New York Books

Excellent book, I saw this guy on a news program and had to have the book. He is one with the city for sure.

As you can see from the other reviews, David Bradford is a one of a kind, true artist who deserves all the respect he gets. I had the pleasure of boarding his cab back in 1997 which led me to make a short film on him for my NYU film school project. David has access to some of the most incredible scenes of New York as he drives through the city year round and at all hours with his camera. His photographs catch the subtle changes in light, weather, and emotion of the city. And he sees it from the street level behind the steering wheel. I am honored to be his friend and this book to me is as exciting as the work Andreas Feininger did of New York city during the 30's and 40's.

I was so excited to get this book when they showed the story on 60 Minutes. The photographs were all taken with a Yashica T4 point and shoot camera, (the point and shoot of choice for most pro photographers)! The pictures are all in black and white too. The pictures are the pulse of New York City from the viewpoint of a New York Cabbie. I love this concept. I love that this man has used a wonderful point and shoot camera (now discontinued...shame on you, Yashica!), and how he photographs the city while driving. He also photographs the passengers (great idea!!). The text is fantastic. It lets you really understand where he is coming from when he took the pictures. What makes this book winderful is this combination of text and photography, and that it is a new struggling artist who makes his living by driving a cab in New York City, a very rough job indeed.

I have never been to the Big Apple, though for as long as I remember, I have always wanted to go there. David Bradford (a taxi-cab driver) captured NYC from his cab window so well that it really "took me there". I got a feel of NYC while I flipped through the pages of his book. His idea to do this is not only inspirational, but brilliant as well. This book makes a perfect coffee table book- highly recommended to anyone who loves New York!

a book of photographs (and some prose) done by a NY taxi cab driver. all the photos were shot with a point and shoot camera, while he was driving his cab.

a great example of how a body of work is equal to more than the sum of the parts. in other words, the individual images are not necessarily masterpieces, but when you put them all together, the body of work could definitely be exhibited in a gallery. goes to show you that to be a successful artist, a concise body of work is more important then successful individual images alone.

also, this book is a great example of taking one's circumstances and surroundings and creating something artistic from them. there's room for creativity everywhere, especially for photographic creativity.

and in it, the author transcends what might be an ordinary job into something extraordinary. like a bumble-bee buzzing throughout the city, Braford in his cab with camera in hand shows us that in the wake of the events of 9/11/2001 (in fact, the World Trade Center buildings are in many of his shots), NYC is a city full of vitality, life, and soul.

as a published photographer myself, and someone who has not yet spent much time in New York, i really appreciate this book. it's one man's view of the city, yes. but he has such a great vantage point as part of the livelyhood of it.

Are you curious about the life of Carrie Bradshaw before she became the successful columnist with a penchant for designer clothes and $450 shoes? If you answered "Yes!" then you need to read this book. The story of Reality Nirvana Tuttle is, without a doubt, an unintended pre-quel to Sex and the City.

Ignore what the woman from Library Journal has to say! I'm certain that she's the wrong demographic to understand the social relevance of this story. Fabulous Nobodies is funny, earnest, so very New York City in the late 1980s, and, for those of us who were in our 20s during that time, a wonderfully fun trip down memory lane. If you can remember when in was possible to rent an apartment in alphabet city for $350 month and have a tub in your kitchen then you'll appreciate this story. If you can remember scouring Goodwill, Sal's Boutique, and vintage clothing shops with your meager earnings from a club, record store, or underground publication then you'll appreciate this story. If you can remember life before the internet and came of age at a time when local fanzines and arts newspapers were the ruling social arbiters then you'll appreciate this story.

Lee Tulloch's book is a completely captivating snapshot of a place, time, and people who no longer exist except in our scrapbooks and collected memorabilia.

Twentyish Reality Nirvana Tuttle determines who can enter the Less is More Manhattan nightclub though no one, not even she, knows her conditions, which change almost on a whim, but that impulse is inside her brain. It might be an outfit that was in a half hour ago but seems so ancient at this moment. Reality is a pro at what she does as fool "doorwhores'' can match her skill at picking the trendy and tossing the has-beens and wanabees to the street.

However, Reality faces reality when it comes to her one ambition in life as so far she has failed to achieve her goal. She desperately wants to be featured in Hugo Falks' weekly gossip column in Frenzie as a hip woman of power on the move. She enlists her friends, Perfect Woman editor Phoebe, transvestite Geoffrey, and his dog Cristobal Balenciaga to cause a scandal that will turn her from almost famous to famous.

This reprint still retains its sharp acerbic lampoon of the jet set who needs to obtain fame even if it only for fifteen minutes. Reality is a terrific protagonist whose obsession becomes her reality, but never interferes with her selection of who's in and who's polar. Celebrity status takes a beating as Lee Tulloch's satire rips into the cost and inane need to become a known "personality".

Harriet Klausner

Hilarious homage to clothing and finding THE perfect outfit. Reality "Really" Tuttle was born in the late 60's, so if you are in the same genre as myself, you will definitely appreciate references to ghastly 80's attire that she despises as well as the detailed descriptions of her frocks. ...

The writing is masterful, the characters are alive, the story has a compelling mythical power, it should've won a pulitzer. It is wonderful and splendid and shall never perish. It has a deep, soulful message. It has an archetypal power, it shall become a classic. It could be the basis of a great Broadway musical, and we know they are not making great musicals nowadays. Just as My Fair Lady is a great musical, but still consider it now still a Pygmalion. I imagine a animated chorus line of frocks, inhabitated by many the great fashion icons. I would die to see that musical.

