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| 17,220
| 2016
| Oct 06, 2016
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liked it
| 3.5 stars In this 7th book in the 'Shetland' series - set in Scotland's Shetland Islands - Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez investigates the death of a 3.5 stars In this 7th book in the 'Shetland' series - set in Scotland's Shetland Islands - Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez investigates the death of a beautiful stranger. The book works fine as a standalone. [image] [image] Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez and some of his Shetland neighbors are at the funeral of elderly Magnus Tate when the landslide starts. [image] Relentless as a rushing river, the earth, mud, and rocks denude the hillside and force their way through a small croft, smashing windows and breaking down the door. [image] Perez can't remember anyone living in the croft since its owner, Minnie Laurenson, died. Still, a tenant might be smothered or crushed, and Jimmy has to check. As Jimmy approaches the damaged croft he sees the body of a beautiful dark-haired woman clothed in a red silk dress. Jimmy doesn't recognize the woman, and no one admits to knowing who she is. [image] Perez assumes the woman was killed by the battering mud and rocks and is surprised when the medical examiner says the victim was murdered.... strangled with a belt. Jimmy assumes the killer meant to dispose of the body, but was stymied by the mudslide. To help with the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Willow Reeves and her crime scene investigator Vicki fly in from the mainland. [image] [image] The policewomen work with DI Perez and his colleague, Sergeant Sandy Wilson. Sandy's always striving to hone his detective chops, and he works hard to make good contributions to the case. [image] The investigators' first order of business is to identify the victim, which takes some time since she entered Shetland using a false identity, calling herself Alis. While the detectives search for 'Alis's' real name they interview people who may have seen her around. [image] The investigators learn 'Alis' first visited Shetland 15 years ago, and probably met some people on the island. However the Shetlanders are very cagey about admitting they ever knew'Alis', probably because she's a murder victim. [image] As the investigation unfolds, the detectives learn 'Alis' bought a bottle of champagne and some food, which seems to indicate she had an assignation. It turns out someone saw a man in the croft talking to 'Alis' but they keep mum. In fact, lots of people keep secrets or lie, and Jimmy, Willow, and Sandy have to dig deep to uncover the murderer. [image] As the narrative progresses, we also catch a glimpse of the characters' private lives. Jimmy is raising Cassie, the daughter of his deceased fiancée Fran, whom Jimmy still misses terribly. Nevertheless, Jimmy's just beginning to move on romantically, and he MIGHT have a tenuous connection with Willow Reeves. [image] Sandy's also involved with a woman, a schoolteacher named Louisa, and Sandy's planning a special Valentine surprise for her. [image] The twisty plot contains several surprises, as would be expected from talented mystery writer Ann Cleeves. The novel is a must read for fans of the 'Shetland' books. In case you don't know, 'Shetland' is also an entertaining television series. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Apr 22, 2025
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| 038554376X
| 9780385543767
| 038554376X
| 4.16
| 136,931
| Apr 07, 2020
| Apr 07, 2020
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really liked it
| Mimi and Don Galvin married during World War II and had twelve children (ten boys and two girls) between 1945 and 1965. [image] Young Mimi and Don Galvi Mimi and Don Galvin married during World War II and had twelve children (ten boys and two girls) between 1945 and 1965. [image] Young Mimi and Don Galvin Don was an ambitious man, and during their marriage Don studied at Georgetown University, enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve, transferred to the Navy, then enlisted in the Air Force. Don eventually earned a PhD degree, and became a college professor and an advisor to governors and tycoons. [image] Mimi and Don Galvin at Don's PhD graduation As Don was off doing his thing, Mimi - largely alone - raised the children in the Galvin home on Hidden Valley Road in Colorado Springs, Colorado. [image] The Galvin home on Hidden Valley Road in Colorado Springs, Colorado [image] Mimi Galvin and her children in front of the family home The Galvin family is well known because six of the sons were diagnosed with schizophrenia as young adults. [image] In this book, author Robert Kolker tells the story of the Galvin family, and discusses their contribution to the study of mental illness by scientists and doctors. The Galvin offspring, in order, are: Donald, Jim, John, Brian, Michael, Richard, Joe, Mark, Matt, Peter, Margaret, and Mary (who changed her name to Lindsay). [image] The six boys who fell ill, one after another, are Donald, Jim, Brian, Joe, Matt, and Peter. These young men "took ill at a time when so little was understood about schizophrenia - and so many different theories were colliding with one another - that the search for an explanation overshadowed everything about their lives. They lived through the eras of institutionalization and shock therapy; the debates between psychotherapy versus medication; the needle-in-a-haystack search for genetic markers for the disease, and the profound disagreements about the cause and origin of the illness itself." [image] Mental Institution [image] Shock Therapy Sadly, the children who didn't fall ill suffered terribly as well. Kolker observes, "It is hard enough to individuate oneself in any family with twelve children; here was a family that was defined by dynamics like no other, where the state of being mentally ill became the norm of the household." For the 'healthy' offspring, "being a member of the Galvin family was about either going insane yourself or watching your family go insane....How much longer, they wondered, before it would overtake them, too?" [image] The Galvin Family To add to the problem, Mimi and Don Galvin were pillars of the community, proud of their position in society and their comradery with politicians and socialites. [image] Mimi