New York Books

I'm delighted to see this book available again. Last year I spent $100 for a copy (well worth it!) because it was out of print. I plan to buy the new version for the additional pictures promised. I've been fascinated with this book since I was a kid (and his other out-of-print books). I have too much to say about Bill Owens' work and not nearly enough room! I love "Suburbia" and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves to study people just "doing their thing".

The 1973 original edition, which contained only black-and-white photos, may not have been to everyone's taste. I went to the library and compared the "NEW & IMPROVED" (as the red 8-pointed star on the cover proclaims) 1999 edition with the old. The new edition is a lot better. First, some photos that did not have much impact for me (e.g., a shot of adults kissing on Halloween) have been deleted. Second, 18 pages of color photos (some of which have the gaudy color combinations typical of the 1970s) and a number of B&W photos were added. Third, the order of photos is more meaningful; for example, "I believe in women's liberation" was the second photo in the old edition but is on page 21 in the new edition (opposite a depiction of two chairs and a TV). Fourth, Owen's editor Shimshak has added captions for photos that previously had none (e.g., on pages 16-17). Finally, there is a new introduction by journalist David Halberstam.

It's long overdue that this 1972 rare cult classic book was republished. In the early 70s, photographer Owens acted as an anthropologist objectively documenting suburban inhabitants, their native environs, and their daily rituals. By pairing the images with quotes made by the subjects, Owens has created a hilarious and absurd account of life in the suburbs. Tupperware parties, backyard barbecues, and going to the hairdresser have never been so riveting! You must own this book!

I'm delighted to see this book available again. Last year I spent $100 for a copy (well worth it!) because it was out of print. I plan to buy the new version for the additional pictures promised. I've been fascinated with this book since I was a kid (and his other out-of-print books). I have too much to say about Bill Owens' work...and not nearly enough room! I love "Suburbia" and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves to study people just "doing their thing".

I think this new edition of Bill Owens wonderful book is slightly better than the original. Having both editions I find that although the halftone screen is less than the original (first edition was over 200, this edition is 170) the printing quality and paper are better, giving the photos more depth. After all these years the images still look fresh and fascinating and the amount of detail the photos contain is amazing. As far as I am aware no other book comes close in capturing the feel of the American suburb of thirty odd years ago.

The book is always favourably mentioned in photo history books as an example of the `new topography' with photographers like Lewis Baltz, Robert Adams and Stephen Shore and the critics suggest that the citizens of this suburbia lead superficial lives because they live there. But they can't get round the fact these folk, living in Livermore Amador Valley, California, or perhaps three thousand miles away in Levittown, Long Island enjoy the life-style of suburban living and Owens photos capture this feeling so well.

On the visual strength of `Suburbia' I bought another book of Bill Owens photos, `Working: I do it for the money', published in 1977, a super collection of photos showing Americans at work and Like `Suburbia' it includes many observations from those in the photos. Well worth searching out for.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

This is one of those easy reads that is funny and amuzing at points and overall, if you're from NYC and you trudge through the subways your whole life, you'll appreciate it's wit and humor.

As a diehard New Yorker displaced in South Florida the book brought back many memories. It was an outstanding read! Very Entertaining and Very Well Written.

I take my hat off to the author, great job!

The Subway Chronicles is delightfully entertaining. The book is quick and fun reading for anyone who has ever used mass transit. Subway Chronicles is quite enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it.

The essays in this book are all related to the New York City subway system, but they're all different from each other. So far, my favorite is Tim McGloughlin's "Opening Day," a description of the system from the inside, by an old-timer who really knows it. But there's also Daniels Parseliti's "Porno Man and I versus the Feminist Avenger and Displaced Anger Man," that brims with Generation X irony - and tells an outandish yet totally believable story. Colson Whitehead's "Subway" is a prose poem that describes the tactile and cognitive experience of subway riding so vividly that every experiened subway rider is sure to identify with it. Jonathan Lethem's "Speak, Hoyt-Schermerhorn" - a complex meditation on a particular station - is, like many of Lethem's essays, a cultural-historical journey. This book is a rich and wonderful collection, whether you love the subway or not.

