New York Books

I notice that nearly all of the other reviews of this book are written by individuals who have not reviewed any other books. That suggests to me that these are mostly "promotional" reviews written by acquaintances of the author. That isn't necessarily a negative about the book, just that the reviews aren't really objective.

I'm not quite sure how I ended up reading this book, but I did enjoy it in spite of some serious drawbacks. Based on its literary merit alone, it probably deserves more like three stars rather than the four I gave it, but it is just too good-hearted to get overly critical about. It is better than a lot of other "comtemporary chick lit" out there these days, though it fits squarely in that genre.

The author seems to be making some effort to keep her feminist biases under control -- there is no really "evil" male character, only clueless. As she puts it, men "think with their dicks and unfortunately their dicks aren't very smart". The male lead Alex is extremely capable when it comes to making money, but clueless in his personal affairs. He relies entirely on women to help him navigate his personal life. Women are the exclusive voices of wisdom, especially his sister Joan. Alex is basically good-hearted, whereas Joan is good-hearted nearly to the point of saintliness.

Fiona is charming in her innocence and purity. That she is also really, really pretty in a natural and unself-conscious way adds nicely to the plot line. She stands in vivid contrast to her Los Angeles schoolmates who are perfect stereotypes of contemporary teen decadence. Unfortunately, stereotypes are all too pervasive in this book. These include Alex, his girlfriend Mandy, and nearly everyone in the Los Angeles scene except Joan (who is also something of a stereotype, though a different one from the other Los Angeles characters). These characters all have a hard time breaking through their stereotypical images to come to life.

But our "politically correct" (or is it "culturally correct"?) author isn't too hard on anyone. Though girlfriend Mandy is not intended to be a sympathetic character, she is given plenty of excuses (dysfunctional family) for being a pretty but petty, superficial, scheming, manipulative, new-age twit. In the end one is meant to feel sorry for her more than dislike her.

I actually liked Mandy a lot because through her we get a humorous but exactly right-on picture of how it is that women, all women, know what's up with the dynamics of male-female relationships, regardless of personal motivation. Joan, with entirely different motives, also knows the score with infallible feminine intuition. Only Alex is in the dark, as usual.

I would have expected a little more life-wisdom to be embedded in a novel by Catherine Ingram, but while light in that department, this book does peripherally touch upon some thought-provoking themes, including death and loss. The characters are all impacted by dramatic events, but their responses are mostly in the realm of modifying their life situations (in generally benign and positive ways) rather than in deeply coming to grips with the fundamental dilemmas of life itself.

But for all its superficiality, this book was nevertheless quite charming and engaging and I don't regret the time I spent to read it. Though I comment on the book's weaknesses, I did give it four stars and I am passing the book on to a friend who likes chick lit. I think she'll like it.

My book club loved this book! It's sweet and well written. I read it in one sitting. The story line is engrossing, it's also inspirational, although not in a didactic, boring way. We became invested in the characters, their interactions and the final satisfying resolution of the plot. There's also some humor in its spoofing of yoga and "new age stuff," which, as a yoga teacher, I relished.

I am in the middle of reading this most INCREDIBLE novel - almost halfway through it. Truly the best I've ever read. Well crafted, riveting, cliff-hanging, and just about PERFECT in every way. Bravo, Catherine! She's really done it. Man, can she flesh out a story. And oh my God, how she captures the essence of every character and describes every scene so beautifully. You should have seen me wiping the tears from my eyes as I had to close the book quickly to get off at my subway stop. Everybody was looking at me weeping on the train!

So, needless to say, I'm really LOVING this book and want to cheer Catherine on to write more, and MORE. Thank you for this, Catherine.

This book is a delight to read. I didn't want to put it down, not only because the characters, their connections and the events in their lives moved along in a most compelling and engaging manner, but more because Catherine Ingram's wide objective and compassionate view of her characters and the world in general is
a world I loved being submerged in. Nuanced human characters in cinematic scenes are painted in clear concise language reminiscent of Hemingway's spare style, but with feminine insight. Ingram delves into the everyday texture of her characters' lives and reveals their incremental transformations. I think I breathe more fully having read this book.

