New York Books

This book is adorable! It's so fun and the creativity is amazing. My 14 month old loves dogs and this book has become one of his favorites!

With kids toys being so much about brands and high tech capability - this whimsical and imaginative book is such a delight. I can't wait for my son to see it on Christmas day. Adults I have shown it to have enjoyed it too.

This book is wonderful! I bought several copies for my dog-loving friends because the price was very reasonable- they all thought it was delightful. The illustrations are fantastic, and the broccoli/cauliflower poodles are especially cute!

I cataloged this donated book into the academic library's collection where I work. I selected it from the books that had been donated for our annual book sale because I knew parents with little children would enjoy having something to occupy the attention of their kids while they were studying/researching. What a remarkable imagination this book testifies to! I photocopied the "Working like a Dog" page to testify to my meager efforts, it adorns my cubical. Everyone with children will want a copy of this book.

My daughter, age 20 months, just loves this cute little book. She asks to read it again and again.

This book was a revelation! I was curious, but had no idea, what really goes on in the intriguing world of the funeral industry. Ms. Mosca presents an unflinching look at the kinds of challenges and issues that those in this profession are confronted with. What's more, she also shows some fascinating glimpses of her life apart from her work. These facets include a stint with Playboy, acting roles in community theater, and writing assignments for popular funeral trade magazines. I am excited to see that these journalistic adventures have led Ms. Mosca to the writing of a new book, this time, about one of the most famous cemetaries in the country. I look foward to the book's publication later this summer. If it's as compelling as her first book, it is sure to be another hit. Can't wait to read it!

Grave Undertakings was a pleasant surprise to read! The author, Alexandra Mosca, comes across as so genuine, sensitive and caring, that it made me look at funeral directors in a whole different light. Before reading this book, I will admit, I did not have a high opinion of the funeral industry. But, Mosca conveys through her writing how difficult the job can be emotionally and what a special sort of person it takes to do this work. Perhaps, because of her own difficult childhood, the author has a particular empathy for people who are grieving and in pain.
I purchased this book because I recalled seeing Mosca on talk shows over the years, especially when she was a Playboy model (there is a chapter about this), wondering what she had to say about her funeral career. Frankly, I wasn't expecting to be this engrossed by what turned out to be a most sensitive and tasteful memoir. The book takes us through her beginnings as a naieve young woman starting out in a rather hostile environment, trying to learn her trade and do right by her clientele. Despite coming across some rather unpleasant colleagues, (what a bunch of losers) she is determined to succeed.. Along the way, she has many unusual experiences such as attending John Gotti's funeral (another reason I bought the book), as well as poignant ones like working on the charred bodies in the Flight 587 plane crash in NY, shortly after 9/11.
Mosca has guts She is not afraid to take chances and try her hand at different careers, while always remaining dedicated to her role as a funeral director. She has a good sense of humor and is not above poking fun at herself. She sounds like a lot of fun to hang out with.
I hope we hear more from her in another book. Maybe even a televison show with Mosca as the main character. She's a lot more interesting as a real funeral director than any "Six Feet Under" fictional character.
And, Amazon, I hope you will soon be restocking this book!

This book gives great insight into the funeral business. Alexandra has a terrific style and flair for writing. I am awaiting her next work.

From life as a wistful adopted child to her days gracing the pages of national magazines with her Italian-Greek beauty, Alexandra Mosca certainly has a story to tell. And tell it she does! She overcame alot of unhappy days to become a funeral director, model and actress. Her book is filled with stories about the struggles of a young woman trying to make it in a man's business. It is absorbing, funny, sad and poignant. Her sensitivity to the needs of the people and families she serves is evident from the stories that make up this great book. The photos of her as a child are touching and her later good looks radiates through them. This volume some eye opening details of the business as well. The author comes accross as a caring and sensitive funeral director. This book is certainly a must read for anyone interested in the funeral business or contemplating a career in that industry. The publisher should bring out a new edition and make it available as a current book. It is worth it and certainly has the potential to sell. Hopefully, we will see more books by Ms. Mosca!

This was a superb book! I bought this book while still a student of mortuary science, and I have re-read it dozens of times since. I turn to this book for comfort and inspiration when I find myself struggling in the business. I am also a young female funeral director and Alexandra's book is a true-to-life account of what we face. Any young woman hoping to break into the funeral industry must read this book!!!

