New York Books

I thought this a good book for anyone reading about or studying Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman's March to the Sea and the March through the Carolinas. It captures the thoughts and personalities of the Army behind the man and gives the reader an insight to why they did some of the things that are so controversial today.

I have to confess a bias; Professor Glatthaar taught me US history in my first semester of college and was a very engaging, entertaining and clear teacher.

This book is history of the very best kind. It is extensively documented from primary sources, it is well written and draws the reader in and the text of the book is free from cumbersome and often distracting academic citation apparatus. It also has selected a topic of almost epic proportions.

The March to the Sea, coming on the heels of the devastating fall of Atlanta was the straw that broke the South's back. After years of war and the related hardships, the devastation that this march produced in the South dealt a death blow to the South's war effort.

In one of the great strategic decisions of the war, Sherman breaks his lines of communication and supply and, like a modern day nuclear sub, disappears only to resurface at Savannah. The freedom of movement that this decision allowed made this march even more effective.

Further, the productivity of the South, even after years of warfare is evidenced. The author presents data showing an increase in the weight of soldiers due to the richness of the diet they were able to secure from those unfortunate enough to be in the path of Sherman's army.

To quibble with a prior reviewer, this is not a novel. This is academic history of the best sort but written in a easy and accesible manner. A great book.

This book contains an examination of the army that General William Tecumseh Sherman led through Georgia and the Carolinas, in late 1864 and early 1865. Instead of being just another narrative of the March to the Sea and Carolina campaigns, however, Glatthaar's book is a look at the individuals that composed the army. In it, he examines the social and ideological backgrounds of the men in Sherman's army, and evaluates how they felt about various factors of the war--slavery, the union, and, most significantly, the campaign in which they were participating. The result is a fascinating look at Sherman's campaigns through the eyes of the everyday soldier. Glatthaar makes the army come alive, and shows the men not as heartless animals who delighted in wanton destruction, not as mechanized marching machines who could perform the most difficult marches without even flinching, but instead as real human beings, complete with sore feet, empty stomachs, and minds engaged in contemplation over the ethical ramifications of what they were doing to the people of the South.

This book, and others like it (such as James McPherson's For Cause and Comrades), is a refreshing change from the norm in Civil War history. The value of this book lies in its helping the reader understand that the war was fought by individuals, not masses of blue and gray, and that these individuals felt and thought a great deal about the cause they were engaged in. I have read much on the subject of Sherman's march, but never before this book did I truly feel like I understood the mentality of the 60,000 man army he led. This book will not give you a detailed and thorough account of Sherman's campaigns, but it will give anyone who already is somewhat familiar with the marches an incredible amount of insight that, I believe, cannot be gained elsewhere.

Individuals who belong to a Civil War reenacting association, history buffs, and serious scholars of the Civil War will all find quiet enjoyment in Joseph Glatthaar's historical novel on Major General Sherman's march to Savannah and through the Carolinas. Glatthaar's perspective of bringing the war down to the level of the individual soldier is not always found in historical novels. He writes about the soldier's innermost feelings, not about the glorious generals, the great armies, or the magnificent campaigns. I believe that individual battles do not win wars, but that it is the men composing the fighting force that can turn a potential devastating defeat into a glorious victory. Mr. Glatthaar has done a great justice in his portrayal of the men who conducted the march to the sea and beyond. I would highly recommend the book to anyone who wishes better to understand the soldiers that fought for Sherman

Joseph Glatthaar wrote this book in order to examine Sherman's march across the South "from the level of the common soldier, both enlisted and officer". In the introduction he states that by writing the book from this perspective, he hoped "to restore the reality of the campaigns, to understand the underlying motivation of Sherman's men for adopting a policy of devestation and to shed light on the total-war concept in military history".

Mr. Glatthaar's efforts have resulted in this very informative and engaging book. I did not know a lot about Sherman's Army before reading this book, and feel that I now have a much better understanding of the men who filled the ranks and led the regiments in their famous march to the sea. In his text, Mr. Glatthaar presents many quotes directly from letters and diaries written by Sherman's men, which really enhances the story and his conclusions.

I recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn about Sherman's Army- why it was successful, why it adopted a policy of total war, destroying much of the South, and why it remains controversial to this day.

Maira Kalman has a wonderful wit and a tremendous artistic style. It is great when you find a book that appeals to the kids as well as the adults. Her seemingly simple paintings are at second glance alive with color and depth. Check out all her stuff.

This is a delightful, creative book full of energy, imagery, and language. I think it is more for adults than children and would make an excellent gift for any artist or writer who must work at his day job while dreaming of "Paree"! Kalman's visual images are imaginative and fun.

Max Makes a Million is far and away my favorite book to read to my kids. The rhythm of its poetry is remarkable. Its drawings are fresh. Its story delightfully different. I have read many other Kalman books, and this is hands down the very best.

The pictures are great, fun and colorful and it keeps the readers interested. Mine want to know what Max will do next!

If you like e.e. cummings, this book, along with the three other Max Stravinsky books i know, is for you. And your kids might even like watching while you read it to yourself. If you don't like e.e. cummings, you should.

I was lucky to get this book as a gift from a good friend. After reading SO many books on parenting, it was such a relief to read this one. Along with a lot of really great practical advice, A Mother's Circle basically made me feel like it was ok to trust my instincts and not to worry constantly about trying to be a perfect mom.

I cannot stress enough how fabulous this book is. I have read many of the other books out there for new mothers and wound up feeling anxious and overwhelmed. I read this book the afternoon it arrived - it was so affirming and informative! It made me wish that I lived in New York City and could go to Soho Parenting's new mommy groups. Having the book was certainly the next best thing. I have lost count of how many copies I have purchased for friends - and they all LOVE it! A must read for all expecting and new mothers AND fathers!

This book--and the Soho Parenting Group it led me to--saved my life as an overwhelmed new mother. Intead of preaching to you, as so many other parenting books do, it explores the wide range of emotions new parents feel about their baby, their identities, and their relationship as they take on the life-changing process of parenting. Speigel and Kunhardt also give very helpful, very specific guidelines for caring for your baby, helping him or her sleep through the night, feeding, and other essential topics. All in a caring and supportive way. I give this book as a gift to all new parents now.

My physician recommended this book after the birth of my son...his wife is actually one of the contributing authors. He gave it rave reviews...(as any good husband would do for his wife, I thought.) Luckily for me, I actually followed his recommendation,searched down a copy and read it.

This book is the first one I've read as a new mother that made me feel like I wasn't completely alone in some of my experiences as a new mom. If that had been the only thing I had gotten out of it, I would have been thrilled. However, this book offers so much more.

You can read it and put it down...there are no scientific terms and techniques (had enough of those?). It gave me the confidence to be the mother that I always knew I could be...and to be able to forgive myself for not having ALL the answers (hint: you can never have all the answers).

I felt good every time I put it down...even if I could only read for a couple of minutes. Do yourself a favor - buy a copy. Actually, buy TWO. One for yourself...and one for someone else that's had a new baby. She will be a friend indeed.

This is the only book I've read that helps with the changes in relationships that follow the birth of child...deals non-judgementally with those of us who choose to bottle feed or return to work...to explain why our partners' response is not what we bargained for and MOST IMPORTANTLY how to help our kids sleep through the night and nap properly - so that they are HAPPY when awake.

Craig Brandon's "Murder in the Adirondacks" is the first complete nonfiction account of the Chester Gillette - Grace Brown tragedy of 1906. The case was front page news throughout the country and provided the inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's classic novel "An American Tragedy." Dreiser's tribute, however, was a double-edged sword. It revived public interest in the case, but the creative license that was necessary to tell a good story (and protect the author from a libel suit) altered the facts and, over time, came to be accepted as truth.

