in fact he is almost addicted to the line. He has met a few of the men he has spoken to with varying degrees of success or failure, mostly the latter, that is until he meets Henry. He maintains a relationship with Henry, but while Henry is keen Matthew seems indifferent, and he continues to uses the Pump Line and visit the Downtown Club, an anonymous sex contact club.
Matthew is not a simple straightforward character, he's a bit mixed-up, shallow at times but also capable of great insight, he is casual about some things, obsessive over others, and he can be frustrating: doesn't he appreciate what he has found in Henry? As he looks back at his past he is honest, even to the point that he recognises his perception of events could be wrong, as he struggles to come to terms with his troubled life.
The real pleasure of the book though is in the writing, Matthew's asides or comments to events are a delight, funny and perceptive, I found they especially made the book worthwhile.

Some friends of mine said I would like this book, yet one who knows me better predicted I would despise it. He was going by the cover, not one of Chip Kidd's masterstrokes, and maybe by the author's photo, not one of Marion Ettlinger's best either. In fact he looks a little frightening, as though he had lived through something horrid like the Rwanda massacre.

But anyway as it turns out the book is an insightful one, and for all its complicated time structure of multiple flashbacks and its weighted load of interior monologues, it's refreshingly straightforward. Matthew is all caught up in trying to figure out if his father's suicide is the result of his mother's long ago Lesbian affair. Indeed the plot is rather like that of Hamlet, turned sideways. In the meantime, and during his therapy wich isn't that interesting, he is now addicted to $.15 a minute phone sex lines, and occasionally to a bathhouse called the Downtown Club. The scenes of Matthew addicted to anonymous sex aren't as arousing as one would hope.

Maybe Knopf asked Galanes to tone them down because they just kind of lie there, flatly, like jellyfish. When he meets Henry he complains that Henry is too perfect for him and that the "rockets red glare" isn't happening between them. Towards the end of the book when he has his catharsis about his mother, Henry starts to look better and better and somehow he realizes that maybe he isn't such a sexual person after all.

All of this is balanced pretty nicely. It's not a book which takes in a whole lot of the world, and all the characters have lovely clothes and go to nice restaurants, and no one is poor, and Matthew has some kind of gallery job that is almost a cliche of the disaffected consumerist art queen--but these are minor defects in a novel which isn't trying to be a Zadie Smith or David Wojnarowicz, it's about money, class and privilege and in the long run, the novel is a bourgeois structure isn't it, this book just reinscribes that status with some chuckles thrown in, and a lot of introspection into the human heart.

I enjoyed it and would recommend it to friends.

Without a doubt, this book is one of the lamest things I have read all year! It is a total bore. Matthew, the "hero" of this novel, transports the reader to a world of total self-pity and self-importance. The story line deals with his father's suicide, Matthew's reaction to same, his Oedipal relationship with his mother, his searching for sex on a call-line, his mother's supposed lesbian relationships, his dealings with his psychiatrist, and his visits to the local bathhouse, as well as a rather tenuous relationship with Henry. Henry is a man Matthew meets via his gay phone line after he, Matthew, has been beaten-up by one of his phone-line tricks. THROUGHOUT the novel, Matthew simply whines about his lot in life, where he is going, what he wants from life, etc. His life is miserable, and at points I was hoping he would follow his father's actions and commit suicide himself, thereby sparing me the ordeal of having to continue to read this drivel. Save your money, save your time, ...pass this one by.

This is the story of Matthew Vaber, whose father has committed suicide. He deeply loves his mother, who is rather unattached to everything, it seems, and they both blame themselves for the death. Matthew also finds facts about his mother's past that make him suspicious of her ability to tell the truth.

Matthew has an addiction to a phone sex line to meet anonymous lovers. Later he meets a nice guy, Henry, and almost sabotages it with his distrust. I had to pull myself through the book. The emotions seem a bit muted, the characters somewhat colorless (though not entirely), and there is certainly no uniqueness to the plot or environment. Also, Matthew's references to name-brand this and that is a very tired gay novel cliche.

I dislike being negative about a first-time fiction author, but this falls short of the mark for me. A book can be "quiet" and still be great (witness "Cold Mountain" by Charles Frazier) and gay novels don't all have to be a wild sex romp or have a crazy plot. But this book was neither.

