Beaches and Islands Books

I just finished reading Frank Nappi's first novel after hearing about the second one, which is being released this April. I usually only read baseball novels, but I figured I'd give this WWII one a shot while I wait for the next one, The Legend Of Mickey Tussler, which sounds like a fabulous baseball classic. This book is all that everyone before me has said. It is powerful, well written, and informative. I honestly think that it reads just like a movie would play out. I saw everything so clearly in my head. If The Legend of Mickey Tussler is even half as good, I will be a very happy camper!

Yes, I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read. I don't understand all the gushing reviews. I did not find the book emotionally stirring. Nor did I find the writing that compelling. If you are looking for a great book on a soldier's journey in WWII -actually a pilot- I recommend "In the Shadow of War" by Childers. If you want a truly lyrical novel of a soldiers travails during war -in this case WWI- I would recommend "A Soldier of the Great War" by Helprin.

I decided to pick up a copy of Echoes from the Infantry. Echoes is not a genre that would typically call out to me while browsing the shelves but I was glad I was able to break away from Oprah's book club, if only for the weekend. Usually anything with war gets crossed off my reading list, but it was well worth the departure.

Nappi tells the story of James McCleary, a World War II veteran who survives the horrors of war, but he's haunted by guilt and memories for many years to come. Nappi's writing is so eloquent; I often read sentences twice, just to absorb the impact. While at war, McCleary encounters a young girl standing over her deceased grandmother which he tries to forget but, Nappi writes, "She was always there, a restless soul, just like him, sustained forever by the enduring vitality of his memory." Before reading this story, I had never considered how a sharp memory could be such a curse to a war veteran.

The story toggles back and forth between war time and present day. During war time, the character development is so rich that the soldiers begin to remind me of people I know. Although the war details are at times disturbing, Nappi weaves in enough beauty to balance out the horrors. The soldiers at one point are described as lying there, "clutching the ground like orphans seeking refuge in the maternal folds of the earth." I am reminded that, despite the historical subject matter, Nappi is indeed an English teacher. Only a master of the language can come up with image-inspiring similes like that (at least I think that's a simile).

It takes me a while to realize why this book struck such a cord with me. Beyond the beautiful language and the true to life the characters is an incredibly moving story. My husband is shocked to see me flipping through the pages of a historical fiction novel so quickly (he can't get me to watch a minute of the history channel). He smiles knowingly as I read parts aloud to him, love letters. Echoes may be historical fiction but in the end, it's a love story, not just between husband and wife, but father and son. I think it's a story about forgiveness, of ourselves and others. I wonder how many men and women returning from war have stories like McCleary's, and are now battling guilt and shame within themselves.

The only time I really think about what it must be like to be a veteran returning from war is when I see those signs hanging from the parkway overpass welcoming home a soldier from Iraq, or when we adopt a soldier at Christmas time and send over a basket of cheer. This book made me examine my conscience and think about how I will honor our war veterans, past and present, and more importantly how I will teach my students to do the same. I have always thought there is no better way to teach a lesson than through a wonderful story. This story taught me a thing or two about patriotism that will long be echoing through my mind.

James McCleary has been attempting to put the horrors of the battlefield behind him for years. Unfortunately, his sordid tries have fallen flat, and the days of battle are still ingrained in his mind, rearing their evil heads at the worst possible times. All John McCleary wants, on the other hand, is to know his father. The father who has cast him aside. Who has refused to learn more about him. Who has refused to let anyone in. Memory has left James trapped in a world of his own. A world where he is locked inside his own mind, where the only person who is permitted entry is himself. He cannot embrace his wife, nor his children, he can only sit and ponder what happened out there. Out on the battlefield all those years ago. While James is in this infirmary of a world, John is in his own place. For John is wrestling with the memories of a life with a man he calls his father. A man he is related to - flesh and blood - but who he knows nothing about, and, in return, a man who knows nothing about him. Now, the death of John's mother has begun to change things. Suddenly, the two men, father and son, are being brought together for a final exchange. As John begins searching through family heirlooms and artifacts in his parents attic, he suddenly begins finding missing pieces to the puzzle. A puzzle that will give him a glimpse into the frozen battlefields that have left his father eternally scarred mentally, and of a secret romance that kept him whole as he traveled through wartime Europe, fighting for our country.