In researching his book, Brandon, a former reporter and editor from upstate New York, went straight to the original sources, such as trial transcripts and newspaper coverage of the murder trial. He located previously unpublished information about Chester Gillette's early years as well as letters and photographs from private collections. The end result is a definitive account of Grace Brown's death at Big Moose Lake in the Adirondacks and Chester Gillette's conviction for her murder.

Brandon outlines the known facts of the case: Chester Gillette met Grace Brown, a farmer's daughter, at the Cortland, New York, skirt factory where both of them worked. When she became pregnant in the aftermath of a clandestine relationship, he refused to damage his growing social standing by marrying her. After she threatened to expose him, they traveled together to the Adirondacks. Grace thought she was going to be married, Gillette had other plans. On July 11, 1906, she ended up at the bottom of Big Moose Lake, and Chester Gillette was accused of murdering her. Public feeling against the accused was high, especially after Grace Brown's beseeching letters to him were read in the courtroom, and he was sentenced to die in the electric chair at Auburn. Despite fervent attempts by his devoted mother to have his sentence commuted, Gillette was executed in March 1908.

Those who had read "An American Tragedy" have assumed that Chester killed Grace because he intended to marry a wealthy young socialite. Craig Brandon argues that Gillette had no plans to marry anyone- he simply didn't want to be forcibly connected to a woman who was his social inferior. The author also raises the uncomfortable question as to whether or not the youthful philanderer was really guilty of murder: Grace Brown had expressed suicidal thoughts to friends and in her letters, and Chester told the jury that she had jumped out of their boat after he declined to marry her. The district attorney pointed out that a gash had been found on the victim's head, suggesting that she had been struck and thrown overboard, but the defense team offered the plausible explanation that a grappling hook could have caused the injury when the lake was being searched for her body.

Although "Murder in the Adirondacks" doesn't offer any final answer as to what really happened that July afternoon on Big Moose Lake, it dispells long-held assumptions about the case and its principal players. It's also the first book to quote from the official record and not from sources spawned by Dreiser's fictional account. It will be the cornerstone for all future study of the case.

Murder in the Adirondacks" tells the tale of the Gillette-Brown love triangle murder of 1906. MA is more of an historical novel than a tale of true crime. Author Brandon has a background as a newspaperman, so MA is written in the who-what-where-why-when-and how style of a hard and straight news feature. Its' strength lies in Brandon's very thorough research and the poignant photos which give full context to the story. As true crime, MA is fairly tame stuff, raising little emotion. Brandon also delves into Theodore Dreiser's "companion" novel, "An American Tragedy", and the Hollywood movie "A Place in the Sun", starring Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and Shelley Winters. All the bases are certainly covered. This reviewer believes that the 4 star rating above is a tad generous, but author Brandon deserves his due for the sheer research effort he put forth. Folks from the Southern Tier/Central New York areas of Cortland-Utica-Herkimer should pounce. Those folks may wish to add a star to the rating above.

This is a great book about the Chester Gillette murder case of 1906. Gillette took his girlfriend up to Big Moose Lake in the Adirondacks and drowned her. He was later tried and executed. His story was turned into the novel 'An American Tragedy' and several movies. I am reading 'American Tragedy' now and it's interesting to see the parallels between the actual case and the fictionalized story.

Murder in the Adirondacks:An American Tragedy Revisited is a must read. It captures and holds a readers attention while teaching them alittle bit about Central New York History. Through the book, a reader begins to "meet" the parties who were involved in this historic case, which was played out so many years ago. And then after getting to know the people, the reader is captivated by the trial and the events which surrounded Mr. Gillette's life immideatly after the verdict. All in all, a great read. I escpecially loved it as a Cortland County resident.

I had thought I was well acquainted with the case but discovered many errors in my previous readings after reading this book. The author dispelled many myths about the case, but did not attempt to prove any position without solid facts. Recommend it to my fellow amateur "criminiologists."

I gave this book as a gift for a couple moving to NYC. They were so excited to receive it. They immediately looked through it and loved the information. It came in good condition and in the timeframe promised.

