Town Books

Wonderful book for Children. Great Photography. A must for the Christmas Stocking from Santa Claus

Living in Boston, you are constantly affected by Big Dig-related twists, turns, and upsets. One day the one-way street heads east; the next it has been re-routed west. Few of us venture into the heart of this truly amazing engineering feat, but this book shows us why we should pay more attention. Vanderwarker's spectacular photographs are thrilling to see and they give a glimpse of just why so much money has been poured into this project. We get to see things only the workers would normally see. But perhaps best of all is the glimpse it gives of cutting-edge engineering and technology. Seldom have I seen so clearly how yesterday's sci-fi has become today's "sci" and tomorrow's business as usual.

This book is so much fun to read. The photography is wonderful. Vanderwalker has such a good "eye" for beauty, even in construction.

A must buy for the kids at Christmas

I bought this book because I had read another book illustrated by Ted Lewin and found him to be a remarkable artist.

This book captures the sights and sounds of New York City; the reader will feel he or she is right in the kitchen with the steaming woks.

Most importantly, both the adult reader and the child listening (or reading on the second to third grade level) will be interested. And if your child likes books reread many times, this book will hold up. Among other things, there are so many details and subtleties in the artwork that the adult will be looking at every nook and cranny of the pictures.

I think Ted Lewin as as good an artist as Normal Rockwell.

I think this a wonderful book and a up close view of what it's like in the kitchen of a Chinese take out restaurant! The book starts out on a very early Saturday morning as the owner's son comes downstairs into the back room of the restaurant as the vegetables are arriving for the day. The cooks he calls his "Uncles" are getting the woks ready and begin chopping up the chicken, pork butt, spareribs, flank steak, vegetables, and getting the noodles and rice ready for the day. Then there is folding menus until the metal shutters open at 11 am. The boys whole family works in the restaurant even his Mother & Aunt who work the counter and the phones really fast and sometime at the same time!

The author also illustrates this beautiful book! The pictures seem s real, just like the photos he took and then drew the photos from these photos. The restaurants menu is on the inside and back page of the book and also shows the author with his take out bag!

This is a fantastic book, and even more so since it's based on a real Chinese restaurant Kum kau pronounced "Gum Kow" which in Chinese means golden globe in New York and I hope one day when our family visits New York that we can visit and get some food there! All the while knowing how much work went into our food! It's a wonderful look inside a restaurant kitchen, especially since we order it ... and it magically appears! The only thing that would make this book better would be if this family was actually real and not fictional!

The award winning children's book illustrator loves to eat Buddha's Delight at the Kum Kau take out chinese restaurant in Brooklyn's Fort Greene/Myrtle Street neighborhood. Based on photos he took and sketches, he has created extremely realistic watercolors (worthy of a gallery show) that capture a day in the life of the take out restaurant through the eyes of the fictional son of the restaurant's owners. The inside front and back covers, alone, are worth buying the book for. They consist of the recreated takeout menus from the restaurant (with reasonable prices). The book opens with a young boy waking up on a Saturday to help out at the restaurant. As the shutters are still closed on the take out shop, the cooks receive deliveries, chop and dice, and chop some more. Menus get folded, water gets boiled, woks get washed. Customers arrive, and the whole family, cousins and uncles included, all help out. Interesting neighbors pop in, including a fire truck and its engine company crew, all ordering various favorite dishes. Who knew so much work went into the preparation of your child's take out Moo Goo Gai Pan? Later, it is evening, the neon lights comes on, and it's time for the family to order their own dinner for takeout and delivery... What will it be?? Read and find out. This is a must read for parents and their kids as they wait for their dinner to be delivered

This book was so sweet, so good, so exciting!! I loved it !
If you like christian romances don't miss this one. It is a jewel!!

Three friends, who remain friends forever. Three heartwarming stories about love and healing. I always know I will be delighted by any story that has the name Lyn Cote on it. My favorite author.

