University of Minnesota Books

Like many of the reviewers before me, I've grown tired of the NFL and NCAA Division I football, and now prefer small college and high school football. This is a great way to be introduced to the game at that level, although you never really get to know John Gagliardi as well as you'd like (a fact that frustrates Murphy). Murphy will at times give away how a particular game ends early in the chapter dealing with it, but it's never a great distraction because the story is so well told.

The only shortcomings to me are the lack of photos or stats, plus I detect an occasional bit of smugness on the part of both Murphy and his wife in their dealings with the locals (News flash: Minnesota is NOT the Bay Area), but he IS a very funny and perceptive writer and this is a worthwhile read.

I really enjoyed this book that is about a football season, but also about so much more, including marriage, raising children, coaching and the personalities at this small school in Minnesota. While we often think of Lombardi and Bear Bryant school of hard-driving coaching, it turns out the softer style of coach Gags can also be successful. This book reminded a lot of First and Last Seasons: A Father, A Son, and Sunday Afternoon Football, another book about football but also a lot more.

I read this book after reading Mr. Murphy's "How Tough Could It B?" and loving it. Although I'm not much for football I thought I'd give this book a try because I enjoyed his writing. It was terrific - a great commentary on St. John's and its coach as well as another look at Mr. Murphy's refreshingly real family (well, perhaps they are not real but they sure are like my husband and children). I'm waiting for another book please!

Lack of pictures and statistics of Gagliardi's 50 years in coaching cause this book to come up just short of 5 stars. Also, I expected the author to provide a few more "game details". I actually found the epilogue, where St. Johns makes it to the Divison III championship game the following season, more exciting than the body of the book.

If you're as tired as I am of the NFL schlock, of having to take the time to remind the high school kids you coach every season that taunting and trash talking are not a part of the game, then you will absolutely love this book. Mr. Murphy is funny-- so funny, in fact, that several times I laughed so hard I couldn't even read the passage in question out loud to my wife and had to hand her the book. Mr. Murphy is also jaded, tired of spending his life on the road dealing with the overlarge head of professional and big college Div-1A athletes.

You won't find jerks like Randy Moss or Brian Bosworth in the pages of this book, unless they are mentions solely as a stark contrast to the genuinely respectful and worthy athletes of St. Johns. Reading this book reminded me of the potential of all athletics to reap great good from the hearts and minds of youth, and also reminded me that, as a coach, it's my responsibility to sow those seeds.

The book can be enjoyed on several levels-- as humor, as a description of a sporting season, and above all, as a triumph of what football is supposed to be-- fun for everyone involved, ESPECIALLY the players.

I hope you enjoy it.

I'm very satisfied with my purchase of this cookbook. Being of Norwegian decent, it was very nice to see recipies from my fathers homeland. I've already made 2 things out of the cookbook, and can't wait to go home and make something for my father to bring back some memories to him.

I've purchased and read a variety of cook books over the years and have always had an interest in European traditions and cooking. This is one of the best baking books I've come across! Its definately the best european cookbook I've come across to date. Its got U.S measurements, easy to read recipes, a good variety of recipes, and interesting notations about the cultures.


I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because some of the intricate braiding recipes could have had better illustrations/instructions and I'm overwhelmed by some of the recipe sizes. (For example, Some recipes make 3 loaves of bread, or 4 dozen cookies.)

This is the best most complete Scandinavian baking book that I have ever come across that is published in English. It has many recipes that my Great Grandmother brought over from the old country (Denmark), just not all her familie's special variations. The recipes are easy to follow and always come out tasting great. Many of them taste just like you were sitting at a Cafe in Kopenhagen and any of the recipes in this book will enrich your gifts of Christmas cookies and make you a big hit at the holiday parties.

