Connecticut Books

The Freedom Business is a unique poetry collection, in which each poem is created in response to the true-life memoir of Broteer Furro (1729-1805), later dubbed "Venture Smith", the first African known to document his capture and life as an American slave. As the decades passed he eventually earned his freedom, and that of his wife and children. Poet Marilyn Nelson places pages from Furro's eighteenth-century prose memoir side-by-side along with original poetic works, illustrated by the dark, earthy watercolor collages of artist Deborah Dancy. The whole is a work of art that reveals emotion, determination, and survival; the daily life of a practical man for whom everything had a price - even his life, and the lives of his family. Highly recommended.

  

A reader from Newburyport: This was both a fun and a great learning book.This book presents interesting, sometimes obscure facts about Connecticut. Subjects covered include historical figures, legends, geography, wildlife, stories, and other little known facts about the state. You can learn a lot by reading it and another interesting feature is that the book is designed so that you can also use the book to play a family or group trivia game! Well worth the price! It is a great book for adults, young readers, or teachers.

The process of selling your home can be a very emotional and stressful one, while the process of choosing the RIGHT realtor can also be confusing.

This book helps avoid costly mistakes made by many homeowners, who attempt to sell their most valuable assest on their own, or who don't have enough information on how to choose the best realtor for them. This book gets the point across of how the NET return is the most important number to the seller(finally!), highlighting a common mistake many homesellers make by focusing only on the commission charged.

Written by two very experienced agents, this book outlines the important tips for gettting the MOST money for your property in any market, and how to avoid common pitfalls made by inexperienced homeowners and/or agents.

Using real-life case studies, this book demonstrates how empowering yourself with information can make all the difference to your bottom line, as well as the level of stress involved in the selling of your home. I would highly recommend to anyone thinking about selling that you read this book first!

This was a nice book, nicely done. The photographs and descriptions gave a thoughtful picture of a town justifiably proud of its history.

Architecture without walls:
The "Glass House" by Philip Johnson, Toshio Nakamura and Monacelli Press.

Can you take along with you the Parthenon, the Pyramid of Giza, The Taz-Mahal, the Spanish Steps, the Meinji-Jingu Shrine , the Kimbell Art Museum following your visit to them ? Well, NO ! But you may carry with you memories, mostly fragments, sometimes highly poetic other times adverse. The nuisance of the camel owner trying to seduce you to a ride up-there, or of the striking ministry of culture personnel who would not issue you tickets up to the Holly precinct the day of your visit , may cover the negative end. The highly poetic and memories of the serene and eternal could be the sound of the gravel and the singing of the birds before the abrupt turn at the Meinji Jingu at the point you just see the shrine at the distance, similar and everlasting to the memories when visiting Kahn's great museum at Forth Worth...!
But in the Architecture without walls , THE BOOK, you can have all of the above at your fingertips, in the highest of memory, feeling and the Poetic . There is no doubt in my mind that one of the best such books ever created on Architecture is the "Glass House" by Monacelli Press.
This book represents for me "Architecture in its entirety", that is , an evaluative and interpretive presentation of the work of Architectural Act in time: the building in its context, as conceived , built and even criticized by its architect ; as evolved along with its meaning and the interpretations of its critics ; through its contribution to architecture by means of experimentation and materials of the era, and finally through the ever-evolving advancement of its architect to "inclusiveness" and "Permissiveness", as evidenced though his other works that spot the estate. A book of the meta-user shortcomings and the need for restoration and further up-keep, through the most sympathetic argument and persuasion. From the highest poetic and contemplative to the lowest but real trivial, the gavel flat roof that needs to be mended...Superceding all of the above is the books exquisite photography. Some shots taken from levels no lay viewer can hardly experience, while other shots are intimate and personal as only the owner and his close guests had the joy to enjoy. The textures of pictures , the included drawings and the text , both in visual as well in meaning and suggestion depth , are as poetic as any great poem or haiku could ever reach. In philosophical terms the book is an assembly of "Logos" and Cosmotheory : of the architect (Philip Johnson), of the men who visited and were affected by it (Toshio Nakamura), of the photographer (Michael Moran) , of the publisher who produced it, of the draftsmen who drew the architectural drawings, of the book designers (Michael Rock and Susan Sellers), of the reader who by reading or just going through its pages becomes part of the building's history , the closest to the building a lay person could ever be.
In this sense, the BOOK , the "Glass House" , is , I believe , superior even to any museum that presents works of Art; because the commentary of the art work is usually missing from a museum's presentation, and the visitor can hardly be said to be able to take away with him the whole, unless perhaps a catalogue of the works presented. A "Library" of books on a particular Art work, may perhaps be close to what I suggest for anyone who has visited it , and perhaps more so, for those who have not visited the work. So, I view the book the "Glass house"as a total museum , a work of Architecture without walls, an Art-work that can be carried home, always ready to please the reader with a repeated visit to the artifact, a personal contemplation and enjoyment, even a further interpretation under new circumstances of life and events. An eternal holistic museum for as long as it is out on circulation or kept in libraries. I very strongly recommend it to any reader, a unique gift to oneself without hesitation.

Anthony C. Antoniades

For those of you who enjoy Janet Evanovich's spunky heroine Stephanie Plum, get ready for an equally spirited amateur sleuth.

Wanda Miranda LaFortuna is one determined young woman. Hollywood may not have recognize her talent, but fortunately, private detective James Wingfield does. Wanda is one of those oh-so-likeable characters who wants desperately to be someone, to do something that matters, and to be really good at it. Unfortunately, her track record is not encouraging. But in tracking down a vampire wannabe killer, Wanda discovers just how good an actress she is. She also risks her life.

Author Leslie O'Grady has created a fresh, witty, and oh-so-human heroine. Wanda Miranda LaFortuna, failed actress and private eye's assistant, will make you laugh and leave you eager to ready about her next adventure. Don't miss this one!

A fascinating insight into the scrimshaw contained at the Mystic Seaport Museum. Filled with the history of scrimshaw and whaling, the book takes you on an in-depth tour of the collection. Features include scrimshawed whale's teeth, functional items such as fids, boxes, crimpers, and swifts, plus a feature on collecting scrimshaw today. The mainly black and white illustrations show great details on the objects. An excellent addition to any collector's library.

Different than the flat mass produced puzzle books - this was written and delightfully illustrated by a clever mother and it's loads of fun. My kids loved the legends of the Black Dog and Captain Kidd, while I loved the explanations of Connecticut philanthropists and what the reader would do if THEY were a philanthropist. Lots of variety and kept them busy on a two hour trip to the shore! We bought a copy for our children's teacher.
Highly recomended.

Great book! Who would have thought Connecticut was once teeming with dinosaurs? This book tells the complete tale, and includes trips that transport you back to the age of dinosaurs. Great storytelling-from the discoveries of the past to new theories about dinosaurs being proposed today. Original illustrations of CT Valley dinosaurs. A great book for families looking to get out and do something different or to give as a unique, "made in CT" gift. Guaranteed to be a hit with dinosaur fans or fans of local history.

A great book for hikers, birders or anyone who likes to get out and explore. I spent years hiking the same old woodsy places-until I discovered this book and all sorts of neat new places
I never knew existed. Would make for a nifty gift. Loved the black spruce bog and traprock ridges. I keep mine in the glove compartment(where it's always within reach)!