Illinois Books

Every Chicago will debate the moments: How could they forget that? However, this book will remind Chicagoans why they love this city, even with the politics.

I had been looking for something with the history of Chicago and some good pictures. Despite the fact that this book doesn't really cover the history of the city, it does cover indeed most, if not all highlights of the city's history since the Chicago Tribune was founded. The texts of the 150 subjects have just the correct size, and most of the pictures are as breathtaking as you would expect from a newspaper as important as the Tribune.

"Chicago Days" is an excellent chronological summation of some of the important events that have occurred in Chicago over the past 150 years. Each event is given at least one page of written description and one photo. It is good occassional reading and has something of interest for almost everyone, making it a great gift. Some featured events are historic, some sports-related, some fads or 'firsts' out of Chicago, some frivolous and some heart-warming. You needn't live in Chicago to appreciate the stories, events and historic news items found in this book.

As a professional tour director and author I am always on the lookout for good information to share with my clients. When I took out a tour titled "A Week in Chicago" I needed a reference that would give me an insight to the city that guidebooks truly don't have.

This was the book that I luckily bought!

Here's 150 one or two page articles of the most defining moments in Chicago's history. I shared the stories about Chicago Deep Dish Pizza, the Black Sox Scandal, Reversing the River, John Dillinger's Death, The Bi-level Commuter Train, and of course, the Great Fire.

I was able to give fresh accounts of these widely varied events to tourist on their first trip to Chicago. These are the stories that mature people really want to know or remember. And this book delivers 150 of them.

Whether you're a tourist or a resident, this a book to treasure if you really want to appreciate this great city. It's a professional tour director's secret resource for Chicago.

With excellent photography and sometimes gritty, big city narrative, Chicago Days is the sum of Chicago's history in an easy to read, fast paces, well written book that you won't put down until you reach the end.

Objective and very tongue and cheek at times, the educational and nostalgic value of this work can't be put into words. It will evoke powerful memories and feeling in Chicagoans and teach volumes to those from other cities. It would also make an excellent primer for those re-locating to Chicago from other countries, dispelling the popular myths about the City and its people.

Covering people, places, events and accomplishments with impartiality not always found in books about Chicago, this is a must read. It deserves six stars.

I read this book on the way to Chicago and by the time I got there I was ready to go check out the piece of history that is the Billy Goat Tavern(THE ORIGINAL). Obviously a quick read with lots of fun information.

Kogan nailed it all: a history lesson about somebody else's family turns into a cultural escapade in and around a neighborhood joint. God bless Lake Claremont Press for covering Chicago stuff like this and typical of their line of Chicago-themed titles, it works really, really well.
The real stories behind the legendary dive, er, tavern that is now a world-wide recognized icon. Like all true stories, real life is better than fiction and especially when in the hands of a top-shelf teller of tales like Kogan, whose ability to paint vivid images is what local readers (and listeners) know and love. If there's a torch being passed by Studs Terkel, Kogan is the guy who inherits it and TAVERN proves it nicely.

A small piece of Chicago history, brilliantly preserved. I really enjoyed it.

Mark Braun
Old Timers' Baseball Association of Chicago

This is an excellent book, easy to read, especially interesting to a native Chicagoian. Very nice photos. Extremely informative.

WGN radio personality and Chicago Tribune columnist Rick Kogan presents A Chicago Tavern: A Goat, A Curse, and the American Dream, the true story of a baby goat who fell off a truck in 1934, hobbled into a tavern owned by Greek immigrant William Sianis, and became a Chicago icon. Known as The Billy Goat Inn, Sianis' tavern gained a lasting reputation as the leisure pub of choice for newspaper reporters, policemen, politicians, and more. But did Billy put a jinx on the Cubs? After Billy and one of his goats were prohibited from entering Wrigley Field during the 1945 World Series, the Cubs eventually lost to Detroit - and kept on losing. Today the single tavern has become a prosperous chain of seven, including one in Washington, D.C.; A Chicago Tavern acutely on the folklore, daily life, humorous anecdotes, and more revolving around the classy establishment that started the legend. Numerous vintage black-and-white photographs add a you-are-there touch to this history of a beloved Chicago hangout.

I had an existential "A-ha!" moment in Rick Kogan's tribute to "A Chicago Tavern: a Goat, A Curse, and the American Dream."