As a occasional visitor to New York, I've thought of its subway as a transportation necessity moreso than a cultural element of the city, but after reading "The Subway Chronicles", I've got a much deeper perspective. The book is a compilation of short essays by various New Yorkers (or ex-NYers), each offering a different point of view--some historical, some mechanical, some hygenic (or lack thereof), some even poetic, but all personal and all adding a little piece to the big picture--akin to the mosaics that adorn the platform walls in various stations (albeit not to compare with the fabulous artwork in the Moscow subway system, as described by immigrant Boris Fishman.) You'll probably recognize some of the authors--Calvin Trillin for sure, and novelist Jonathan Lethem and others, but many of the essays result from the editor Jacquelin Cangro's successful thesubwaychronicles.com website--launched after an idea germinated at Thanksgiving dinner among friends in and around the publishing business--and as such are written by unpublished or hoping-to-be-published writers. Ms. Cangro has done an admirable job editing and arranging the material--chasing the pace and style of the essays to keep the subject fresh for the reader. The best example of this is when the Fishman's comprehensive essay comparing the history and artistry of the New York and Moscow subways is followed immediately by a short and striking piece featuring an egg salad sandwich.

In addition to learning about the subway and how it affects the people who ride, you'll get a feel for the psyche of the urban dweller--folks who live their life without a car--an unimaginable state of being in the small town or suburban life (or even big city like LA or Houston)that has come to dominate American culture. But even the occasional visitor to New York will recognize him or herself in the essays--many of the authors pay homage of sorts to the tourists, riders oblivious to the nuances, problems or culture of the system, who are just happy to be able to get where they want to go.

I actually laughed out loud a couple times while reading this book. I think it was Johnson at her best... like she is really starting to master her technique in that her voice totally shines through. I've read some of her blogs in which her personality (and amazing sense of humor) are shown and I could definitely tell that she wrote this book. That said, I really enjoyed it.

I really loved this book. It was a very fun start to a series. The characters are great and wonderfully humanly flawed, giving them credibility.

The thing I liked best about the book is how much the author's sense of humor came through in her writing. For anyone who has read MJ's blog, you will definitely see MJisms throughout the book. This made reading it infinitely more entertaining because it felt like being told the story by an old friend, rather than just a narrating character.

Definitely a fun read for young adults (and not so young adults!)

Scarlett just turned fifteen, but instead of being awarded a fantastic vacation away from home (like all her other friends) she is given a suite in the hotel she lives in to take care of...like every other Martin in the family when they turn fifteen.

This isn't too bad until she meets her first guest that she must cater to, Mrs. Amberson, who will be staying all summer long! Though Scarlett believes this will be another boring summer, things start to get crazy with Mrs. Amberson along. She almost gets arrested for shoplifting, must keep helping to save her brother's production of Hamlet and his chances of ever making it as an actor, fetching Mrs. Amberson more tea then she could ever need, and even falling for a boy along the way!

Get ready New York: Scarlett is taking over!

This is my first novel by Maureen Johnson, but by no means will it be the last! I loved SUITE SCARLETT from the very beginning, immensely enjoying the characters and adventures. Scarlett and her brother, Spencer, have a great relationship with amazingly witty comebacks. You'll find yourself laughing along and wishing you had their relationship with your siblings!

The book is hilarious, thought-provoking, and fun! I'm thrilled there is going to be a sequel. So if you've read Johnson's work before...you need this one, as well. And if you haven't, then get to it! It's the perfect book to start you out on!

Reviewed by: Lauren Ashley

Welcome to the Hopewell Hotel. We offer clean suites, delicious food (sometimes burnt), free entertainment (that the owners don't know about), and service with a smile.