The Great Scandinavian Baking Book is an addictive collection of recipes from author Beatrice Ojakangas. From Cardamom Coffeebread (Pulla) and Sweet Cream Waffles to Danish Strawberry Scones (Kraemmerhuse) and almond glazed Swedish Tea Rings (Vetekrans), once you start baking from this book you'll have a hard time putting it away. I was delighted with everything I made and appreciated how Ojakangas introduced me to the many delectable ways Scandinavians use cardamom in their baking. Her recipes are easy to follow and accompanied by conversational intros that share cultural tidbits or serving tips. Although there are no photos in this book, when more complicated steps are required to complete a recipe the how-to portion is frequently illustrated with helpful diagrams. The lack of photographs is really the only thing about it I didn't absolutely adore about the book, which will make a welcome addition to any kitchen and is appropriate for beginner and experienced bakers alike. You'll revel in the heavenly aromas emanating from your oven, not to mention the baked goods you'll soon be enjoying with a cup of hot coffee or tea.

Chapters: Breads for Meals, Breads for Coffeetime, Cookies and Little Cakes, Cakes and Tortes, Pastries and Pies, Savory Pies and Filled Breads. Chapters about mail order sources, baking tips and ingredients are also included.

BUY THIS BOOK!!! Everything turns out! Everything is delicious! You will be the star of all of your family gatherings! We are always asked to, "bring the buns." Our nieghbors wait each Christmas morning for us to drop off their Swedish Tea Rings. The magic of Beatrice Ojakangas is that she has researched, tested, and refined her recipes so thoroughly that they are not only authentic, beautiful, and delicious but absolutely foolproof.
This is a FABULOUS cookbook!

This book is an expansive overview of the life of Louise Brooks and also of the early days of the movie industry. Very throughly researched, it gives a nuanced look and the beautiful, brilliant and maddeningly self-destructive icon. It also is a wonderful history of the entertainment world in the 1920's and the personalities who populated that world. A must-read from fans of Louise Brooks.

Several books have been written about Louise Brooks, but this book is probably the most concise and most thorough of them all. The book starts off with Louise's birth and it describes all the people that helped to make Louise so interesting and famous. There are many black-and-white photos of Louise, from the time she started in show-biz (at age 4) to Louise in her later years, just before her death.

Since Louise Brooks had such a fascinating life, it is not a surprise that this book is so long. Each Chapter basically covers a chunk of her life, and each Chapter describes (in detail) the characters that encountered & shaped Louise, and also all the Theatre and Movie productions that Louise was involved in.

This is what a biography should be: insightful, understanding, offering a measured & complex view of its beloved subject. And what a subject Barry Paris has in Louise Brooks! Her beauty, her intelligence, her compelling charisma all shine in these pages, giving us a multi-faceted view of this ravishing star. For someone who had never heard of Louise Brooks, this biography will send him or her in eager pursuit of her all-too-few films & her own writing -- and both are of the very highest standard.

It's clear that Brooks never did anything without wanting to give her all, to make true art out of it, a work of beauty & meaning that would stand the test of time. And the same could be said of this superb biography. While Paris clearly adores Brooks (and with good reason), he never succumbs to blind hagiography. Nor does he stumble in the opposite direction of pathography. His purpose is to explore the life of a fascinating woman, and to present it to the reader as thoroughly & lucidly as possible. He succeeds on every level. Louise Brooks emerges from these pages as both a flesh & blood woman, and as the dazzling, mysterious icon she became to countless admirers.

In short, the best book on Louise Brooks you'll ever find, most highly recommended!

I have not yet read this entire book, but just glancing through it when it arrived I would find that I have just read twenty pages or so whenever I openned it up. I can't wait until I read it cover to cover.

Barry Paris's bio is a wonderful read and in my opinion did more for the recent increase of interest in Brooks than anything other book.

At the time of it's publishing in the mid 90's the internet was a mere flicker of info, photos bios and trivia about obscure stars like Louise Brooks were very hard to come by. After this book was published, I was one of several people who started fledgling web sites in Brooks' honour. While I gave up, one of those websites carried on to become the Louise Brooks Society, the definitive website on her life. Paris' book is essential reading for anyone who is facinated by this beautiful starlet.