Galvin [image] Don Galvin with his falcon Thus when the Galvin's oldest son Donald fell ill, and began to behave in a bizarre fashion - torturing cats; walking into bonfires; breaking dishes; yelling about attackers in the house; and trying to kill himself and his estranged wife - Mimi and Don tried to keep Donald's illness a secret, hoping he'd get better. [image] Donald Galvin (school portrait) [image] Donald Galvin As son after son succumbed to schizophrenia, secrecy and denial became more difficult and dangerous. For instance, Brian ended up shooting his girlfriend and himself in a murder-suicide; [image] Brian Galvin was a gifted musician [image] Brian Galvin and Jim became a wife beater who sexually molested his sisters Margaret and Mary for years, and abused some of his brothers as well. [image] Jim Galvin (School portrait) [image] Jim Galvin Kolker, who interviewed many Galvin family members and did a huge amount of research, provides an in depth look at the entire Galvin family, and the behavior of the children growing up. Kolker describes a 'pecking order' in which Donald would beat up on his younger siblings....a habit that trickled down. Mimi and Don left the children to sort this out among themselves, in part because Donald, a handsome boy and star athlete, was (apparently) their favorite. [image] Donald Galvin was a star athlete Starting in the 1980s, the Galvin family became the subject of a study by researchers trying to understand schizophrenia. "Their genetic material has been analyzed by the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; the National institute of Mental Health, and more than one pharmaceutical company." Physicians and scientists have been debating the nature/nurture question of schizophrenia for decades, and most now believe the disease has a genetic component, but may be triggered by environmental factors. [image] As I read about the Galvin family, I speculated about possible stressors (or contributing factors) that could trigger schizophrenia in the genetically fragile boys. For instance, Mimi herself was sexually assaulted by her stepfather when she was a child, and she wouldn't stop having children until her doctor put his foot down; Don Sr. was largely an absentee father who had multiple affairs and refrained from disciplining his children; Donald Jr. (and some of his brothers) were sexually molested by a priest who was a close friend of the family; all the children were in awe of their charismatic/accomplished father and strove to live up to his example, but none could; and more. By now the Galvins are famous, and the subject of numerous television and YouTube documentaries about schizophrenia. Mary (Lindsay) Galvin has cooperated extensively to tell her family's story, in hopes of disseminating knowledge about this dread illness. [image] Mary Galvin "By some estimates, schizophrenia affects an estimated one in 100 people � or more than 3 million people in America, and 82 million people worldwide. Many of the antipsychotic drugs used to treat schizophrenia have dangerous side effects; some actually induce psychosis and cause heart problems." [image] "One in 20 people who have psychotic breaks commit suicide, and although antipsychotic drugs prevent breaks from happening, they often are administered when it is too late. There is no clear way to diagnose schizophrenia; there is no cure, and medications just mute the psychosis." [image] From left to right: Matthew, Richard, Mark, Mary, Donald, Peter, John, and Michael. March 2022 If you're interested in reading another good book about a schizophrenic son, I recommend He Came in With It: A Portrait of Motherhood and Madness by Miriam Feldman [image] You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Apr 21, 2025
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Hardcover
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| 1101592419
| 9781101592410
| B0DJX3VP68
| 4.52
| 25,384
| Mar 18, 2025
| Mar 18, 2025
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Notes are private!
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Apr 16, 2025
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Apr 24, 2025
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Apr 16, 2025
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Kindle Edition
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| 0803298412
| 9780803298415
| 0803298412
| 3.61
| 450
| 1951
| Oct 01, 2004
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really liked it
| This book, published in 1951, speculates about the consequences of a monumental life-changing event. As the story opens, World War II recently ended, t This book, published in 1951, speculates about the consequences of a monumental life-changing event. As the story opens, World War II recently ended, the cold war is causing tension between the U.S. and Russia, and Americans are getting on with their lives. [image] Dr. William Gaunt, Ph.D. is a highly respected philosopher living in Miami, Florida with his wife, Dr. Paula Gaunt. [image] [image] Paula has an M.A and a Ph.D. in ancient and modern languages: Sanskrit, Latin, Greek, Russian, and a bit of Chinese. William was pleased and proud, but perhaps slightly patronizing, when Paula continued to study in the early years of their marriage, expecting her to be a homemaker and mother. Nevertheless, William gladly makes use of Paula's talent to critique his lectures and papers. [image] William exemplifies the patronizing attitude men have towards women in the mid-20th century, no matter how accomplished the females are. The Gaunts' daughter Edwinna tells it as it is when she rails at her mother: Phooie! Twenty years of hard studying to learn a lot of things you've never used. Twenty-seven years of being dad's housekeeper and errand boy. All you do is write grocery lists in plain English and add drugstore bills and count dirty clothes. [image] That's all about to change. On February 14, 1950, the world splits into (what I'll call) two dimensions. In one dimension all the human females disappear, leaving only men. [image] In the alternate dimension, all the human males disappear, leaving only women. [image] This happens instantaneously, so in the women's world, planes are suddenly pilotless, trains are abruptly without engineers, delivery trucks lose their drivers, and so on. And women pregnant with boys suddenly find the mounds of their abdomens relaxed, caved in, all evidence