New York Books

Why someone didn't think of this 100 years ago, I'll never know. Before making a 5-7 figure investment in your home, you'll never spend [your money]wisely.

I became addicted to the 1st edition of this guide book last Christmas. A temperature check of interior design and architecture, and an unrivaled resource for the more mundane (however talented) window washers and plumbers -- The Franklin Report offered good sport and hard information. So I was pleasantly surprised to find a brand spanking new NYC edition has hit the stands. The most noticeable difference this year is that the understated almost medical-journal like cover has been replaced by an equally elegant yet more consumer friendly facade. I liken it to the new twenty-dollar bills. Inside, the book is about a hundred pages longer, including an index that makes a name-search a million times easier. To my delight, every entry has been rewritten and customer comments expanded. And while the design establishment pantheon hasn?t been rewritten, every category in the report offers some great new finds to choose from. Looks like I picked the wrong year to stop studying up on designers!

Thanks!

This first rate book not only provides authoritative guidance on household services, it also provides very practical and informative advise on how to deal with the service providers and scope out the jobs involved. To have a rating for all relevant aspects of a renovation/price, quality and reliability, makes this effort very instructive.

This is truly a welcome compendium for New York City dwellers.

I have often wondered why this guide did not exist. You select a restaurant, you have a guide, you select a hotel, you have a guide -- you select an electrician and you end up with the guy with the biggest ad in the Yellow Pages. By definition, the guy with the biggest ad also is probably the most expensive -- he needs to work at least two jobs a day to pay his Yellow Pages bill.

This book finally give the consumer a leg up -- separates the pros from the inept. The research is top rate -- who does all this leg work? Certainly will become the bible -- now if only they will do a guide for my summer house locale. . .

Once you discover this book, you wonder how you ever lived without it. It fills a real need for any homeowner or renter who will ever need to find a professional to fix up their home or just to fix (repair, clean, install, redo) something in it. I got my Franklin Report a few weeks ago and already have answered a desperate friend's cry for help about who to call to get a dining room chair fixed in time for a Christmas dinner. The book is surprisingly entertaining, and has an informative section for each specialty that helps in choosing a service provider and negotiating the work agreement. It also has that all-important but very hard-to-find information about pricing.

Every home should have a copy. I'm giving it to my friends for Christmas this year. I know they will thank me!

I read this book years ago but I can not get it out of my mind. This is one of the best written True Crime Books I have ever read. It is interesting from page one. It absolutely writes like a true who done it type novel except this is TRUE and the author has you wondering what happened to these poor babies. She makes you think that some mysterious thing is going on with these babies. The story builds and builds until the truth comes out who killed these precious babies. There are pictures included of her babies. These babies were absolutely beautiful babies. The author gives details of the deaths of the babies and how they reacted when they died. How the oldest fought the whole time. I had a hard time getting through some of these descriptions but I could not lay this book down as I just had to know in my own heart WHY someone did this horrible thing to such precious babies. This book is so detailed.

I read this book in a day and a half cover-to-cover. I could not put it down, simply because page after page I was left dumbfounded at the absurdness of the people involved in this story. I am appalled and enraged by the ignorance, stupidity and apathy of all who knew this woman and stood silent as she killed her children in the same arrogant pattern over and over again. As for her husband, he must have been in a coma not to catch on after the second time. This is a sad statement of the human condition- close your eyes, turn away and don't get involved. The jury was out to lunch on this one, as well, with a depraved indifference verdict. Given the obvious, this was clear-cut premeditated murder -each time she killed, she would mate, give birth and kill again. If it looks like a snake, sounds like a snake and acts like a snake..... sounds like Murder One to me. Perhaps the only redemption for those 9 innocent souls is that they were spared surviving and growing up at the hands of this calculating monster they would have called "mother" and that simpleton poor excuse for a man they would have called "dad".

Very well-written and researched. I've re-read this book many times, and each time I see a different aspect of Marybeth or the people around her. Ms. Egginton gives opinions from various scientists and other examples of mothers killing children. I do believe the theory Marybeth killed eight of her children, after possibly causing Jennifer, her third child, to be born with meningitis (because she wanted her born on Christmas). There is quite a bit of research into Marybeth's childhood, however, I wish that her brother had remembered or told more about her possible abuse at the hands of her father. If you don't receive love as a child, you can't give love as an adult. It's no excuse, as she certainly knew right from wrong and had sense enough to lie about the deaths to everyone - I believe she mainly killed them since she learned of the attention it brought her - and because she believed she was a bad mother, could do nothing right, and might as well kill them to get it over with. For some reason, she never learned her lesson, just kept trying again. What would be a nightmare that most people (with consciences) would never recover from, was no big deal to Marybeth. I don't think that she'll ever understand that these babies were human beings in their own right who deserved to live just as much as she thought she did.

