Massachusetts Books

Henry David Thoreau, as his many devotees (including this reader) know, is as relevant today as he was 150 years ago. His writings are available in a variety of hardback and paperback editions most of which are considerably cheaper than this book. So why purchase this particular edition. There are two reasons that seem to make sense: if you read and reread Walden a hard copy is more durable than a paperback; and this edition includes an excellent set of notes placed side by side with the original text which is a real convenience.

So what about the book called "Walden" and Thoreau himself? Well those many folks who are devoted readers of course understand the importance of Thoreau to American letters. For someone who might like to read either Walden or one of Thoreau's other writings out of curiosity or necessity (required reading) there is one thing that this reader finds particularly interesting about him and his works: Thoreau was a practicing philosopher who created a set of values and proved their validity by living them. "Walden" among many things is an account of how the practice of such values can effect the way one lives.

In academic philosophy there is a branch called "axiology" which is the study of values. Many a modern professor of philosophy would undoubtedly fault Thoreau for failing to build a value `system' based on recognized philosophic criteria. Well, this is the difference between a professor of philosophy and an actual philosopher. Thoreau did not profess a philosophy he lived a philosophy. The values that he developed if adopted today by an individual would be just as practical and lead to the same level of happiness as in his day. Reading through Walden provides a running account of how to deal with mundane chores necessary to live (and live well) and to deal with the more cosmic issues of space and time (as understood by the individual). There are of course other tangible benefits that come from reading Thoreau, but obtaining a philosophy for living is certainly among them.

This copy of Walden is beautiful and the extensive notes are very helpful.

I have at least six or seven different editions of Thoreau's greatest classic, and this one is my prized possession. Of course, if I took his ideas more seriously I would simplify things and give away the other copies, but they have my notes in them and I find it hard to let go of them. Part of the problem of this edition being so beautiful, on excellent paper, with very useful notes and images, is that I would hate to mark it up with the lines and notes that I have included in some of the other editions. Still, that's a good problem. The notes in this book are useful notes -- not just a haphazard list of some scholars' remarks (not always authoritative) on favorite passages, and not speculation, but clear sources for some of the obscure references in the text.

On the book as a whole, it is worth noting that Walden is rich in ideas and is one of the most profound American philosophical classics, and no reading could exhaust its wealth. It is much more than a journal of Thoreau's time alone in the woods (as it were) on the banks of Walden Pond (as it is often thought to be by those who haven't read it - I know because I often ask my students what they know about the book before they read it).

A quick introduction to the project of Walden, that will help organize and make sense of some of the variety of Thoreau's remarks here, is to think of his remarks as falling under three rough stages:
(1) an account of the problem we face, that we waste away our lives trying to make a living, that we seek to acquire property for the sake of freedom but find ourselves encumbered, that we associate the rise of modern technology with enlightenment but find that our technologies and advances increasingly take us away from ourselves and our self-sufficiency, and make us dependent on what we do not individually understand.
(2) an account of an experiment undertaken to discover what is truly essential for a life of fulfillment, and the discovery that a complete and worthwhile life can be achieved through a deliberate simplification of desires.
(3) an account of the many remarkable discoveries that can be made about ourselves and about the natural world and the relation between these when we voluntarily simplify our lives.

This is a book to read and return to throughout one's life, and there aren't many books that really merit such attention. Given its importance, having a copy in what is probably the best edition available now makes a lot of sense.

This edition of Walden is a joy to read, with lovely typeface and layout. I am not a Thoreau scholar, but found the annotations accessible and absorbing. The layout allows you to read Walden straight through or wander off into the annotated notes, depending on your mood.

A book that serves as a miniature vacation every time you open it.

Walden, since the age of fourteen, has always been a special place for me. Ironically, I did not disturb the leaf laden path through Thoreau's wood until seven years after, but at a young age I enjoyed the utopia this book offers. Interestingly enough the surface was read, and with little understanding of history, of which I know have a Masters degree, I did not know the context. With this Annotated version you are thrusted further into Thoreau's world than ever before. I suggest strongly to read the text, then start over with just the annotations. It takes you into the historical/political context of the book's purpose, and from that, into a world leading to civil war, that would traverse those growing pains into a time of reform. Truly a book before its time, yet speaks to the reform movement of the latter 19th c., and perhaps today.