I became addicted to Haim Potok's writing. Once I finish one of his books, I can't help it - I buy a new one. Amazing story-teller!

This is a beautiful story; it is my very favourite book. I love it with all my heart.

I too have read the more well known books of Potok. I picked up this one at a used book sale. This book is somewhat different from the others in that it it goes deeply into one characte's thoughts and emotions. One could label the book slow, but I didn't find it that way. I found the story of David Lurie's mother to be by far the most painful to read. As a reader, we are given only bits and pieces of this woman's very broken heart. Perhaps it's a sign of a wonderful writer that every character in this book seemed to warrant a book of his or her own.

I've never encountered a novel structured exactly like this one. The details given in the first 4/5ths of its length led a reader to believe In The Beginning was a story about a brilliant young Jewish boy and his family, their life in America, where the boy and his brother where born to recent Polish emigrants, and of the determined struggle this family undertakes, not only to establish their lives in the United States, but to honorably aid numerous Jewish families who wish to leave Poland and settle in New York. As the story of this family, the novel served a detailed, well-written tale that gave terrific insights into the psyche and values of east-European Jews in the early twentieth-century. The family thrives in the US in the prosperous 1920's, though the pre-school-age David is sadistically bullied by anti-Semitic local boys, and he lives to piece together the whispered secrets of his father's conduct as a one-time militant activist among Jews in the "old country." We follow this family into the Great Depression, when its fortunes declined, into World War Two, where its newly-discovered prosperity is scant comfort as its members learn of the Nazis' cruelty to family and acquaintances they left behind in Europe.

However, like a magician dealing out a slight of hand trick, Chaim Potok revealed the true story only at the very end of In The Beginning---and all else that came before this point was merely establishing the stage for the final act and a statement he wished to make on the subject of faith, reason, and evidence. The central character, David Lurie, due to his intellectual brilliance the shining star of his local school, stuns his family, friends, and classmates, by laying aside his Orthodox upbringing and upon college graduation becoming a secular Biblical scholar. Lurie announces his newfound conviction that the Torah was not given by G-d to Moses on Sinai, but was authored by numerous Jews across an indefinite time period, long after Moses' death. To Lurie's parents this is an act of unmitigated treason to all that is holy and life-sustaining in their world. That their much-loved eldest son, their pride and great hope, should plan to write skeptical books on this topic, and thereby "sin by making others sin" is crushing to them one and all. And only at the extreme conclusion of this 430 page novel is this revealed when beforehand a straightforward plot about Jews reacting to a changing world was what we had been lulled into expecting. The earlier tale of David's health struggles, his father's rise and fall, the immigration movement, and even at the end the horrors of Nazi Germany, all of that I found was Potok's subterfuge to sneak in an ending so different from what the deliberately-paced novel seemed to prepare us for that this work almost deserves to be spoken of as having some sort of twist at its shocking ending.

As always, Potok wrote well here and his characters and the setting were magnificently accomplished, but I was left feeling I had read two different books, one a family tale, the other a dissertation on modern Talmudic scholarship. I also strongly felt that the characters at the end, while bearing the same names they had 300 pages earlier, were not exactly the same ones I had been reading about as they advanced thru twenty harsh years in their lives. I also have read that this book is slightly autobiographical, so that deserves to be pointed out. This is a good book but it is slow-moving and spends much of its time inside David's head and the pseudo fantasy world which he inhabits, so be prepared for that. I also wish Potok had written a sequel, as he did with The Chosen. I ended up saying, "Yes, and what happens next?" Sadly, we'll never know...

Never before have I ever read something so influential, so vividly drawn before me. I am a huge fan of Potok, and after reading Asher, Promise, Chosen, and Davita, this obscure novel that barely comes up in Borders search is my favorite. It is a shame to see it is widely ignored.

Potok is a genious, and one can understand this brilliant man in this book. He is able to create a person, a character, that seems life like. You want to jump in the book to hug him, to stop him, or to help him. It is an impossible book to put down, and by far the best book I have ever read. He is the best author I have ever read.

I recommend this book to everyone. Everyone could use a little of Danny in their lives.

