New York Books

This book is unbelievably well-researched. Ed describes the complete history of one of American's great fly-fishing rivers; yet he never loses sight that what made the Beaverkill special was many of its anglers, whom he brings to life. Like all great history books, The Beaverkill is much more than a telling of facts and events. I don't see how anyone could have written a better book about my favorite river. Everytime I stand in its water I feel that I'm standing in history and that I'm part of something so, so special, thanks to Ed.

Ed's book details the life and struggle of this famous trout stream since colonial times. It has not been easy! Intersting reading, especially for those that fish the region.

The Beaverkill is a "must" for all who fish this river and for those who are simply interested in its and the area's history. The book is a fascinating account and "easy read".

a very good book, about a river, itshistory, and the people around it. very well written, and very good pictures

Rutledge's sermons are moving, persuasive, and beautifully written. And as her theology is Catholic, her faith contagious, and her argument completely accessible to the lay reader, she may well be the best Christian (and Anglican) apologist since C.S. Lewis.

This is a book that you will want to keep handy that you may read again a chapter that is especially meaningful or pertinent to your circumstances. I found the application of scripture to the very topical subject matter was inspiring. An example is the Chapter called The Love Olympics Go To Jerusalem which used text from 1 Corinthians13. The news items used as examples included topics about the funeral of Princess Diana,Madonna's child and the break up of the relationship with the baby's father,and also reference to the White House items about the President and an intern.A quote from Frank Rich's column "What's love got to do with it?" lead into the meaning of love as spoken by St. Paul in that lesson from Corinthians.You'll be glad you've read this book.

When we see a title that puts the Bible alongside the "New York Times" we say, "Oh yes, that reminds me of Karl Barth, whose advice was: "The Christian must always read with the Bible in one hand and the morning paper in the other."

Dr. Rutledge does just that in this elegant collection of sermons, most of which she first preached at the Grace Episcopal Church in Manhattan, or congregations in some of New York's bedroom communities. Now, Dr. Rutledge has turned her attention to conducting a national evangelistic ministry, but at the time these sermons were first presented, she was a preaching pastor in a busy city congregation, of bright and thoughtful Christians and other seekers. Her messages were well received by that group of worshipers and they have the potential to inspire the reader.

Dr. Rutledge's prose is both eloquent and forthright. Her sermon "Believing without Seeing" is a good example, taking as its text the "Doubting Thomas" passage from the Gospel of John, Chapter 21. In one paragraph she opens up the Biblical narative to anyone who may have quesitons, by asking some very pointed questions, "Is there anyone here today who is wondering if the Resurrection could possibly be true? Do you have conditions that must be met before you will believe? Or, perhaps, do you believe vaguely in something called `life after death' without ever having considered putting your trust in the only One who has ever come back victoriously from the grave?" (Page 143)

This kind of preaching is invigorating. It puts me in mind of people like the late Dr. Fred Speakman and Dr. Frank Harrington. Suffice it to say that Dr. Rutledge's sermons are all edifying. One can understand why this book and others that she has published are so well received. To have the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other, and the ear and heart of those who are hungry to hear and receive-what could be better!

If you find this review helpful you might want to read some of my other reviews, including those on subjects ranging from biography to architecture, as well as religion and fiction.

I had the distinct pleasure of being able to hear Rev. Rutledge preach a few times and attend an all-day workshop and I was forever affected by her engaging style and thoughtful analysis. She is a highly theological thinker who is a very well-read person.

The Bible and the New York Times is just that: an exploration of popular culture and the Christian faith that is neither sugary nor ignorant of the realities of suffering and pain. Rev. Rutledge is able to bring sound biblical exegesis and a vibrant style to her writing that is only surpassed by actually hearing her in person. Following the main days of the church year, this book helps the reader to pause and think of how the various days of the church calendar are relevant to modern people with faith. She brings out the rhythm of the people of God as they try to live out their faith in a secularized world, but she does so without resorting to easy or pat answers.

Read and Enjoy!