Surprising here are the remarks that it's a "great beach read" or "light, easy reading." It's not. Nor is it a highly literary read: often the dialogue falls into the trite. The author needs to focus on which scenes need to be condensed and how to drive a sharper plot, even in a book primarily about quiet emotions.

Father's Day is a competently written, but strangely un-involving story of family dysfunction and urban loneliness. The story opens with the main protagonist, Matthew Vaber, describing how his father shot himself in the head. He then launches into an attack on his bitter, disaffected, and self-absorbed mother who, it is gradually discovered, has had a secretive lesbian past with a childhood friend. While, living in New York working as an artists' representative, Matthew occasionally visits his psychiatrist, and seeks solace from his fear of intimacy by connecting to 555-PUMP, a phone sex service, and periodically haunting the corridors of The Downtown Club for casual, anonymous sex.

From the outset, it is obvious that Matthew has problems, not only relating to men but he also has unresolved issues with his Mother. Matthew's take on men is a mixture of the virulent with the yearning - he seems to be stuck in a repressed, withdrawn state of emotional retardation, but he also seems blurrily obsessed with finding a steady love interest. He admits that he's cornered the market on sweet and clever and funny, with more than a little handsome thrown in too, but nothing has ever worked for him. Pump Line is like "the new kid on the block," where Matthew can stalk the boundaries of his little cage in a continuous loop, around and around circling endlessly. When, however, he is brutally assaulted by an encounter gone wrong, he travels to Darien, Connecticut to visit his uncle. In a fit of indulgence, and using his uncle's phone, he again dials the Pump Line and connects with Henry, whom he hopes is a nice suburban boy.

Of course, Matthew can't keep the façade of true love up for long; he feels like a guy in chains, and soon enough he's back to his old, promiscuous ways. By effectively using flashbacks from Matthew's childhood, Galanes attempts to explain how Matthew came to be the way he is today, and he paints a picture of a family life mired in the dysfunctional, and the disparate. Father's Day is often subtle and poetic and its lively humor combined with its warm understanding of human nature, will probably appeal to many readers. Galanes does a good job of accurately capturing Matthew's youthful, bumbling viewpoint, and there is no doubt that the writing is rock-solid throughout, but for some reason, this reader rapidly lost interest in the proceedings. I read this novel over several days, but a novel of this length (only just over 210 pages) is probably better read in one sitting. Mike Leonard October 04.

Must to read!
Especially for Californians!
We are being a witnesses of the new classics created.
Despite the tough vocabulary and not an easy writing style, author created brilliant and truly remarkable set of essays. They are not related to each other directly, which makes it somewhat easier to read and possible to skip around, moving back and forth according to your own moods and preferences.

I have read many book in short, and few have had the impact this book had on me. It was an inspiring and emotional description of how children of immigrant parents are sometimes from old world beliefs and new world knowledge. Richard elegantly describes his battle and rightfully titles his book as an argument to his father that he is no less of a mexican if he acquires other beliefs of knowledge that contradicts that of old Mexico. It was a breathtaking book that I connected to it in some level. The quotes and images of old Mexico and trying to "prove" that you are no less mexican is a reality that many of mexican american kids face today. For them, this book is a must read.

I first learned of Richard Rodriguez on C-Span's Booknotes program. He was an invited guest of First Lady Laura Bush to speak at an author's fair that she started hosting in Texas while she was the First Lady of Texas. Rodriguez was promoting his book "Brown" at the the time and I thought his observations were wonderful.

"Days of Obligations" is in a similar vein, but not nearly as focused. He does (primarily) focus on the differences between Mexico and the United States Two interesting observations from Mexicans about America include: 1) "America is 'Organized'. Passive voice. Rodriguez notes that there seems to be no connection that actual Americans do the organizing. Rather it's almost like it is fate that America is organized. 2) Americans have too much freedom.

Rodriguez digresses from his Mexico/America discussion for an interesting (but off topic) discussion about the gay lifestyle in San Francisco. Perhaps it was meant to be a comparison between Mexicans moving into California and San Francisco's transformation into a beacon for homosexuals. If so, it was poorly correlated, although interesting nonetheless.

