White Books

Being aware of the influence that Japanese print making had on European artists in the 19th century, but not having had much exposure to Japanese prints, I found this book to be a wonderful introduction. The essays that opened the book and the explicatory text that accompanied each print helped to establish a dialogue between the ideas that were exchanged between Oriental art and European art. I found this to be an excellent addition to my personal collection, and would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in this area.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Europeans and Americans discovered the world of Japanese woodblock prints and thus began an enduring love affair. One result has been the publication over the last century of literally hundreds of books and thousands of articles about the prints known as "ukiyoe," with a particular emphasis on such giants of the genre as Hokusai and Hiroshige. How then, in this crowded field, does one manage to create a must-have publication for readers who may already have well-stocked libraries on Japanese art?

One answer is to be found in "Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts." Issued by the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco in conjunction with an exhibition, "Hokusai and Hiroshige" is typical of a new wave of "ukiyoe" books that combine excellent design (of layout and typography) with clear and interesting text. Every page displaying a print has a near equal amount of space devoted to text, and the book benefits as well from introductory essays by three established experts. The text in particular appeals to me, providing not only insights about the compositional nature of each print but also detail on the locales depicted by these two great landscape artists and appropriate historical information. There is room for improvement in "Hokusai and Hiroshige"--I would have preferred more standard romanizations for some Japanese words and the inclusion of an index covering well more than just print titles--but overall this is an excellent and valuable volume.

I have not "finished" this book, nor do I intend to for a long time. I take it out to admire, print by print, sometimes reading the informative text, sometimes not. This is not a comic book to rush through. Linger, enjoy.

This volume was the companion for the exhibits at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. It covers all the lerge number of works shown there, each with descriptions of what is depicted and some in the points of interest that highlight each artist's rendering of the scene. There are sections on the lives of each artist and the fairly primitive tools used to create these intricate multi-colored (and thus multi-pressed) prints. The full collection of sets, such as the Hokusai views of Mount Fuji, are very well done and would in themselves make this book worthwhile. The sum total of both these woodblock masters is awe inspiring and sumptuous.

I have not "finished" this book, nor do I intend to for a long time. I take it out to admire, print by print, sometimes reading the informative text, sometimes not. This is not a comic book to rush through. Linger, enjoy.

Karen White's The House on Tradd Street is part romance, part ghost story, part mystery. The narration of this novel grips the reader with its beautiful descriptions of South Carolina and the historic neighborhoods of Charleston. Melanie Middleton specializes in historic home sales, though she hates historic homes and believes those who buy historic homes are saps willing to waste thousands of dollars on renovations. Fate brings her into the home of Mr. Vanderhorst, who asks Melanie if she saw a woman in the garden. He suddenly dies and leaves her his home.

Melanie is given a historic home and the money to renovate and repair it from the Vanderhorst estate. There are a great cast of characters in this book from Mr. Vanderhorst to his mother's ghost and Melanie, her father, and Jack Trenholm. Melanie is a barracuda in the real estate world, but her inability to relate to her family or male companions hampers her ability to widen her horizons. Meanwhile, Jack uses his good looks and fame to woo women to his side and charm them out of information so he can uncover historical mysteries and publish novels. His charm and good looks, on the other hand, are just a cover.

The restoration at Tradd Street begins, and Melanie is overwhelmed by her responsibilities and the two attractive men that have fallen into her life--Marc Longo and Jack Trenholm. In spite of the restoration, Melanie gets wrapped up in the mystery surrounding Mr. Vanderhorst's mother's disappearance and the ghosts that haunt her new home.

White easily draws the reader into the beauty of Charleston and her ghost mystery. The intricate relationships between these characters are complex, and in spite of the convenient connections between Melanie's family, the Vanderhorsts, and the Trenholms in a big city like Charleston, I was enveloped in the storyline.

The mystery doesn't get heavy with humor sprinkled in. The interactions between Melanie and Jack is contagious and will make readers smile.

I recommend this book to those who love a good mystery and a good ghost story.

