New York Books

Whenever we take guests on a cruise around NYC I am the designated tour guide who points out all the sights. People are always amazed by all the little known stories about the history of the city as viewed from the water that I can relate to them. Many of them I gleaned from this wonderful book. After you read this book, a ferry or circle line ride will be a totally new experience.

fast, great

As a native New Yorker, I heard of many islands that occupied the waters that surround the five boroughs of the city. As I flew back into LaGuardia and JFK airports I even began to notice them from above. Obtaining information about these islands was very difficult, even from local libraries, and therefore when I found this book at a local bookstore, I was delighted that someone came up with the idea of publishing such a book.

From Roosevelt Island to Cuban Ledge, the authors give a very thorough and well researched book on the many islands inhabiting the New York archipelago. Many islands which were once islands, but have long since been connected to the boroughs by artificial landfills are also covered here (e.g. Coney Island-Brooklyn, Hunter Island-Bronx, Battery Park area-Manhattan, etc..) are also covered here.

If you live in the city or plan on visiting, please make sure to pick up a copy of this guide, and make sure to visit the many hidden treasures found in this city.It makes an excellent companion book while aboard a plane or even in the subway.

NOTE: This is not a review. We are the book's authors and are writing in response to the careless and misleading comments made by reviewer "erikbaard."

"erikbaard" seems to think we should have written a narrowly focused book catering to his personal interest as a kayaker, describing such minutiae as seagull eggs. But our book is intended as a history and guide book, an approach we believed would entertain, intrigue and inform a far broader audience. So while we did detail the natural beauty-from the garnet and feldspar on Twin Islands to the towering hickory trees of Hunter Island--we gave far greater focus to the tales of colorful people (Nellie Bly and Mae West) and momentous events (the General Slocum fire and the building of the Statue of Liberty) as well as the marvelous attractions that those islands accessible to the public hold.

"erikbaard" also attacks us for a "self-congratulatory" tone because we dubbed a handful of islands as being "forgotten." How can they be forgotten, he asks, if he and other kayakers know of them. While kayaking is growing in popularity in New York, it's a safe bet that a small percentage of the 7 million New Yorkers are out there paddling. And having spoken with thousands of New Yorkers about the islands since this book was first published in 1996 we are equally certain that the vast majority of people coming to this book know little or nothing about most of these islands, even those that we didn't call "Forgotten"-islands like North Brother Island or Swinburne Island. We are not self-congratulatory, simply enthusiastic about sharing all we learned in our research.
(But "Erikbaard" is quite self-congratulatory, and mistakenly so. He boasts several times about visiting these islands in his kayak. However, many of these islands-including Swinburne Island, which he mentions-are part of the Harbor Heron Project and if he visits without permission he may be doing irreversible damage to an important bird refuge through his adventurism.)

In addition, he implies that we didn't visit the islands and instead relied on interviews with historians. He also criticizes our tone toward working class residents as condescending. We did visit the islands-we even watched them bury the dead in the Potter's Field on Hart Island and Sharon went into the jails at Rikers Island-and did several years worth of historical research but we also talked to ordinary citizens, residents of the islands or people whose lives were touched by them, like Adella Wotherspoon, the last survivor of the General Slocum disaster. And if you ask them-as we have-- they will say not that the tone is condescending but that we accurately captured life on their islands in a way that few other journalists ever have.

The reviewer also condemns us as squeamish and too liberal because we didn't mention islets-barely more than rocks, actually-that had the word Negro in them. In point of fact, those islets don't exist anymore and we make passing mention of just five of the many such islets that once existed there, picking just a few of the most colorful names like "Bald Headed Billy" and "Bread and Cheese." It seems that "erikbaard" brings this point up solely to glorify a short article he once wrote and to relive his glory days when he got to interview a city parks commissioner.

Then comes a blatant inaccuracy when the reviewer accuses us of ignoring Native Americans. In fact, they are mentioned throughout the book, where appropriate-however, the reality is that they rarely lived on these islands and used them only occasionally so there is minimal recorded history related to them. If he was not so intent on trashing our book, however, he would have noted our chapter on Bergen and Mill Islands that delves into the Canarsie Indians, the wampum they produced and how they defended themselves from the Mohawks and later traded with the settlers.

All in all, we were quite dismayed by the combative approach of this reviewer. If you are interested in a book on kayaking around New York, then maybe he will write one for you. In the meantime, if you want stories about Typhoid Mary, the invention of the hot dog at Coney Island, the inspiring presence of herons and egrets in New York, and the development of the tight-knit community of Broad Channel, then we hope you take some time to explore "The Other Islands of New York City."