His observations on multi-culturalism are very interesting. Rodriguez is a hard man to pin down politically. He is a walking dichotomy. Gay. Devoted Catholic. Mexican, but barely speaks Spanish. American but feels that he is different. Anyway, he looks at school to be the ultimate "de-individualizer" in American society, and that is not entirely bad. He believes that there needs to be a common understanding in society - we all have a common culture if we live in the United States, even if we prefer to ignore it. For example, he stresses the importance of the studying the Founding Fathers: "These were the men that shaped the country that shaped my life." He stresses that point off and on throughout the book - the United States shaped his life, Mexico shaped his parents' lives, and even though they brought Mexico with them in their hearts, he did not buy into it - he was shaped much more by America.

Rodriguez's obeservations on multiculturalism in the Catholic church and Protestant vs. Catholic (in attitude, worship style, individual vs. communal, even musical themes) take up nearly an hour of the audio edition - but it may be the most interesting hour of all.

Rodriguez is a skilled and experienced public speaker (regular duty on PBS plus book tours) so I have to wonder why he did not read his own book. The reader they chose did a great job with accents(primarily Irish and Mexican) and the spoken Spanish was solid so I have no complaints, but still...

I give this one an A-. Worth a read, or in my case, a listen while driving to work. Lots of thoughts about immigration, Mexico, religion - and true to Rodriguez's form, no real answers. But, the discussion is worth the time and Rodriguez can turn a phrase quite nicely.

Speaking from several points of view: as (1) a writer, (2) a memoirist, and (3) a reader who falls utterly in love with books that bring me to other worlds, I need to say this: Are you kidding, marketplace?!?!?!?

This book is listed the half-millionth best-selling book on Amazon. That is just wrong.

This book is a highlight of American literature. NOT just late-20th-century literature, not just Latino/Hispanic/whatever literature; but the big overarching all-things-considered American literature. Mark Twain is good. Richard Rodriquez is good; his is the American literature high school students, for one, should be reading. Writers: This book taught me the most about a graceful style that could include ANY content.

Richard Rodriguez, is, to say the least, a dense writer. His prose overflows with allusions to the demonic Romantic founder William Blake, work ethic orientated Victorian philosopher Thomas Carlyle, with small dash of natural theologian St. Thomas Aquinas, among others. And these are only the obvious references to me. Add that to classical literature, Roman Catholic philosophy, pre and post lapsearian filters on the role of Mexican Americans in the United States, and you have a philosophical self examination that rivals Dante Alighieri. "Days of Obligation" is a purposely dense, complex, at times conciliatory and confusing allegory of examination of self via international relations. Rodriguez attempts to unravel the relationship between Mexico and California as he unravels his own relationship with the native land of his parents.

He opens his collection with his travels with a BBC crew to find his roots. He feels alienated in a place where everyone assumes he would feel most comfortable. This feeling of alienation continues throughout the collection, and extends to his observations of alienation of those around him. Father Huerta is alienated from others because of his yearning to reunite the body and head of Joaquín Murrieta. The disillusion between the tú and usted forms in Mexico. The alienation that he feels from his family. More optimistic about his life's potential than his fathers cynicism, more comfortable than his mother who dreams about better days in Mexico.

What I found most interesting about this collection is that it seemed, whether intentional or not, to follow basic Blakean philosophy. He makes a reference to a "Blakean angel" in "Late Victorians", which to me implies that he had some conscience effort go into that. One of the tenets of William Blakes philosophy is often misunderstood as duality, but its actually the opposite. In a simplified sense, Blake believed that people are neither good or bad, but both good and bad at the same time. And I think that is how Rodriguez sees himself in this collection. He is neither American nor is Mexican, he is both, living in both worlds, unable to fully commit to one or the either.

Another interesting thing that I noticed was an emphasis on work. Thomas Carlyle wrote that work was therapeutic, purification process, that made people more focused. Rodriguez seems to play on that idea in a satirical tone in `Late Victorians' when he writes that "Body building is a parody of labor, a useless accumulation of the laborer's bulk and strength" Rodriguez seems to believe that there should a reason for work, but this is such an obscure allusion that I'm not sure what to do with it. The book seems to continue with this theme also, but there is nothing specifically that I can point out that seems to obviously fit with that model.

I brought up Thomas Aquinas because Rodriguez is a Catholic apologist. As well as a gay man. I thought that tied up into the Blakean philosophy quiet well. Two forces that are generally seen as opposing forces coexisting in one being at the same time in the same place. He is constantly defending the Church, something that I'm sure many people would find perplexing giving the Church's position on homosexuality.