A Crack in Everything features a swiftly moving plot combined with deft descriptions of its characters and their emotional worlds. Ingram succeeds in stirring deep feelings yet never allows the narrative to flag. I was always curious about what would happen next, and while the author sometimes surprised, she never disappointed.

The novel spans the globe from rural Ireland to fast-paced LA and even to Asia. Its emotional geography ranges from the heartbreak of loss and estrangement to the joy of returning to one's true home. Ingram paints emotional states with a few deft strokes and seamlessly blends them into her compelling plot.

We follow the young child violin prodigy Fiona as she is uprooted from Ireland and cast into the fast moving and shallow world of Hollywood. She is the offspring of a brief affair in India years ago, and her surprising entry into her father's life prompts him to reassess his life. She meanwhile, buffeted by loss, finds her own ground to stand on in the shifting social sands of Los Angeles.

To save the reader the plots many surprises I won't say more, other than to say you won't regret buying this book! It carries you along like a good beach novel, but has a resonance that echoes long after the last page is turned.

E.B. White, the author of the classic THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, shows off that style brilliantly in this highly literate, amusing, and passionate memoir of New York City in 1948. Although the surface details of New York have changed in sixty years, the spirit remains the same, and that's what White is really writing about. White is also disturbingly prophetic when he writes, "The subtlest change in New York is something people don't speak much about but that is in everyone's mind. The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. A single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal chambers, cremate the millions." I doubt that a book such as this could be written today. Some editor would "dumb it down" and politically correct it. But how refreshing it is to read such wonderful prose. This is really a 56-page essay between hard covers, rather than a "book." As such, it's very a very easy and exhilarating reading experience and would make a wonderful gift for anyone who loves New York or would like to visit it someday. Five stars, absolutely.

The reviews I read said that White gives the reader a feel for life in New York. Nonsense - the book is vague to the point where it could have been titled, Here is London, or Here is Shanghai. If you want to get a feel for New York, or at least the Bronx where I grew up, read "World Fair" by Doctorow.

Anything by E. B. White is fine - he must have been quite young when he wrote this but I enjoyed reading it and getting a sense of what New York was like at that time - some of it is still true but much has changed.

Early to a party, I was looking at a friend's bookcase and pulled this slim volume from a shelf. After reading the first sentence, I knew I had to have it.

Originally published in 1949, E.B. White, who no longer lived in New York City, captured the soul and spirit of the place. Nothing has changed. At the time, the United Nations building was under construction, and the bombing of London was fresh in his mind. He ends the book with a vision that perfectly balances hope with danger, in words prescient of September 11 - I re-read those paragraphs on every anniversary, it has become my ritual.

But what originally drew me to the book is not only the truth and insight of White, but his style, his felicity of expression. The author of "The Elements of Style" certainly knew the rules, and knew when to break them, as well. The second paragraph ends with a run-on sentence 198 words long, a thrilling joy ride which itself demonstrates how impossible it is to capture, in prose, the enormity and importance of this city.

I agree with Russell Baker, this is "the finest portrait ever painted of the city."

HERE IS NEW YORK is a truly spectacular 1948 essay that originally appeared in Holiday magazine. Written by E.B. White and named one of the ten best books ever written about New York, this is a quick read that will leave you years later savoring White's timeless observations.

Writing in a hotel room during a sweltering heat wave, White takes the reader through the essence of New York City and its eight million inhabitants who he notes roughly fall into three groups: the natives, the commuters and the transplants.

Warning that "no one should come to New York unless he is willing to be lucky," White lovingly explains how the city is more a collection of thousands of small neighborhoods that implausibly operate independently of each other, completely oblivious to what is occurring only a few blocks away.

Though it was written almost 60 years ago, HERE IS NEW YORK is just as accurate today as the moment it was written. Yes, the city has changed but the basic structure of life in New York remains the same.