of pregnancy vanished. [image] In the men's world, wives, mothers, daughters, housekeepers, etc. abruptly vanish. Food is left on the stove to burn; nurses disappear from patients' bedsides; frightened little boys wail for their mommies; etc. [image] In the first moments after the split, there are crashes and chaos in the women's world; [image] and bewilderment and fright in the men's world. No one can fathom, much less believe, what happened. [image] In the men's realm, William Gaunt speculates this might be mass hypnosis or universal schizophrenia. [image] In the women's realm, Paula Gaunt immediately has to deal with a flaming power pole felled by a car crash. And in both domains, America and Russia point fingers at each other. [image] Once the confusion subsides, and both genders realize they're now on their own, the men and women start to deal with the bizarre situation. On the men's side, Russia and the U.S embark on a short-lived nuclear war, then make peace. [image] On the women's side, by contrast, American and Russian women arrange a détente and work together. [image] In the men's realm, the president of the U.S. summons a 'Committee of Savants' to Washington for discussion and investigation, and Dr. Gaunt heads one of the committees. Since the men's domain is chock full of scientists and researchers, they try to find a scientific explanation for what happened, with hopes of finding a solution. In his committee reports, Dr. Gaunt philosophizes endlessly about Adam and Eve; men and women; right and wrong; etc. and it's clear author Philip Wylie is using Gaunt as a mouthpiece for his own views. (This frequent cogitating gets old fast.) [image] In the women's realm, the wives of vanished politicians try to form a government of sorts, but get caught up in discussions of a suitable uniform for members - which should be chic, to keep up morale. [image] "The secretary of state, twice listed amongst America's ten best-dressed women, had had the forethought to invite to the congress her world-famed couturier, Elsie Bazzmalk." (Talk about a cliché, but the book needs some comic relief. LOL). Homosexual activity increases in both dimensions, and as might be expected, the men's world (at least in the U.S.) manufactures sex dolls. This gives author Philip Wylie an opening to speculate about men and women and marriage. [image] When Gaunt sees a store selling sex dolls, he ponders: "To many men, a wife was little more than such an object as these dolls. Men of that sort were allured by the externals....They married not a personality - a mind, a cultural entity, a bundle of genes, ideas, or a soul - but a blue-eyed blonde with a good figure....Their 'love' was confined to using her as an erotic toy.....His [real life] chosen mate would age....child-bearing, child-rearing, domestic duties, and perhaps a job (along with the years) would gradually destroy in his mate every vestige for the reason he had once discovered for marrying her." Of course, these men might ditch their wives for young women. [image] As for the women, Gaunt thinks, "Often too, such a wife's not unnatural opinion that she was more than mechanical lust-putty led her to resentment." So, "both she and her miserable husband became embodiments of a general resentment - against each other, life, and the wide world." [image] Unfortunately for the female world, no women have run factories, power plants, homesteads, mines, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and so on, and things are very tough for them. Paula Gaunt becomes the head of various committees, and she's instrumental in organizing small farms, fire departments (such as they are), police departments (such as they are), delivery services, health care, hunting parties, and other necessities. [image] [image] Nevertheless, the women's world reverts to something between being hunter-gatherers and primitive farmers, as in prehistoric times. There are nurses, but very few doctors, and - once the medicine runs out - disease runs rampant. Moreover, most industries soon revert to rust and ruins. [image] The men's side does much better with technology, but the men's homes become messy and untended; their clothing gets slovenly and dirty; they lose their appetites; they feel sad and depressed; and so on. [image] [image] Both men's and women's worlds attempt parthenogenesis (asexual reproduction) to produce babies, but aren't successful. And both worlds experience violence, looting, murder, and havoc of all kinds. The separation goes on year after year......and that's all I'll say. I'd like to think an experience like this would teach both genders a lesson: men to respect and value women as more than wives, mothers, and helpmates; and women to assert themselves and insist on self-fulfillment on their own terms. I'm not sure if this happens in 'The Disappearance', but kudos to author Philip Wylie for (at least) understanding the issues. [image] Author Philip Wylie I've seen reviews criticizing the book's homophobic and racist overtones, and though this is grating, I don't think it's unusual for the 1950s. It would be interesting to see the 'disappearance' premise addressed in current times, when women (at least in the Western world) have diverse careers; same-sex marriage hardly turns heads; and cloning babies is a real possibility. [image] The book is worth reading just for the speculative (though not completely unheard of) premise. Recommended to fans of dystopian novels. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Apr 13, 2025
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Paperback
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| 1250331803
| 9781250331809
| 1250331803
| 4.26
| 1,207
| Aug 06, 2024
| Aug 06, 2024
|
liked it