Kogan says:
Around 1950, there were almost 7,000 taverns in Chicago. In 2006, there were fewer than 1,250.

This reviewer basically learned how to read while accompanying my father to visit his friends at Peg's Tavern in Hinckley, IL (They would give me nickels and quarters to play the juke box - so I learned P a t s y C l i n e and all her friends and all their songs.) There was a real sense of community and camaraderie among the regulars, like an Irish village pub/hub, that one doesn't encounter in the "fern bar" Chains of today, contributing, one can extrapolate, to the loss of neighborliness and sense of community in current culture. (See also Bowling Alone : The Collapse and Revival of American Community)

Kogan tells about a family of Greek immigrants who created a place where all collars, blue, white, and clerical meet and mingle; a tale of a Billy Goat's tail and the "truth" about the "curse" on the Chicago Cubs. Making appearances in text and photos are the Sianis family; various animal goats; various old goat humans: Mike Royko and Harry Caray; Aykroyd & Belushi (this is the real deal - where the "Cheezborger, Cheezborger! No fries . . . chips!" were made;) some presidents and other politicians; and even that Stinkier- than-a-Goat Devil & Demolisher of the 2003 Pennant Hope, Steve Bartman.

Docked a star because Kogan's choice to write the whole thing, even the historical stuff from 1916, in the present tense, riled this reviewer worse than a whole gaggle of sorority girl foo-foo umbrella drinks.

/TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer.

Growing up in Chicago in the late 70's I missed Bishop's Sven. I started out with the Ghoul and was hooked forever when Rich Koz opened his coffin on Ch 32. Since that time I've lost precious brain cells to the permanent memories of those classic parodies and skits. Mr. Robbers, 50 Ways to Blow Your Cover, and more.

So, I had to get this book. It is a quick read (nearly half is just a list of b-grade movies) and tells the tale of how Svengoolie came to be and where the whole thing started. If you are a fan of Svengoolie you owe it to yourself to take this fun trip down memory lane, or elm street...whichever.

I bought this book on a whim for my boyfriend who grew up watching Svengoolie on Saturday nights. He absolutely loved learning more about the show he adored as a child.

I grew up in Detroit, so I missed out on most of the programs covered here, except for the maniacal Ghoul (Ron Sweed, a Motor City favorite) and the wacky and still active Svengoolie, played by the talented Rich Koz. In spite of this, however, I loved reading this book because it captures the fun and the essence of what every monster movie fan of my generation experienced, from the happily demented horror hosts to staying up late to watch those glorious (sometimes gloriously awful) films we cherished so much. Remember, this was mostly before home video came along. The book is loaded with nostalgic advertisements for these movies, the kind of ads that made you drool in anticipation.

Some folks might question why there's an entire appendix devoted to a "100 Monster Movies" rating guide, but to me it's one of the most enjoyable sections of the book because it goes hand-in-hand with the overall history of this subject. How can you discuss monster movie programming without discussing the monster movies themselves? If anything, I wish they'd gone a step further and covered even MORE titles. A few of my favorite films were overlooked. Am I the only one who has fond memories of CREATION OF THE HUMANOIDS? (Maybe I am.)

The book is well researched, fun to read, and has lots of wonderful photos and graphics. It makes me sorry that I missed out on all the fun. But then again, I didn't. No matter where you grew up, watching monster movies on television was a universal experience. This book captures that experience beautifully.

Let me start by saying I am from Chicago and I am a Chicago History buff.

As a child and into my teens watching Creature Features on Channel Nine (the opening as a six year old terrified me), and then the Son of Svengoolie on WFLD, I loved local tv. Why do I say this? Simply put - I had high expectations for this book. The good news is that Ted Okuda and Mark Yurkiw exceeded them.

Looking for Elvira - you won't find her - but "Dear" clearly was a feast for the eyes. Now I finally know what my dad was talking about.

"From Shock Theatre to Svengoolie" is a needed part of the history of Chicago TV and Lake Claremont Press respectfully published a book others might take a pass on and remains a respected leader in local publishing of Chicago history. Well edited, designed and expanded in part by a solid and varied reference section which includes a solid list of films shown (and reviews), a heartfelt "Collector's Corner" with additional reviews, and a resource guide on where to find your horror needs - that alone would stand to qualify the book as a great resource; but yes - there's more.

The book is factual and warm about the subjects themselves - with wonderful chapters on characters such as Marvin and the curvacious and faceless "Dear" of Shock Theatre to Jerry Bishops "Svengoolie" concluding with the story of how Rich Koz's "Son of Svengoolie" became "Svengoolie" in his own right.

The book doesnt mince words. The Ghoul from Cleveland gets a chapter - and in that chapters lies the great story of the loyality of Chicago to it's city and to its broadcasters. That chapter alone made me smile - unfortuantely at an outsiders expense.

The book covers some obscure local attempts to compete against established programs as well - which goes to the detail the authors provided.

And then there was Sven.

While you can watch Jerry Bishop and Rich Koz on YouTube as Sven as a resource; the chapters on Svengoolie are detailed and worth the read.

I grew up and continue to watch Rich Koz as Svengoolie now in Chicago - and through this book you realize Sven's program not only entertains through horror but is also the last of the real local efforts to fight to keep local television creative, relevant and accessible. Koz is an important throwback to Garaway and other early Chicago broadcasters and deserves the praise and critical rsearch the book compiled.

In this book you can see why Koz is important as a local celebrity - and is up there with dare I say Studs Terkel and Oprah as important local personalities - even though Koz would likely deny this endorsement. WCIU should be credited for keeping a great program such as Sven on the air when others might just put an episode of "Night Court" on instead...yeech.

I particularly enjoyed the attention to detail; with photos of the old newspaper and TV Guide advertisements of the programs. If you loved those programs as a child - before there were so many options on cable; those ads were critical in promoting the programs and the movies we grew to love.

The book is lavishly illustrated and well written and referenced, footnoted and resourced. Time, effort and true affection for the material went into this tome.

In a book like this - there is room to be melancholy - and the authors avoid that trap. Lamenting on the fact local television is in most cases just the news; and all of TV's creativity is left to the networks would be an easy place to go - but the book is upbeat and most importantly a joy to read.

You want Creature Features? The book has it. Marvin and Dear - yep; its here too. Screaming Yellow Theatre and all of Sven? Yep - that too.

Clearly highly recommended.

I would write more - but my family is ready, the popcorn is popped and Svengoolie awaits .....

I bought this book at a book signing at "Horrorbles". The authors are really nice guys. The book is a must for anyone even remotely interested in horror, it discusses in detail the various TV horror hosts broadcast from the Chicago area. Its covers the inception of TV horror hosts to the present. It also does a good job of showing the evolution of the TV horror show. The book is well written and offers so much insight, there is a not only a wealth of information but resources for any fan of horror. There are plenty of photos that will surely evoke pleasant memories of sitting in the dark watching "scary movies". Makes a good gift.

This beautiful book is a MUST for every Cubs/Baseball fan, and is unique because of the beautiful artistic renderings of notable players, managers, owners of the Cubs, along with a comprehensive and detailed backround - both current and historic. We have given many to friends and customers who are avid Cub fans and the positive feedback has been a delight to receive...makes a wonderful gift!!

What really struck me about this book was the perfect marriage of writer and artist, and how that combination helped me recapture all those wonderful things about baseball, and specifically, the Chicago Cubs, that I love. If you've ever sat in Wrigley, or even just wanted to, you've felt what it is to love and appreciate baseball the way this book's authors do. It's a love that's timeless, but frustratingly fleeting. Well, this book, and the fine work of Hanley and Deluca, brings those glorious feelings back to stay. I assume it will be a collector's item for decades to come.

This exquisite book is an excellent tribute to that Midwest institution, the Chicago Cubs. The book covers everything from the players, through the managers, the owners, the announcers (including Harry Caray, Holy Cow!), to the ballparks, and on to great and not-so-great moments in Cubs history.

Overall, I must say that I found this to be a fantastic book. There are no photographs in this book, but instead it is richly illustrated with many colorful paintings done by John Hanley, a nationally renowned sports artist. So yes, it not so much a history of the team, as it is a tribute to it. And, I must say that the text is great, short and to the point, and highly informative!

If you have a Cubs fan, and want to get him or her a gift that will be treasured for years to come, then get this book! I don't think that any Cubs fan should be without this book!

