Rhode Island Books

Nice little pocket guide. Not all birds are listed. Most noticebly absent is my favorite, the ruby throated hummingbird.

I wanted something thorough,and toteable for my next trip home to R.I.,and this is it! I can put it in my carry-on bag,and once arriving in town, I am ready to hit the sites,and bird watch. this beats a bulky book when flying! It is informative,and thorough {for travel}.If you want to go more in-depth, by all means, get a regulation bird guide also,but for packing purposes,this fits the bill{no pun intended}.

Mary Sarah Bilder has written a marvellous account of the workings of colonial constitutionalism in Rhode Island from the colonies founding to the American war of independence. The book is well researched and well documented. Though somewhat "heavy going" for a general readership, it is an excellent account of the constitutional principles that bound the English world in the colonial period. The last chapter illustrates the fidelity to English law that was manifest by rebel colonials as they formed their own state. A splendid book and well worth the effort.

This is a book of serious legal historical scholarship. Ms. Bilder is a Law Professor at Boston College Law School, and holds a Ph.D. in American history from Harvard. As such, portions of it may be heavy-going for the general reader, but enough of the general analysis comes through to make this a valuable resource for anyone interested in the judicary and colonial legal history. At issue is how tiny Rhode Island managed to maintain a very substantial degree of legal autonomy within the British Empire. To answer this query, Bilder focuses upon the central principle of the Empire that while "a colony's laws could not be repugnant to the laws of England [they] could differ according to the people and place" (p. 1). This principle was implemented as to all the American colonies, and gave each colony much maneuvering room to maintain a healthy degree of local autonomy.

While we have an exceptional general overview of London v. colony in Joseph H. Smith's, "Appeals to the Privy Council from the American Plantations," he obviously cannot probe in great detail any individual colony's experience with this system. That Bilder does do in taking up such topics as "Women, Family, Property," "Personnel and Practices" (a very interesting chapter), "Religious Establishment and Orthodoxy," and other issues. Her discussion of the Privy Council and the development of the appeal is particularly effective. Basically, over time, the "repugnance" and "divergence" principle was ambiguous enough to fuel an effective sharing of responsibilities within the Empire (sort of a variant of "salutary neglect"), though over time with the tightening of control from London this flexibility was constricted, prompting the American Revolution.

Bilder's final chapter is probably the most valuable for the general reader and scholars alike. What effect did this experience with the "repugnancy principle" have on the development of judicial review within the new states, the institution of federal judicial review of state and Congressional legislation, and the evolution of federalism? In sum, a very fine contribution indeed by Bilder based upon impeccable research (the notes run over 80 pages) and an impressive command of the topic.

The Vineyard is a delightful, intimate story about women and their families. This is a book of anger, grief, love and affection that will really make you care for the characters.

Simply put, Delinsky is one of the best women's fiction writers out there.

The Seebring family appears to be the perfect family. Mother Natalie oversees a successful winery in Rhode Island, with a beautiful residence and gracious style. Daughter Suzanne is married to a successful businessman and has raised two children, doesn't have to work and busies herself with gourmet cooking. Son Greg has built his own successful business and is married to a smart, lively woman. But when daydreamer Olivia Jones comes to the winery to be Natalie's assistant and write her life history, she learns that nothing is as she imagined it. Recently widowed Natalie is marrying not another wealthy man of property, but a vineyard employee. Greg and Suzanne are so angry they are boycotting the wedding. Just like in real life, it's not black and white, right and wrong. The reader has a privileged view of the past through Natalie's memories, but there are a few surprises along the way.

The Vineyard was such an unexpected pleasure that I am afraid to read Barbara Delinsky's other books in case they aren't as good. The Vineyard is a story about a family and the struggle of the adult children to acknowledge their parents as people. This important transition is an under-discussed phase of maturity that Delinsky handles with grace. The Vineyard is most like the best works of Rosamond Pilcher - yes there's a romance and a happy ending, but in a social context of a family and a community.

Readers who enjoy well-rounded characters in a detailed setting with a touch of romance will love The Vineyard. It's not a family saga, just a story about a summer that brings changes to the Seebring family. I'm crossing my fingers to find more gems among Delinsky's work.

So far, every book I've read by Delinsky (Coast Road, Three Wishes and Lake News) has been one I've had a hard time putting down. And one well worth the read.

There is something about the stories and characters that Delinsky weaves....they instantly pull you in, you care about what will happen to them and you enjoy the journey.

The Vineyard is mainly about family, those that have family and those that don't. It shows that even though you may have family, you may not get along with them, but perhaps it's better to be grateful, since some people don't have any family at all! It's also about courage and strength that people manage to find within themselves to carry them through out the obstacles and tough times in their lives. It's about opening up to other people and finding a good friend. It's about the old saying, "don't judge a book by it's cover"- as each of the characters prove of themselves.

Good read- recommended!

After enjoying FLIRTING WITH PETE and LAKE NEWS I wasn't planning to read more Barbara Delinsky novels right away, since I believed I had already read the ones with themes related to my pursuits or interests.

Then I read THE VINEYARD excerpt at the end of my LAKE NEWS paperback.