Marybeth Tinning's case is fascinating. She had nine children and every single one of them died before they reached school age. There was Barbara, Joseph, Mary, Jonathan, Nathan, Michael, Timothy, Jennifer, and Tami Lynne. Jennifer was the first to go, born sickly and dying after a few days without ever leaving the hospital. It is thought that this is the only Tinning child to have died of natural causes. Marybeth murdered the other eight.

It was thought that Barbara and Joseph, the oldest Tinning children who died a short time after Jennifer, died of Reyes Syndrome. People thought it was odd, though, that Marybeth never shed a tear. As the children were born and buried one after another, their deaths were mostly chalked up to SIDS or something similar. It got to be kind of local joke: "Look at the birth announcements; the Tinnings had another baby. I wonder how long this one will last?" Many suspected Marybeth of having killed the babies, but some thought it was just a genetic deformity in the family. That was, until the Tinning's two-year-old adopted son, Michael, died for no apparent reason. That's when the authorities started to move in.

This book covers Marybeth Tinning's life, marriage, the births and deaths of her children, and her trial and subsequent imprisonment. It's clear that she suffers from Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy, the pathological need to injure those close to her and bask in the sympathy she gets. It's a fascinating story, though I admit the characters didn't seem all that real to me -- more like ink on paper than actual human beings. I recommend this book anyway, for all true-crime fans and those curious about infanticide.

Marybeth Tinning gave birth to nine children. After the third-born died at 8 days old due to a suspected self-induction (she wanted the baby to be born on Christmas day) with a coathanger caused meningitis, her other two children (aged 4 and 2) died within the next 8 weeks. She went on to have more children, and even adopted one, who all died one by one.

Unbelievably, it wasn't until the 9th died that the public in her county, social services, police, coroner etc managed to collectively work together to bring a case against her. Previously all of these agencies knew she had children that had died, but none knew the number or all of the information -except her close friends and family.

This book has been meticulously researched, it really is very thorough and well written. As a mother I found it at times unbearable -so many questions remain unanswered. The book contains a photo of each of the children, who were all beautiful.

Gripping reading, but also it is really important to learn something from this -when a child is in distress, no matter how small your suspicion or how afraid you are of offending people -do what you can to protect the child. This is officially the mother's job, but when she is suffering from Munchausen by Proxy she is unable to carry out her role.

That's a 'nice' way of putting it. Read the book and make up your own mind.

First things first: This book provides a very interesting and seemingly thorough review of the forms of art to emerge from Harlem. It is worth reading for that reason alone. I would merely caution readers that Kareem is not hesitant to express a resentment against white America. Harlem is a very, very dangerous place, and has been for a long time, but reading this book you would never think that. You would think any acts of violence done there were brought on by caucasian mistreatment, that the Harlem Renaissance was an effort by blacks to overcome all the harm they had been done - and are still done - by whites. Someone of Kareem's influence could have gone about that differently. He could have described the art and literature as he did, mention the influence of black hardship in creating that culture, then at some point mention how black America has the role models it needs to excel. He could have pointed out that while making a living as a writer or a trumpet player is great, carrying and using a handgun with the same intentions is not. I always wished Carlos Santana would make more of a contribution to his culture's growth through his music. Maybe Kareem's next book will make a similar effort.

I have only scanned the book, however I am historically familiar with a
lot of the content which motivated me to buy the book as a collectors
item. I also order the book for my grandson and a friend's son.

Doug Murray

Here is a man who should be an inspiration to a whole generation. This book is more proof that he is more than just an athlete. This book is recommended reading for all teenagers

On the Shoulders of Giants speaks of a bygone, sometimes forgotten piece of America and its culture that nevertheless has great, reaching tentacles into our present, and that will continue to shake and embrace us well into our future. Beautifully written, with a title that says it all, this book is just as evocative and fascinating for non-sports, non-jazz fans as it will undoubtedly be for those entrenched in both subjects.

A wonderful discovery.

Especially interesting are the musicians and music that originated or passed through Harlem during this time.