I will admit right off the bat that I don't normally read books in this particular genre, and rarely read anything related to war - fiction or non. However, I was sucked in by Frank Nappi's ECHOES FROM THE INFANTRY from the very first paragraph. Nappi's descriptiveness is uncanny, and hard to resist, from the way that he illustrates the lasting effects of war, and how it can tear apart a family; to the flashbacks of various war scenes that can easily choke the reader up. Nappi's character development was also a shining point throughout this particular novel, as it showed the maturation of characters as realization dawned on them regarding different situations, while at the same time gave them the chance to learn more about their family's history by "digging through the past," as opposed to confronting various people to learn more about their father's heroic, yet troubled life. Whether you're a fan of war novels or not, Frank Nappi's ECHOES FROM THE INFANTRY will leave a lasting impression upon you, and have you wiping a tear from your eye once the book is complete.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

It's easy to overlook writing flaws when a story like this is so good. I can't knock this book in any way. It was a well thought out story with an unpredictable ending. I would tell you in advance that the story jumps back and forth from present time to WW2 quite often so be prepared. Some of the time the authors transitions weren't done that well and a few more narrative set ups would have been nice but I was never lost except in the comfort of the story. I would recommend and I personally look forward to reading his second book whenever it comes out. He has a lot of potential.

Richard Bondurant arranged a great trip to Moorea and Tahaa for my wife and I for our 10 year anniversary. This spectacular book is a great memory of our trip to Tahiti, and does an outstanding job of detailing all the exotic recipes that we jotted down on bar cocktail napkins while sipping fabulous drinks and sitting in the sun. I need to stock up on a few obscure ingredients before I can make all these wonderful drinks, but while it's snowing here for the winter, it's nice to just sit back, look at the amazing photos, read some of the trivia about Tahiti, and dream of going back someday soon. Thanks again Richard, for another great time!

The format of the book is very well done. Makes you want to go to Tahiti.

Wow! What a great book! We received it as a gift, which was perfect since my husband and I spent our honeymoon in Tahiti. Several things make this book great. First, the information about Tahiti is factual and entertaining to read. Second, the photos are amazing. Third, not only are the drinks easy to make, they are awesome! Kudos to Richard Bondurant.

Not only does this book have a wealth of information on a destination we long to travel to, but it offers a wide variety of fun and DELICIOUS drinks.
We love to entertain and it has been great having 'Cocktails in Tahiti' out at our parties...quite a conversation piece! Everyone loves the stunning photos of Tahiti, the scrumptious drinks, and the intriguing facts of the islands. Thank you!

Always looking for new and exciting cocktails to try, I purchased this book. Each page became more interesting, not only for the drinks presented but for the knowledge that Mr. Bondurant shares about Tahiti, it's culture, local accomodations, etc.

The photos are exceptional and each drink I have mixed has been better than the last. I have bought several as gifts for coworkers and friends. You won't be disappointed!

WHAT A FUN BOOK!! I CAN RELATE TO HOW PUG IS ALWAYS DRAWN TO THE OCEAN.
KEEP THESE BOOKS COMING. MARK, KEENE N.H.

Pug at the Beach brings back great memories of my days at the beach as a child. It's a very cute book and easy to read!! Enjoy!

Pug at the Beach gives refreshing insights into how we all should live, and think about life, on a daily basis. Each chapter is fun--fun for a reader of any age. Pug adventures into areas we can all relate to in a fun-filled way. We all need to have a Pug in our life to keep us on track. I can't wait for the next adventures of Pug!

This unique book bursts on the literary scene with a gathering series of striking life perceptions that deserves nothing less than approbation. Pug has been called "a worldlier Snoopy," but that worldliness is not based on cynicism. Rather, Pug has a gift for living and learning within a well-honed optimism. One could do worse than to follow his example. This is a fine, clear, accessible read that will stay with you a long time.

My dad bought this book in Key West. he loves it and so I read it too and now I love it!!! Pug is smart and really cool. the web site is cool too and they have clothes with Pug on them. My dad bought a hat and all the scientists he works with bought hats too. Pug is all around the world too. I saw him on a web site in Australia.

As a child of the 50's and 60's, I grew up just outside of Queens NY. My parents found a truly magical hamlet on the east end of Long Island, near Sag Harbor and we spent 14 summers there - encompassing some of the best times of my life.

Imagine my surprise when I picked up Summer At Sea Shell Harbor and started to read about my boyhood summers. I was transported back in time - to malt shakes at the malt shack; hanging out at night by the 'general store' or "The Sugar Shack"; convertible cruising; spending the days at the beach or one of our speed boats; and discovering new girls from other than my home town and trying to learn how to deal with them. I literally could not put the book down until the end. This book truly captured the emotions and feelings of those times.

But you don't have to have lived the story to enjoy it. This is a great read for anyone of any age. While depicting a magical time, there is a plot and character development and relationships that literally draw you from one chapter to the next.

I truly hope that someone has the sense to make a movie from this great book. I think it would be a huge success if true to the book.

This would be fantastic as a film. When will Hollywood realize we baby-boomers are movie watchers? What a great film it would make.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a fast and easy read. The writing reminded me of my teenage (other) life. Memories of summer vacations in The Hamptons, partying with friends and young love. Great!