This book is obviously extremely well researched, and the narrative is easy to read, but only 100 pages into it I am finding it necessary to make my own lists, timelines, and charts to keep track of the players and events. She failed to provide any, even though she introduces multiple threads. She discusses at least three sets of victims (DeSalvo's, Nassar's, and the Boston Stranglers'); several players at several levels of police, judicial, and political jurisdictions; several attorneys, and several different political factors, including cross-jurisdictional squabbles and who gets what kind of publicity. Nevertheless, the reader is given no tie-backs to help keep all of those straight, including which names belong to which set of victims or law enforcement agency, even though 50 pages and multiple other players frequently separate references to specific individuals or significant factors.

Susan Kelly has produced a very thoroughly researched and documented book on the subject of the Boston Strangler case of the early 60's.

The Preface tells of the circumstance that led to the author's interest in the case.

She describes the political and public pressure to solve these cases. The media distortion was a major problem.

The author frequently references books by Gerald Frank and F.Lee Bailey as well as numerous newspaper articles.

A few things brought up in this book make a very strong case that Albert DeSalvo wasn't the strangler. His confession in it's entirety would have exonerated him. There is evidence strongly suggesting that some of these cases weren't even related by M.O. or victim type.
DeSalvo was the "Green Man" guilty of sexual assault but the leap from that to the Strangler was tenuous at best.

Susan Kelly makes a strong argument that Albert Desalvo was looking for fame for himself and financial security for his family. He was offered a chance at both by one of his attorneys and he was no doubt coached by nore than a few people, one being the man that killed some of the "Bostan Strangler" victims. Another factor was that details were published in the newspapers regularly. A casual reader could pick up enough information to make a more compelling confession than DeSalvo did on some of the cases.

The author examines some of the prominent suspects known to be in the areas of the killings, as well as information on the victims, their actions and crime scene details.

"The Boston Stranglers" is an excellent book on the subject and characters involved. It is well written and I highly recommend it.

I read a number of books about this subject, and this is one of the best written. Susan Kelly interjects humor and irony at just the right moments and for a true crime account, it reads more like a novel. I truly enjoyed this book.

I was blown away by the last chapter, which describes in detail....wait, I don't want to spoil it. Read it for yourself!

This book is very well-written and documents years of painstaking research.

Particularly fascinating to me was the section on how the film version got it entirely wrong. It makes me wonder how many other films embedded in our consciousness are wildly different from the true events that took place.

I very much enjoyed this extremely well-researched, suspense-filled account of the saga of Albert De Salvo. The writing is marvellous - one forgets that this is non-fiction, as it runs as smoothly as a novel from evidence to evidence and crime to crime. It really reads like a superb piece of detective fiction. I am impressed by the research involved, and by the wealth of detail that never bogs down the reader, but rather keeps us turning pages. The "Update" is particularly interesting, as it combines a suspenseful journey with gruesome detail and real hillarity. This is a standout in the works of true crime.

When was the last time you truly cared about a character in a book you were reading? I did, during the past week, as I was reading Elise Title's Conviction. Natalie Price, a superintendent of a Massachusetts prison halfway house, is a fully developed character about whom we care enough to take her into our heads and really think about, even when we are not reading. The plot is carefully crafted, and we want to read even faster than usual. The relationships between the characters are subtly nuanced, backed by the author's instincts and training as a psychotherapist. We can experience Nat's morning sickness even as she goes abut her exhausting days attempting to solve the murder of a Boston socialite who alo happens to be a very special call girl. We are there, in the midst of it all, and have the final satisfaction of "solving the case"! Read it!

Yet again, Elise Title riveted me to her pages. A prolific writer who continues to surprise me. If you haven't picked up one of her books you're missing out.

Tired of standard chic lit? Then grab Conviction and meet Natalie Price. Take your beach reading to a new level with this fantastic blend of mystery, murder, and sex.