I was captured with the ingenious way each main character was introduced by his/her reaction to a wedding invitation from a couple in their 70's and 80's. Of course I wanted to read more; curiosity was precisely stirred from the contrast of negative and positive reactions to this unusual situation.

I bought and read THE VINEYARD, becoming fully involved and pleasantly satisfied with the story, even though I hadn't known I would be so thoroughly engrossed in a family owned vineyard. Was concerned that I might find the history interjections boring and the writing style of an older generation focus a bit too forced (not many writers can capture the beauty and graceful vitality of age until they've arrived there and developed the graciousness).

But, BD handled all with just the right amount of detail, genuine warmth, and ingeniously natural intrusion techniques. For me this book was a reader kidnap, from the first page on.

I have mountains of positive input on this exquisite novel, but I'm testing the effect of short and sweet, instead of writing my typical epistle on a novel. Since I've already slipped on a banana peel heading smack into too long and savory, I'll ...

THE VINEYARD by Barbara Delinsky
November 8, 2004

I've read a number of books by Barbara Delinsky, most of which I enjoyed a lot. THE VINEYARD is not going to be one of my favorites, but I think I'm going to remember it mainly because I had a hard time liking the main character.

Olivia Jones restores old photographs for a living. She's a single mother, with a daughter (Tess) who has a learning disability. The reader will discover that Olivia is a person that deals with a rough reality by hiding behind daydreams. She in particular finds herself dreaming about the people in the photographs she restores, including a series of them sent to her boss, Otis, by a woman who runs a vineyard.

Natalie Seebring is Otis' client, a woman who is in her twilight years and needs an assistant to help write her life story. Olivia accidentally comes across this request for Otis to recommend someone to fulfill this task, and soon she is dreaming of being that assistant, imagining what each person in those photographs is like. Believe it or not, she soon finds herself working for the matriarch of this family, and she and Tess move to the vineyard to spend the summer there.

The story takes on two main plots. While the story of Natalie's life is being told, the reader will learn about her childhood, how she meets her deceased husband Alexander, as well as how she met her current fiancé, Carl. The second plot involves Olivia, and a man she meets at the vineyard, Simon, who also happens to be Carl's son. Simon and Olivia seem to have something in common, and that is, they are both afraid to venture forth into a relationship with the opposite sex. But both are obviously attracted to each other, and their romance evolves slowly as the story moves on.

Other characters come into play, in particular the grown children of Natalie, Susanne and Greg, and a third child, Brad, who remains a mystery throughout most of the book. His story comes out at the very end, and although I had suspected some of what was to be revealed, I was still somewhat shocked, just as the characters in the book were, too.

While I don't recommend this book as a first time reader to Barbara Delinsky's books, I believe that those who enjoyed her more recent books may enjoy this one. The irritating characters of Olivia and Tess, however, may grate on some nerves, as it did mine. Olivia is a very weak, naive, type of person, and I found it very difficult to feel sorry for a woman that dealt with reality by hiding in daydreams and believing them to be true. Her daughter was a bratty young girl who unfortunately got picked on a lot by her peers, mostly because of her attitude and inability to make friends with others, and not by her disability as mother and daughter are led to believe.

On the other hand, I think an author is doing a good job if a reader can feel intense dislike or like for an invented character. I had no problems with the writing. And I looked forward to reading each chapter as I read about Natalie's life story. Overall, I enjoyed THE VINEYARD and as always, look forward to reading more by Barbara Delinksy.

a wonderful wwii book for kids. It deals with the subjects of lost loved ones, espionage, prejudices and courage to stand up for what is right. We read this book as part of wwii history unit.

The Art of Keeping Cool, kept my attention with the stories of Elliot and Robert, as they live their lifes during the WWII. All the while, I still learned about WWII. Very good book, and I will read it again in the future. :D

7||=|=

After reading this book, I understand why it was awarded the Scott O'Dell Award of 2001. I won't give a summary here; many other reviews have covered that territory. I want to comment about the brilliant writing. As the back cover describes it: "This taut, multilayered story of dangers lurking inside and outside a house, of old secrets, of deceptive enemies, and of two friends who must each find their own ways of fighting back."

The Art of Keeping Cool, set in a small town in the northeast during WWII, dives into the quirks and frailties of characters that really come alive--not all at once but slowly unfolding. We are shown how vulnerable everyone is and at the same time each character's strength is revealed. Sometimes what looks strong is really weak and what looks weak is really great strength. The story is thought provoking, at times blurring the lines between who is good and who is evil. The story is complex in its exploration of relationships and like all good stories, the characters are different at the end of the story. The journey is not an easy one. Every one struggles through trials as they discover who they are, who they want to become, and the love or the dark side of family.

This was a family read aloud for us and it held everyone's interest the whole way through. Lots to talk about. I loved it and recommend this for families and young people who like books that touch you or that you can think about deeply.

(Laya Saul, author of the self help book for teens, "You Don't Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way")

The Art of Keeping Cool is about a boy named Robert and his family moving to live in a cottage near his grandparent's house during World War II. He discovers a secret about his father while trying to protect his cousin's relationship with a German artist.

I recommend this book to people who like war and mysteries.

Lisle, J. T. (2000). The art of keeping cool. New York: Scholastic, Inc.