Overall HERE IS NEW YORK is a very positive book that will leave everyone feeling welcome and needed in America's biggest city. But eerily the book presciently warns that "a single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal passages, cremate the millions."

Though it was tough to read that passage right after 9/11 as I did, I still whole heartedly recommend HERE IS NEW YORK to anyone who lives in New York, commutes to and from there, or has just moved there and is now, as White observed, generating "enough heat and light to dwarf the Consolidated Edison Company."

- Regina McMenamin

Great story about the history of one of America's greatest firehouses. Whether you are a veteran firefighter, or just looking for some exciting true life stories, you will enjoy this book. It explains firefighting in terms anyone could follow, while weaving in stories of inspirational courage and brotherhood. Certainly it contained one of the more touching recounts of 9/11 that I, as a firefighter, have ever read.

Tom Downey has written an honest and true account of life in a New York City firehouse. With a keen eye and great observational skills Downey has documented a world that most people will never enter or understand. He brings to life the men and their experiences working in the busiest rescue company in the city. Not since Dennis Smith's 1972 book "Report from Engine Company 82" has an author captured the true essence of the firefighters world. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the FDNY. These men are a throwback to the war years of the late 1960's and early 1970's - a quickly vanishing breed.

I read this book in three days. I have not read a book for enjoyment in years. Once I picked it up it was over. The stories make you TRY to relate to your own house. At the risk of sounding gay, It becomes a tear jerker.

I am a firefighter in a department much smaller than the FDNY. We do not run many calls and I was starting to get unmotivated and complacent. After reading this book I remembered the brotherhood of firefighters I am in and gained a new love for my job.

the most moving book I have ever read.It takes the good with the bad. No sugar coating, all honesty.

This book is a little gem. It is one of a kind. There is no other book like this on the market, not that I know of, anyway. Although the author is a bit older than I am and some of the clothes are outdated, I could still relate to her. She related her life experiences by detailing what she wore during those experiences. We all can recall at least one event by remembering what we were wearing!! At times, she appears kind of catty, which just gives quite a human element to the book. I myself have so many clothes I cannot get rid of due to sentimental reasons. However, after reading this book, I may do the same thing she did and draw them or take a picture of them and then give them away. This is a GREAT book!!

Delightfully wacky little book deliciously decorated. Even though I'm a male I loved the book and its many drawing/paintings of clothing and other things. It is interesting to know how the book came about and how its author was writing about her life for her children and using her creative ability to show them how her life was growing up.

I learned of the book when reading Jane Smiley's book: "13 Ways of Looking at the Novel" and thought her comments interesting enough to buy the book and read it. And I enjoyed it very much. I recommend "Love, Loss and what I Wore" to everyone regardless of gender.

If I could, I would give this book more than 5 stars. What a clever idea to recall onel's life by remembering the outfits worn. Loved the delightful illustrations. Beckerman is a unqiue and talented writer/illustrator. Thanks for the memories!

I had picked this book up and put it back down several times when I saw it at the book store. I am glad I finally bought it! It is an interesting idea, and one that I am sure many of us can identify with: a memoir built on memories of certain beloved items of clothing. Ilene Beckerman had an interesting childhood and has had a varied life as an adult. Obviously, her talents lie more in writing than in drawing--the sketches of the clothing are rather simple,but she does manage to convey what she felt like wearing each outfit. It doesn't take very long to read, and if read in one sitting you get quite a sense of her life. Sometimes funny, sometimes quite bittersweet, but always entertaining.

I, like most of my women friends I've talked to, including my mother and my sisters, shape memories and moments based on the clothes we were wearing at the time.

I bought this book in 1995 when it was first published and have referred to it several times over the years for inspiration and support. I found it in the "Self-Help" section of the bookstore.

This little book does as good a job as anything I've read, at getting in a woman's head. Clothes are how we remember. Wearing our favorite clothes or shoes or carrying our favorite handbag gives us confidence and helps us cope.

For a while, I kept a diary of drawings of outfits whenever I'd want to remember an important event. Ask me what I was wearing when I held my niece for the first time (navy blue A-line Liz Claiborne dress) or when I went to my first job interview out of college (a polka-dot suit I called The Stewardess) or the night I was first kissed by a jerk who would break my heart(a shirt that said "Keep On Truckin" in glitter... heh).

