New York Books

Brings you the history and images of the Great Camps that help make the Adirondacks the Adirondacks. Well illustrated and well written, relating more history than a coffee table book and so more likely to hold your interest and provide insight. The history is social as well as architectural/formal, and puts the region and its unbelievable heyday in perspective. A good gift, or would be fun as a guide or trip planning tool for a visit to the region to get the most out of what there still is to see.

The discovery of this book made me set aside all the others on rustic architecture. The author does a marvelous job in explaining the beginnings of rustic architecture and why it has a permanent place in our culture. The mix of social background and the history of the early Adirondack camps with superb photographs provides a designers guidebook. The arguments for historic preservation are skillfully written and should be read by anyone in the field.

From the 'opening' of the Adirondacks in the 18th Century to the present, Harvey Kaiser delivers a premier photographic history of the Great Camps of the Adirondacks. Exploring the architectural history from an owner's whinsey to the details of a porch railing, Kaiser guides the reader through a history of gorgeous excess and an age of bountiful richness that few knew. Camp Uncas (owner J.P. Morgan), Topridge (Marjorie Merriweather Post) and Nehasane (Dr. William Seward Webb) are just a few of the detailed highlights showcased in this volume. Many of the larger hotels and lesser known camps (and castles) are photographed and discussed here at length. This book is not just for the architect, builder or historian. It is a display of architectural beauty build into a unique and mysterious landscape. It is a history never to be repeated and never to be forgotten.

I'm giving this the best review - but, I admit, I am the son of one of the owners of a house mentioned in the book! The house is Kildare Club. However, I'm unbiast! (SORT OF)
Anyway, I think it is an interesting book that is certainly worth reading and it revealed alot to me that I hadn't discovered about the Great Camps of the Adirondacks. (NOTE HOW I CLEVERLY INSERTED THE TITLE IN ORDER TO DELIVER A SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE. HEHE!

Kathrens' book is simply superb and is the only one I know of that pretty much thoroughlly documents the now almost lost domestic architecture of the Gilded Age. Not only are the descriptions of the houses outstanding, but the history of families that built them and under which circumstances is also given, and to completely understand a work of architecture, be it a commercial building or house, this is necessary, though not always included but it is in this book! It's a pity that these great houses of New York are now, for the most part, gone, but at least one can get a wonderful, visual documentation from his wonderful, rare, archival photos of the houses, not just exterior, but interior as well. I reccommend this book to anyone interested in great houses or in New York. It's a book that one must have and will enjoy reading and looking through forever. Lee Govatos

A fascinating book, covering the now mostly demolished great homes of New York, during the extraordinary flowering of wealth and enterprise in the late C19th.
All the famous families appear together with Edith Wharton style stories of scandal and excess...
The book boasts beautiful photographs, attractively reproduced, and fascinating floor plans.
Great Houses is exceptionally well written and a joy to the eye. One for architecture enthusiasts everywhere!

I have been waiting for a book like this for some time, and this one does not disappoint. It is well researched with wonderful historic black and white photos. The book is of the finest quality and the text is well put together. This is such an interesting subject and the authors are very thorough in their research, the book really feels complete. I highly recommend it to anyone with any interest in wonderful Gilded Age residental architecture or just an interest in the rich history of this great city. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in this book and I commend the authors on doing such a fine job on a most worthy subject. Thank you.

A must read for design, architecture and house enthusiasts. Well written and althought all pictures are in black and white they are fabulous. An easy read full of great backgound and rich in history.

Beautifully photographed, well written. Will be appreciated by those who have visited these houses as well as those who enjoy fine architecture and interesting history.

This book is fantasic! I highly recommend it. It has loads of spectacular color photographs, and the mansions are breath taking. Being someone who has never visisted the area, this book really makes me consider a trip to New York, if only to see these mansions.

If you love historical architecture, and the histories of old homes, then you shouldn't miss this book. The photographs alone make this a book worth owning, but the author has also included well written, indepth, and informative stories about these incrediable homes, their builders, owners and subsiquent owners. Reading this book has encouraged me to plan a trip to visit to the Hudson River Valley to see these beautiful places for myself.

This is a nice overview of the best of the estates along the Hudson. The book give a nice short history on the houses presented and the photos are nice, though the pictures could be more crisp. Having said that, I did enjoy the book and was just amazed at the variety in the styles of the houses from period to period; really a very informative book. If you are interested in this sort of thing, then you will certainly be pleased with this book, though the $50.00 price tag is a bit daunting.