Realtor Melanie Middleton loves the single life that her professional success brings her. Everything is going extremely well. However, Melanie cannot understand why a late client whom she barely knew left her an ancient relic more elephant than house in Charleston, South Carolina; all she has to do to inherit it is live there for a year.

Even stranger to Melanie is her uncanny ability to see dead people. She knows she must look into her haunted past to understand her present. Her family and friends, some of whom have crossed to the other side, remain at her side helping her come to grips with THE HOUSE ON TRADD STREET and much more when investigative reporter Jack Trenholm arrives searching for missing Confederate diamonds that he believes are buried in the house. As they fall in love, encouraged by her family (dead and alive), one mean spirit wants them gone claiming ownership of the diamonds and much more.

The key to this quirky charmer is the depth of the lead characters especially the heroine and even some of the ghosts. Fans of paranormal romantic suspense will want to read this wonderful tale as Karen White provides a fine treasure hunt mystery with a nasty spirit inside a warm romance in which Readers will say yes that they believe in ghosts and in love.

Harriet Klausner

As you can probably tell by the rating, I enjoyed The House on Tradd Street immensely. First of all, the setting was wonderful. I was in Charleston, SC last year, and White really has a way of making the setting come alive. Her descriptions are vivid, and she manages to convey a sense of grandeur and history, coupled with the haunting quality that comes with these old houses. I thought she did a magnificent job with the setting.

The characters are definitely well-written. The reader can really understand Melanie's need to control everything around her and her feelings towards her parents. However, she is not intransigent or annoyingly stubborn; it is wonderful to watch her relationship with her father heal throughout the book. Indeed, she evolves quite a bit as a character, and it is a satisfying journey to watch. Jack is a great character as well; he is obviously damaged, but manages to hide it incredibly well with his charm and good looks. It is obvious from the beginning of the book that these two are made for each other, but it's not annoyingly predictable.

And finally, the mystery. This had me on the edge of my seat, reading frantically in an effort to finish the book before class (I knew that if I didn't, I would end up skipping class to discover what happens to Melanie, Jack, and the house on Tradd Street). It really is that captivating. It unfolds very slowly; the reader is at the middle of the book by the time the real mystery is actually uncovered. Sometimes, this might be frustrating, but in The House on Tradd Street, that is not the case. Instead, it serves as a reminder that the mystery of Louisa's disappearance is the underlying story to the novel and is one of the reasons that Melanie agreed to take the house. The fact that Melanie can see ghosts is also an interesting addition to the story. It can be disturbing and downright scary at times, but it is handled incredibly well, without any cheesiness.

The only disappointment in this book is that it ended. However, this was tempered by the fact that, upon turning the last page, I read the surprising and heartwarming words that read, "Melanie Middleton and Jack Trenholm will be back for a new adventure - turn the page for an exciting preview of their book, coming from New American Library in November 2009." Just one more year. I can't wait!

This book has everything - an intriguing story line involving missing diamonds from the Civil War, ghosts (good AND bad), location (historic Charleston), a hero with a secret, a bad guy with his own secret, Melanie Middleton who has a long way to go for the peaceful well-ordered life she wants and the house on Tradd Street which brings them all together.

A great mystery, a love story and a ghost story make for an enjoyable read.

The 2nd book in this series will be out in November, 2009.

Karen White
New American Library
ISBN: 9780451225092
5 stars
Excellent reading...
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com
Melanie Middleton inherits an old historic home on Tradd Street. Jack Trenholm is a writer. He suspects there is treasure hidden in the house. He volunteers to assist Melanie in the remodeling/restoring effort in hopes of doing a little treasure hunting. He soon falls in love with Melanie. The old house is haunted and one particular spirit is very unhappy with all the treasure hunting.
Karen White impressed me in her first book, The Memory of Water. She just keeps getting better! The House On Tradd Street is a great read. Readers will enjoy the romance between Melanie and Jack. The flirtation is high energy. The characters are multi-dimensional and eccentric. Even the ghosts have quirky personalities. This is not your typical ghost story; it is not horror or spooky. This story has great depth. Romance, mystery, paranormal, and a little humor all combine to make The House On Tradd Street a book that you do not want to miss.