Synopsis: In 1942, when Robert and his mother are forced to leave with his paternal grandfather in Rhode Island, Robert begins to find many questions within his life. Thirteen year old Robert does not understand why his father who is a fighter pilot for the Royal Canadian Air Force in England becomes estranged from his family. Robert and his mother are not the only family members displaced and living with their grandfather in Rhode Island. Robert meets his aunt, uncle and cousin Elliot. Elliot, an artist, has mastered the "art" of keeping cool while Robert is confrontational with his acerbic grandfather. While Elliot befriends a reclusive German artist, the prejudiced townsfolk and their anti-German sentiment, rages on with tragic results. Not long after moving to Rhode Island, questions begin to arise in Robert's mind that only time will begin to answer. When Robert's father is declared missing in action, he tries to figure out the world around him and the changes in society brought on by the war and his relationships with his family. Readers are gripping the edge of their seats as they read this heartfelt story and discover the reasons why Robert's father has become estranged with his family.

Evaluation: Winner of the Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award, readers will truly be transported in time to see the historical events of WWII through the fresh young eyes of Robert. As Lisle writes about the tensions within this family, readers are able to see the events of WWII from Robert's perspective. This mystery and coming of age story also examines the dysfunctional household in Robert's life. This story is likely to appeal to boys and girls in grades 5-7. In addition, Lisle's story will make an exceptional component of any WWII unit. Serving as a read aloud or instructional text, educators will likely find this story bring sensitive topics to the surface. Generating discussion of the war sentiments and human errors seem likely topics to explore. Lisle's delicate writing shows the harmful power of hatred and prejudice and their affects on the human spirit.

One day in grammar school a young lad named Vincent Cianci announced to his classmates that he was going to be Vice President of the United States when he grew up. What those kids in the schoolyard could not have possibly realized was that even at the age of 10 or 11 Vincent Cianci was dead serious about what he wanted to do with his life. In "The Prince of Providence", author Mike Stanton. a reporter for the Providence Journal, chronicles the life of this colorful and controversial, energetic and enigmatic figure.
When "Buddy" Cianci arrived on the scene in 1974 he really was a breath of fresh air. For Providence was a corrupt and dying town that had long been dominated by the Democratic machine. It was only as the result of a unlikely confluence of circumstances that this young upstart Republican had been elected Mayor of Providence. As a dynamic young urban mayor, Cianci gained favor with Republican President Gerald Ford who was looking for ways to expand his base for the 1976 election.
And Buddy Cianci had a quality that few politicians these days seem to possess---vision. He aggressively pursued federal funds for his city and entertained innovative proposals and project ideas that would have been summarily dismissed as "pie in the sky" by previous administrations. In addition, the mayor seemed to have boundless energy--he was everywhere. Those of us who live in Rhode Island saw firsthand the impact that such energy and imagination was beginning to have on our capitol city.
But unfortunately, there was also a dark side to Buddy Cianci that would ultimately lead to his downfall. In the pages of "The Prince of Providence" you will read all about the corruption greed and intimidation that would ultimately become hallmarks of the Cianci administration. Although I have lived here all of my life I was personally taken aback by the how frequently Buddy Cianci employed violence and intimidation in both his role as Mayor and in his personal life. You will also be introduced to Dennis Aiken, the FBI agent bound and determined to get to the bottom of all of the wrongdoing in the city. It is a fascinating story.
In his later years, Buddy Cianci would once again become somewhat of a national figure by his frequent appearances on the "Imus In The Morning " show. No one can deny that he was a compelling and entertaining guest. On "Imus", Buddy would maintain his innocence. In many respects, Buddy Cianci reminds me of Richard Nixon. Both were extremely gifted individuals with serious personality flaws. Even if you are not from Rhode Island or New England where Buddy Cianci is a household name, I think you will find "The Prince of Providence" to be well worth your time. You will come away shaking your head and wondering what could have been. Recommended.

THis book was a good read. Being from RI it was enlightening to see really how corrupt RI politics is. It's sad. I would recommend this book to people who want to know how city hall really works.

There is no doubt Buddy Cianci is an interesting figure worth reading about. However, this book seems at many times to be not much more than the rehashing of newspaper articles written by the writer or his colleagues. All the chapters have snappy introductions, or "ledes," as journalists say, and tend thereafter to be very repetitive in their descriptions of the mayor.

I did not mind purchasing the book, as Cianci is an interesting figure to know about, but I found myself skimming over sentences and sections much more often than I like. Not recommended.