I greatly enjoyed the book. It was unlike any other non fiction that I have read. It doesn't concern itself with the typical "I feel--" statements that generally profusely overflow in contemporary non fiction. His style is reminiscent of Alexander Pope in a way--dense and literal at the same time; pretentious and personal. There is no doubt that his postulations will cause some people to walk away puzzled. He has no yearning to return to Mexico, as some people may assume, but is more than willing to admit that he does not understand the country as much as he would like. He's more than willing to, and does, to write above the average readers head. This alone is what most likely turn readers off. Unless one has a background in ethnic studies, theology, or English literature, the metaphors, references and allusions will go over the everyday readers head. But research into whatever questions the reader has will ultimately make reading the collection a richer experience.

Over all, I enjoyed the book, and when my next pay period comes in, I know that I will make a few purchases of his other works to get a greater understanding of his writing. And that is one of the greatest compliment I think that any writer can receive.

This procedural features the gloomy Italian detective Aurelio Zen returning to his home town of Venice. The strength of the book is the atmosphere with misty rain falling on the canals and the pungent smell of the city acting as a metaphor for the story the author tells. Venice itself becomes the most convincing character in the book -- mysterious, slippery, elusive, worldly, never quite what it seems and rotten to the core.
Zen himself chain-smokes his way through the book. Call me small-minded and prejudiced but I can never quite respect the intelligence of a protagonist determined to kill himself with cigarettes. We never quite see in these series the hero ending up in the cancer ward -- but that's where he's going. Before he gets there though, he will repeatedly make a fool of himself and make himself and everyone around him quite unhappy.
The one sex scene he indulges in is a serious embarrassment.
The plot is another weakness of this book. There are actually many different sub-plots, tied a little awkwardly together, but I never got very involved in any of them. There didn't seem very much at stake in this gloomy walk around the city. I quite enjoyed the scenery but ultimately didn't really understand what had happened or why I should care very much.
For more on me and my latest book The Nazi Hunter: A Novel go to www.alanelsner.com

This is the first Dibdin/Zen book I've tried and I found it wanting. I didn't feel I got to know Zen like I got to know Brunetti in Donna Leon's supberb Venice books. Maybe he's just not as likeable as Brunetti. And I found the plot someone artificial. And, as another reviewer noted, Dibdin's Venice must be awfully small because Zen keeps running into people he knows. I guess, in a nutshell, the plot didn't reach out and grab me. All in all, a disappointment.

In this installment of the Aurelio Zen series, the protagonist's visit to his native city of Venice is fraught with desire. Zen's dreams include moving away from the detestable Rome and installing himself with his mother and girlfriend Tania into a the Zen villa off the Cannaregio canal. His fantasy lacks substance only because the money he has isn't nearly what he needs to refurbish the decaying house. With his hachet-sharp mind, Zen figures out a way to subsidize his scanty paycheck; he will discover the whereabouts, alive or dead, of a wealthy missing American whose family is willing to pay him plenty to end the legal quagmire his estate is in. In order to stay in Venice in an offical capacity, he attaches himself to a seemingly simple case involving one of his mother's acquaintances, a batty old countess who swears she is being terrorized by intruders in her own stately palazzo. But, Aurelio's best laid machinations fall, so-to-speak, in the black wells known as the pozzi neri or septic tanks over which all the houses of Venice are built. As Zen attempts to solve his investigative puzzles and family problems with his best intentions, he is sidetracked by meeting old friends, one of which is immersed in a political movement meant to eventually restore Venice to it former strategic position as a great trading nation---the other the attractive wife of the movement's leader. With the addition of these new factors, Zen's intital dreams shift and change like the waters in the canals.

Being lucky enough to have visited Venice myself, I found Dibdin's audio, visual and olifactory portrait of the city remarkable. The labyrinth of small bridges, canals and walkways are expertly rendered and a joy to read. As always with this series, Zen's ability to bend the law to his own advantage and pull in favors embues the novel with a gritty realism. His thoughts of his mother, his girlfriends, past and present are priceless, adding just the right comedic touch to lighten his otherwise cynical existence.

A crime novel for those who may not think they enjoy crime novels. Deeply atmospheric and creepy, protagonist and cynical police detective Aureilo Zen returns to his native Venice to find a vanished American millionaire. The character of Zen is a beaten-down yet resilient revelation-and a character that consistently amuses and entertains. Italy is a morally ambiguous landscape full of unsavory characters where it's hard to discern the criminals from the crime fighters. The good news is that if you enjoy this Zen crime mystery, there's plenty more enjoyment in store for you since Dibdin has written several in the series.