Before Bridget Jones, Sex and the City, or Shopaholic, there was Lee Tulloch's "Fabulous Nobodies."

Lee Tulloch was once the editor of Australian Vogue, and she puts her knowledge of fashion and the whole fashion glam scene to hysterically funny use in this little novel. The book opens with a hilarious narrative about the main character's nails of all things.

It's been years since I read Fabulous Nobodies, but it's a definite stand-out in a genre that didn't exist when the book was published in the early 90s. If you're in your 20s, a slave to fashion, any or all of the above, you've got to read this book. You can finish it in a day and you'll spend most of the time laughing at the antics of the main character and her crew. Our 20s are a great time of life (if only in retrospect), because we're no longer teenagers but not quite mature enough to be adults, so there's much goofing off, goofing around, and goofing up to learn from (or at least laugh about). Fabulous Nobodies is filled with all three. Don't miss this one.

Sue's father is the Director of a home for disturbed children. It's interesting the expertise and wisdom that he can give to other troubled children, but when it comes to his own daughter, he's in denial. Very candid and extremely well written.

From December 1947 until June 1951 while I was a student at SUNY - Albany, I worked and lived at the Albany Home for Children as one of several Assistant Activities Directors. A week ago while googling "Albany Home", I came across this book and started reading it to learn more about what has happened at the home since I left. It didn't take long for me to become absorbed in the major thrust of the book as described by previous reviewers - especially Virginia Mathers. "The heartfelt story she tells of her love for her mother is so poignant that at some points it is almost painful to read - her emotions are so raw and real. The other part of the story is Ms. Carswell's amazing candor as she describes her own problems and obsessions which haunted her throughout a majority of her life. The fact that she has perservered and become a major literary success is a tribute to her strength of character."

I actually couldn't put the book down.

Although it was a minor part of the book, Ms. Carswell's descriptions of life at the home, both from her own experiences and Bob Wygant's, was right on. In fact, I learned more about the purpose and mission of the home by reading the book than I did while I was there.

I'm glad that she got to meet my boss, friend, protector, and straight shooter - Coach Huddleston.

Read this book!

Sue Carswell's astonishing, spectacular book is, without a doubt, the most courageous book I have ever read. Carswell opens her heart, her psyche, and her soul to the reader and the world, and does so with monumental skill, humor, and candor. When you finish this book, you feel you know the author better than anyone, other than yourself, because she has revealed herself so generously. What a comfort her struggle with her demons will be to so many people.

I laughed out loud at points and cried (something I haven't done in years while reading a book). Her voice evolves over the course of the narrative and will be in my head for a very long time, maybe forever. So sweet, so sad, so resilient. Ms. Carswell invites readers in to her wirting process in the beginning of this book, and at the end, she brings you back to her flickering computer screen. Even though much of the book is painful to experience, I didn't want it to end and so I read the Acknowledgments as if they were a part of the story and, in a way, they are.

I tried to find one thing I didn't like about this book, but the only thing I was unsure about (the lack of quote marks), I ended up loving. Their absence is liberating.

I recommend this book to absolutely everyone. Put it on the top of your list for 2006.

The tender love emanating from the pages of this book touch the depths of one's soul. Whether she knows it or not, Ms. Carswell has attained spiritual greatness, although the book does not seem to be written to that end. The love she has for her mother and the empathy she holds for the orphans are the true essence of its beauty.

Reminiscent of the style in which Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, the author so poignantly captures the voice of a child trying to make sense of the sadness which is her backyard; while at the same time she interjects bouts of comic relief that can only come from pure childhood innocence. As she ages in the book her voice does also. It is brilliantly done.

I highly recommend this book. You will cry. You will laugh out loud. And, because Ms. Carswell reveals her heart so openly, you will love.

Carswell's book is a tremendous, insightful read. There are so many beautiful images and her writing just flows off the pages. The story is captivating and the characters -- her family members -- are honestly drawn and with great humor.

I literally could not put this book down. Not only is the writing fantastic, her changing voice as she matures and ages is something I don't think I've ever experienced as a reader before. The stories themselves are all intertwined and her observations of her mother and her own self-reflection are devastating, moving, hilarious, wrenching, and lovely. It's a wonderfully fascinating story and for anyone who grew up in a large family in the 60s, it is especially fun.

This is an outstanding read. I will not look at a fire engine, firefighter or the FDNY in the same light after reading this book.

Always managing and being a firefighter in parallel never truly made me a better person. Now after having read Salka's book and truly understood my management style and applying Salka's hints, I feel I am truly a good manager. My staff has noticed the change as has my senior managers. I have passed the book along and regularly mentor my newer managers with this book. Do not pass this book up!

As an officer in a volunteer fire department and having a real world management job, I was able to use everything this book gave me. At first, I did buy the book to be a better fire department officer but I found myself using many of the principles in everyday business life. This book is one of the easiest educational reads I've ever experienced. Hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did.

The New York Fire Department (FDNY) seemed a company of heroes in the months after September 11, 2001. Later, when investigations revealed the enormity of the blunders and the degree to which petty political infighting had literally doomed firefighters to death, the FDNY lost a bit of its luster. But FDNY traditionally has a core of strong leaders, and John Salka is one of them. In this book, he shares his leadership philosophy. It's no slur to observe that this is a leadership book for firehouse buffs who are as interested in firefighter yarns as in leadership. The leadership principles outlined here are sound but not new; what is fresh is that the author illustrates those principles with fire fighting stories, clearly far more interesting than war stories from accounting - even if a bit remote from most people's everyday business reality. After all, few business people risk their lives in their daily work, and probably no business has the esprit de corps of a firehouse. We recommend this book to business people across the professions. The ride inside the fire truck will keep you engrossed in its solid leadership lessons.

