Pennsylvania Books

I read through the first ten Mario Balzic novels by K.C. Constantine consecutively, not knowing that I had stopped short of the final book in the series, "Cranks and Shadows." The end of the road for Mario Balzic is a bittersweet conclusion, although over the course of the last few novels I had found myself in total agreement with his wife Ruth that he needs to pay more attention to her and learn to stop being totally consumed by his job as Police Chief of Rocksburg, Pennsylvania. For ten books Balzic has stubbornly avoided doing either and his Achilles heel has been that as good as he is at wearing people done through intense conversations, his wife can turn the tables on him in that particular arena. The question is whether Balzis is going to go out with a bang or with a whimper.

Rockburg is seeing hard times. Already the Sanitation Department, the city's vehicle mechanics, its plumber, and two carpenters have been replaced by private contractors. It has been eight years since Balzic has hired any new officers for the Police Department or that his men have seen a promotion. Now Mayor Kenny Strohn has told Balzic to layoff five officers, leaving him but twenty-five members to police an economically depressed city of 15,000. As if that was not bad enough, Balzic is stunned to discover a small group of heavily armed, camouflaged commandos rappelling out of a blue-and-white helicopter. The chief cannot get any answers out of these para-military figures, which means he is going to start asking hard questions. When he learns what is going on in his town and discovers that not everybody has the same idea of public service that has been the rock upon which Balzic has built his career, he realizes it is time to reconsider what is left of his life.

The first part of "Cranks and Shadows" was a bit of rough going for me because it seemed that Balzic was no longer raging against the injustice of the world around him but had been reduced to ranting. His conversations, always the strong point of these novels and the way by which he does his job, were becoming decidedly one sided and it was becoming commonplace for people to tell Balzic they were not telling him things he should probably know because they did not want to get into it with him. But then there is a point in the story where everything changes and Balzic does more listening to Ruth and engages in more introspective examinations of his life. Constantine is setting up not only his character for the end of the road, but his readers as well.

The ending to "Cranks and Shadows" is not particularly satisfying, but that presupposes that a "happy" ending is possible in Balzic's world of Rocksburg in the Reagan-Bush eighties where the end of revenue sharing changed everything for local governments. Constantine cannot be faulted for providing a realistic conclusion to Balzic's career and it is difficult not to agree that there is an appropriateness to the way the story ends given the rocky road the character has traveled. After all, to quote my old college professor, nobody promised fair. These eleven Mario Balzic novels, the first half of which are more traditional mystery books, remains a superb character study of irascible hero and the particular region he calls home. I realize this is not Constantine's last novel and I will be interesting to see what it is like to read one his novels that is not about Mario Balzic.

K.C. Constantine started his publishing career with The Rocksburg Railroad Murders, which was published by a small literary press in Boston. Over the years, Constantine's eye and skill have become so remarkable that he transcends both the mystery genre and the limitations of series character works.

Constantine has an ear for dialogue that rivals George V. Higgins, and his narrator, Police Chief Mario Balzic, is a proud, despairing, upstanding man in a town that's been falling apart for 20 years. Rocksburg is the mystery novel's answer to Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha County, rendered with all the family intrigue and hardscrabble perseverance alive and intact. Often there's no murder, or mystery in a conventional sense in these novels -- the thing that is grand about them is that through Balzic's eyes we can see our everyday lives as a mystery, where we do the best we can with the clues we've got.

This book might be a textbook for a first level graduate course in gender variance. If you've already read a lot on the subject, this book will help you to organize your thoughts (and your library). It's a wonderful survey, both from a historical standpoint and from a cross-cultural standpoint. There is also a critical, but sensible, review of the various biological, psychological and sociological explanations of gender variance. The authors suggest that no one explanation suffices; this book was written in 1993 and although a lot has been learned since then, I would guess that they would draw the same conclusion today if they were preparing a second edition. Which I hope they are! Either way, they also argue that gender variance is not a disease (but we already knew that, didn't we!) unless it causes other problems in the life of a particular individual. Although I have described this book as a "textbook", it isn't at all dry, musty and academic. There are endnotes for each chapter which you can reference for aditional reading, and rather than a bibliography the final chapter is the authors' well-thought out list of recommendations for additional reading. Because they tell you why they selected these books, you will find their recommendations very useful. An unusual book---a great textbook and a great read!