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson has family values. Rather, it values family: The Hopewell has been passed down through the Martin family for generations. The current owners are struggling to keep it going, and their children readily pitch in to help. Well, "readily" is relative - no pun intended. There's Spencer, the oldest at nineteen, an actor skilled at comedy and pratfalls; Lola, a recent high school graduate whose rich boyfriend can give her everything she wants - except that which matters most; Scarlett, the Suite's sweet protagonist; and Marlene, the youngest, who has no problem saying what she likes and what she doesn't. On his or her fifteenth birthday, each Martin gets a suite to care for. The book begins with Scarlett turning fifteen, getting assigned the Empire Suite, and finding out just how tight things are getting in the hotel. "We'll get by," her father says. "We always do."

And they do. I really enjoyed the family dynamic in this book. Spencer and Scarlett are close, as are Marlene and Lola. They all get along, but Scarlett's bond with her brother is stronger than that with either of her sisters. Thus, a large part of Scarlett's story also belongs to Spencer. He put a culinary scholarship on hold to pursue his acting, and his parents gave him a year to become a working actor or buckle down for school. With that year almost up, Spencer is anxious for something to come his way that pays him (to make his parents happy) and challenges him (to make him happy), so he's thrilled to when he gets the opportunity to be in a production of Hamlet. Spencer has such a good heart. You'll want him to succeed, and you'll wish he was your older brother too.

Meanwhile, while all of Scarlett's friends are off having summer adventures, Scarlett works at home. The Empire Suite is occupied by an aging actress named Mrs. Amberson who has money to spare and opinions to share. This woman is a true character. You never know what she's going to do next. Instead of bossing her new assistant around with barking commands and snapping fingers, she becomes an odd sort of confidante for the girl, and her eccentric ways become endearing.

Before long, Scarlett finds her summer schedule pretty full. In addition to dealing with Mrs. Amberson's antics and helping out with Spencer's show, she's also crushing on Spencer's scene partner Eric. She tries to re-connect with each of her sisters. Marlene's coddled for a reason - something I won't reveal here - and sophisticated Lola's apparent happiness may be more of an act than her family knows.

Maureen Johnson's sixth novel - and Scholastic debut - is not to be missed. Johnson's trademark wit is here ("Before, liking Eric was like a mirror - it was just a shiny thing, and it only went one way") as is her ability to capture simple truths. There are many truths to be told here about families, first loves, careers, living in New York City, and simply growing up.

It's refreshing to read a story with a well-adjusted leading character who actually acts her age and likes her family. Watching Scarlett takes in everything around her is a real treat. She's content to be in the middle of her family, in the middle of her teen years, but she's also realizing how many wonderful possibilities are out there for her and for the ones she loves. You know that whatever she does now or when she grows up, she'll do it well.

Check into the Hopewell today. I hope - I know - you'll enjoy your stay.

Every 15th birthday in the Martin family is special. It is at this age that each of the Martin children has received suites in the family's Hopewell Hotel that they are responsible for. And on her birthday, Scarlett receives the Empire Suite, along with its new permanent guest, Mrs. Amberson. Mrs. Amberson is unconventional, exasperating, and demanding, and Scarlett resents that because of her, she can't get a regular summer job. But when Mrs. Amberson saves Scarlett's brother Spencer's show, a rendition of Hamlet, from certain disbandment, and insists on being a part of it, Scarlett doesn't quite mind so much. It would certainly bring her a lot closer to Eric, who is very good looking and just happens to be a part of the cast...

Suite Scarlet is quirky, fun, and oh so hilarious. Johnson's trademark engaging writing style, subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) humor, and intelligent lexicon will not fail to captivate readers once again. It's wonderfully refreshing to read about siblings that actually like each other, but are every bit as dysfunctional as the next family. The dynamics between Scarlett and Spencer especially are a delight to read, and their characters are wonderfully pragmatic and expressive. Mrs. Amberson is a sort of insane and intriguing enigma whose eccentricities and antics add just the right amount of pizzazz to the plot. Throw in each of the carefully presented details, from avid descriptions of Scarlett's family and friends, and crazy theatrical catastrophes, to bits of trivia from throughout the lives of the Martin family, and you have a comprehensive look at Scarlett's life, forging a connection between reader and protagonist that you won't want to sever...and you want have to; a sequel is already in the works. The release of Suite Scarlett has only reinforced Johnson's status as one of the top YA authors out there today.

