Brooks Books

Louise Brooks by Barry Paris is the only full-length biography on silent screen legend Louise Brooks to date. Paris' career as a successful journalist serves him well in his role of biographer; his talent for in-depth research paired with stylish writing makes for exciting and highly-informative reading, and creates a book that will stand as the definitive biography in the face of any others that may follow.

In Louise Brooks, Paris carefully traces the actress' childhood in Cherryvale, Kansas - the events of which would have a profound influence on the woman she was to become. Her early stage career in New York and her film career in both Hollywood and Berlin are covered fully from both a professional and a personal viewpoint. Weaving Brooks' own reflections as well as countless interviews with contemporaries, Paris gives a well-rounded impression of a complex character. Brooks' sad decline is handled with sensitivity but also full disclosure, and her joyous, phoenix-like uprising in her later years serves for a real-life happy ending.

The book itself is nicely presented and a pleasure to hold - both in hardcover and in paperback - and is written in an easy-to-read font. A substantial book at 608 pages, it is illustrated throughout with black & white photos as well as an 8-page portrait gallery insert.

In a genre where dross is often offered as gold, Louise Brooks by Barry Paris is an intelligent, top-of-the-line masterwork - the very best in biography. Read it - you will not be disappointed!

in the dim jungle of translational geist
you go exploring. there is a tiger.
there is always a tiger. this time it wears
a short skirt. her eyes are like the river
where you grew. you embrace her sense the aura
of her lips. then you wake up. yikes!

Love Sizzles
Reviewed by Billie A. Williams
ISBN # 192870493X $...
Dream Street Prose/Fusion Press 2002

Authors: Carolee Joy, Betsy Norman, Tami D. Cowden, Susan D Brooks, Madi Ryan Lee and Su Kopil
Genre: Romance (in all the sub-genre's there are)

Six women team up to bring you an anthology that shows remarkable talent and breadth of topic. The author's of Love Sizzles prove that the art of the short story lives and in a most appealing romantic compilation as you'll ever hope to read.

Carolee Joy's "Caught in a Masquerade," has twists and turns that rival most mysteries. Then again she surprises the read in "Satin and Lacey" her second in this anthology is the wife having an affair? Her husband is prepared to find out, but not for what he does find out. More twists at the capable hands of Ms. Joy.

Tami Cowden takes us on a walk in "Passions Garden" with peeks into the characters minds that make us want to shake them to wake them to each others fantasies. Cowden knows how to keep the reader bound to the page, an enjoyable read and a sensuous look at dreaming and familiarity coming together to spark romance.

Su Kopil tugs at our heart strings when a little boy is being pulled apart by divorce. He helps to draw happiness and fulfillment into his mother's life and his own, with Kopil's touching romantic story "Love is in the Air," as much about parental love as romantic love.

Did you ever stick your foot in your mouth and wish you could bury your embarrassment. Susan D Brooks' protagonist in "Home Run Hearts," seems to have a knack for putting feet, socks and all in her mouth. Watching her wriggle out of the mess she created is half the fun of this piece.

Betsy Norman, in "Stay with Me," plays the opposite end of the spectrum when not saying enough is as bad as saying too much was in the story before. A two week singles cruise provides plenty of chances that some people nearly miss taking.

One of my favorites is the strong female protagonist in "Summer Fire". Madi Ryan Lee pulls the read into a major burn, right along with P.C. Martin as she battles a fire that could cost her, her life and that of some of her crew. You can feel the heat of the fire as well as the sizzle of love that burns in her mind. Talk about burning a candle at both ends, this story has a blaze at both ends that we hope will work out safely when it meets in the middle.

I could go on with each story in this anthology in turn. They are all tethered with the thread of romance. Some a little steamier than others, but the story plot is always excellent. The romance is proof that romance writers and short story writers can and do write some of he best reading around. On a scale of 1 to 10, Love Sizzles gets a powerful, over the top 10 and high recommendations. Read it -you'll agree guaranteed.

Fantastic book that is a must read for anyone, in any field, who wants to better communicate with others. Applies to written and spoken communication, interviews, resumes, job reviews, etc.

There is something to be learned, even for the most seasoned professional, about how to conduct oneself in the professional world.

Mendell has done a spectacular job with this gem of a book. Every professional - or person that wants to be one - should have this book.

these books are just great for bible study groups. they have many questions to answer as you read the chapter you are studying from the bible. questions are also included from other chapters of the bible that relate to the chapter you are studying.not alot of personal commentary just alot of great bible study.

This is a phenomenal book that I couldn't recommend more. We all watch the Simpsons, and we all know it is a highly political show, but how much thought have you really given it? Well this book does a superb job of identifying and analyzing the political messages within the show.

Simply excellent. It provided adequate theory behind each of the experiments while explaining the experiments' procedures step by step.