A marvelous read that goes well into the sexological depths of cross dressing. It resists a disease model approach discussion of gender variance and gives a more interdisciplinary account. Since the authors have been providing great contributions to the field of transgender studies for so long, they are easily able to provide historical analyses of cross dressing, sex and gender that are rivetting.

This is but one of the amazing texts in their treasure trove. It can easily be read by both scholars and a general reader since it is so accessible and well written.

This is a great read. It is clear and concise, and offers a great look into the time period.

This book is a well-focused incursion into several ongoing debates in early American historiography. Anyone who has read academic history about that period in the last thirty years should be aware of the republicanism-liberalism debates as well as the arguments surrounding the development of capitalism in the early republic.
Shankman's book focuses on Pennsylvania politics during the years of the Jefferson and Madison administrations as well as the decades immediately prior and after. Pennsylvania had the most advanced and diversified economy of any of the states. For that reason, Shankman believes that the arguments among the various factions of the Jeffersonian party ended up being of great consequence. Much of the rest of the country followed Pennsylvania's lead and the broad consensus that came out of Pennsylvania in regards to the meaning of democracy and the state's role in economic development became the national consensus for the first half of the nineteenth century.
Shankman's first chapter is a superb exposition of the development of the opposition to Hamilton's economic policies and to Adam's assertion of national power in reaction to the Whiskey Rebellion and in the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts. His exposition is concise and very even handed. On the state level, three strands of Jeffersonians emerged: the Quids, the Snyderites and the Philadelphia Democrats. Shankman delineates their differences and traces those to differences in their geographical origins and social status.
As long as they were a party of opposition these three variants were able to work together. With the election of Jefferson in 1800 their differences fractured their alliance.
This is the meaning of Shankman's title. The "crucible of conflict" is practically a mantra throughout this book. The idea is that the political debates and electoral conflicts in Pennsylvania drove the Jeffersonian's thought in directions it would not otherwise have gone. In the end, they had to either give up some of their cherished ideals or be brushed aside in state politics as irrelevant.
For example, one of the basic assumptions of the thought of the time was the idea of "the people". There was this sense that there was a common interest that united the whole populace. If no one started out from a position of too much relative wealth or political influence and if all were allowed to freely pursue their dreams then no major conflicts could develop among the people. If there was discord, it was due to distortions in the system, e.g., the judges manipulating the judicial system in defiance of the majority (the more things change...) The problem that the Jeffersonians had to face was "the creative endeavors of certain citizens were causing inequality to grow among citizens" (p.168).
The eventual solution to the issue of equality and economic development was to allow everyone an "untrammeled right to pursue his self-interest" (p.165).
This development is played out in Shankman's telling of the 1805 governor's race. This chapter is another incisive exposition. Shankman is an excellent writer.
One final but very important point. In his final chapter, Shankman positions his thesis in the ongoing debates that I mentioned at the beginning. He expounds on Merrill and Wilentz' point that it is easy to look back at this period and to see the development of a capitalist economy as being inevitable. They point out that while everyone back then embraced "commerce and commodity production" that that is not the same thing as capitalism (p.240). This is a common problem in historical writings. A wide open development is seen as having been almost inevitable. One of the real strengths of Shankman's book is that he reminds us just how wild and wooly in possibility this period was. Capitalism was not inevitable. We could have gone a different way. This is a superb telling of why we went the way we did.

Damn Dutch, is not only highly readble and flawlessly presented, it is extremely thought provoking. If you want to immerse yourself in an excellent history that reads like a novel, pick up Damn Dutch. Co-author Keller shines and adds significantly to the power of this story that has long been overshadowed by the Civil War's more "popular" vingettes.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Valuska and Keller's Damn Dutch. It not only covered the actions of Pennsylvania's German soldiers in the important battle of Gettysburg, but also those of the Pennsylvania Dutch ((descendents of eighteenth century German-speaking immigrants who developed their own dialect and culture in the Keystone State).