Fifteen-year-old Rachel Lowenstein is determined to break free from her "good-girl ways" as she enters her sophomore year of high school in New York City. Her best friend at school has joined the ranks of the popular crowd, and her geeky next door neighbor, Howard, just got his drivers license and has become the star of the school's track team. To make things worse, he's now dating one of the most popular--and wealthiest--girls at their public school. Rachel vows to bring a little excitement into her own life, and her first step is to find a boyfriend. She falls fast and hard for Luke Christiansen, a cute basketball player from St. Joseph's Prep, whom she meets by chance at her brother's Bar Mitzvah. But as she and Luke begin spending more time together, Rachel is unsure she should pursue a boy she is certain her parents will not approve of. Readers will relate to Rachel as she wrestles with questions of family, faith, and love, and as she struggles to remain true to herself amid pressures from both her family and her peers. Fast paced, and full of witty dialogue and pop-culture references, Goy Crazy is an engaging novel that will resonate with teen girls.
Ages 14 and up.
Reviewed by Alison Kelly

Rachel Lowenstein has always been a good Jewish girl. So when she first spots Luke Christiansen, Catholic schoolboy, she stays away from him, although she describes him as a "blond Adonis." Later on, she realizes that her life is truly boring and maybe what she needs to spice it up is a little sin. Her first plan of action: get Luke. After several planned "just-passing-by" incidents, she is successful, and Luke invites her to a party. At first, Rachel is thrilled to be the subject of Luke's affections, but sneaking out to meet him, using her neighbor Howard as a cover-up date, and lying to her incredibly overbearing parents causes more stress than the former good girl expects. This, coupled with the fact that Luke really is not a good kisser, cause her to break it off. Maybe (gasp!) her parents were right? But where to find a good Jewish boy that is just as attractive as Luke, and a much better kisser? This novel has a plot that many girls can relate to, Jewish or Goy: liking someone who your parents don't. The Goy characters are slightly flat, but that just helps to prove the point of the story. Rachel's lessons learned can also be predicted, but overall this is a fun, entertaining read.

While at temple for Rosh Hashanah (one of the two times a year that her family actually makes it to temple), 15-year-old Rachel Lowenstein has an epiphany. If she's going to be forgiven once a year by praying and repenting, then what's stopping her from committing a few little sins, just like everyone else? Heck, maybe a bit more sin is just what she needs to perk up her infuriatingly dull life. Sophomore year is already off to a bad start--with her parents as overprotective as ever, her best friend now hanging out with the So Very crowd, and Mr. Demented Diamenties sticking her in the back row of math class, which had always been Rachel's best subject. Maybe it's time to try something different, and see if her life doesn't improve by breaking a few of the old rules, and making some new ones of her own.

The first, and most important, of those is to somehow snag the most bussable busboy that Rachel meets at her brother's bar mitzvah--the very blond haired and blue eyed Luke Christianson.

An attendee of St. Joseph's, Luke is definitely one goy that Rachel is sure her parents would never approve of. Her folks would much rather see her end up with a nice, predictable Jewish boy, like her neighbor, Howard Goldstein (who's been a total jerk since the sixth grade). Rachel's grandmother has always warned her to "never go with the goyim," but Rachel is just dying for a little excitement...and a little bit of Luke. The first step is to find out if he even remembers who she is...

Told with a breezy style, light-hearted honesty, and a keen eye for the hilarious, Schorr brings to life a heroine who takes realistic steps to find what she really wants. I truly enjoyed reading this successful first novel, and this is one author from whom I'll be watching for more YA in years to come.

For Rachel Lowenstein, the highlight of her brother's bar mitzvah was meeting a waiter named Luke. He's sweet, he's cute, he's her age - but he's not Jewish. In fact, his last name is Christensen and he goes to St. Joseph's Prep. She doesn't mind that he's not Jewish, and her friends probably wouldn't either, but Rachel is concerned that her parents might. It's really her grandmother's words that haunt her, accent and all: "Rachel, find a nice Jewish boy to marry. Don't go vith the goyim."

Rachel doesn't want to shake things up too much, but she doesn't want to ignore her feelings either. She decides to see Luke in secret. Never to fear: this is no Romeo and Juliet tragedy, but rather a light romantic comedy. While Rachel tries to figure out who she loves, she's also trying to sort out what she believes and who she is. Her little slip-ups along the way only make her more endearing to readers -- and to the boy next door, Howard Goldstein.