Moe Prager, P. I. and wine shop owner, interesting, kind of like Sam Spade owning a gourmet cheese boutique or maybe Raymond Chandler a nice little French bakery.... But, Reed Coleman pulls it off and the James Deans won't disappoint even the most discriminating imbiber of classic P. I. Noir. Plus, I met Mr. Coleman on one of his tours and he's a nice guy. Buy this book!

An ex-cop turned successful wine merchant and sometime PI. A golden-haired politico wanting to be another "comeback-kid." An office intern who turned out to be a deadly researcher. These are the intriguing main characters in Reed Farrel Coleman's third Moe Prager mystery, The James Deans.

If you've got politicians in a story, then you know what the other elements will be--greed, betrayal, misuse of power, dishonesty, and in the wake of Monicagate and GaryCondit/Chandra Levy, sexual dallying will play a big part too.

Or will it? That's what's so intriguing about this specific mystery and the skill that author Reed Farrel Coleman brings to his stories--you think it's going to follow the path lead by headlines, then it veers off into uncharted territory, with roots laid deep and long ago. His style is lean and mean on one of its threads and spiraling with imagery on another. The combination makes his writing exciting and hard to forget.

The James Deans is a terrific page-turner, complicated with plenty of twists and made rich with believable, flawed characters. It's only a matter of time before Coleman and emerges from the pack and shines in the spotlight.

Moe is the refreshing antithesis of most characters being written today. He is a loving husband, father and brother, neither an alcoholic nor a drug user, but with secrets and burdens of his own. I still rave about "Walking the Perfect Square" as one of my favorite books. Coleman creates an environment that feels personal. But it's the writing that makes this book and series one I feel deserves attention and recognition. Highly recommended.

A pretty decent, fairly engaging mystery. The characters are pretty well fleshed out and the relationships, for the most part, are very believable and sympathetic.
The plot is a good mix of an old-fashioned Hammettesque detective story and modern day mystery.
My main problem is the observations, obviously from a post 9/11 perspective, of 1980's New York. I mean, come on, why would a 1983 detective be looking for the twin towers, thinking that "the skyline wouldn't look right without them?"
Over all, I enjoyed the characters enough to try another Moe Prager mystery. It's a decent, light read for a Saturday afternoon.

When he is cornered at an employee's wedding in 1983 New York, the last thing wine shop owner and private investigator Moe Prager is to work for a politician. A former cop who was forced on disability by a piece of carbon paper on a waxed floor, Moe has had enough of being manipulated and holds a secret that could destroy his marriage. However, a carrot and stick approach by the bride's father forces Moe into working for State Senator Steven Brightman and investigating the disappearance of his female intern in Reed Farrel Coleman's The James Deans (Plume)..

Moe soon makes headway into the case, but after coming to a conclusion that leaves everyone satisfied niggling doubts begin to force Moe into looking a little closer at a case that has been tidily resolved. Now, Moe must decide whether to open a can of worms that would leave the powerful and his own friends particularly unhappy with his actions. From the Senator down to the neighborhood bar owner, all are invested in the nicely wrapped package Moe has presented to the city. To continue investigating means that Moe risks sacrificing his career, his family, and his friends.

Moe Prager is a wonderfully down-to-earth detective who, although bored with his mundane life, would rather avoid a fight than wield his muscle. His love for his family makes him engagingly human, especially when he knows that a secret he shares with his father-in-law will one day explode and shatter his marriage (Walking the Perfect Square, 2001). Not overly bright but always quick with a quip yet never annoyingly so, it's his ethics and sense of honor that make Moe shine. Taking a turn at writing his version of the Chandra Levy/Gary Condit scandal, Coleman does an original twist with the plot as halfway through, just when you think the mystery has been solved, he boomerangs the story and leads Moe into making a decision that forces him to look deep into his soul and his sense of justice. While Coleman does make a few obvious references meant to give a wink and a nod to the present (a poetic look at the sturdy World Trade Center and jokes about a going-nowhere Arkansas Senator), he writes a riveting plot and creates a vivid portrait of eighties New York City. Always entertaining with a character who is never disappoints, Coleman continues a series that improves and expands on a truly unique character.