The prologue of this book drew me in immediately. The three stories feature longterm friends who had become jaded about men, and about true love, due to harsh life-changing events of their childhood. The stories are only in the 75 page range, but each is a continuation of the one before it, so collectively they read like a regular full-length novel. That's an amazing feat considering that three different authors created this continuity! What I appreciate most about Love Inspired books is the respectful and communicative way the characters interact with each other (no hostile bickering), and the mature approach they have to resolving their problems (no game-playing). These admirable characteristics had a strong presence in this anthology!

What impressed me about Lyn Cote's story, Wed by a Prayer, is that the romance was secondary to the mentorship of the male protagonist's orphaned pre-teen sister. Jo and Bram fell in love as they worked together to be a positive influence on Tassie. The setting, a floral store in danger of being put out of business by a ruthless competitor, provided a colorful backdrop and a level of intrigue. At times, the dialogue seemed a bit unnatural and unrealistic and it was difficult to warm up to Bram after he had been so haughty in the opening scene. As one who is very disillusioned by trend of children nowadays to address adults by their first name, I was highly impressed that Jo was "Miss Jo" to Tassie! Very classy!

The Dream Man by Lenora Worth is edgier than the other stories. Elizabeth is very uptight; prickly and guarded against interacting with attractive men like Jake. The relationship in this story begins on shaky ground, and unfortunatley Elizabeth inflicts Jake with tense verbal sparring that was pleasantly absent from the other stories. It is difficult to like her or to believe that she deserved Jake. Impressively, Jake shows remarkable patience and good humor thoughout Elizabeth's defensive, and somewhat obnoxious, behavior. When his background is revealed, illustrating the necessity not to rush through life nor place too high a value on monetary success, Elizabeth's bitterness can't help but fade away as her heartened heart softens. This powerful lesson makes the story shine in true Love Inspired fashion!

During the latter half of the previous story, it was easy to guess who Hannah's unlikely soulmate would be in Small-Town Wedding by Penny Richards. Forgiveness, especially of oneself, is a difficult journey for all of us, and this couple illustrated the necessity of letting go of misplaced anger in order to find happiness and peace within. Although Hannah held a lot of resentment towards Griff, he confronted the issue head-on, and they were able to quickly resolve their issues in a compassionate and respectful manner through open dialogue. I am impressed with the maturity Hannah showed in admitting she was wrong and apologizing, not only to Griff, but also to her friends Jo and Elizabeth. Once again, it was very classy that the older generation were addressed by the protagonists as "Mr. Harold", "Miss Margaret", and so forth. This story was "Love Inspired" at its finest!

This is my son's FAVORITE book. He wants me to read it to him over and over. He loves to analyze the elaborate illustrations, we notice new details every time we read it. I wish there were other Max and Ralph adventures!

This book is great for little kids to practice reading, but the best thing about it are the pictures! They're so detailed, and all the buildings and houses are so realistic and cute! It's a simple story about a delivery man named Ralph. His dog Max has to chase him all around town to give him a package, which contains a trophy just for him(it says "For Ralph who is always on time.") I really love this book and like I said, the illustrations are just too adorable!!!

Learn about many occupations with a entertaining and colorful story. Many subtle connections with background characters and items that show up on several pages. Young children can find "Max" the dog in each page. I especially liked the mobile TV reporting crew. A companion book to Busy Things That Go.

Cappuccina is a spunky cow who longs to take a day off from the farm and visit the nearby town. While in town she tries to buy shoes, a dress and have her hair down. Since she is a cow, none of this works out for her. After a pleasant but tiring day, Cappuccina is glad to head back home with a bow on her tail. An upbeat picture book with great illustrations.

A beautifully written and illustrated children's book. I was lucky enough to meet Mary Ann Smith and witness a reading in front of a group of children whose imaginations were held captive by this lovely story and woman.
This is a book that should be part of every childs library. I look forward to the next adventure!