You don't have to have grown up in New York or spent summers in the Hamptons to remember the experiences and feelings that come back so vividly reading "Summer in Sea Shell Harbor". Wherever your're from, growing up takes you on an emotional roller coaster that drags you on at around age 13 or 14 and drops you off sometime later, maybe 19 or 20, somewhat beat-up and bruised, but relieved to still be standing. Whatever else adolescence is, it is a time of intense feelings and fragile egos; friends are at the center of our lives; good times and bad times; trying to sort through it all and figure things out. Richard Dunne has done a great job nudging our memories, taking us along with these very real characters who are a lot like our friends growing up; and their predicaments are similar to ones we can recall. A great read on a universal theme and one that we don't really ever forget. A book for all ages! An excellent, enjoyable read.

"Summer at Sea Shell Harbor" deserves a place on every bookshelf in America. The first, and most important reason for purposes of this review, is that it's a great read. Richard Dunne's beautiful story, set in the summer of 1959, is as much an ode to teenage angst and coming-of-age as it is a revealing look at how our country's own innocence has disappeared over the years.

The novel's strength lies in Dunne's portrayal of late 1950's America in an honest way, through the eyes of seventeen year-old Richie Donnelly, without the pretense that today's youth is somehow living in a bleaker, more paranoid world (the truth may be that today's youth ARE living in a bleaker, more paranoid world, but Dunne shrewdly lets the story progress without so much as a hint that he's seen America unfold over the last half-century). This approach is what makes the story great for all ages. Whereas a film like "Stand By Me," which also captures the spirit of that era, relied on an adult narrator to tell its story in flashback - thereby attaching a certain level of nostalgia to its main character during the film - that is not the approach here. We are treated to a story set in the summer of '59 that effectively captures the period without asking the reader to remember it (which is perfect for me since I wasn't born until '67), and it succeeds wonderfully in educating and enlightening us along the way.

The characters are strong and well-developed, and the story itself engaging and entertaining. I can't remember reading a book that so often made me long for the days of my own youth and at the same time allowed me a deeper appreciation for the youth of my parents. I enjoyed it despite not being from Brooklyn or Long Island and despite being too young to appreciate the nuances of the time. I even bought a copy for my Mom.

Personally, I think with the right people involved this would make an outstanding film.

...because the odds are that you won't be able to put it down until you're done. This was a great story. Mara weaves his diverse characters, who range from the admirable to the disgraceful, into a suspenseful tale of human determination and courage. If you've ever wondered how you might react in a crisis, whether it be a natural disaster, a terrorist attack, or as here a frighteningly credible combination of the two, then take a closer look at this book.

If you like suspense, you will LOVE this book. When you put it down to do something else you will be looking forward to picking it back up, it is that intriguing. A great thriller!

The characters are all so realistic, and I felt a range of emotions for each and every one of them and couldn't wait to see how they all made it through. Even though the novel is fiction, it reads so true to life that it could have been -- hope it never is -- a true story. Definitely one I'll read again!

An amazing read. I read it in TWO nights (and as the mom of two small kids, that is not an easy accomplishment). You fall in love with the characters and have to find out what happens to each of them. I have recommended this book to all of my friends and family and everyone has had the same response. If you are looking for an exciting, suspense filled book, this is the one for you. Happy reading!

If you haven't had a chance to read this book, you're really missing out! The story line itself is a little frightening because something like this really is in the realm of possibilities and that made it more interesting because that sense of reality was tangible. I love what he did with his characters, even the ones I didn't really like. And any time there is a chance of redemption and a shot at being a hero, it's good to see that.

Really, a great summer read, but a good read even mid-winter :-)

If you want to know more about architecture in the Caribbean, you have to read this book!

Through his work at la Marina, Casa de Campo, Gian Franco Fini captures the essence of refined architecture with a perfect air of Caribbean elegance.

This is a book about one of those magical places that once you get there you don't want to leave. It's in the path of boats coming from Miami to the West Indies and is the place to see in the Caribbean before you die. Casa de Campo is the Caribbean most complete resort by far where any possible hobby in the world could practiced at world renowned conditions -besides skiing, except if you change it for water-sky-. The book about the Casa de Campo's Marina is definitely a 5 start in class, quality and content. This is the real thing in Caribbean Elegance and Luxury where you'll be able to find some of the most exclusive houses in the region.