Great book even if you are not moving. If you are moving with a child, read before you start packing up.

This book helped our sons find some humor in moving, when we moved THREE times in TWO years! They made a game out of hiding in a big moving box or empty kitchen cabinets after I had packed all of the contents, and saying, "I'm not moving , Mama!" It became a running joke in our family-- and now when I talk about moving out of suburbia and to the country someday, they still say, "I'm not moving, Mama!" and we laugh.

This book is a sweet little story, and I really love the gentle way that Mama handles her child's reluctance. She always knows what to say! My favorite line is, "It's better being all together in someplace new."

This book reminded me to let my kids be mad about moving, so they could get past that and become excited about the next part of our adventure. Sing-songy books like this that help keep things light and simple are helpful. This one and Frank Asch's GOODBYE, HOUSE were our favorites.

We are on the brink of moving and my 3 1/2 year old loves this book. The little mouse in the book doesn't want to move, but all the while he's watching his mom pack up all of his favorite stuff. The mom ensures him that their new home will have all the great things that their old one does, but will be even better. This book has sparked some great conversations with our son about moving and how we will always remember the fun times we had in our old house, "but it's better to all together in someplace new." This is a great book for a child to "read" along - he/she will enjoy saying "But I'm not moving, Mama!" throughout the book.

The illustrations are fun & my kids love to read with me by saying all the 'I'm not moving Mama' lines. It has helped to get them thinking about moving & understanding that although it's sad to move, we will all be together & create new routines & memories in the new house. And it has the added benefit of being a book that I don't mind reading over & over.

Moving is never easy for children. But Nancy Carlstrom's mama mouse affirms the fears of her child while offering a future full of possibilities. The pictures are great, with lots of little details for young readers concerned about the transition and location of all their "stuff."

Building a secure Internet infrastructure is akin to building a house. There are a lot of different entities involved, that all must work together to ensure that the edifice is properly constructed. If the building is not properly constructed, even a small wind can topple it.

While a house needs an architect, contractors, plumbers, electricians and much more; networks require similar sets of skills if it is to be deployed in a secure manner. The problem with designing secure Internet sites is that the dynamics of information systems means that the foundation is constantly changing. Just as companies are finishing their migrations, there are new updates to deal with. The threats and vulnerabilities are for the most part increasing quicker than most organizations are able to deal with

For those looking to design their Internet information security infrastructure, Internet Site Security is an excellent title to use as their guide. It is like an architects guide to building secure networks.

The book is quite comprehensive in its coverage of all critical areas of security. It details how to build a secure infrastructure and how to deploy policies to protect it. It covers various technologies such as intrusion detections systems and firewalls, and shows how they are to be effectively deployed.

Then advantage of the book is that it has just the right combination of breath and depth. Topics are covered effectively, and the authors do not waste the reader's time by going into obscure security minutiae or academic threats.

Readers looking for an effective guide to fundamental issues involved with information security and Internet security are well advised to read Internet Site Security. Don't design you Internet site without it.

I only recently became a [website user]. Just a month ago, someone said to me, "Aww heck, they won't let me FTP from behind this firewall at work."

And I felt really stupid.

Fortunately for me, this very technical book was not at all confusing, as I ran off and bought it immediately after my humiliation. It is written in an informative and relatively jargon-free language. I have been tranformed from a virus-laden security ignoramus to a web geek security know-it-all!!!

This really is a superb book. The evidence that the authors are hands on types who have implemented what they describe is very apparent, and take it from someone who has been doing security for years, the problems they describe are what you experience in real life. It's a refreshing change from other books which describe the products/technologies as if they were reading a feature list - it's hard to find a book packed with real life experience.

I'd describe it as a 'mid level' book, i.e. if you need detailed knowledge of x509 etc you need a seperate tome - but if you want a fairly detailed overview of the majority of risks affecting your web site, this is the book to choose.