I was amazed at how many photos were included in this book that I had never seen before. I was equally amazed to discover that Gruen had taken some of the most well known photographs of John Lennon during this time period; and it's interesting to know the story behind them. The book is entertaining to look at, but it's also an interesting read with Gruen providing a "fly-on-the-wall" perspective of what it was like to hang out with John & friends during the New York years. Gruen provides a detailed account of what was going on in John's life when a certain photo was taken and, unfortunately, what it was like walking into the Dakota a few hours after John was shot to pick up a package at the front desk that John left for him.

I like very much this book, because has a lot of pictures with John in his intimate life, but i think Bob Gruen as a photographer is not the best. The pictures he had taken of John Lennon, are more a "fan photos". Of course there are "iconic pictures", like the New York series. But still a nice book to have to all the Lennon fans.

Fortunately for us, Bob Gruen was there. I must admit that the book show mostly really great photos, and some others are not (I mean the focus, light, etc), but you can saw John as he was, a normal guy, doing daily stuffs, playing with his guitar, in the studio, off course with Yoko, with baby Sean, public events, etc, a great review of those last years in NY.
I didn't know that so many of the famous pictures of John where taken by Gruen. The quality of the book is great, I think that every Lennon's fan will love this book, and I hope that Bob Gruen show more of his John Lennon's photo collection in a near future, he share a lot with him in those New York days and probably he got more to show!

If you enjoy black and white photos with interesting and informative commentary and John Lennon happens to be one of your musical heros, consider adding this book to your library. It just has a nice touch.

Bob Gruen invites readers and photo aficionados into his chronological photo portfolio into former Beatle John Lennon's life with the book John Lennon: The New York Years. Gruen provides a combination of never before seen and seen candid and photo shoot images of Lennon during his years in New York. Gruen closely associated with John and Yoko as a neighbor and as their personal photographer, and the images show the intimacy and the trust they had in him in capturing their moments in just about every situation, in the studio, a walk in the park, or simply hamming it up for the camera; every picture tells a story behind it.

The difference with this book of photographs and others is that Gruen offers much insight of the time and place in which he took each photograph. Gruen specifically shares with the public his personal account of knowing John as a friend or as he refers, "just a New York guy." He does not concentrate on over wrought information, but rather recounts the first time he met and became friends with John and Yoko and the events that made an impression on him, such as the story behind the most iconoclastic poses: the New York City t-shirt and Statue of Liberty pose.

Bob Gruen covers much ground in a little less than ten years, 1971-1980. However, in that time, he covers the most interesting and controversial period in John's post Beatle life. John Lennon: The New York Years is recommended for all Lennon as well those interested in documentary photography, and is yet another welcome addition to anyone's collection of rock and roll oriented books.

Leaps of Faith is truly captivating. Its plot is rich and moving. Its characters are endearing and vividly alive, especially Warren and Flip. However too much emphasis is placed on the union and the strike. Also, the side stories of Tanya and the lesbian couple in Flip's theatre group seem irrelevant. But the relationship developments between Warren and Flip, between the couple and their respective sister, between the couple and their little girl,Juliet, makes the book shines. The strength in Warren and Flip's relationship culminating to their "marriage" is rare, touching, deeply emotional and beautifully told. I hope Kranz will invest her talents in another novel soon.

"Leaps of Faith" is a work of love. It is warm, funny, sweet and moving, with elements of suspense and drama. Rachel Kranz tackles major themes of race, sexuality, family and betrayal. She searches her characters with great affection for the best they have to offer and finds an array of human qualities that contribute to a most satisfying reading experience. The book is stylishly written, but in a friendly, down-to-earth way, and at the end of the nearly 600 pages, I only wished for more. I can't wait for Rachel Kranz's next book.

Kranz's remarkable novel is a hefty mix of comedy, politics, and the daily grind of love in all its forms. Flip's psychic boyfriend Warren doesn't fully support his fledgling acting career. Rosie, Flip's sister, is juggling what could be her first union strike with her so-called dating life. While Flip and Warren's relationship struggles, Warren's estranged sister sends her biracial daughter into Warren's life, causing him to adjust to life in totally new ways. Kranz changes viewpoints through the story, making it a mosaic of life in New York City, and this is one of the strongest aspects of the story. The most potent aspect of the story is Warren and Flip's love. It's incredibly tangible in its constant variations from positive to negative to inbetween. Like real life, their love is inconsistent with one saying something honestly to the other, and watching as it's misunderstood. And it's this honesty that resonates with the reader, drawing us further and further into the book until it's unquestionable that this book would be set aside. If you want to give yourself a fulfilling, joyful treat, grab this book and settle into a comfortable chair.