As a native Rhode Islander who last lived there in 1975 (the year the Buddy story really started) I came to this book with a somewhat sketchy knowledge of the story of Buddy Cianci's reign(s) over Providence. With relatives still living there I paid some attention, but didn't follow it in depth. I knew about the two sides of Buddy, and the strong feelings he elicited, as well as the attitude that, yeah, he was corrupt, but look what he did for Providence, so he's okay. I even witnessed something described in the book-the incredible adoration Cianci would receive upon entering the Providence Civic Center late in a Bruins hockey game to take his seat. I have never seen ANYTHING like this (and I live in NH, so I've seen lots of politicians).
With this background I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed Mike Stanton's book, and, after reading this, I can only conclude that my fellow Rhode Islanders who support this guy are either morally brain dead, or just were not aware of the depth of the corruption that existed in his administration. Stanton's in depth analysis of how it all happened put to rest any sympathy I may have had for Cianci. The book is thoroughly entertaining, and I recommend it to anyone interested in an amazing well-told story, not just Rhode Islanders or political junkies, although it will certainly appeal to both of those groups.
I think most of the reviews I have browsed through are pretty consistent, and pretty accurate, but let me add my disagreement with some of the comments. First, there is no fluff or excess in this book. All of the anecdotes are useful, and interesting, and I would not take a single one out. If anything, I wanted more. There is so much in this book that just touches the surface of various incidents or scams, this book could have easily have been half as long again, and I would have followed along. The minor repetitions that exist serve to remind you of who different players were, and, given the large cast of characters I found it helpful rather than redundant. Second, while the author does not always name names, the detailed notes at the end do name names, excepting, of course, those sources who chose to stay anonymous, for, I think most would agree, excellent reasons. In fact, I am somewhat amazed that as many people spoke on the record to the author as did, and I really thought the author did a nice job of telling the story, and pulling together such an assemblage of information. In fact, given that he usually writes for a newspaper, I was very impressed with his engaging and articulate style. If I have a quibble with this book, it is that, while it makes it clear about the corrupt side of Cianci, it is hard to understand what it was he did or had that made him so successful in leading the Providence renaissance. Clearly he has drive, charisma, charm, and chutzpah. But how did he create, fund and shepherd such massive projects, such that people did not mind the fact that he was totally corrupt? I wish there had been a little more insight into this facet of Buddy, but aside from that, this book filled in the gaps in my knowledge. I will be recommending it to all my Rhode Island friends and relatives, and anyone else who wants a great read.
By the way I gave this book four stars, rather than five, not because it is not one of the better books I have read recently, as it is, but because I try to reserve five stars for the Crime and Punishments of this world, the books that are truly great, not just a cut above the others. There are too many reviewers, IMHO, that will give a five star review to anything they like, and are not being critical enough. This is not in a league with five star books, but it is not far off.

I don't think the overall subject of the book will be surprising to anyone from Providence, or elsewhere in RI for that fact, but some of the stories and details in the book will shock you! I lived 1/2 my life in Providence and the other 1/2 in or near Miami. As bad as the banana republic of Miami has demonstrated it can be (Elian!), it cannot compare to the corruption found in Providence and throughout Rhode Island politics. I could not put the book down for 3 days.

The only reason I knocked off 1 star on my rating is that the writing quality could have been a bit better. The author rambles in some sections and then seems to repeat himself from time-to-time. The same is noted in some other reviews, so I don't think it was my reading. Nevertheless, it is a minor issue and the book is well worth reading and owning, particularly if you ever lived in Rhode Island. Just remember, it isn't fiction like the Godfather - it really happened.

Ok, there always has to be one the crowd that did not like the book and so that would be me. 95% of the book was her doing boring investigation work, goes here & talks to someone, goes there & talks to someone, and on & on & on. 5% of the book was about the more interesting parnormal storyline but there very little interaction with other non humans & she was left in the dark about most things relating to what she was.

It's a change of pace from what she usually writes, but it was def an attention grabber. The plot was good and writing made me get involved with the lead character. Plus there was the occasional f-bomb, which I thought made the book more realistic because everyone curses now and then. I'm not giving out spoilers, but the second book looks to be even better

Straight from Providence, Rhode Island, is the story of GiGi (Gwendolyn Gellman), an ex-cop gone PI who has weird psychic gifts. She can occasionally sense the history of objects by touch, a sort of memory-viewing.

In this novel, we learn GiGi's history, and follow her through three simultaneous cases. A missing child, old drug-related murders from GiGi's cop days, and finally her own identity. A likeable, intricate story, with a fast pace and strong heroine.

After reading Cunningham's work in the Forgotten Realms, I decided to check her original fiction, and was not disappointed. As far as urban fantasy detective stories go, this is a winner. The ending was too open ended, but Shadows in the Starlight (Changeling) continues the story.

I've now read this twice and enjoyed it as much or more on the second read. Cunningham has created an interesting story to keep readers very engaged. She creates several story lines before wrapping them together in a satisfying ending. Additionally, her "good guy" characters come alive in her prose to ensure we all care about them. I especially love the sexual undertones that keep tension high without overshadowing the plot. I hope Cunningham will keep up with many more in this series. They are great. If you like Kim Harrison, you should like this--only more.

This is paranormal suspense, but unlike most paranormal suspense, the paranormal is very much at the side through most of the story.

The story itself centers around Gwenevere GiGi Gellman - a former cop and current PI who searches for missing women. Much of the book takes up with establishing Gwen's history: why she is where she is, and what she's done in the past. While she's solving her current case, she's also revealing shadows from her own past.

Like most crime fiction, there is a fair amount of disturbing violence in this book - nothing close to, say, Patterson, but still, it's there. It's also not got the huge amount of paranormal that folks who like that genre have come to expect. But it's a good, fast read. It's a series setup, but, for the most part, stands alone quite well.