I was a little apprehensive buying this book because I don't know too much about the NY sports scene. I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the debate-style format between the 2 authors, who are both veteran sports writers. The book is a fantastic insight into New Yorkers and sports media psychology in general. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the phenomenon and relevance of sport in society.

What a tremendous read! When I was pouring over it, I felt I was sitting in a newsroom listening to two reporters go at it, New York City style!

I really recommend it!

Forget Fodor's Dining Guide, The Great NY Sports Debate is the must have book for anyone who moves to New York. Where else can you become well versed in the most talked about issues that have shaped NY culture in the last 35 years? Wife-swapping in the '70's - it's in there, Drug scandals of the '80's - it's in there, the celebrity athlete of the '90's and globalization of the '00's - check and check.

This book should be handed out in the orientation packet right next to maps of the city and subway passes for any student entering NYU, Columbia, or other institutions in the city. It is a fascinating read that serves as the most entertaining text book anyone could hope to pick up.

This was a great book to read! Lennon and Rubin are both knowledgable about NYC sports from their many years covering the NY sports scene as sportswriters from their respective newspapers. Their different writing styles and opinions make for an interesting, fun read. I highly recommend this book for any sports fan... not just the NY ones.

"Gypsy Magic" is one of the very best anthologies of its type to come along in a long while. Rebecca York, Ann Voss Peterson and Patricia Rosemoor tell three stories so seamlessly it's like reading one story in three parts.

Ten years earlier, a Gypsy was railroaded into a murder conviction. As revenge, his mother cursed the sons of the three men responsible. The three younger men have all felt the effects of the curse. Now, with the Gypsy scheduled to be executed, can they prove his innocence before it's too late?

The main couple in Rebecca York's "Alessandra," Wyatt Boudreaux and Alessandra King, were once in love. Then she learned his police chief father helped send her cousin to death row. They are reunited years later. They're still on opposite sides of the case, and now Wyatt is blind because of her aunt's curse. Garner Rousseau, the son of the DA who convicted the Gypsy youth, has also experienced the pain of the curse. In Ann Voss Peterson story, he joins together with another of the man's cousins, "Sabina" King. He knows his father wasn't always ethical. He doesn't know if he can open his heart to the beautiful Sabina. Patricia Rosemoor finishes the set in "Andrei." Can the title hero and the murdered woman's daughter find the killer before they become the next victims?

"Gypsy Magic" is the best of the Harlequin anthologies like this I've read. Others like "Night and Day" and "Final Approach to Forever" have had problems keeping the same voice for the characters with the authors? different writing styles. In "Gypsy Magic," the three authors do an excellent job matching their styles and voices to make the stories flow together. "Gypsy Magic" is so much better constructed than the earlier Intrigue anthology "Bayou Blood Brothers" I wish I could go back and lower my rating for that one. The stories are all equally strong and do a good job advancing the overall storyline while telling each couple's story. The authors don't miss a step dropping clues that will come in useful in another story. It takes skill for one author to pull a story like this off and keep everything straight, not to mention three.

"Gypsy Magic" is one of the best Intrigues this year.

Valonia has cursed the sons of the men who railroaded her son, Carlo Mustov into prison for the murder of his lover, Theresa Granville.

Andrei Sobatka, one of their own, received the curse of "The law is impotent". [poor guy]
He is the cousin of Alessandra and Sabina King, and the product of marriage of a gypsy and an outsider. He has returned to the carnival to work for Milo Vasilli, he runs the Tilt-a-twirl [where he almost gets killed].
He has decided to help his cousins save Carlo and meets up, once again, with Elizabeth Granville, who had given herself to him ten years before.

Now he is hiding out with the carnival to hide his shame, figuring he could gain "Lizzie's" help, as he suspected her father of murdering his own wife.

Now they are in danger and another cousin, Tony has disappeared -- would the attempted murders never stop?

Running lose throughout the carnival is Milo's daughter, Florica, who confuses everyone with her childlike mentality.

Andrei and Elizabeth finally find the murder weapon with ten year old blood still on it. Elizabeth soon learns of Andrei's hidden powers and her own love for him is strengthened as the danger persists.