In 1994 Elise Title was still writing Harlequin Romances. In 1996 she turned a page and penned ROMEO, a chilling psychosexual thriller that readers still find riveting. Then, a few years later, she published what would be the first in a new series starring Natalie (Nat) Price. CONVICTION is the third offering in that series.

Price is a savvy law enforcement officer, employed by the state of Massachusetts as the superintendent of Horizon House, a halfway house for prisoners. But when Jessica Asher, a call girl with a high society clientele, is murdered, a tsunami-like scandal breaks in the wake of her death. The tidal wave of public slander could reach into the secret lives of a coterie of powerful men who comprise the movers and shakers in Boston's hoi polloi.

Nat's boss is the Deputy Police Commissioner who liaises between the Corrections Department and the Parole Board. He is a married man and the father of two sons, who Asher was blackmailing. When he emerges as "the suspect most likely," the head of the Department of Corrections wants Natalie to investigate. Could Asher have had her hooks into others with deep pockets and trysts to hide? The only way to find out is to enter her world.

So it won't surprise readers when Natalie goes undercover as a call girl. Adorned in a wig, draped in designer clothes and "faking it" with a padded bra, Price enters Jessica Asher's dangerous playground. Her sleuthing takes her to some of the darkest spots in Boston's vice-ridden underbelly. Things move quickly in this shadowy place, and Natalie has little time to reflect upon how ironic it is that her life is in danger for a man she doesn't even like.

Title is still honing her skills as a writer of police procedurals and has not entirely reprised her startling performance in ROMEO. CONVICTION has its share of melodrama, which emerges when her hero faces a clearly unplanned and unwanted pregnancy; when she becomes involved in an imbroglio of wills with a female colleague; and when she puts the two Carlyle sons, one a disabled man and the other a thug, directly in the line of the investigation into their father's seamy love life. On the debit side, Natalie Price is a compassionate woman and a good law enforcement officer who has her priorities in order. She displays a strong penchant for fairness and getting things done. These qualities work to define her, and if the series continues, she should become even more finely limned.

Elise Title has the ability to write and to tell a story. Both ROMEO and CONVICTION are proof of that and attest to the fact that she also has talent and imagination. With a bit more honing and perhaps a return to more complicated plots, she has a good chance of winning an audience of mystery readers who expect interesting stories, fully believable characters, a fast-paced narrative and sophisticated prose. This book is a perfect beach/vacation read, and in her next appearance, Natalie Price hopefully will appear in full blossom.

--- Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum

I loved this book. Conviction is a magnificent mystery, never a dull moment, so intriguing I couldn't put it down till the end. Nat Price is such a cool character to follow. Can't wait for the next book in the series!

I bought the book because I found out my great grandparents were deaf and that my great grandmother was from Chilmark on Martha's Vineyard. The book was very interesting although I didn't learn much about my particular relatives.

This is the right attitude toward the deaf people in Martha's Vineyard back in the 17th and 18th centuries. I only wish it was true in USA and elsewhere today but it isn't.

This book also talk of people that aren't deaf, were using sign language to talk to each other - for example, from one boat to another or from the cliff down to the beach or because the high wind was drowning out their voices. I can think of many examples that people can use sign language today. Scuba diving sign language is so limited so why not use ASL? A person can tell a minister of an emergency problem quickly from the back of the church without having to go up to whisper in his ear. One could 'talk' to another person in the next building without opening windows. (Windows can't be opened in some office buildings) I could go on and on.

Today, parents are using sign language with their babies (not deaf). Some researchers are saying that it enhances language, cognitive, and social-emotional development. However, I am sure that at the same time, there are some parents of deaf babies, are being told not to use sign language. There are few schools that are pro-oral. Those deaf babies need sign language even more. Where are their language and social-emotional development?? This is irony and sharp contrast to this book. This book prove that all deaf babies need to be exposed to sign language everyday by comparing the Vineyard Deaf people to the Mainland Deaf people.

I am keeping this book to show others because it does support my view of point on the education for the deaf.

I read this book a couple of years ago after reading Oliver Sack's book "Seeing Voices". I read many books each year and I must agree with the other readers here in stating that this is one of the books that has stuck with me. The sense of community and integration encountered by the deaf people on Martha's Vineyard are truley lessons to us all on acceptance and normal treatment of disabilities. I only wish it had a follow up edition.

