DC Washington Books

Not being an ethnographer, urbanist, or sociologist, I almost hesitate to comment on this book, since it is rooted in those fields. However, since it is written at a level appropriate to a general audience, and concerns my home town, it seems reasonable to do so. The brief book's six chapters seek to explore the ethnography of Washington, D.C.'s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood during a time of transition in the mid-1980s. Williams attempts to disguise her study's location (which was also her home) by calling it "Elm Valley" and using fake street names, but people from D.C. will recognize Mt. P pretty quickly. Williams is a good writer and each individual section reads well, however, the chapters feel quite separate and it is sometimes a bit of a struggle to connect them to any larger thesis.

Chapter 1 briefly discusses the common "myths" of Washington as a city and traces the migration of one extended family from the Carolinas to D.C. Chapter 2 focuses on a particular block and its inhabitants, in an attempt to demonstrate how the prevalence of migrants from the south (such as the family from Chapter 1) has led to a local microculture which mimics those origins, especially in relation to food and gardening, which are treated in some detail. Chapter 3 shifts to another block, where an old apartment building faces a series of row houses. Williams spent a great deal of time talking to inhabitants of both, and is able to paint a fine picture of the dichotomy between them. Renters vs. home-owners, gentrifiers, asians, etc. However this gets a little bogged down in the finer semantic distinctions between "home" and "house", and veers off-course a little into a critique of how the idea of "home" has been culturally sold in post-war America.

Chapter 4 discusses the ethnography of "Main Street" (ie. Mt. Pleasant Street), and is striking in that the issues of twenty years ago remain largely unresolved, and if anything, are only heightened. For example, There are still economic tensions between shopping at local markets and an excursion to suburban supermarkets (although this is changing rapidly as chain stores take root several blocks away) and the issue if people hanging out on the street at all hours remains. However, the "stalled" gentrification has clearly been "unstalled" as every year sees more upscale-oriented businesses dotting the streetscape (such as a coffeehouse called "Dos Gringos", a bar called "Marx Cafe", and a boutique pizzeria).

Chapter 5 focuses on television viewing habits, contrasting the aspirational viewing habits of the poorer renters (who favor "Dallas", "Dynasty" and other such "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" viewing) with that of the more affluent homeowners (who favor "Hill Street Blues", "St. Elsewhere", and other such "gritty" representations of big city life). Williams has some nice analysis here, pointing out the obvious problems of the wealthy watching shows which more or less reinforce stereotypes of "city life", and how children of all classes watch the same shows. But this veers off-course again in a mini-rant against how children's programming has become commodified and exists primarily as a marketing vehicle. None of this is untrue, it's just not particularly germane.

The final chapter begins by outlining two grassroots efforts at creating community: a street festival highlighting the cultural traditions of Mt. Pleasant's diverse inhabitants, and a homeowner-led attempt to gain "historic" designation for the neighborhood. Then, in a hasty ten final pages, Williams attempts to pull everything together into a meaningful conclusion. Somewhat unhelpfully, she concludes that "the problems of Elm Valley are inseparable from the problems of militaristic consumer capitalism." To be more precise: "The problem in Elm Valley was that newer residents lent time and resources too rarely and that they too often undertook efforts in their own interest without considering others' sentiments and needs. Middle-class people...did not really know how to root their connections and resources in local life. Despite their rhetoric, they did not really know how to live in an integrated neighborhood." This is rather an interesting conclusion, since throughout the book Williams has treated all perspectives and demographics with respect and clarity (despite somewhat romanticing the 1950s-70s). So it's somewhat surprising to learn at the end that basically it's all the fault of those damn yuppies. Williams does offer some salves, such as the idea that the people of the neighborhood must "democratically invent community" through the "construction of a ritual life" (such as that of festivals or the faux-Carolina of the back alleys), and need to build a "world of routine interactions" in such shared spaces as day-care centers, the thrift store, and the farmer's market. Presumably the idea is that by these kind of regular interactions will foster cross-cultural understanding.This all sounds nice, but is contradictory to Williams' own findings that spaces currently shared by different ethnic and class groups (such as apartment hallways or alleys behind houses), can serve as catalysts for the mistrust and dislike of "the other."