The cover is neat and representative of the men and the epilogue is great. [I always look forward to these]

Definitely recommended --M -- story moves great, especially through three authors. Just too much pm.s.[grin]

Valonia, a gypsy, cursed the sons of the men who sent her son, Carlo Mustov to prison for killing his lover, Theresa Granville.

The curse for Garner Rousseax was "Love is death".

Sabina King, sister to Alessandra, has the gift of healing. After Wyatt ends up in the hospital, Sabina is determined to seek out Claude Rousseax, to enlist his help to clear Carlo, only to find that he has died. So she approaches his son, Garner.

Now they have become the target of a killer. It becomes more confusing as they eliminate the suspects. Leon Thibault, the district attorney, warned them that they should leave well enough alone - they had no new evidence.

Fascinating as we follow them through their troubles...

This book is definitely recommended -- follow these three couples as they try to save Carlo and definitely end up falling in love with a little hanky panky thrown in.

GYPSY MAGIC carries us through 3 couples stories following a Romny curse. "Justice is Blind" - the curse of Wyatt Boudreaux -- "Love is Death" - the curse of Garner Rousseau -- "The law is impotent" - the curse of Andrei Sobatka, one of their own.

Some of the gypsies had certain powers -- Valonia, the mother of Carlo cursed the sons of the men responsible for sending Carlo to prison for killing a gadje, Theresa Granville, the wife of the Mayer of Les Baux. Louisiana.

Carlo has spent 10 years on death row. Now his time is coming to an end.

Milo Vasilli, the owner of the carnival, has brought the troop back to Les Baux. Allessandra, adopted neice of Valonia, hopes to uncover new evidence to clear Carlo and end Valonia's despair. Her gift is she "sees" things.
She must approach Louis Boudreaux, only to find out that he has just died - she meets up with Wyatt, Louis's son and her one time lover only to find that he has been blinded five years before.
There are several attempts on hers and Wyatt's life as they make it known that they are trying to save Carlo. Someone wants to stop them and wants them dead.

Most Excellent mystery to follow - well written and coheasive -- follow this group.

This is one of those books that I read at one of those moments in life where I just starting to understand myself. And this booked helped. I hold it very close to my heart, and I hope that you will too. Even though I agree with some of the other reviews (about underdeveloped characters) I find that a minor flaw in such an awesome first novel for Ms. J. M.

J.M. McDonell does a wonderful job in exploring what it means to be a friend and to love someone. David is constantly struggling with the choices that Miranda makes in her relationships with others. I wouldn't say that he is jealous of Miranda's lovers in a sexual sense, but he is so awestruck by her charisma and beauty that he doesn't want to see her get hurt. He has to come to terms with his feelings for her - Is she the one who is going to change everything about his way of life? Does he love her? It seems as though J.M. McDonell did a marvelous job in developing David, Miranda, and few other characters, but there were other characters that didn't seem to be important to the plot (like the veterarian, and Ben). I think that she could have made each of the characters more developed and meaningful to the story. She could have made a stronger connection between some of the characters. I felt as though there were many wasted pages in her novel on which she would introduce these meaningless characters, never intending to incorporate them into the plot. Despite the underdeveloped characters, I enjoyed reading Half Crazy. I think that McDonell could have made the book more captivating by not taking up space with names and descriptions that weren't integral to the plot.

Though interesting and enjoyable (read on a plane-trip), at times I felt as though the ghosts of Holly Golightly and Dunne's Grenville women were lurking in the mist. Miranda did exhibit a vunerable fragility that made her character believable; David was a 2 dimensional Truman Capote wanna-be? Or so it seemed to me. All in all, an entertaining romp, though more like late-night snack at Van Cleef's rather than Breakfast at Tiffany's!

I don't know why I pulled "Half Crazy" from the shelf that day several years ago, but once I'd read the first few sentences, I knew I had to check it out and devour it en toto. I've read it five or six times, all told, and I never get tired of reading about Miranda, delving into her story.

A Half-Life of Cardio-Pulmonary Function: Poems and Paintings
by Eric Gansworth

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ. IT'S TENDER AND MOVING, OPEN, HONEST........IT ASTONISHED ME. AND I DON'T USUALLY "UNDERSTAND" POETRY -- SO THE FACT THAT I LOVED IT SO MUCH WAS AN ADDED TREAT.