(*)>

August 3, 2008 represents the 60th anniversary of Whittaker Chambers'
appearance before the House Committee for Un-American Activities, which
led to the indictment of Alger Hiss ten months later. Allen Weinstein has
written a major historical work. Its command and breadth of documentary
material is amazing. The best way to advertise it is to excerpt it:
From >Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case< published 1997 by Random House
page 42: "The point we are making is that Mr. Hiss, according to this
document, delivered the Ford auto to the Cherner Motor Company on July 23, 1936. On the same date, this car was sold or transferred to one William Rosen, but there is no evidence in the sales records of this particular transaction."
page 47: In a memorandum filed that day, Mclean wrote, "Emmanuel Bloch,
attorney for William Rosen, told me the following [facts] today. Rosen does not know Hiss. Rosen did lend himself to a dummy transaction concerning the Ford car. Apparently Rosen did not sign the title certificate dated July 23, 1936. It is not clear whether Rosen knew at that time that his name would be used in this transaction. However, at some later date, a man came to see Rosen and told him that the title certificate was in his name and asked him to sign an assignment of (the
car) to some third person. The man who came to see Rosen is a very high (ranking) Communist. His name would be a sensation in this case. The man who ultimately got the car is also a Communist. Bloch hinted that Rosen is a Communist but did not say so expressly."
Mclean's memo tends to verify Chambers' account of how the 1929 Ford left Alger Hiss's ownership to be transferred by a "very high Communist"
[J. Peters] to another party member."
page 60: When one of the Hiss attorneys approached J. Peters' lawyer, Carol Weiss King, seeking information from Peters, he was clearly taken
aback by her response. The meeting with Mrs. King which took place in January 1949 was duly recorded in a memo by Harold Rosenwald: "She said that a liaison had been established . . . . I told her that I was not aware of any such liaison between Hiss's attorneys and the Communist Party. She smiled knowingly and mysteriously and refused to be more specific. She said that Hiss had been very foolish (inasmuch as he)
vigorously denied that he knew Chambers."

Americans were confused and perturbed when it emerged that Chambers had tried to warn the State Department about Alger Hiss nine years earlier
and that a typewritten account of that meeting had been retained by a
State Department official.
Weinstein was able to show that documents examiners hired by the lawyers
for Alger Hiss believed Hiss had written incriminating notes. They also
believed the Hiss's typewriter had typed other incriminating material. One documents examiner even "stated flatly" that Priscilla Hiss typed the
material herself!
Weinstein was further able to show that the Hiss attorneys interviewed
people who stated that Chambers had met Hiss.
page 122: "Alger Hiss did meet 'Carl,'" Josephine Herbst told Rosenwald.
In her interview with Mclean, Herbst gave a clear description of the
"parallel apparatuses" that Peters directed Chambers to organize in Washington.
>Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case< is one of the dozen most interesting books I have ever read.

This is the most thorough and comprehensive piece of investigative journalism ever published. Weinstein treats the case like an onion, he peels off one layer, then another, then another.... His treatment of when the Hiss typewriter was manufactured would fill a small book in itself. The same is also true of the transfer of Hiss's car to the communist party, the Soviet gift of a carpet to Hiss, the dating of Chambers' microfilm, and so on.

So why didn't Weinstein go on to become another Bob Woodward? Probably because his conclusion that Hiss was, in fact, a communist spy was unacceptable to so many people at that time. This was a great injustice to a man who told the truth and was himself suprised that the facts so heavily vindicated Chambers.

With the publication of Sam Tanenhaus's "Whittaker Chambers: a biography," the truth of Weinstein's conclusion has now been, finally, accepted by most people-even on the left. But why Tanenhaus's book, which contains hardly anything new, should have changed anybody's view seems odd. I suspect that with the passage of time, Tanenhaus's softer tone, and Hiss's death, many Hiss supporters felt the time had come to concede an unpleasant truth.

This is a reasonably convincing look at the Alger Hiss case. Author Allen Weinstein initially set out to prove Hiss' innocence, but over time his research led him to the opposite conclusion. Weinstein uses much actual testimony, which points towards Hiss' guilt for perjury - and thus of having spied for the Soviets in the 1930's. Readers see that accuser Whitaker Chambers was hardly a sympathetic witness. He was disheveled, dishonest, homosexual, and a confessed traitor. But Chambers' remembrance about Hiss' bird watching and prothonotary warblers was powerful evidence, and it's hard to believe that Hiss would have given away his used automobile to a total stranger. This book doesn't prove Hiss guilty, but it points in that direction.

Sadly, the Hiss case was and remains too much about politics rather than truth. Republicans still use Hiss to attack New Deal liberalism, Yalta, and the patriotism of Democrats. President Reagan even awarded the Medal of Freedom posthumously to Chambers - a confessed traitor! Democrats, for their part, often reflexively defend Hiss without considering the evidence. Sound like O.J. Simpson or Oliver North? Regardless of your politics, this is a fascinating case, although the author's thick writing makes for a slightly laborious read.

It is a great tragedy that ideologically motivated "historians" have managed to "end" the debate on the Hiss case. This tome, which was greated with much media fanfare upon its release, is largely responsible for the current situation. Allen Weinstein's book is only as important as it is because of his credentials and status as an academic. When one ignores the hype and takes an honest look at Weinstein's sources and methods, his whole edifice collapses. "Perjury" is on par with Gerald Posner's disinformation masterpiece on the JFK assassination, "Case Closed," for dishonesty and duplicitousness. A few examples:

-Six of Weinstein's interviewees have stated that Weinstein misquoted them (one can only assume deliberately), turning statements not supportive of Whittaker Chambers into ones that are. One of these interviewees, Sam Kreiger, sued Weinstein. Weinstein and his publisher settled out of court for $17,500 and issued a public apology. An erratum slip was placed in subsequent printings of the book. In the current edition of his book, Weinstein quickly glosses over this incident in a very misleading fashion and leaves the rest of this disputed material unchanged from the original edition.