Just want readers to know how much fun my mother and I had writing this book - and reading the manuscript to hundreds of elementary school children along the way. They get credit for letting us know how much fun it is for kids to chime in on the "Bloooooooos" in Cappuccina. And they get credit for giving us lots of ideas about where Cappuccina should go next! New York? The Army? The Moon? Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, fyi, Mary Ann Smith, my mother and co-author is NOT the Mary Ann Smith you have listed as author of other books you are recommending. Cappuccina is MY Mary Ann's first published work.

Best, Katie Smith Milway

Of Edmund White's novels, Caracole may be the most accessible to the reading public at large. It has a clear and impressive plot and a set of characters as arresting as Dickens'. But as in every White novel, the words and the images they create are foremost.

The author deserves the reader's closest attention. White is the consummate master of language. Much of the imagery is exotic, dreamlike and even nightmarish. Every sense is evoked with startling specificity. You need no cyber-gadgets to experience virtual reality if you absorb this book and let it unfold in your imagination.

White commands the broad range of moods, shifting them with disturbing abruptness or lingering within one to delve into its deepest recesses. Most strikingly conveyed are the wonders, terrors, mysteries and curiosities of youth, the overpowering initiations of body and mind that shatter the realm of childhood. White invents a vocabulary for the inarticulate that is all the more powerful for its metaphorical exactness.

Unlike White's other novels, Caracole is not a first-person narrative. By using the omniscient third person, White is able to probe deeper into the interiors of his characters. This device also allows him more scope for apt epigrammatic observations, particularly about youth, middle age and the relations across that divide.

Those who appreciate the power of the word should experience Caracole and indeed all of White's novels.

Of Edmund White1s novels, Caracole may be the most accessible to the reading public at large. It has a clear and impressive plot and a set of characters as arresting as Dickens. But as in every White novel, the words and the images they create are foremost. I cannot do better than to quote Cynthia Ozick in calling his technique "seduction through language." It has taken me two months to read Caracole. It deserves every minute. The author deserves the reader's closest attention. White is the consummate master of language. Much of the imagery is exotic, dreamlike and even nightmarish. Every sense is evoked with startling specificity. You need no cyber-gadgets to experience virtual reality if you absorb this book and let it unfold in your imagination.White commands the broad range of moods, shifting them with disturbing abruptness or lingering within one to delve into its deepest recesses. Most strikingly conveyed are the wonders, terrors, mysteries and curiosities of youth, the overpowering initiations of body and mind that shatter the realm of childhood. White invents a vocabulary for the inarticulate that is all the more powerful for its metaphorical exactness.Unlike White's other novels, Caracole is not a first-person narrative. By using the omniscient third person, White is able to probe deeper into the interiors of his characters. This device also allows him more scope for apt epigrammatic observations, particularly about youth, middle age and the relations across that divide. Caracole has been called White's "cross-over" novel. The characters are heterosexual and the plot evolves in large part out of the consequences of their appetites. White describes the female body and the male and female experience of straight sex as exquisitely as any writer of his stature. Reading Caracole after having read The Farewell Symphony, the last novel of his autobiographical trilogy, however, gives one a different perspective. Some situations and characterizations are virtually identical in each novel though appropriately translated in time, place and gender. This juxtaposition enhances Caracole's intrinsic humor and correspondingly deepens its pathos. It also underscores our common humanity, regardless of our sexual orientations.I have had the intoxicating adventure of reading all of Edmund White's novels in the past twelve months. (My next stop is his collection of essays and interviews, The Burning Library).Those who appreciate the power of the word should experience Caracole and indeed all of White's novels.