A Half-Life of Cardio-Pulmonary Function: Poems and Paintings (Iroquois and Their Neighbors)Eric Gansworth is a son of the Niagara Peninsula, who cherishes the flow of rivers, streams, time, and the life blood of his recently deceased brother, his sisters and nieces. He augments his poetry, love poems to his environment and family, with paintings that likewise are inclined to flow. The painting on Page 45 shows cycles: the heartbeat stopped, and the rain that continually returns, the people, the writer, and the reciprocal flow of blood and air. In the set of three paintings on the front and back cover jacket he mediates between the Iroquois Life Sustainers, the Three Sisters, corn, beans, and squash, and the three women, likewise acknowledged as life sustainers in the culture reflected in the self-portrait, connected by strings of wampum. His poetry, like his novels of Tuscorora life, carve an ever-deeper groove in the genre of Native American literature. This publication, like his others, is capable of standing alone, but his entire body of work has a most satisfying current.

If you happen to be a Bob Dylan fan, such as I am, you will recognize the reference in the title of this review. Some may find it strange to start out a review of one poets work by referencing the words of another, but anyone who knows the work of Eric Gansworth will understand why this is appropriate. It is especially appropriate because of the latest work by this prolific writer (proliferation being yet another tie that Gansworth has to Dylan). In his new book, "A Half-Life of Cardio-Pulmonary Function," Gansworth enters a new league of writers. Half Life is every bit as beautiful and profound as anything I have read by Billy Collins, Robert Frost or Bob Dylan.

Half-Life is a perfect book. The themes that Gansworth deals with throughout his body of work are themes that permeate much of the Native American literature of the last few decades. Whether you are reading Louise Erdrich's "Love Medicine" or Gansworth's "Smoke Dancing" you will find a common theme, the survival and adaptation of Native American culture in the midst of a pervasive American culture. As common as this theme is, however, its relevance has never been as well articulated as it has been here.

Native Americans have been battling to keep and remember their culture for years, but it has transformed into a new culture. It is a culture of both Cornhusk Dolls and Pink Floyd. To steal a metaphor from Gansworth, Native culture today has "emerged from the scraps left behind amid the harvest" of traditional Native American culture. Much of it is a memory. Think of the stereotypes that survived: rain dances, feathers, hatchets. It is as if the American culture has taken away what it thought was in someway useful. It commodified a culture it sought to destroy. But what the larger culture has left in the field, Gansworth has managed to weave into a series of poems that are not only profound, but fun to read! To steal another of his lines, "remember the husk is not a useless part of the body."

Take the case of his poem, "Loving That Land O' Lakes Girl." Gansworth is able take the iconographical use of an "Indian Woman" by Land O' Lakes butter and turn it into bitter sweet and humourous poem about loving this image. "She is the first lesson in love for many Indian boys," Gansworth begins, "all tanned hide and feathers, features straight out of Hollywood." He tells us how she "stares out at all from a burst of sunrise." But the poem moves on to reveal that you "fold her spine back, and back again without regard to the vertebrae you snap along the way" (87). This is a perfect subtle commentary on the commodification that I was writing about earlier. But Gansworth ends on a humorous note. "you leave an impression that stays until the next hot thing comes along. Is it any wonder Indian women have grown tough and strong with competition like that?" (88). It is a perfect double entendre. And this book of poems is teeming with such beauty.

Gansworth has included a blend of pop culture and traditional Native American culture. Interestingly, many of his music references are from the British Invasion. In a series of poems entitled for the hotel in front of which John Lennon was killed, "Dakota [I-IV]," Gansworth is able to pay homage to Lennon while also exploring the life of a relationship as it moves from the exciting moments of unity to the loneliness of decline and end, "knowing you will not see me on the dark side of the moon" (113). And as you can see by this last line, he is able to bring Pink Floyd in as well! In another great poem that exemplifies this "cross pollination" of cultures, he pays tribute to being "(Not) Born in the U.S.A."

It is truly impossible for me to write about all of the themes in a short review such as this is. Gansworth masters the theme I have already mentioned, but he does so in the pursuit of more universal themes such as love, grief, desire, aging. My favorite poem is a love poem. Prior to reading Half-Life my favorite love poem was Billy Collins, "Osso Buco," which no doubt is still a brilliant poem, but it has now been replaced by "Arrivals and Departures."