Misty, mysterious Venice is always a favourite "character", whether it be in fiction or biography. Venice does not give up its secrets easily, and Dibdin is a master at ensuring the tension builds and the plot is assisted through location. He is equally adept at characterisation - the restless, driven Zen, who confronts several ethical dilemmas along the way, and several of the supporting "cast" , all of whom come to life and populate the setting magnificently.

The story itself is intriguing, with enough revelations along the way. There is no great finale denouement, more a piecing together of the jigsaw, and one great personal revelation about Zen's family background.

I thought Dibdin was at his very best when the action moves to the Questura (police headquarters). I half expected Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti to come strollign along the corridor!

The "chase" sequence - on foot and boat through wintry night time Venice was also excellent.

Thoroughly recommended for anyone who enjoys top quality crime fiction. No formulaic writing here!

In Beacon Street Mourning, Fremont Jones, suspicious her ailing father is being neglected by his wife Augusta, returns to Boston to see him. Her father begins to improve, then suddenly dies. Fremont must solve what she believes to be murder by poison, while others, including his doctor, contend that her father died of natural causes. Did an old friend betray Fremont and her father? Did Augusta kill him thinking she would inherit?

I like Fremont's independent spirit. She's true to those special, courageous women of her time who proved to the world that women could be more than decorations. The characterization is superb, and though I'm no historian I believe Ms. Day kept this story true to the era. This is fine writing, in a well-crafted book, that I wanted to read slowly and savor. It was the first I've read of Dianne Day's work, and I have since returned to this author's work.

Fremont Jones remains a very enjoyable character.

In the latest edition of the series Fremont finally resolves the problem of her father and stepmother that has been bedevilling her since the first entry in the series.

I see that Ms. Day is now beginning a series centered on Clara Barton. Hopefully we have not seen the last of Fremont.

First, I've enjoyed the prior Fremont Jones books. But her "independence," coupled with her pride in her own abilities (which of course is never misplaced) is, quite frankly, becoming quite tiresome. I was also extremely disappointed with the plot -- wouldn't it have been far more fascinating (and maybe better for our heroine's ego)if Fremont had been WRONG about her stepmother? I often compare Fremont Jones to Amelia Peabody -- increasingly, Fremont is paling in comparison!

Fremont Jones and her partner return to her native city of Boston. Fremont's father is very ill and feared near death. Fremont suspects that her stepmother is behind his illness. She arranges for her father to enter the hospital and then for nurses to attend him and he seems to rally, until one night, he suddenly dies of a heart attack. Unbeknownst to her stepmother, Fremont has been left the bulk of her father's considerable estate which can only lead to more trouble.

This was a really quick read. The author takes you back to Philadelphia in the early 1900's. The story is very quick moving and the characters vivid. The mystery is not difficult, but no less interesting.

Doubleday no longer intends to publish series mysteries, and because of this, Fremont Jones has met an untimely end. And because of contractual matters, Day can't take the series to another publisher. So, enjoy this one, folks -- it's the last in the series. It's a real shame!

Life with Father is a collection of anecdotes by Clarence Day, Jr., mostly having to do with his childhood and primarily involving his father. The primary reason Life with Father is so fascinating is because Clarence Day, Sr. is larger than life. The man is domineering, meticulous, and tyrannical, yet is also, in his own way, loving and good natured. His interactions with his wife are particularly entertaining.

Many incidents reported here occur in the 1880s and 1890s, and this book provides great insights into nineteenth-century American life. The chapter on how the family first came to own a telephone particularly shows how very far America has come.

Day's writing style is typically matter-of-fact, excepting a few occasions, particularly when he writes about himself. This style serves to highlight his family's absurdities, which is where much of the humor comes from.

Worth mentioning here is the marvelous 1947 film starring William Powell, which is based on the play, which is in turn based on Life with Father and several other of Day's books. Neither the book nor the movie draw a large audience in the twenty-first century, but a number of people do come to the book after seeing the film, and filtering the book through the lens of the movie's cast does help accentuate its humor.