I absolutely loved this book -- every word! These are real people with real lives. You'll know them and love them and hate like crazy to tell them goodbye at the end of the book. I'm a Texan who's never been to New York, but I'm already missing the neighborhood! (Penny Marshall, I hope you're reading this book; it would make a fantastic movie!) ;)

I'll definitely be watching for more from Donna Cantor...she's made my list with this one!

The characters come alive with every printed word.You feel that you are part of their lives and you just never want it to end!

I picked this book off the shelf at random, not expecting much. What I found was the entralling story of a young woman from a working class neighborhood. While the events that happen in Joanna's life, the main character, are mostly mundane (with a few exceptions), the way in which they are reported is far from boring. Cantor's writing draws the reader into the lives of her characters. Her depictions of people and their interactions with one another ring true and familiar. They are also universal. The story begins with the death of a neighbor and the reintroduction of Joanna with the deceased's grandson, Tommy McClellan. What follows is not the storybook romance of movies and fairytales but the fumbling and rockiness of a real-life relationship. Tommy is tough, unconventional, and unfamilar with relationships that last longer than a weekend. Their problems, and the feeling that permeates through the written word, are the focus of the story. Once I began this book, I found it near impossible to tear myself away. I read it largely in one sitting, and felt a sense of loss once the novel was finished. Even now, three weeks later, the book is with me. This book is neither cheesy nor unrealistic, and is a definite "must-read" for anyone who loves love but hates conventional romance.

Excellent effort from a first-time writer. Held my interest from start to finish. The characters were well-developed and different from anything I've read before. A must-read for avid readers.

For those of us who live in Queens or Brooklyn, shop at the corner candy store and still see old school buddies around the neighborhood, this book feels like home. Ordinary life and people, really are marvelous, Donna captures this and when you have read the last page, you start to miss every character.

Saying that I use this book almost every week end should be enough.
This is the best book to have for one day getaway from New York.
Reliable and of good advice.
This is The book I read to chose my week ends hike when I can't leave for more than one day. It has saved my week ends more than once!

Easy to use and informative. I look forward to picking hikes for the summer.

This book details, in an easy to read fashion, legitmate day hikes (3-9 miles) in the NY/NJ region. If you are looking for hikes that offer the best of what southern NY and northern NJ has to offer, this book is for you.

This is the must-have book for anyone who loves hiking. It's got the best trails, along with tons of great info. Everything you need if you live in and around New York City and love the outdoors.

I've lived in New York City for ten years, and just when I thought I'd done/seen it all, along comes this great book! I just completed my first hike outlined in "Take a Hike: New York City" yesterday (in the Ramapo Mountains of New Jersey) and I'm hooked. I carried the guide with me and - being a novice hiker - found that all the detail was perfect and wise. And it's smartly written as well with a bit of humor! I might last another ten years in New York now that I've been introduced to another facet of the city I call home.

Exceptionally well written book by a renowned current day investigative reporter about one of our first and foremost investigative reporters, Ida Tarbell. You'll learn about REAL American history starting with the early days of the oil business, thru the Civil War and into the industrial boom of the early 20th Century. Its an extremely perceptive American historical masterpiece and a real life feminist saga not to be missed by men and women alike.

Author Steve Weinberg writes that Ida Tarbell's expose of John D. Rockefeller and his Standard Oil Company is "arguably the greatest work of investigative journalism ever written." As a veteran investigative journalist myself, I wouldn't argue with that because Steve Weinberg is one of the best investigative biographers in our imperiled craft. I say "imperiled" because the newspapers that largely support our work are in an alarming state of decline. Will investigative reporting become a too-expensive luxury? What a horrible tragedy that would be. Ida Tarbell and the legions of investigative journalists who followed her example have been the watchdogs who have made democracy work. This book shows the critical importance of that role, as performed more than a century ago. Thanks to Steve Weinberg for bringing the pioneering Ida Tarbell back to life again today.