GOY CRAZY is a humorous, sweet story with a lovable main character and a delightful cast of characters. Rachel has two close friends who are extremely different: Jen, a social butterfly who goes to Rachel's school, and Leah, a reserved girl whose family goes to temple with Rachel's. There's Luke, of course, who is a basketball star, and Howard, the guy she's known forever and disliked just as long. Rachel's parents are kind and cautious, and her grandmother, Bubbe, has a remarkable presence. Rachel is never funnier than when she drafts - then breaks - the Teen Commandments, which include "Thou shalt not begrudge thy best friend's social success" and "Thou shalt not kill thy little brother."

Early teens who can't wait to be in high school as well as older teens who are currently stuck there should pick this book up. It is long enough to appeal to "serious" readers and the cover and plot are bound to catch the eyes of hopeless (hopeful!) romantics. Young girls will relate to Rachel's torn feelings, while adults who are kids-at-heart will remember their own high school dating experiences. Interfaith dating is not often addressed in teen novels, and Melissa Schorr clearly and gently addresses it, stamps it, and sends it with a smile. A notable debut.

All a girl wants to do is find the love of her life, or in this case a high school sweetheart. Fortunately for Rachel Lowenstein, she has just found the guy at her brother's bar mitzvah. He's handsome, a basketball player, and his name is Luke Christiansen. Which is the only problem she has with Luke--his last name. All Rachel hears from her grandmother and family is how she should find a respectable Jewish boy to date and marry. But crushing on Luke may not be the best choice for Rachel since he is far from being Jewish; he celebrates Christmas! So Rachel decides that she is tired of all the problems that she faces, from bad hair to having hardly any friends, and makes up her own teen commandments, which she occasionally changes, and which she hopes to break.

So Rachel begins to change the way she does things. She starts acting dumb in math class, lies to her family, and tries her best to keep Luke a secret. Besides that, Rachel also has to deal with her only best friend, Jen, who is trying to get into the popular crowd; Leah, her only other real friend who keeps on warning Rachel about her wrongdoings; and Howard,
Rachel's neighbor turned enemy.

Yet Rachel starts to second-guess her decisions and wonders if they are really worth all the lies and deception when the ultimate tragedy happens to her. Is Luke really the guy for her; is acting dumb in math class worth the "popular" points? Rachel ends up discovering her true self and sees that change just isn't for her.

GOY CRAZY is sweet, tragic, and laugh-out-loud hilarious. With her first teen novel, Ms. Schorr successfully makes her main character understandable, relatable, and, above all, realistic. By the end of the novel, readers will be glad about Rachel's final decisions, yet sad that the novel is over. GOY CRAZY was a fantastic read that left me wanting more. I just hope there will be a follow-up to this novel.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

This book was a birthday gift for my brother, a "rabid" Mickey Mantle fan!!! He's just about finished it and said it was jut "GREAT" - lots of "unknown facts" and wonderful insights by "The Mick's" team mates !

I've got several Mickey Mantle books, but I really think this one is the best. Very detailed and accurate. Well done!

Very impressed with book - my son is big fan and loves it.

My kids grew up wanting to BE LIKE MIKE. Like many of my generation, I always wanted to be like Mick. THE MICK.

Mickey Mantle was, for us, the consummate baseball player. He hit the ball hard and ran the bases fast. His arm was strong and his glove golden.

But that's only part of why he was our hero. Randall Swearingen's book, A Great Teammate, covers the rest. Mickey was one of the greatest team players the game has ever known. He found a way to win. One day he'd hit a home run. The next he'd bunt and steal--or literally outrun a fly ball. It added up. Between 1951 and 1964, Mickey's Yankees made twelve trips to the World Series. Twelve!

When his teammates batted, Mickey cheered. When they slumped, he took them to dinner. When Roger wilted in the Babe's mighty shadow, Mickey took him under his wing and into his home--even as The Mick took his own shot at THE RECORD.

Mickey played hurt nearly every game of his major league career because, as a rookie, he deferred to a teammate named Joe DiMaggio. Mickey never complained or made excuses. He just came to the park early, took his treatments, hid the pain, and played hard. As good as he was, he could have been even better with two legs rather than one.

When asked why he didn't take himself out of the lineup to rest the legs, Mickey replied that some child might come to the ball park to watch him play, and he didn't want to let that child down. Mickey didn't know it, but I was that child. My family drove from North Carolina to New York City in 1961. It was the only chance I ever had, as a kid, to watch a major league game. Mickey didn't disappoint: he hit a line drive into the right field bleachers for a home run. From then on, Mickey was my hero. And, like so many southerners in those days, I became, of all things, a Yankee.

