Accommodation Books

If you have the time to travel Europe, you can use this book to check out some very interesting, and unusual housing.

I bought this book hoping it would be all it promised - the definitive guide to convents and monastery guesthouses in Europe. There are no maps and no indexes. The descriptions are very lazy, nearly a copy/paste. The lack of an area maps with the guesthouses marked makes this guidebook very diffcult to use.

To the author: try to use this book to find places to stay in any given city - you'll quickly see, it's no help. You need an area map with the guesthouses plotted. In the description, tell us how far the location is from the largest, closest city.

I found this book to be very helpful in detailing the options available to travelers in Europe. I know I will utilize it for and upcoming trip to Italy.

We were very pleased with the format of this book. Not only is the book practical (it has the monastery contact information we were looking for), but it also approached the subject from a spiritual perspective - very important. The only disappointment, however, was that it didn't have any maps, which made it more difficult to find out where many of the places were located. But nonetheless, it's been very helpful for us, and we've also loaned the book out to friends who have also found it very helpful in making their travel plans. We give it four stars.

I bought Kevin Wright's book before a trip to Europe. The idea behind the book is a winner; unfortunately the execution leaves much to be desired. (Largish) monasteries that do exist are not mentioned, Wright would have at least one monastery be in a town in which it most certainly has not been for the last 500 years; accuracy is not always Wright's strong point.

It's a huge shame that Wright didn't approach the right offices in Rome, as can easily be done done, and assemble a much more comprehensive and authoritative guide to Europe's monasteries and their guesthouses. Instead, he seems to have largely done his research on the web.

It may well be cheaper to buy this book than to do tons of web searches, but before doing so, you ought to be apprised of this book's limitations.

BBC had a popular TV drama series of the same name, which was based on this bk. The bk is divided into 24 chapters, one for each hour of the day, and discloses what happens inside a typical 5-star hotel. Quite interesting to know from the insiders' view.

I am a business traveller, and I spend most of time in Hotels around the world. More than once I have wondered what really happens behind those beautiful facades that you find in many of the best Hotels. This book talks about the real people in the Hotel industry, the games they play, the screw ups and the simple day to day.
Imogen writes the stories in a way that sometimes is difficult to know what is better, to laugh or to cry...but one way or the other you will feel the emotion and never look at a Hotel room the same way again...

Even though my only connection with the hotel business is as an occupant, I enjoyed this book. It managed to be both informing and funny at the same time. I laughed out loud more than once.

A must-read for anyone who has ever worked for a luxury hotel, or just stayed in one. I've been in the industry for 6 years with 4 different luxury properties, and the stories and characters are as real to me as the people I've met in my daily life. The book is funny and gives the reader a true picture of what goes on within the four walls of the top hotels all over the world. Not all is as perfect as it may appear on the surface.

I only listen to audio stories. This I gave up after 1 cd. Narrator was quite good but the story ok but not good enough to keep me concentrating on it I would day dream off. Good audio stories within 5 minutes they are action pacted and you don't even want to get out of the car at the end of your trip as you can't leave the story. Hotel Babylon was not one.

Interesting enough, I read this novel right after finishing "Gods Behaving Badly," which also tries to answer the question of what happens when classic figures are thrust into modern life. Favorite's attempt was much more successful in this task largely because the quality of the writing is of a much higher caliber. She also strives to avoid the pitfalls of plot lines so trite that they inspire eye rolls and groans (Phillips falls into these head-first).

"The Heroines" is Penny's story of growing up in her mother's Illinois B&B visited by none other than some of the most famous literary heroines of all time. Her mother's rapt attention to these women inspires Penny's jealousy and drives her to embark on an adventure all her own. The novel lagged a bit for me in the middle, but redeemed itself in the final 75 pages. While not entirely free of predictability, there were enough twists to the expected that I was inspired to keep reading.