Set in the vibrant Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen neighborhoods of New York City, Leaps of Faith explores gay and lesbian relationships, struggling actors, racism and union activists. There's something for everyone in this novel, but the author invested so much of her own experiences, I wonder if she has anything left to contribute to subsequent novels.

Warren is a professional psychic, raised in a wealthy family who only partially accepts his gay lifestyle. He is suddenly saddled with raising his sister's French bi-racial 8-year old daughter, Juliette, after his sister admits herself into an asylum in Paris. Although he is totally unprepared for this role, he adapts quickly to it and learns to love Juliette totally. The central theme of the novel is Warren's volatile relationship with Flip, 13 years younger, struggling actor, and the love of his life. After much angst and soul searching Warren and Flip decide to pledge their troth to each other, and many humorous scenes are built around their "wedding" planning.

Flip's sister Rosie is also struggling to come to terms with her love relationship with a much younger man of a different ethnicity. She is also a determined union activist and struggles with some serious health problems. I found the chapters relating to the clerical workers strike at the university to be overdone and boring, and some skillful editing could have made this section of the book more concise and entertaining.

The structure of the book, which was told in multiple voices, allowed you to have insight into the perspective of multiple characters, and was a useful device until the chapters relating to the strike. Moving rapidly from the voice of one character to another character, none of whom were adequately fleshed out, was confusing and tedious.

But, all in all, the book was amusing, quick reading and gave some fascinating insights into New York, the gay life, the theater, and the behind the scenes union organizing. A little less detail in some areas could have shortened it somewhat and made the pace more brisk.

I loved this book! It's a real page-turner. Ms. Kranz has captured the pulse of New York City with an exquisite array of pitch perfect voices running the spectrum of sexual orientation, gender and political position. It is epic in scope and yet very detailed and personal in each of its unique points of view. She has written a novel about intimacy and how we construct our intimate relationships that is political without being preachy. Her insightful glimpses into actor's lives, union organizers, traditional and non-traditional family structures and the web of relationships that keep them together are both painful and heartfelt. The characters have lingered with me long after the last page has been turned. The book reminds me of a fine tapestry, rich in texture and pattern, its story-lines beautifully woven together into a satisfying whole. I highly recommend this book!

I'm sure I'll love this book. Once I receive it. It's been nearly 3 months since I ordered this...Amazon will no longer be the beneficiary of my internet commerce.

Kind of essential lookback to something we'll never see again. All the messiness, sloppiness & amateurism that had me and my pals going all the time to the FE (Friday Night Late Show Only please!). One of few worthwhile rock books.

I love this book. I frequented the Fillmore East 18 times between 1970 until it closed in June of 71. This book brought back so many memories. The Fillmore East was without a doubt the greatest place to see and hear a concert and I miss it. I am glad that I was able to be a part of the Fillmore East - even got to speak to Bill Graham the night of the last public concert. I am very glad this book was put together and anyone who was there will enjoy it. I sure do miss those days - Thanks Amalie!!! Got anymore tidbits - any chance of a Fillmore East Late Show edition?

This book provides a list of the bands playing each night the Fillmore was open! Great historical insight!

The Fillmore East was not only the Mecca of Rock Music in the late sixties and early seventies, it was also the epicenter of all Rock Music, as well as jazz and performance art from the era. Live at the Fillmore East captures the ambience of the era by capturing not only the acts performing on stage, but the audience's exuberance and the backstage scene in wonderful photography by Amalie R. Rothschild. I'd highly recommend this book to all music lovers, like myself, who have an appreciation for the music of Jimi Hendrix, Janis, The Who, The Grateful Dead (many great pictures of the band on stage), Miles Davis, etc.
A special portion of the book is dedicated to the light shows that were so valuable in those days in highlighting the music as it was being performed. If you ever attended a show at the Fillmore East, this book is a must! If you know the reputation of Bill Graham and the Fillmore East and never attended a show there: this book is a must also! Great forward by Mickey Hart and great text by the author. Buy this book and treasure it for the testament of a great, historical era in music.