Then came the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Sportswriters forgot who Mickey Mantle was and why he had been our hero. They publicized his alcoholism. His business failures. His divorce. If only he had fallen in his prime, they implied, like Gehrig with ALS or Ruth with cancer. But somehow he dodged the Hodgkin's curse. And even though alcoholism is every bit as much a disease as ALS, or cancer, or Hodgkin's, America stopped loving Mickey the way he had loved us. We forgot. And, I must admit, as I almost forgot.

Then I read A Great Teammate, and the memories came pouring back. Mickey winning games for his team. Mickey bringing out the best in his teammates. Mickey loving and respecting the game. Playing hard. Playing hurt. Always humble. Ever helpful. Never making excuses. And, in bottom of the 9th, whipping his toughest foe, alcoholism, and helping others do the same.

No doubt, Old Timers told these stories time and again at ball games, fantasy camps, reunions, and funerals. But, no one ever bothered to write them down for us, the fans. Until now. Mickey, Randall: thank you.

It was very important to our dad that he be remembered as a great teammate and this book does an excellent job of explaining why he was admired, not only by the fans but his teammates and opponents as well. Randall went to great lengths to research the relevant details of key events in dad's career in order to show the magnitude of dad's courage, competitiveness, loyalty, determination, athleticism and perseverance both on and off the field. Randall spent time with dad and his teammates at the Mickey Mantle fantasy camps and his knowledge and love of dad really shows in this book. Reading the book brought back many great memories and magically transported us back in time to our childhood. The Mantle family gives this book a big "thumbs up" and wishes to extend our heartfelt thanks to Randall for writing this inspiring and enjoyable book that beautifully echoes our deep love and respect for our dad. "A true teammate". - Merlyn, David and Danny Mantle

Originally, Greenwich Village was settled by the rich and merchant class of lower Manhattan as an escape from the recurring ravages of yellow fever and cholera. For this reason Greenwich Village was, essentially, never really mapped out; never really settled in accordance to any public plan. Perhaps this haphazard beginning is what gave the area its combined refined yet anarchic flavor that exists until this day.

And this was also the reason for the area becoming attractive to free-thinkers and artists, which is the focus of the valuable book, "Greenwich Village: A Guide to America's Legendary Left Bank" by Judith Stonehill. Complete with maps, illustrations and a walking tour of the four sections which make up Greenwich Village, the guide reveals the extraordinary number of famous artists, writers, performers, etc who made the place their homes. Artist Edward Hopper, poet Walt Whitman, playwright Eugene O'Neill, and novelist Willa Cather, are just a few of the famous names who lived and created work here. But more important, as the subtitle to this guide suggests, they created something uniquely American.

"Greenwich Village: A Guide to America's Legendary Left Bank" is a great book for people who will visit the village, and is great for New Yorkers, themselves, to learn about this neighborhood that they thought they knew so well.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of The Five Points

This book is a beautiful and well written guide to my favorite area of New York. An excellent read for anyone who enjoys the village.

I am giving it to everyone I know as a Christmas present. Since I grew up in the village, it is a joy to be able to share the rich history of my hometown.

Having planned a trip to NYC for the first time, I wanted to use a different guidebook that would give me a historical perspective with walking tours. I found it in this beautiful book. It made my trip to NYC a most memorable one. I highly recommend this book to anyone travelling to NY who wishes to learn more about this great city's history.

I couldn't stop reading this book! It's funny, smart, full of surprises and as beautiful as any book I've seen this year. It's like a box of candy -- almost impossible to put down, easy to pick up again, and delicious wherever your fingers happen to land.

What an inspiration! Carol Cymbala does an outstanding job of sharing her passion, first for Christ and prayer, then for music. Her recipe has proven successful. A truly inspiratioal easy-read.

Carol Cymbala's book is a must read. It will encourage your spirit to sour and will lead you into a more trusting relationship with God. If you are a leader in your church, especially if you are the Minister of Music this book is a must read. Yes, He's Faithful!

I've read this book in a week after i bought it. Its very easy to read and interesting. I think its a must read for somebody in music ministry or any other ministry. Tihs book really doesn't tell you anything new but it does show the character of heart needed in ministry. This is a really good book.

This book is part of a multi-media project in that it contains a music CD bearing the same title. After reading the book, the music is even more meaningful because it covers the background of the person who wrote the lyrics. Carol Cymbala, a pastor's wife who leads the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, describes the challenges she faced and how they were overcome through faith in God. The focus of her book is not her as hero, but on God as deliverer. In fact, the lyrics to the title song, emphasize that theme, that in spite of the wavering of the individual, "He's been faithful." It's a song and book of gratitude to God for his faithfulness. She gives the history of the early days of the congregation. She talks about how God added to the church. This is a testimony that is encouraging to other Christians in that it shows how God worked in one context, New York City, and causes one to realize what He did for others, He is willing to do for them. There are various individual stories contained in this work, i.e., different members of the choir have their testimonies featured throughout the book.

