Reno Books

Dwayne Kling spent a decade and a half reserching this Terrific, and oh-so thorough book. His dedication to accuracy is evident on every page. Buy it for the history, and you will be knocked-out by the photos! The city of Reno and its claim to fame as a gambling mecca never looked better.

I feel this was a very good book as it started with action, as most western books should to get the reader in the book. Than it just kept you in suspense and guessing what was to come next. Never sure what was going to take place.

Surreal Song peals back the layers of time itself and peers into the crazy chaos of life in America in the 1970's in one of the most bizarre cities on Earth. The book has a lingering sadness which plucks at the soul while ripping irreverantly at the mocked up cardboard characters we zip ourselves into when we parade through life. Belly Button Blinkies - just the words drag forth a smile and demand one more turn of the page. If you like Kerouac or Burroughs, then this book is worthy of a read.

I found it engaging, captivating and at times painful to read. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is for those who understand that dragons lay hidden in the tall grass, with sharpened teeth and wise ancient eyes.

Marianne LeFae

"She awakened to the taste of catastrophe still in her mouth."
What a great line, you know exactly how the character feels - haven't we all felt this strongly at some point in our lives?

I finished reading and wish I didn't have to go to work so I could read it again. I keep wondering what the women did next and where they are today - the options were endless!

I was not a child of the sixties. I liked that the book gave me a glimpse of that time where women were gaining a foothold into the workforce.

I especially liked how the author portrayed Connie and Tottie's affection for eachother, the nice intimate moments really shined a light on how they were as people.

from the publishers web site - This is the story of a young lawyer, Connie, engaged to be married and encountering the invisible obstacles that stand in the way of women in her profession, who meets Tottie, a runaway from a conservative family who joins the underground in rebellion.

Even though I live in Portland OR, I just recently got turned on to our homeboy's art. I was an instant convert. Jesse's art is so new and fresh, a little bit reminiscent of Basquiat but his primitive subjects are all his own and his layering techniques are more intense. This book is a beautiful primer of Jesse's work. There is no commentary, except for a brief message from JR in the beginning, which I dare you to decipher. After that, you get page after page of full color, wonderfully photographed work. If you are an artist and you are looking for an inspiration book, buy this one. You will be going back to the art again and again for its originality.

You may now possess a book banned by the national noncensorship committee at the Library of Congress, through use of the national library database. Online Union Control, or alternately, Prism. As of July 1, 1996, "Defrauding America", by Rodney Stich, and my book departed the "subject" search heading, Judicial Corruption, as well as an entire search heading, Elections-Corrupt Practices, along with the title, Votescam, by Jim and Ken Collier, left the national literary database, WorldCat , used by libraries and book stores across the nation. And of course, you won't hear about our government using the L.o.C. computer database to politically censor our literature(NEWS) by reading our monopoly Advertpaper(s). This book involves what became the legalized alteration of public records(the cash cow for judges in the United States for the last 35 years), the federal witness "protection" program. The subpoenaed witness "disappeared", more providentially than the court's duty to enforce the subpoena and my witness's right to be free and to invoke his desire to testify, sans interference, concerning the indiscretions of a few judges.

After the subpoenaed witness was disappeared, so that he could not testify against the judge(John F. Corrigan), and after the Cleveland FBI cell explained to the author that interfering with a witness was not a crime, and after the Ohio eighth district appellate court with John F. Corrigan(in his only case as an appellate court judge and as the presiding appellate judge) was unable to see the error in the municipal court that had saved his worthless being, and after the author had gone to the state supreme court with his petition, and after his home had been violated in order to remove evidentiary materials damaging to the state and federal attorneys' general offices by the state Bureau of Criminal(!) "Investigation", per orders(verifiable by the venues police chief[no search warrant]) by Thomas J. Moyer(chief "justice" of the Ohio state supreme court), the author could sense there was some factor which was far more pervasive and ominous than just his own inability to obtain his enjoining of a hospital in a criminal prosecution, concerning their beating of a patient and starving to death of another victim in Marymount deathpital. The BCI searched the author's home and seized the original document, but they failed to anticipate the copies of the original, which appear in the book, "Up-Front Sleeper". If you find this difficult to believe, you're controlled by that entity which is supposed to divulge this stuff(information), our monopoly FREEcensoredPRESS.

When the author finally realized there was a pattern of general denial of his rights to judicial remedy, in effect protecting the Corrigan cabal, the idea developed to try to interest the federal superior court, through one of its justices(Souter), to hear a case where the state of Ohio's supreme court had denied a citizen his fifth, sixth, seventh, and later, his first and fourth amendment rights. The author published the book with the intent to deluge the federal supreme court, as well as other targets, with copies of the NEWSBOOK. Check out the Preface, in the book, to see how that attempt fared!

All public libraries, in the state of Ohio, were told, by their STATE liebrary board, to remove all copies of this book from their shelves, with the implied threat that any who did not comply would pay with their jobs. The state of the origin of votefraud, Florida, and Ohio are the only two states so blessed with such boards.