There are about 10 books I've read in my life that are vivid years later. This is one of those. We're given the chance to see what it might be like to live in a place without prejudices about people being different because of something like deafness. I learned a tremendous amount about deafness, sign language, and life on a New England fishing island community in bygone years. Don't miss this wonderful book.

"Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language" is a look at the effect of a large deaf population on Martha's Vineyard. Though a dry read at times, this book gives an interesting look at how for once in the history of deaf culture the *hearing* adapted for the deaf instead of vice versa. While most people might assume that the large deaf population would force a hefty amount of deaf people to adapt to hearing life, the opposite was actually true; the brilliance of Martha's Vineyard was that nearly all hearing people knew sign language to some degree.

The book analyses cultural impact of the large deaf population within the Vineyard's communities, which was biologically caused by the genetic predisposition for deafness. The book, largely written like an anthropological study, focuses on both physical and cultural aspect of the deafness in the communities. However, the most interesting implications within the book are those discussing deaf and hearing interrelations.

My first impression of this book was WRONG! I didn't like the style at first, short little chapters, ranting about her ex-husband. But, once I got into it, I loved the book! It was a very quick read, and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I loved her quirky sense of style, and her honest, sometimes-defeatist attitude.
Although I have no personal experience with divorce, and found the rantings of her ex a little tiresome at times, it did have a place in the book, it was a great read!!

Story:
The main character of this book (gracie or margaret? her name is never really mentioned) is a suburban mom who is trying to hold her life togehter after a divorce from her ex-(rat)husband. Her son is a computer, mp3 player addict, her young daughter is nicknamed the demon princess and the rest of her family is equally as wacky. Her best friend is leotard wearing, chain smoking, caffiene, technology addict who just can't seem to find a man and keeps trying to find her one to make up for it. To top it off her shrink is having a little extra office time with her male patients. Feeling in need of a change the heroine decides to take up dog walking and runs into the man of her dreams... and then she runs into another one. Whats a girl to do?
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This is a very funny and fast book, the heroine runs from one situation and ususally ends up in another and the wacky cast of charaters she deals with usually makes everything worse. It's not hard to get the feeling that if this lady couldn't laugh she proably be in the loony bin somewhere. It's definetly worth reading to see how everything works out. Would recommend this to anyone who likes funny, fast, romantic comedies.
m.a.c

I loved this book. It had the pace and humor of the Bridget Jones series but with the twist of motherhood. Eccentric, fun, funny and a page-turner for sure!

I had a great time reading this book. I could really relate to it since I am divorsed. She has a very funny sense of humor and I laughed through the whole thing.

Excellent book. Entertaining, and thought provoking all at the same time with a "happy ending" to boot! Definately, a 'feel good' book.

Other than the Bible itself, no other writings available offer sincere seekers a more illumined path to our Creator where we may dwell in His Truth. I thank God for Thomas Keating!

This is one book I would recommend most highly to anyone who thinks about learning more about prayer and hungers for more. The subtitle, "The Way of Christian Contemplation" should not frighten anyone because it is not "new" nor is it just a "technique." Rather, it follows from the best tradition of the church, including John of the Cross, Theresa of Avila and others. Fr. Keating's writing is simple, clear, using examples we can all identify with. No one needs a theology degree for this, just a hunger to learn about deeper prayer. At 140 pages, Keating give a great introduction....and in fact lots more than just a start.

Father Keating displays a gift for imparting essential points of mystic theology (a beauty so ancient and so new ... could not resist adding that, because many of his references are Augustinian) in a manner so gentle that they seem simple reflections. (At this moment, I hope that my reference to "mystic theology" does not cause potential readers to click the back button.) Scriptural references abound, and are often haunting - so much so that the translations (his own?), which are rather excessively colloquial, do not make one wince. The author explains points clearly and well, and generally with an engaging charm. Very fine work.