| 3.5 stars In this 15th book in the 'Chet and Bernie' series, the detective team investigates a financial scam. In the Chet and Bernie stories, Ber 3.5 stars In this 15th book in the 'Chet and Bernie' series, the detective team investigates a financial scam. In the Chet and Bernie stories, Bernie Little and his hundred-plus pound dog Chet are partners in the Little Detective Agency in Arizona. [image] Bernie is a West Point graduate, former police officer, and good at his PI job. Sartorially, Bernie is a fan of Hawaiian shirts, which are loose enough to hide a gun when Bernie's carrying. [image] Chet is Bernie's invaluable partner, always ready to clamp his jaw on perps and drag them off by the pants. [image] The books are narrated by Chet, whose somewhat limited vocabulary, unfamiliarity with idioms, and doggie logic set the stage for plenty of smiles. Bernie and Chet's next door neighbors, Daniel and Edna Parsons, are an elderly couple with a dog named Iggy. Bernie helps out the Parsons from time to time and one of those times is at the core of this story. [image] Mr. Parsons gets a call from his ex-convict son Billy, who's currently a director at ProCon, an NGO that helps former convicts get back on their feet. Billy asks his dad to loan him two thousand dollars for a few days, to fix a temporary payroll problem. [image] Mr. Parsons is proud Billy turned his life around, and is happy to lend his son the two grand. But when Mr. Parsons checks his bank account the next morning, ALL his money is gone, the entire $47,600. Bernie and Chet take Mr. Parsons to the bank, where they consult a bank manager called Ms. Mendez. [image] With gentle questioning, Ms. Mendez learns that Mr. Parsons is not familiar with online money transfers, and he gave Billy his password and banking number. One minute later ALL the funds were gone from Mr. Parsons' account, and the cash can't be traced. [image] Mr. Parsons can't believe his son would steal more than 45 thousand dollars from him, and Bernie and Chet set out to find Billy and see what happened. [image] Unfortunately, Billy seems to have vanished! Billy's live-in girlfriend doesn't know where he is, and Billy's secretary speculates her boss went off to help an ex-con having a hard time, as he's done before. [image] The plot thickens, and tragedy strikes, before this swindle is resolved. In an adjacent storyline, Bernie recently got engaged to his girlfriend, police officer Weatherly Wauneka. When Bernie happens to hear that a perp gave Weatherly a hard time, his masculine hormones kick in, and Bernie races off to rough up the thug. [image] This infuriates Weatherly, who can fight her own battles, thank you very much!! [image] Worse yet, the subsequent 'police brutality' charges get Weatherly suspended by the new district attorney - an arrogant woman with an agenda. Will this mishap end Bernie and Weatherly's engagement? Time will tell. For me, the plot of this novel is too convoluted, but I still enjoyed the book, especially Chet's narration. I'll include a couple of examples of Chet's amusing remarks. � Mr. Parsons is speaking to the banker, Ms. Mendez, and says, "Just let me get my ducks lined up." [image] Hearing this, Chet observes: Would it be true to say that I was totally on top of things up to this point? No. But no way was I expecting ducks. Where were they? I didn't have to look around for ducks. They have a very distinctive smell - a sort of combo of down pillows and an oven getting opened on Thanksgiving morning - and there wasn't a trace of it here. � When Bernie and Chet are passing a block with self-storage units, Chet notes: A very bothersome fact is that one of those self-storage units is ours. You'll never guess what's inside so I'll tell you. Hawaiian pants stacked floor to ceiling. balled up on shelves, hanging from wall hooks. Hawaiian pants are just like Hawaiian shirts, except for being pants. A lot of guys, Bernie included, love Hawaiian shirts, but it turns out that none, not even one lone dude, loves Hawaiian pants. I still remember the moment Bernie snapped his fingers and said, 'Hawaiian pants! Chet! We're rich! After that a whole boatload of Hawaiian pants arrived....and we didn't sell a single pair. [image] This worries Chet because it contributes to the Little Detective Agency's constant financial problems. [image] This is a fun mystery and a must-read for fans of the series. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
Notes are private!
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Apr 12, 2025
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Hardcover
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| 0063244748
| 9780063244740
| 0063244748
| 4.31
| 142,547
| Jul 09, 2024
| Jul 09, 2024
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it was amazing
| It's 1950 and 'Briarwood House' - a four-story, somewhat dilapidated women's boarding house in Washington D.C. - has had countless tenants since the t It's 1950 and 'Briarwood House' - a four-story, somewhat dilapidated women's boarding house in Washington D.C. - has had countless tenants since the turn of the century, but the dwelling paid little attention until now. [image] Briarwood House perks up when attractive, 35-year-old Grace March takes a small room on the fourth floor, with a 'kitchenette' consisting of a tiny ice box and a hot plate. [image] As the house looks on, Grace has a transformative effect on the residence, which is run by Mrs. Nilsson - a crotchety, penny-pinching landlady with two children named Pete and Lina. [image] Pete is a good-natured 13-year-old boy who helps his mother and does chores at Briarwood House. Pete reads Mickey Spillane crime novels and misses his dad, who left some time ago. [image] Lina is a nine-year-old girl with a lazy eye and learning problems. Lina enjoys 'Ozzie and Harriet' and likes to bake, but since Lina can't read the recipes very well, her confections are terrible. [image] When Grace March moves into Briarwood House, she organizes a weekly dinner for the lodgers every Thursday evening, when Mrs. Nilsson is away at her bridge club. The boarders dub themselves 'The Briar Club' and take turns cooking on Graces's hot plate or bringing food. [image] The women living at Briarwood House are: � Nora Walsh - a twenty-year-old Irish colleen who leaves Briarwood House in slim tailored suits for her job at the National Archives. Nora also moonlights at a restaurant, where she meets a charming gangster who steals her heart. The thorn in Nora's side is her brother Timmy, a married police officer who regularly raids Nora's purse for gambling and drinking money. [image] � Arlene Hupp - a woman with drilling eyes who works for the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Arlene wholeheartedly supports McCarthyism, and frequently rants about 'reds', to the irritation of her housemates. Arlene desperately wants to get married, and constantly schemes to get her boyfriend, FBI agent Harland Adams, to propose. [image] � Felicty Orton (Fliss) - an Englishwoman, trained as a nurse, who's raising her child alone while her physician husband serves in Korea. Fliss seems