Salka's advice is modeled on the leadership lessons of the New York City Fire Department. He takes many of the basic principles of effective leadership that are used to define the officers of FDNY and applies it to real life situations that can be used at any level of leadership by comparing these situations to those faced by the firefighters and their daily battles.

This book's real strength comes from Salka's approach: he writes to the front line supervisor/manager, the folks who are often on the first tier of management. While many books, as good as they are, assume that the reader is in a position to affect policy and choose their entire team, "First In" speaks to managers whose responsibility is the daily performance of the staff.

In addtion to great advice that can be put to practical use by leaders at any level, Salka regails the reader with colorful stories of the men and women of the FDNY. Overall, a great read.

I flew through this book because I could not stop reading it. The details of life growing up in the Bronx were truly mind blowing, especially for someone who grew up in a super sheltered environment.

However, the best part of this book is how Canada relates how the gun culture has doomed inner city children to an adolescence of violence and how something must be done to change this.

This is the most powerful anti-gun books I have ever read, and the message isn't shoved down your throat, it's told through the author's own life experience which makes it that more powerful.

A must read.

This is hands down one of the best books I have read. Not only does Geoffrey Canada explain in gritty detail the inner workings of ghetto society, he also lists solid well-thought solutions, which would enable inner city youth and residents to rise above poverty and despair. We, the people, have turned a cheek for much too long. Something really can be done. This book should be required reading for high school and college-level coursework.

Dr. Canada presents an emotive argument for gun control through story and eclecticism. He makes an interesting case for the slide from Fist to Gun without ever dealing with the reason for the violence of fist and/or gun. One might argue with his conclusions though one cannot argue with his heart's concern as to the results caused by the increased violence. Overall, a good read for thought and/or argument.

I personally have had the opportunity to hear Geoffrey Canada speak at my college twice, he an alumni of Bowdoin College. Not only is his book inspiring, he spoke to my class about joining the "losing team", and making a difference in the lives of others, like those of the South Bronx and Harlem, NY. Not only has he lived to tell, he has taken his experiences and turned them into something very positive, by developing and running the Harlem Children Zone, making a difference to those children there. The book is a great read for anybody who is an urban educator, or involved in social services.

Canada grew up poor in the South Bronx in the '50s. Violence, then, as now, was a way of life. All boys fought - life was worse for those who refused. Violence and the rituals surrounding it established the social pecking order. In the preface to his memoir Canada says, "The difference is that we never had so many guns in our inner cities."

Canada's first memory of street violence came at age 4, when his two older brothers had a jacket stolen at the playground. The boys' mother sent them right back to fetch it, promising them a beating "ten times as bad as what that little thief could do to you," if they failed.

They left the house in tears and returned triumphant, with the jacket. Their mother sat them down and told them it was a lesson in not becoming a victim. The author, her youngest, was unconvinced.

Then a neighborhood boy who habitually refused to fight was "stretched" over a car and savagely beaten by a group of boys. "The lesson was brutal and unmistakable. No matter who you fought, he could never beat you that bad."

Canada's memoir is a thoughtful, moving portrayal of social behavior in a culture of violence. A quick study, Canada learned to use posturing, attitude and negotiation as well as his fists to minimize the number and severity of violent encounters.

But he is absolutely convinced that violence is a learned response, not innate. He and the other small boys, says Canada, were aghast at the prospect of fighting. Only fear of worse violence and a life of cowering in corners spurred them to fight.

Today, says Canada, the same imperatives operate. But guns have shattered the rituaized formality of the pecking order. Toughness is no longer determined by fighting skills or "heart" but by willingness to pull the trigger.
This is the book's most chilling precept. The streets are now ruled by those whose most important attribute is a lack of compunction about killing.

Canada's own experience as a gun carrier is a perfect illustration. Home from college he found a nearby street ruled by a gang of toughs so intimidating he would take a circuitous route to avoid them. So he bought a gun. Carrying it, he found his whole personality changed.

Instead of avoiding the block or even crossing the street he would swagger through the gang, his whole attitude provoking a challenge. But back at school in bucolic Maine he saw his behavior in a different light. Appalled at how close he'd come to shooting someone, he threw away the gun.

Those who don't leave the ghetto don't have the luxury of contemplation.

Canada has devoted his life to helping poor children and reducing street violence. Today he runs a program which offers classes and recreational activities which involve the whole community. The Rheedlen Center uses public school buildings, open 17 hours a day, in an effort to provide children and families with safety.

At the end of the book, Canada offers a program for solving the problems of violence in the inner cities. Chief among them is getting handguns off the streets by using buyback programs, registration at the place of manufacture (so any gun can be traced) and registration of ammunition.

Whether the reader agrees with his solutions or not, Canada's memoir is powerful testimony of a future of little hope without major change. It is also a riveting and convincing personal history.