A good friend's mother passed away a few months ago, and I bought a copy for her, since Ms. Beckerman mentions the death of her own mother. She also mentions marriages, divorces, babies, and career successes, and most importantly, what she wore.

It makes a great gift for any woman. Or for yourself.

Malachy Murray's Unique New York is fantastic! More facts and information than I've ever read before on any books of New York. He has so many great stories that I've never been told about. I've taken his Circle Line Tour and he's fantastic. He knows just about everything about the great city. I'll be moving to the Big Apple soon and his book is beyond insightful. Highly recommended for any history buff or New Yorker!
Thank you Malachy!

Entertaining and informative review of New York. Great to read before a trip or if you have lived in NY for some time. Malachy Murray is a talented tour guide on the Circle Line Tours.

The way Malachy Murry brings the reader closer to New York and the great history behind the big city is both exceptional and breathtaking. If you have the slightest interest to know anything about New York - this book comes highly recommanded.
In mid-August this year my wife and I had the pleasure of taking the full tour with Circle Line around Manhatten and our tour guide, Mr Murray, made that the most interesting, informative and enjoyable tours we've ever attended.
Thank you,
Janne & Trond, Norway

Visited NY the last of August for the first time. Malachy was the tour guide on the Circle Line boat tour my son and I took around Manhattan. For everyone who thinks history is boring, you will thoroughly enjoy how he gives you a recap of the how's,when's, where's, and why's of NY. This book models the tour talk he gives while you look around at all of the history and famous sights.
It's light reading that leaves you with an education! He published this by himself so enjoy a handmade product full of his humor and unique twist on the Big Apple. Want to know where that phrase came from? This is where to look!

We were lucky enough to get on a boat of the NY Circle Line where Malachy Murray held a microphone in his hand - and the attention of his audience as well. He made history come alive, and through his colourful comments on NYC the two hours on that boat went by without a boring minute.
This book is a fabulous way to remember this great tour of Manhattan, providing anecdotes and facts, and all of it in Malachy Murray's unique style.
Well done, Malachy :-)

I have been living near the Twin Towers for over 30 years, and try as I did, I always had to go into length about Minoru Yamasaki's wondrous structure that architects loved to hate. Imagine my joy when someone comes to the rescue and captures the awe I saw since I stood at the base of the Twin Towers as a child and looked up, up, and up. The sheer simplicity, overstretched grandeur, and minimalist repetition can only be brought to scale by a man whose dreams supersedes his size.

Sure, you can read about it in Wikipedia, but under the watchful, crafty pen of Philippe Petit, you will be taken on a true journey from conception to realization. We begin with Petit's background as a child in France, learning pickpocketing, fencing, horseriding, painting, juggling, tightrope walking, and magic tricks. After being thrown out of five schools, we grasp that our author has a penchant for defying authority, one that sends him, inevitably, on a crash course with the New York Port Authority the day he set eyes on the Twin Towers.

Over six years in planning, with an endless list of accomplices (the cheery, angelic Jean Francois is an absolute delight) from both sides of the pond, Petit's daredevil tightrope walk across the near complete Twin Towers (World Trade Center 1 & 2) arrived only after several attempts to penetrate security, coordinate assistants, and gather all the necessary tools to be smuggled onto site.

Even though a coffee-table book in appearance, To Reach The Clouds is built masterfully, taut with suspense, gaining in momentum, only to be surprised by setbacks, followed by a surge. The format of storytelling here is analogous to the rollercoaster nature of inspiration for every artist.

A virtuoso narrative passage occurs in the sequence on the night before the big morning of the walk. Operating without any light, the accomplices and Petit illegally make their way to the roofs of the world, only to work in total darkness. After pages and pages of black and white photos, blueprints, snapshots, and a stock image or two of construction equipment, the photos all but disappear for a passage of 30 pages. If Petit has to work in the dark, so do we, the readers. And the moment dawn arrives, the first photograph appears. Wonderful! It's almost as if we, the readers are right there.