This book has stayed with me like few other things, since reading it many years ago. I often find occasion to quote from it; brilliantly witty, charming, scathing and life affirming all at once. Bunuel led an unusual life, but his autobiography is filled with universal truths to which any reader can immediately relate. Buy it at once, and you will find yourself reaching for it often...

An interesting short semi-bio, in whuch Luis speaks about his life and the people he has met.

Bunuel gave some interviews towards the end of his life discussing his long list of movies. That's why I was delighted to find that his autobiography--which is one of the greatest, if not the greatest by a filmmaker--does not dwell on them. Instead Don Luis chronicles his childhood and upbringing, the relationships he cultivated, and meditates on life, love, death, art, alcohol and cigarettes. Many of the stories from his younger days are even more surreal than his movies. He writes in detail about his stormy friendships with Garcia Lorca and Dali, about his half-hearted attempt to try Hollywood on for size, meetings with Hitchcock, Fritz Lang, and others. The book is not somber or sentimental, it's not over-inflated. Bunuel's voice does not intimidate, it soothes. He's a master storyteller, a very gifted and generous writer.

As a young person, don Luis helped me find my way out of the hormone fog, ... authoritarian adults and their institutions, and equally lost peers. Years later upon reading MY LAST SIGH, I was not surprised at all at the depth of don Luis' humanity and intelligence.

Nevermind the moniker "filmmaker" when talking about don Luis; he is an artist's artist. With his autobio, he only confirms what an equally supreme being he was. I miss him. However, encounter this book and become lit by life itself.

Writings by film directors tend to resemble their films, and "My Last Sigh" is no exception. Bunuel's films are anarchic, funny, unpredictable, subversive, and often disturbing in a way that's hard to pin down. So is this, his autobiography!

Though he disclaims literary talent, Bunuel turns out to be a wonderful writer, and the book is stuffed with piquant anecdotes and elegant observations. I'm afraid to quote examples, because this review would go on forever. Suffice to say that, if you could choose to live any person's life, Bunuel's would be a hard choice to beat, just for the adventure and entertainment value. This may be my favorite book written by a filmmaker.

Yessiree, I give it 5 stars as a running book. I was finding I was docking some books and CDs; because I approached it like, is it perfect enough to get the highest rating like a Shakespeare play or a symphony?

I go with the genre it belongs too; and too, I'd say those who have had substance abuse/alcohol problems would find it inspiring too; cause Dick became addicted to pain killers; and did some things; that were indeed wrong.

It's a good book for athletes, cause Dick's body did start to break down some; even away from his being prone to some bad accidents. It makes me ponder, we hear about so many athletes who later end up being not in the best shape because of their sports career, say like Larry Bird. It makes you think, it's great to run that great Boston Marathon in '82; but is it worth it in the long run.

I agree, the book may have minor blemishes, might be choppy in parts in the latter half of the book, but it shouldn't keep anyone from reading it, indeed, some of this could have been expanded on.

It's a good book, kind of for your couples too; I mean, I admire his wife, Maureen, for staying with Dick; for her care, love and also standing up to him some.

I definitely, would like to read "Duel in the Sun" to continue reading on Mr. Beardsley, really, along with his rival at the Boston Marathon, Alberto Salazar and along with "Pre" Prefontaine himself; there certainly is more to read on these famous track runners from America.

As Dean Karnazes' book UltraMarathon Man is getting to be compulsory reading for Greeks (but not only them of course), I think Minnesotans and those from the surrounding areas should read this one, especially if they are interested in the sport.

Beardsley reminds me a bit of the great American cyclist from the turn of the century (meaning near 1900) Major Taylor, in that his glory descended into lows.

After going through this book, I am still contemplating parts of it and how we and history will see Dick, but I definitely would wish him and his family the best. Some parts of it, really are astonishing; and it is astonishing as a whole. He certainly has given a lot to the Marathon.