Having no knowledge of Ida Tarbell but interested in Rockefeller, I found this book a great read.
The author covers the subject in enough detail to make you knowledgable but doesn't get into minutia and bore you.
Ms. Tarbell is definitely a good role model for women and journalists of both sexes. Most current day journalists could revisit her standards.
The book provides plenty of pictures and tells a great story of a forgotten event of the period.

Steve Weinberg, one of America's most accomplished Journalism professors, has taken a "busman's holiday," in writing this fascinating and beautifully researched book. Weinberg, an inspiration to several generations of University of Missouri students, has written about one of his own heroes who no doubt helped influence his rather prestigious academic pathway. He has most satisfyingly delved into the epic battle of a single, brilliant young woman who successfully defined the power of the free press in 1904, pioneering investigative journalist Ida Tarbell who "muckraked" up the expensive and deep sediment underneath Standard Oil, standing alone against the awesome wealth and power of John D. Rockefeller.
Prof. Weinberg is as complete and intimate with his subject as any historian. Infused into this book is his profound sense of appreciation of the fierce, burning integrity and inspirational relentlessness of Ida Tarbell. He makes an excellent case for her monumental, fearless work "The History of the Standard Oil Company," as being the greatest work of investigative journalism ever written. The rich and world-saving traditions of the press in the twentieth century in many ways find their roots in Tarbell and her publisher Samuel McClure, who proved that the battle armor of a democratic society is its free press; without it, the people live in the dark.
This book will give the reader a completely refreshed pride in discovering that history can be riveting. In addition, it holds tremendous insight into the late-nineteenth century roots of the women's movement for equal rights, as well as the revolution for the rights of America's workers at the hands of monopolistic, big business. Ida Tarbell will become one of your new heroes.

Some journalists revel in muckraking reportage, and it doesn't make any difference to them that "muckraking" has been used as a term of opprobrium. There was a time when there was no tradition of newspapers doing investigative reporting; that tradition had to be invented. One of the inventors was Ida Tarbell who let the nation know how John D. Rockefeller was misusing corporate power. She didn't like to be called a muckraker, although she was in favor of reform, and the term had been coined by reform-minded Teddy Roosevelt. She resented that the term stuck to her, but it continues to do so. Rockefeller resented that her portrait of his abusive practices stuck to him, but it continues to do so. Tarbell was a journalistic innovator who deserves to be well known for her historic contributions to reporting and to society, and in _Taking on the Trust: The Epic Battle of Ida Tarbell and John D. Rockefeller_ (Norton) by Steve Weinberg, the story is told in absorbing detail. The book is supposed to tell the story of both main characters, but Weinberg is a reporter himself and can be excused for making Tarbell the star. She is, anyway, a lot more interesting than Rockefeller who didn't have much going for him except for the capacity to make lots of money, the same as many robber barons of the time. Tarbell never had anything close to the money or influence that Rockefeller had, but she won the contest between them, and she was the one proved right after all.

Tarbell shared her family's distrust of Standard Oil. Her father, and later her brother, became independent oil producers, and neither of them sold out to Standard Oil. Plenty of others did; Rockefeller swallowed up competitors and, as he pointed out, the smart ones took Standard Oil stock and became very rich indeed. The ones who tried to stay independent struggled to stay in business. Weinberg documents that her personal feelings may have powered her resolve to tell the Standard Oil story, but that she relied on facts as she had in all her previous researches. Here main revelation in her articles for _McClure's_ magazine was that Standard Oil had beaten out competitors by making secret deals with the railroads that transported its oil. She got the facts by looking at the files of letters kept by Rockefeller's competitors, by checking the records of his Baptist congregation, by looking into the records of governmental investigations into Standard Oil, and by contacting (with the help of Mark Twain) a sort of "Deep Throat" figure within the company itself. She not only connected facts, but she specifically reported about the sources she used; documenting sources is taken for granted now, but it was a novelty that she introduced into reporting. _McClure's_ published her series of articles from 1902 to 1904, the year her _History of the Standard Oil Company_ came out. Those who read her report could scarcely avoid agreeing with her evaluation that Rockefeller "... has introduced into business a spy system of the most odious character. He has turned commerce from a peaceful pursuit to war, and honeycombed it with cruel and corrupt practice, turned competition from honorable emulation to cutthroat struggle."