A very emotional picture occurs on Page 184, in the snapshot of New Yorkers gawking up in disbelief. Having lived through both attacks on my favorite skyscrapers when man's hate and his religion destroyed, it is truly breathtaking to see what man and his art instead, can inspire.

I found it puzzling that someone gave this book a 1 star. Petit is not nasty. A rebellious individual who pits nerves against the unforeseen disappointments of the creative endeavor can be forgiven for being short once in a while, but Petit does take the time, for example, to think of the lives of construction workers and tighten the cables of their platforms even at his most stressed moment. He offers a beautiful historical story of the collapse of the San Marco tower in 1902 as an afterward to 9/11, and also a promise to walk across the structure that will stand where the World Trade Center once stood. Even if that day doesn't arrive, Petit and this book has already given us the privilege to have a beautiful and lasting memory when we think about the World Trade Center. Thank You Philippe.

Petit's autobiography of his absolute single minded passion to defy gravity and walk between the Twin Towers is the most beautiful book I have ever read. It is a template for fulfilling your ultimate passion and describes moment by moment what it takes to achieve your most ridiculous dream.
From the moment he first heard of the plans to build the Twin Towers, Petit, the budding high wire artist, knew that he had to walk between the towers. The frenchman describes, in his marvelously accented english, his journey: the anticipation as he saw the towers being built, his painstaking preparations, the role of his mentor and coach, his meticulous planning and stakeout of the Towers, his recruitment of a shadowy team of rebels to facilitate his attempt and the ultimate stealth operation to rig the wire between the towers in order to perform his tightrope walk.
The book climaxes with his experience of walking between the towers 400m above the sidewalk with police in each tower screaming at him to get off and threatening to slacken the wire so he falls off. Amidst all this his experience is of ultimate calmness and freedom as he walks back and forth and even stands on his head high above New York while communing with a passing seagull. This is a truly spititual experience and the book took me there with him.
If you want to be inspired to follow your dream and want more than coaching and tips on how to get there then this is a book that allows you to live another's passion and fully experience what it is to be alive.

I recently saw "Man on Wire" in the theatres (more on that later), and having seen this movie prompted me to seek out the book that high wire walker Philippe Petit wrote about his 1974 wire walk between the WTC Twin Towers.

"To Reach the Clouds: My High Wire Walk between the Twin Towers" (244 pages; originally released in 2002) is a reconstruction, both verbally and visually, of this extraordinary event. Petit tells the tales of the early days, of his high-wire walks between the Paris Notre Dame towers and at the Sidney Harbor, only to be caught by the fantasy of the World Trade Centers, by a picture in a French magazine. The book details the preparations for the improbable feat, and it reads like a thriller (such as how did they manage to get all the gear into the Towers without being detected), even when you know the eventual outcome. The book comes with many visual details, like how Petit and his crew studied the WTC in detail (all the while trying to stay ahead of law enforcement and security guards). Petit brings a lot of poetic moments to the book, describing his inner feelings both as he was preparing for this impossible feat, and best of all as he is walking the high wire between the WTC towers. The book has a number of great pictures of that walk but to be honest I wished it had more.

In all, this book is a fabulous read, whether or not you have seen that "Man on Wire" documentary. But let me tell you that "Man on Wire" is one of the most fascinating movies I've seen recently. Best of all, Philippe Petit turns out to be one of the most engaging tale-tellers I've seen on screen in memory. Don't miss it!!

This book pulled me out of the doldrums. What an appealing person Petit is! Daring, ingenious, and courageous to an insane degree, he pulled off the greatest feat of street theater in the history of the world. He makes the phrase 'the impossible dream' stand up and dance. What I didn't appreciate until I read this book was what a fine engineering coup it was - all the rigging done clandestinely in the dead of night, so that at first light he was ready to step into the air.

And what a nail biting read! He re-creates the months long drama, keeping you right there with him all the way to the exhilarating end. What I also wasn't prepared for was how agile and graceful a writer he is and what a benevolent, endearing spirit.