Overall, the book provides strong examples of urban ethnographic fieldwork and writing, while being somewhat weak on context and focus. For example, the analysis in Chapter 2 of how neighbors interact via their backyards and shared alleys is striking. Another example of her keen ear appears in Chapter 3, where she explores the differing perceptions of public space, such as hallways and laundry rooms, between longtime black residents of the apartment building, and newer Latino residents. However, the racial and class issues she delves into lack solid contextual grounding. It would have been nice if she'd been able to mine some census or city data to empirically demonstrate how the neighborhood's demographics have changed over time. And despite the centrality of the housing and rental market to her study, she kind of dances around it, failing to provide any real data on how housing prices have escalated disproportionately to wages in the period she examines. Still, this is a good quick read for anyone with a strong interest in Washington, D.C.'s ethnography, or simply as an example of how to translate painstaking fieldwork into a narrative.

Note: Gabriella Modan's "Turf Wars: Discourse, Diversity, and the Politics of Place" picks up the ethnographic and economic story of Mt. Pleasant almost twenty years later.

This book is a beautiful text replete with full length glossy photos detailing the campaign and work of Senator Yarborough in the great state of Texas. Gives an intriguing view into small-time 60's politics.

its ok, the very few restaurents in baltimore area should have been more cretiqued in my opinion, not all of them are ok. just a local opinion.

This is the first Clancy book I've read. I really like it. Great story with great attention to detail and knowledge of military specifics.

Though I enjoyed reading it, I knew that in the end the good guys would win but I was hoping that it would have been a little more substantive than it was. I guess, taking out the eco-terrorists was all just a little too easy for my liking. Still, very fun to read. Despite its length, the read is also very fast.

John Clark, ex-Navy Seal and now a covert operative with a past that is best forgotten, is the commander of a newly formed elite international anti-terrorism group known as the Rainbow Team. As he takes his new assignment, the action begins faster than he could possibly have anticipated when the plane he and his longtime sidekick Domingo Chavez are riding in is hijacked over the Atlantic. The hijackers are overcome and this begins a sequence of terrorist acts that are brutal, yet seem to have no overall purpose. Disparate and dormant groups are suddenly active, yet there appears no reason for it.
The reasons are far more deadly, an ex-KGB operative is behind the activity and he is the front for a deadly game where a group is plotting to unleash biological entities that would be by orders of magnitude the greatest mass murder of all time. If their biological weapons work as planned, they would kill nearly every person on Earth. The trail finally leads Clark's team to a major installation that the terrorists have created in the jungle.
As is almost always the case with a Clancy novel, the descriptions of the action are what makes the novel such a dynamic read. For if you were to stop reading for a moment and ponder the events, the improbability of them occurring would no doubt overwhelm you. Once I started reading it, I found it very difficult to put down, losing a lot of sleep before turning the last page.

I'm a 15 year old female, who was assigned to this book by a group of, suprise suprise, 3 males of my same age.
Now, I'm a big TC fan, I loved Red October, and I'm fairly up-to-date with my techno-jargan, but honestly...
Without reiterating what many have so eloquently posted, my copy (which I bought used for $1, a bit over-priced if you ask me)now sits half burned, torn to bits in a corner of my room where I flung it against the wall.

*headdesk*
Really Tom?

If you've read any of Tom's books, you would know that he can sure write a good thriller. In fact, he's considered one of the best thriller novelists in the modern era, often mentioned alongside names such as John Grisham and Michael Crichton.

Rainbow Six is a great testament to that.

Rarely did I stop turning the pages in this one. The prose was flowing, the action was fast and the plot was engaging. Being someone who had served in the army before, I was attracted by the details of the mechanics surrounding the anti-terrorist team named RAINBOW. It's clear Tom knows his stuff. All the facts on the weapons were spot on, and the plot was very believable; with the US government being a part of a bio-terrorism scheme to exterminate the world's population, holocaust style. The multi-national team RAINBOW took center stage in this one, and for much of the book, we learn about their members, their individual roles in the team and their many characteristics. Which is good; having the members of RAINBOW drive the book was a good move by Clancy.