As a native New Yorker, I heard of many islands that occupied the waters that surrounded the five boroughs of the city. As I flew back into LaGuardia and JFK airports I even began to notice them from above. Obtaining information about these islands was very difficult, even from local libraries, and therefore when I found this book at a local bookstore, I was delighted that someone came up with the idea of publishing such a book.

From Roosevelt Island to Cuban Ledge, the authors give a very thorough and well researched book on the many islands inhabiting the New York archipelago. Many islands which were once islands, but have long since been connected to the boroughs by artificial landfills are also covered here (e.g. Coney Island-Brooklyn, Hunter Island-Bronx, Battery Park area-Manhattan, etc..) are also covered here.

If you live in the city or plan on visiting, please make sure to pick up a copy of this guide, and make sure to visit the many hidden treasures found in this city.It makes an excellent companion book while aboard a plane or even in the subway.

Real Stories, Untold Truths reads like a detective novel. Though it is introspective, it is also fast-paced, detailed, and full of mystery. I was eager to turn the pages, to learn what would happen to J.C., the author's homeless friend. How did a seventy-something-year-old, former math teacher and father, end up homeless in New York City? Why was it sometimes hard for him to accept help when it arrived?
After reading the first book in this series, Have a Great One!, in 2001, I wondered if it would be difficult for me to get back inside the story since several years had passed. The transition felt effortless. It's not easy for an author to involve a reader so quickly. Laurie Anthony holds degrees in special education and social work, yet she also has a gift for storytelling. Her style is straightforward. Tightly packed scenes, unique characters, detailed settings, and seamless dialogue reeled me in.
In all friendships, the more you learn each other's secrets, the more you become aware that you can never fully understand another human being. In any meaningful relationship, our values and preconceptions are tested and that's how we grow as individuals. We humans are multi-faceted--a product of our genes, our environment, and our choices. These complexities are addressed in the book so well, I wish more background had been given about the racial strife J.C. must have faced living in the south before The Civil Rights Movement. Why do some people, like J.C.'s brother thrive after enduring great hardships, and others, like J.C., make so many unhealthy decisions? I wonder if that could be another volume in the making--the history of these two men.
The author approaches many sensitive issues with an open mind. Homelessness, mental illness, poverty, the sexual tension that may happen between men and women who become friends. She tells us how it feels to be manipulated, what it's like trying to trust someone who can be selfish, withholding, who sometimes suffers from distorted thinking and is often verbally abusive. The author's sense of self is plumbed each time a new revelation about her friend, J.C., occurs. She shares her journal with us, the letters she writes to him and sometimes does not send. We feel her angst, her hope, her disappointments and her headaches.
Though Laurie Anthony has returned to Ohio, where she teaches the fifth grade, she still visits J.C. in New York not only to work on the book, but to help him in times of need. She's strolled down the streets of Harlem, visited J.C.'s new living quarters, acted as a go-between with him and his relatives, lawyers, and old friends. She has kept in touch with his family and has journeyed to his home town.
I admire the author's tenacity, and also her inner strength. It is a challenge to nurture such a difficult friendship. Many of us would lose our patience after one of J.C.'s insults. On the other hand, I feel J.C. is to be commended for opening up to a woman who came from such a different world than he did. It isn't easy confiding in someone, let alone telling them your past mistakes. As a writer, I'm in awe of the amount of research and time these two books must have taken to complete in the midst of so many setbacks and frustrations. It's fun to imagine them marketing their book together after so many ups and downs in their relationship.
I did not approach either of these books as a technical treatise on the homeless. To me, it is an example of journaling at its best. This book in particular was not only about finding the meaning of compassion and friendship, but also about our accountability to ourselves and to each other, and knowing when to set boundaries. When does helping become enabling? How long can we continue to help someone in need if they do not try to help themselves? The book was about asking all the big questions: who, when, what, where, how, and why? And being OK with the realization that there are rarely easy answers to all of those questions. True stories do not always have the happiest or the clearest of endings.
If you are looking for a quick fix to societal problems, pat remedies for the human condition, a to-do list of "how to stop being that way" you won't find those here. This is a woman's honest, troubled account of trying to understand a complicated problem that needs to be addressed, while struggling with her own confusion in the process. She is on a path of rediscovering what friendship means to her. She meets, then befriends one man and tells his story in an effort to help him out of a life-threatening situation: living without a roof over his head. She does not look the other way, or adapt a holier than thou attitude toward J.C.. You witness her unhappiness over many of J.C.'s choices and behaviours, but you never feel she will abandon the friendship once the book is done.
I recommend both books to educators and readers. It's bound to provoke many questions and could lead to discussions on drug abuse, homelessness, racism, mental health, and what it means to be a friend.
Copyright (c) by Catherine Tudor 2004
One Woman's Writing Retreat ...