Celebrity autobiographies are exercises in exhibiting the overexposed. However, dignity and discretion are assumed by the reader. Consequently, the author is oblidged to spend the entire book repeating, in essence, "I don't mean to brag but..." Also, celebrity autobiographies are famous for their creativity. David Niven's is pretty par for the course. I doubt if more than 25% of the incidents included happened exactly as described, if at all. All the better for the reader. The truth is usually rather dull or unpleasant. The narrative itself is very readable in a relaxed chatty style. Who knows if he even wrote it himself. You never know. Maybe he wrote the bare bones out and gave it to a ghostwriter to pad it and make it sound like "David Niven" wrote it. Wouldn't be the first time. Who cares? It's a fun story filled with famous people being interesting.

Published in 1972, THE MOON'S A BALLOON proved one of the great bestsellers of the decade--and if you read the first page you'll know why. You are immediate hooked by star David Niven's wild, wicked sense of humor. Whether it is his Dickensian childhood, his outrageous tour of duty with the British military, or his climb to unexpected stardom, this is truly Niven exactly as you imagine he would be.

Imagine, however, seems to be an operative word. Niven was less interested in relating the facts of his life than he was in telling a good story and in putting his best face to the public--something that is not entirely unexpected in an autobiography, particularly the autobiography of a Hollywood star. Later writers have noted that Niven played fast and loose with the facts in THE MOON'S A BALLOON, and that for all his charm he could be viciously despicable when the mood took him; it is also worth pointing out that he was never quite the "A List" star that he seems to be in his memoirs.

But all this is actually a little beside the point. Whether it is factually accurate and emotionally honest or not, THE MOON'S A BALLOON is simply a delightful read right from the first page, where we meet Nessie, the Picadilly hooker who introduced Niven to the joys of the flesh. Approximately half the book concerns Niven's life before he arrived in Hollywood as a would-be actor, and it is a riotous ride; once Niven hits the film industry, however, he begins to name drop with the best of them--offering memorable glimpses of such famous names as director William Wyler and stars Laurence Olivier and Vivian Leigh. It is all fascinating stuff.

It can also be quite startling. As just one example among many, when writing of his first wife's death Niven mentions that Joan Crawford stepped in to care for his children while he attempted to cope with his grief. Yikes! And although he was a great womanizer and cut a swath through Hollywood's beauties, Niven does no name dropping there; he does, however, describe an affair with a "Great Big Star" who was very likely Merle Oberon, the leading lady of WUTHERING HEIGHTS.

True enough, THE MOON'S A BALLOON will hardly stand a cold factual analysis--but it is a tremendously fun thing to read, a joyous and fun book, and while quite a lot of it is of the "tall tale" variety it certainly presents the star as he likely most wished to be seen and be remembered. Don't pick it for bedtime reading, because you'll never put it down! Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

David Niven was not always a star. He had to go away and learn his trade in "B" movies before being allowed to enter the big time. He learnt that trade well but, unlike some who were destined to become greats of Hollywood, he also put his entire acting career on hold whilst he served as an officer in a fighting unit throughout WW2.

This book tells the first half of his life's story and what a story it is. Like every biography ever written, the best bits do not happen at the beginning, so some readers, therefore, might find it slow going at first. Though many will not. But then we meet the rich and famous stars of Hollywood from another era and learn a little about each of these people and their various relationships as we move from one to another and sometimes back again.

Written in David Niven's own hilarious style, there is so much humour here that you "will" find yourself insisting others read this book. In fact, it is so funny - especially his descriptions of the wrong use of English words by foreign movie directors, one finishes the book in the knowledge that had David Niven not become an Oscar-winning movie star, he would easily have achieved great success as a writer.

The underlying theme, of course, is David Niven's life and, as one reviewer has already said, this book leaves you wishing you had met this man. Me too.

NM

Let me explain what I mean.

First of all, from the very beginning pages of the Book, I could sense the smooth flow of thoughts, pouring out of MAN Niven, not ACTOR Niven.