Collaboratively written by Erik Schetina (CTO for TrustWave Corporation), and TrustWave Corporation senior security engineers Ken Green and Jacob Carlson, Internet Site Security is a much-needed and completely "user friendly" instructional guide to implementing solid and reliable security measures for a personal or professional internet site. Individual chapters provide an informationally useful overview of basic types of security, and address specific issues such as network and application protocols (TCP/IP), operating system and server software issues from Windows NT and 2000 to Linux and Unix, Intrusion-Detection Systems, common security mistakes in internet applications, and much, much more. Internet Site Security is a very highly recommended (if not downright indispensable) resource for surviving in today's era of cyber-crime.

This book covers the subject of Internet Security in a comprehensive manner. It contains excellent coverage on modern penetration/exploitation techniques as well as proper forensic procedures. The book shows you how to build a secure infrastructure and how to proactively deploy security policies, something that should be emphasized in every organization. It offers valuable insight on integration of a security infrastructure into an existing enterprise environment, covering both technical and political ramifications. The book discusses in-depth the strengths and weaknesses of various Intrusion Detection Systems and FireWall architectures. It also provides excellent coverage on IPSec and PAM; better than any documents that I have read on the Internet. The book provides both breadth and depth. It is neither a book all about theories and policies nor just another compilation of internet articles and mailing list discussions. Many insight gleaned from the authors' industry experience have shined through this book. It is a worth read even for a senior security engineer.

"For theater lovers, this holiday brings books that should satisfy even the pickiest soul. My favorite is a gossipy portrait of Broadway over the past 60 years - IT HAPPENED ON BROADWAY, AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE GREAT WHITE WAY..... It's fun to browse in (lots of nice pictures), but addictive as a bag of potato chips."

This is a one of a kind Broadway book. The stories, the photos, the whole feel . . .it is like table hopping at Sardi's.

IT HAPPENED ON BROADWAY: AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE GREAT WHITE WAY By Myrna Katz Frommer & Harvey Frommer

The Bloomsbury Review, November-December 1998

What better way to write a history of the last fifty years of Broadway theater than to get the information from those who made it all happen! The Frommers have compiled an oral history that is told by many of those wonderfully talented, hardworking people who spared no effort to create great hits and, yes, occasionally, flops. More than one hundred actors, directors, choreographers, producers, composers, lyricists, and playwrights as well as set, costume, and lighting designers, extras, and publicists have contributed to this deliciously enjoyable compilation of material about the great white way.

It Happened on Broadway is filled with background information about the Broadway shows of the last half century, and the successes, failures, struggles, and uncertainties of many personalities. Many interviewees have been household names for generations, others are just achieving recognition, and some names are not likely to mean much to most readers. Yet they all bring us some of the most interesting experiences and insights about the Broadway theater of recent years. One wonders how the Frommers managed to persuade so many luminaries to share their tales.

The first chapter "Broadway Calling," should be required reading for every theater student, aspiring actor, and budding theater professional. To hear Carol Channing, Jerry Herman, Betty Buckley, Manny Azenberg, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Al Hirschfeld, Richard Kiley, Leslie Uggams, Louise Lasser, Charles Durning, Patricia Neal, Jerry Zaks and many more tell how they got started in their careers is an education in itself and makes for superbly entertaining reading as well.

Much of the book is devoted to musicals, since those were the majority of "name" Broadway shows of the last half century, but there are also stories of the Theater Guild, from Eugene O'Neill and Bernard Shaw to William Inge and Sean O'Casey and the last week of Clifford Odets, and about the extraordinary talents of Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams and such performers as Marlon Brando and Tallulah Bankhead. Celeste Holm tells how her Broadway career began when she was cast by Lynn Fontanne in The Time of Your Life together with Gene Kelly and William Bendix. And there is talk about the groundbreaking impact of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun.

In one chapter "Look, Look, Look Who's Dancin' Now," Gwen Verdon, Marge Champion, Donna McKechnie and others share stories about Agnes DeMille, Jerome Robbins, Gower Champion, Bob Fosse, and the creation of Chorus Line and Chicago.