I have heard Dick Beardsley speak and he is awesome. I purchased his book to give for gifts at Christmas time. He has persevered through the toughest of obstacles and is still standing with his wife by his side!

My husband is a marathon runner & enjoys reading. We have met Dick Bearsley when we ran the Detroit Lakes Half marathon. My husband really enjoyed this book. He learned alot about Dick Beardsley & his marathons.

Very well written book! It shows the high and low of Dick Beardsley's running career and life. It is a very quick read, with no slow sections. It might be the best book about running that I have read.

This book is about the life of a runner named Dick Beardsley. It talks about his life goals in running and how he got into a bad habbit of using pain killers. The book takes place in the mainland, and not in a certain place because he traveled a lot to race. See i am a runner so i like the book because it gave me the motivation to go on when the going gets tough. If i compare this book to other book i would say it is not the best running book i have read but, it is better than the other types of books i have read. I think if you are a runner you will really like the book cause it teaches you to be tough in a race and some pointers on how to run marathons. If you do not run i dont think you will have a strong liking with this book. It can get kind of boring a some parts, but the parts that tell about his races really made me want to read on, so if you are a runner i think this book is better for you than if you are not a runner. So be a runner!

What a special book this is! Written by a very special lady. Who had a very special husband. And they lived in a very special place. And they came across a very, very special deer which began their four year period of caring for wonderful Peter Whitetail and his progeny. And whatever wild creature came to them in need.

The reader will know what it is like to live in 30 degree below zero winters on the border lake between the U.S. and Canada and the struggle of wildlife to survive in such severe conditions. The reader will know what it is like when outlaw hunters gun tame deer and bear down for sport, leaving the humans who loved them in despair. And the reader will know what it is like for the animals to live in constant fear of and alert for predators and, as the deers age, to become more prone to know defeat.

But above all, one has the marvelous experience of getting to know Peter, Mama, a wonderful black bear whose life is cut very short by man, and a host of our forest friends.

Helen Hoover, as one reviewer points out, was a woman who was developed on the right and the left side of her brain. A superb intellect was accompanied by a magnanimous heart, by deep feminine feeling values, intuitive grace, and the courage at times to bear the almost unendurable. Her husband was a marvel too. Devoted and dedicated, and very kind. His illustrations are terrific and really capture the mystery and sternness and wonder of the setting and its inhabitants. That they picked up from city life and faced their almost impossible dream successfully is awesome.

As for Ms. Hoover's prose, she was a highly gifted writer but, more than that, at times she reaches the heighth (or perhaps I should say depth) of genuine and beautiful poetic prose. I believe, had she had a bent to do so, she could have been as well a highly accomplished poet.

This book is a great adventure story. It is Ms. Hoover's gift to humanity.

The kind of story that must be pulled off the shelf and reread again and again.

When a injured deer finds its way to the Hoover's cottage, they didn't realize that in helping him, they'd find a friend. Peter, as the deer is named, comes back season after season, bringing other deer with him. The Hoovers' observations and personal narrative is a touching tribute to this gentle hearted deer.

I was enriched by reading this lovely book, and found it also raised a lot of questions about man's relationship ( and duties) to the wildlife surrounding his home. Hoover's tale was clear eyed and a definite antidote to all the Disneyesque sappy forest characters we are bombarded with. Life was hard for all in the northwoods, and, as always, the "laws of nature" seem awfully harsh. But the intelligent, loving relationships depicted in the book make it more bearable.

I hadn't read this book in a few years and when I saw it again on my shelf I remembered it was a great book to read in the summer. The story is a good one, esp. if you read it in partnership with Hoover's other book about her move to the woods, The Years of the Forest, and tells the story of how she and her husband moved to the wilds of Minnesota in middle-age and what (and who) they found there. The Gift of the Deer introduces us to Peter, Mama, Pretty, Friendly, and all the others who live in Hoover's "neighborhood" deep in the North Woods.
Oh - and why is it great to read in the summer? Because her stories about the bone chilling cold of Minnesota winters are just right to balance the August heat and humidity!