It takes a bit of daring on the part of the author to breathe new life into a beloved character and I admit that I bristled at the overly-dramatic heroines that contradicted my own visions. This is where Favorite's novel fell flat for me; her characterization of those living and literary relies on cliches and lacks real depth. With more character development, "The Heroines" could have deserved more stars and a re-read; as such, I would recommend it as a fun, light book perfect for anyone looking for a departure from the mundane into a world rich with possibilities.

I plan to write a book with a similar idea eventually so I was interested in how she developed and carried out her version. I picked out this book thinking it would be funny, unique and all the wonderful stuff you want in a book. Instead I thought that the synopsis presented was misleading and I saw little correlation with what actually happened. The heroines were weak, they came and went too quickly for something with a deep impact on the characters. The main character was boring and nearly every desciption of attraction was cringe-worthy and juvenile in development, even more than expected when descriping a young teen. There were good bits throughout but not enough to save a concept that was intriqing.

I only ask because I couldn't really find one. As others have mentioned the literary heroines only make brief appearances and then it is only to highlight the angst of the narrator.

Honestly, the book wasn't bad, it was just messy. The ending was wrapped up way to quickly, though I do think the book 'ended.' The heroines all made dramatic appearances, but then sort of fizzled out.

The book wasn't long, only 230 pages, I would rather have seen a book even twice that long with some serious meat to it, and more defined storylines than this book. I just feel like it was only half written.

I enjoyed reading this book. I'd say there's some Jasper Fforde influences but with much more grounding in reality. It was a quick, light read but still worth the time. There is a weird combo of '70s, psychiatric confinement, fantasy time travel, literature, and teen angst. If nothing else, it's probably not a combination you've tried to fit together before.

I was so disappointed in this I hardly know where to begin.

This mess of a book, though well-written, tried to do too many things at once. It begins with a charming concept: Heroines from famous books suddenly appear at the bed & breakfast run by 13 year-old Penny Entwhistle's mother, Anne-Marie. While Anne-Marie coddles and comforts the Heroines, being careful not to divulge their ultimate fates or plot lines to them, Penny rages and rebels over her mother's neglect. When a Hero arrives to reclaim his Heroine (a very unusual event), things start to get interesting. This was a grand start to what I imagined would be a wonderful romp of a story, but then the book suddenly veered into (as another reviewer here so aptly described it) 'Girl, Interrupted' territory, sending Penny into a horrifying psych ward for no apparent reason. The story just gets more and more jumbled from there.

Is this a fantasy about literary Heroines appearing in real life? Is it a gritty girl-trapped-in-the-looney-bin drama? Is it some sort of Freudian tale meant to have Serious Deeper Meaning (images of fatherless girls, forests, and puberty abound)? Why are there every-other-chapter references to Nixon and Watergate that do nothing to move the story along? Are the brief appearances of the Heroines real or imagined? The final straw for me was the tale of Penny's real father, which just tipped the whole thing over the edge into a complete muddle.

Worst of all, however, is the incredibly misleading story synopsis on the back of the book. I just felt cheated. This would have been a much better story if the author had just stuck to her original idea: the mayhem -- charming, chaotic or otherwise -- that results when figures from famous books come to call.

I expected this book to be predictable and shallow, and it delivered! It was a quick, mindless, yet entertaining, read. The characters were a little forced, but relatively believable. I woudln't say it completely lacks merit, but it's certainly not going down in history as quality literature.

I'll admit it up front-I am a huge fan of Ms. Goudge's work. She has the ability to mix women's fiction with romance, tragedy, hope, and love in a seamless mix of words on a page. I began reading her work years ago, and I'm glad I never stopped. If I had, I never would have had the pleasure of reading OTHERWISE ENGAGED, a book that hit me particularly hard.

What woman-for that matter, what human-hasn't at least once in their life wondered what would happen if they could change places with someone who has a seemingly enviable lifestyle? Everyone that I know-from my children, to my friends, to my co-workers, to my mother-has, at one point in time, pondered the question "Who would you want to be if you could trade places with someone for one day?"