very put together in her stylish outfits, balancing a bowl of cookie dough on one hip, and her baby Angela on the other. In reality though, Fliss is anxious and exhausted. [image] � Claire Hallett - a sharp-eyed, sharp-tongued, big brassy redhead who's determined to save $8,000 to buy a house of her own. Claire works in the secretarial pool of a senator's office, and isn't above petty thievery to add to her bank account. [image] � Reka Muller - a 70-year-old Hungarian artist and art professor who escaped Nazi German....and was fleeced by the American senator who helped her emigrate. In America, Reka is reduced to shelving books in the Smoot Library, her one pleasure being the occasional excursion to New York City to visit art galleries. [image] � Bea Veretti - Bea was a baseball player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League until an injury ended her career. Bea, now a physical education teacher at Gompers Junior High School, speaks her mind and brooks no nonsense. [image] � Grace March - When Grace takes the top floor room at Briarwood House she tells suspicious Mrs. Nilsson she's a widow. Grace works in the Smoot Library with Reka, and demonstrates her artistic streak by painting vines and flowers on the inside walls of her room in the boarding house. Grace subverts Mrs. Nilsson's rules by smoking in the house, bringing men in after hours, and having 'coed' dinner parties in her room. When cheap Mrs. Nilsson ignores the needs and dreams of her children, Grace subtly steps in there as well. [image] As time passes, the residents of Briarwood House, who barely spoke to one another before Grace moved in, become something like a family. The women babysit for Fliss on occasion; assist Bea when she has to teach home economics classes that are waaaay out of her wheelhouse; provide moral support for each other; bake cookies to share; etc. [image] The book is structured as a murder mystery with flashbacks leading to the fatal day. From Briarwood House, we learn disaster struck on Thanksgiving Day, 1954. "The house flutters its curtains, rattles a door or two, takes another peek into the murder scene on the top floor. The green walls of that particular apartment are painted over with a vast, intricate flowered vine, but you'd be hard pressed to tell what kind of flowers under the blood splatter. This was a very enthusiastic murder, the house muses. Not one moment's hesitation from the hand swinging that blade." Detectives arrive at Briarwood House to investigate, question witnesses, and try to figure out what happened. [image] The police inquiry sections alternate with chapters about each of the residents, and we learn every woman's story. For example, we find out how Nora got involved with a gangster, and the progress (or not) of that relationship; we learn that Reka confronts the senator who stole her valuables, and the ramifications of that meeting; we find out Arlene sees communists around every corner, and shares Senator Joseph McCarthy's determination to get rid of them; etc. [image] Senator Joseph McCarthy The story reflects the prevailing culture of the 1950s. For instance: women are expected to forego careers to marry and take care of the home; Americans are afraid of the red menace; domestic abuse is swept under the rug; the Korean war is on people's minds; birth control devices are illegal in some states (can you believe it ‽�); segregation is rampant; jazz clubs - where Black and White people can congregate together - are targets of racists; and more. [image] There were also winds (or at least breezes) of change in the air, with Senator Margaret Chase Smith going up against Joseph McCarthy; ongoing research to develop birth control pills; hints of the upcoming 'free love' revolution; and other things. One of my favorite arcs in the book involves Lina's learning to bake, helped by the women in Briarwood House. It's fun and heartwarming to see Lina start to thrive. [image] As in all good mysteries, there are twists and a surprising denouement. As an added treat, author Kate Quinn includes recipes for Grace's sun tea and the dishes served at the 'The Briar Club' dinners, including: beef wellington bites; candle salad (which has everyone in stitches); fried chicken; haluski; medovik (8-layer honey cloud cake); ragu; rassolnik; and smoked salmon canapés. [image] Sun Tea [image] Beef Wellington Bites [image] Candle Salad [image] Fried Chicken [image] Haluski [image] Medovik (8-layer honey cloud cake) [image] Ragu [image] Rassolnik [image] Smoked Salmon Canapés This is a well-researched, well-written book with a compelling storyline. Highly recommended. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Apr 10, 2025
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Hardcover
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| 1538756358
| 9781538756355
| 1538756358
| 4.31
| 9,193
| Mar 25, 2025
| Mar 25, 2025
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liked it
| 3.5 stars Twenty-two years ago Sami Kierce had just graduated from college and was backpacking across Europe before starting classes at Columbia Univer 3.5 stars Twenty-two years ago Sami Kierce had just graduated from college and was backpacking across Europe before starting classes at Columbia University Medical School. [image] In a nightclub on Spain's Costal del Sol, Sami met a pretty girl called Anna and spent the next few days with her - drinking, dancing, taking drugs, having sex, and so on. [image] Then one morning Sami woke up with a bloody knife in his hand, and Anna's dead body beside him. Sami - who was sure he'd been drugged - threw away the knife, informed the police, and took the next plane home. Two decades later Kierce - who had felt too frightened, distressed, and disturbed to pursue a medical career - was a police detective. Being something of a wild card cop, Sami made one mistake too many and got thrown off the force. [image] Kierce is a now a family man, with a wife named Molly and a baby called Henry. [image] [image] To make ends meet, Sami is employed as an unlicensed private detective for a New York law firm, working for an attorney named Arthur. [image] Kierce also teaches a criminology class called 'No Shit, Sherlock' at an adult night school on NYC's Lower East Side. Sami observes, "The pamphlet advertising my course calls me a 'world renowned ex-police detective' alongside a headshot of me so unflattering the DMV is jealous." [image] Sami's