You think you're facing a daunting challenge? Read this book and put yours into perspective.

I remember seeing the WTC towers being built, still partly framed in steel, as a child in the late 1960's. I also remember a snippet of this event in the news in the 70s. But, it was (I think) Ken Burns' American Stories on TV that reminded me of it and really gave it perspective that blew my mind as to how unbelievable an event it was. To me, it wason a scale of things like landing on the moon. With that still fresh in my head, I looked into the event and found this book and was unable to put it down from the first page until I finished it.

This book is inspiring. Petit is a bit crazy, but to pull off a hack of this magnitude, you have to be. Genius is touched with madness. To say the feat is inspiring is a great understatement. The logistics, planning, obstacles overcome, and just plain luck that all aligned in the end were really incomprehensible - more so after reading this book!

I thoroughly enjoyed every page. Sometimes, I get overwhelmed with things I need to do and obstacles I face, and I look at that timeless picture of Petit between the towers on the cover of this book and I am inspired. If he could do THAT, certainly I can find a way to overcome whatever is in my way today. THis book is fantastic.

So good that I keep hoping it will go out of print! (Thereby making it more difficult for my friends to get their hands on these excellent recipes.)

More seriously, this fine cookbook distills the essence of what made Waltuck's Le Zinc so special (even though it name-checks the mighty Chanterelle). Plus, it contains a large number of recipes aimed at feeding a crowd, which is pretty unusual in-and-of itself. But the star of the show is the food, and Waltuck's stuffed cabbage, his lime-marinated flank steak, and so many others have become some of my absolute favorites.

The book is informative, opinionated, charming, and truly deserves a spot on your shelf. I can't recommend a cookbook more highly.

When you open the book you feel as if you are walking in the front door of Chanterelle and David Wartuck says to you, "Come on in. Grab an apron and join me in the kitchen. I opened up early today so you and I can make something wonderful for lunch." This is a unique book. Unlike every other cookbook I own, this is a sit down and read me book. You learn about his family, his staff, his friends, and how everyone has contributed to his menu over the years. The recipes are for more than one or two people, but you can always find some friends to invite over for a memorable breakfast/lunch/brunch/dinner. This is a big book, y'all. Lots of pages of the kind of food you want to cook every day or once or twice a week. Chicken, shrimp, beef, fish, scallops, breads, vegetables, sides, soups, desserts. It's all in here. Easy to follow instructions. Recipes for sauces, salad dressings, gravies, you name it. Nothing in the book requires you to fly to Hong Kong to buy the ingredients. You can find everything in your local stores. Except, of course, if you live on the North or South Pole. I really like this book a lot. I have lived in NYC for years and never went to this restaurant. However, this is my new goal. Before 2008 comes to a close, I am going to Chanterelle! Hope David Waltuck is there so he can sign my book!

With several shelves full of cookbooks to choose from, this is the one that I pull down when I need some inspiration for good, hearty, tasty, basic foods that are easy to prepare. This is my most used cookbook, and everything I've made from it has turned out well. Pop culture cookbooks come and go but this classic stands the test of time. Highly recommended.

When we moved last year, it was one of 5 cookbooks I packed in my suitcase to use in our temporary apartment. It's chock full of great recipes for American classics, but done in a way that appeals to people who've gone beyond Campbell's soup casseroles. A number of easy ethnic recipes rounds out the mix.

This is my favorite go-to cookbook for a weekend meal when I am not craving any particular cuisine and just want to try something new. The chatter is lively, and the recipes fun to cook, both reducing well and expanding to suit a bigger crowd. While the dishes do not reflect a "pure" ethnic sensibility, the blending of flavors and seasonings lead to delicious results sometimes even exciting. I return to many of these recipes again and again. My (spoiled) husband who sometimes doesn't know what he is eating but certainly knows if he likes it, is a big fan of this cookbook.

As a young teenager, I babysat for a woman who loved to read novels. The best ones, she told me, had stories that never leave you. A Stone for Danny Fisher is one of those novels.