Much of the book deals with the death of his brother. Much of it deals with the anxiety and rebuilding of our lives following 9-11. Every image is concrete and works together with the themes of the book. He creates for us the memories as distinct as the photographs he speaks of. A moment in time is encapsulated perfectly in a phrase.

The poem that best epitomizes the book, however, is "Cross PolliNation." The title alone is a masterpiece! Even more brilliant is that the poem has two columns that one can either read line to line straight across or one column at a time. That is the major theme of the work and it has never been so masterfully rendered. But that is to be expected in "Half-Life." Every word impacts. Surely, the half-life of "Half-Life" will be centuries or millennia. This is a book that needs to be read. One that should put Eric Gansworth on the short list for Pulitzer prize in poetry. After all, like Dylan, he knows his song well before he starts singing, which is best demonstrated in his last poem, "Learning to Speak."

One should also note that the book includes numerous of Gansworth's paintings as well, which add to the themes of this tremendous work of art.

The National Book Critics Circle has voted Eric Gansworth's A Half-Life of Cardio pulmonary Function to third place in the Spring 2008 "Good Reads" list in Poetry. The other four poets who's books made the list are; Grace Paley in first place, Frank Bidart in second, Marie Howe in fourth, and Robert Pinsky in fifth. This puts Gansworth's Half-Life in some very good company!

The National Book Critics Circle "Good Reads" list is a relatively new qualitative alternative to the familiar Best Sellers lists. To be voted to this list by the 800 member national association of professional book reviewers and critics pretty much says it all!

Hanging Cpt. Gordon by Ron Soodalter was for me, an exceptional read. It's a non-fiction that reads like a novel, it's well written, and very fluid. The bulk of the books goes into the social and political sentiments of the mid 1800's especially as they related to slavery and the trafficking of slaves from the African continent to the Americas.

The author, I believe, pain stakingly and with great detail (20 pages of footnotes) painted a psychological picture of the major players, Cpt. Gordon, the prosecutor, the defense team (dream team of 1864) and of president Lincoln, and what motivated these men. We come to see Cpt. Morgan as an unfortunate but wretched soul, whose life and death had to be used as an example, that trafficking in slaves, along with slavery in the territories and new states would not be allowed.

From an historical stand point, it was interesting to see how New York and the other eastern seaboard states were heavily invested in the slave trafficking that was vital to the supply of slaves to the south. Slave trafficking florished during the 40 year period that anti trafficking laws were on the books as a capital offense. Trafficking florished and no one was hanged because of the involvement of New York financiers, insurers, ship builders, legal community and politicians.

This is not a feel good history book, but for those that want an accurate account of what took place in this country during the 1800's as it ralates to slavery, slave trafficking and slave laws, this is the book.

Hanging Captain Gordon is a good review of the slave trade and the majority attitudes that prevailed just before the start of the Civil War. The book arouses sympathy for Captain Gordon's widow and children, revulsion over the treatment of African captives, and horror at the crudeness of our entire justice system in the 18th and 19th centuries. It does not make me proud of my European ancestors. Anyone willing to critically evaluate American culture will benefit from reading this book.