This true story is a demonstration of what is now occurring, when our Press)or our libraries) no longer perform the vital function of informing our electorate of the actions of a nefarious government, when our FREE PRESS is no longer numerous, competitive and responsive the needs of a self governing society. The seven major points illustrated and discussed by the book are as follow:

(1) The Attorneys' General windfall in altering public records-precursor to the now legal federal witness protection program. So now, the federal agents, in this conspiracy to enable judges to continue to take bribes, cannot be prosecuted. That was the only purpose for this act, to protect cooperative federal judges and clerks, not witnesses. State judges can continue to take bribes to disappear witnesses, even if the witnesses never testify. It's all so neat. BIG Money for the attorneys general. And you'll never know who the vast number of these witnesses are. The bar governs what the press can divulge, of course. If you don't believe me, try telling this news, as did the author;

+ our ever lovin' ex-Willie, how many of our federal supreme court "justices" are ex state attorneys general?

(2) Conflict of interest in our Congresses-the Bar's member legislators and why they misrepresent the vast majority by serving-guess whom(?), in our law creating legislatures;

(3) Our corrupted judicial network, who now invoke injustice as "business as usual";

(4) The Justice department's anti-trust division's allowance of our First amendment right to a free, competitive P4ress-our most crucial right- to expire. Time may be past to resurrect our ability to be an informed electorate. Online Computer Library Center, located in the heart of it all, Dublin, Ohio, with 98%(1996 claim) of public libraries and book stores subscribing, is currently censoring(restricting) their computer display of our Libraries' holdings, as a further assault on the First. Access, in effect, denied;

(5) Blatant(only when publicized) obstruction of the process of justice by the "investigatory staff" of Justice, the Federal Bureau of "Investigation", patterned after the Russian czarist secret police, the Checka, in 1909, by Theodore Roosevelt, and by the adjunct to our state's attorney's general office, the Bureau of Criminal "Investigation" (more accurately, the CBI);

(6) Civil rights vs. Government sanctioned psychiatric abuse; and,

(7) Ohio's fraudulent state medical licensing board-self regulation parodied-your safety compromised on a grand scale, with the complicity of our oligarchic,
nondemocratic government.
Global censorship is a logical progression in the scheme of information control.

This book is a must have if you were ever a part of this great little airline. If you are someone who just loves airline history then this book covers the entire history of Reno Air from inception to it's take over by American Airlines.

I purchased this book for my daughter-in-law after I had shared my edition with her. She thoroughly enjoys using the recipes in this book. This book opened my eyes about changes I needed to make in my diet. With all the processed foods out there, it is great to get back to the basics of eating. The recipes I have tried are awesome and very tasty.

When I heard the term "clean eating" I knew it was something I wanted to do but was not sure how to start. This book was just what I needed. The recipes sound interesting and the pictures are beautiful and tempting. I was tired of all the other 'fad' diets' and just wanted something 'more normal'. This is it. I look forward to starting this lifestyle. It is doable and not another crazy scheme to lose weight. The whole family should eat this way too. I am so happy I found this.

I found the recipes in this cookbook to be pretty simple to cook. Sometimes the ingredients are hard to find in the local grocery store. I found the recipes to be a little bland, but I use a lot of spices and herbs in my cooking. Overall, it was a good investment.

I love this book! I have made so many recipes in just two weeks. The only thing I would change would be to make this book hardbound so that it's more durable. Other than that, I love it!

This is the best healthful cookbook I have found. I have tried several recipes and my family and I enjoyed them. They are all easy and call for common ingredients. There are also great instructions on other healthful foods, such as sprouts, and yogurt cheese. The only reason I give it 4 stars is because the binding is fragile, I would prefer a spiral bound. The pages started falling out the first time I used it.

At 41 years old & 70 pounds over weight, I had reached my limit. Tired of being tired, nothing to wear, depressed about my looks & lack of fitness/health...I finally took charge. I am inspired by Tosca's journey. Since the beginning of July, I have averaged 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week with the help of her Eat-Clean Diet & her workout books. I have gained some lean muscle and can see the definition beginning to appear in my arms and legs--despite the need to lose 50 more pounds! I've tried to lose weight many times before, but now I am truly committed to "eating clean" & being a "sister in iron"! The more muscle I build, the more fat I will burn--even while resting! Tosca has created a book that can teach anyone how to use a dumbbell with the proper form. The included DVD was very helpful in understanding the importance of warming up, lifting with proper form and stretching. It feels good to take control of my body. I only wish I had started lifting weights sooner!

This book is a great book. It has a little for everyone in it. I recommend it, lots of tips.

This book is very informative and well written. I think the beginning weight lifter or beginning exerciser would truly value this book. Since I'm more seasoned at weight training. I found nothing new to help me to the next level ( for exercise only). I think this book would keep you motivated if that is something that you need to keep working out.

Though I love Tosca Reno, if you've been exercising for any length of time, it's just too basic. I ended up giving this book to one of my friends who didn't exercise, but wanted to start. I would however recommend her other books on eating clean--those are great!