The plot moves on in many threads, much like Ted Bell's SPY where we see many threads moving on in a chronological sequence. It has a very gradual build-up that many thrillers typically employ. RAINBOW started off being formed in the first few chapters to being a serious threat to the main problem (the bio-terrorism problem) in the end. The book moves in and out between the team, the bad guys (Popov and the terrorists), the US government and the many external forces influencing the situation itself. And the plot threads move at a very fast pace, making it very enagaging and urgent.

All in all, I found it a very exciting read. And I recommend it to all looking for a good thriller to plunge into.

I was disappointed in this book. It was too drawn out and too many subplots. Hard to keep all the characters in mind. Actually, if I hadn't read any of Vince Flynn's books, I might have been a little more excited about this book. I have read some other Clancy books and enjoyed them, but this one dragged on.

Nelson Demille's NIGHT FALL receives Scott Brick's professional, seasoned voice as it tells of a deserted island, video sex, and a terrible blast when an airline explodes.

My husband and I both read this book and neither of us could put it down. My husband actually started reading it late at night when I finished and then he read for the entire night not stopping until it was time to leave for work in the morning. I have recommended this book to so many people and all of them have been just as impressed with it. Definitely one of the best books I have ever read.

DeMille's novel delivers equal parts action and conspiracy theory in a taut plot that involves the possible connection between terrorism and the deaths of 230 people aboard TWA Flight 800, which exploded mid-flight near Long Island on July 17, 1996.

Detective John Corey (from DeMille's "Plum Island" and "The Lion's Game" novels) returns with his FBI agent wife, Kate Mayfield, who's asked him to help look into some questions that have come up five years post-crash. Five years post 1996 brings us to mid-summer 2001, and everyone knows what event is yet to come. The final chapters alone are worth the cost of the book as a lot of loose ends are inconviently tied up permanently.

DeMille slipped with his domestic violence novel "Spencerville" but here he's at the top of his game. I'm not much for conspiracy theories, but DeMille presents information gleaned from official reports, witness interviews and other sources and makes it not only plausible but probable.

John Corey's first adventure, Plum Island, was interesting, and thrilling enough to make me want to try the big Lion's Game which was outstandingly scarey. But, the second book since then has lost it's fire and interest. The ending was trite, unfulfilling and left me ready to say goodbye to John and Kate.

I will try to make this review as helpful as possible without wasting much more of my time thinking about this book. I do, however, feel the need to steer people clear of this one.

I wonder if DeMille had to meet a certain word count for his publisher. It is slow and VERY repetitive, taking its time to (very) slowly deliver the plot. It takes him a good 600 pages to build up to the climax and by the time I got there I was very curious to see how this was going to unfold.

Instead, the author takes such a cheap way out -- none of the loose ends are tied up. Well, maybe one...but barely. It's almost as if he wrote himself into a corner that he couldn't get out of. I am tempted to explain DeMille's incredibly cheap way out but I won't in case you choose to form your own opinion.

DeMille's writing style is decent. Sometimes funny, sometimes juvenile. His narrative is pretty good, but his dialogue can be pretty cringe-worthy (but not nearly as bad as Baldacci's).

The book is a long way to go with virtually no payoff. This is the first book of DeMille's that I have read, so perhaps fans of his will like it.

I loved this book. I also loved the book itself, the size is easy to hold with my arthritic hands, and easier to read with the larger pages.

Although this book was still enjoyable, and I will still be getting the next Alex Cross book, I can't help but think that Patterson is concentrating too much on quantity and not enough on quality these days. Comparing Along Came a Spider or any earlier books with his recent in this series, the books just don't seem to have the quality of writing that they used to. I used to wait impatiently for the next in the series, but I am now content to occupy my time reading Michael Connolly and others while waiting for the Cross books to go to paperback.

Was very happy with the book. James Patterson is never a disappointment. Amazon was very prompt in getting my order out quickly and I knew that Amazon would be the place to go to order the book.