To say that Roy Neuberger's book entitled "From Central Park to Sinai" was a real page turner, is a definite understatement. This most engrossing and captivating book details the story of a personal transformation of a man searching for spiritual meaning and purpose in his life. The grandson of a great rabbi and founder of the "Mussar" movement in Judaism, Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, Roy Neuberger's life couldn't be further apart from that of his grandfather. Educated in the traditions of ethical culturalism, Mr. Neuberger felt an ever present spiritual vacuum in his life and as such he embarked on a personal quest for truth, via the study of Catholicism, Protestantism and a whole host of other religions and value systems. He even wrote a book detailing why these other religions and their credos were superior to that of Judaism and why Judaism held no meaning.

Accompanying Mr. Neuberger on his trajectory towards spiritual fulfillment was that of his beloved wife, Linda, also a student of ethical culturalism. The fear and uncertainty that plagued Mr. Neuberger throughout his life could be simply termed as a man living through a perpetual anxiety attack with no relief in sight.

It would seem that G-d heard the inner cry and pain of Mr. Neuberger, and as destiny would have it, he was guided in the direction of Rebbetzen Esther Jungreis. That night in Neuburgh, NY changed the course of an entire generation of Neubergers. Mr. Neuberger was deeply impressed with Rebbetzen Jungreis' Torah message and he began to attend her classes on a weekly basis, despite the hardship of traveling such a long distance during a fuel crisis. Rebbetzen Jungreis served as a conduit to bring the message of G-d's love and compassion to a man who hungered and thirsted for spiritual guidance and meaning. In essence, Mr. Neuberger began to fall in love with G-d, embracing His Torah and commandments.

Since that time, Mr. Neuberger and his wife have raised a beautiful family steeped in Torah values and has spread his joy and understanding of spiritual truth with hundreds of people who he has invited to his home to enjoy the uplifting experience of Shabbos.

Mr. Neuberger's story will not only inspire, but will captivate the heart and soul of the reader. It is a must read for anyone searching for guidance and truth and even for those who are not searching for anything in particular. It is a welcome addition to any library and will remain within the recesses of the soul for posterity.

Roy Neuberger's journey to find himself is extremely inspiring. It goes to show you that a man can have all the money in the world,but without a some spiritual guidance, what is he really living for? In some ways his wealthy background was a great hinderance to him. His parents did not give Roy all the proper attention and guidance as the Ethical Cultural Schools merely confused his thinking.

Finally after 31 years, a colleague woke him up to the fact that he is a Jew whether he realizes it or not. Mr. Neuberger finally realized that he was not giving his own heritage a chance. Finally he asked to visit a synagogue with a friend and it so happened the Rebbetzin Jungeris was speaking there that night. At that point a chain reaction fo events triggered in Mr. Neuberger's brain that this was answer he was looking for.

The rest of the book consists of many powerful miracles based on prayer and faith in G_d. Although many of the stories are repeated from Esther Jungeris' The Committed Life, it is still a pleasure read about people turning their lives around by believing the Power of the Jewish Religion. Judaism encourages its followers to be strong and persist towards acheiving happiness and overcoming obstacles.

This book will make you believe in miracles even if you are not Jewish. An inspiration to us all.

Mr. Neuberger is a very enthusiastic and sincere man of faith, and these qualities shine through in his book.

This book has the power of spiritual elevation reinforced by a sense of personal discovery.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in religion, who can appreciate religion as an experience where personal growth and community involvement are not contradictory; but, parallel and mutually reinforcing.

Roy Neuberger's personal story has a strong message even for non-Jews and for people who are not religious. His personal search for God is very moving and is written in a charming, conversational style. I was especially taken with his numerous stories about he and his wife, Leah, helping so many people from various walks of life. There are important messages in this book that will help all of us to live better and more enriching lives.

This was a heartfelt story of a mensch who was dissatisfied with the lack of spirituality in bland liberal universalist culture in which he was raised. Eventually, he found true joy in Jewish orthodoxy. However, if you're pondering deep metaphysical issues, you'll find assertions here, but not deep abstract notions of different "isms" and why they are true or not. I was also uncomfortable with the assertion that Jewish assimilation caused the Holocaust.

This is a major compilation of the work of the intriguing graphic artist, M. C. Escher. Remember seeing depictions of events that seem plausible but, under closer analysis, involve impossibilities? That describes some of Escher's most interesting works.
The book provides just about everything Escher produced (appearing in the "Catalog" section of the book), including his earliest works compiled during his teens. Among the most well known (and fascinating) include "The Waterfall," "Ascending and Descending March," "Convex and Concave," "Liberation," "Synthesis," "House of Stairs," and so on. The catalog section is fun, for one thing, simply to trace the evolution of his art.

But there is more to this volume than the works themselves. The volume provides context, with a brief description of his father's life as well as a more detailed analysis of Escher's life, from his birth in 1898 to his death in 1972.

There is also a most useful chapter labeled "The Vision of a Mathematician" (featuring the thoughts of mathematics teacher Bruno Ernst). It begins by noting two periods in the work of Escher--(page 135): ". . .pre 1935, in which landscapes predominate, and post 1937, which is characterized by a marked mathematical tendency." Ernst describes the mathematical principles in some detail (for those interested in this, a fascinating discussion). The textual portion of the book concludes with an essay by Escher himself on "The Regular Division of the Plane," including his reflections on his art.

This book has been around a while, but it is a valuable backdrop to getting a sense of the art of M. C. Escher.

I love everything Escher. I have several books, numerous calendars, as well as large jigsaw puzzles, T-shirts, magnets and mini jigsaw puzzles. Because of the detail in this book, I will never need to add another book to my collection. I especially appreciate the explanations. I am nowhere near smart enough to figure out what Escher was doing in each of his artworks. The detailed lesson on what each piece means is much appreciated by an art fan who is not an art scholar. I think this book would be great for any Escher fan, but I feel the need to tell you it is very large. Make sure you have room for it.