Life with Father is an excellent and humorous book, perhaps best read in small doses so as not to dilute the effect. It is also a very interesting window into nineteenth century America.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

I was captivated by the hubbub that seemed to erupt often in the Day household. Traveling back to a time long past and being told of society's customs was a treat. Witnessing Mr. Day's frequent outbursts was entertaining as well. And what of Clarence's two-week stay in Chicago for the World's Fair, which cost him only $48? Imagine that today! Mrs. Day had such a singular way of handling Mr. Day; I found it hard not to admire her fiesty spirit. Mr. Day was domineering by today's standards, but Clarence even remarks that it was clear his father loved the family dearly.

should have been locked up for the emotional abuse of his children.

Clarence Day's writing style is adequate, the book reads quickly (I finished it in two brief sittings), but why Day would want to honor that horror of a father by writing a memoir about him is beyond me.

Read the play instead, by Lindsay and Crouse. L & C had the good sense to soften the father's character and make him more palatable. In the play you will find humor, but not in the memoir.

I loved reading this book growing up, and I still reread it about every five years. Some reviewers have complained about the father's behavior, and certainly in 2004 no husband/father could behave as he did. However, for the period in which the story takes place (the 1870s/80s), the father is pretty typical and clearly loved his family a lot. The chapters about the author having violin lessons and sharing mail with his father are particularly good. For people who understand that customs and society itself were different in earlier times, this book will be a delight.

These are very amusing sketches of family life in New York in the 1880s and 90s. Clarence Day Seniuor is a larger-than-life character, autocratic, excitable, with strong likes and dislikes. I was a bit startled to read a previous review that spoke of his 'emotional abuse' of his children. There is no abuse , emotional or otherwise, in this book. Mr Day clearly adored his family. Another reviewer says that Day Snr 'disrespected his wife'. Again, I see no evidence of disrespect in this book, Mr Day obviously loves his slightly eccentric wife to distraction, and in their frequent clashes of temperament she almost always succeeds in getting the better of him. The chapter where she departs on a lengthy trip to Egypt, leaving him pining for her, is particularly touching. This is a charming book, much more amusing than the pleasant but rather bland film that was based on it.

Just like the first book, these stories keep you smiling! You simply have to enjoy being able to read a short story that makes your laugh AND then be able to share it with your friends and family. That is what Jim Burnett gives you with this book. Mr. Burnett painstakingly sets up the stories so that you see the trouble coming and that is where my grin starts to grow! A definite camp-fire read for those who want to laugh instead of jump!

I had high expectations for this book but I had to put it down after a couple of chapters. There were too many instances where Mr. Burnett tried way too hard to make a story funny that really wasn't funny. The book is basically about stupid people asking stupid questions and doing stupid things. My advice is to just tell the stories and let the reader decide if it's funny, sad, ironic, etc. Also, there are way too many cliche's. I really hate reading books with cliche's. They should be stricken from every piece of literature ever written!
Anyway, there are some funny stories but the writing is just not really worth wading through.

I would first like to thank and congratulate Mr. Burnett for his hard work serving our parks. I didn't read the first one and I didn't know what I expected from this one, but I was very disappointed. The book seemed to lack solid substance. Most chapters seemed to drag on by the addition of filler text that made it simply boring to read. For example, there were several pages dedicated to the "humorous" events of trying to scare a snake out of a canoe. Or an in-depth analysis of how people were confused over his mailing address when he lived in one area but his mail was delivered to some other area. As time went on in reading the book, I simply had to start skimming the pages rather than reading them until I found something that was potentially interesting. Unfortunately, this isn't a book that I would even give to another family member to read.

This sequel to the author's first Hey Ranger book is a lot of fun to read, and if you pay attention to the reasons the characters in this book had a misadventure, there's some good information to be gained as well. I enjoy his folksy, conversational style and the occasional acronyms he invents to describe some of the situations in the book. The short chapters make this a good book for travel reading.

Having enjoyed Mr. Burnett's first book, I was eager to read his sequel. This book was also fun to read. A good vacation book that as each chapter is short and can stand alone.
It's hard to believe that people come to our National Parks so ill-prepared. It taught me a lot of what not to do!
This is a book that is great for the whole family - I shared it with my 85 year old mother and she is still laughing.

"If you won't take me home, then I'll get my other family to do it" are the words that starts off this well-crafted character study by Joseph Bentz. Each chapter is written by a different member of Hugh Morris's two families, himself included. His current wife, Vonnie, knew, but kept it a secret. His three daughters knew nothing of the son and daughter he had nor the first marriage that produced them. The son and daughter from the first marriage knew little or nothing about their father. When they all meet, there are sparks, there are tender moments, and we watch the progression to a melding of the two families. While it seemed to drag a bit in the middle, the ending was heartwarming and had a lesson for all.