Although approximately two hundred thousand native Germans and many descendents of Germans fought for the Union during the Civil War, scant attention has been paid to their wartime military service or how they viewed the war. Therefore, Damn Dutch is a welcome addition to the very limited number of studies about Germans in the Civil War.
This book is well researched and well written. It is both a military history and a social history, and in addition describing military actions also addresses how the battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War in general affected Pennsylvania's immigrant Germans and the Pennsylvania Dutch. I highly recommend it.

Kat Donaldson is the proud owner of A Discerning Eye Fine Arts. She thrives on discovering new artists and being the first to display their work in her gallery. She wears a silver bracelet that marks her as a member of the Platinum Society, a sex club with very strict entry requirements. Her current companion, Jules, is very submissive. Kat longs to be dominated, so when Jules proposes she turns him down. She wants a man that can dominate her, and Jules definitely isn't that man.

Magnus Thorvald is a talented woodworker. He had learned to use the chisel from his grandfather. He tends to see his woodworking as more of a hobby. His real job is as a bouncer at his brother, Soren's, establishment. Magnus had divorced his promiscuous ex-wife three years ago, but he's still hurting from her betrayal. He's promised himself that if he ever gets involved in another relationship than he would dominate her, or there would be no relationship.

Kat hears about Magnus' woodworking skills while at a reception she's hosting for her friend Lyssa Markham's paintings. Even though Kat doesn't normally handle furniture, she finds herself curious about the reclusive artist and tracks him down living in a converted barn. Upon entering the barn, Kat soon realizes that while Magnus' woodwork is definitely first-class artwork, but so is the man himself. Too bad, he's so stubbornly pig-headed. Magnus is not thrilled with Kat. She may have arrived at his home just to see his woodwork but her appearance is messing with his mind. Kat oozes sensuality and Magnus has been celibate for three years. He desperately misses sex but he isn't about to trust a woman. He's been burned twice in the past. He's not about to allow another woman the opportunity to burn him again.

Having previously read DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS, I had to read this continuation of the story. I loved having the opportunity to revisit characters from the first book. Magnus and Kat's story is endearingly well written and emotionally charged. They are both confident, self-supporting, lonely people. Emotionally they need each other but neither are willing to give in. I could feel the heat of both characters' anger after one of their verbal battles, as well as their frustration when they weren't able to communicate properly. DANCE OF THE BUTTERFLY is the second book in Cris Anson's DANCE series. This book is definitely a keeper, and one I'll read many times in the future.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

I READ DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS FIRST - LOVED IT SO BOUGHT THIS ONE - LOVED IT TOO! REALLY GREAT READ - LOTS OF SEX, SEX, SEX! LOTS OF SEXUAL TENSION AND I ENJOYED THE STRONG FEMALE LEAD! I RECOMMEND IT.

An excellent book. Definitely not a happy book, but one that is extremely informative about the US and Canadian Justice Systems, and their impacts on everyday families. An amazing glimpse of how people deal with tragedy, and what it takes to get a killer behind bars.

This is very personal to my heart since my very good friend is very close to the Bagby family & I am from Pennsylvania where this tragedy took place. David Bagby's writing is very eloquent, considering the circumstance. I hope this story of how the Canadian Government failed this family will help change the laws in Canada. An EXCELLENT read.

Sue Hartigan said it very well so we stand by her qualified review.

The book is great.

Fay Cunningham is a middle aged, fourty pound overweight, menopausal, divorcee who is trying to quit a twenty-year, pack a day smoking habit. She has a daughter in college, and is the publisher of the town's very successful newspaper. She recently handed over her newspaper duties, for the time being, to see if she still wants to continue doing it. In the meantime she is delivering the papers herself to get closer to her customers, help her with her depression, and to lose the weight she has gained from not smoking. Faye Cunningham is what a lot of us are, a lady trying to find herself. But she is also much more than that. She is also a very loyal, and trustworthy friend. And so on a rainy, dreary day, when she went to the door of Joe Wise, one of her closest friends, to deliver his newspaper, and a strange woman, very rudely answered the door, saying that Joe isn't there, Fay becomes very curious.