We borrowed this book from the library and loved it so much that we bought our own copy. It's beautiful and informative, tells a great story, too. Both my kids (3 and 7) love this book. It's ideal for reading to kids of different ages because the younger ones will enjoy the illustrations and story and the older ones will appreciate all that as well as the science.

This is a great book to use in conjunction with a unit on trees. I was absolutely thrilled when I received this book. I purchased it based on the description that it tells the story of a tree and the history that occurs in our country as the tree grows older. I was thrilled when I saw that is also discusses how the tree grows, its rings, and growth needs. I strongly recommend this picture book for any elementary school teacher.

I came to Amazon, as I typically do, looking for something special. 1,000 wods, hunh? Okay. One of my fondest childhood memories is of a book entitled The Big Tree. It was read to my 2nd grade class by a wonderful old grandmotherly teacher...Mrs. Woods. This was at Wineteer Elementary School at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita Kansas in 1962. That book literally changed my life, in the sense that it alone initiated a love affair with reading that has lasted my entire life. The book was about the life and times of a giant redwood tree in California...as I recall the story spanned several hundred years. Clearly, it made a terrific impression on me. I came here looking for this book. Instead I have found Bruce's book, which appears to be a similar story told from an oak tree's point of view. I can say this about that, considering the fact that I have not read Bruce's book. If it is half a good as the book I recall, I would recommend this story whole heartedly. If a book like this can reach your grade school child the way the redwood story affected me, it will be an investment in the future the likes of which you can only begin to imagine. Bruce, thank you for keeping the dream alive.

This is a wonderful book. It is the story of a maple tree inNew York state; how it began from a seed, grew up in the forestprimeval, survived the pioneer's axe to live in a family's yard, has provided shade and syrup to generations passing on its way to becoming the venerable giant it is now. Part science, part American history, all beautiful. My son has enjoyed this book since he was about 3 (he's reading it himself now at 7) and I'm buying extra copies as gifts.

This is the only book that I have read about Parker. So I can't compare it to other works. BUT it is a very enjoyable read. As the cover states there are extensive interviews with people who knew him best, including various ex-wives. Various incidents that are in the movie are described here, so I assume Eastwood, or whoever wrote the script, probably consulted this book. But, what is interesting is that the Book states that Chan and 'Bird' were never legally married. Don't think that fact was in the Movie.

This book is less acclaimed than Ross Russell's book, but is far better than the latter. Reisner knew Bird well and he interviewed most of his associates. It's Bird in the words of those who knew him. A great piece of work!

this book was about an epic struggle of a jazz musician in a New York city life.Im 16 and i play a lot of jazz and parker was a geat influence on me and my playin i worship him as a mucican and a jazz ico

This book shows the life of Parker through the eyes of many of his collegues, friends, and family. Robert Riesner should be commmended for his work on this material because it's informitive and gives views of Parker through people that were in his life. This book is a must read for all "true" Bird fans.

They are called the Bog People--these remains found in peat bogs in Denmark in the early 1950's. P.V. Glob gives us this story as a direct request of schoolgirls in England in the early 1960's. Asking for more information, the girls wrote: "We would like to know where he (the Tollund man) is now because we want to visit him when we are older." After sending some print-outs, Glob received yet another letter: "We like hearing about these people because it is amazing how well they have kept." THE BOG PEOPLE is his response to these curious girls.

If you are thinking circus at this point, you have captured that trait of man fascinated in the really weird things of life. When I taught "Beowulf the Epic," I included stories and photos from this book and displayed them through use of an opaque machine. Some students were so mesmerized they would leave their seats to examine the photos up close.

What the reader/viewer finds in these photos is an extremely bizarre preservation of these mummies with such detail, one can see eyelids, fingernails, blood vessels, hair, skin pores, and, yes, finger prints. Even the stomach contents of Tollund Man (shown on the cover) are preserved and include clover, rye, buttercup, yarrow, nightshade--it is believed to be a sort of vegetarian soup.

A noose was also found around Tollund Man's neck. Historians believe he was part of a ritual killing for sacrificial purposes. There are other remains, now in museums, that depict other details of life a thousand and more years ago. What preserved these people for so long--unbeknowst to the preservers-- was the peat, whose properties in water prevent normal decay. (The other way is intentional mummification, of course, the method practiced by the Egyptians.)