In OTHERWISE ENGAGED, best friends, Jessie Holland and Erin Delahanty, get that chance; one that few of us ever will experience. For Jessie, being a journalist in New York City is the epitome of everything she's ever wanted. She'd never in a million years exchange her middle-of-the-night take-out meals and trips on the subway for a middle-class, hum-drum lifestyle in the middle of nowhere. As for Erin, owning a bed-and-breakfast in a rural Arizona town is the fulfillment of her dreams, with a seemingly perfect marriage and a great teenage daughter.

What isn't so obvious is that Jessie and Erin are both suffering-Jessie needs a hot story to propel her career into overdrive, Erin and her husband are fighting almost non-stop, and both women want only to be somewhere else, someone else, for the time it takes to figure out how to fix whatever is wrong.

OTHERWISE ENGAGED is a wonderful book. Two best friends, both at crossroads in their life, decide to switch places-just to see, of course, if you can really go home again, if the "what ifs" are better than the reality, and if the grass is any greener on the other side. Highly recommended, Ms. Goudge once again proves that life is what you make it to be-and that, in itself, isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The book is just that "plain and boring"!!!

I was really interested in the story line, I read with so much enthusiasm in the beginning, but that soon dwindled. I had to skip so many pages hoping against hope that something interesting would turn up. There was absolutely no connection between Jessie and Hunter. I felt what they had was way too cold for them to really be in love.

I gave it 1-star because of the disappointing nature of the book, I had such high hopes.....

Plot Summary:
Jessie and Erin are best friends with youthful dreams for their future; Until events alter the path each intended. Jessie is a single and an aspiring journalist living in the big city. Erin is a married mom running a bed and breakfast with her husband. Both women have achieved some measure of success in their respective lives. But, now as adults, they each face personal challenges that make them reconsider the path not taken. Jessie and Erin agree to experimentally swap roles in hopes of finding the answer to "What if ..."? For Jessie, the path not taken means going back home to face her past while discovering a more domestic side of her. For Erin, the path not taken means heading to the big city in pursuit of the career she never realized. Along the way Jessie and Erin have to decide whether what is missing from their outwardly ideal lives and relationships, is really worth having.

Review:
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. The plot is engaging because we've all pondered the "What if..."? question at some point in our lives. I found it refreshing that Ms. Goudge didn't need to create clich? character extremes to make the story more dramatic and because of it, I related to the characters more and felt as if I knew them. I also liked the fact that Ms. Goudge didn't rely on the overused clich? miscommunications and misunderstandings to create the conflict. The conflict is represented by the yearning to discover that which makes us happy and complete.

While all the characters are distinct and have their own imperfections, the story was credible and interesting to me because I'm familiar with characters and situations just like those she writes about. These are normal people experiencing real personal dilemmas. Ms. Gouge does introduce several subplots which are not explored at length but then I didn't expect it to be an epic saga when I picked up the book. I think she did a good job of fleshing out all of the characters in a way that provided a fairly balanced story so I was still left satisfied after reading her book. The various subplots she revealed served their purpose: to provide some background which sheds light on the character's motivations, to illustrate the character's personalities and to reveal the nature of their relationships; This was sufficient depth for me. I liked this book and recommend it as an enjoyable read.

Sometimes, one reads a book and wonders why its author doesn't have a bigger reputation, why that author isn't more appreciated for his or her writing skills.

And, sometimes, it's just the opposite. OTHERWISE ENGAGED falls into this latter category.

The premise actually is, yes, "engaging." Two dear friends, dear friends leading diametrically opposed lives, decide to switch existences for a period of time. The way that author Eileen Goudge sets up this premise makes it seem plausible.

Yet, after a promising start, the story is so flimsy that there is nothing to it.

The two heroines are so sweet, so kind, so thoughtful, so caring, so generous, so decent that the whole story defies belief. Even when one heroine has a hot affair with one man while she's keeping her relationship alive with her main guy, she rationalizes this affair with such morality that it's ludicrous.

Worse, it makes for just plain dull reading.

The prose isn't all that terrific, either.

Clearly, the author loves the adverb. Every line of dialogue is said "sweetly" or "soothingly" or "calmly" or "angrily" or.... There are other stylistic flaws as well.