I have been a baseball fan all of my life, my boyhood dream was to play in the major leagues. At that time I knew the names of all the players and could quote most of their statistics. I also read a great deal of the history of the game and could recite most of the all-time records. After it became clear that the only way I would ever set foot in a stadium was as a paying customer, I became a fan of the Chicago Cubs. For nearly forty years I have watched them closely, mostly with a sense of frustration. However, my love for them has never wavered and Wrigley Field is still the only stadium where I have watched a baseball game. My first trip there was almost a religious experience as I watched Andre Dawson digging all-out for second trying to beat the throw from the outfield. (He was out, but he did drive in the tying run.)
With this background, I can express nothing but praise and admiration for this book. All of the images are artwork rather than photos and they capture the essence of what made these players so memorable. I watched most of the featured players perform on television and their grace, literally and figuratively in the case of Mark Grace, is expressed in their poses. The collection also includes managers, broadcasters and owners, so the history lesson is largely complete.
If you are a fan of the Cubs, then this is a book that you must own. I don't know if it is being sold in the souvenir shop at Wrigley, but if it is not, it can only be described as a tragedy. Kinda like some of the seasons the Cubs have had over the last forty years.

WOW. That's what I said to myself when the book arrived and I sat looking at the cover with the magnificent art work of John Hanley which makes the book a keeper in itself. Then I opened the book and WOW all over again.

Now, I am not a baseball junkie, but I am a history/art buff, and reading about the Cubs and their history from players, to owners, to Wrigley Field mesmerized me. And loved the examples of the change in uniforms over the years.

If you have a baseball fan be it a Mom, Dad, son, daughter, brother, sister, or simply love the National League teams, or baseball history this is a book I recommend. Cannot put the book down.

Mr. Shelton's book looks beyond the technical aspects of good media production and provides thoughtful and practical guidance on how to plan, shape and organize media presentations that will surprise, charm, inform and influence audiences. His emphasis is on informational rather than narrative media. At a time when we tend to be bedazzled and distracted by the remarkable technology now within easy reach we need frequent reminding that the idea is everything and that all that follows must be designed to deliver that idea to our intended audience forcefully, memorably and persuasively. This book will show producers of documentary, sponsored and informational films and other motion-media (Mr. Shelton's term) exactly how to proceed. Particularly valuable are the many examples, format samples, check lists and illustrations he includes. The Communication Analysis Plan is the best and most complete I have seen. This book can teach and encourage informational filmmakers who of late tend to be over-shadowed by our Hollywood brothers/sisters. The fact is, however, our productions can be equally creative, well-crafted and moving if we remember that most of the work needs doing long before we pick up a camera as we ponder and analyze exactly what is to be done, for what audiences, in what way, with what result. Shelton's book will certainly help. I recommend it highly for those who want to become better and more efficient information media producers and as a text book.

Whether you're a motion media professional or a student of visual communications, this book is a "must read" for you. The author - drawing on some forty years of experience as a successful information motion-media professional - writes with clarity and authority about both the theory and practice of communicating ideas through film, video, and multi-media. Shelton argues persuasively that the main objective of all information motion media is to influence the thought and behavior of the target audience, and that all the resources - creative and technical - that a motion media specialist has at his or her disposal must be directed toward that end. But he cautions that creativity used for its own sake may result in failed communications and a waste of the client's money. Building on this theme, the author elucidates an array of time-tested principles that he strongly advocates should be applied in the design and production of effective motion media. Not to be missed is an appendix featuring some fascinating "quotable quotes" that the author has collected over the years (though perhaps some individuals might consider having been quoted a dubious honor). In sum, there is no better book available on this topic, and I recommend it without reservations.

I strongly recommend S. Martin Shelton's book to practitioners of any profession seeking to influence the actions or thoughts of others through the power of media, be it through the written word or the transmission of images. As a Foreign Service officer I should have had this book 30 years ago. Though the focus of his book is film and video, his explanation and exploration of the principles of the communication process has application in all facets of interpersonal dealings. To cite but one example, this is especially true in the field of advertising--print, video, or radio. Much too often, media fails to motivate audiences to do what the sponsor has in mind, from the prosaic act of choosing between competing brands of toothpaste to such altruistic goals as inculcating healthful life choices. Such failure, as clearly expounded by Mr. Shelton, is in large part attributable to a growing lack of understanding of the underlying tenants of the art of communications. For one, the seductive explosion of technology's rapidly expanding capabilities has led to a shift in focus from communicating a message to enthralling with pixel glitz. Incorporating Shelton's ideas garnered and developed over years of practical experience and a background rich in theoretical knowledge, will improve significantly what we see and hear in our daily lives-bringing clarity to much of the "noise" surrounding us. Kenneth Albright, US Foreign Service (Retired)

This book is the distillation and compilation of the knowledge Shelton has gained from many years of experience in tehse fields. It is well written and his comprehensive knowledge of the field is evident. He is sometimes acerbic but his advice is heartfelt and should be of great value to beginnners as well as professionals in these areas. His "FUNDAMENTAL VERITIES OF INFORMATION MOTION-MEDIA" will be of particular usefulness as it is pithy and to the point. The book could well be used as a text in a college-level course. I recommend it unreservedly.