Who is J.C.? What is hidden behind the amiable facade of an unusually engaging and intelligent homeless? How did he go from evident riches and expensive education to rags and worse? In a page turner of a book, Laurie Anthony describes her quest for answers to this baffling riddle - a mission that ultimately proves to be a path of painful self-discovery as well.

The book is an inter-racial and inter-gender odyssey, shuttling back and forth between serene Ohio and a multi-faceted Manhattan, between the 1950s and the present, between the author's own family and J.C.'s. One step forward - J.C. finds an apartment and buys a car - is invariably and dishearteningly followed by (at least) two steps back - J.C. again estranged from his children, whom he hasn't seen in decades.

Gradually, the dark secrets, the black holes at the core of the J.C. galaxy of contradictory behaviors and traits - emerge. As they unfold, this riveting book rivals any thriller I have read. It is also an excellent primer to the inner world of the narcissistic psychopath. A must!

Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited"

We learned about J.C. Simmons, a homeless man, in Laurie Anthony's first book, Have a Great One! A Homeless Man's Story. This book tells the rest of the story -- the secrets J.C. has hidden, and how Laurie responds. I was very impressed with how she pulled it all together at the end of the book.

Although J.C. is not typical of most homeless persons (says Laurie Anthony), reading Real Stories, Untold Truths set my mind thinking. Why don't homeless individuals take advantage of all the help that is available? J.C. was mentally ill, but is that a reason for him to take advantage of others? I rate this book high because of Laurie's honesty, and her ability to even question herself.

Laurie Anthony's story poses the question, "Who are the homeless and can we judge them?" In an excellent, thought-provoking sequel to her first book, "Have a Great One! A Homeless Man's Story," Anthony struggles with the situation she has found herself in -- helping a homeless man who has grown dependent on her, and selectively shares secrets of his past with her. She becomes cautious and uncomfortable, yet her message rings clear, helping all of us decide for ourselves where we stand on the issue of homelessness.

For nearly 30 years I have carried this book with me virtually everywhere. No, it's not "an easy read" - but it is worth buying (owning)and treasuring - if only for the FOURTH LETTER (to a German Friend)- it is the most moving argument/declaration for humanity and choosing it that I have ever seen anywhere.

Some (like Sartre?) might call it a "rationalization". But even those who have resigned themselves to the religions of cynicism and despair - could find a remnant of fight and even "goodness" (yikes!) inside themselves. Camus' words remind us that resignation and the inevitable indifference and inhumanity that follow are the ultimate betrayals of life.

While there is nothing "cheerful" or even optimistic about these writings - you'd have to be cold-blooded, heartless and completely beyond repair or redemption not to be inspired by the wistful aspirations that Camus exudes from his admittedly battered heart and soul.

I disagree with the reviewer (who did praise this precious book) Sartre is smart - but so is Camus - and Camus exudes the humanity that Sartre can't even see or imagine.

Sartre would tell us that we always have the freedom to at least rattle our chains (at least theoretically) - but Camus has the power to inspire us to want to.

"I step onto the podium only when forced to by the pressure of circumstances and by my conception of my function as a writer." (p. 132) From the circumstances of Fascist Spain and Nazi occupied France, to the circumstances of the Hungarian and Algerian struggles for freedom, Camus' essays demand involvement, require action in the face of hopelessness. He never offers a moment's peace for couch-potato complacency. "Freedom is not made up principally of privileges; it is made up especially of duties." (p. 96)

To read these essays is to step into the world of a man who said to Christians "I share with you the same revulsion from evil. But I do not share your hope, and I continue to struggle against this universe in which children suffer and die." (p. 71) And "Perhaps we cannot prevent this world from being a world in which children are tortured. But we can reduce the number of tortured children." (p. 73)

Camus is recalled to the podium, in a day when children are tortured and die in Chiapas while most turn a blind eye and complain that sitcoms just aren't what they used to be. These essays, possibly his most accessible work, demand an active response from the modern reader. Our struggle today, although not against Nazi minions, still must echo his "There are means that cannot be excused. I should like to be able to love my country and still love justice." (p. 5) [See Jamal's Live from Death Row and Peltier's Prison Writings, elsewhere on Amazon.]

Camus is outspoken about capital punishment, too. "It is obviously no less repulsive than the crime, and this new murder, far from making amends for the harm done to the social body, adds a new blot to the first one." (p. 176) His "Reflections on the Guillotine" is the longest essay in book. He views capital punishment, even in "free" societies, as an act of totalitarianism.

Camus proclaims the call to justice and the struggle for freedom found in the Old Testament, especially in the minor prophets. But he does so in a modern context, where God is silent and man is the maker of his own destiny. Although he sees no messianic age, he proclims the hope that by continuous effort evil can be diminished and freedom and justice may become more prevalent.