In all, OTHERWISE ENGAGED only is a great read for readers who don't have very high expectations.

This like all of Mary Daheim's Bed and Breakfast series are a fun read with a lot of good humor. I enjoyed reading the whole series and had recommended it to friends and also patrons of our local volunteer library. In fact after reading several of the series I purchased the rest of the series for my own enjoyment and to donate to our library so others might enjoy it as well.

This series has been getting more pathetic for years now. In the beginning they were a fun read, but now are a sheer waste of paper.

Renie Jones has been obsessed for years with a house near her childhood home and gets her cousin, Bed and Breakfast owner Judith McMonigle Flynn, to visit the house with her. Judith has solved a few mysteries in her past and senses one now: why are the owners, Dick and Jane Bland, never seen? Why isn't Sally, Jane's sister who also lives there, ever seen? Why is there a mysterious package delivered to the house the same time every year? Judith's curiosity causes her to become a murder suspect when a body turns up in her car trunk - a body directly related to the Bland house.

"This Old Souse" is a very humorous but loosely plotted mystery. It's as if Mary Daheim had the basic idea of a story involving mysterious occupants of a house, wasn't sure how to get Judith and Renie to the house plausibly, but liked the idea so much that she decided to go ahead and have fun with it. And fun she does have, starting with the improbable names of Dick, Jane, and Sally. She delights in creating over the top characters, some of which can be fun, but some are totally unbelievable like the incompetent mailman and insensitive receptionist at the vet's office. If you've never read a book in this series, Judith and Renie can be hard to take at first. Judith claims to be interested in people, but she often comes across as just being nosy and expects people to confide in her even if they've just met for the first time. Renie can be annoying too, pushing her way around. Gertrude, Judith's ancient mother, has been abrasive in past books, but Daheim tones her down quite a bit in this book.

Despite the awkward setup, the mystery itself has some nice moments, although about two thirds of the way into the book I figured out what was in the mysterious package left on the porch. Daheim does rely a bit too much on coincidence (Judith just happens to talk with the murder victim shortly before he is killed and his body is left in her car, which conveniently has a tricky trunk latch). But there are some really nice twists in the story that will keep the reader guessing who the murderer is.

"This Old Souse" is a good book for readers who like a nice, humorous, if light mystery.

This is the first book I have written by Ms. Daheim, so I may not know the characters well enough to understand why they would act like this. The fact that a woman would stake-out a house, interview the milkman (where are there milkmen anymore?), the mailman and the delivery man makes Judith sound demented. Then she parks her car and spies on the house from the bushes and is coincidently there when the package which arrives ONCE a year is delivered--WHAT? THEN she and her cousin go in and talk to one of the residents just because they want to--I couldn't take any more. I like more motivation for actions. I like SOME small amount of motivation other than, "I'm interested" before a heroine stalks and harrasses people.

This series has been going downhill rapidly, but this one was the absolute pits.

Judith's excuse that she "likes people" has long been a lame excuse for getting her involved in murders and having people confide their deepest, darkest secrets out of the clear blue sky. But in this book, it just stretched the imagination too much.

Renie has been obsessed with a house since she was a child. Suddenly, 40 years later, she redevelops her obsession, mentions it to Judith, and brings her over to see the house. Next thing you know, Judith is showing up there on her own and gets involved in a murder mystery. She then proceeds to demand information on the murder from the cops, find lame excuses to show up at the house constantly, stalks the family members asking personal questions that are none of her business, and finally, breaks into the house in the middle of the night to satisfy her curiosity. And when all is said and done, the cops don't so much as arrest her on the breaking and entering charge, because she smiles warmly at them while telling her story.

As the series has continues to regress, so have the characters. Judith has always been an annoying, nosy buttinsky, but she's crossed the line to unbearable. Renie has gone from mildly humorous to downright idiotic. Gertrude, who used to be the best characters in the series, has become a cranky afterthought. At times, it almost seems like Mary Daheim is going for the slapstick of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plus/Lula/Grandma Mazur, only she's failing miserably. Even the secondary characters, such as Phyliss, Mike and the Rankers, have gone over the top to the point that the whole lot of them come off looking like morons.