At my advanced age, I've lost count of the number of books I've read that really mattered to me. But when I'm in a nostalgic frame of mind, and go back to the book shelf for something to read again, Harold Robbins' magnificent autobiorgaphical novel is one that comes to mind.

I read this book only recently, after my dad recommended it to me. I had heard of Harold Robbins before, and had looked into his novels, but this is probably the best of his works. Danny is one of those characters you can feel for. Robbins manages to entwine his readers in the life of Danny by creating a very realistic story that everyone can, at one point, relate to. I enjoyed the novel immensely as it comprised of ups and downs, and looking back at it, I can't really point out one part which might have been better than the other. Being from a different generation from my dad, I can say that it is one of those books you recommend to your kids years from now, as I recommend it to my friends and family. It's very real.

I snuck this book from my Mom's bedside table and read the whole thing in one night. It was a wildly exotic tale for an 11 year old girl living in the woods in industrial Western Pennsylvania, and since I listed it as one of the three 'unforgettable reads from my childhood', I can't wait to read it again. And my Mom wasn't even mad at me for reading it!

I read this book when I was in College, oh about 20+ years ago. I have read more books than I can count since then. I am horrible about remembering Authors, Titles and story lines. This is one of the very FEW that I remembered them ALL. I think that this book should be a classic to be read in schools along the lines of "A Scarlett Letter", "Ethan Frome" and others.

I will be purchasing this book for my daughter to read and pass on to my sons...Truly a classic...Too bad Mr. Robbins abandoned his true talent.

Harold Robbins, as he became more successful, mastered the art of the pulp fiction stereotype and much of his later work was pure trash. But his initial novels demonstrated what talent the man had, and are as different from his later trash as cheese from chalk. A Stone For Danny Fisher is his best book ever in my opinion : had he never written another book, this alone would have made him an author to remember.

Set in Depression era New York (Robbins himself was born and raised in Brooklyn, though in vastly better circumstances), this is a coming of age story with a difference. Danny Fisher narrates his own story in the first person, starting with a short, stark depiction of his family meeting at a pre-arranged place and then cutting to flashback mode to explain why. He tells of a Jewish kid growing up in the gritty streets of hard-bitten Brooklyn, battling anti-Semitic abuse, using boxing as a way of escaping the economic fates closing in on his family. No punches are pulled as we experience with Danny the world of organised crime, first as victim, then as onlooker, finally as willing (even enthusiastic) participant. Danny is an anti-hero here, but rarely a villain, so sympathetically and starkly are his story and dilemmas painted. Reading it the first time as a teenager, this book had me outraged and disillusioned repeatedly as Danny takes his knocks and too often faces rejection, even betrayal. At heart, he is still a little boy and remains so till the bitter-sweet ending, where the flashback ends and we rejoin the opening scene.

A high quality book, a story that grips the heart, a sparse writing style that wastes no words, a glimpse at the best and worst of human life. Highly recommended.

When I got the book from Amazon, I was all pumped up to read and finish the book as quickly as possible. I also was determined not to rush thru the pages without understanding everything in depth. But when I reached 200+ pages, I realized that it is such a monumental work and it would take its own course towards completion, however I might try to "drink-it-all-at-once" and whatever be my enthusiasm.

A few days I was able to understand and proceed faster and for many days I was stuck in a single page contemplating the meaning. The truth is that the contents of the book gradually grew on me and any effort on my side was just to aid it. The tons of stories, allegorical statements, profound sayings found in the book have affected me very deep inside that I can only admire it in wonder as to how it all happened inspite of me. Venkatesananda's command over the stuff he's talking about is evident in every word contained in the book.

I can only be thankful for everything that helped me in buying this book.

Vasistha's Yoga, supposedly the third longest book in the world, appears in this concise edition, superbly translated and deflowered, which is to say that it steers clear of Platonic, Aristotelean and Judeo-Christian biases while excising the poetic, Kalidasa-esque sections. As for the work itself, it forces its reader to get practical with his or her view of the spiritual - no "love and light" allowed - while at the same time undermining the solidity of the material. The format is one of stories, within stories within stories, interspersed with Upanishad-like instruction, which makes for a very compelling read. One caveat: a danger to uncritical, spiritual escapists.