And c'mon - if you've seen his work, you're a fan.

The great thing about this book is not just the extensive and readable biography, but the complete (so they say) catalog of his graphic works. Even people very familiar with Escher's ouvre will be surprised by some of the entries here. They go back to work he did at ages 18 and 19, and show the devleopment of the Escher that has become so famous. It's just a little disappointing that the catalog is printed only in black and white, when so many of his works used color. The catalog reproductions are just that - a listing of his work, not a gallery, so the quarter-page size of most pieces is adequate for recognizing a piece, if not for appreciating it fully.

It is fascinating to see Escher's style develop though his (and the twentieth century's) twenties. Various influences early on suggest Beardsley (cat. 49, 67), Picasso (cat. 51, 58), or the pervasive Art Deco of his time (cat.34). Even then, some of Escher's later fascinations begin to emerge, including hands and reflective balls (cat. 88 and 80), symmetries and tilings (cat. 61, 65), and complex interactions of many figures in a repeating structure (cat. 90). The lesser-known parts of his work also start to emerge by the time he's 30, including delicate lithographs (cat. 129, 132). As much as I love his visual paradoxes and flirtation with the infinite, the lithos and mezzotints are the pieces that truly move me. "Snow" and "Blowball" (cat. 278 and 330) have an eloquent simplicity. "Eye" and "Drop" (cat. 344 and 356) demonstrate his classical sense and his perseverance with the demanding medium of mezzotint.

The text is also thorough and enjoyable - a good thing, since it takes up half of this heavy book, including its own set of illustrations. I admit that I have only skipped around this section, which starts by describing Escher's father. It's small wonder that his father was an engineer and that his son Arthur studied geology. Although an artist to the core, Escher had fruitful contact with mathematicians and crystallographers. He is one of very few artists that have successfully incorporated hard science into their artistic vision at such a visceral level, and the scientists appreciated that as much as anyone.

Although out of print, this book is available inexpensively on the used market. It's one of the best bargains around; if you've read this far, you'll probably find it well worth having.

//wiredweird

I haven't even had a chance to go through all of this remarkable book yet, but I am so impressed with it so far I cannot burble enough about how delighted I am with my purchase. This is a beautifully produced, designed, and wonderfully complete book. Many tales of the personal life an vision of the artist, countless, cleanly reproduced graphics, many works I have never seen or heard of before. Terrific! Can't recommend enough!!!

Definitely the first book every Escher fan should purchase. It's helpful in getting to know about the man himself as well as his brilliant artwork. It may seem pricey, but it's totally worth it, being hardcover (at least the one I got), and high quality photos of his work. It also shows his lesser known works (ones never released apparently), as well as photos of himself and his family. A very informative read and a quality edition.

Bought this as a gift and never got to read it personally, however, was told it was a great book. Marv's a legend, and any Bills fan should take a read, capturing those "glory years" of the Bills.

Extremely hokey and a tad bit hurried through the end, but a pretty good book covering his life of football. *Mr. Levy really needs to lay off the use of superlatives as almost every player or team he has coached was the greatest at one particular thing or another. Also, I don't think Mr. Levy intended that the descriptions he has written regarding his locker room motivational speeches were to betray the fact that the players most likely considered the gravely serious war metaphors that he was constantly drawing on as a little too serious to be applied to a football game. No wonder why they consistently fell silent as he left them to contemplate his words. I can hear in my mind a player asking another "Like, we're playing a game here, right?" as Marv proudly leaves the locker room. Marv comes off as a classy guy hoping to coach again. I hope he gets his wish.

If one were to look outside of one's immediate family for a role model, Marv Levy would be a wise choice. Marv Levy is not all about football, although he has spent most of his adult life in one capacity or another in the game. His body of work is as a human being, caring for his players and family. In this era when books usually have some axe to grind against those who "done someone wrong," Levy seldom has a bad word about anyone, and any are usually absolved before the end of the paragraph. His book details his life, the good times and bad, the celebrations and defeats, and the fights and absolutions. He is a unique man who has written and interesting and worthwhile book about his experiences, written in a positive light about incidents that helped him grow as a man and a leader. For those looking for a good football book, an inspirational book or inpiration of life, read Marv's book. It's well worth it.

[Four of Four stars] Marv Levy of Chicago
and Iowa is sort of the Red Auerbach of
Pro Football. A journeyman, who maintained
his class and sense of humour which is not
just soundbytes in NFL films clips.

Mr Burns does us an injustice below in his
review by criticising the very fine Montreal
Alouettes of the CFL, but CFL fans will love
the chapters on our favorite League, particu-
larly, "My Grey Cup Runneth Over". The only
knock that one can have on Levy, and it's a
slight one, is that he hung too long onto
Kelly at QB (Frank Reich should have started
one of those Super Bowls) and Thurman (fumbles)
Thomas, who was simply an overrated player.

One spot in Marv's fine book, he maintains one
of the hardest things he ever had to do was
keep lightning quick Steve Tasker (one-time
Kansas Jayhawk) on the bench! Tasker, like Levy
is a class act who deserves to be in the NFL
Hall-of-Fame and could have been one of the
greatest RBs or WRs of alltime. Marv, as bad
as the NFL is getting even having you back in
the League at 81, again with the Bills (this
time at G.M.) is a breath of fresh air. Thanks
for all the memories. Your dad and my granddad
chewed a lot of the same turf in World War I.