This book has totally turned my life around as far as my involvement in the music ministry of our church. Carol Cymbala tells us the true secrets behind the success of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Those include prayer and dedication to the cause of ministering to people through music. This book will shake you to realize that music in the church is not for entertainment or self-gratification, but to help draw people to Jesus as we lift Him up in praise and worship. I will never step to our platform to minister through song and think differently. We are asking all of our choir members to read and discuss this book.

The book, Hear My Sorrow, is 100 percent awesome! I read it in one day I was so needing to find out what would happen! It is about a girl named Angela Denoto from Sicily, which is in Italy, and starts in late 1909 and ends in mid 1911. She is sent to work with her sister in a shirtwaist factory. It takes place during the shirtwaist workers and cloak makers strikes and ends with a horrific tragedy. I hope you read this to find out what happens.

Hear My Sorrow is the best book in the series. It was given to me by my tudor, and I read it and loved it. It is about the sorrow of Angela, who was conmanded by her father to work ina factory. She writes about how her locker and needles come out of her pay, and how her friend, Sarah, goes on strike, this all leads up tothe fire of 1911. It's a must read.

Another wonderful addition to the Dear America Series. Angela must leave school to go to work to support her family since her father is no longer able to. Angela goes to work at a shirtwaist factory where she's surprised by the horrible working conditions and becomes involved in the unions. She also records the fire at the infamous shirtwaist factory fire.

This book was very good. The book lite up with hope at every little, page but is a heartbreaking plot. Please read this book!! It's very good!!

This is the fourth Dear America book I've read with a story and characters set in turn-of-the-century or early twentieth century New York City. In what I believe is Deborah Hopkinson's first attempt at fiction, she has wonderfully captured the people and events, the trials and triumphs, the tragedies and hopes of a most fascinating period and place. Other reviews have summarized the story throughly, so I won't go into that here. I wish rather to say that as a lover of both historical fiction and an aspiring novelist, I admire and appreciate Ms. Hopkinson's work. Scholastic Inc., should consider expanding its Dear America line. I had heard that the company only accepts agented manuscripts for consideration for the Dear America series, but further inquiry revealed that even those are not being considered. It seems that at the present, only a handful of previously published children's authors are being allowed to write new additions to the series. I hope that will change soon. Again, I congratulate Ms. Hopkinson on her excellent and meticulously researched book. That and "The Journal of Finn Reardon" should be part of every public library in America.

Normally, I love time travel books, but this one was a little too strange for me to get my mind around. A person who starts reading a book and becomes the book, Kind of like Harry Potter but in a romance venue. Luckily it was a short book and I finished it.

I stumbled upon this little gem totally by accident--I'm so glad I did. This book was jam-packed with all sorts of good things--romance, suspense, time travel to the past, likable characters and nasty villains. Simply put, the writing was superb, the pace was perfect, and the many twists and turns had me glued to this book. I don't know how the author managed to deliver such a wallop in just 252 pages!!

Jake is a tortured man, scarred both physically, and emotionally. Tory is pulled into the past, just after WWII has ended. She feels pain for what Jake has endured, but wants to get back to her own time, 1999. I tried to hold back my emotions on this one, but I could not--IT WAS THAT GOOD!

The latter part of this book was like watching a really good action adventure movie--riveting! The ending, well, let's just say it totally floored me. Excellent!

This is a MUST READ for lovers of romantic time travel. You will remember these characters and this poignant story long after you've read this book. It is truly a keeper.

M. Jean Pike has done it again with her novel Heatherfield following her delightful book, Waiting for the Rain. Meet Tory Sasser, a young woman who feels frustrated in her work as a counselor and loves to read. When she stops into her favorite bookstore, she's given an unfinished romance novel. As she finishes the book, her tears turn into new writing on the pages. Tory is pulled into the novel and she realizes she is now in a fictional town called Heatherfield and the year is 1949. The town is a creation of Destiny Page, a bad romance writer. Tory meets Jake Benjamin, a war veteran who lives alone as a recluse. Tory must help the residents of the town fight an evil developer while trying to find a way out for herself.
Jean Pike does an admirable job creating believable characters with a credible plot. I found myself unable to put this book down and finished it quickly. This is an engrossing tale of love, romance, and drama. And yes, I am a male reading a romance novel. This book is not a sappy romance novel, it is a nice breath of fresh air and anyone will enjoy it. I eagerly await her next book.