Most new shows go through a difficult gestation period before they are ready to be presented to the public. In some instances, a late edition of a song or conversely, deletion of some material can turn a potential loser into a future hit. Backstage tales, candid comments on their own performances and those of their fellow actors, the roundabout ways in which producers obtained production rights, often after years of effort, all make for fascinating reading.

This book gives the rare opportunity to hear the comments of those who were involved in the creation of Guys and Dolls, Cabaret, Zorba, Wonderful Town, On the Twentieth Century, The Will Rogers Follies, Annie, Nine, Grand Hotel, Titanic, and many, many more.

To sum up, the Frommers have combined these interviews and stories into a rich, seamless, history that masterfully captures the essence of Broadway's last five decades in a most enjoyable fashion. _____ __

Paging through this book is like stepping back through those years in the mid to late 20th Century when Broadway was bursting with fresh talent and wonderous creativity. Fantastic photos (many of which I have not seen elsewhere) and the collected personal memories of an army of Broadway veterans. Instead of muddying these memories with reams of connecting text, the editors have grouped related anecdotes into chapters and let those who lived this history speak for themselves. A great read for anyone who loves the theatre -- Broadway in particular.

The stars, both onstage and off, that have helped create the Broadway theatre of today have committed their lives to one of the most important and vital of all the arts. This book gives them their due in a way few others have. It Happened on Broadway is a very well-done book recording for posterity the fine tradition that is Broadway theatre, using almost entirely the words of the people that actually lived their lives there. It is funny, touching, englightening, and a must-read for anyone who loves Broadway and theatre as much as those in the book who gave their lives to it.

I am a fan of the Kennedys and I love this book! It is just pictures...pictures...pictures! It is so wonderful! I had to wait 6 long days for it to come to my house. But it was worth it! I love all of the photographs of Caroline as a 2 year old at the beach playing with her parents. I also like the ones of John at the beach with his mother.
This book is wonderful. And I love it. If you buy it, it is worth the money! I paid 12 dollars for it! Mark Shaw did a good job!!!

Many memories, and brings much sadness at the same time- I have my book from earlier print from the 1960's - with this latest event it is even more of a keeper- by the way who is the publisher now.- mine was Ambassador Books Canada- and printed by Sanders printing Corp, NY. Do you know if the eariler editions are more valuable? any response would be appreciated.

Mark Shaw's photographs capture the idyllic moments of John, Jackie, Caroline and John Jr., whether at play in the White House or laughing together on a Cape Cod beach. The simple yet stunning photos of this famous foursome will be as familiar to you as your own family photo album.

To those who were there when John Kennedy was in the White House, this book will serve as a touching remembrance and to people who know about the Kennedys from just a historical standpoint, the photos and words will provide a more personal glimpse into the years that are commonly referred to as the Camelot era. Richard Reeves words are not overly sentimental but an accurate assessment of the life and times of this legendary family.

Overall, The John F. Kennedys: A Family Album, is a pleasant, yet sometimes sad journey looking back at what was considered the perfect family of two successful, stunning parents and their adorable children. Behind the photos, all was not perfect but Mark Shaw's camera didn't lie -- in the end, they were like any other family with problems but in-between they knew how to have fun and simply enjoy each others company, as is evident in many of Shaw's photos, especially those showing them at play at their home on Cape Cod.

Followers of the Kennedy's will no doubt enjoy this book, as will those who are interested in what life was like for a very public family who shared their private times with a talented photographer and with the world. If you like taking a look back in time, you will no doubt enjoy the journey Mark Shaw and Richard Reeves takes you on.

This book has beautiful photographs of the former first family. Congradulations to Mark Shaw for a wonderful job!!!!!! FOR QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ON JACKIE ONASSIS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT MellissaLD@aol.com. HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark Shaw's book is a real treat. His loving, poignant photographs show the real love, the real bonds, the real ties within the most famous family. The pictures of little Caroline and John are among my favorites. Caroline and John from all accounts have remained so natural, so wonderfully, refreshingly normal. I loved seeing these two children at play. Pennsylvania Avenue could have been Main Street. To their parents' credit, they grew up unaffected. This book shows it.