Five stars for courage, five stars for clarity, five stars for consistency. After the abortion of democracy on December 9, 2000, every freedom and justice seeking American needs to read this book.

(If you would like to respond to this review, click on the "about me" link above & send me email. Thanks!)

This collection of essays is the most brilliant one of Camus' diverse smaller non-fiction writings. The bulk of this book concerns his journalistic writings on the Algerian Revolution, Soviet Union etc. Through these essays, you understand the pain of Camus. Camus' ethics doesn't agree to mindless violence for the sake of power. He makes an impassioned plea for tolerance and humanitarian solutions to the problems of war and peace.

Camus is not necessarily logical or politically correct. His stand on the issue of independence of Algeria is a compromised position between French imperialism and Algerian aspirations for freedom during that period. However, in his passion for diagnozing the problems of his time and addressing them, he hits upon a lot of interesting insights and arguments.

Particularly brilliant for both its analysis and its conclusion is Camus' landmark long essay 'Reflections on the Guillotine' which occupies a fair part of the book. In this essay, Camus systematically demolishes all legal or quasi-moral justifications for capital punishment and answers the third aspect of the question - Whether human life is worth taking?

In his 'The Myth of Sisyphus', he had argued against self-murder. In 'The Rebel', he argued against murder and genocide. In this essay, he argues against legalized murder. But unlike his earlier works where he offered weak arguments after a brilliant analysis, here he hits the mark by demolishing the justifications for capital punishment, totally. This particular essay deserves to be considered a classic in the philosophy of law and justice.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It has provided me with the strongest, most clear-headed confidence in the face of unrelenting hypocrisy and struggle. Camus was on the side of the angels for all of the conflicts of his time, a time that saw the darkest face of humanity. His arguments for compassion and justice are utterly transfixing and revelatory, and written with a clarity and insight that are simply breath-taking.

I challenge anyone that supports the death penalty to read "Reflections on the Guillotine" and walk away with their arguments intact. In this piece Camus utterly demolishes every argument for state-sanctioned murder while defending the right to live with dignity, a right that can easily encompass the self-defense by combat necessitated by circumstance.

Camus was a moral, intellectual, and physical hero, and reading these essays one is almost overcome by his sense of humilty, justice, and compassion. His writing is so crystalline, it's almost jolting. This is a powerful tonic for all those that despair of creating a place for the best qualities of the human race in times of utter darkness. A must-read.

Camus' essays are obviously more difficult to read than hisstories, and quite possibly more difficult to read than his philosophical investigations as well. Should they be read? Of course. In them, he speaks of similar topics (i.e. what to do in the face of absurditiy, human moral dilemmas, etc.) as he does in the other books, though in a more precise, more direct fashion. His views on the death penalty shaped my own almost completely.

What you get in this book are coherent arguments by a coherent, nuainced thinker. Is Sartre smarter than Camus? Camus knew enough to fear most -isms and -ologies where Sartre did not... (not that I recommend ignoring Sartre either! )

I just started reading BARK magazine and saw this advertised and had to order it as I read ANYTHING about dogs I can find....I loved it...It is hysterically funny and I finished it in about 2 days I enjoyed it so much! If you have a shelter dog or a rescue dog you should definitely read it as you will relate to so much....The baby talk we all start to use upon getting a dog-especially a fearful one was really funny.(I do it too)!!! Highly recommended!

I just finished reading this book and I loved it! I've read Rex and the City stories in The Bark mag and I've always enjoyed them so when I read in The Bark that Lee Harrington had a book coming out based on the same stories I couldn't wait to read it. If you're a dog lover you will certainly enjoy this book! I saw my self, my husband and my dogs in this story and laughed through out the book. My husband is reading it now!!

I have two rescued dobermans and went through a h*ll of a time trying to help them get used to their new homes.
This book had me in tears, both becuase i was laughing so hard at how funny her descriptions are, but also I cried sometimes, because what she says about dogs, and about people with dogs, is so true and real. Rescuing dogs sure can be hard. But this is a great story!! Just wait and see what a terrific dog "rex" turns into, and how the author turns into a terrific person as well. I am giving copies to all my dog-loving friends. and i hear there is a Volume II coming out, i can't wait for that one.

I haven't finished this book yet, but I've read the Rex and they City column in Bark magazine, so I know something about the story line.

Anyway, I found the following part amusing (these two people have just gotten a dog and right away they are doubting what they've done):

-----
"Can we do it?" I said to Ted. "Can we take him back?"
"I think we're going to have to," he said.
[...]
"I just wish there were a sign," I said. "Some sign, some guarantee that it's not always going to be like this. If he'll love us some day. That there'll be some reward."
Rex was lying on the floor as I said this, and he had begun to lick his privates in a loud and rather lewd way. Rex glanced at me suspiciously and belched. Then he went back to licking himself.
"There's your sign," Ted said.
----

Heh. I don't think I have ever heard a dog burp. If I had asked for a sign and my dog burped at that exact moment, I'm pretty sure I would have taken him back.