It has taken me two months to read Caracole. It deserves every minute. The book deserves the reader¹s closest attention. White is the consummate master of language. Much of the imagery is exotic, dreamlike and even nightmarish. Every sense is evoked with startling specificity. You need no cyber-gadgets to experience virtual reality if you absorb this book and let it unfold in your imagination.Of Edmund White¹s novels, Caracole may be the most accessible to the reading public at large. It has a clear and impressive plot and a set of characters as arresting as Dickens¹. But as in every White novel, the words and the images they create are foremost. The language is hypnotic in its power. White commands the broad range of moods, shifting them with disturbing abruptness or lingering within one to delve into its deepest recesses. Most strikingly conveyed are the wonders, terrors, mysteries and curiosities of youth, the overpowering initiations of body and mind that shatter the realm of childhood. White invents a vocabulary for the inarticulate that is all the more powerful for its metaphorical exactness.Unlike White¹s other novels, Caracole is not a first-person narrative. By using the omniscient third person, White is able to probe deeper into the interiors of his characters. This device also allows him more scope for apt epigrammatic observations, particularly about youth, middle age and the relations across that divide. Caracole has been called White¹s "cross-over" novel. The characters are heterosexual and the plot evolves in large part out of the consequences of their appetites. White describes the female body and the male and female experience as exquisitely as any writer of his stature. Reading Caracole after having read The Farewell Symphony, the last novel of his autobiographical trilogy, however, gives one an entirely different perspective. Some situations and characterizations are virtually identical in each novel though appropriately translated in time, place and gender. This juxtaposition enhances Caracole¹s intrinsic humor and correspondingly deepens its pathos. It also underscores our common humanity, regardless of our orientations.Those who appreciate the power of the word should experience Caracole and try all of Edmund White¹s novels.

The tradition of Chinese imperial cities is one of the longest and best-documented traditions of preindustrial urbanism. Steinhardt identifies the principles that structured traditional Chinese city planning, construction, and use. The book is well written with many good plans and illustrations. A major contribution to urban history.

A classic book -- the paperback version is less intimidating (much lighter in weight and also cheaper in price) than the hardback, so this is a must-have for those interested in Chinese historical studies.

Chinese Imperial City Planning is an excellent historical account of the spatial development of China's ancient cities. Extremely well researched, Steinhardt does a nice job of chronicling the impacts each empire had on urban form in China.

As a scholar interested in Japanese and other East Asian cities, the author's chapter discussing China's historical legacy to urban form in Ancient Japan, was especially interesting. This chapter clearly illustrates how necessary the study of Chinese cities is to the understanding of other Asian cities. It also demonstrates the care Steinhardt took in her research.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the historical origins of urban planning and spatial form in China and Japan.

This is just a fascinating book - a study of how disparate people wind up being connected in some fashion. It is a much more literary approach to much the same concept in Six Degrees of Separation, yet the characters drive this book, and disturb us somtimes too, both in what we see in others and maybe in what we see in ourselves. Yes, this books is seemingly straightforward in that the prose is not especially dense, a la William Gaddis, but it is still very thoughtful, and not to be taken lightly. It is a shame that the book is not more widely known. It would make a great TV miniseries!

a classic. a comedy of manners that gradually interconnects a milieu of upper middle class americans -- the most seemingly straightforward and accessible of mathews' novels.

Cigarettes appears to be Harry Mathews' most conventional novel. That is only because Mathews' experimental devices and his far off, imaginary locations are not a part of this work. Surely this work is nothing like the previous work, but it is as artistic as the others. This is the literature of the salon, of Marcel Proust and, shall I dare say it, Jane Austen? And if one does not read the name on the cover, it does seem to be the work of a woman writer, say Djuna Barnes or Jane Bowles, and of course Two Serious Ladies is mentioned and read in Mathews' book. Two Serious Ladies may be used as a way into this complex, labyrinthine work.

Even though this novel may have some realistic qualities, (usually when we're dealing with Mathews, Realism is never a consideration, and language is of a main concern), it is a labyrinth of relationships of a group of people living in artistic New York in the 1950s and the 1960s. As opposed to Mathews' first novels, The Conversions and Tlooth where the imagination rules, the characters of Cigarettes do seem real, like a 19th century novel perhaps.