Recent history has been kind to Marv Levy as the magnificence of having won four consecutive AFC Conference championships is now replacing the earlier bitter pill of lost Superbowls. Marv Levy has become the ceremonial uncle of professional football today. He is to pro football what George Foreman is to pro boxing, the friendly enduring face of a brutal sport.

This is a campfire book, a grown-up bedtime story about a bright young lad from Chicago, one of those lucky folks who got paid to do what he liked. It is a tale remarkably devoid of rancor or regrets but rather a mixture of self-deprecating humor, a bit of self-serving forgetfulness, colorful characters, and the pleasures of the jocular world of organized football. In his preface Levy advises us that his writing style is the re-creation of the pleasures of his memory. Take away the Kansas City Chiefs and he would have had the perfect life.

But before arriving at Kansas City, there were the minor matters of World War II, college, and building a resume. Levy entered the Army Air Corps with the help of a friend who, shall we say, understated Levy's vision impairment. When this problem was later detected, Levy was scratched from pilot training and spent much of the war in Florida as a weather observer. After the war, already in possession of a bachelor's degree from Coe College, Levy began his much heralded graduate work at Harvard. In truth he opted out of the law school in three weeks, choosing instead to earn a masters in history and collecting inspiring anecdotes for use in the Buffalo Bills' locker room years later.

Levy had abandoned law school because of his desire to coach football. After a stint as assistant coach back at Coe for the mighty "Kohawks," Levy over the next fifteen years crafted a highly respectable resume of work as head coach of generally mid-range college football teams, primarily New Mexico, California, and William & Mary. It was a stunning upset of the nation's number one team, Navy, by an undermanned William and Mary crew in 1967 that brought Levy to the attention of NFL, and eventually to the staff of George Allen in Washington as special teams coach.

Levy could not help but be influenced by his Redskins boss. Allen referred to his defensive linemen as "rushers," benched the popular pass-happy Sonny Jurgensen for the workmanlike Billy Kilmer, and played for the least mistakes. A running offense, a veteran opportunistic defense, and juiced up special teams play were his trademarks. Allen seems to have taken to Levy because of the latter's own imaginative thinking about the critical nature of special teams' play, which comprises about 30% of an average NFL game. Moreover, Levy could not have missed how Allen cultivated an image and played the psychological card adroitly.

Levy, a man not without ambition, was anxious to run his own ship, and in 1973 became the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes. Once the flagship of the Canadian Football League, the Alouettes were an artistic, aesthetic, and organizational shipwreck, bedeviled by an atrocious stadium, poor attendance, and impossible weather. Levy guided Montreal to the Grey Cup final in his first year and a league championship the following season. His five successful campaigns in Canada brought an invitation to come back south of the border and take the reins of the young Kansas City Chiefs.

In many ways the Chiefs Levy inherited in 1978 were very much like the present day Chiefs-a potent offense with a porous defense. He also inherited an overbearing club president, Jack Steadman, who did not understand Levy's priority of drafting for defense [Art Still, Mike Bell, Gary Spani, among others], nor his coach's penchant for a tough ground game a la his contemporary "Ground Chuck" Knox. Perhaps reflecting the thinking of his old mentor George Allen, Levy believed that an adequate quarterback could direct the Chiefs, as Billy Kilmer had in Washington. At Kansas City Levy inherited the aging QB Mike Livingston and drafted Clemson's Steve Fuller. Steadman--and Lamar Hunt himself-- created what was probably an unnecessary controversy in their criticisms of the quarterbacking position, a situation aggravated by the arrival of yet another QB, the gunslinger Bill Kenney.

The Chiefs improved, and the defense became stellar, but neither Hunt, Steadman, nor many of the fans were satisfied with a .500 team. Released from the Chiefs in 1982, Levy would always remember how a meddlesome front office and instability at the quarterback position could undermine an otherwise flawless rebuilding program. Thus, when Levy accepted the Buffalo Bills' call in midseason 1986, it is no coincidence that he had already over the years cultivated friendships with owner Ralph Wilson and his executive staff of Bill Polian and John Butler, and that the quarterback situation was quite stable under the maturing Jim Kelly. Clearly a unity of respect and purpose among all levels of Buffalo management marked Levy's years with the Bills and allowed the team to focus entirely on drafting, development, and execution.

Levy assumes that most readers know of the exploits of the Bills in their glory years, and as a rule he paints with a broad red, white, and blue brush. As a history major himself, he has forgotten or omitted some situations that still intrigue knowledgeable observers: his protest of Cincinnati's no huddle offense to the NFL Commissioner prior to the 1988 AFC Championship [a style of play which, ironically, would become the hallmark of the Bills, the K-Gun] or Thurman Thomas's missing helmet episode at the opening of the 1992 Superbowl. But there is self-revelation as well. Levy was over 60 when hired by the Bills; he admits that he had begun to doubt whether he would ever coach again. How could he know then that his best days were yet to come?

I love both of the American Patriot books and am anxiously awaiting the third. They turn the history of our country into a story of amazing heros and heroines. I am a home school mom and am considering adding both Daughter of Liberty and Native Son to our American History curriculum. The books entertain while they enlighten. The best way to learn. These are now my favorite historical fiction.