They don't take the dog back, though. I guess that's because he burped in chapter 2 and the book wasn't finished. Smart dog not to burp in a later chapter.

Not everyone likes this kind of humor, but if you do you might like this book.

Rex and the City is the best dog memoir I have ever read!!! And it seems to me that the reviewer above missed an important point. Ms. Harrington has written an honest, poignant book about her experiences rescuing a shelter dog. The author admits, from the very first chapter, that before she got the dog she was rather misguided and self-absorbed-and this is the very thing that the viewer above is criticizing her for. But I think the author was very brave to admit her shortcomings-she discusses her fears and insecurities and poor judgment she felt as a woman in her thirties. She discusses her insecurities about feeling she is not a good enough person to take care of her dog. And because she is so honest, Harrington subjects herself to the very sort of criticism the reviewer above subjected her to. (the reviewer calls her "uninteresting" and a "fool"). But who hasn't been a fool in life? To admit this, and to write a memoir about it, is very brave indeed. And very real. The best thing about REX AND THE CITY is that the author overcomes a lot of her shortcomings, all because she rehabilitated this dog. In rescuing Rex, she ultimately rescued herself. And that, in my mind, is an inspiring story- for dog lovers and insecure women alike. The dog showed Ms. Harrington what it feels like to receive unconditional love. And we could all use more of that. A lot of people believe, erroneously, that we can find happiness through material things. And it is a big epiphany to realize only love can buy happiness. I recommend this book highly.

I have to say that chick lit mystery is a new genre for me. Actually, if anyone had voiced such a genre even a few months ago to me, I would have been hard-pressed to think of one book that fits the bill. With SEX, A MYSTERY, however, Ms. Quirina has hit the nail on the head. A delightful blend of humor, wisecracks, mystery, and an adorable amateur sleuth as a heroine-this book just plain works.

Lydia Quess is a Harvard graduate who believes she's found her niche as a corporate bigwig for a huge food conglomerate. That is, until she opens her mouth to blow the whistle on the company's baby food formula, which is less than nutritious and healthy for the babies. Now unemployed and unqualified for any job other than international marketing, Lydia finds herself on the wrong side of Manhattan's lifestyle chain.

Her good friend Dr. Sylvie Kahn, a renowned sex therapist, harbors the idea of Lydia becoming a "sex surrogate"-or, to Lydia's way of thinking-a courtesan of sorts. All is progressing quite well, with Lydia able to keep her Fifth Avenue duplex, stylish clothes on her back, and fashionable shoes on her feet, until one Michael Peabody Linscott III is found murdered-in Lydia's bed.

Suddenly, the former executive with the MBA turned surrogate sex professional is the prime suspect in a murder. What's a single woman at her peak to do? Turn in her therapeutic badge for one as a detective.

SEX, A MYSTERY is a real treat. Lydia's escapades are hilarious, the dialogue is funny and refreshing, and her quest to find out who murdered Michael Linscott is a hoot. Ms. Quirina has found a niche with this chick lit mystery, and I personally can't wait to see what she comes up with.

the only problem with reading mysteries is once you learn who did it, you have no other incentive to keep reading...fortunately, the lead character was fascinating enough to hold my attention...i look forward to the next one...

Lydia Guess has a degree from Barnard, and an MBA from Harvard. She had been a vice president in a corporation until her ethics caused her to blow the whistle on corporate wrongdoing. So, using her business training, she goes into a different line of work and becomes a high priced courtesan. As she puts it, "Just lucky I guess." She gets her referrals from a sex therapist - someone she knew in school who has a mail order psychology degree from India and a thriving business improving people's libidos, an equal opportunity business using both courtesans and gigolos.

Things are going well until a client ends up naked and very dead, with an icepick in his back lying face down on Lydia's bed. That leads to some interesting conversations with the investigating police about the nature of her business. It also involves Lydia in the investigation as she tries to prove that she did not commit the crime.

Lydia discovers things she did not know about some of the people in her life, and meets various interesting people along the way. Characters introduced in the story are her celibate roommate Paddy Riordin, a priest who administers to the needs of the moles living under Grand Central Station with some financial help from Lydia; Paddy's assistant Manuel, who lives in a dumpster as a matter of choice; Dr. Sylvia Kahn, the sex therapist friend; Angelica Linscott, the wife of the dead client (who does not seem to be overly crushed by his death); Captain Amy Liu of the police, who has some marital problems of her own (women should learn that primitive hunks are for weekend entertainment, not for marrying - there comes a point when you have to talk to them); and Danny Bloomster, a self centered gigolo who had been servicing Angelica and others for a price.