I found this book online! I don't have it, but I know that I'm from Hope Howland!

Wow!!! John Howland is my great-grandfather x9. My family comes from his daughter Hannah, and her husband Johnathan Bosworth. There is so much family history, and so much to his story.

I'm the 9th Generation from John Howland.. He would have been my GreatGrandfather X8..There is so much history in this Familytree.. Just an example: John Howland fell off the Mayflower Ship and survived!John Howland is in the begining of my FamilyTree.

If you are descended from John Howland and Mary Lee, this is the book for you. It is full of all kinds of information . After I bought it I realized it wasn't my line but I still enjoyed it and will keep it. my line continues to Hope Howland and John chipman and wish I could find a book on this line.

I'm generation #9 From John Howland.. He is my Great Grandfather X8.... This is a must read! There is so much history in this familytree! Even in the many years that followed! I know I've the Familytree from 1592 to 2000..

Everybody who has serious illness or cares for somebody with a life-threatening illness should have this book. Makes a nice gift.

Going to be a best seller or should be.

NANCY WHITE KELLY IS A MASTER OF LIFE. SHE TOUCHES THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF HER READERS. SHE SHARES A STORY FULL OF HUMOR, EMOTION AND INSPIRATION AND IS ONE OF LIFES GREAT FIGHTERS. I AM LUCKY THAT SHE CAME BACK INTO MY LIFE AFTER AN ABSENCE OF SO MANY YEARS.

SIMPLY, ANYONE HAVING....OR KNOWS OF ANYONE HAVING BREAST CANCER SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. IT GIVES INSIGHT OF THE PERSONAL UPS AND DOWNS OF THIS DREADFUL ILLNESS, AND SHOWS HOW YOU MAY AS A PERSON KEEP AND USE A SINCE OF HUMOR TO HELP OVER COME OR AT LEAST KEEP AT BAY THIS ILLNESS. YOU WILL LAUGH, AND CRY BUT, AT LEAST WALK AWAY KNOWING HOW THE LORD CAN WORK IN WAYS BEYOND OUR EVERYDAY LIVES, AND BE USED TO HELP OTHERS. IN MY OPINION....I HIGHLY REGUARD THIS BOOK "TOPS"....AND RECOMMEND IT !!!!

The Journal of a Living Lady is one of late summer's nicest gifts. Nancy White Kelly, a middle-aged school principal/writer, reaches deep within her southern soul to wittily describe what it is like to dance daily with terminal illness.

The book is a compilation of her most popular weekly newspaper columns which began originally as the Journal of a Dying Lady. When the author kept surpassing her doctor's time schedule for expected death, loyal readers suggested a title change. The Journal of a Living Lady allowed her more latitude to write about other interesting adventures as she traveled the toll-road to cancer survival.

The popularity of Nancy Kelly's local newspaper column soon turned global due to the accessibility of her columns on the web and the recognition given by web reviewers. Mrs. Kelly appeared as a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show. The Making Memories Organization recognized the author's wish to have an extended family reunion after she wrote, "I believe we have our funeral traditions backwards. When somebody dies, family and friends spend hours catching up, laughing and sharing memories. The only thing wrong with that scenario is that the person in the pine box doesn't get to participate."

Journal of a Living Lady is a page-turner. The last sentence of the first chapter ends, "I intend to live forever. So far, so good." Writing with a sometimes cynical, oftentimes mischievious squint, Mrs. Kelly leads the reader through several funny, yet inspiration experiences.

This book made me laugh and cry for three hours. Nancy White Kelly may have terminal cancer, but it certainly doesn't have her. In one column she wrote, "Until the horse is dead, I won't dismount. I only plan to spend the last day of my life dying." She also offers good advice: "Laugh a lot. Hug like a bear. Then smile. It is the second best thing you can do with your lips."

William Gaylin's book, which combined good journalism, professional psychiatric insight, and superb wisdom and philosophical context, is in my opinion the best criminology ever written. Although his discussion of the crime and the motives therefor is first rate, what gives the book its immense value is the observations he made of the reaction of the Yale community to the offense. (Both murderer and victim were Yale undergraduates.) He combined this acute analysis with an acuity of insight that makes the book both profound and immediate. Anyone interested in criminal law should read and digest this book.