The Supreme Court in 1911 ruled that Standard Oil's abuses required its breakup, based mostly on evidence that Tarbell had produced. Rockefeller never directly addressed the charges, and he had expertly arranged his business affairs so that he seldom had to testify in any legal proceedings against the company. He barely mentioned Tarbell herself, except to lump her conveniently with "socialists and anarchists"; he was unable to see that Tarbell was an enthusiast for American capitalism fairly conducted. Weinberg's smoothly-written book is a combination of biographies and a narrative centering on one of the first instances of investigative journalism that made a difference. Weinberg says that Tarbell's work is "arguably the greatest work of investigative journalism ever written," and he makes the assessment seem a just one. There have been subsequent examples of how the labor of journalists has resulted in monumental social changes, but it is good to have this book as a reminder of the one that got the ball rolling.

I thought I was read all great writers for this misteries, crimes and all those, but Sanders has become one of my favourites ones (the first of course is Raymond Chandler). I'm going to read all his books!

Our eponymous hero returns in this second installment of the Timothy Series.
In the first novella, Run, Sally, Run, Timothy Cone has been specifically recommended to determine where leaks in a company, Pistol and Burns, are coming from. A Case of the Shorts begins with the assassination of John Dempster, CEO of Dempster-Torrey. Haldering and Co. is retained, and Timothy is drafted to investigate why the company is a target for industrial sabotage. In the last novella, One From Column A, Chin Tung Lee, of the White Lotus label, assigns the investigative team to discover why anyone would speculate in such a conservative company. Oedipal lust to unbridled greed actuated by hatred are just a little of what we see in The Game.
As usual, Timothy Cone cracks the cases with confidence and exaggerated bravado, leveraging on the knowledge of financial specialists, and his bevy of police informants. The whole cast from the Files are back, with some chaps added to compensate for the diversity of the new clientele.
Most Sanders fans when reading about this shabby detective are apt to compare him unfavorably to the dapper McNally. They might just be mistaken. Actually, both characters do have their similarities: their snitches in the police department who believe in quid pro quo, their emphasis on appearances and location, as well as their queer relationships, and controlled humor.
Yet Cone has his strengths. Here,the bad guys are unafraid to get their hands dirty; also, as each client is referred to Haldering and Co., there is a certain a continuity along stories. Moreover, since the focus is on financial institutions, a virgin forest in investigative fiction, we get to read a lot about the unheralded SEC.
In Timothy's Game, Lawrence Sanders delivers sizzling stuff that should be enjoyed in it's own right.

All the other so-called mystery writers should read Sanders' Timothys as Bible, but should not read any of his McNallys

This book is actually a collection of three stories about Wall Street investigator Timothy Cone. Originally issued in 1988, it was written when Lawrence Sanders was at the peak of his writing career (before he started insulting his fans by cranking out pot boilers). The stories concern various intrigues on Wall Street - insider trading, stock manipulation and short selling, and corporate takeovers and greenmail. The plots are well developed and well written, and the characters are interesting.

The best Lawrence Sanders I've read so far. Timothy is an engaging character, and I think that's why I enjoyed the book so much

Like its companion, The Torture Papers: The Road to Abu Ghraib, Torture and Truth is an essential resource for scholars or researchers on this subject. However, because of its length (500+ pages)and scope it is an excellent choice for the more general reader. It is a compilation of reports and letters, mostly from the Bush Administration, on the Iraq War and torture issues. Because of its primary source components, it is invaluable for anyone doing research on the subject. It is well-organized, and will find a place in many dissertations in the years to come.

This book offers a chilling rendition of the events that occured at Abu Gharib. It fairly reviews the events through official reports, which are quite chilling! A must read!!