Helen Hoover's beautifully vivid prose makes this memoir read like a fantasy piece. I felt I was sharing the precious moments that she and her husband Ade spent with the wild whitetail deer family who visited them at their log cabin deep in the Minnesota woods. Helen's richly descriptive style of writing draws you into their enchanting lifestyle, filled with peace, and the quiet mystery of virgin forests. The area around their cabin became a safe haven for a groundhog who became a regular houseguest, squirrels who nibbled graham crackers from Helen's hands, chipmunks, ermine, owls, beautiful birds of all kinds,and even a bobcat and a lynx.This is more than just a story about wild animals. It is a tribute to Peter, the magnificent whitetail buck who taught them so much about the dignity and majesty of wild things, and enriched their lives with his noble and gentle ways.This book is a treasure of a journey into some of the most peaceful, delightful, and rewarding places that a nature lover can go without leaving their home. I hated to see it end.

In the early 80's I first picked up a copy of Louise Brooks' LULU IN HOLLYWOOD. I remember having had a faint awareness of Brooks as a silent film star and the book expanded my knowledge of and interest in her. But I had never seen her in a full-length feature and wouldn't until 2006 when I bought a copy of PANDORA'S BOX on DVD. It's my opinion that you have to see Brooks on film to really "get" her. While I don't agree with the now famous French proclamation, "There is no Garbo, there is no Dietrich, there is only Louise Brooks", I was deeply impressed by her performance and her by her intensely charismatic and exotic/quixotic presence. She should've become a superstar after this - but the times and her own idiosyncrasies were against her.

I like to think it's possible that had she and G.W. Pabst maintained a long-term collaboration - such as the enviable Dietrich/von Sternberg alliance or Garbo's association with Mauritz Stiller - Louise Brooks might have achieved the legendary stardom and iconic stature of Garbo and Dietrich. But that didn't happen and she faded into an obscurity that lasted for decades.

For cinephiles, LULU IN HOLLYWOOD is a must-read. I recently re-read the book and found it as intriguing the second time around. Though many of the essays are ostensibly about other Hollywood stars and creatures of the movie business, each also covers LB's own life at the time. Written from the viewpoint of a fallen star who admitted to being "selfish and stubborn"* with a "rotten temper"*, Brooks is nevertheless keenly observant. While I agree with another reviewer that she tends to generalize and ramble, she is also poetic:
"Gradually he reduced reality to exclude all but his work, filling the gaps with alcohol whose dim eyes transformed the world into a distant view of harmless shadows." ("The Other Face of W.C. Fields")

I also recommend the Criterion Collection's PANDORA'S BOX DVD package. The film is a classic start to finish. Brooks is completely captivating as Lulu and the viewer instantly understands the uproar that surfaced when the film and the star were rediscovered. This set includes the excellent 1998 TCM production of LOOKING FOR LULU, Kenneth Tynan's celebrated 1979 profile of her, "The Girl with the Black Helmet," and quite a bit more.

For even more on Louise Brooks, check out LOUISE BROOKS, the 1989 bio by Barry Paris. It's extremely thorough and generally well-written - plus many photos.

* quoting Brooks

This book will be helpful for anyone interested in silent film. Brooks' insights about certain aspects of Hollywood are original. She has no fear of revealing some of the ugliest secrets of the past, and also has valuable things to say about why she believes certain directors and players created works of art. However, in my opinion she could have been a better writer if she'd had more education and/or editorial experience. Some of her essays are rambling and disorganized, and a number of her claims are unsupported. (e.g., that many actresses were pulled from the screen not because of the arrival of sound, but because they couldn't live up to Garbo, p.88.) She also tends to make bold generalizations (e.g., "Every actor has a natural animosity toward every other actor"), which, depending on whether you agree with them, are either smart and charming or arrogant and imprecise.