A tipical James Patterson. Fast, light and entertaining. But don't expect much of criminal procedure's case. It's as superficial as fast.

Another long drive turned into an enjoyable experience thanks to James Patterson and his alter ego Alex Cross. CROSS, the audio-book, gives us another look at the personal and professional life of our protagonist and the crazies who seem to always be lurking on the fringes.

The story begins in 1993 with a stranger visiting the Cross home, as is followed by the senseless murder of Cross's wife Maria (a crime that has never been solved). In an effort to escape the turmoil of police work and bring some peace and order into the lives of his children, Cross leaves the FBI to pursue a career in private counseling. At the same time Michael Sullivan (alias The Butcher) is pursuing his career as a mob assassin and part time serial rapist and murderer.

Flash forward to the present day. Sullivan remains at large continuing in his twisted career while Cross continues in his daily routine of counseling patients (primarily battered and molested women). Enter John Sampson, Cross's former partner in the D.C.PD, and a man on a quest to find the serial rapist/killer who has been terrorizing the DC area. Sampson calls upon their long standing friendship and enlists Cross's assistance in his hunt for the culprit. Slowly a connection between his wife's murder and the current crimes becomes obvious and Cross is off in pursuit of Sullivan.

As usual James Patterson does not disappoint, and the interplay between the Cross and Sullivan storylines coupled with the exceptional audio performances by readers Jay O. Sanders and Peter J. Fernandez make for engrossing listening and keeps the listener "hooked" for the entire ride.

Rufus Harms has been in a military prison for 25 years of a life sentence for killing a young girl. But he's been having flashbacks, and remembers now what really happened. So he sends an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Michael Fiske, a Supreme Court clerk, finds the appeal, which doesn't follow the proper procedures and should be turned down, but something about it interests him, so he takes it with him to check it out. One of the calls he makes is to his semi-estranged brother John, who's an ex-cop turned defense lawyer.

Before John returns the call, though, Michael is killed, and Sarah Evans, the Supreme Court clerk Michael had proposed to shortly before his death, contacts him, and they begin an investigation that brings them closer together and deeper in danger.

I really enjoyed the conspiracy plot, but the backstory and the Supreme Court tutorial went on too long and interrupted the story too much. It was interesting, but it really wasn't part of the story.

The romance plot, too, bugged me in spots. I had a very hard time understanding why Michael would propose to Sarah, when they'd only dated casually and hadn't even slept together. I also had trouble believing that Sarah fell in love with John at first glance.

But overall, the complex conspiracy and John's complex character saved the story for me.

My first Baldacci book and I enjoyed it. It is a fast paced and easy read. Good for the beach, airplane or bedtime. The truncated chapters and simple sentences are appropriate for the impatient attention span of the Internet generation! I hope his marriage is better than the cold, calculating interaction between the sexes, though! I will try other Baldacci "brainbusters".

Book arrived in excellent condition. I have not had the time to read it but it is next.

thank you

David Baldacci attended law school at the University of Virginia, and went on to work as a trial lawyer, and later as a corporate lawyer, in Washington, D.C. He is now a full-time writer whose best selling novels include Absolute Power, Total Control, The Winner and Saving Faith. He lives in Virginia with his wife and two children.

First published in 1998 this is yet another winner for the author, whose books are consistently good and have well thought out plots and believable and well-rounded characters. Baldacci has established himself as one of the best suspense thriller writers around at the moment.

Rufus Harms is an old hand at prison, he should be, he has been rotting there for the last 25 years for the brutal killing of a young girl. The he receives a letter smuggled into the jail by his brother. It reveals that a possible massive miscarriage of justice has occurred, something that threatens to blow the justice of the Supreme Court wide open . . .

Quite a good story with interesting characters and a well-paced plot.

I did have a few nits with it, though. (Mainly because I've made the same mistakes in my own writing. ^_^) The main one was the constant subject-verb, subject-verb, subject-verb sentences. Quite a few times I noticed over half the sentences in any one paragraph beginning with "he," "she," and the like. And, of course, once I saw that, I couldn't un-see it, so it bothered me for the remainder of the book. In general, the writing is good, but a little more variety in sentence structure would have been wonderful.