gung-ho criminology students include three golden age women who call themselves 'The Pink Panthers'; [image] a trio of young women who have a true-crime podcast called 'Three Red Hots'; [image] Golfer Gary, who always wears a golf shirt with a logo from some ritzy club; [image] two bohemian types named Debbie and Raymond; and more. [image] Kierce is teaching his class one night when a doppelganger for Anna (if she was 20 years older) enters the classroom. [image] Kierce startles to see 'Anna', and she notices and runs out. Sami follows the woman to a luxurious estate in Connecticut, where he's threatened by two security guards and ejected. [image] [image] Sami feels compelled to find out about this woman, who - if she's really Anna - derailed his life. Sammy recalls, "I was supposed to be a physician. That had been my plan from as young as I can remember. If I hadn't gone to Spain and met Anna, I would have gone to Columbia University medical school that fall. I'd have done the four years. I'd have picked a specialty - I was interested in cardiology - and gone on to my internship and residency." Kierce investigates Anna with the help of his 'No Shit, Sherlock' students, who turn out to be excellent detectives. Meanwhile, Sami is faced with an additional heartrending problem. Tad Grayson, who was convicted of murdering Sami's fiancée Nicole two decades ago, is being released from prison for a faulty prosecution. Grayson can be retried if new evidence is found, and Sami puts his night school pupils on that case as well. [image] As the two inquiries proceed, there are surprising revelations a homicide, and a tricky resolution. Author Harlan Coben always writes good mysteries, and I enjoyed the book (even though one plot point is a bit predictable). Coben's first book featuring Detective Kierce, Fool Me Once, is a mini-series on Netflix, and this one is following suit. [image] Thanks to Netgalley, Harlan Coben, and Grand Central Publishing for a copy of the book. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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| 9781613166000
| 1613166001
| 4.36
| 206
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| Mar 04, 2025
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liked it
| 3.5 stars In this 18th book in the 'Jack Taylor' series, the sleuth takes on a variety of cases. The novel can be read as a standalone. Jack Taylor 3.5 stars In this 18th book in the 'Jack Taylor' series, the sleuth takes on a variety of cases. The novel can be read as a standalone. Jack Taylor was an officer in the Garda SÃochána (Irish Police) until he was dismissed from the force. Jack is now a private detective in Galway, known for his addiction to Jameson Irish Whiskey, his skills as a private investigator, and his ability to get things done. [image] Jack is also the appreciative owner of a Shih Tzu pup called Trip, bequeathed to Jack by a former nun. [image] The beginning of Galway's Edge made me think of the 1983 movie 'Star Chamber'. In the film, a secret society of Los Angeles judges administer punishment to criminals who escape courtroom justice. [image] In Galway's Edge, a group of Galway citizens, who call themselves 'Edge', administer justice to perps who evade the law. For instance, a child molester who couldn't be convicted was burned up in his car. [image] Though Edge tries to fly under the radar, the Vatican learns a Catholic priest called Kevin Whelan belongs to the group. [image] This could cause a scandal for the church, and Jack is hired to persuade Father Whelan to leave Edge. Jack speaks to the priest, and the next day Whelan is found dead, hanging from a rope in his backyard. The homicide leads Jack to look into Edge, whose membership is a closely kept secret. Jack "knows people" though, and he manages to get a list of Edge participants. These are: 1. Lukas Ortiz - literary agent 2. Philomena Dunphy - real estate mogul 3. P.J. Duggan - billionaire 4. Martin de Breen - best-selling author 5. Kevin Whelan - Catholic priest (now deceased) [image] After Father Whelan is killed, other Edge members are murdered one by one, and it seems someone has a grudge against the group. Jack comes to suspect the vindictive person is a British millionaire named George Benson, who tried to join Edge but was rejected. When Jack goes to Benson's office for a chat he's promptly thrown out, and more trouble follows. [image] In the meanwhile, Jack gets other cases. Jack's acquaintance, Mother Superior Therese, asks Jack to retrieve a gold cross encrusted with jewels that was stolen from the convent. [image] [image] A battered woman - who can't go to the police because her husband is a garde - asks Jack to intervene with her spouse. [image] A man who's dying from cancer hires Jack to kill him, so he can avoid a lingering painful death. [image] As usual in Jack Taylor novels, the book is filled with violence: shootings, stabbings, beatings with a hurling stick, amputations, being thrown off roofs, and more - and Jack finds himself on the wrong end sometimes. Nevertheless, Jack always gets some modicum of justice, which makes the books satisfying. [image] Jack is a very entertaining character, with his constant yen for a shot (or two or three) of Jameson; his clothing purchases in thrift stores for EVERY occasion; and his trouble with women. In one amusing scene Jack's three female acquaintances end up in his apartment at the same time, which doesn't go too well. [image] At heart, Jack is a good guy who'll give 20 pounds to a homeless man, and help almost anyone who needs assistance. [image] As a dog lover, I also appreciate that Jack bathes Trip, takes him to the dog park, and has canine treats on hand. [image] This is an engaging thriller, recommended to readers who enjoy the genre, especially Jack Taylor fans. (Sadly, author Ken Bruen died in March 2025, so we might not see more of Jack Taylor.) Thanks to Netgalley, Ken Bruen, and Mysterious Press for a copy of the book. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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| 9780914091929
| 0914091921
| 3.76
| 146
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| Mar 04, 2025
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really liked it