I bought this book to help me understand how to use the machines at the gym and to learn which muscle groups are being used with each one. It may seem like common sense to a lot of people but I needed it broken down for me, for each machine and each step, and what benefits you get from them each. This book contains work out plans (weight training routines) for beginners, intermediates, and advanced. I have not come across a book quite like it that is actually written by a woman who used to be overweight and made a transformation in this way.

I am a cardio queen and have been looking for something to help motivate me with the weight training. I do great with a trainer but not on my own. This book is really good if you want to do things on your own, step by step, week by week. I think the tips listed on each page are really helpful and Tosca lists actual pages from her own work out diary for you to see.

Highly recommended for a woman who is looking to be more serious about weight training or get started. It has helped me get motivated and I'm really glad I bought it. It breaks it all down for you and gives you things to think about when you are working out and creating goals.

As someone who has worked many years in Chicago journalism, I found this book right up my alley. I'm always looking for books with Chicago references--and this book is chock-full of them. The only problem is that Cummings goes way overboard trying to cram as many Chicago scenes in as possible. The lead character, Reno McCarthy must have spent a fortune on gas because he's driving all over the metro area, often in record time. First he's in Hyde Park, then Winnetka, then River North, then even Oak Brook. He lives in Evanston, but is wheeling downtown every chance he can get. Hey, these places are far apart and there is a lot of traffic to be considered. I doubt anyone could make those trips in the time Cummings allots to McCarthy.

Although the action is terrific and the characters well-defined, I thought a judicious editor could have trimmed this book by one third. There are many extraneous scenes that don't really further the mystery and just serve to get McCarthy beaten up for the umpteenth time. Sometimes a writer can't see when he has overwritten parts of the novel, and definitely this is the case here.

Still, I was glued to this book until it ended, and wondered why a major publisher did not pick this up (it is self-published by iUniverse). A few minor editing glitches are apparent, but on the whole the book is polished and well-researched.

I'd be interested in seeing what Cummings does next.

Hopefully Cummings has some Hollywood connections because this would make a doozy of a movie. Imagine a novel that focuses on crime and political corruption in Chicago without involving the mayor or any aldermen. How refreshing. Grips you from the beginning and leaves you hungry for Reno's next assignment. Can't wait.

From the first page, this exciting mystery set in Chicago grabs the reader and does not let go. It's intricately plotted, meaty and satisfying. As a Chicago area resident, I found that the detailed description of the neighborhoods really added to my enjoyment of the book. Although the plot becomes a little overly complicated towards the end and the reporter protagonist is somewhat over the top, this book is well worth experiencing. An excellent read.

So many novels written by well known people (Cummings is a reporter on Chicago radio) end up a disappointment. It seems some get publishing contracts only because of their name. But, this is definitely not the case here. This is better than most mysteries I've read recently. I'm happy to say that this book is more than a pleasant surprise and I hope it's the start of a first rate series.

This is the type of book that every reporter wishes they would have written. Cummings' love and broad knowlege of Chicago is evident on every page; one can taste, smell and feel the city and the distinctive characteristics of its diverse neighborhoods. The quality speaks for itself. The writing is careful, but not self-conscious. Characters have a real humanity, and are not simply used to move the story along. Nothing sloppy here, and the wonderful and timely plot unfolds at the perfect clip. Cummings' background in media is evident in his dead-bang insights and descriptions into the workings of Chicago radio and TV newsrooms.
In short, Cummings' debut novel, "Deader by the Lake" stands tall above the typical writing of this genre. There's no cheating, no corner cutting...not in setting, story, or character development, and the story is delivered with an economy of words that keep the pages turning.

Every other review so far lists plenty of reasons why you'll like the book, so I won't repeat them. Instead I'll mention the most prominent things I didn't like about the book.

First, I thought the setting felt forced. It seemed Mr. Cummings crammed a specific Chicago reference everywhere he could possibly fit it. Some were accurate to an unnecessary degree (such as referencing the Jamba Juice under the Wells St. elevated tracks in the Loop) while others were absurdly inaccurate (such as River North being a seedy neighborhood where one is likely to locate a male prostitute). For me, it made the reading downright painful at times, especially through the first few chapters. Mercifully he eases up on the references later in the book and it reads much more smoothly.

Next, I had some plot issues. At times it was unbelievably predictable;(Minor spoiler warning:) during a scene where Cummings described a very secure area inhabited by a less-than-savory individual, I thought to myself, "Geez, the only thing that could get to this guy is a freakin' helicopter strike!" Guess what happens two pages later?

On the flip side, the ending has a semi-surprise twist that bothered me. Red herrings are a part of every mystery story, but when the vast bulk of the plot is a red herring it makes me wonder why the book couldn't have been 200 pages shorter. I'll assume this serves the purpose of introducing us to the larger plot we'll see more of in later books, which makes it somewhat forgiveable, but still the book on its own did not sit right with me.

Overall I did enjoy it, though. The characters are interesting and believable; I absolutely adored Sunny. The plot is engaging and many of the elements are just unnerving enough to create a powerful mood without going over the top into blatantly disturbing, shock-value territory. I'll definitely read Cummings' next book, but if major plot and setting issues continue it'll probably be the last.