Some of Brooks' cleverest comments are reported in the introduction by Kenneth Tynan, not in her own writings. My favorite was her joking suggestion that she and Marlene Dietrich write each other's memoirs: "'Lulu' by Lola, and 'Lola' by Lulu".

Note: this is a collection of essays, which don't necessarily follow a sequence. The brief history of her family and childhood given in the first chapter fooled me into thinking this book would be an autobiography, but Brooks leaves much of her own story untold. (In fact, the epilogue is titled, "Why I Will Never Write My Memoirs.") Tynan's introduction fleshes out a little more of Louise Brooks' history, but fans will probably want to keep looking for other writings and biographies after they've read this one.

This book is a collection of Brooks's autobiographical essays together with an interview by Kenneth Tynan.

It shows a Louise Brooks as a fiercely independent character, as well as her failure as a social creature, because of her open critic of people's false faces.
But at what price? She survives as a kept woman by three lovers and ends in poverty, rejected and lonely.

She characterizes her work in Hollywood's film factory as slavery and throws a shrill light on Hollywood's morals (the casting couch) and cynicism: the end of the silent period served as an excuse to terminate all contracts.

The all important feature of her life was sex, not love: 'I have never been in love.' But, 'A person's sexual loves and hates and conflicts ... It is the only way the reader can make sense out of innumerable apparently senseless actions.'
She considers that 'the most fateful encounter in my life' was a sexual one with George Preston Marshall.
Nevertheless, she had some regrets: 'How often do we change the whole course of our lives in pursuit of a love that we will have forgotten within a few months.'

She never wrote her biography because 'I am unwilling to write the sexual truth that would make up my life worth reading.'

Barry PARIS did it for her, admirably. His book contains also a few corrections on Louise Brooks's statements in her book.

A moving text with admirable pictures.

What made Louise Brooks interesting beyond just the typical celebrity she was unusually intelligent. She was an extraordinary beautiful woman but if that were all - she would have been just another face in the Hollywood crowd albeit a striking one. Her life was not so much one of just ups and downs but most generally straight down starting at the top. Lucky to have so much success early in life but maybe unlucky for her vision as to witness the folly of those who gave it. Louise's insights and critical assessment of her life and those around her were a " blessing and curse" but then again she had no choice but to follow her own mind as it played out to the end. She was certainly not one to parlay her attributes as a cunning femme fatale as it were but she existed as a passing player through a masquerade of "bread and circuses" orchestrated by those with lesser sensibilities. No, Lulu could have never been satisfied with the status quo, the mundane of the hoi polloi, the trappings of the superficial she was an individual who saw life in its raw form and played no game and for those who did not understand Louise - missed - that her only glory was the truth and its price to pay. She was an intriguing and talented woman who deserved more but would not sell her soul to gain it. Her book tells of her life and times and the pathos within it.
I will recommend highly Barry Paris' biography of Louise Brooks as a necessary read for anyone interested in reading about the life and times of Louise Brooks. The book is excellent and engrossing. It gives a most informative detail of all aspects of Lulu's life. Actually Paris' book should be read first to gain a comprehensive overview of Brook's life before reading "Lulu in Hollywood." A better biography you could not read.