The best true crime books reveal not simply the crime and the criminals but the times in which both existed. While not really a True Crime book per se, it does reveal the crime, the criminal and the times.

I reread this book after reading American Taboo by Philip Weiss. Both books are about young, sexually liberated young women in their early twenties who are murdered in the mid 1970s by men whose claims of "insanity" successfully save them from murder convictions. In both cases people rally around the murderer because "no one can help" the dead victim anymore. In American Taboo, it's "us" (read "Americans") against "them" (read the Tongans). In Bonnie Garland's case the us are people who passionately believe that "prison does no good" versus "the establishment."

Gaylin delves deeply into the minds of all involved to understand their motivations and goals. He nails Herrin's defenders on their strange inability to differentiate punishment and rehabilitation. He also exposes their contempt for imprisonment in general - most can barely summon up an example of a crime that would warrant a long stint in jail. Gaylin isn't one sided, he depicts both sides with compassion and respect, he is especially good at drawing out the passionate desire for social justice that lead some of Herrin's supporters to see this case in political terms. Would commitment Catholic clergy like Sister Ramona Pena and the Christian Brothers have championed the cause of a man who bludgeoned his girlfriend with a claw-hammer in any other time but the early 1970s?

Most unsettling is the reaction of the Yale establishment many of who voice a feeling that Bonnie Garland's father needed to just get over it, that his grief and rage were somehow out of proportion. The lack of simple human compassion is staggering - for them the University is more important than the students.

This is a powerful book. The first chapter alone should be required reading in every high school civics class for the questions it asks. Does society have a right to demand punishment in the name of justice or is the goal of the justice system to salvage what can be salvaged that will benefit society in the long term? These are questions each of us should ask ourselves as citizens.

This is one of those rare books that, for better or worse, keeps me under its daunting yoke. It's gory depiction of the murder of Bonnie Garland, a 1970s Yale undergraduate, and of the mindset of her murderer, a fellow student, is breathtaking in an eerie, dreadful sort of way. When I read this book about four years ago, the hairs on my arms stood straight up. When I think about this book today, my Pavlovian hairs march in step. Giving me a glimpse of the mind of a killer is what I liked about this book.

What I didn't like, and what the second half of this book concerns itself with, is the psychological analysis of why the killer did what he did. This was the bane of an otherwise great book. The first half of the book was written in a reporter-like, just-the-facts-ma'am style. I liked that. Part of the joy of the book for me was to figure out how the killer thought, and to extrapolate his motive(s) for the crime. The author's Mickey-mouse psychological analysis of the killer's motives in the second half of the book was amateurish at best, and to my reckoning, just plain wrong.

In any event, I couldn't stop reading the book and the pitfalls of its second half weren't so bad as to destroy the enjoyment I gained from the first half. Personally, however, I would just read the first half and leave it at that.

One important note: my enjoyment of this book was purely on an intellectual level -- in trying to answer the question "why do killers kill." However, on an emotional level, this book was nauseating and, quite frankly, sick. I often had to put the book down and wonder (1) how could someone commit such a heinous act and (2) how could somebody write a book about it in such a cool-headed, detached fashion? I'm not sure if I'm better for having read it or if I would have been better off having left my copy without a reader. I'm sure the answer rests somewhere in the middle, but if you're especially squeamish, you'd be better off not buying this book. If you've ever lost a loved one to violent crime, it's probably not the book for you. And if you're the vigilante type, this is definitely not the book for you: you'll probably find yourself wanting to take care these sick-headed people yourself.

Absolutely invigorating book. The methodical thinking of Willard Gaylin is simply brilliant. Everything is clear. An amazing read!

Willard Gaylin is a gifted writer who is also a psychiatrist with long years of practice. The book is about an awful murder, but more than that it's about the inability of institutions of society -- Yale, and the criminal justice system -- to deal effectively with immorality and cruelty. The murder is the lens through which Gaylin brings social, moral and psychiatric issues into focus. Twenty years after I first read this book it remains vivid in my mind.