-Weinstein has backed down on his offer to make his research files available to all interested parties.

-Weinstein misrepresents a defense team memo, making it appear as if Hiss knew the location of the infamous Woodstock typewriter and was trying to cover up. In fact, Hiss offers several posible destinations for a typewriter (the Hiss family had had three up to that point).

-Speaking of the Woodstock, the evidence still demonstrates that it was forged. The serial number #230,099 is inconsistent with the timeframe in which the typewriter was supposed to be manufactured. Ditto with the soldering, which is not consistent with a Woodstock. Discrepencies between the type of #230,099 and the "Baltimore Documents" become plainly apparent when letters are magnified. Typewriter forgery is certainly not impossible, Martin Tytell built a replica of #230,099 and J. Edgar Hoover himself confirms in a memo obtained by Gil Green through FOIA that the FBI has both the ability and the means to forge a typewriter.

-The "Pumpkin Papers" consisted of blank pages and unclassified naval documents regarding the proper color to paint fire extinguishers. Obviously of great importance to the Soviets.

-The Venona cable, No. 1822, touted by Weinstein and others, regarding an agent named Ales appears to not have anything to do with Alger Hiss. Particularly relevant is the fact that Ales dealt in military documents while Alger Hiss was accused by Chambers of turning over State Department documents. A recently surfaced soviet document places Ales in Mexico at a time when Hiss was in Washington. This should persuade most intellectually honest people that Hiss and Ales are not one and the same.

I could go on and on, but I think this should be sufficient. To those still "In Denial," to use Hayne's and Klehr's phrase, I have only one thing to say: The truth actually feels pretty good, give it a chance.

This book is so credible, so exhaustively researched, it deserves substantial praise. You would have to be incredibly mean-spirited to smear this book.
The lies presented as facts in the negative reviewers' comments show that the twisted forces Chambers warned about are still very much at work, especially among "elite intellectuals" (just as it was then).
Ignore the deliberate lies that have done so much damage already. The author Weinstein himself was a hard-core leftist sympathizer, but the facts were overwhelming. Kudos to Weinstein for his own redemption.

Grace Callahan, a single mother, is interning at KEY to America news and competing for the one job opening at the end of the summer in order to follow her passion and dream to become a journalist. The KEY news team is enroute to Newport, Rhode Island where they will be filming segments all week, when a body is found in an old slave tunnel on the Wagstaff property. The body is believed to be that of Charlotte Wagstaff Sloane who disappeared 14 years ago.

As the KEY News interns get close to discovering the secrets behind what happened 14 years ago one by one they are hurt, will Grace be able to solve the mystery before it's too late....?

Fans of Mary Higgins Clark, will definitely enjoy the work of her daughter-in-law Mary Jane Clark! She follows a similar (but slightly different) formula then her mother-in-law and she kept me turning the pages till I learned who the killer was! A fun read!

I enjoyed this book, as I do all Ms. Clark's novels.

This one wasn't as good as some of her past work. I found the shifting viewpoints distracting, especially in the beginning of the book when I didn't know who half these people were. And even as the book went along, there were so many characters and viewpoints that I often found myself skimming back to see who someone was.

But a nice surprise ending and enough suspense to keep you turning the pages until the end.

One of the editorial reviews said 'plodding". NO!! Great read, hard to put down, engaging characters. Loved it.

It may not be the Great American Novel, but this book was certainly enjoyable. It has a similar style to her other books, and I was definitely surprised by the ending. I read it on a six hour airplane flight, and it was good enough to take my mind off of my fear of flying! If you like her other books, you'll like this one.

Grace Callahan is a single mother working as an intern for Key to America, a popular morning television program. She is in competition with students a lot younger than she for the one position available. Grace would not be able to do her job without her Dad's help, despite his failing health. Her ex-husband Frank is making things difficult for her when he sues for full-time custody of their daughter Lucy. Grace goes to Newport, Rhode Island with the show to do an in-depth look at the area. The investigation into the cause of death of Charlotte Sloane is re-opened 14 years after her murder when her remains are found. Grace befriends her daughter Madeleine Sloane days before she is murdered. Sam Watkins, one of the interns is knocked unconscious after witnessing the crime. Zoe, another intern is murdered. Residents and workers of Key to America are tense because of the escalating violence. The art of scrimshaw is mentioned often throughout the story without really being explained. Some storylines are taken up and dropped without explanation. The chapters are each a quick read without too much depth. The killer is not revealed until the end but by then my interest wavered.

I have to say that more in depth information would have been good.The only reason I say this is because I am the great, great, great grand-daughter of Ida Lewis and I have Just recently found this out, I think more about the family and life of Ida Like when she use to pull the plank so that my grandmother could not get to the light house, because Ida wanted to be alone. We have the certificates that were presented to my grandmother from the president of the united states, after her death. So much was missed for a bioagraphy.