This is by far the best journalistic account of the torture of suspects at Abu Ghraib. This is also the best book to read after reading the books of documents, which give you the vital context for understanding Danner's book. Read them first and then this one - you will then be able to understand what really happened and why. British and US troops really did commit terribe acts against their prisoners, with tragic consequences for the reputation of both nations in the Middle East. Read Danner and the documents books to discove why. Christopher Catherwood (author of CHURCHILL'S FOLLY: HOW WINSTON CHURCHILL CREATED MODERN IRAQ: Carroll and Graf, hardcover 2004, paperback 2005)

The author strongly makes the case that the Abu Ghraib torture scandal was not caused by a few rotten apples on the night shift, but was systematic torture as policy. The Red Cross report and other valid reports are in the book so that the reader can see for himself that the torture at Abu Ghraib was certainly far more than a few rotten apples that were military police serving in the reserves that were sent to Abu Ghraib.

There was sadism at Abu Ghraib. There was a breakdown in law and order at Abu Ghraib. There was a breakdown in discipline at Abu Ghraib. This, of course, puts our entire Country and our entire military at risk.

Not only is the torture wrong, but, beyond that, torture is ineffective and many of the prisoners at Abu Ghraib had no intelligence value in the first place. Torture is very harmful to our Country politically speaking. It is certainly the case that any information that was obtained by torture would be overshadowed by the political damage caused by the activities.

I bought Mark Danner's TORTURE AND TRUTH several months ago from Amazon, and find it ever more relevant to current events. For the numbers of people detained and tortured in the War on Terror-- many of them believed by reputable individuals and organizations to be innocent-- continues to rise, and extends far beyond Abu Ghraib. The very fact that the majority of these people have never been formally charged with involvement in terrorist activity nor tried seems to prove their innocence, for it would be very easy to keep someone in jail these days if one could present solid evidence of their involvment in terrorism. Those who object that the tortures inflicted on these detaninees is not as bad as that which some totalitarian governments inflict upon their victims ignore the fact that the "soft torture" techniques in development since the end of World War II have been found to be more effective in "breaking" victims than simple brutality (see Alfred McCoy, A QUESTION OF TORTURE: CIA INTERROGATION FROM THE COLD WAR TO THE WAR ON TERROR). The suffering of these wretched detainees keeps me awake at night, yet to this day most people seem unconcerned about their plight. Danner's comment from the Introduction to his book still holds true: "Like other scandals that have erupted during the Iraq War and the war on terror, it is not about revelation or disclosure but about the failure, once wrongdoing is disclosed, of politicians, officials, the press, and, ultimately, citizens to act."

This book is a must for New Yorkers who want to learn more about their city and for out-of-towners visiting New York. The text, photographs, and maps are outstanding.

I adore the lower part of Midtown (under 34th St.) and this book is what I was looking for. Quick, concise but at the same time rich and precious is a work that covers comprehensively some of the most fascinating Manhattan's neighbourhoods. From the elegant Gramercy Park to the fashionable Chelsea, Touring the Flatiron is an amazing experience either for the native either for the visitor.

The research is impecable. The photographs are fabulous and the book is very easy to follow, whether you are walking the neighborhoods with it or sitting on your couch. Rarely do tour books include original research as well as challenge prior thought, as this one has. This is an indespensible guide for anyone interested in the history of New York and/or the history of the architechure of cities.

This author is incredibly well known in NYC as a city historian and has a supreme knowledge about the area. The book is organized in a logical manner and the photographs are excellent as well as interesting. A must have for anyone planing to tour, or live in lower manhattan. makes a great gift/Housewarming present! I look forward to her next book about the lower east side. I hear the photo research for that is amazing as well.

My grandma worked really hard on this book,and it is very good. The pictures are wonderful and it is very interesting with tons of facts and stories.

The book arrived in awesome condition and it is a classic I never had the opportunity to read in younger years.

I thoroughly enjoyed this family and their lives.

A marvelous read; everyone should be required to read this wonderful, heartfelt story.