But I am willing to say that it must be that none of these characters are based on real people as much as they have been entirely invented "out of the whole cloth" by Mathews.

He has said good-bye to the days of adzes, stories in the arctic, Gypsies, bi-sexual baseball players, invented languages, Adrien Le Roi, Auerbach, and literary paper chases. Now Mathews is concentrating on more conventional means of writing, more realistic. It is not at all a defeatist work. One cannot write for that audience of 500 forever.

Each of the 14 chapters pair off two of the 13 main characters, and chapter by chapter we see the shape of relationships and the ever-changing extent of seriousness. Allen is married to Maud, and he has a relationship with Elizabeth. Priscilla, Walter Trale's lover, is Allen and Maud's daughter. Owen is blackmailing Allen for Elizabeth's portrait; he once found his daughter Phoebe, posing nude for the painter, Walter. Owen is married to Louisa, and he has another son, Lewis, who is a writer and the sado-masochistic lover of Morris. Morris is an art critic, and has a sister Irene, who is an art dealer. Irene owns a forgery of Elizabeth's portrait done by Phoebe, who also become an art dealer. The real portrait and the fake are exchanged at one moment, and only a few people are aware of this.

All through the novel parents misunderstand their children, and the other way around, children always misunderstand everyone, and lovers never have a clue. The novel ends with a moving meditation on death, and the fact that "we become the dead." Definitely, the ideal reader becomes more involved with this novel than with others; the reader who is passive may have too much trouble keeping up with the different people who make up this story. Mathews here has developed a few new structural devices. There are many questions. Who is the narrator? Is there a chapter missing? Is this story based around a secret palindrome?

This novel pretends to portray psychological depth, and tricks the reader into thinking so, but after it's all over it laughs at the possibility of depth. And the reader also laughs, or cries, for this novel suggest that personality or the other is always misunderstood. Everyone has friends or lovers that are like a puff of smoke and then gone, like a "cigarette." This is not a conclusion to the book, but just an aspect, a nuance, the real conclusion is that relationships and fiction remain inconclusive.

I first got this book at a local library and had to purchase it because my kids liked it so much.

Build great abstract thinking abilities.

Stephen Johnson is by far the most creative artist/illustrator of educational children's books alive. He not only makes learning fun in Alphabet City and City by Numbers, but shows his remarkable talent as an artist. His illustrations, for lack of a better word, are flawless as can be seen clearly in the originals. He does not bring the book down to a child's level, but teaches them to appreciate art and learning at his level. He is completely remarkable and shows that it is rewarding to major in fine arts in college even if you wish to be an illustrator. No illustrator could produce the quality work that he has produced. Definitely buy this book. You will not be disappointed.

This book should be a delight to both children and adults. The artwork is sohpisticated, beautifully rendered and subtle. The numbers are hidden in the reality of each scene. He could have manipulated these images so that the numbers would be more obvious but he lets the viewer see them in their own time. Excellent book for teaching children about numbers, art and the poetry of combining the two.

This fresh, exciting, and informative story would be a great choice for a child's or classroom's first nonfiction book. Illustrations are vivid and easy to relate to, and the text - complex enough for competent early readers, but perfect for a read-aloud - is engaging. City Hawk tells the true story of a pair of hawks who unexpectedly and uncharacteristically nest and rear their young outside the window of a Central Park apartment. One thing I really like about this is that the author does not anthropomorphize the birds and their plight, but lets the reader follow their story as if they were bird-watching along with the NYC regulars. A portion of the sales of this book go towards the Audubon Society's NYC chapter and helps "support protection of wild birds and habitat in the five boroughs."

Excellent story with historical value . I bought it for my grand son who lives in NYC .Highly recommend

City Hawk is a wonderful story about a real-life red-tailed hawk that decides to make New York City his home. The illustrations are charming and give an accurate picture of what life for a city hawk is really like. This book will appeal to both children and adults, especially those who live in New York and want to know more about their fellow resident, Pale Male.