I would prefer not to give this any star at all.I can't imagine how any self-respecting publishing company accepted this book and then released it without ever having an editor work on it. Ms. Skomal needed an editor in the worst way. The book was so full of awkward sentences, childish constructions and misused words that sometimes I laughed out loud. Perhaps the problem arises from the fact that the book is mercilessly padded. There's good magazine article here and nothing more.

I would prefer not to give this any star at all.I can't imagine how any self-respecting publishing company accepted this book and then released it without ever having an editor work on it. Ms. Skomal needed an editor in the worst way. The book was so full of awkward sentences, childish constructions and misused words that sometimes I laughed out loud. Perhaps the problem arises from the fact that the book is mercilessly padded. There's good magazine article here and nothing more.

"Keeper of Lime Rock" was recently honored by the New York Public Library as a new listing in its 2003 Books for the Teenage. It is listed as one of only seven new listings under the category of "Remarkable People." Although not originally written for a teen audience, it has clearly found appeal among that market and I couldn't be more thrilled.

This lovely book, a story of a brave woman and the sea, is so well-written. It is obvious that it was a labor of love for its author. In less than 150 pages, Lenore Skomal manages to convey the spirit of Ida lewis and the times in which she lived. Despite the scarcity of primary sources such as journals, personal letters, or any other correspondence, the book is well- documented by the author. She has painstakingly put together this book, complete with some wonderful vintage photos.

Ida Lewis was born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1842. Her father, Captain Hosea Lewis, was a coastal pilot who in 1853 became the first keeper of Lime Rock Lighthouse on a tiny island in Newport Harbor. After years of back-and-forth travel, a house was finally built on Lime Rock for Lewis and his family, but they had lived in the house for just a few months when a stroke disabled him.

Ida, 16, already having assumed a heavy burden of household duties, now began to take care of the light--she filled the lamp with oil at sundown and again at midnight, trimmed the wick, polished the carbon off the reflectors, and put out the light at dawn.

Ida and her mother tended the Lime Rock Light from 1857 until 1872, when her father died. Her mother was appointed lighthouse keeper and remained in this position until she died in 1879, even though Ida continued to do the work.

In 1879, Ida was officially appointed to the keeper's job with a salary of $750 a year and she remained in this job until her death.

During her 39 years on Lime Rock, Ida saved 18 lives, although some reports say this number may have been 25. In 1858 Ida performed the first of her many rescues and saved the lives of four young men whose boat had capsized.

Ida's fame spread quickly after a daring 1869 rescue in a snowstorm, and articles appeared in the New York Tribune, Harper's Weekly, Leslie's magazine, and other major newspapers. On Independence Day in 1869, Ida was honored by the town, but this shy. retiring woman was distressed by all the attention.

She was briefly married to Captain William Wilson in 1870, but they separated after two years.

Although never awarded the Carnegie Medal, as was rumored, Andrew Carnegie did give her a pension in her later years.

On the night she died in 1911, the bells on all the ships anchored in Newport Harbor tolled in her memory and flags were flown at half-staff throughout Newport.

In 1924 the Rhode Island legislature officially changed the name of Lime Rock to Ida Lewis Rock with the lighthouse named after her --the only such honor ever paid to a keeper. In 1995, a new class of Coast Guard buoy tenders was named for Ida Lewis.

The buildings at Lime Rock were sold in 1928 for $7,200 and became the Ida Lewis Yacht Club. The Yacht Club remains in operation today, with many additions surrounding the original buildings. A causeway now connects the rock to the mainland.

A well-done effort about an interesting but little-known part of our coastal history.

This is a wonderfully poetic, sophisticated, and learned story of the isle of Corfu as experienced by Lawrence Durrell during a two-year idyll there in 1937 and 1938. Durrell was young (mid-twenties), he was still married to the first of his four wives, Corfu was beautiful and unspoiled, life there had changed little for generations, and World War II was yet to come. (When it did erupt, Durrell remained on Corfu until the fall of Greece, but he does not date any of the entries in this book, save the last, later than 1938.) Durrell wrote the book in 1945. Thus, it is scarcely surprising that there is a distinct sense of nostalgia, that the book is almost elegaic for a Corfu that, in 1938, was still a place out of time -- but by 1945, who knew? And we, reading it 60 years later, know all to well that globalistic forces have overwhelmed the Corfus of the world.

The book proceeds gracefully back and forth among anecdotes about Durrell's life on Corfu and his circle of friends there (all of whom are true characters and quite engaging); tales of history, mythology, and folklore; evocative descriptions of the land and sea; accounts of local practices and customs and livelihoods (principally fishing); snapshots of the Greeks as a people; philosophizing; and on and on. Throughout the writing is leisurely and superb. I compiled a lengthy list of striking quotes, but here I will limit myself to several examples.

On the Greeks: "The loquacity, the shy cunning, the mendacity, the generosity, the cowardice and bravery, the almost comical inability of self-analysis." Or, "We Greeks are not religious, we are superstitious and anarchic. Even death is less important than politics."