Having been to a retreat led by Father Keating, I find a seamless connection between the man and his books. Invitation to Love follows his typical pattern of treating profound spiritual issues with simplicity of style and great respect for the connection between spiritual and psychological growth. The ostrich can't see with his head in the sand; neither can we "see" spiritually until we have wiped the sand from our eyes and looked at our psychological formation and its effects on us as adults. Keating explains this connection and provides ways to progress from an "I-centered" to a spiritually-centered way of life. Reading this book was a gift to myself!

INVITATION TO LOVE is the third of Father Keating's books to deal with Christian Comtemplation, centering prayer and developing a deeper understanding of our relationship to God. This type of prayer, unlike more active forms, enables us to "rest in God's presence" and can help us in our journey toward God.

In this book, the author discusses the many false programs for happiness and levels of human consciousness, giving the reader a better understanding of how we seek God on our terms, rather than on His. Our obstacles to prayer are shown in the context of our psychological background and social upbringing, yet Father Keating does so in a clear, yet inspiring style.

As other reviewers have noted, the reader may get more out of this book by reading OPEN MINDS, OPEN HEARTS and THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST. I read both of those books and found that each built on the other. Together, they are an excellent resource.

Howard Blackburn accomplished a feat of endurance and spirit that equals any. This is a well told tale of the man who froze his hands to the oars of his dory to row 100 miles in January off Newfoundland. Gripping and substantial, this book stays with you.

It would be too easy to simply say that Howard Blackburn rose above his adversity. I should like to have known more about, or even known him - fisherman, retailer, sailor and philanthropist - here is a man of legend among men of iron. Howard's tale is marvelous; a testament to the pioneers and explorers who follow their restless dreams without compromise. Lone Voyager is a fascinating and enlightening look into the industry of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the men who fought long odds and the compelling draw of a man possessed of his visions.

Though I live in Gloucester and have spent a good many evenings in Howard Blackburn's establishment with his pictures and newspaper articles hanging on the walls, I only recently discovered this book. What a wonderful adventure! The first chapter, which tells the story of the fishing trip during which Blackburn lost his fingers and toes, sets the stage well for the rest of the adventure. And what an adventure it is! Here in Gloucester they talk of the days of "iron men in wooden ships" and Blackburn was the toughest and most indomitable of all those iron men. After surviving the trip that opens the book, he goes on to start his famous tavern in Gloucester, cross the Atlantic twice on his own, sail around Cape Horn and up the Pacific Coast bound for the Klondike, and undertake a perfectly fascinating trip up the Hudson River, through the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes and down the Mississippi.

Because I wrote a book based in the seafaring history of Lake Erie I was particularly gratified to read that Blackburn wrote that of all the waters he ever crossed he considered Lake Erie to have been the worst --- even worse than the Grand Banks in the Atlantic.

Author Joe Garland is well known both as a historian and a sailor and both those skills are well used in the telling of this tale. This is an extraordinary story of an extraordinary man told by an extraordinary writer. What more does a reader want?

I found an old copy of this book and read it a year ago. An incredible true story. I`m glad to see that it is available in paperpback again.

Howard Blackburn was one cool dude! I mean the guy gets caught away from the mother ship and rows for 5 days to live but it costs him all his fingers and that's just the first two chapters! You've got him going off to the Yukon on a gold rush jaunt, a couple of single handed trips across the Atlantic. A circumnavigation of the Eastern US via the Great Lakes and the Misissippi River and around Florida. He just won't quit.

Anyway I bought the book because of the stories about dories, and was hooked by all the other adventures as well.

BTW there is a rowing race of 22 miles in open Atlantic called the "Blackburn Challange" The folks of Glouster loved him.

This book talks about life in Albania from an outsiders view, however it also introduces you to many citizens of the country, doctors, lawyers, farmers, students, etc. and allows them to speak to you in their own words. I found this very refreshing since many other books don't give you that personal connection to a country. The book is also filled with great pictures. Many Albanians are frustrated that the West has decried communism for so many years, yet now that that these countries have embraced democracy, they feel lost, they need help and don't feel that the international community has done enough. After reading this book, I am sure you will agree that a "Marshall Plan" should be implemented in the Balkans. I know this was mentioned during and after the bombing of Kosova.

This book is a wonderful "visit" to Abania. We visited there last year and fell in love with the people there. I highly recommend it.Very interesting!