I made the most serious mistake that a reviewer can make. I became so entranced by the novelty, excitement, and bizarreness of this book that I forgot to underline the fantastic metaphors, the curious style, and the "lunatic" story line of the book.

This book is a cross between science fiction and satire. Stephen White's human being, Oliver Sandwich, descends into a mailbox to find the land of the Letter L. This letter is the skeleton for the Land Liberals who all want to dress up in the television characters that they see in Hollywood. Within the boundary of the town, there characters dressed like Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, and many other actors and actresses. When Stephen's human enters the town, he raises all kinds of questions about reality, about emotions, and even about sex.

White's satire is expressed through the language he creates to describe this world of letters, and through his wild take on the life of Hollywood in general, and the question of meaning in the relations between his human and the L people.

It is no exaggeration to compare White's creation of new words and conceptions to James Joyce's literary ambitions to justify ambiguity in all expressions. Both White and Joyce create new vocabularies to show the plasticity of reality, and the imperfection of dialogue and credibility. In one of the funniest sections of the book, there is a debate by the Council of the Town of L's on the nature and existence of White's human character. The Council has no way of understanding him, nor he of them. This is the looniest of encounters. White's intriguing use of language and his parody of Hollywood and television ranks favorably with the output of our greatest Western satirists-- Jonathan Swift, Lewis Carroll--and the great Chinese satirists--Li Ruzhen and Wu Jingzi. (One writer sends his traveler to Islands inhabited by women who rule and wear men's clothing. The men have bound feet. The other writer sends his traveler to the homes of Mandarin officials who are all sorry examples of scholarship.) All of these writers refigure language and reality to mock the official culture, and find humor in our perceptions of reality.

White's book could be easily morphed into a movie. Better yet, it would be a great Japanese animation. It has all the hallmarks of Japanese humor: the ability to change from one human form to another, or from one animal to another just by concentrating one's mind. White's manifestations in the L world are comical because they so seriously regard their world as real.

Curl up in a chair and read this book. You will never look at a mailbox in the same way ever again. Beware. Besides the world of L, there are worlds for the other letters as well. And some are not so comical!

L, A Lunatic Love, is a character driven, highly innovative satiric tale that you will enjoy from cover to cover. With a new reason to laugh out loud coming at you after every turn of the page, you will not stop turning the pages until you have finished the entire book. White's deft satire about American life, including our obsession with cults of personality and our constant longing and searching for love and who knows what else, delivered through the woes of his bumbling but lovable hero, will make you a grateful fan of this writer. White's well-paced storytelling, loaded with his considerable wit and cynicism, will keep you entertained and laughing (or smirking) throughout this clever novel. Very highly recommended.

"L, A Lunatic Love Life" is a magical journey into a landscape occupied by the likes of Lewis Carroll and Jonathan Swift. The book is witty, inventive and ultimately moving. You won't forget the inhabitants of Letterland; in fact, the letter 'L' will find its way into your heart by way of your funny bone. Stephen White engages our imagination in a looney, literate, lollapalooza life- affirming experience.

L,A Lunatic Love Life is a modern day echo of Alice In Wonderland. A young man smitten with love absentmindedly falls through the "rabbit hole" and lands in a world cast with totally original characters.
Mr. White threads the journey of his romatic and heroic lead character through a
world that is at once visually rich and almost a cartoon of the world our hero
fell from.
The landscape and characters of L,A Lunatic Love Life suggest to this reader a wonderful animated feature.

I had an absolute blast reading "L, A Lunatic Love Life." I found it to be an "E Ticket" ride - whimsically imaginative, totally unpredictable, hilarious and poignant at the same time, and visually dynamic. Stephen Leon White's unique imagery, delivered with fine narrative ease, has stayed with me-as has his loveable cast of characters ('though, now that I think of it, the more I write, the more letters I'm dragging from their precious lives elsewhere....). Letterland - an excellent ride indeed!