I now can go from one end of the year to another almost without ever seeing a tree I can't identify, thanks to this book. The book is like having an infinitely patient teacher with you: rather than just a list of species or a series of pictures of leaves (or bark, etc.), it identifies the most salient features of each species, noting key distinctions among similar species (you might not know that you can tell a sugar maple from a norway maple, despite their near-identical leaves, by plucking a leaf and looking at the sap, for instance, unless you read it here). What is more, if you are having problems with a particular type of tree, he gives the locations of specimens so you can see them in person (when you are in New York!). The selected species are excellent as well, because many species in an urban environment are non-native, and so typical "field guides" are not useful. A magnificent guide and introduction to horticulture and the love of plants. A must for a New Yorker, and probably the most useful tree identification guide for the Northeast in general. I think its format should become the standard for guidebooks. Using this book, it is very easy to go from zero tree knowledge to knowing hundreds of species at sight.

This is a superb pocketable book that gives the full lowdown of trees in the metro area. Full color throughout - lovely photos and enough trees included to be pretty well all you need for much of the Northeast. If you believe that trees are also about the most important contributor to a beautiful environment, then this book also serves as a good guide to the most beautiful places to visit in the NY area (including NJ, Long Island and Westchester county).

Excellently bound and water resistant for those rainy tree-identifying expeditions. The author shares interesting background on our parks and how they relate to the history of NYC. I've not walked a park walk yet, but their promise has me looking forward to spring and summer excursions.

I found the tree data (leaf, young bark, mature bark, fruit, crown shape, and where to locate examples in and around NYC) sufficient to make many local identifications so far.

One would presumably have an existing interest in tree identification to go and buy a book like this. However, if given as an unexpected gift, there is enough sincerity and information that it just might spark an interest in finding and knowing the wonderful, living trees that cohabitate with us in NYC.

This book is amazing. I've just started to pursue my interest in trees in the past year. I'm surprised at how difficult it is to be sure you're looking at the particular species you think you're looking at. Not a problem with this book. Tree walks (with maps!) in parks in all the five boroughs tell you exactly what you're looking at. The book lists the best trees in every borough and pin points where to find them. Who knew there was a White Oak with a diameter of 64 inches beside the 18th hole of the split rock golf course that may be more than 200 years old? Well, now I do. Aside from all the unusual, unexpected infomation, you'll also find an excellently rendered standard tree guide that you'd expect in any good field guide. If you live in New York City and want to know more about trees, get this book.

I bought this book because of my adoration for the City of New York, and the beautiful picture on the front. Those looking for an in-depth history of NYC or more of a "hands-on" book, should look elsewhere. This book provides what the title suggests. It is a brief introduction to the vast world that is New York City. The photography is beautiful, although sometimes blurry at edges. There are small paragraphs explaining what you are looking at. Most of the main attractions are covered (Empire State Building, Central Park, Harlem, Greenwich Village, etc), as well as some others that I didn't know about, but had my eyes opened to. I will definitely be more prepared and educated as I go to NYC next time. The only complaint is that most of the coverage is of Manhattan, and it's attractions and not so much of the other parts of New York, as the book suggests. This was fine by me, as I was mostly interested in Manhattan anyway, but could mislead others. I would highly recommend this book if you like the city of New York, or are planning a trip there. This could be a great supplement as it gives you a different view of the city, one that you can't get just by being there. A view from the air.

While in holiday in NYC in Dec 2001 I was looking this title everywhere as I thought it was out of print. However, I found a copy in a tourist shop under the Empire State Building, as a reprinted version with a newer picture on the cover -ISBN 1-57145-276-1. It was well well the $21 I paid for it. The pics are very good and there's just enough text keep it interesting. Well worth the money and a really good souvenir too. Could not find anything better for the money despite spending hours looking for this title everywhere!

It now lives on my coffee table back in GB!

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know what the City of New York is really like. If a tourist to NYC were to leave their camera at home, all they would need to do to is leaf through it's pages - it's THAT good! The Capital of the World is yours to explore!