I enjoyed this book very much!! The first story was amazing and the second book picked up right where the first one left off. Elizabeth is sent by Washington to continue spying among the British. Jon on the other hand is sent into indian territory to try to convince the indians that Wasington needed them. Jon was captured and became a slave. Elizabeth has no idea if he is dead or alive. The only problem I had with this book was the fact that I now have to wait so long to find out what happens. A must read and a tender story.

Native Son is the second book in author J.M. Hochstetler's The American Patriot Series, and is every bit as magnificently composed as the first. Picking up where Daughter of Liberty left off, Native Son reprises the suspenseful setting and believable characters of book one and indelibly seals the heart of the reader to the author's work.

With Patriot's identity exposed and a huge price on his head, he is no longer of any use to the Revolutionaries as a spy--but his previous experience living with a tribe of Native Americans qualifies him for an even more dangerous assignment. Oriole, however, has not yet been exposed and therefore must remain behind to continue gathering intelligence for General Washington and his troops. The intertwining of these two stories keeps readers riveted to their seats from the first page to the last--and anxiously awaiting book three.

J. M. Hochstetler's second book in the American Patriot Series, Native Son, draws readers into the compelling first chapter. Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton meets with George Washington to discuss the patriot troops' readiness for war against trained British soldiers.

Meanwhile, doctor's assistant Elizabeth Howard ties down a wounded man and helps the doctor amputate the man's gangrenous leg to save his life. As a patriot spy working in a Tory hospital, Elizabeth faces constant danger of discovery.

Although Jonathan and Elizabeth determine to marry at the earliest opportunity, circumstances and General Washington's orders conspire to separate them. Carleton heads into Indian Territory, while Elizabeth stays behind. They believe God has inspired their commitment to the Patriot cause, but as the separation stretches to months, each struggles with how it will affect their relationship.

When Carleton's negotiations with several Indian tribes turn sour, the Mohawks take him prisoner. Elizabeth wonders at Carleton's fate as time passes with no word from him. As she continues her work, one of the men helping her discovers her true role and threatens to expose her as a spy. Faced with danger at every turn, both Elizabeth and Carleton draw strength from the God they trust. But will it be enough as the pressures they face slowly change each of them and each continues to wonder about the fate of the other?

Native Son holds as much historical detail as the first book in the series, Daughter of Liberty. However, Hochstetler's clear writing and obvious research make both books intriguing reads. The detail in the medical scenes is exquisite and gave me an eye-opening understanding of Revolutionary War-era amputation and medical care. Fascinating details also enhance the scenes in which the Mohawks hold Carleton prisoner and in later scenes when he lives with the Delaware Indians.

Although Carleton and Elizabeth spend most of the book separated by many miles and different cultures, the strength of both characters easily carries the book. For fans of historicals, this series is a must. Watch for Hochstetler's third book in the American Patriot series.

Native Son, the second book of The American Patriot Series by J.M. Hochstetler, continues the saga of Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton and the woman who has stolen his heart, Elizabeth Howard. Each has pledged allegiance to General George Washington. Elizabeth's spy mission sends her gathering information among the Loyalists, while Jonathan's orders send him deep into Indian territory. When Elizabeth learns Jonathan has been captured by the Indians, she tries desperately to gain information about the man she loves. Unable to learn of Jonathan's fate, she is forced to continue life with the uncertainty of whether or not he yet lives. Jonathan's life changes drastically when he becomes a slave to the tribe that captured him. He must make decisions that put him in battle against the people to whom he has pledged his allegiance.

Hochstetler examines a little-known aspect of the Revolution by following the hero Jon to the West. People think of the Revolution being fought in Boston and along the East Coast, but there was trouble in the West, too, with the English, the Indians, and the settlers. Hochstetler lets us see that part of the war through Jon's eyes. Again the reader finds the war-tossed couple, Brigadier General Jonathon Carleton and spy Elizabeth Howard, separated by choice for the good of the new country and your heart breaks at the sacrifices these two make for the ultimate good of many. After Jonathon is sent to Indian territory, Elizabeth ends up in Boston. With wars of all levels--spiritual, emotional, and physical-- pressing on them, we feel the anguish they must endure. Rumors circulate and both characters must pretend they care nothing for the other. The story is set in 1775, and the reader is immediately folded into the setting, riding along enjoying every bump and bruise. Even when Carleton is captured, the reader hopes all will be well, although chances are pretty much against that.

Elizabeth and Jonathan, the star crossed lovers in the previous book Daughter of Liberty, have the perfect conflict: the American patriot and the British officer. Now they are being kept apart as Elizabeth is pressed back into service as a spy for General Washington. Elizabeth is the perfect society lady, listening in on secrets in Boston, occupied by the British. Her hair-raising exploits sneaking secrets past the ruthless British blockade are the best part of the book. Jonathan, who has a price on his head, can trust no one. He goes West where he was reared and meets the Indians- not all of them friendly- he knew as a child. So wedding plans are put aside while each sets out to carry out the mission Washington has assigned them. As the months pass in silence, Beth wonders if he is even alive. Should she begin to consider a life without him? And as Jonathan is taken farther and farther away from Beth, he fears he will never see her again. How can he go back to her while the war still rages? The British want him dead, and his new life with the Indians has even made him an enemy of his own countrymen. Is their Christian faith and trust in God strong enough to see them through?