The law on the books was quite clear in 1860. Any American convicted of engaging in the slave trade was subject to the death penalty. Surely Captain Nathanial Gordon from Portland, Maine had no reason to believe that this could ever happen to him as he sailed toward Africa on just such a mission in the Spring of 1860. For up until this time not a single American citizen had ever been sentenced to die for this most heinous of crimes. Yes, the slave trade was alive and well in the year before the American Civil War would commence and a great many Americans were still involved up to their ears. "Hanging Captain Gordon" is author Ron Soodalter's remarkable account of the life and death of one Captain Nathanial Gordon who would pay the ultimate price for essentially being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This is a captivating book that recalls a series of events that history had largely forgotten. It is compelling reading.
Most Americans will be shocked and disgusted when they learn just how widespread slave trading was in the first six decades of the nineteenth century. And what is most disturbing is how complicit many Americans were in this practice. There was lots of money to be made in the slave trade. Here in the U.S. many "respected" businessmen participated as investors in such enterprises. They would outfit the vessels and make all of the other necessary arrangements to carry out the sordid mission. Many of the the most prominent businessmen in New York and other major northern cities were involved. Many other Americans were all too happy to work as officers and crew members on these ships. And just in case someone was caught in the act there were legions of corrupt politicians and judges to provide cover. And so in 1860 as a divided America prepared to face off on the question of slavery here at home a lively slave trade continued to flourish in ports such as Havana and Rio de Janiero. It was Captain Gordon's great misfortune to be nabbed by the American steamer USS Mohican as he sailed westward with some 897 slaves on board. They were packed below like so many sardines. Nathanial Gordon and his crew had been caught red-handed at a time when the political winds at home were shifting dramatically. For it would come to pass that Nathanial Gordon of Maine would be made an example of. History would demand that he pay the ultimate price.
I found "Hanging Captain Gordon" to be very thoroughly researched and particularly well written. This one held my interest from cover to cover. Ron Soodalter gives the reader a very thorough picture of all of the forces at work and players involved in the highly charged atmosphere surrounding the trial and conviction of Captain Gordon. In addition, Soodalter presents more compelling evidence at just how great a President Abraham Lincoln really was. As many in American bombarded the President with requests for a pardon for Captain Gordon Lincoln resisted. He saw the hanging of Captain Gordon as an opportunity to send a clear message to all that slave trading would no longer be tolerated. In the end Lincoln was correct. Slave trading would largely disappear for nearly a century.
Ron Soodhalter concludes "Hanging Captain Gordon" with a "Afterword" on how new forms of slave trading have begun to re-appear in recent years. His examples are surely food for thought. "Hanging Captain Gordon" is packed with material I had never seen anywhere else. This one is an absolute must for history buffs. Highly recommended!

Mr. Soodalter does an amazing job by taking a little known event and giving it life. His characters and events are so real and the lack of support to end slavery is shameful. Although there was legislation, the politicians did little to prevent slavery from continuing (they all had them) and Soodalter shows how little things have changed in the world in his final chapter. This is an adventure, a great story, told by an excellent historian and story-teller. This is a must read!!

People's Magazine heralds Jane Stuart as North Jersey's Miss Marple for solving the case of the missing nanny. Owner of the Kenneth Stuart Literary Agency, Jane has no aspirations to a sleuthing career, but her reputation makes her a crime magnet. When a stranger is murdered, the shocked citizens of Shady Hills expect their local "private investigator" Jane to uncover the truth. Jane has a personal interest in this crime since her son discovered the body and the victim was seen hanging around the inn owned by Jane's friend Louise.

When the police question Louise's philandering husband Ernie, the innkeeper asks Jane to help solve the murder. Reluctantly, Jane agrees to conduct some inquiries although she is becoming romantically involved with the lead investigator. Her professional job also turns complicated when she agrees to handle Goddess, a female Fabio, as a client. However, Goddess' editor is killed during a publishing bash given for another of Jane's clients. Jane realizes she now needs to solve these homicides fast or she will become a media event again.

Life parallels art in this amusing and entertaining amateur sleuth mystery. The author, like his protagonist is a literary agent residing in a small New Jersey village and knows first hand how to deal with authors and publishing houses. This experience is firmly focused in Jane's professional life so that readers have an up close and personal look into the publishing world. Winky, the feline owner of the Stuart family, provides humorous relief from the high-tension environment and will be adored by animal lovers who read this mystery. HANGING HANNAH is a humorous who-done-it that captures the essence of modern day living in a small town amidst the BosWash megalopolis.

Harriet Klausner

Jane Stuart is busy planning her sons birthday party, when the body of a young woman is found hanging from a tree. Dead. By a group of kids playing an innocent game of scavenger hunt. Immediatley everyone turns to Jane, Shady Hills, New Jersey's very own private detective. As a recent story in "People" stated. Much to Jane's chagrin. Before she knows it, another murder takes place. This time editor Holly Griffin is murdered. But not before she can sign Jane up to be the pop star Goddess' literary agent. Before Jane knows it, she's in over her head. What with murder, kidnapping, book parties, weddings, funerals, and cheating. Who would have ever thought that a small town like Shady Hills could be so full of mystery?

I found this book enjoyable and fun, yet lacking in the mystery department. "Hanging Hannah" is more of a book that deals with relationships. Whether it's between Jane and her son, Jane and her boyfriend, Jane and her co-worker, etc. Still, it's a nice cozy read when you've got nothing to do.