Dr. E. V. Ruhnke, Sr., Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Mr. Shelton's book on filmic communication is an important breakthrough in the understanding of how and why films work with audiences. For the first time in the many years I've been in the profession I've found a book that tells me how motion media works and how to make it work. With masterful insight he analyzes the very foundation of my profession-how to use film and video to motivate our audiences, how to get them involved. To anyone in our profession or to any aspiring students, Shelton's book may well be the key to your success.

If you love exploring the neighborhoods of Chicago & trying new dishes, this book will tell you where to go to find that special ingredient. It is a treasure trove of info & will make you want to spend time exploring this magnificent city and then try to recreate your meals & snacks when you get back home.

As a frequent visitor to Chicago, I love to take advantage of a big city's resources. I found "A Cook's Guide to Chicago" to be an invaluable culinary guidebook. Written in a humorous and easy to read style, the book demystifies those strange foods I can't identify, and lists stores that carry the exotic foods I love but can't find in my own neighborhood. Better yet, the author offers tips and recipes that feature them. With this book, I'm armed with a resource that enables me to search out foods I didn't even know existed!

Each chapter is filled with interesting facts that make identifying and locating groceries and cooking utensils fun.
(The description of South Water Market made me want to shop there just to see the area.) The book's layout makes it simple to use, and it is thoroughly indexed. The graphic design is a visual treat.

But the best part about this book, for me, is not the facts, but the feeling it gave me while reading it. I fell in love with food and spices and cooking all over again. Suddenly, just going down the same aisle at my usual supermaket to make the same predictable meal just didn't cut it. With these newly defined foods and locations of ethnic grocery stores, I was ready for a culinary adventure. The author's skill in writing, her sense of humor and love of food all combine to portray cooking as a sensual and exotic world. "The Cook's Guide" is the perfect companion to explore that world - I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Kornelia Longoria for Reader Views (9/06)

Chicago is very well known for being a home of many great restaurants and delicious cuisine. Marylin Poncius, who grew up on the Southwest Side, was introduced to all types of ethnic food in her earliest years and grew up expanding her taste buds with a wonderful variety of tastes. In her book "A Cook's Guide to Chicago", she put collected what's best in the city and its surrounding areas and put it all together into a great source of information for both tourists as well as Chicagoans. It's a book for everyone for anyone who enjoys cooking and fine foods.

The book is organized into themed chapters, where each type of food has its own chapter. Reading the guide the reader has a chance to travel through many different types of cuisine, such as Italian, Easter European, German, Middle Eastern, Japanese and many more and learn about the main characteristics and specific ingredients for each of them. Each chapter starts with a little introduction followed by the addresses of carefully chosen restaurants, grocery stores or other unique places revolving around food. Furthermore, each chapter has a delicious recipe as well as a grocery list, so we can experience tastes we have never experienced before.

Being an import from Poland myself, I really enjoyed the Easter European part, where I could find an array of Polish stores and restaurants. This is a great help, especially when you just move to Chicago from across the ocean and become homesick. The recipe for home made kolackys will instantly pick you up.

To sum it all up, A Cook's Guide to Chicago is an unique reference book which is very enjoyable to read and even more enjoyable to use in practice to discover the parts of Chicago one had no idea about.

I was delighted to have come across this book. While I'm not much of a cook, I like to think that I could be. This book makes it sound easy and, more importantly, FUN. I recommend it to anyone interested in eating, shopping, or cooking or for an "off the beaten track" cultural/culinary tour of our great city of Chicago. Hats off to the author; she probably weighs a ton by now but it must have been an interesting journey. (Great cover, too!)

As a resident of Chicago, I am grateful to the author for writing this book. Now, I know where to have my knives sharpened, buy fresh ginger, and find the best teas.