Leaving Joe's house she goes to the "gossip corner", a nearby restaurant in town, and finds the former police chief, Mitch Malone, there having lunch. Not someone she is particularly happy to see at the moment. I have got to say that I was hooked on A DANGEROUS WOMAN when I read the very first paragraph. And Ms. Lee did not let me go. She has created a character, in Fay Cunningham, that most of us can relate to. A funny, not so perfect, but warm woman, who is trying to find herself after a devastating divorce. A woman who is so loyal to her friends that she puts own problems on the back burner, to make sure that they are alright, and not in harm's way. Bumbling along, but not giving up when things don't quite go the way that she wants them to.

A DANGEROUS WOMAN is a wonderful cozy, mystery that you will just want to curl up with, and forget the rest of the world, as Ms Lee pulls you into Fay's world. And you will not be sorry, because you will laugh, you will cry, you will bite your nails. Ms. Lee writes in such a fashion that it is easy to get to know Fay, and all of the other characters that she brings into the story. The plot keeps your interest, and makes you want to keep going. The characters are alive, and breathing. And you can't help but relate to the wonderful heroin, Faye.

If I could order up a friend, with all the qualities I desired, I would want a friend just like Fay Cunningham. And, I know, after reading A DANGEROUS WOMAN you will too.

I just can't say enough about this wonderful book. I just hope that this isn't the last Faye Cunningham mystery. A DANGEROUS WOMAN is much too good to not have a sequel. And believe me when, and if, it appears, I will be the first one in line to get it. And anymore thereafter.

Mike,outdoor writer, naturalist & conservation activist, passed away at 49. He epitomizes,in this his 2nd last book, the adage: "God does NOT! deduct from out Time here,on Earth,...days spent...fishing."

Days on the Water isn't a fishing book, per se. It's about the history, folklore, and traditions of fishing, as much well-written literature as it is a compendium of fishing lore and information. This isn't a "how to fish" book, or a "let me tell you how I bagged the big one" book. Days on the Water appeals to anglers, anglers' relatives, history buffs, nature enthusiasts, and those who appreciate good, straight-from-the-hip prose in the Hemingway style.

Not only is this book an important contribution to the deliberative democracry debate, it is essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of American democracy. Coming at a time when political discourse has been reduced to television soundbites, the inane commentary of media "pundits," cynical, poll-driven stump speeches, and barely coherent, question-dodging press conferences, Leib's call for a fourth, "popular," branch of government couldn't be more timely.
This book will appeal to specialists and amateurs alike. I highly recommend it.

Not only is this book an important contribution to the deliberative democracry debate, it is essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of American democracy. Coming at a time when political discourse has been reduced to television soundbites, the inane commentary of media "pundits," cynical, poll-driven stump speeches, and barely coherent, question-dodging press conferences, Leib's ideas about a fourth, "popular," branch of government couldn't be more timely.

This book will appeal to specialists and amateurs alike. I highly recommend it.

The Mahmutcehajic's work is a perfect literature for anyone who ever wanted to know why Bosnian war happened, why Genocide, Concentration camps and enormous human suffering and misery occurred at the end of the twentieth century and what was this conflict all about. I am sure this essay will satisfy anyone who wants to discover more about Bosnian tragedy either professionally or out of curiosity. For historians an politicians Mahmutcehajic's work represents an excellent and detailed expertise, for history, politics or international affairs Students it is the richest resource available about War in Bosnia and for just a curious reader it is the best yet informer about one of the greatest human tragedies in this century.

The Mahmutcehajic's work is a perfect literature for anyone who ever wanted to know why Bosnian war happened, why Genocide, Concentration camps and enormous human suffering and misery occurred at the end of the twentieth century and what was this conflict all about. I am sure this essay will satisfy anyone who wants to discover more about Bosnian tragedy either professionally or out of curiosity. For historians an politicians Mahmutcehajic's work represents an excellent and detailed expertise, for history, politics or international affairs Students it is the richest resource available about War in Bosnia and for just a curious reader it is the best yet informer about one of the greatest human tragedies in this century.