It's time for Ms. Daheim to stick a fork in this series and concentrate on her Alpine series. While that one is also starting to go downhill the longer it goes on, it's still better than the garbage this series has become.

The book was an excellent aid in securing reasonably priced accommodations in Rome and several cities to the North. The curfew - the front door being firmly locked at 10 PM - may be a problem for some but not for those who have spent a busy day sightseeing. We found one convent also closed the door during the lunch hour so we had to wait patiently for our check in. The only other negative was that some of the nuns were not terribly knowledgeable regarding operating their "hotel" and I had to help repair an electric outage.
All in all, the book is a great aid in avoiding high-priced hotels.

My husband and I lived in Italy for three years from 2001 to 2004. We traveled so much we could not afford to stay at a "regular" hotel every time we traveled. "Bed and Blessings" was always the first source we turned to when we started planning a trip. We found it very reliable, though by the end of our tour of duty, it was already going out of date. Glad to see that it will be updated soon. We will definitely buy the new edition before we set off on our next trip to Italy.

Each item generally contained everything we needed to know to decide if we wanted to stay there. We especially appreciated the maps and information on parking, as we often traveled by car.

Staying in convents is not something a typical spoiled and demanding American tourist should attempt. The rooms will be sparsely furnished, the beds will be lumpy, the heating will be sporadic, and the staff will rarely speak English.

But for open-minded, budget-constrained, flexible and experienced travelers, it is the only way to go. The rooms will be spotlessly clean, the location will often be exceptional, and the price will always be a fraction of what the hotel down the street is charging.

Things may have changed in the past five years, but when we were using this book, few convents accepted credit cards and most answered the phone only around mealtimes (Italian mealtimes). Some were just starting to make and confirm reservations by e-mail, but only in Italian or very broken English. Every convent had a fax machine.

Guests who stay at convents should remember where they are and adapt accordingly. Doors are often locked at 10 or 11 p.m. The staff is not available during prayer times. And if you are traveling as a couple, you might be asked if you are married.

Now that we're back home in the USA, some of our best memories (and stories) were born in the convents featured in this book.
Like the 500-year-old palazzo five blocks from the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, the one with the grand staircase and marble tiles that popped loose every time we walked on them. Or the modern hotel across the street from dock of the ferry that ran up and down the Cinque Terre coast. Or the beautiful palazzo around the corner from one of Rome's busist intersections, two blocks from one of the city's major bus hubs, where we fell asleep to sound of the motorinos (scooters) buzzing by on the street below.

We have used this book as a starting point to plan seven trips to Italy over the past four years. For the most part, we have found the contact information reasonable accurate. We've found it still to be a very credible source, even though the information IS a couple of years old.

A bit of advice based on our experiences.

1. It may be helpful to send faxes during Italian business hours. Some of the convents seem to turn their faxes off during their night-time hours.
2. When corresponding with the convents should include your e-mail address. Recently, we've noticed that many of the convents that we fax respond to us by e-mail. This simplifies things.
3. Not all convents and monasteries answer faxes promptly. First, an overseas fax may be a significant expense for a non-profit religious organization. Second, if they have no vacancies, they may not respond. We've learned that if we don't get a response to a confirmed fax receipt, we may try once again or follow up by mail. If we still don't get a response, then we move on. Third, keep in mind that if they have a technical problem, their fax may be out of service for several days (or longer).

I traveled to Italy in October of 2002 and spent one month there, relying on Bed and Blessings for accurate information on where to stay inexpensively. I was truly dissapointed. I ended up finding fellow travellers to be a more reliable source of information than "Bed and Blessings."

This book has not been updated since 1999 and over half the places I called did not have correct phone numbers in the book. Others were out of business or converted to hotels. Also, Italy now uses the Euro which is not listed in the book. One place listed in the book where I stayed, had fleas and they sufficiently dined on me. I fled the place the next morning to a local hotel.