All in all, this book provides fascinating clues to the way of the life of man in prehistoric northern Europe. Plus, you get to gawk in the privacy of your own home.

A beautiful slim volume which should be on everyone's bookshelf. It is a disturbing and yet strangely moving book. However the text is woefully out of date and has a lot of misinformation on the Celts and their relationship with the trading systems of the North. It also lacks the modern theories of how and why these individuals were sacrificed. I highly recommend this book just as long as you don't use it as your only source of information on the Celts.

P. V. Glob's BOG PEOPLE is a concise and illuminating study of several exquisitly preserved bodies of Iron Age inhabitant discovered northern Denmark by peat diggers in the early 1950s.

Glob, who was on the scene soon after the bodies were discovered, describes the remarkable condition of the bodies, then proceeds to explore the circumstances of their deaths. Glob's exposition gives us a look into the practice of ritual sacrifice in Iron Age northern Europe. Enhancing his discussion with studies of their last meals, the manner of death, the clothes and jewelry they wore as well as other bog artifacts, Glob introduces us to a brutal world where ritual sacrifice played a critical role in the spiritual life of Iron Age residents of modern day Denmark.

The photographs and x-rays of the bodies are stunning. In particular, the haunting photos of the serene, delicately preserved Tolland man cast this study in an earthy yet unearthly light.

This is a rather unusual book and well worth reading. Most of the time we read about remains being found in caves,tombs or graves under stone monuments,etc. In this case, there is a real departure in that they are found in wet bogs.
Although, at the time these bodies were placed in the bogs,it was probably not known that the acidic properties wound result in their unbelievable preservation.
These bodies were most likely "buried" in the period of 200 B.C until
200 A.D. This period was during the early Bronze Age and in the northern
and western part of Europe. Civilization was not near as well developed here as in southern Europe when Rome was at its height of development.
The author describes a few of the remains and tries to show who these people were and why they were interred in bogs.This occurred over a wide area and at many locations.
There seems to be two main reasons why remains were placed in these bogs.
Some were obviously murdered,sacrificed,hung or otherwise executed because of crimes,need of a victim for sacrifice, or because they were thought to be possessed,or otherwise evil. Many were staked to the ground to prevent them or their spirits from returning. Others were placed there because of their high ranking in the society.This was determined because those remains showed no evidence of wounds,mutilation or ropes around their necks or limbs.They were also accompanied with artifacts and or treasures.
This book would probably not be considered a great or highly learned Archaeological effort. Be that as it may,it is a very interesting read and an insight into life at the time through a very different window.
The author has included a large number of excellent photos;though it's a shame they are not in color.
It is also of note, that it was first published in 1969 and is still in print.

I read a small textbook edition of this book decades ago. Recently I chanced upon this edition at a bookstore and was floored at its beauty. The bounty of art and graphic lay-out make this a true treasure that I had to possess. My thankful appreciation to all involved in its production! This will be a life-long companion in my collection.

If anyone is in to Legend of the Five Rings RPG this book is way cool.

Musashi, like every great warrior, knew that strategy was as important as tactics and techniques in combat. This book will teach you things that were learned in combat and will enhance your survival potential on the battlefield, street and life.

It is not the easiest book to interpret and understand, but that hardly matters, as for the information in this book is worth your time and effort. One good book is worth a hundred crummy ones, and this book is one outstanding book. This book is divided into various distinct sections, and the serious and professional warrior should extract as much information as possible from each section. Every time I pick this book up I learn something new. This is the warrior's bible.

I highly recommend this book to all readers.

The book written by the samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi circa 1645 is considered a classic treatise on military strategy, and it enjoys an audience considerably broader than only that of martial artists: for instance, some business leaders find its discussion of conflict and taking the advantage to be relevant to their work.

The term "Ichi School", which is referred to in the book, Go Rin No Sho, when referring to such books, refers to "Niten No Ichi Ryu", or "Ni Ten Ichi Ryu", which literally translated, means "Two Swords, one heaven".