I remember when this book came out, but, unfortunately, it took me over twenty years to read it. Though Louise Brooks is far from a household name, in film scholar circles, she is an icon. Her rememberances here of certain individuals and events from her years in the "Dream Factory" are brilliant. Aside from the fact that these are names that most are familiar with, Bogart, Hearst, Pabst...it is her writing style and unique observations that make these recollections interesting. Where as someone as, say, Adela Rogers St. John, a famous reporter and contemporary of Brooks, wrote accurately of that long ago time, her dusty rememberances would only interest the most devoted of film student or fan. But Brooks writings are so fresh and witty and humourous, often at her own expense. She is not only unimpressed with most of silly society, but, she was equally unimpressed with her status as film icon. In those pre Hepburn-Davis times, she was a true rebel, who was more than willing to saboutage her career rather than do anything she didn't want to do. There is no remorse detectable in her memories of her fall from status. Though it would be unfair to imply that most film stars would not be expected to be good writers, it was surprising, then and now, to find that Miss Brooks was such a highly intelligent and captivating writer. In my review of her most famous film, "Pandora's Box", which isn't so much a review of that film as it is a homage to our Miss Brooks, I recounted my having met her more than once, when I delivered her prescriptions to her in my hometown and her final, adopted city of Rochester, New York. I was very young at the time, and though I had been told that she had once been a famous actress, which fascinated me, I am sorry to have to honestly admit that my memory of her is only of a shadowy figure who I remember with intimidation. How I would have loved to have been a little older, to possibly converse with this great lady, though she may have found what undoubtedly would have been my reverence to her "legend" as film icon to be obnoxious at the least, silly at best. Well, never mind. She was and is wonderful. And, as this book attests, a scathingly intelligent lady. Celebrities of her league are no more, now we have tarts, thugs, and arrogant, illiterate self-important jerks showing off their bling-bling. How sad. If you want to hear the entertainingly clever views of this great lady who, though she went from brilliant star to near- pauper obscurity, yet never lost her class, intellect, nor pride, then read "Lulu In Hollywood." One wishes she had written much more, and, left behind more films where her inate brilliance reaches out from the screen eighty years later. But, if all we have is this book and "Pandora's Box", that's legacy enough.

"I loved 'Infinite Variety' for the way the authors brought the Marchesa Casati vividly to life."--Robert Fulford, author of 'The Triumph of Narrative: Storytelling in the Age of Mass Culture'

"'Infinite Variety' is a thoroughly unbiased and well-researched biography. The 'Definitive Edition' includes a plethora of new information as well as artwork and photos. Thanks to the efforts of Ryersson and Yaccarino, the story of the Marchesa Casati, with all its splendor, will continue to astonish.--Jonathan Williams, Gothic Beauty Magazine

"Mesmerizing and revealing, 'Infinite Variety' is the definitive account of the Italian femme scandaleuse. A great glimpse, and more, into the life of a larger-than-life individual."-Mar Yvette (Clear Magazine)

"'Infinite Variety: The Definitive Edition' provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the bizarre and spectacular life that Casati led...All you fashion-conscious history buffs will love the in-depth exploration the authors take into Casati's stylish life."-Denise Dandeneau (Zink Magazine)

"This meticulously researched and completely updated biography vividly details Luisa Casati's extravagant life...Fashionistas, art history buffs, aficionados of Belle Époque and Jazz Age culture-and general readers-will be pleased."-Lorraine Thompson (Primo Magazine)

'This book about the Marchesa Casati (1881-1957) is called "The Definitive Edition" about a lady of extravagant leisures. It is an excellent book reviving the roaring twenties in Europe and gives you a fairly good insight of the lifestyle of the truly rich and famous through to the 1940s. Part of this set was the Marchesa Casati, who is a source of inspiration to this very day for fashion designers, artists and wealthy heirs. So if you squander your vast inheritance, at least do it in style!' (review from Elegant Lifestyle)

What Northrup has to say is as interesting as the way he says it. I really loved his style of writing: chatty, wry, ironic, funny, serious--often at the same time.

I am so happy that he won the 1999 native american journalism award for his editorials, which appear in indian country today , news from inidan country and the circle. this book is wonderful and very funny! the poem he writes about John Wayne visitng Vietnam is a masterpiece and shows " the Duke" for what he really is a wimp and a wuz! get this book it's truly a gem!

This book is brutal without being harsh, funny without being lightweight. In a society where everyone (and I do mean everyone) is made to feel guilty for everone else's suffering, this is a breath of fresh air. The problems Northrup faces every day are aired alongside with the joys. For every pain, he offers a happiness.

And he never says you can't understand. He just offers another way to see his life.