Once again, M. Jean Pike establishes herself as a literary force to be reckoned with. With her sparkling style, she brings Heatherfield to amazing life with all the charm, emotion and mystery that her readers have come to expect - and with an ending will leave you speechless.

M. Jean Pike creates magic when she writes, and this story is proof of it. Heatherfield is one of the most amazing stories I've read in a long time. I highly recommend it not only for the romance reader, but the mystery, historical, suspense, and paranormal enthusiasts. It's just that good.

if it's Jews you be a wantin..In Punk nonetheless..This stuff's for you.First of all,Marky Ramone rocks.He met me or rather vice versa.Steve does research into the sacred and shows that Punk music in It's New York Beginnings incorporated a lot of the Jewish Upstarters who could be credited for being Punk Pioneers. You like the Paranormal? Well Jews die too..and so:Labyrinth13: True Tales of the Occult, Crime & ConspiracyBut:Other good books about Music and the Jewish experieNce:Spiritual Bathing: Healing Rituals and Traditions from Around the World,Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish,Jews Who Rock,Stars of David: Rock 'n' Roll's Jewish Storiesand one more Paranormal plug:Questions from Earth, Answers from Heaven.

Punk was an assault on traditional western culture and society. No surprise here, that jews would be at the core of the punk movement. It chipped at the moral fabric of nations, embraced communism, and made them a boatload of money from gentile dupes. What's a jew not to like? And in the end, was as hypocritical as the people themselves. Nothing astounding here.

In this brilliant exploration of outsider identity, Beeber uncovers the links between Jewishness and punk rock rebellion. The book includes in-depth interviews with such punk rock luminaries as Tommy Ramone, Chris Stein of Blondie, and former Sex Pistols' manager Malcolm McLaren. Beeber also explores the inherent contradictions within the punk movement, including the use of Nazi imagery by bands whose family members may have barely escaped the Holocaust. The book includes fascinating anecdotes about punk rock legends, including a chapter that describes Lou Reed's attempts to bring his dog to a seder, and Richard Hell's defensive responses to Beeber's simple question: Are you a Jew? Beeber is an insightful writer and cultural historian who makes heretofore unseen connections between origins of punk in the aggressive outsider comedy of Lenny Bruce and the work of graphic novel pioneer Will Eisner.

Beeber's book is an interesting recount of the formation of the punk rock scene in New York City. However, his attempt to correalate punk rock to the experience of being jewish stretches thin pretty quickly.

First off, Beeber utilizes Lou Reed and especially the Velvet Underground as forebearers of punk. While certainly influential, the Velvets were more of an avante garde pop band than punks. They were as much a result of the overall New York art scene and streets, as well as John Cale's british ideology and muscianship as Reed being jewish.

Next Beeber cites Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. The Modern Lovers, despite the Sex Pistols covering Road Runner, were sort of pre-new wave folk band, they never really released an album when they were together and Richman was from Boston. How this qualifies them as a proto punk band representing the New York Jewish voice is too much for me to comprehend.

Beeber does make a good case that Tommy Ramone was the architect of Ramones. However, he only lasted a couple of albums, Dee Dee was the main songwriter and Johnny's buzzsaw guitar and militaristic leadership (he seemed like a real tool)were as essential as anything. Further, Joey might have been obviously jewish to the New York punk scene, but to most he was just the senstive outcast. Tommy's influence is obvious, but it seemed to me he was as influenced by being an immigrant and growing up in the wrong neighborhood as solely by virtue of being jewish.

While New York obviously was a huge influence on the punk scene, the industrial and menancing Detroit rockers like the MC5, Iggy and Alice Cooper had just as much influence as the New York bands. This is especially true prior to all the great New York bands getting started. Also, the true New York punk influence, The NY Dolls, who really blended the street, with artistic ambitions and the phoniness of Manhatten dont have the jewish connection and therefor dont really lend to the author's theory.

The somewhat later day punkers like Richard Hell, Lenny Kaye and Chris Stein make a good points of converstation, but all seem as influenced by academics as ethnithcity. Hell in fact wouldnt be interviewed and dismissed the premise completely. It also somewhat dismisses how much influence this groups partners in punk, Debbie Harry, Tom Verlaine and Patti Smith, had.

Some of the more interesting jewish punks, including the ladies, Genya Raven and Helen Wheels, and less well known acts like the Dictators (hilarious name) and Suicide just werent well known enough outside of the city to be all that influential.