This second contribution by this wonderful author outshines the first, if that is possible. I read the entire book in one night because it was so wonderfully written and suspenseful that I could not stop. Needless to say, I was very tired the next day but it was completely worth it. Anyone who enjoys mystery books (I like the Kay Scarpetta series and the Stephanie Plum series) should definitely check out this talented writer. I am anxiously awaiting the third book in this excellent series.

HANGING HANNAH is the second mystery in this enjoyable series. Our sleuth is Jane Stuart. She is a sensitive widow and mother of one. She is also a literary agent, which adds some interesting elements to the story for those who love to learn more about the book business. Winky is her cat. She helps Jane to solve mysteries in the most unusual ways.

During a birthday party Jane is throwing for her son, there is a gruesome discovery. When the mystery begins, everyone reminds Jane that she is the new Miss Marple and expects her to get involved. One of the perks for getting involved is meeting a handsome returning detective. Jane juggles her job as parent, friend, agent and sleuth with more grace than she realizes. She is a strong, nonsense character surrounded by other well developed and yet to be developed secondary characters.

I enjoyed this cozy so much I plan to follow the series in the future. Besides some terrific series characters, the mystery itself was fascinating. It blended in with Jane and other characters lives without loosing ground. It took a turn or two that I wasn't expecting and the ending was a remarkable surprise.

I LIKE BOOK. IT GIVE MORE SUPRISED WHEN I START TO READ IT. ITS A
GREAT BOOK. I TITED YOU THIS BOOK.

That brat Eddie Ryland ruined Samantha's perfect birthday party! Sam is so disappointed, until Agatha and Abigail get an idea! Read about Sam's trip to New York, where she chases a dog, sees a new side of Aunt Cornelia, and learns about women's rights.

This is another in the American Girls series about Samantha Parkington, a (now) ten-year-old orphan girl living with her grandmother in the America of 1904. In this book, it is Samantha's birthday, and a great party for her and her friends is followed by a special surprise; she is going to the metropolis of New York City, to visit with her aunt and uncle, and her aunt's vivacious young sisters. This is a time of learning about new ways of doing things...especially when Samantha learns her aunt's secret - she is a Suffragist!

The final chapter of this book is a fascinating look at growing up in the America of 1904. As always, the illustrations provided by Nancy Niles and Robert Grace are wonderful, and add a lot to the experience of reading this wonderful book. This is another great Samantha book, one that my daughter and I both highly recommend to you!

In this offering of the highly popular American Girls Series, Samantha Parkington learns more about her Uncle Gard's new wife after a new birthday present named Jip gets loose and leads the girls to City Park.

Remembering her strict Grandmother's earlier admonitions to stay away from radical suffragist activities, being caught in the park is a major concern, but Samantha and her cousins are in for a suprise feminist organizing crash course when they learn Grandmary has decided to listen to the lecture herself.

The prospect of American Women voting is no longer exotic or automatically radical, but the book implies connection between the 19th century "first wave" of feminism (suffragettes and reformers) with today's "second" and "third wave" counterparts who are able to enjoy political rights, the real life counterparts to Aunt Cornelia could only dream of using. Instead of being demonized or trivalized, women's political activity organizing on behalf of their own rights is something all women (regardless of age) should become involved in.

Even until the late 1990's, the numbers of American women participating in politics as office holders themselves remained pittably small compared to the percentage of potential elgible officeholders. Reccenty however, the question has shifted from if the United States will have a woman president to when and who that canidate will be.

The book is also notable because it suggests the inevitability of one time opponents eventually embracing feminism themselves as a result of respectful dialouge between both sides. This title technically is a children's book, but the lesson from the encounter between Samantha's beloved Grandmary (who has long expressed sentiments hostile to many progressive reforms) and Cornelia (herself ironically responsible for those same reforms) indicates women of initially different politics can work together and find common ground, if only they listen to eachother's concern's and needs.

I was however bothered the book did not mention women of color this increased climate of mutuality and respect. Although part of this was due to the very real biases of suffragists themselves (glossed over in the book)it also gives the impression of first wave feminists being more guilt-free of bias than they actually were. Having been raised by the same dominant society that freely proclaimed segregation and African American inferiority, these first wave feminists were unware of how it affected their work, or understood and placed potential southern support (whose elected officials were determined to avoid enfranchising black women) above earlier anti-racist committments.