I can't say enough good things about this lady's writing. These novels are such a delight to read. They are entertaining, comical and inspirational all at once. When I need cheering or feel the need to "visit" a charming hometown, I go to Partonville. I'm hoping she writes many, many sequels of these folks!

I love "Dearest Dorothy".....she is the best neighbor in the world. We need more "real live Dorothys". If you haven't read any of the "D D" books...start at the beginning and don't stop! You will fall in love with her and her friends!

This series of Dearest Dorothy books were so much fun! Great books for all ages.

Good fiction ought to make you stay up to read until there's no more to read and darn it, the book is over. That's how I feel about the Partonville crowd. Charlene has developed enough interesting characters that subplots can unfurl around Dorothy. I loved the fact that one of the main characters, Rick, isn't even present. This speaks so much more to my Midwest born and bred condition than Jan Karon's Southern Mitford. Can't wait for number six.

Dearest Dorothy continues to pull the people of their little town together in love and understanding and prayer. The characters of these stories tug at your heart and make the reader eager for the next story. I encourage anyone to read this series of books for a truly heart warming experience.

This is a much needed study. The author looks at two groups -- African-Americans and Korean immigrants -- in the same business and offers important insights into why they have different outcomes in business development. One of the best treatments of the topic I have seen. Silverman goes beyond the typical stereotypes about minority business people, and explains how institutional arrangements impact groups differently. One of the best contemporary discussions of internal colonialism out there.

This book breaks new ground. It develops theory in this area while remaining readable and accessable to all readers. It is a must read for policy makers and others interested in designing urban economic development strategies that work. Recommendations for asset based approaches are natural extensions from this work, and the additional consideration of racism as a barrier to full participation in the economy expands the study's impact. As the author masterfully tells us in the introduction, "the invisible hand of the market cannot conceal color."

This book breaks new ground. It develops theory in this area while remaining readable and accessable to all readers. It is a must read for policy makers and others interested in designing urban economic development strategies that work. Recommendations for asset based approaches are natural extensions from this work, and the additional consideration of racism as a barrier to full participation in the economy expands the study's impact. As the author masterfully tells us in the introduction, "the invisible hand of the market cannot conceal color."

This is the most balanced treatment of this topic I have seen in a long time. The author escapes many of the pitfalls of earlier studies. He avoids the easy outs of social pathology explanations for racial and ethnic strife, and he offers a compelling view of the plight of minority (Black and Korean) entrepreneurs that takes broader structures into consideration. Superb.

This book sheds new light on the study of black-Korean relations. By examining the issue from the perspective of business owners in the same industry, the author avoids many of the limitations of earlier studies. Well worth investigating further.

Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins have written another great book in the "Left Behind" series. The authors make the Book of Revelations come alive. After reading this book, I ran and got out my Bible and looked up these verses. This book is a must read if you are curious about end-times.

Este libro me parece aun mejor que el primero ya que empiezan a darse las señales del comienzo de los primeros 7 años de tribulacion.

Me gusta como el lider de el Comando Tribulacion hace mencion a los pasajes Biblicos del Apocalipsis, pasajes que antes de leer este libro deberiamos de tener en cuenta.

Esta continuacion de Dejados Atras, es estupenda, me he encontrado leyendo la biblia y el libro al mismo tiempo cuando hacen referencia a las citas biblicas. Soy una dominguera y les puedo decir que este libro deja mucho que pensar y decidir si cambiar el modo como vivimos. Lei este libro en tres noches. Es ESTUPENDO.

Este libro es la continuacion de la serie Dejados Atras. Aqui podemos ver de una manera real como los autores nos meten en un mundo apocaliptico, al cual tu y yo bien podemos identificar. Con fundamentos biblicos y dando vida a versículos del libro de Apocalipsis, el Comando Tribulación se conforma, integrando 4 vidas que no tenian nada en comun bajo un mismo fin, encontrar las respuestas del por que han desaparacido sus seres queridos y conocidos. De seguro no podras dejar la lectura hasta terminar y salir a buscar el siguiente volumen...

Excelente presentación de la necesidad de unirse para luchar al inicio de la Gran Tribulación. Parece importante entender que El Señor unirá a personas claves como Raimundo, Bruno, Camilo y los demás con el fin de luchar contra el Anticristo y llevar más almas a los pies del Señor. Es uno de los mejores libros de la serie.