| 4.5 stars Bruce Vilanch (b. 1947) is an award-winning American comedy writer, songwriter, and actor. [image] Bruce Vilanch Vilanch is perhaps best known f 4.5 stars Bruce Vilanch (b. 1947) is an award-winning American comedy writer, songwriter, and actor. [image] Bruce Vilanch Vilanch is perhaps best known for his four year stretch on Hollywood Squares, but his career encompasses much more. Vilanch wrote for the Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and Tonys; starred as Emma Turnblad in the national tour of 'Hairspray'; wrote for celebrities like Bette Midler, Billy Crystal, Bob Hope, Cher, Paul Reiser, Robin Williams, Roseanne Barr, Shirley MacLaine, and Whoopi Goldberg; had a short-lived talk show; and much much more. Bruce has met/worked with myriad people in the entertainment industry, and seems to have a good word for everyone (or maybe he's just a nice guy ...more |
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| 1668023938
| 9781668023938
| 1668023938
| 3.99
| 73,893
| May 07, 2024
| May 07, 2024
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liked it
| The description of this book intrigued me, so I borrowed it from the library. In the end, I found the book less compelling than I expected. In a nutshe The description of this book intrigued me, so I borrowed it from the library. In the end, I found the book less compelling than I expected. In a nutshell: Elizabeth Black (Ellie) disappears from a party when she's 17 and reappears two years later, disheveled and much the worse for wear. Ellie won't talk about what happened to her, though Detective Chelsey Calhoun tries to press Ellie. Calhoun is especially driven because her own sister Lydia vanished many years ago. As the story unfolds, we learn that Ellie had a terrible experience, and things are much more complicated than they seem on the surface. The theme of men who mistreat, use, and abuse women is an important one, but 'kidnapping' stories are my least favorite mystery sub-genre, and on top of that, the plot of this novel seems very unrealistic to me. Still, this book received many high ratings, so I'd encourage potential readers to read other reviews for additional opinions. ...more |
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| 0399162372
| 9780399162374
| 0399162372
| 4.25
| 23,325
| Oct 2014
| Oct 07, 2014
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liked it
| 3.5 stars Virgil Flowers thrillers are spinoffs from John Sandford's 'Prey' series featuring Lucas Davenport - the lead investigator for Minnesota's Bu 3.5 stars Virgil Flowers thrillers are spinoffs from John Sandford's 'Prey' series featuring Lucas Davenport - the lead investigator for Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). [image] Virgil Flowers is also a detective for the BCA, and Lucas is his boss. In this 8th book in the 'Virgil Flowers' series, the investigator gets involved in three cases, which range from dogs to drugs to murder. [image] As the novel opens, these are dark days for dog lovers in southeast Minnesota. A ring of dog thieves are kidnapping pooches from their homes and selling them on the black market and to research labs. One of the dognappers is a scoundrel called D. Wayne Sharf, who's adept at snatching canines. [image] D. Wayne has just stolen Winky Butterfield's two beloved black labs, and Winky is bereft, angry, and vengeful. [image] Flowers' fishing buddy Johnson Johnson asks Virgil to catch the dog thieves and retrieve the missing canines, or else a group of vigilantes will take the law into their own hands. [image] Flowers' hunt for the stolen dogs takes him up into the hills of southeast Minnesota..... [image] .....where Virgil comes across a commercial meth lab housed in a trailer. [image] While Virgil is combing the Minnesota bluffs for stolen dogs and drug manufacturers, he happens to meet a local boy called Muddy Ruff. Muddy is an observant, rifle-toting twelve-year-old who knows the area well, and the boy is very helpful to Virgil and the drug-busting Feds. [image] While all this going on, a murder occurs in Trippton, Minnesota. The victim is a journalist called Clancy Connelly, who has unearthed an embezzlement scheme being perpetrated by the Buchanon County School Board. [image] The school board members - ALL of whom are supposedly upstanding citizens - have been stealing at least one million dollars per year by inflating prices for gas (for school buses) and by perpetrating other larcenous schemes. [image] When the school board members learn Connelly is about to expose them, they hold a meeting and vote to kill him. Connelly is shot in the back before he can file his report, and Flowers is called in to investigate. [image] Flowers soon becomes suspicious of the school board, and he takes steps - sometimes involving threats - to unmask the board members as thieves and killers. [image] The embezzlers become exceedingly nervous, which leads to more homicides, and Virgil himself becomes a target. (Who knew school boards were so ruthless‽�) [image] The Virgil Flowers novels mix humor with crime-solving, and "That F****n' Flowers" (Virgil's nickname) is a fierce investigator with a heart of gold. [image] Even dogs know this, which leads to a great finale for this thriller. [image] This is a good suspense novel, highly recommended. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Mar 30, 2025
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| 1250893119
| 9781250893116
| 1250893119
| 4.06
| 959
| Mar 09, 2023
| Feb 25, 2025
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liked it
| 3.5 stars In this 10th book in the 'Brittany Mystery' series, Commissaire Dupin investigates the murder of a wealthy sheep farmer from Belle-Île, an is 3.5 stars In this 10th book in the 'Brittany Mystery' series, Commissaire Dupin investigates the murder of a wealthy sheep farmer from Belle-Île, an island off the coast of Brittany, France. The book works fine as a standalone. [image] Brittany is in northwest France [image] Belle-Île is off the coast of Brittany Commissaire Georges Dupin, who started his police career in Paris, has been a Breton detective (detective in Brittany) for ten years. [image] Dupin loves his home on coastal Brittany, and revels in the blue and green sea, where he swims each morning with the gray seal who's befriended him. [image] [image] One morning the Breton sea contains more than marine creatures. The body of Patric Provost, a native of Belle-Île, is found in the harbor at Doëlan, where Patric was visiting his uncle. [image] Commissaire Dupin and his team are quickly dispatched to Belle-Île, a gorgeous little