And I felt bad for John for losing his brother before being able to become friends with him again. There's quite a gulf between me and my own brother that I doubt will ever be bridged, but seeing it from an outsider's perspective is sad.

I would definitely read this author again.

A charismatic new president draws a line in the sand by nominating the first woman for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, knowing that her secrets may be his undoing. The domestic hot-button issue of late-term abortion drives this novel, bringing scrutiny to not only her understandable and carefully hidden secret, but those of several other key players. The ugliness of ambition, the comprimises of principle easily made, the barely concealed disgust for necessary alliances, all color the Senate as we watch the confirmation process unfold, harming many along the way. An alternate title for the book could easily have been "What Price Principle?", for that disturbing question lingers long after the book is closed. Because much of the tale rings true, most readers can only be grateful they don't daily face the temptations of power, and perhaps can commit to advocating for their own principles with a bit more force and clarity, and perhaps a new respect for opposing beliefs.

I'm not a polital book reader overall but some do strike my interest. This one has many positive aspects going for it. Politics and the background that lies behind the votes in the Senate. Law and what goes on in the courts. What a struggle it can be for someone with virtue that just wants to do the right thing but may have made choices others don't agree with. Also that not all issues, like abortion, are cut and dry.

This is not a quick read but it is an enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.

and one of the best , thought provoking books on the subject. Too bad Carolyn Masters isn't available to make a run at the '08 Presidency.

This is the third RNP that I've started. I couldn't continue past page 29. This book is headed to the Salvation Army.
No more RNP for me.

This book has two halves. The first is an abortion debate presented through the vehicle of a sometimes realistic/sometimes not courtroom drama. This half is full of gory detail and emotional manipulation. Not my cup of tea, and I almost stopped. The second half of the book is a Supreme Court confirmation fight in the style of a West Wing television show --- fun and clever, though the characters are charicatured good guys and bad guys (with the Democratic president head "good guy"). Patterson's page-turning writing skill is on display throughout.

While so much of the book echoes real-life political debates and (even more) real life politics, I also found it curiously dated. 1998 --- pre 9/11, pre the Bush years, still in the Lewinsky scandal --- when this book was written had a remarkably different political landscape. So recent and yet so long ago. Protect and Defend will remind you of it, but it will not make you want to go back.

The Third Option is Flynn's third spy thriller. Each one seem a little better then the previous. Nuff said, simply the best.

Rapp is involved in an assassination plot in Germany and should have taken the advice of his gut. His cohorts aren't working on the same side and try to kill him. Fast paced and always great to watch Rapp get out of a mess. Like Stansfield and hate to see him go. Kennedy is okay, but does not have the savvy that Stansfield has. Boy, once again those dirty Senators. Boy, it motivates one to get rid of Congress. Have to read Separation of Power to get justice. Loved it.

Flynn has hit his stride in this book. He carefully is starting to transition characters, which only adds to the complexity of the plot[s].

I just love this Mitch Rapp series. He's definitely our over the top guy. I hope there are people somewhat like him in real life. Prime characters: Mitch Rapp counter terrorist operative; Dr. Irene Kennedy Director of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center;CIA Director Thomas Stansfield the ultimate master spy;President Robert X. Hayes;Senator Hank Clark Chairman of The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence;Congressman Albert Rudin Chairman of The House Select Committee on Intelligence. Peter Cameron a man for sale with 24 years of experience in The Agency's Office of Security. Secretary of State Charles Midleton an elitist snob who thought he should be running things. Clark has designs on the Presidency.Rudin has a deep hatred of the CIA. Plenty of spellbinding excitement as the plots unwind while Rapp thwarts the ambitions of Clark,Rudin & Midleton to take over the CIA.