I'm not a fan of crime novels, but I *AM* a fan of historical context, so when I read the book's synopsis, I simply had to check it out. Consequently, I read "The Fifth Floor" before reading "The Chicago Way." Though Harvey's first book introduces the characters, I nonetheless had no difficulty assessing the characters in "The Fifth Floor." It can stand by itself. I found the story so well-crafted that I, myself, began to question whether Mrs. O'Leary's cow started the fire. And I liked the tipping of the hat to current Chicago and presidential politics. When Harvey wrote that there was an Illinois' Senatorial position opening up next year - predicting an Obama win - it was so natural and so contemporary. Like I said, I'm no fan of crime novels, but I found myself to be a fan of Michael Harvey.

From page one of THE FIFTH FLOOR, a follow-up to 2007's THE CHICAGO WAY, it is evident that former police officer Michael Kelly is no ordinary private eye. When Kelly's ex-lover, Janet Woods, shows up at his office wearing sunglasses to conceal her battered face, Kelly slides a book of poetry across his desk. He then translates for Janet the first line of an ancient poem written by Catullus: "Odi et amo" --- I hate and I love.

It's not the first time that the well-read PI has tried to convince Janet to break free from the cycle of abuse, take her teenage daughter, Taylor, and leave Johnny Woods for good. Janet isn't searching for inspiration from an ancient Latin poem. She isn't seeking advice from Kelly and doesn't want her husband to know she has hired a private investigator. But she does agree to let Kelly trail Johnny. Kelly hopes he can talk some sense into Johnny, a well paid "fixer" who works for the mayor on the fifth floor of Chicago's City Hall.

Kelly enlists the help of Fred Jacobs, a reed-thin-Camel-smoking-deeply-paranoid-Pulitzer-Prize-winning investigative reporter --- and a source of information about Chicago's politicians and elite. Once Kelly gets a lead on Johnny's daily schedule, he tails the thick-necked bruiser's cab to a neighborhood on a tree-lined street in the old-money part of town. From a safe distance, Kelly observes Johnny entering an elegant cottage. Almost immediately, Johnny rushes out with a shocked look on his face.

After Kelly enters the cottage, he discovers the reason for Johnny's quick retreat. Hanging from the second floor railing is the body of an elderly man whose mouth is stuffed with sand. Kelly briefly examines the victim and crime scene before making his own speedy exit. He later calls the police from a pay phone to anonymously report the murder. The next day, after reading a report about the man's death in the newspaper, Kelly senses a cover-up in the making. While the article about the dead man includes the fact that he had been an amateur historian with a special interest in the Chicago fire, there's no mention of a homicide.

Kelly's discovery of the body and his deepening interest in the case propel him on a collision course with the police department and some of Chicago's most powerful and prominent citizens. With the help of some trusted friends, the fast-talking, street-smart and gritty Chicagoan uses his intellect and broad shoulders to stand up to all manner of crooks and thugs.

Author Michael Harvey has created a page-turner with a damaged yet interesting hero worth rooting for. THE FIFTH FLOOR is a novel about the worst and the best of the human condition --- power, greed, corruption and hate; loyalty, sacrifice, courage and love. Vivid writing, snappy dialogue and fast-paced drama, along with the mystery and intrigue of Chicago and its legendary fire, make THE FIFTH FLOOR an end-of-summer sizzler.

--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt

Harvey has written an entertaining thriller with historical interest, tying a current murder and subsequent investigation to the Chicago Fire of 1871, the "Mrs. O'Leary's cow" theory too easy in light of another explanation that crops up in the 1970s. A tongue-in-cheek article printed on April Fools Day that perhaps touches too close to the truth ignites a fear of scrutiny originating on the fifth floor of City Hall, the mayor's powerful political domain. Protagonist Mike Kelly, ex-cop, now a PI, falls into the case peripherally, through a former girlfriend married to Johnny Woods, one of the mayor's fix-it men; Janet Woods requests Kelly's assistance in a domestic dispute- the fact that Woods regularly uses her as a punching bag, all too frequently of late. Tracking Johnny with an eye to gaining leverage in Janet's domestic situation, Kelly stumbles upon facts that lead indisputably to the Chicago Fire and the economic rise of a powerful Chicago political dynasty.