I dont want to take anything away from the city or culture that reinvented music, but punk was about all that were alienated, suspected and unwanted. It was about anger, pointing out hypocrisy, doing it yourself and the desire to succeed. Didnt Bowie once say all the Brit punks "wanted to be stars."

So, Beeber's point is again lost when punk became so much the property of the anglo british (other than Malcom McClaren managing the Pistols)who apparantly lacking jewish guilt and the somewhat limiting factor of being the property of New Yawk, increased its exposure tremendously. (Hey lets face it Johnny Rotten cussing and spitting in a British accent is gonna play in Cleveland, whereas Joey Ramones obvious jewishness... well... its a joke, one I think Lenny Bruce might have gotten). Fact is, punk was never gonna play to the mainstream, the populus cant all be disnefranchised.

Overall and interesting read, with a thought provoking premise that is well explored, but ultimatly a bit overwritten to prove its point. Still worthwhile if you have any interest in those magical formative musical days in the Big Apple and some of its reaching influences.

Like most music freaks, if you ask me where punk rock originated, I wouldn't hesitate to tell you that it happened in England. After all, the Brits lay claim to pogo dancing, safety pins as a fashion statement, and the Sex Pistols. The whole concept of punk rock is, essentially, very Clockwork Orange.

Steven Lee Beeber's The Heebie Jeebies at CBGB's: A Secret History of Jewish Punk challenges that notion by showing us that punk began in New York -- and was heavily influenced and shaped by a variety of Jews from a variety of backgrounds. Beginning with the cutting-edge comedy of Lenny Bruce and the musical innovations that were Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, Beeber shows us how the music evolved. It is clear that without the involvement of Jews, there would have been no punk movement.

Chapter by chapter, Beeber traces the bands and the people, focusing on the Jewish players who coalesced around the Jewish-owned punk mecca, CBGB. This is dense reading, best taken slowly so that all of the facts and details -- not to mention the personalities -- can sink in.

One theme that Beeber refers to often is the link between the Holocaust and punk. His claims make perfect sense: the emotions invested in the children of survivors provided the fuel for punk's trademark anger. Yes, there is anger that so many people were eradicated, but one of the more surprising revelations is that some of the anger comes from and is fueled by the fact that the Jews allowed themselves to be victims. At the same time, though, there is an awareness that the word allowed is inaccurate. That anyone, faced with such a circumstance, would have done exactly the same thing. Ultimately, this isn't an emotion of victimization, but of helplessness and futility -- two strong emotions that run through the undercurrent of punk, both in its lyrics and its attitudes.

Beeber takes us across the ocean for a visit with the start of British punk -- the Sex Pistols -- but focuses on the Jews involved in creating that scene. From Sex Pistols creator Malcolm MacLaren to the ill-fated Nancy Spungeon, lover of Pistols frontman Sid Vicious, it is obvious that here, too, punk music and the Jewish tradition are linked so closely that removal of the Jew removes the music.

Many would argue that punk died out with the Sex Pistols, to be replaced by music from cities like LA and San Francisco, peopled with musicians and fans who shocked New York ex-pats with virulent anti-Semitic themes, attitudes, and lyrics.

Beeber returns to New York to show us what punk evolved into: John Zorn's dissonant art and even, perhaps unbelievably, the Beastie Boys, perhaps the most punk of all the bands in the book.

Even more than the Ramones, those poster boys for American punk?

You be the judge. For any music fan, this is essential reading. It's not just that this is a clear evolution of the music scene over the span of forty-some years, from the late 1960s to the present. This book traces the shifts in our culture during this time period, and the shifts in attitude that allowed punk to be as vibrant as it was.

Beeber's prose is smooth and charming, always focused on the topic at hand and never getting sidetracked like so many Jewish storytellers of old. He's also a master craftsman, showing his writer's roots in the construction of each chapter, bringing back points made in opening paragraphs, tying it all together with a neat black leather jacket and peppy beat.

For the music lover, the historian interested in Jewish history, or for anyone intrigued by how someone as tall, skinny, and scary as Joey Ramone could become a pop icon, The Heebie-Jeebies at CBGB's: A Secret History of Jewish Punk is one of those books you won't want to miss. Certainly, my copy now occupies a space between Deena Weinstein's seminal Heavy Metal and Joe Berlinger's Metallica: This Monster Lives.

To bring up one last point Beeber makes: Jews are people of the book. Heebie Jeebies is just one in a long line that proves this.