Julia needs to get busy updating the information in the book if she wants to continue to sell it as a useful reference. I would not buy it again unless it is updated.

I was very disappointed in this book. The information is very old and rather inadequate. The publisher should revise this book or withdraw it from the marketplace.

Laugh out loud funny! You don't have to be a gourmet to enjoy reading about this parade through so-called "fancy restaurants"!

Instead of "Feeding Frenzy," I think "Reading Frenzy" would be a more appropriate title. I couldn't finish this book even though I avidly read every foodie-type book I can get my hands on. I think Mr. Stevens is capable of writing a very good book, but this one seems to have been written while he was on some sort of "high" because it's so disjointed. I read for pleasure, not to feel frenzied.

Unlike many other reviewers I liked this book immensely. I doubt that many of us have eaten at many (or any) of these gourmet palaces described in the book, but we can still dream. I enjoyed the whole setup - the decision to go, the pair that traveled, the 65 Mustang, the sheer gall of the adventure...but most of all, the food.

The descriptions of both the land, the people, the buildings and all the internal machinations of running and thriving in the ruthless business were enlightening and enjoyable. Especially good were the many conversations with the various chef-owners and their differing philosophies. Some of the places are no longer in business - so what? At least they once were and they served food on the order not found in America. Did I consider the author opinionated? Sure, that's why I bought the book. I wanted to hear from someone NOT paid to hype these places.

If I go to Europe I plan to take this book and try out some of these places. Buy the book.

The mark of many great travel books is the identification of a quest and then the author's weaving of a great story to hang on that base structure. Here Stevens has dreamed up the quest and sets himself up for another Malaria Dreams-style home run, but somehow that isn't what he ended up with. I saw vestiges of the humor from his earlier books and situation set-ups, so I know he is still capable of it, but overall this one failed to deliver the success of his other adventures. He never says exactly why he hates Germans so much. He didn't develop the dog and the Mustang troubles into a great comic device. And he definitely got sick of writing at the end because the last chapters fall off without any memorable lines. After Malaria Dreams this was a bit disappointing, but at least it did occupy a cross-country plane ride.

I haven't been as repelled by a piece of light entertainment in years. If the writing had been any shallower, the type would have sunk into the page. Allegedly the memoirs of a wacky, food-filled trek across Europe, this roast turkey doesn't even ring true as fiction. It comes across more as a middle-aged male's mid-life-crisis fantasy. Was this serialized in Esquire by any chance? To pull off this kind of narcissistic, "look at me, aren't I wonderful?" sort of writing--ala Peter Mayle--requires a certain style, which this book has in negative numbers. In fact, if you add up the primary elements--pseudo-alpha male lead; attractive, eccentric female lead; overbearing dog; and a beloved car with a mind of its own--what you really have is the making of a 60's Disney Love Bug movie, "Herbie Goes to Europe." Except with less depth and humor.

Italy is a very expensive country for tourists and the guide provides a number of cheap and clean places where to stay during your stay. Not least, it covers all Italian regions. I will probably buy also the same guides (by the same author) for Spain and France.

While this book may be useful as a listing of monasteries that are open to travelers, the promotion for it is misleading. The room rates quoted in the current ad running in The New Yorker, and on the website for the book, tout rooms for as low as $30/night. And the back cover of the new edition cites specific monasteries with rates quoted in USD when in fact the rates cited inside the book are the same amount or HIGHER in EUROS (which makes the dollar figures quoted on the cover wrong by 50% or more). With the value of the dollar falling as it has been for the past 2 years or more, it would have been far more honest for the room rates to be quoted in euros (as well as dollars, if necessary) in the promotion. And there is no excuse for a current magazine ad and website to carry misleading information. I just hope the remainder of the information in the book is accurate (from reading other reviews, I have my doubts).

It saved us money as we used it in Florence. We stopped in another in the mountains of central Italy for a social visit. The nuns are from diffenrent places around the world and quite interesting conversationalists, if wanted. The properties were quiet and clean. We will try again on the next visit. The school in Florence is in the center of the city.