This book is an amazing book full of knowledge and Truth. This book stretches your mind beyond any imagination and helps in breaking all the mental barriers. I have read only 100 pages so far but I Love it.

This book is not for the beginers in this field (Just a caution). People who need to know the ultimate truth about this so called universe and who is already well versed in the scriptures should be able to understand what exactly the author means. Please do not interpret it wrongly and please clarify if you are not sure, with people of higher wisdom.

Reading this not only can change dramatically your cosmovision, but can let you undertand the secrets and the enigmas of the Universe and human existance. There's no doubt. This book was inspired by GOD himeself.

This is a fabulous book. It's fun to read, heartwarming and you'll shed a tear or two. Not too heavy on the real story behind factory farming, but still gives you an idea of what it's like and what a fabulous place this sanctuary is. I joined the Sanctuary after reading the book! It's a must read for animal lovers.

This a wonderful book that just may change your life. If you are an animal lover you will find this book inspiring and thought provoking. Impossible to put down!

Once I started reading this poignant, well-written story I couldn't put it down until I had read the last word. Kathy Stevens writes a heartfelt saga of the lives of many beautiful creatures who are rescued from extreme suffering and brought to her sanctuary in the Catskills where they are showered with love and attention. We get to "see" these wonderful beings regain their health, develop hilarious personalities and blossom under the loving care of Ms. Stevens and her dedicated volunteers. You will weep with sorrow at the mistreatment these animals suffered prior to being brought to the Sanctuary; you will laugh out loud at the quirky personalities displayed by the animals; and your heart will sing as you share their triumphs. A must read for everyone! I plan on visiting the Sanctuary in June for its annual shindig. I can't wait to meet the four-legged residents!

Reviewed by Lisa Kisner for Reader Views (5/08)

Kathy Stevens leaves her career as a high-school English teacher and creates a "teaching sanctuary"--a place for farm animals who have been abused that would also teach others about the impact our treatment of animals has on us and the environment. She turned a neglected farm into Catskill Animal Sanctuary in 2001 and has never looked back. In her first book, Ms. Stevens shares some of stories of the over 1000 animals she, her staff and multiple volunteers have rescued in the first few years of the sanctuary's existence.

Through her poignant and often humorous storytelling, Ms. Stevens introduces the reader to Rambo, a violent sheep who eventually learns to trust and love humans enough to alert them when another animal is in trouble. We meet Buddy, a blind horse whose will to live appears gone, and walk with the author as she gives him the confidence and trust to find joy again. Readers will laugh out loud at the story of Paulie, a former cockfighting rooster who eats lunch with the staff and even demands to sleep in the author's bed.

There are many more stories in this wonderful book that will delight the reader. It was evident in every single page of this book how much Ms. Stevens loves these animals and how much they love her back. The author does touch on the reality that most livestock face -- both in their short lives and how they are slaughtered -- as she continues her mission to educate people about the reality of our meat-eating society. This information is stated well and meant to educate the reader. It does not detract from the book at all and truly it is the lessons taught by the animals at the sanctuary that will stay with the reader. I would recommend "Where the Blind Horse Sings" to everyone, not just animal lovers, as the joyful and uplifting stories contained in the pages will touch their hearts and bring a smile to their faces.

After my brother-in-law & family visited the CAS and became a vegetarian, truly a jaw-dropping feat, I knew this place must be pretty special. Then, they gave me a copy of this book for my birthday and I became a vegetarian!! I've laughed out loud and cried - make that 'sobbed' so hard. I've read (the happy) parts to my children at bedtime. This book so powerfully fills you with emotion that I can pretty much guarantee you too will be inspired to do something ...something life-changing, be it for yourself or some other inhabitant of this earth. It is a wake-up call for your soul! Thank you Kathy and your amazing volunteers for being real life angels.