Throughout the book it is clear: what is primary for Musashi is The Goal, while the means of achieving the goal are secondary. He wrote "According to this Ichi school, you can win with a long weapon, and yet you can also win with a short weapon. In short, the Way of the Ichi school is the spirit of winning, whatever the weapon and whatever its size."

The same is in business: the leaders who are attracted by the goal rather than by embellishments are the true leaders. For example, the dot-com bubble of 2000 was caused by the managers who forgot about the primary goal of the business: net income. Those who were obsessed by their stock prices regarding of massive losses and the lack of revenue became bankrupt. They put attention to the fancy office buildings and furniture rather than to the assets that generate earning. Musashi wrote about it: "Just as a horse must have endurance and no defects, so it is with weapons. Horses should walk strongly, and swords and companion swords should cut strongly. Spears and halberds must stand up to heavy use: bows and guns must be sturdy. Weapons should be hardy rather than decorative".

Musashi also encourages to maintain a balance of your skills throughout your life. This balance could be thought of as Yin and Yang. The balance is to be neither over-familiar with something nor under-familiar. The over-familiarity or over-use of one weapon is not recommended by Musashi, as it would be seen to reveal your spirituality to your enemy, and thus your boisterousness, or over-calm. The over-familiarity makes you stick to a conviction. This is a very important for the business. Take, for example, mr. Warren Buffet. A quality standing out about Mr. Buffett is his ability to morph. If you read his materials from the 1960s, he said very different things than in the 1970s and early-1980s. Early on he was buying dirt-cheap stocks by simple statistical standards and typically smaller stocks (smallcap), later he bought "franchises", then he entered a period of buying great managements of big companies and being a long-term holder, then, amazingly, he was buying smaller things dirt cheap again just as value came back into play as the twenty-first century began. He tactically morphed steadily over the decades. Trying to freeze his tactics from any decade and replicate them in the next few would never have led you to his actual actions. Musashi wrote about that this way: "You should not have a favourite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well. You should not copy others, but use weapons which you can handle properly. It is bad for commanders and troops to have likes and dislikes."

What a great collection of essays! An excellent book to have around and read when you're a Nuyorican looking for some grounding!

Collaboratively compiled and edited by the team of Gabriel Haslip-Viera (Director of the Program in Latin American and Latino Studies, City College, CUNY), Angelo Falcon (Senior Policy Executive for the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund), and Felix Matos Rodriguez (Director of the Center for Puerto Rican Policy, Hunter College), Boricuas In Gotham: Puerto Ricans In The Making Of Modern New York City anthologizes essays reinterpreting and updating the history of New York's Puerto Rican community and its leadership from the beginnings of the great migration in the 1940s down to the present day. Organized in chronological order and including chapters by noted historians, sociologists, and political scientists, Boricuas In Gotham covers diverse issues of culture, demography, language, economic status, politics, and community organization. Also available in a hardcover edition (1558763554, $69.95), Boricuas In Gotham is a seminal work of impressive scholarship and a welcome contribution to Latino Studies supplemental reading lists as well as 20th Century American History reference collections.

CHOICE Magazin: January 2005

"Collaboratively compiled and edited by the team of Gabriel Haslip-Viera (Director of the Program in Latin American and Latino Studies, City College, CUNY), Angelo Falcon (Senior Policy Executive for the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund), and Felix Matos Rodriguez (Director of the Center for Puerto Rican Policy, Hunter College), Boricuas In Gotham: Puerto Ricans In The Making Of Modern New York City anthologizes essays reinterpreting and updating the history of New York's Puerto Rican community and its leadership from the beginnings of the great migration in the 1940s down to the present day. Organized in chronological order and including chapters by noted historians, sociologists, and political scientists, Boricuas In Gotham covers diverse issues of culture, demography, language, economic status, politics, and community organization. Also available in a hardcover edition (1558763554, $69.95), Boricuas In Gotham is a seminal work of impressive scholarship and a welcome contribution to Latino Studies supplemental reading lists as well as 20th Century American History reference collections."