Second, I could also feel for MAN Niven and what he went through in his youth and early manhood.

David Niven is a born storyteller. He should have dared direct movies as well. He would have succeeded splendidly because one of the very first requirements for a director, both on stage, as well as on camera, is to know how to tell a story, and tell it in a coherent and organized way.

That he had chosen not to do it, means that he was aware of his limitations and probably preferred to stick with what he knew best: acting.

I bought this book just by chance at Heathrow, while traveling to New York, feeling bored to death by the many security checks and formalities to be undergone these days, in order to be able to travel from point A to point B on the globe.

I had absolutely no idea what it was all about, but the title intrigued me, also because I had heard about it some years ago, but didn't pay appropriate attention to it at that time.

So, here I went and bought it. Finally on board of my flight carrying me to the U.S., I opened it and before I knew better, I had already landed at JFK having read half of it.

I could have blasted the pilot for that, but it wasn't his fault. I am a slow reader. I have to savor all the finesses contained in a book, given that the same is worth the effort. Believe me, "The Moon Is A Balloon", is such a book.

During my entire stay in the U.S. I carried the book around and kept on reading it - I should actually say - devour it. When I finally came to its end I felt disappointed.

Not by the book and magnificent tales and accounts it contains, but having come to a point where there was nothing more to read.

This is a book that will leave you with a "hunger" to read more about MAN David Niven and what he has to say about his experiences.

It is not just what he says, but how he says it.

The descriptions of the people he met, the places he visited, the moods and colors of his world, all come to life vividly.

Perhaps because I am a stage director, interested in directing movies, I may have a distorted vision on this, but I could actually visualize what David Niven was describing.

Various wild images a la Charles Dickens, especially at the very beginning of the book, sprung out of my mind (even "The Turning of the Screw" popped up - go figure why...).

Then, while he was describing his experiences with the schooling system in England, I visualized sorts of crazy images half-ways out of "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", mixed with "Blackboard Jungle" and/or "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" - the male version that is.

Later the encounter with his first love affair (I won't reveal more about it, you must read by yourself), I had flashes of "Of Human Bondage" and "Great Expectations".

His Malta adventure in the Army, almost sprung out from very early forties war movies, or thirties movies with Clark Gable.

Now I realize how deformed my professional mind is, but indeed I could feel being transported there, in his "Balloon", in his world, and felt part of his tragicomic life.

David Niven takes you by the hand and leads you into his secret garden, in which you discover the ugly sides of life, but also the very splendid tiny little pleasures that make his and everyone else's life pleasurable and indeed, worth living.

It is funny to think that David Niven's "Balloon" closely resembles to the one Jules Verne's created in "Around the World in 80 Days", and while this was a total work of fiction, Niven's own takes you much farther, than just around the world.

It takes you into a lesson of lived life, told by a human being who has truly learned from his mistakes and learned from them what life is truly all about.

The lesson though, never comes from a pulpit, it comes as a highly entertaining and fascinating account of experiences, at times very funny, at times very grim, but never, never boring.

I was stunned to finally witness that even a person like Niven, that was alive for most of my lifetime, could still enthrall and grip me with his writing style.

I usually have always avoided reading modern authors, or biographies of modern personalities, except maybe Science Fiction books (Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury or Arthur C. Clarke), since they all seem to resemble each other.
It is a continuous ego-trip with lots of whining and gossiping involved, but no true and genuine life experience and wisdom shared, and if is at all shared, it is in the form of "...let me tell you how to change your life, into a successful business-like one...".
Lots of preaching from insignificant and dull people I wouldn't even like to meet in person, even if I had a chance to do so.

David Niven never preaches, he just tells you how it was and the ways he managed to work himself out of trouble and into a very useful and respectable life.

I absolutely love his book.

Alas, David is not among us anymore, because if he were alive today, I would absolutely want to know and meet him in person, and perhaps even work with him.

I am over fifty, but I get a sense that with a person like him, I could still learn a lot in matters of life and how to survive even the most adverse of situations in it.

Dear readers, allow me to suggest this book to all of you. You won't regret it. This is not just another boring autobiography.
This is a man's heart opened up to the world, for the best and the worst.

David Niven's soul lies in his lines and comes alive when these lines are read.

Bless you David, wherever you may be, my thoughts are with you.The Moon's a Balloon

I just want to quickly add to all these other five-star reviews that this is one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. David Niven candidly bares his vulnerabilities and lets us in on the obstacles and hurts he endured. I read this at a time that I felt I was drifting and this made me feel much better. There are amusing stories about Hollywood and the rest of the world in the old days. Blessings to David Niven. It's a breeze of a read and I envy those of you who have it yet to enjoy for the first time!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I read Daughter of Liberty a year ago and thought J. M. Hochstetler brought American history to life in that book. I hoped at the time she'd write a novel about every major battle in the American Revolution. I got my wish in Native Son, but not quite the way I expected.
I'd heard of the battles of Lexington and Concord, though I knew precious little about them. In Native Son, Hochstetler examines a little known aspect of the Revolution by follow our hero Jon to the west. We think of the Revolution being fought in Boston and along the east coast, but there was trouble in the west too, with the English, the Indians, and the settlers. Hochstetler lets us see that part of the war through Jon's eyes.
Elizabeth and Jonathan, the star crossed lovers in Daughter of Liberty, had the perfect conflict, the American patriot and the British officer. Now they are being kept apart as Elizabeth is pressed back into service as a spy for General Washington. Elizabeth is the perfect society lady, listening in on secrets in Boston, occupied by the British. Her hair raising exploits sneaking secrets past the ruthless British blockade are the best part of the book.
Jonathan, now with a price on his head, can trust no one. He goes to the west where he was raised and meets the Indians-not all of them friendly-he knew as a child.
Hochstetler introduced me to a fascinating aspect of the revolution here and I'd say more except I don't want to give away too much of the first book. If you haven't read that book, I highly recommend you read the series in order.
I loved the glimpse into the lives of George Washington as he built his guerrilla forces into a fighting army, and the names and actions of the factual British Generals, intermixed with the fictionalized daring of our heroes.
Fiction like this is a great, fun way to teach history.

Joe Keenan's second novel is even better than his first! The farce gets wilder, and it remains consistantly funny. Joe makes it look so effortless that he shames those of us who have turned our own hands to the comic novel and turned out lesser work than his. This time out Donald and Ivana Trump are satirically lampooned, or more accurately, harpooned, disguised by a microscopic veneer of fictionalization. This book is hysterical. If you don't laugh at it, I can only pity your humourless existence.

This is a great follow up to Blue Heaven, which should be read first since they refer to some scenes in this book. The same cast of zany characters come to life again here, in equally as insane scenarios. Similar character acts comparison: Lucy and Ethel.

Joe Keenan's "Putting on the Ritz" is a novel that is like watching Rosalind Russell in "Auntie Mame", quick, witty, full of laughs and the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon. It is a sequel to his first novel "Blue Heaven" and surpasses it with engaging characters and a dizzying plot that keeps you turning page after page. I have read the novel several times and enjoyed it more with each reading.

Now that Mr. Keenan has proved himself successful on television as a writer and producer for Frasier on NBC, perhaps he will take pity on his fiction fans, take a season off and catch us up on Philip Cavanaugh's latest adventures.

Please Joe, we want another book!

Does anyone know Joe Keenan personally? He has got to be convinced to keep this going. I can't tell you how many times I have read this and Blue Heaven - I simply never tire of them. Also, I am wondering if someone knows of other similarily genial books in this genre that I can get my hands on. I can't help but think that the rest will be disappointing knock-offs but I'm willing to try anything!

Even better than the first book, Keenan's humorous take on gays and New York is entertainment of the first rank. Anyone who can do analogies to Gershwin, Philip Glass and Charlotte Corday has lots going for him in my book. This time Philip Cavanaugh gets roped in by Gilbert Selwyn into an on-going feud between rival millionaire publishing magnates. Philip knows better than to get involved in another of Gilbert's schemes, but gets trapped by love--the initiator of the plot is this beautiful man named Tommy Parker who Philip falls madly for. Of course, Claire gets involved as well (without knowing Gilbert's involvement or the actual scheme) and the books is an exciting ride to the last page.

My only disappointment is that, as far as I know, Keenan hasn't written any other books. Someone hurry up and give that man a contract!