Personal Note...
I remember buying my first copy of this book during a lunch break in the summer of 2000 from Strand's Bookstore on Fulton Street - about 3 blocks from where the Twin Towers once stood. The images of Lower Manhattan stir emotions that I didn't know I had.

This book is just amazing! It is sooo reasonably priced for a book of this magnitude. If you have never been to New York City, you will still appreciate this book. It is like a tour without ever being there. I have ventured to NYC once, and this book just brings back great memories.

There are pages upon pages of pictures, which also have captions. These captions tell some of the history of the sights. I definitely see this as a good investment.

This is a great book! I have visited New York City many times in my life on business and have always loved that famous skyline. Viewing the city from the air gave me a new appreciation for the great beauty of the buildings that make up that skyline, the grand design of Central Park, and the other elements that make New York City "world class" in so many ways. I also enjoyed the brief history of New York contained in the introduction and the interesting facts and trivia in the photo captions.

This is the best planner I have been able to find. I recommend it to anyone who wants a simple planner with great organization. I really hope that this is published each year because I never want to use anything else!

This is exactly what I was looking for and has the following features:
1. The cover is nice and thick, and the inside cover has a monthly calendar on both the front and back that fold in, so you can fold them into the planner to hold your spot.
2. It has class/work schedules that run from Monday through Sunday and goes from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. in half hour increments. You put your weekly schedule on these pages.
3. The monthly calendars run from August 2005 to August 2006. Each month takes up one page, horizontally. The spaces for each of the days are a little small, but work.
4. The weekly spreads run vertically across two pages. So on the left you have Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and on the right you have Thursday, Friday, and then Saturday and Sunday in smaller boxes on top of each other.
5. The weekly spreads have room for you to put your schedule and extra "to do" type things.

This is seriously the best planner I have ever used, and now I'm ordering it offline since I can't find it locally. The vertical design makes organizing class homework easy, but it also gives you lots of space to organize all your out-of-class activities, which is a big plus. Overall, I'm extremely satisfied with it- I never lose any information or dates.

"This powerful tool is a user-friendly, easy way to check daily, weekly, and monthly class and work schedules; keep track of assignments and appointments; and record notes and reminders. Features include space for a year's worth of classes, organized by quarter or semester; weekly grids in which to record meetings, study schedules, and other activities; full page monthly grids for long-term planning; and space for addresses, phone numbers, and email. In addition, you will get a directory of The New York Public Library's mighty Internet resources; recommended reference books; weights and measures, including metric conversion tables; US and Canadian holidays; lunar phases; toll-free numbers and websites for travel and lodging concerns; and incisive, inspiring, or wryly amusing quotations.

"This calendar spans the student year (August 2005-August 2006). Softcover, 160 wire-o bound pages. Size: 6 1/2 x 9", ISBN 0-7649-3002-8. Click on the small picture to see an inside page. See also: Canadian edition and Student Journal."--© Pomegranate

I have been using these planners for three years and I love them. They are basic with lots of extras all over. Highly recommended.

i have used this planner every year since i discovered it in college (9 years ago, damn i'm old) im a grad student now and i can not live without it. its the best planner.

This planner is amazing! Without it I could go on. I live by my planner and finally I found one I like, one i really like!

This is the best planner I have ever had. This will be my 3rd time purchasing it.

This planner is organized great. I am in college and have 2 jobs on the side along with a couple extras. This planner keeps me feel sane and keep everything organized.
A day without my planner at school is like a day without shoes!

This is the most durable, usable planner I have ever found. It has a section for four semesters worth of class schedules, a monthly view (which I use for bills), and a weekly view. Each day in the weekly view is broken into three sections, Assignments & Meetings, Study Schedule, and Extracurricular. I attend grad school at night while I raise children and work full time. These sections help me organize the three most important aspects of my life.

I use this planner daily and have never had a page or cover ripped from it like some other planners I have used.

Hooray! A crossword book that has easy AND hard puzzles, each clearly labeled, so you can work your way up as you get smarter (sadly, I'm still a Tuesday girl).