The case has its twists and turns as Lydia tries to identify the killer, and puts herself in some danger in the process. She declines to make herself an instant millionaire by cashing in on a secret Swiss bank account she discovers in the process (probably the same ethics that got her fired from the Corporation). The mystery is finally solved, but Lydia ends up unemployed again, or so it seems. The novel has a 2005 copyright, so possibly the author has a sequel in mind.

I can't remember the last time I had so much fun reading a mystery! By her own definition, Lydia Quess is an MBA turned Whistleblower turned Courtesan turned Private Detective. (Her scathingly humorous analysis of Corporate America really hit home for me, a similarly shipwrecked survivor of 2, count 'em 2, international corporations that went under due to outrageously blatant executive malfeasance.) It was a champagne treat watching Lydia, my more elegant spiritual sister, navigate through the high society sharks infesting Manhattan to pull together the clues needed to solve the murder of her client and friend. Highly recommended, and I eagerly await a sequel.

Hurray, Fiona, and thanks. Pure delight all the way through, and written by a master of the genre. I read it on a flight from Tokyo to Newark, wonderful story.

Shadow Cats was such an exciting story-and I am not even a cat lover. A dog person like me would never have guessed that rescuing kittens on the streets and back alleys of New York City could be so fraught with drama. J. Jensen took me places I never knew existed and I've lived here for 20 years. Her sensitive descriptions of felines made me want to own one. She proves that nature provides us with adventure no matter where we live. I've read stories about safaris in Africa that weren't half this enthralling.

This book is a combination of suspenseful drama, personal journey, and expose of inner city feral cats and those who love them. I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what happened next to these feral cats with names and personalities, living on the edge of living or dying. Janet Jensen's writing was suspenseful and personal, making me care for these otherwise unwanted and unnoticed creatures of the night. I became acutely aware of an underground of cat lovers who take many risks in order to care for these unwanted orphans. Although it reads like a novel, the book is also full of useful and fascinating information.

Janet Jensen is a one of kind feral friend. She not only helps the feral cats in NYC, she understands their nature & needs. I have read many books on feral cats. Most approach them as wild, separate unapproachable animals. Janet challenges that conception. She shows how respect & love for our fellow creatures through understanding & care can cut through red tape, help mobilize caring people and keep a watchful, loving eye on animals that both need us & need their space. A must read for any feral activist.

I just loved this book. I was recommended it by my dogwalker of all people (http://www.petaholics.com). It is a very interesting book, don't miss it.

Heartwarming look at cats not quite so lucky as those who share our laps and hearts. It also is a facinating portrayal of people who go the extra mile for cats who cross their paths. You do not have to be a cat lover to appreciate this book but by the end of the book you may be one

Rebecca Stowe is a wow of a writer and very funny. Her chief character, born at the end of the baby boom, is approaching middle age, the time when gray overcomes women.

Ginger Moore was required to call her mother by her first name, Virginia. She has no children and likes the dead better than the living since they are complete. She is a biographer. She finds women who for some reason cannot act, do, Freud's hysterics and Dostoyevsky's screamers.

The unproductive women who want their lives written about by Ginger are her neighbor, her friend, and her mother--all alcoholics. It is a sort of chicken and egg problem. Ginger's friend Michael call her a necrophiliac, feeding off the dead. He is a comic. She call her lawyer father, Poppy. Her brother decided to be a bum, she thinks, rather than a lawyer. He also seems stuck at age thirteen.

The book has the form of semi-autobiography. It is a saga of an unhappy family, mother, father, son age forty one, and daughter age thirty eight, with alcoholism playing a large part. It is well-done and filled with humor. The family is trying to enact Christmas. There is a tradition family members follow of watching PSYCHO on Christmas Eve.

The heroine ponders that the hallmark of a coward is regret and she wonders why women are so afraid. At another instance she thinks that perhaps people get stuck at that point in their lives where they think they are at their best. She believes the personalities of her mother and brother died at the same time, a period when a third child choked on a lego piece.

Ginger discovers her friend Melanie has been on the wagon for ten months and is married to her ex-husband. She is a bagger at the supermarket, an ego-smashing undertaking. Ginger learns something from her brother that seems to make his life make sense. Almost too late she discerns some of the features of her mother's life, too. This is a wonderful book.

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This is the story of a young intellectual woman's return home from her happy, productive - if low key - life as an academic and biographer in New York City, to her colorfully dysfunctional family in a small town on the Canadian border, for Christmas holidays. The strength of the book is the author's unfailing ability to observe and report even the smallest of events, with an honesty and insight which is clarity itself.