Don't buy Ian Frazier's book if you want any kind of accurate picture of today's Indians. Buy this one instead - this is the book to get if you want to begin to understand the complexities of being an Indian. The author speaks to both the initiated and the ignorant. It's both a moving and a fun read.

I picked this book up at random while browsing the "Native American studies" shelf at my local book megastore, and I was quickly drawn in, reading it cover-to-cover in a day. Jim Northrop is an Anishinaabe who lives on the Fond du Lac Reservation in Northern Minnesota, and in this book he writes about reservation life, about Native American political issues, and about his own travels and experiences. One of the great strengths of this book is his honesty as a memoirist. While sticking largely to a humorous matter-of-fact tone, he does not shy away from his grief at his son's suicide attempt or his difficulties returning from war in Vietnam. Another strength is the conversational quality of the writing itself. At first it bugged me, short sentences put together into these meandering run-on paragraphs, but after some reading I began to think more of Italian vocal technique, where the tone continues, rising and falling, with words just dotted on the surface. Eventually it felt like I was just hanging out with the guy, listening to his interesting stories. There are times when the writing falls down, for example during an extended series of sports metaphors during a dicussion of racism, or in the rather forced series of kangaroo references when describing a tribal "kangaroo court". But despite these problems I found the writing compelling and accessible. I'm not qualified to analyze the political arguments he sometimes makes, but his perspective on treaty rights, sports mascots, and gambling will certainly stay with me, informing and broadening my thinking when I next encounter these issues in daily life.

Excellent book. Would recomend any of her books to everyone. It was one of those books I didn't want to end.

Anyone who has ever experienced the damp cool of forest shadows, heard the russle of leaves as a wild occupant gathers food, or stood in awe while listening to the forest breath high in the tree tops upon a gentle breeze, will immediately be transported back to that magical place through the words of Helen Hoover and the wonderful illustrations of her artist husband Ade. Fleeing the city of Chicago to risk making a life in the far northern woods of Minnesota, seeking virgin timber and solitude, Helen writes of their struggles with near poverty and the anxiety of isolation. Through it all they find peace of mind and spirit, and advocate for the preservation of wild natural places to the greatest degree possible. Once you read one of her books you will collect them all, and like another reviewer has so stated, you read them over and over and over again. Dr. Daniel Baney

Helen Hoover is one of those rare people (apparently) who is gifted on both sides of the brain. She was a very successful scientist in Chicago in an era when women scientists were few and far between. Tired of city life and realizing she and her husband had a now or never shot at a new life in the north woods, they took the plunge and basically burned all their bridges, spent their nest egg, and bought a cabin in Minnesota. This is the story of the winter, of the wilderness people, of their animal and human friends, and their struggle. Mostly, in fact it is about their struggle to adapt, and is a revelation of their character and commitment as they deal with one obstacle after another, each one by itself difficult enough to precipitate an honorable surrender, as most people expected would happen. Instead of surrendering they thrived, however, and this is the story of their first year in the woods. It is not laugh out loud funny, and is as much a story of home repairs, on the surface, as anything, but all the small details, patched together, tell a story that is worth hearing. I feel like a heel being the first reviewer not to give it 5 stars, but 5 stars means a classic to me. I couldn't put it in the classic category, but I still found it a very good book.

I picked this book up off of my parents shelf when looking for something to read - how refreshing! Helen and Ade's struggles to make it outside of the material world are an inspiration to me. Being someone who always wanted to move "off the grid" and live off the land, it's neat to know it can be done. I have not taken that step as of yet, but it's always tempting, cannot wait to read her other books. If you're looking for a refreshing read that is a basic down to earth true story, this is one for you.

A place in the woods lets you get a sense of spending time in the deep woods of the north. Well written story about getting away from it all to spend life in a simple place with few material things but rich with nature and its pleasures. A story of persistance and self reliance rare in today's world. I enjoyed this years ago and enjoyed it just as much here 30 years or so later. Find a quiet place, read and be taken away form your own problems.