This new and very important collection of essays reinterprets and updates the history of New York's Puerto Rican community and its leaders from the beginnings of the great migration in the 1940s to the present time. The collection also honors the memory of the late Dr. Antonia Pantoja, who was perhaps the community's most important and influential activist and institution builder during this period.
The book is organized in chronological order and includes chapters by noted historians, sociologists, and political scientists, such as Virginia Sánchez Korrol, Ana Celia Zentella, José Cruz, Francisco Rivera Batiz, and Gabriel Haslip-Viera. These chapters focus on issues of culture, demography, language, economic status, politics, and community organization.
Eminently useful in college-level courses that deal with Latinos and other ethnic groups in U.S. society, the book ends with essays by Angelo Falcón and Clara E. Rodríguez that assess the legacy, current status, and future prospects of the Puerto Rican community in New York.

Gabriel Haslip-Viera, City College, CUNY, is the editor of Taíno Revival: Critical Perspectives on Puerto Rican Identity and Cultural Politics. Angelo Falcón, Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, is the author of numerous articles on Puerto Rican/Latino politics. Félix V. Matos-Rodríguez, Hunter College, is the author of Women in San Juan: 1820-1868.

To me this book is truly amazing the way it takes the reader into a world -- the Asian underworld here in the U.S. -- that very few people know anything about. Not only that, the author presents his main character, a young Vietnamese-American gangster wannabe, in a way that is insightful and compassionate. This could have been just a true-crime mob book, but it's much more than that. This is a book about the American Dream. As the blurbs say -- MUST READING.

TJ English gives the reader a look into a world many may not even know exists. He does an excellent job of portraying the harsh post-war existence that led Tinh into BTK, yet also shows great compassion for his plight. Despite the brutal nature of the subject matter the book is quite hard to put down. The events that happened resonate with me since I was living in the NYC area when they took place. I also know the exact locations of the streets in Chinatown that were named in the book. If you are not afraid to take a close look at the brutal nature of street life, then I suggest reading Born to Kill.

BORN TO KILL is a fascinating and well-researched account of the rise and fall of a Vietnamese gang operating out of Chinatown in New York City. Much of the story chronicles the experiences of one gang member who eventually decides to cooperate with the NYPD and ATF to help bring down the gang. This book does an impressive job of explaining the political and cultural forces that affect these mostly very young gang members, but in a way that is never boring or uninteresting. Mr. English is objective yet he also writes with compassion. If you are interested in Gangs or Asian organized crime you cannot ignore this book.

I am Vietnamese know first hand what the people in that gang experence. In my home town of Sacramento CA their are alot of asian gangs just like BTK. Their is even a gang called Born to Kill around sactown too. I use to kick it with alot of gang member that do some of the same stuff that BTK do like robberies, GTA and busting 211 on houses too. If people wants to know what really happens in an asian gang then you guys should read this book.

Great book that brought back a lot of memories of faded Brooklyn Glory. Osborne captures the details of a summer in the minors leagues from the fresh cut grass of a new season to the hope of Major League stardom.

Warning: This book has a tendency to make the reader into a die hard Cyclones fan.

Great book. Loved the historical aspects, and the personal stories of the player and local kid. A great gift for father's day, espcially for anyone with Brooklyn roots or a love of baseball.

With Ben Osborne's newest book, The Brooklyn Cyclones, Hardball Dreams and the New Coney Island, baseball is displayed, honored, and celebrated in such a way that my "jones" for a bleacher seat, a dog and a draft has spiraled out of control. This tale of baseball's return to Brooklyn is much more than just an account of the 2001 season of the Mets' Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones. It is a socially in-depth look into baseballs' influence on not only a community (in this place, the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn), and the city of New York at large, but also on two specific individuals. The two featured in this beautifully crafted piece of work are contrasts in background and involvement with the club. The first featured character is catching prospect, Brett Kay. A native Californian, who had never stepped foot in the Big Apple prior, Kay brings a natural energy to the club, as well as a strong bat and solid defensive play behind the plate. As a single-A prospect, Kay like many others in his position, the Cyclones are the first step in his pursuit of his dream of one day playing in the bigs.
The second individual featured is 13-year old Coney Island resident, Anthony Otero Jr. A big fan of the game of baseball, Otero is the leader of a group of Coney teenagers, who in stark contrast to the borough's basketball history, enjoy using the blacktops for hardball instead of roundball. Living just 15 blocks from the site of KeySpan Park (the cyclone's beautiful boardwalk-side stadium), Osborne chronicles Otero's interest in the team, alongside his own aspirations of one day playing pro ball. Possibly the most intriguing portions of the book, are the historical sections which detail Brooklyn's rich baseball tradition with the Dodgers, the economic rise and fall of Coney Island, and finally ex-mayor, Rudy Guilani's attempt to use the genesis of the team as a cornerstone of his "legacy" as mayor.