If you're tired of Dell/Penny Press crossword books which are full of repeating, unimaginative clues, the NY Times crosswords will definitely bend your brain in a new way.

AND, if you love crosswords, be sure to check out the film Wordplay, featuring Will Shortz!

For those that don't know: the answers are int he back, six to a page. Some may have trouble with this and feel the desire to glance at the other answers on the page. If you are doing the puzzles in order, you may glance and remember an answer.

The book is spiral bound, so it lays nice and flat, unlike those that are cheap and glue-bound like a magazine.

Printed on newsprint-like paper, which makes it even lighter and packable. This book is much better than those cheap $1 crossword puzzles you find in the store.

Great brain buster, I don't know how can one finish even an easy NY times crossword without an encyclopedia...as in Wikipedia...

In the past, most of the NY Times Crossword books were either themed collections or just general collections. There are the Sunday Crossword Books, as well as Will Shortz's Most Difficult Puzzle Books, but this book has a great advantage: You can tell immediately by the day of the week how difficult the puzzle is going to be. Want a quickie? Do a Monday! Want a toughie? Do a Friday. I often like the Wednesday or Thursday puzzles because they have fun gimmicks, but aren't too difficult. This book makes it easy to find them!

30 Jan 2007

TGIM - Standing for "Thank God it's Monday" would be an appropriate exclamation every five (5) pages.

I must confess that I have to ask for a little help with a word here or there on Fridays. The rest of the week is manageable.

or for others who love newspapers and history. It's all here -- the moon landing, Nixon resigns, WWII, WWI. It's the first rough draft of history, as told by the paper of record. It's a coffee-table sized book that is a fascinating read and a conversation piece.

This is a great book for collection. It marks the important milestones in the 20th century. It will improve your general knowledge about the events in the last century and encourage you learn more about them. What is more exciting is to watch them as they were presented on the first page of NY Times. To relive those moments through the print and pictures and titles as presented on the Page One. It is much more than an encylcopedia for the last century.

It is fun to see how an incident was presented on Day One which went on to become World War One. A must collect for history lovers!

I received this as a present from one of my journalism students, and I really enjoy flipping through it. It's a coffee-table book of the major stories of the 20th century, and what a fun flip it is. I also enjoy the journalism aspect, as the style and layout changes over the decades are shocking. I wonder what the 2097 New York Times front page will look like--perhaps we will be printing the papers out on our own printer each morning, who knows. Anyway, this is a fun book for those who like a little history to go with their morning newspaper...and you don't have to be from New York to enjoy it.

I read this book first in my school's library, starting from the back and working my way towards 1896. I was amazed at all the things that had occured during those 100 years. From the crash of Flight 800 and the Trial of Sacco and Vanzetti, this book illustates provides the front page of our last century and hopefully a window to the next!

These are the headlines that made the news. Often three lines, set in Italics Times, page one headlines of the "New York Times" defined American news for years. The internet, and national papers have diminished this effect somewhat, but for most of the Twentieth Century, the NYT was the news. Because of their influence, they were not only the reporters, but the generators of our news. If they didn't report it, one might wonder if it really happened.

This edition has no glorious essays explaining how wonderful people were in 1955, or how great the generation was in 1940. Instead, we get page one completed, unedited.

Only the days which made big news made the cut, but each page of the book is a complete front page. More than reproduced headlines, we can read the seondary and teriary stories, see the pictures, and know the weather. My birth year, 1966 apparently was only a big deal to me, as nothing newsworthy enough made this book.

It is a hearty book, tall and wide. It is smaller than actual paper, and the body copy seems to have shrunk to about 6.5-7 pt. Printing methods were not as good in 1900, and you'll see the smudges in the ink as the plates wore throughout the day's printing. This makes intriguing history, but occasionally difficult reading. Newer pages are reproduced cleanly.

I fully recommend "The New York Times Page One" as more than a curiosity. It would make an interesting book to provide school rooms to see the actual stories of the modern history they are studying.

Anthony Trendl