The title, Magic and Madness in the Library, is highly appropriate. Cervantes, Voltaire, Swift, Washington Irving, Jules Verne, Edward Bellamy, Edith Wharton, Aldous Huxley, Virginia Woolf, Jorge Luis Borges, Ray Bradbury, Umberto Eco, Stephen King, and other writers have created fascinating portraits of fictional libraries - public libraries, private libraries, mythical libraries, magical libraries, and evil libraries.

Perhaps it is not surprising that this anthology begins with an humorous excerpt from what may be arguably the first European novel, the tale of Don Quixote (1605). This first entry details the well-intentioned destruction of Don Quixote's private library by the village priest, the local barber, the housekeeper, and Quixote's niece.

Jonathan Swift, the master of satire, describes a conflict between the ancient classics and modern literary upstarts in The Battle of the Books (1695). Another satire, Voltaire's Candide (1759), observes that the most esteemed literary critic is one that most readily finds fault with all writers, including Homer, Virgil, Horace, Cicero, Milton, as well as all German poets.

Jules Verne created the first submersible library in Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea (1869). I was unfamiliar with Edmund Lester Pearson's haunting tale, The Library and the Librarian (1910), a story of imaginary books. The Library of Babel (1944) is among Jorge Luis Borges' finest stories. It begins with the observation: The Universe (which others call the library) is composed of an indefinite, and perhaps infinite number of hexagonal galleries ...

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1932) is a Ray Bradbury classic. Umberto Eco's remarkable scholarly classic, The Name of the Rose (1981), is perhaps the most outstanding library-centric novel ever written. Overdue books are not trivial concerns in The Library Policeman (1990) by Stephen King.

Other selections include excerpts from The Mutability of Literature (1820) by Washington Irving, Looking Backward (1887) by Edward Bellamy, The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton, Crome Yellow (1922) by Aldous Huxley, Jacob's Room (1923) by Virginia Woolf, Hold for Arrival (1995) by Donald Olson, and The Giant's House (1996) by Elizabeth McCracken. This anthology ends with an excerpt from the narrative poem The Library (1838) by Rev. George Crabbe.

Hats off to the editor, Eric Graeber, head librarian at The General Society Library in New York City, for this entertaining and eclectic anthology. Magic and Madness in the Library belongs in your collection.

This collection of essays, discussion and writing exercises is challenging material for English as a Second Language students. I use Making Peace for intermediate and advanced writing courses and it has a section of very useful editing and revision checklists and pre-writing ideas.

I am especially impressed with the range of topics and the author's efforts to demostrate the interconnectedness of gender, race and class oppression. My one criticism is that the essay, Anglo versus Chicano is disappointingly off the mark. (But this is a fault of the essay and not the editors.) I look forward to an updated edition, though there are easy connections to current topics of peace: global war on terrorism, race and gender presidential politics, etc.

Some might object to such a "political" reader, but in fact, all education is political. In the fine tradition of progressive and radical educators, Making Peace simply makes its politics conscious and overt.

Ruben Rangel
New York

Dr. Jerry Labriola brings extensive medical experience to his writing, having practiced medicine for over 30 years. He was also an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut Medical School and was Chief of Staff at Waterbury General. He has coauthored a crime book and is involved in several mystery writers' groups. He lectures and conducts workshops on forensic science and true crime.

There is, apparently, no rest for Dr. David Brooks. David can't seem to even take a vacation with his fiancé, Detective Kathy Dupre, without finding a dead body and being chased by the bad guys. But this time the action begins with the kidnaping of a baby, who happens to be related to Kater Weld, scientist and Associate Director of Brent Institute of Technology. Kater is the next victim, although the baby is returned. Threatening notes and more murders ensue, all connected to the planned Interpol-sponsored summit in Malta, where a revolutionary inhaler touted as the next anti-terror tool, is supposed to be introduced. Each scientist involved with the formula is killed, and Dr. David's job is to uncover the plot and the culprits:

"At his computer, David continued the review he'd begun on the drive home: the puzzle of criminal elements seeking him out on a vacation in Venice. Was his life an open book to some people? The validity of Hendley's remarks. The necessity for another series of interrogations. Whom to include? Whom to leave out? Should he try to find Saltanban? Shades? But, as in the case of his most recent investigations, he return to a dominant theme, one with its own set of queries: Would his personal mettle be up to the test again?"

Labriola casts Dr. David Brooks as sort of a medical Sam Spade. Brooks is a big guy with a rare intellect; the savvy of a street fighter; and just the right amount of sensitivity to be a ladies man with his love, the delectable Detective Dupre. For her part, Detective Dupre is both hard-boiled and soft in all the right places, making their romance flashy and warm. David also has a sidekick, Musco the cabby, and Musco's devotion to David is only topped by David's high regard for Musco's talents and his self-deprecating insight that he is Musco's role model. All in all, Dr. Labriola writes with a high plot, attention to detail, and insight into criminality.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer