Massachusetts Books

The authors' second collaboration of historical photos of Boston (the first was Boston Then and Now from 1982) came out ten years after the original, and shows a Boston I'm more familiar with. Much of the blight that Boston seemed to have been drowning in as late as the late 80s is gone in the new pictures in this book, and more of it is shown. The architectural finesses -- buildings with added floors, the defacement of buildings such as the former Fiske building on State St, before-and-afters of Quincy Market -- are given great attention in this book, and Campbell, the author of the text, is not happy with much of it. Especially poignant, towards the end, is a huge bit of graffiti along Columbus Ave from the 60s protesting the impending construction of I-95 through Boston; in 1992, however, the highway never having been built, it is now a park serving people from the South End all the way down to Jamaica Plain.

This book is actually a readable book, more so than the first which was all about the pictures, and much of Campbell's ideas on urban planning are on display here. Campbell, one gathers, would not be happy with the current plans to build open space over the Big Dig, yet he applauds the demolition of an old parking garage that converted Post Office Square from a desolate, confusing high-rise commercial ghetto into at least a more presentable area where the architecture of the surrounding buildings can be enjoyed from street level. Campbell's obsession with urban density comes off as being a bit agoraphobic, but it's easy to see what he means when he describes useless open space as being as much a blight as overhead highways or slums.

To those of you who might live in or regularly visit Boston, but have never seen, can't remember, or simply can't imagine downtown without the dust and construction that the Big Dig and its related projects have brought on, this book is a record of Boston just before they started tearing everything apart. It's also a valuable historical record of the evolution of a city.

My sister in law gave us this book a couple years ago when we moved to Boston. I grew up in the burbs and my wife in the Midwest so we had plenty to explore. The book sat idle for over a year, but when I pulled it down, I was amazed that I hadn't opened it sooner. This book is wonderful.

This is a city that revels in its history, and, to an outsider, Boston sometimes seems a bit mired in its parochial and seemingly unchanging ways. You can end up assuming, "Gosh, it must always have been this way with it's cobblestones and colonial landmarks." This book shattered my assumptions about the static nature of this city.

The authors peel off layer after layer from the city and as the landmarks come and go the authors reflect, educate and entertain as to how these physical changes are linked to history of the city. Some changes are success stories of planning, others fortunate twists of fate, and yet others, unmitigated urban planning disasters. All fascinating illustrations that help the reader understand the city on a more meaningful level.

I must admit that I love cities and am enthralled by the idea of so many people sharing a limited space comfortably and enjoyably. Cities, to me, have an energy that speaks to the miracle of civilization where people can grow personally by sharing in the diversity of those around them. It nevers goes perfectly, because after all we are human, but it is nonetheless comforting to frame your current surroundings in the context of those who have come before you.

With text by Robert Campbell and photographs (primarily) by Peter Vanderwarker, this book is not only a wonderful volume documenting the history of Boston, but a general and gentle instruction in the rise and fall and rise and fall cycles of many cities, focusing in particular on the "built environment". All photographs are in black-and-white, but this makes the comparison between old and new cityscapes easier. Within each of seven chapters there are a series of two-page pieces featuring photographs and an essay on such topics as: Murdering Another Street, A Waterfront Workplace Becomes a Playpen, A Landmark on Top of a Landmark, A Building That Floats, etc. The text is informative and interesting. Maps are used to supplement the material, and a good index follows. If only all history and architecture books could be this well done!

Exceptional work, highly recommended.

These stories and novellas ache with the passions, aspirations, and disappointments of ordinary people in a particular place. The craftsmanship of displaying these emotions is precise and memorable. There is nothing funny going on here, only dedication to living by the survivors in these stories(there is much made of death and dying) and, by the author, a seering, relentless insight into his craft.

Mr. Hribal has written a set of stories that not only show amazing insight into the world and minds of women and children, but also draw powerful male characters. He somehow manages to keep a startling and beautiful prose on the page without ever drawing the reader away from the story. These stories and novellas are all terrific, but the finest of them is "And That's the Name of That Tune." In this novella Mr. Hribal manages to hold an engrossing tension together while adding humor and insight into a dysfunctional family. This is writing at its best, untouched by a need to be a bestseller these stories are allowed to be kept as they are, subtle, page-turning, and deftly wrought.

"Hribal slides the emotional fabric of America under a literary microscope to reveal the lies, betrayals, and yearnings that connect and divide us all, giving his stories extraordinary power. He establishes an American landscape in the tradition of Cheever and Updike, though his is a world not of cocktail parties but of trailer parks, bars, and courtrooms. The subtle power of these stories will leave the reader hungry for more."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

These poems are simply transporting. Black paints portraits in words, so real you can reach out and hold them in your hand. She goes beyond the myth and stereotypes of the south and gives the reader a taste of the southern soul. I've read this volume a dozen times now and can't help but come back for more.

Cottonlandia never betrays itself as a first book. Black is winking at us, sly smile, unafraid of her footing, "I've built a fort from the alphabet,/ its scattered letters." Here, Eli Whitney, William Bartram and Captain Walker are carried by Black with the same linguistic precision and self-awareness as her personal histories. The past, whether in the 1700s or 1989, is conjured, not scribed, "God of histories, make yourself known," and though mounds are cleared and floodlights 'totemic,' Black's draft of the past is mercurial, irreverent- "Paper fans given by competing/ funeral homes disappeared after/the church got conditioned air."
The first two sections of the book ('Photographia' and 'Invention of the Cotton Gin') transgress, trespass through history book and family lore, the third, 'My only Golem,' is where we find the true magic in Black's writing.
Here 'Miss Black' and 'Mephista,' her golem, trade verse that is sharp, mean-spirited at times, but a treasure to readers. "I do your dirty work, Missus. I'm that wench." Mephista slings at Miss Black. 'Mephista as the Desert Rose,' and 'Vegas and Environs,' are treasures in this collection, for sure, but also help prove that Black's work belongs with the best of those writing today.
Cottonlandia is truly a joy to read, reread.

Poetry scares me sometimes. Despite that, I had heard some of these poems at a reading by the author and I was looking forward to this volume. And I wasn't disappointed. Quite simply, these peoms made my laugh, smile, frown, and even at time tear up. And only occasionally reach for my dictionary.

This important work is an unvarnished first-person account of one man's lifelong battle to secure rights for the mentally retarded citizens of Massachusetts. With no holds barred, Ricci chronicles the plight of the mentally retarded in Massachusetts during the second half of the twentieth century. In a style reflective of his unrelenting advocacy, Ricci recounts the painful decision he and his wife made to place their six-year-old son at Belchertown State School in the 1950s, the horrific medieval conditions he discovered and exposed in that institution, his founding of Advocacy Network, that organization's fight against uncaring state bureaucrats, and their hard-won, landmark federal court order to improve the lives of the mentally retarded. Crimes Against Humanity is a must-read for anyone with a social conscience.

This important work is an unvarnished first-person account of one man's lifelong battle to secure rights for the mentally retarded citizens of Massachusetts. With no holds barred, Ricci chronicles the plight of the mentally retarded in Massachusetts during the second half of the twentieth century. In a style reflective of his unrelenting advocacy, Ricci recounts the painful decision he and his wife made to place their six-year-old son at Belchertown State School in the 1950s, the horrific medieval conditions he discovered and exposed in that institution, his founding of Advocacy Network, that organization's fight against uncaring state bureaucrats, and their hard-won, landmark federal court order to improve the lives of the mentally retarded. Crimes Against Humanity is a must-read for anyone with a social conscience.

Ricci's CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY is an essential read for anyone with a relative, friend, or client who suffers from mental retardation. Holding nothing back, Ricci recounts the horrendously inhumane conditions of Belchertown State School in Massachusetts during the 1950s and '60s, his formation of an advocacy group to support the retarded and their families, and a 20-year landmark federal court class-action suit to secure rights and protections for mentally retarded citizens. A work of courage, persistence, and faith.

Blanchard's newest novel is a timely topic since it deals with missing teenagers. This is my favorite book, to date, of all of Al's novels. Once again he made it so I could not put the book down. The characters were well developed and the plot realistic. He carried the tradition of James Callahan and his sidekick forward and I am eagerly anticipating the next installment. The setting is in a small town in western Massachusetts and Blanchard makes you feel like you're there with his descriptive prose. He obviously has done his research in all aspects of this novel and it shows. Great Job!!

Blanchard Does It Again

The craft of a great storyteller is to make the reader believe they are witnessing a dramatic interruption in the ongoing lives of the characters . Blanchard is a master in the craft of storytelling, proving it yet again in his new novel. The Disappearance of Jenna Drago, James Callahan is busy recovering from the kidnapping and rescue of his daughter - the self-prescribed balm: retirement and painting - when his calm is interrupted by a plea for help from an old friend. He soon learns that work, detective work - what he does best - has the greatest healing powers. His presence in the small Massachusetts town reveals a nest of crimes and sins, both venal and mortal. Callahan's presence interrupts these lives, winnowing the good from the bad, the guilty from the innocent. Characters from the last Callalhan book reappear, but the new faces seem to spring fully formed with shady pasts, troubled presents, and shaky futures. All this talk of craft comes down to this: You believe in Blanchard's characters and care about them. There is no more you should ask of the story teller.

The craft of a great storyteller is to make the reader believe they are witnessing a dramatic interruption in the ongoing lives of the characters . Blanchard is a master in the craft of storytelling, proving it yet again in his new novel, The Disappearance of Jenna Drago. James Callahan is busy recovering from the kidnapping and rescue of his daughter - the self-prescribed balm: retirement and painting - when his calm is interrupted by a plea for help from an old friend. He soon learns that work, detective work - what he does best - has the greatest healing powers. His presence in the small Massachusetts town reveals a nest of crimes and sins, both venal and mortal. Callahan's presence interrupts these lives, winnowing the good from the bad, the guilty from the innocent. Characters from the last Callalhan book reappear, but the new faces seem to spring fully formed with shady pasts, troubled presents, and shaky futures. All this talk of craft comes down to this: You believe in Blanchard's characters and care about them. There is no more you should ask of the story teller.

Although light reading, the text serves as a functional guide; lean and concise requiring the reader to become involved in cross reference.

One of a fantastic series of 4 chuck full of informational volumes dedicated to a particular geographic area. A must for any rock hound weather you travel or just live in the geographic area of the volume. If you can afford it, get all 4 regional volumes. Start with your area. The location information brake down of the minerals to be found in each state counties is so valuable you can't do with out it. Saves time, eliminate barren hunting grounds and it's so detailed as to where and how you find the minerals. This is just one of a fact full accurate guide series you'll want to have in your rock library. Don't settle for an older printing, this one is reprinted and has been updated.

This book looks like it's going to be a GREAT asset in my mineral hunting! I like the way it's set up, by state and then by county within the state. It lists the various sites, tells what has been found at each site and (by a code explained in the front of the book) where in each site the minerals were (in a field, in a mine, in the water, etc.). There are directions of varying degrees to each site. That's the one thing I'd quibble about -- some of the directions aren't that precise. But I understand that some of these sites are private lands, or not completely documented, and he can't come out and say, "Go fifty feet past the blue house, down a ravine, and to your left." In general, the directions seem good enough to get you close, and after that it's up to you.

He lists the rocks and minerals found at each site and gives some information about the quality at most places, including size of crystals found, color (and quality of color), and so on.

My only regret? I don't know if I'll have time to visit each site he has listed! So many rocks, so little time........

If you are new to Dickinson studies, or if you simply want to read the most current thinking about the poems, The Emily Dickinson Handbook is a must. It contains essays on subjects ranging from the historical context of the poems to the poet's metapoetic sensibility. This text is also a wonderful introduction to the writings of the finest Dickinson scholars extant. Richard Sewall, Paul Crumbley, Christanne Miller, Sharon Cameron, Martha Nell Smith, and many other great thinkers offer the reader a glimpse into the realm of magic and poetry. If you love Emily Dickinson, do yourself a favor -- read this book.

If you are a person like me who always has been bewitched by the poetry and legend of Emily Dickinson, but who has been busy living a life for the past 30 or 40 years and has not kept up with Dickinson criticism and scholarship, this book is for you.

The edition I bought was first published in 1998 and was slightly updated in 2005. It contains 22 new essays (including an introduction by the great Dickinson biographer Richard Sewall). The essays are the work of many of the most-published Dickinson-scholarship authors of the last few decades. All the 20- to 30-page essays are scholarly, but all but one avoid the dense impenetrability that too many other literary scholars seem to find necessary in order to get tenure. That makes this book well worth your time.

Essays range widely, including an overview of biographical studies, the poet's historical context, her manuscripts, and her letters. In addition, about half the book deals with Dickinson's poetics and her reception and influence.

The essays don't waste a lot of time chin-rubbing about Emily's possible lesbian love, or just who the "master" is. Instead, they discuss just what you want to know, including what I consider the best-ever reading of "My Life had stood - a / Loaded Gun" in an essay by Margaret H. Freeman. (Is there a Dickinson scholar who hasn't tackled that enigma?)

"The Emily Dickinson Handbook" also contains an impressive bibliography for those moved to dive into the poetry and her strange and wonderful genius. It is now (December, 2007) 121-plus years after her death. Criticism of her work has matured, especially in the last few decades, but it remains fascinating and delightfully unfinished. This is a great way to catch up.

THE EMILY DICKINSON HANDBOOK : Edited by Gudrun Grabher, Roland Hagenbuchle, and Cristanne Miller. 480 pp. Amherst : University of Massachusetts Press, 1998. ISBN 1-55849-169-4 (hbk.)

For anyone who is seriously interested in Emily Dickinson, this is a marvelous book that provides up-to-date information about her life and works, her letters and manuscripts, the cultural climate of her age, her reception and influence, and what is going on in current Dickinson scholarship.

The book's 22 essays have been distributed in eight sections : Introduction; Biography; Historical Context; The Manuscripts; The Letters; Dickinson's Poetics; Reception and Influence; New Directions in Dickinson Scholarship.

Although I've read many critical collections, several of which were devoted exclusively to Dickinson, I can't remember ever having been so impressed. Usually an anthology will hold one or two outstanding contributions, with the rest being humdrum and of little real interest, but here pretty well all of them are outstanding, and I found only one that struck me as being both pretentious and obscure.

I was especially impressed by Robert Weisbuch's brilliant 'Prisming Dickinson, or Gathering Paradise by Letting Go,' by Josef Raab's 'The Metapoetic Element in Dickinson,' by Martha Nell Smith's 'Dickinson's Manuscripts,' by Paul Crumbley's 'Dickinson's Dialogic Voice,' by Roland Hagenbuchle's 'Dickinson and Literary Theory,' and in fact by many others. So much so that this seems to me the single most valuable book on Dickinson that I've ever seen, and the one from which I've learned most and continue to learn. It really is that good.

The book is bound in a full strong cloth, stitched, beautifully printed on excellent strong smooth ivory-tinted paper, has clearly been designed to withstand the heavy use it will be getting, and is excellent value for money. No serious student of Emily Dickinson should be without it. Weisbuch's essay, serving as it does to provide one with a whole new way of understanding ED, is pretty well worth the price of the book itself.

So don't pass this one up! It's a gem!

This book is a really pleasant surprise and states on the back that this book is for ages 11 and up, although I think younger children could read this as well. The illustrations - black & White drawings - really are wonderful and help to bring this story alive. My book is marked "Special Edition", so I don't know if this edition is the only one with the great drawings!

HI READERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our teacher read this book to us. We couldn't stand for it to end. Once, when she stopped our class was chanting "READ IT, READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" we chanted so loud you could hear us down the hall. In it a sly and cunning boy (a bit like someone we know) meets a very religious, spoiled, and proper young lady by the name of Emily Ophelia Upham. It truly leaves cliffhangers.

Students of Melrose Elementry

P.S.Don't tell a lie dear children
P.S.S. This raiting is dedicated to the children at Melrose Elementry School Jamestown, RI

A book with great suspense and good cliffhangers. Excellent use of diologue and terrific description of characters. One of the best books I've read for a while. "Emily Upham's Revenge" keeps you on the edge of your seat and I couldn't put it down.Emily Upham is sent to live with her uncle but her uncle never gets the letter annoucing her arrivle. Instead,Emily meets meets Seth Marple. Emily Upham and Seth Marple rob Emily's rich uncle to get the train fare to get to back to Emily's home in Boston. Many surprising twists with an excellent surprise ending.

This book, Everyones Children, is very deep. Dr. Claire McCarthy is a breathtaking pediatrician, who tells about her patients troubles and her life. Not only does McCarthy describe her medical career, she also describes how she helps teh families psychologically, and her home life. McCarthy's way of describing her patients' problems isn't often optimistic in the begining, but sometimes her view changes. Her descriptions of her patients, home life, and family are very intense and details are given. The book is written skillfully, catching the readers attention immediately, from the very first sentence. This is a wonderful book to read if you like medical/psychological child-care, or if you are interested in reading about working with children in a poor area.

Dr. Claire McCarthy has elevated the struggles of her busy workday into an interesting and realistic account of medical practice in a poor Boston neighborhood. She describes her routine work at Martha Eliot Health Center without dramatizing her patients or the mundane aspects of care. Her descriptions of families are sensitive and clear. Her description of her own attempts to have meaningful medical relationships in the context of poverty, disease, violence and drug addiction is careful and honest. This book portrays urban social problems from the perspective of one person working to make a difference; we should all have such meaningful vocation.

This is a wonderful book about Dr. McCarthy's experiences as a pediatrician in a clinic. She writes beautifully about the patients, current welfare problems and she gives suggestions about what we - as readers, parents, etc. - can do to make things better. McCarthy writes a great column in Sesame Street Parents Guide.

Want to get outdoors and be active in the Boston area? Start by buying this book. Lee Sinai describes, in wonderful detail, many of the rides and hikes one can take within a thirty-five-mile radius of Boston. The author has organized the forty trips around geographical areas, north, south or west of Boston, so selecting one is easy. Maps of each destination are included. Each trip description includes what's important to an outdoor enthusiast.... availability of restrooms, closest access to food, degree of difficulty, directions for getting there, and a historical background of the area.
Using this book, I discovered Dogtown, a mountain biking haven in Gloucester. I also experienced Cameron's, home to the best lobster roll in Massachusetts. The author led me to Great Brook Farm in Carlisle for cycling and then to Kimball's for a memorable ice cream treat.
As a guidebook, I give Exploring In and Around Boston on Bike and Foot the highest rating.

Lee Sinai has taken a group of varied and unusual hikes and trails around Boston and compiled them into an informative and accessible guide. We refer to her book often when looking for interesting, new places to explore, and have found it invaluable in "rediscovering" Boston.

Right from the get go I found this hiking and biking guide to be a miracle of organization and indispensable information. This book not only groups locations by geographical location, but also with respect to hiking, road biking and mountain biking. I found the handy reference guide towards the beginning of the book extremely useful while including not only difficulty ratings, but also mileage for each trip, something not always available in one specific location in a guide book. The maps accompanying each site are extremely easy to follow and the descriptions really do fit the terrain perfectly, whether or not you chose to take the book along on your journeys. I found the directions to each location to be extremely useful and especially appreciated the public transportation options that help those city dwellers who lack automobiles. Other handy features include locations and descriptions of local restaurants, attractions and even restrooms. This book included an very helpful mix of locations both in the greater Boston area, as well as highlighting several gems in the neighboring suburbs. I especially appreciated the handy reference map showing the location of all the spots, as well as the ever present tips to find geater enjoyment in your outdoor adventures!