Third Option and Seperation of Power could really be one book. If this was Clancy it would have been. Growing trend seems to be in a certain size book for this genre so I have an idea that's why it was split. Combined, these books offer a great story and compelling plot with plenty of action to go around. I really like the Mitch Rapp character. Do yourself a favor if your considering reading this book and pickup Seperation of Power at the same time. I was lucky and had ordered the whole Mitch Rapp series after reading "Consent to Kill". I'm out of order a bit as this was a latter book, but I've since started at the beginning and like I said enjoyed this book, but at the end I was like "Hugh"! The ending was incomplete until you read Seperation of Power.

I totally agree with Ms Daneman's review.

I could not put this book down. More than once I went back to the copyright page to see when it was written. It is a timely story, especially in this presidential election year. It is not a read I will soon forget.

Suprisingly i am enjoying this book. I havent quite finished it yet, but its a good read. Being black and a democrat made it kinda hard for me to get into this book at first because i didnt agree with a lot of the things that were being said by some of the characters, and the things that werent said as well. I had to tell myself that everyone is entitiled to their own opinion. Truthfully, this book made me open up my own eyes to how i feel about a lot of these major subjects the candidates are referring to(racism, confederate flags, stem cell research and gay marriage).I kind of a have a clearer view of somethings that a republican "may" feel and why they may feel that way even though this is fiction. Im not switch hitting here, its just that this book gives so much insight into the political parties that one cant help but look at the facts from both sides. With a critical election coming up soon, this was a good book to make me look at the current issues that we are being faced with in our political offices now.

En route to a summer beach vacation, I was jonesing for some more Richard North Patterson, and was thrilled to find a new paperback release just in time for my trip. Even more exciting - on the verge of the political conventions, this book paralleled much of what has been going on in the news lately with the presidential campaigns, so it was a very entertaining way to see the news from a different angle.

The Race is certainly a page turner, and written in that informative, entertaining (infotaining?), political Patterson style. It may have been a bit rushed in order to be released in time for the 2008 campaigns - the characters didn't seem as well-developed as my favorite Patterson politicos such as Kerry Kilcannon and Christopher Paget, but the storyline and intrigue didn't disappoint.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R26WR9OCPQSHLZ Sick of politics? Actually, this book is a good story that is more exciting than real life. What is so good about it and who would enjoy it? See my video book review! Frank Derfler author of "A Glint in Time" www.GreatGuyBooks.com

One of the sadder things in sports is watching a once-great athlete clinging to his career, the glory days long since past. In writing, Richard North Patterson is not quite there yet - and unlike athletes, there's always a better chance at a comeback - but The Race is the latest in a run of several books that shows he's not the novelist he once was.

The Race focuses on the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Senator Corey Grace is a young star in the party, rising to the Senate after being a P.O.W. during the First Gulf War. He is a man of ideals that put him at odds with the party: pro-choice, pro-stem cell research and with assorted other "liberal" views. What's worse, in a party that often capitalizes on racism, he is dating a black actress (adding a second meaning to the title).

Running against Grace is the Senate Majority Leader, Rob Marotta who feels entitled to the nomination due to his service and Fundamentalist Christian televangelist Bob Christy. Marotta actually owes Grace his life, but that won't stop him from any sleazy attempt to get the office. Christy, on the other hand, has views are distinctively extreme, but also has an integrity that will form an unusual bond with Grace.

Despite the standard disclaimer that this is a work of fiction, you can tell that certain characters are stand-ins for real life figures. For example, the unctuous Magnus Price has a rather obvious resemblance to Karl Rove and media magnate Alex Rohr is a thinly veiled Rupert Murdoch.

The big flaw with The Race is common to Patterson's other recent novels: he is more interested in political discussion than in a story. And while I may agree with a lot of Patterson's apparent politics, they should supplement the story, not override it. And despite Grace's nominal party affiliation, he is really closer to a Democrat than a Republican, though a race for the Democratic nomination wouldn't give Patterson a chance to tear into the far right.

In certain ways, Patterson is prescient, with parallels occurring to our real 2008 Presidential race. And even if Patterson is losing his sense of storytelling, he is still a decent writer. A lot of opinion about the book will probably be dictated by the political leanings of the reader, but if you can overlook the slant, you'll find that this book is just average, at best, and another disappointment for those who remember when Patterson wrote good books.