On land and sea: "The little bay lies in a trance, drugged with its own extraordinary perfection -- a conspiracy of light, air, blue sea, and cypresses. The rock faces splinter the light and reflect it both upward and downward; so that, staring through the broken dazzle of the Ionian sun, the quiet bather in his boat can at the same time look down into three fathoms of water with neither rock nor weed to interrupt the play of imagination . . .."

On local customs (and on time): "Not that time itself is anything more than a word here. Peasant measurement of time and distance is done by cigarettes. Ask a peasant how far a village is and he will reply, nine times out of ten, that it is a matter of so many cigarettes."

PROSPERO'S CELL (the title comes from speculation that Corfu was Prospero's island in Shakespeare's "The Tempest") is often classified as a travel book, but that doesn't really do it justice. It is virtually sui generis. If you are going to spend some time on Corfu, by all means read it (in addition to your Fodor's or other generic "travel guide"). But even if you are not fortunate enough to have been to or be going to Corfu, or even if you do not normally enjoy "travel books", you may very well luxuriate in this literate, sophisticated, and poetic book of a place and time that are no more. It is a splendid gem.

... this book is probably excellent. Poetic at times, amusing at others, and funny almost always, it's a good read and a nice introduction into the landscapes and people of Corfu. You get to know Zarian, Nicholas, N., and the rest of the uncanny people that seemed to be the expatriate tribe in Corfu at the time.
However (I wouldn't have given it 3 stars if there weren't a "however"), that's not always what you're looking for in a travel book. If you're into Theroux, you'll probably find this book boring at times, too intent on seeking brilliant metaphors.

The English writer Lawrence Durrell spent four years on the island of Corfu together with his first wife Nancy Myers in the years 1935-1939. He has collected his memoirs on this period during his staying in Alexandria during the WWII.

Prospero's Cell evades genre classification. It is an autobiography, but not a particularly factual one - for instance, along with Lawrence and Nancy, the whole Durrell family - his mother, two brothers and sister - came to live on Corfu for the same period, a fact he only acknowledges in a passing remark or two. It is written in a form of a diary, but the story flows without paying any attention on the interpunctuating dates. It claims to be a guide to the landscape and manners of the island of Corfu, but is useless as such. It spends a considerable time discussing the history and myths concerning Corfu, but the material is not laid out in a systematic and scholarly manner, and is probably of low value as a historical text.

Apart from ephemeral characters, the four personae make out the main cast: apart from Lawrence and his wife, there is also a doctor, biologist and polymath, Dr. Theodore Stephanides, and a bohemian Armenian journalist, Ivan Zarian. (Both are actual persons, of course; apart from here, Stephanides also appears on Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals, and Henry Miller's The Colossus of Maroussi.) However, Durrell has taken the liberty to interrupt occasionally this chronicle of their living, their thoughts etc. with a treatise on the Saint Spiridon, the island patron; or Karaghiosis, the puppet theatre hero; or a long treatise on the island history and myths concerning it. Prospero's cell ends with "some peasant remedies in common use against disease", a "synoptic history of the island of Corfu", lists of places to see, things to visit etc., and finally concludes with an anthology of letters written by Edward Lear, an English painter who spent on Corfu several years in mid-19th century.

Durrel's language is like brocade: rich, heavy and very sophisticated. He is too serene and spiritual to talk humour, even when the topic is indeed funny, e.g. the accident with the Corfu fire brigade, the Zarian's obsession with "Mantinea 1936" and the Stephanides' confusion with the brain cutlets, he merely cites the narrator. Still, it is a nice holiday reading, an intellectual supplement to any *real* guide to Corfu you happen to take with you. And, while you are there, don't forget to get yourself Hilary Whitton Paipeti's guide, In the Footsteps of Lawrence Durrell and Gerald Durrell in Corfu (1935-39), which will help you connect the world of Durrells with the contemporary Corfu.

William Durrell's investigation of modern love in THE ALEXANDRIA QUARTET announced the author's interest in blending geography and metaphysics, which probably originates in his Indian heritage.

The Corfu that the British author knew in 1936-7 might have disappeared already, yet his romantic portrayal of Mediterranean culture captures the spirit that despite inevitable historic changes and the ravashes of modernisation still prevails on the coasts of this historic sea. The bittersweet mixture of melancholy and happiness that is at the soul of everything Mediterranean, and even his philosophical reflections are impregnated with the soft sensualism in which the Mediterranean tradition of tolerance and antiquity is embodied.

PROSPERO'S CELL was published in 1945, four years after the author had left the island, and thus the nostalgia that pervades his writing further contributes to the beauty of this book. Some narrative chapters seem far-fetched in their anglicising romanticism, like the moonlight discussions on "Greekness" with the rich and bohemian Count D., but still Durrell's passionate portrayal of Greece should help enliven some rainy winter afternoons.

I've lost track of how many times I've read "Prospero's Cell." Durrell's use of metaphor and simile is at times brilliant; it is always interesting. Every time I return to "Prospero," I become Durrell's companion, walking the cobblestone streets, swimming in aquarium-clear waters, treading grapes. He has the finest understanding of Greek character I've ever seen in a non-Greek. His honest respect and affection are so real. The books of he and his brother Gerald ignited the mid-twentieth century tourist boom to Greece. Deservedly so!

Reviewed by David Lundberg, author of Olympic Wandering: Time Travel Through Greece