Since many American cities are built on the opportunistic acquisition of wealth from the misfortune of others, sleight of hand in the pursuit of great fortunes, a lot of people are uncomfortable with Kelly's snooping, including cops, journalists and anyone critical to the mayor's power base. Every clue leads directly to the fifth floor: "There you could catch a glimpse of ambition, the faintest whiff of avarice and the footsteps of those who curried favor." The Chicago police are cautious, understandably avoiding the mayor's wrath. Whoever he is dealing with, Kelly soon learns they play hardball, appropriately vigilant after a couple of threatening incidents. Harking back to his earlier novel, The Chicago Way, Harvey ties the current tale to Kelly's past, particularly the death of a friend whose loss continues to haunt him. Cracking wise like the Phillip Marlowe character of noir fiction, this hero is more of a Renaissance man, not nearly as hard-boiled as his rhetoric would indicate, harboring the usual human flaws and dreams of his contemporaries, including the fallout of romance past.

The co-creator and executive producer of TV's "Cold Case Files", Harvey's writing is clear, action-directed, the pace consistent, the characters classic Chicago types. With sharp, not too edgy dialog, this is a relatable protagonist, his imagination sparked by ancient Chicago history, the stuff of legends, especially a mayor who holds the city in the palm of his hand (OK, so I am picturing Al Pacino in this role). Cities do love their myths, but even more, they love their scandals, uncovering the unremitting greed and mendacity of public servants glutted on the spoils of political power. Add in a teen-aged girl terrified for her mother's life and there is enough personal investment for Kelly to persist regardless of the danger, a romp through the machinations of politics and a very distressed client. Luan Gaines/2008.

In Chicago, private investigator Michael Kelly is working a simple domestic violence case although he knows this one is personal. His former girlfriend Janet hires him to follow her abusive husband Johnny Woods, who works for the city's mayor as a fixer of potentially embarrassing problems. Michael wants to get Janet and her daughter Taylor to a safe house as he fears what Woods is capable of doing, but the woman warns him not to make it personal.

However, his surveillance quickly proves the case is much more complex when he finds a body inside an old house. As he digs into the murder he stumbled upon, Kelly begins to see connections back to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 including a cover-up back then, but still in effect, involving two prominent wealthy families with the final solution of eradicating the undesirable Irish. Afterward he is forced to visit the infamous City Hall's Fifth Floor for a lecture by the mayor to back off or else. However, Kelly begins to feel like Mrs. O'Leary's cow when the modern day killer sets him up to take the fall for the corpse he found.

Still a frustrated Cubs fan and attracted to a judge he wants to call but never seems to, Michael is a terrific hardboiled private investigator who makes it to THE FIFTH FLOOR where he assumes is the wood shed for those embarrassing the powers. His second urban noir thriller (see THE CHICAGO WAY) is a superb whodunit that ties current Windy City activity to the 1871 inferno. The star investigates both even as he struggles to stay out of jail as a clever killer perfectly frames him reminding him about that cow held culpable by the myth (mindful of "Professor" Robert Wuhl's underlying assumption in "Assume the Position".

Harriet Klausner

In Harvey's second Chicago noir, ex-cop and private investigator Michael Kelly finds himself knee deep in a scandal that goes all the way back to the infamous Chicago Fire of 1871, and its possible origin as an attempt by two powerful families to eliminate the city's Irish immigrants by burning down the slums. While on a surveillance case tailing an ex-girlfriend's abusive husband (who happens to be one of the mayor's personal hatchet men) in the hopes of discovering something she can use against him, Kelly stumbles upon a murder scene that reaches into Chicago's sordid past, with its money- and power-grabbing elite, and their connection to the city's long-running political machine. Seems that machine is still humming: after digging a little too deeply into the murder he uncovered, Kelly is summoned to City Hall's notorious fifth floor, where he is warned off the case by the mayor himself. Naturally Kelly is undeterred, and things get more complicated and dangerous, with more bodies turning up and an attempted frame-up of Kelly for the crimes. P.I. Michael Kelly is a wonderfully flawed but honorable character created by a talented noir stylist, and his tenacious efforts to expose the wrongdoings of Chicago's most ruthlessly powerful and respected citizens keep you rooting for the this appealing underdog. Extra points for the colorful hardboiled dialogue.
Also recommended: A Stranger Lies There - a superior desert-noir set in Palm Springs, it won the Malice Domestic Award for best first mystery.