In the end, this slice of Americana is truly an enjoyable read. A tale which intertwines many different faces of the American sports fan, from the prospect, to the fierce political leader, to the local kid from the projects. How these individuals affect and are ultimately affected by the team is the true story line. A couple years later, Kay puts it perfectly in the book's final thought, "that season in Brooklyn was something that I'll never experience again."

Ben Osborne's second book is a solid journalistic foray that delves into the political, regional, and economic contexts surrounding the return of professional baseball to the borough of Brooklyn 44 years after the Dodgers took off for California. The first season of the minor league Cyclones, an afiliate of the New York Mets, who play in the New York-Penn League, is recounted in detail through the eyes of Anthony Otero, a kid from the projects and Coney Island native who dreams of playing for the Yankees but had never been to a professional game before the Cyclones came to town and Brett Kay, a Californian catching prospect drafted by the Mets and farmed out to the Class A Cyclones to begin his big league career.

From the potitical manuevering of Rudy Giuliani to the construction of the incredible Keyspan Park at Coney Island to the season long sellout crowds Ben Osborne crafts a riviting story and fascinating read that encompasses both historical and cultural perspectives while exploring the media circus that followed the Cyclones in their inaugual season. The book is about more then just baseball. It's about the inner city struggle, big city politics, and hardball dreams. An accurate portrayal and intriguing analysis of the realities facing Brooklyn and Coney Island today.

An excellent, albeit silliy, addition to the library or coffee table of Brooklynites of any age. Granted, it isn't "all-inclusive," but what pop-up book (or any book on Brooklyn, for that matter) is?

Each foldout page in this book was designed by a different person. Sometimes they're disappointing as pop-ups, but there are some bright moments. The cover by Maurice Sendak allows you to see behind it into how the movements are made. The brownstones page is silly, with stupid bug cartoons everywhere. The library is really disappointing, with no real focus and no real view of what the building looks like. The art museum is just lovely, and is probably the best -- but then, it's by Sabuda (my favorite pop-up artist)! The botanic garden could have been the most colorful and beautiful page -- instead, it's childish and dull. The carousel is fun, with horses popping out at you. The Brooklyn Bridge is nice, but the flavors of Brooklyn are worthless. Coney Island is fun, with a rotating Ferris wheel. The book comes in a handy-dandy re-sealable plastic cover. So if you're fond of Brooklyn this will be a really nice memento. But I do NOT recommend it for reading out loud to children.

A delightfully colorful whimsy. Beautifully designed by an array of talented artists, including Maurice Sendak, specialists in pop-up engineering and all the pieces lovingly put together in Ecuador. My favorite? Two pages topped with old postcard letters-- "CONEY ISLAND." The beach front is covered with mini-bathers frolicking in and out of the water while the rollercoaster rolls by and the ferris wheel spins. There's a great boardwalk and everything that you could want at Coney Island. The only thing missing from the scene is Nathan's. There's an amazing Brooklyn Bridge, and lots of information for all ages about the history of that special borough....

It is really nice to see a resurgence of such childhood favorites as the "pop-up" book. Truly the first multimedia toys, these books add a new dimension (pun most certainly intended) to the written word.

What a wonderful way to introduce children and adults alike to the cultural Mecca that is Brooklyn. I loved this book so much, not only did I buy it for my library's children's collection, but I also bought a copy for myself.

Highly, highly recommended!