Albania is a third-world European nation with dismal gray communist block buildings littering the cities, and more than 600,000 concrete pill boxes land studding its countryside and beaches. For the past fifty years, under the tyrannical dictatorship of the communist leader Enver Hoxha and his isolation from the rest of the world, the people of Albania have languished. After 50 years of no contact with the outside world what must the Albanians have thought when they awoke in 1991 to the fast-paced, competitive world of the 21st century?

Northern Albania (High Albania) is a totally different land than the South. High Albania is an intriguing part of the country that retains separate customs and identity. Marjorie Senechal interviewed scores of ordinary men and women with the intent of discovering who these people are, what have they been through, and what does the future look like to them. She invites the common people of Albania to talk candidly - and talk they do. Without the past fears of being beaten, jailed, or even killed for expressing their thoughts they now talk openly about their children, their work, their problems, their fears and even their dreams. Each interview is accompanied by portrait style photos. Stan Sherer has chosen B&W photography to capture the soul of this suffering country. Sherer does a commendable job in discovering both the ethos of these people and the beauty of this part of the country. His photos reveal a balance between the despair and backwardness of Albania, and the strength of will and hospitality that are found in its people .

The harmonious marriage of text and photos is divided into four chapters: ancient history, the past 100 years, the emerging present, and the hope for the future. In Albania it remains a daily struggle just to survive. Yet despite these difficulties, the traditional Albania toast - "Long life to your children" - is a cry for the future, a future of dreams fulfilled.

A very well written and organized book. It describes this amazing country and its people in a very original and pleasant way. A must read.

This book is a definte highlight and must have for anyone intested in Ghegeria (North ALbania). Long Life to your children is an excellent book with fantastic literary content about the culture and way of live for many Malesores (Higlanders) of North Albania. Anyone interested in Gheg clan culture and the typical life of many North ALbanians will find this book of valuable isight. There are also many wonderful photographs throughout the book to accomapny the text and provide a picture of what the North of The Land of The Eagle looks like. Shume i Mire (Very Good). A definite item to have in your collection of Albania.

I enjoyed this novel thoroughly with its lively writing, tight plotting, and memorable characters. I'd love to read further adventures with Myx in the middle of it all. My only complaint is that Myx is a mere fourteen. I'd feel a lot more comfortable is he were 16 or even 15. 14 just feels wrong for all this boy gets into.

I just love Myx, the sneaky, fascinatingly quirky, frightfully intelligent young man who takes on the mystery of some grisly murders in his small Massachusetts town. Somehow Dave makes us like this fellow who stops at nothing to learn all he needs to know about people.

And I not only love Myx, but I love the storytelling! Dave weaves this tale in a way that keeps us thinking, wondering, and laughing. Every page is interesting and fun!

For fourteen-year-old Myx Amens, a walk down a city street is a sensory experience the likes of which Ken Kesey never approached with his notorious Acid Tests. Myx, however, requires no psychoactive substances to experience synesthesia - the sensory cross-wiring that results in seeing music, smelling colors, or tasting words. All he had to do was die a couple of times.

Myx has so carefully ordered his life in the Massachusetts town of Miracle that he can literally come and go as he likes, anywhere, any time. He knows a lot more about the residents than they know themselves, in some cases. Most especially in this case - the murder and mutilation of a small-town high-school bitch queen.

In his first novel, Dave Diotalevi presents a neatly-plotted mystery, as well as the most wonderfully disorienting first-person POV since Robert Montgomery's film noir classic, Lady In The Lake.

As a life-long synesthete, I can assure readers that Diotalevi's evocative prose offers a convincing authenticity. For example, my non-synesthete husband was taken utterly by surprise by the Big Reveal at the end of the book, while Myx more or less told me precisely what it was by the middle of the story. In addition, my husband experienced none of the sensory out-of-kilterness I felt. He's a pretty literal kind of guy. He was, however, as enthusiastically engaged as I was by this tale. Diotalevi deftly inserts clues in more forms -- literary and pop cultural references, as well as archetypal and iconographic images -- than John Campbell could shake a Jungian stick at.