Native Son is an intensely moving story, impeccably researched and excellently written. It is an intricate look into some aspects of the birth of our nation, and the struggles and temptations faced by two unforgettable characters. J. M. Hochstetler expertly weaves a tale of historical fiction with a romance that must survive the trials and dangers of the times. Outstanding! -- Erika Osborn, Christian Book Previews.com

This is my favorite of Maureen Johnson's books, and I've loved them all. Suite Scarlett was brilliantly written, with engaging characters who are, above all, REAL, which is why I adore her books so much. Johnson clearly knows what it's like to live in New York, to be a conflicted teen, and has obviously been around a lot of theater people. She holds the many threads of the plot together throughout, dropping nary a one, and keeping a wonderful balance between the drama and the humor of them all. This book is a delight from start to finish, and I'm so thrilled that she is writing a sequel.

SUITE SCARLETT
MAUREEN JOHNSON
Contemporary Young Adult

Rating: 4 Enchantments

At fifteen, everyone in the Martin family inherits a room in the family owned Hopewell Hotel to look after. Scarlett finds herself inheriting the highly coveted Empire room, but what should be a great birthday turns into anything but. Her family tells her they just let go the chef, which explains the burnt birthday breakfast and her older sister runs off to spend the day with her wealthy boyfriend. Even her adorable and hysterically funny older brother Spencer can't keep the smile on her face when they find out he may be forced to stop pursuing his acting dream and instead accept the scholarship he's been offered from culinary school.

Soon Scarlett finds herself assisting the Empire Suite's summer long guest, the unusual former starlet Mrs. Amberson who keeps coming up with odder and odder requests; all while trying to help Spencer keep himself from being forced into culinary school by helping with the off, off Broadway production of Hamlet and trying desperately not to crush too hard on Spencer's new acting partner, Eric, which might be the hardest thing of all.

There were parts of the book I really enjoyed and some where I felt the story slowed to a crawl. I really liked Scarlett's two older siblings, Spencer, an aspiring comedic actor and Lola, the beautiful sister with the wealthy boyfriend Scarlett and Spencer can't stand. The good scenes in the book were really good and there were several great laugh out loud moments sprinkled throughout. But I think my absolute favorite scene in the book is when Scarlett and her brother realize the impromptu rehearsals they've been holding in the basement of the hotel has an unexpected guest.

All in all, SUITE SCARLETT was a really entertaining read and I laugh every time I think of Hamlet on unicycles. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Johnson has in store for the characters in book two, scheduled for a 2009 release.
You can visit Ms. Johnson online at www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com and be sure to check out her interactive map http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=102312066307931969077.000442d6d06efbd923692&z=13 with which has tidbits on many of the book's locations, and will occasionally feature hints on book two and Ms. Johnson's current whereabouts.

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
July 2008

I've never been a huge fan of Maureen Johnson's. I know, it's a crime. It's just that none of the books of hers that I've read have made much of an impression on me. I do admit that she's a good writer and has some great story ideas, but out of the books I've read so far, I didn't really like them enough to say that she's one of my favorite authors. But, I think that may have changed after I read this book. While reading I thought to myself; this must be the kind of Maureen Johnson writing that has made people fall in love with her. It's really good! She's witty, precise, clever, funny, and her whole writing style made this book completely enjoyable to read. It's got nice flow and has enough little quirky things to it that nothing ever gets boring. I'm definitely understanding what people like so much about Maureen. I'm a fan now. Besides the writing, there were, of course, other elements that I liked about the book. I really liked the reality of it all. Maybe not the reality of the plot, because I have a feeling that that part was meant to be not so real and more funny and captivating, but I really liked how the author was able to write about the setting and the characters so that it felt as if you were there and you knew them. I've been to New York once, like five years ago so I don't really remember a ton, but from reading this book I was able to understand the whole dynamic and feel of the city which was cool. I'd love to be able to go and spend a week or two among the crazy hecticness of New York. It seems like it would be a really cool place to live. And besides the setting, the characters were completely awesome. They each had some interesting personality trait that made them unique. I also liked how the cute guy in this story had things wrong with him! Yay! Cheers for realistic and screwed up guys. Sure, I'm not as fond of Eric as I am of more unflawed guy leads, but I do admire him for having the strength to defy the character mold. Ha. Overall, I think Suite Scarlett was a super great book. I loved every part of it and am looking forward to the next Scarlett book with tons of anticipation.

The characters in Suite Scarlett are so appealing I wish that Johnson had not bothered with her somewhat improbable plot (We are to believe rooms in an historic landmark NY hotel can't be rented out!) and just written about her amusing Martin family. Mom and Pop are as translucent as most parents in teen books, but big brother Spencer is a very funny young actor wannabe, sister Lola is a serious and caring beauty, fifteen-year-old Scarlett is a sweetie, neither whiny nor Mary-Sueish, and her young sister Marlene is a plausibly bitchy eleven-year-old leukemia survivor. The adults in this book act like spoiled children and the teens deal with their problems with ingenuity and grace. Suite Scarlett is a fun read, if only to learn from the author that Scholastic keeps a Pensieve in its lobby.

This was really a great book. I found myself intrigued by the special bonds in the family (Spencer and Scarlett) and (Lola and Marlene). I especially loved Spencer's character! He had a wonderful sense of humor.
I actually laughed aloud so many times throughout this novel. It had some great moments and I found myself smiling at some of the ridiculous stunts the characters pulled. What I loved the most was how Mrs. Amberson called Scarlett "O'Hara". That woman was so full of overly-dramatic personality! I loved it!

I also liked the touch of romance it had in it. Perfect way to spice up the story. Eric was of course, charming and cute with his actions towards Scarlett.

Overall, I full recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a teen romance story with great laughs!