By turns laugh-out-loud funny, touching, and often thought provoking, it is an exploration of family, especially of the relationship between mothers and daughters; of establishing oneself in the world, and the ghosts we do - and do not - leave behind at home, to do it; of being a woman, succeeding at it, and perceiving oneself to be succeeding at it.

This would be an excellent gift for the daughter of an alcoholic mother, or anyone who has dealt with family alcoholism. It's not a lighthearted read, but worth the time for the insights, and for the well turned phrases. One of the very few books I've finished and then immediately re-read.

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As the book jacket says, 'closely observed.'

This is the story of a young intellectual woman's return home from her happy, productive - if low key - life as an academic and biographer in New York City, to her colorfully dysfunctional family in a small town on the Canadian border, for Christmas holidays. The strength of the book is the author's unfailing ability to observe and report even the smallest of events, with an honesty and insight which is clarity itself.

By turns laugh-out-loud funny, touching, and often thought provoking, it is an exploration of family, especially of the relationship between mothers and daughters; of establishing oneself in the world, and the ghosts we do - and do not - leave behind at home, to do it; of being a woman, succeeding at it, and perceiving oneself to be succeeding at it.

This would be an excellent gift ............ It's not a lighthearted read, but worth the time for the insights, and for the well turned phrases. One of the very few books I've finished and then immediately re-read.

This is a wry and understated book whose emotional power sneaks up on you. Stowe's prose is clean as a whistle, with not one false note. I love her sense of humor -- bone-dry, slightly twisted, wicked but never mean. She feels for her characters and makes you care just as much as she makes you laugh. If your family drives you insane (and whose doesn't?) this book is for you.

I'm really hoping to recommend this book to my Women's Book Group. Upon reading the synopsis, one might infer that this is just another dysfunctional family novel. The actual story-line is somewhat sparse and the "family mystery" unfolds slowly. I was _most_ impressed by Ms. Stowe's use of language...her descriptions and the carefully crafted introspections of the narrator make this book a very enjoyable and thoughtful read.

I truly enjoyed this book. Even though I'm not Italian, I could appreciate the sense of sisterhood between the sisters. Read this book, you'll enjoy it!

The Sisters Mallone is simply one of the finest novels to appear in the last few years.

It is the story of three sisters and their grandmother as they deploy all their cleverness, determination, loyalty and love to find their way in the harsh and complicated world of New York of the 30's-50's. Their lives are woven into a tapestry of old Italian and Irish neighborhoods, glamorous nightclubs, gangland politics, the Catholic Church, easy money and hard labor.

The characters, their milieu and their stories are all rendered with great economy, wit and insight. Ermelio's prose sparkles and the books moves without any misstep. It is, as they say, impossible to put down.

The Sisters Mallone is wonderful in every way and certainly transcends any genre niche.

This takes care of Christmas presents this year.

What a wonderful and engrossing story. I could not put it down. The characters were so interesting and so well drawn. I really wish I knew them. Highly recommended.

This is a book about the ties of sisterhood. Mary, Helen and Gracie are completely different yet are bound together as sisters. They are tough and clever. When Gracie's husband is found to be a real loser, Mary and Helen put their heads together to teach him a lesson. I love these characters. The book is well written....I felt like I could have been one of the Mallone sisters.

What a wonderful book. The characters are so finely drawn and so interesting I wish I knew them. I literally couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.

I have worked in science and engineering for many years and worked on many projects. I keep this book on my bookshelf and read it every few years. It is just wonderful and well written story. I think that I have now read it three times.

It is about the construction of a building in Manhattan at 49st and 8th avenue called Worldwide Plaza. It takes the reader right from the concept through all aspects from zoning, financing, foundation work, steel erection, concrete, marble, mechanical, water leaks, leasing, everything in a nice narrative form, but not dry ...written like a novel and very entertaining.

But what is great is the way all the small problems arise and are solved between all the contractors and trades and suppliers or subcontractors including trips to visit marble suppliers in Italy, laboratories in Florida, etc. This could be problems with brick colors, or steel, or delivery schedules, or street traffic, or water leaks or even alterations to the common areas as the building is finished. It is a nice review of "Just in time" manufacturing on a large scale.

Not for everybody put near perfect for engineers! Realistic, educational, entertaining... a keeper for the bookshelf.

I watched the series with fascination and now the book. This is a great way to learn the workings of a fantastic creation and take a peek of the frustrations towards success. I've been looking for the video to purchase, but understand there are none and no plan to create one. WELL GUESS WHAT! I was looking at some old video tapes of mine when I came upon some with no labels. I popped them into the VCR and guess what....that's right...I HAVE IT!!! I guess I recorded it when PBS had it on. For more information you can contact me at tellablvr@yahoo.com

I thought this was an all around cool book. This book deals with the whole process of how a building is built, from the sight location, finances, government agencies and construction. You get just the right amount of detail, not so much that you are forcing your way through the book, but enough to really understand it. I like the flow of the book, the author keeps the pace going and you can feel the tension main of the actors are experiencing. The author has done a good job with this book, detailed and interesting. If you ever wanted to know how they build those big building then this is an introductory course.