At first I found the narration by different characters slightly confusing and annoying. However, I now bow to the author's expertise, realizing he knew best how to tell this story. I kept reading faster and faster to find out what misery Jackie would cause next. I also wanted to find her and slap her!! A thoroughly enjoyable read and a touching story of a family and its problems created by secrets.

Okay, I know this isn't a suspense novel - but Joseph Bentz kept THIS reader turning the pages; I could hardly set the book down until I'd finished it! I believed these people. I was charmed by them and annoyed by them and anxious for them (I had a distinct desire to find Jackie and slap her!). It's a thoroughly engaging, fast read - and worth a few days' disruption from "regular life" while you give reading more time than usual!

I hadn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. Bentz's characters seem real, especially Hugh, the crusty old father whose illness is the hub of the story. The writing draws its power from a focus on unsentimental and believable characters reminiscent of so many people we know, too often even ourselves.

Okay, I know this isn't a suspense novel - but Joseph Bentz kept THIS reader turning the pages; I could hardly set the book down until I'd finished it! I believed these people. I was charmed by them and annoyed by them and anxious for them (I had a distinct desire to find Jackie and slap her!). It's a thoroughly engaging, fast read - and worth a few days' disruption from "regular life" while you give reading more time than usual!

I cannot comment on the contents of this book as I have not read it yet. I have been using Day by Day with John Calvin since the beginning of the year and enjoy it very much, so I ordered this volume. The presentation is very nice and each page is appealing to the eye. However, the first thing I noticed upon flipping to the back of the book is that there is no scripture cross reference as there is in the John Calvin volume. This is disappointing as I frequently wish to cross reference the Sunday sermon text to what I am using in my daily devotionals. I'm not saying don't buy it on this account, just be aware of its absense if this feature is important to you.

Few people read from the writings of the early church fathers- either because we don't know where to begin or the translation we have is in archaic English. Either way, it becomes an exercise in frustration. This book solves this problem by selecting short daily devotional readings from a variety of authors and then updating the translation. The readings are short (usually a couple paragraphs) and are helpful in making the most out of your devotional time (it's amazing how little human problems change over the centuries!). As you might expect, some of the readings will speak to you more powerfully than others. But at a minimum, the excerpts reveal the rich tradition of thought that underlies Christianity. It's worth a look!

A delightful volume. The messages are thoughtful, not trite as in many devotional books. 365 extended quotations, one page of maybe 200 words each. Several pages at the end list the fathers quoted and tell a bit about each one. The excerpts are referenced at the end in case you want to follow up with further study. The hardcover volume is sturdy, easy to hold and to read. A good idea, well executed.

Many would want to know what the earliest Chrsitians outside of the NT thought. Here in a daily devotional organized around a daily reading from Scirpture followed by a short devotion from one of early church fathers such as Augustine, Basil, Chrysostom, Jerome, Athanasius, etc. A useful Appendix with a brief biography of each early church father is included.

This are not too pithy for most Christians, outside of their examples and explanations sometimes can be miscontrued or misunderstood due to changes in language and cultural setting, etc.

I agree that with others that the only improvement would have been to organize around the Church Year. Also helpful would have been a Scriptural Index.

This book is an excellent devotional tool. The time it takes to read the daily devotion, which consists of a bible verse and passage from a Church Father, is rather short. This makes it a good addition to regular prayer or devotional time. At the end of the book, brief biographies of many early Christian writers appear, as well as sources for the texts used.

The book has many good aspects. First, the readings are brief and rendered into modern English. Second, the book is a simple and non-threatening way to learn about God through early Christian writers. For the most part, Church history is inaccessible to most Christians, or else confined to history books. To see the early Christian writers come alive in this way is encouraging.

The book does have a drawback as far as I am concerned. The topics appear to be chosen almost randomly, and really do not reflect the Church calendar. With the exception of Christmas, the book does not rely on the Church calendar in any real way. While some feasts are moveable (such as Easter, Lent, etc) and could not be exactly represented in this book, other days like Epiphany and All Saints Day are fixed. While this won't be a problem for many, I like to base my personal worship time on the Church calendar (which most of the writers in this book pioneered and celebrated). Regardless, the book is a good way to make the wisdom of past Christians a part of devotional time.