With joy and regret I finished A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the tale of the Nolan family (and the Romelly women too). Started by eleven-year-old bookworm Francie Nolan and told by her younger and older selves, this book is rich with all the truth and tragedy of life at the turn of the century. Francie, born sickly and never quite getting enough food, thirsts for knowledge and in ways that she doesn't understand, love. Katie, her mother is a hardened and hard-working scrub woman who takes care of the family when her drunk but handsome husband is between jobs, which is most of the time. Though Francie and her father are very different, he understands her in a way that her mother can't and her brother Neely won't.

On each page, there is something rich about the Brooklyn in all of us, the stingy place where we nail down our best dreams in tin cup banks and pray that something amazing grows out of the often sour soil of our lives. Francis and her family remind us that are many things in the world more important than money. This one goes on my "Books for Life" list. It's a keeper to be read over and over.

I've read this book twice in my life, and am thinking of picking it up again. I can still "see" the scenes from the book, and remember how I felt at each part. One of the best books I've ever read, definitely in my top 10. A book that stays with you and becomes a point of reference in how you see the world.

Yes, that good.

I am a guy in his 30s who has nothing in common with a prepubescent girl living in Brooklyn in the early 1900.I should have hated this book: I usually cringe when I see stuff like 'Emma' lying around the place.
But........I loved this book. I actually had to ration that book, so that I would not finish it in a day. I would read 50 pages a day and forcibly keep the rest. Its a beautiful tale of the girl coming of age and with harsh terms of life.Its nothing short of a classic.
My wife has actually BOUGHT a copy to keep.
5 stars!

this story is about a terribly poor family living in Brooklyn, New York, at the turn of the 19th century. As technology advances and the American industry booms, a quiet, profound little girl called Francie Nolan lives in the slums of Brooklyn with her brother Neeley and her parents, Johnny and Katie.

the novel begins with a view into Francie's world, of pennies saved and trash collected to earn them, the thin food and delightful stores; the libraries, the other tenants in Francie's apartment building.

Betty Smith tells as much about Francie's parents, Johnny and Katie, as about Francie herself. We learn about how Johnny and Katie met, their whirlwind romance, soon falling out of the light as Katie bears children. Johnny, who is a kind, merry,friendly, impossibly handsome boy, starts abusing alcohol as domestic pressures fall upon his shoulders. Katie, a pretty girl, is much tougher than Johnny, and works from dawn to dusk in order to support her family, as Johnny, as lovable and sweet as he is, is not the main breadwinner of the house.

We learn about Katie's sisters, Sissy and Evy, Francie's beloved aunts, pretty and tender and smart. Sissy, the man-crazy but fun and fantastically compassionate, and Evy, capable and refined, fun, and a wonderful storyteller of past events. Mary Rommely, their mother, who is saintly and understanding, clever and wise. Betty Smith tells everything about these girls, the Rommely girls, with their soft voices and the "invisible steel" in them, about their past and present situations, and they all play major roles in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Francie is a smart, resourceful child and an avid reader. She is a talented writer, and is the favorite of her father. On the other hand, is her little brother Neeley, the favorite of their mother since his birth. They grow together, and you'll read about their exploits, and what everyone, even random people, think as they pass in and out of the Nolans' lives. What the tree-man thinks when he throws a tree at Francie and Neeley, what little boys think as they watch a horse, what Katie feels about her chidren, making plans about their unbringing and telling herself that she must not let Francie see that she loves Neeley much more than Francie, whom she only loves as a dutiful mother. (which, by the way, she fails miserably. About letting Francie know, i mean.)

The books protrays Francie from the time she is born to when she is nearly seventeen and leaving for college. About her academic life, the bitterness and grief when Johnny dies, the Nolans' fears about money and food.

Betty Smith is an expert on the perspectives of people. She has a wonderful idea of what people think, and why they do things. An great example of this is when she tells us about Joanna, a girl who gives birth to an illegitimate child, and the real reason why women despised her.

This was a fantastic book, and i definitely recommend it to readers.