This book is a fascinating look at the entire process of building a skyscraper. Finance, logistics, negotiation, construction, architecture... it's all here. I have one question. I believe this book was once a PBS series... does anyone know if that is available on video? If anyone has any info on that please email me at adeleanddavid@mediaone.com

I believe the author has done an excellent job of articulating the concessions and compromises made by all the parties in the development of a skycraper. To illustrate the delineation of some of the roles, responsibilities and concomitant frustrations, I quote from the book:

"In an earlier world the architect got on with the drawings. In todays world it's left much more to vendors to produce documents which the architect checks" (page 242)

"We can never work in the final medium of our art, as painters or sculptors usually do, so it's frightening to see the final thing come together being crafted by other hands than your own" (page 299)

"The architects were pretty confident that it wasn't a design fault. The masons were pretty sure that they had built the wall to specifications...The window manufacturer was fairly happy with the windows he had fabricated and shipped...for the mockup. The testing company, which had supervised building the mockup, seemed confident that all the instructions had been followed...As they all talked among themselves, rumors spread." (page 202)

The interface between the consultants, trades, vendors, managers and developer makes for interesting reading with some lessons to be learned.

IVE HEARD OF HERCULES IN NEW YORK WITH ARNOLD SWARZENEGGAR!
THAT WAS A GOOD FILM. WHEN DOES SOCRATES IN NEW YORK COME OUT?
SOCRATES IN NEW YORK? WHATS THIS?

READ THIS BOOK AT MY LOCAL COFFEESHOP. IT WAS GOOD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

HARRY,

I just have to say this is a must read for everyone in the world. It is a such a logical way of looking at God that if you are looking for something real and powerful to make you believe this is it. If you are a doubter then this is the book for you! It is for everyone!

The Basic plot of this story is Socrates the ancient philosopher and Philo the famous Jew come to the future and spend an afternoon in a museum. Three men discover who they are and have a conversation with them. These three men are Ron a simple man with not many belifs, Professor an intellectual man who never thinks he is wrong, and Dr. Lattison a doctor who is an athiest going through a ruff time in his life and is willing to listen to anything. These five men converse back and fourth their views on Justice, Freedom, Illusion, Love, Divine Love and Divine Justice. Socrates quickly dumbfounds Ron and is slowly getting the professor to listen but he is stubborn so he will not listen. In the end Ron becomes a man with many questions and he finally has a cause in life, it is finding the truth. Professor quits his job and goes back to school to study greek philosophy, and Dr. Lattison is converted to the Jewish faith by Philo and he eventually becomes a Rabbi years later. This book is influential to me because what Mr. Kotselas says through Socrates changed my belifs back when I believed in Anarchy. Beofre I thought this would be a boring read but I have the privallege of knowing Mr. Kotselas personally because he is my friends dad, and he convinced me to read it and i spent one and two days without sleeping reading the book five times to fully grasp it. This book taught me about myself and that I was to stubborn before and not open. Since I have reaD This book I have started going to church I became an alterserver and last year I became the lead alterserver at my parish.

This book is so fun to read that you don't realize that your brain is being twisted into proper shape. It's like going to a mental chiropractor.

Other books of interest may include: "Between Heaven and Hell" by Peter Kreeft. All of Kreeft's books are engaging in style and hearty in substance. To see the interaction between Christianity and classical culture, see "Christianity and Classical Culture" by Jaraslov Pelikan. Mortimer Adler's books are also helpful in discussing how to think about God, Life, Truth, etc. A short little book "Does God Exist?" by Moody is written in the trialogue style and is great at rejecting the silly, yet popular, arguments against God and gives the reader much to think about. In a more Christian line, the works of C.S. Lewis are great, and the classic by Bishop Kallistos Ware, "The Orthodox Way" is a great place to start if your interested in historic Christianity. "The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church" by Vladimir Lossky will certainly reshape the old brain, too! Please check some of these out. Enjoy!

Socrates in New York was a breath of fresh air. It enables a reader of any religious or non-religious background to grasp the message contained. Modern man is no closer to the truth than the ancient philosophers, even with all the advanced technology; science still cannot prove or disprove the answers to the mysteries of the universe.

The reader will find the truth as it is written and provides some strong arguements in favor of faith, hope, and love... A clever piece of work indeed!

A must read for anyone in search of God or "Higher Power".