We bought this book and decided to test it out on a vacation. Although we live in the US, my husband was born and raised in Italy and was able to call the monasteries personally to make reservations. This was definitely a plus. Given this, we did get surpises... some good, some very bad!

The spot in Florence with nuns was exceptional. What a special treat. It was clean, breakfast was good, and the nuns were delightful. However, there was a curfew, which was a problem, as we like to stay out a bit late.

Another place we made reservations at was extremely difficult to find. We wandered around back streets and were finally able to find a villager to get directions. When we got there, it was closed! There were no lights on and noone present. We are a married couple with 3 small children and this was not fun! Fortunately, we were able to make our way back to the main street and find a hotel with an opening.

A third one we made reservations at was a BUST. It was in Venice which is very hot and humid in the summer. We were given very basic quarters and thought we were going to die of heat stroke before morning.

My advice, is just be careful and resourceful if you plan on using this. After our experience, we would rather book online with sites that provide user feedback. We get fewer surprises that way.

This book is useful. We stayed in several guest houses in the book as we drove in northern Italy. I would recommend it but would also make three observations. First, some of the directions are not suffieiently detailed or clear. I think this is a significant weakness of the book. We spent quite a bit of time finding some of the guest houses. Second, understandably, some of the prices are out of date but the places still are bargains. Third, in some of those where we stayed, the people did not speak English. This was not a problem as out Italian is marginally passable but don't expect English to be spoken at all of them, especially on the phone. Nevertheless, I have recommended it to several friends who plan to go to Italy and I will get the latest edition when we go again. It is an investment because the rates are much better than hotels.

As Publishers Weekly review says: "Lehrer maintains admirable objectivity: no character is ultimately sympathetic . . . " But admirable or not, Lehrer's objectivity is a bit too much for an inveterate fiction reader like me. In contrast perhaps to many readers, I enter the world of fiction already believing, in fact, that the vast majority of people, specifically including those in government and big corporations, are generally honest and otherwise moral. But when I read mystery fiction, I want to be transported into a world of smart-good-people overcoming smart-bad-people. I can achieve that in PURPLE DOTS only by switching viewpoints between Henderson and Madigan. But that's akin to playing chess with oneself: it can be OK, but it's not totally satisfying to do it. But Lehrer's writing was good enough that I would generally recommend this book to others and definitely give another of his fiction books a trial.

This was the 1st of Jim Lehrer's books I've read. In fact, until I came across this book in the store, I had no idea Mr. Lehrer had authored any books. The story line was pretty good - interesting to read about all the different agendas each of the players in Washington had that affected their behavior. No character was all bad or all good but a product of their own experiences much as life really shapes all of us in different ways. The trades involved were not too unbelievable and makes you feel you are behind the scenes as you read about them. The end of the story is not too plausible and the dialogues and monologues toward the end begin to drone on and on but aside from those things it was an enjoyable read overall. Not serious straight-forward news worthy content as I would've expected from Jim Lehrer (due to his PBS show) but a quirky satirical story. A little too light in some areas but then if you aren't looking for anything too involved or in depth, you'll enjoy this short escape. I was amazed that he managed to fill over 200 pages with a story that could've been told in about 8, but then we wouldn't have the knowledge of each player's motivations and the characters involved much less see the collaborations evolve. So take it for what it is. A short story with a simple plot not to be taken too seriously. Enjoy!

I expected something of a mystery with plot development. Wow, the plot never got higher than 6"s off the ground. The story was weak without any mystery and it had no development of charaters. The dialogue seemed to be at a 6th grade level because the story's character seemed to behave as 6th graders. If you read, Ludlum, Clancy, DeMille, Follet don't spend time opening this book. For those reviewers who thought this book had great insights into behind the scenes work of the government, you need to expand your reading list. The idea of the purple dots could have been a great story, but it never got off the launch pad. Most people have more excitement driving to work than what this story provided.