Hints of a richly-textured backstory and foreshadowings of Myx's future activities offer hope for follow-up novels.

I can think of only two complaints about Miracle Myx. First, I was distracted by the frequent product placements. Myx's eidetic memory could register traits other than brand and model or style of food, clothing, and electronic gear. Some segments read like the novelization of an M. Night Shyamalan film. Second, the book was too short. I want more Myx!


**a later note**: Michael disagrees with me once more. Says the flurries of product names never really attracted his active attention. He agrees with the 5 stars I awarded in his name, and states for the record that has zero complaints, can't wait to read Miracle Myx again, and wants to see more Myx.

Diotalevi hits the ground running with Miracle Myx.

Myx Amens is an astounding and addictive character that you'll immediately like and find yourself caring and cheering for. His synesthetic memory, two near death experiences, (I think he really died twice) and natural curiosity propel Myx into the realm of the next great fictional hero.

Diotalevi's rich writing style makes for a read that you can't put down.

Miracle Myx starts with Myx Amens, just finishing his last adventure and one quickly learns of his near supernatural powers through Diotalevi's intricate character development.

The author weaves an old world whodunit with an inexplicable modern day adolescent hero into one great read.

I highly recommend this book. When does the next book come out?

"I learned that nothing is yours until it's yours, and that you make it yours by taking it, protecting it and hiding it," says Myx Amens, a uniquely talented 14-year-old foster kid living in Miracle, Massachusetts. In Dave Diotalevi's debut novel, Miracle Myx, we encounter 42 hours in the life of Myx as he investigates a series of murders.

There's a seminal chapter in this twisty mystery of hidden secrets where Myx is in jeopardy from several thugs at the estate of their boss - a powerful Italian business man. Myx artfully escapes from the thugs and finds himself in the company of the boss' wife, Mama. Suddenly, Myx's intuitive mix of synesthesia offers up a song, for which he quickly scribbles onto paper. In Italian, no less. Mama reads it and recognizes it as her mother's homemade gnocchi recipe - written in her mother's handwriting. This isn't the first or the last time Myx uses his talents to tease out what someone needs at the moment they need it. And to this reader's point of view, this scene tells us much of what we need to know about the heart of this unique man/boy character whose primary desire seems to be easing the way of others. Particularly, if they are female.

One will read this book as much for fast-action, 42 hours in the life of Myx as they will for the poetic turns of phrase such as "My hand sang the music of its curves as I wrote," and "Air currents made the flames and shadows move in interesting ways. To me, they felt pliable and sounded like the wind in a field."

This smart, sexy novel from Dave Diotalevi may be his debut, but it is clearly not his first try at beautiful prose, evocative language, and moving storytelling. Let's hope there's more to come from this author.

Skehan uses the fascinating geology of Massachusetts to teach amazing amounts of geology. Great for anybody who'll be traveling around the state who's interested in understanding the land. I want more!

I have been looking for this sort of detailed, hands-on guide to Massachusetts geological formations for a while, & am delighted with Skehan's book. It's a bit of a tome yet readable and easy to bring along on roadtrips and hikes.

I read this book from cover to cover and was impressed with it's depth of information. I then actually brought this book into the field and it served me well. A great guide!!!!!!

James W. Skehan's Roadside Geology Of Massachusetts will please residents of Massachusetts and any with a special affection for its local geology, providing a geologic history of the mountains and rocks of the state. An organization by area makes it easy to locate the part of Massachusetts which is of particular interest, while geologic facts assume no prior scientific knowledge - lay readers will relish this guide.

I have bought other titles in this series when on vacation in the States, so I was delighted to find this book in a bookstore on a recent visit to Boston and Cape Cod. The descriptions of peri- and post-glacial geology were particularly illuminating as I walked beaches and trails on the Cape and Islands. Comparing these descriptions with older books on the geology of the Cape it is amazing how much detail is encompassed in a small number of pages. Similarly, descriptions of other areas familiar to me, such as Cape Ann, Boston and the Concord/Lexington area, all gave me a much better understanding. I look forward to visiting unfamiliar parts of the state, with this book in hand. It is not just for residents, but is a must for the vactioner interested in the natural history or landform of Massachusetts.