This is the only book available about Marinas from an architectural standpoint. Blueprints, sketches and more than 300 full-color pictures are a never ending source for one of the most luxurious approach to Caribbean Architecture. It's about the renowned Marina at Casa de Campo, La Romana, Dominican Republic and is a must for anyone willing see from the inside out as many options as possible to recreate a tropical paradise despite if it's and apartment or a houses under 2,000 sqf or a masterpiece above 20,000 sqf.
In contrast with W.R. Blain's book for "Marina Developments" -That is an excellent and maybe the only book about Marinas from a structural standpoint- this one is an architectural approach to Marinas and all the elements around it such as Yacht Club, Apartments, Houses, Restaurants and all related services. It's full of details and references in a text that is catchy and easy to read. My only concern was that I thought it was pricy in the first place despite that it was printed and bounded in Italy, but Blain's book is above the $250 and this one is more related to interior design and architecture so it's worth 5 out 5 starts.

Well done! Interesting to see scenes that are familiar to me through the arts eyes.

Put this book on your coffee table and no one will ever leave your house. The art work is not only inspiring, but historical as well. Some paintings show parts of the island that are gone now. I loved some of the artists so much that I actually purchased several of the prints shown in the book. If you love the ocean you will love this book.

I am a Realtor on Long Beach Island and live just off the island. This book has some of the most beautiful pictures of the past and present in it. I originally bought it because my last name is Anastasia and the first artist in this book is Anastasia, but the art work in the book is magnificent. Everyone I show it to just loves it. In my family room I have pictures of lighthouses and everyone is in this book. And Jane Law is a favorite artist of mine and I also have one of her pictures of the "Shack" which I just love. If you love seashore art and especially Long Beach Island you will love this book. It is a beautiful coffee table book. The picture on the cover is one of my favorites.

This book is extrememly well done. The reproductions on the page are excellent with rich, deep, and vivid colors. The variety of painitngs is wide as is the subject matter. Not every painting will appeal to every viewer. But every painting will give every viewer a new perspective on this unique island which is changing fast and forever.

Hilton Head and Bluffton, South Carolina readers will love this book! It's a fascinating easy read, incredibly informative, and a great gift to that reader who has absolutely everything but not this book! Buy it.

This book uses descriptive illustrations to add to the enjoyment of its useful information. Its particularly relevant to the Coastal Carolina region and contains interesting and helpful facts for the beachgoer. Its format serves the single page reader as well as those who enjoy larger portions. Highly Recommended

I used this book for two summers when I lived on Hilton Head. My job was to drive people around on small boats and teach them about the natural wonders of barrier islands. Since I was a boat captain, not a naturalist, this book saved my bacon many times over. Anytime anyone asked me a question, I'd just grab the book and look it up, and I'd usually give it to them so they could look at the pictures. I recommend this book for anyone living near the coast in the Southeast. In fact, a lot of it is still relevant to folks in the Northeast. Some of the species are different, but the processes are still the same.

What's not clear from Amazon's description is that this book has a unique format. Each page was originally an article in the local paper, so you get one page of info per critter or process. The pages are works of art, hand-drawn and lettered in pen and ink. Any one of them would be worthy of framing. The language is clear and easy to understand, written for laymen but with enough info to satisfy naturalists. In fact, they're so beautiful and well-written that I'm here today to buy a copy for a professor of mine who teaches college classes on the geology and natural history of the East coast. There's nothing in this book he doesn't know or can't look up in a normal reference book. It's the artwork that really makes this book pop.

Don't hesitate to buy this--you won't be disappointed!

This book gives a wide variety of all the different spots on a barrier island. we use it in enrichment class and I enjoy the book very much.

This book, which features coloring pages (always a plus for kids!) is a sweet way to bring awareness to our environmental impact on the oceans. Growing up, I had the distinct pleasure of spending time with Amos Morrill, and I am so honored to have done so. His love for the Caribbean and his passion for beauty and nature taught me to appreciate the outdoors.
Thanks Amos!

The many illustrations are delightful--there is much on the page to please the eye, both in color and in content. The text is simple but the message to children (and their parents) is clear: help save our oceans. As a bonus, there is a coloring section at the rear that will allow a child to make the images his/her own.

This book was our Bible in Bermuda on our honeymoon! For the most part this guide was right on the mark. Some of the restaurant reviews were off (The Shepards Pie at the Swizzle Inn is little more than chilli with mashed potatoes on top, and jackets really weren't required for men at dinner anywhere we dined over the week) but for the most part it was very helpful.

Amazon's synopsis is right on. The book is thorough, concise. Covers every aspect of planning your trip, then is a constant companion while you're there--restaurant recommendations, sightseeing guide, good maps, guidance on finding the best beaches.

I disagreed only with Fodor's take on the dress code. Guys, you don't really have to wear Bermuda shorts if you prefer other styles. And you won't feel bad without a tie in the nicer restaurants. I saw a lot of mixed-dressing couples (no, not cross dressing!)--she's wearing a nice dress and he's in shorts and loafers without socks.

I found it helpful in selecting my hotel to look at lush color photos available on the Web (always lacking in guide books due to cost and space).

Finally, as always, Amazon will get your book to you real fast.