Jim Lehrer, in Purple Dots, puts us in the confirmation hearings of veteran CIA agent, Josh Bennett, as the new agency director. Josh finds himself, not only in a fishbowl, but the key to the advancement of a secret political agenda. Can his loyal friend and retired co-worker, Charlie, prevent damage to Josh's reputation? The author develops two symbolic themes. First, the cleansing properties of water and its ability to sustain life are shown in the need for Josh to restore honor and professionalism to CIA operations. Second, the symbiotic nature of fish propagation parallels how politics works in Washington. Lehrer's mystery describes how much camaraderie men can experience without actually building a treehouse. The humor and action flow as though you are watching Purple Dots "the movie."

I didn't know Jim Lehrer wrote novels - amusing, articulate & suspenseful political thrillers. A rather telling expose of how a nomination can be torpedoed before it gets out of the bay & the bargaining that goes on behind the scenes. Both Charlie & Marty are likable rogues - one because he's seen it all & the other because he can't believe all he's seeing. One has an enduring marriage, likes his creature comforts & has a cadre of loyal retired spooks still active in the old bomb-the-opposition game. The other because he's so green & full of self-righteous perfect dreams. When the two of them clash the fun begins. & those purple dots? Ah, how petty are the things with which we barter. I enjoyed the romp. For my full review do check out [my website].

I became hooked on Mary Danheim books with The Alpine Series. After reading them all I went in search of more of her writings. As luck would have it, I found The Bed and Breakfast Series. This is the first in the series and starts a journey with cousins Judith and Renie. They are not bad mysteries and the character evolvement is similar to The Alpine series characters and yet different enough to keep me reading. I started with this one and am now starting book #9 in the series Auntie Mayhem. I definitely recommend them all...enjoy the journey.

It, like the rest of the B&B mysteries was fun and I loved it.

I really liked this series at one time, back when they were fun to read. But, the premise the writer depends on now is lacking anything worth the time to read it. They are just RE-hashed over and over and getting totally absurd now. You would think a series would improve with time, NOT so with this one.

First in the famous Mary Daheim Bed & Breakfast Inn series, this is a must read for cozy mystery lovers because it's a truly delightful experience! There's the perfect atmosphere and ambiance, Inn full of crazy family members with hidden agendas, secrets, affairs - you name it, and all that topped with healthy servings of delicious food, mouth wateringly described through out the book, it was enough to keep me glued to the book but the mystery itself was so entertaining and had so many clues that it was the star of the book.

The story reminded me of my favorite type of Agatha Christie mystery; house full of guests/family members who are somehow involved in a murder, but no one knows who did it. Close family ties through marriage and blood make it tougher of a crime to be solved since one of the dear members is the killer, but whom? Widowed Judith is running the Inn with the occasional help of her grumpy mother Gertrude and help from her good friend and cousin Renie and the last thing she needs is a murder on the grounds. When a celebrity couple Otto and Oriana drop in with their grown offspring and other family members, she is pestered for fancy liquors and creative cooking with requests for cream puffs for dessert. All goes well during the family dinner until Madame Gushenka, card reader and entertainer hired by Oriana drops dead mid sentence. Upon closer inspection some truth comes out that shines new light on the crime and people guilty of being related to it. This was such a creative and twisted plot, very original and a total blast to follow.

I adore cozy mysteries, they are best savored in one or two sittings, short and sweet they make ma laugh and brainstorm and I rarely figure out the culprit but it's so much fun following the clues - and there are tons here - to see who the killer is. One of the best parts was how zany the Inn guests were! Each was memorable and interesting whether flawed or not and it made for a fun read. The only complaint I have is how the mystery was solved, I felt that the reader never got some of the info and it appeared magically at the end, making sense but something I couldn't catch on my own. I all ready started getting the other books in the series and will read them in order, mmm.. can't wait!

- Kasia S.

Unfortunately, this book is about two middle-aged women who think being rude, most often for no apparent reason, can pass for wit. The mean-spirited sarcasm wares on you, making you not care about them in the end.