island with a riot of colors everywhere the eye can see. [image] [image] Dupin's squad learns that Provost was a VERY wealthy sheep farmer/landowner/landlord on Belle-Île, and that everyone who knew Patric disliked him. [image] The residents of the island describe Patric as a skinflint who relished in thwarting people's hopes and dreams. For example, Provost refused to repair his run-down, leaky rental properties; prevented his tenants from expanding their businesses; wouldn't allow other sheep farmers to acquire new breeds, etc. Now that Provost is dead, there are new opportunities for many people on Belle-Île. Moreover, Provost's last will and testament leaves his entire fortune, millions of Euros, to the island's wind energy project. This scheme is is meant to make Belle-Île self-sufficient with green energy. The wind turbine enterprise, led by the mayor, can now go ahead full steam!! [image] Since Patric's murder benefits almost everyone on Belle-Île, there are a plethora of suspects. Dupin and his detectives get busy interviewing people, checking their alibis, looking into their finances, and so on, in hopes of identifying the killer. [image] [image] The mystery at the heart of the novel is intriguing, but it's almost secondary to descriptions of beautiful Belle-Île, and anecdotes about the region and its history. As it happens, a member of Dupin's team, Inspector Riwal, has relatives on Belle-Île, and Riwal is a font of knowledge about the island. [image] As the investigators go about their business, Riwal is frequently reminded of appropriate stories to relate. For instance, Riwal observes: "The island is seventeen and half kilometers long, and nine kilometers at its widest point....Belle-Île is much more than an island. It's a realm. Even though it's merely 'a few hectares of land in the ocean' as we islanders say, it's an entire continent in its own right." "The original Acadians who came to Belle-Île in the late 1700s were inspired by ancient mythical Arcadia, and its utopia of a golden era, the idea of a peaceful, carefree pastoral life in harmony with the island's idyllic nature and beauty." [image] Mythic Arcadia "No other island has attracted so many artists: Monet, Rodin, Matisse, Sarah Bernhardt, Jacques Prévert. Gustave Flaubert. The island is surrounded by an aura of liberalism and artistic spirit, of immense freedom and creative anarchy." And more. [image] One of Claude Monet's paintings of Belle-Île There are also descriptions of Belle-Île's spectacular scenery, wandering sheep, tourist attractions, and historic artifacts - like the two menhirs (upright monoliths) called Jean and Jeanne, said to have been a man and a woman. [image] Menhirs: Jean and Jeanne The myth goes as follows: Jean was the son of a holy bard and Jeanne was a poor shepherdess. They were in love, but forbidden to have a relationship. So the leader of the druids told witches to turn Jean and Jeanne into stones, far away from each other. Some people believe the monoliths are slowly moving closer together, and their meeting will bring about the end of times. Author Jean-Luc Bannalec skillfully evokes the atmosphere of Belle-Île, including the scorching summer heat and the kaleidoscopic sights. To illustrate: "The island capital lay on a ria too, you could see the inlet making its way inland. The little town - narrow streets, beautiful old houses in pastel tones: pink, light blue, light green, yellow....It looked like a film set. Cafés, bars, restaurants, shops, a leisurely to and fro without any hurry or haste." [image] All the major characters in the book are interesting and fun, especially Commissaire Dupin, a coffee addict who's constantly in search of his next great cup of java. Dupin's neverending quest is very entertaining....and he does find the perfect cup of coffee. [image] [image] The mystery of Patric Provost's death, as well as auxiliary blackmailings and kidnappings, are solved in the end, and Dupin's team returns home to Brittany to celebrate the Commissaire's ten year anniversary as a Breton detective. This is a charming little mystery, off the beaten track. Recommended for light reading. Thanks to Netgalley, Jean-Luc Bannalec, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the book. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Mar 30, 2025
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| 0063003058
| 9780063003057
| 0063003058
| 3.65
| 649,391
| Feb 22, 2022
| Feb 22, 2022
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liked it
| 3.5 stars Jess hopes she can count on her half-brother Ben for a helping hand. [image] After their mother died when they were children in England, Ben w 3.5 stars Jess hopes she can count on her half-brother Ben for a helping hand. [image] After their mother died when they were children in England, Ben was adopted by a rich family while Jess grew up in foster care. Ben had a privileged life, graduated from Cambridge, traveled, became a journalist, and now lives in Paris. [image] Conversely, Jess grew up in straightened circumstances and ended up bartending in clubs. [image] Jess has been working at the Copacabana bar in Brighton for a while, trying to avoid the hands of her lecherous boss. When the creep finally crosses the line, Jess robs the till, heads for Paris, and gets the okay to bunk with Ben for a month or two. [image] Ben texts directions to his building and says to ring the buzzer....he'll be waiting up. But when Jess gets to the gate and rings, then calls and texts Ben, there's no answer. [image] As a shivering Jess waits and looks around, she takes in the cobblestoned cul-de-sac in what appears to be a seriously posh neighborhood. And the apartment building, Bienvenue au 12 Rue des Amants, is beautiful! Set back from the road behind a gate with a high wall on either side, concealing what must be a garden or courtyard. Five or six stories high, huge windows, all with wrought-iron balconies, and a roof garden on the top. [image] Jess keeps buzzing and buzzing, with no response, and no help from people going inside. Jess is a resourceful gal though, and she manages to open the gate, go up to Ben's third floor apartment, and jimmy the lock. Ben isn't there, but his keys and wallet are in the residence, and Jess just knows something is wrong. So Jess walks around to ask the tenants about Ben, and meets the Bienvenue residents. [image] From the top floor down, the tenants are: � Fifth Floor Penthouse: Sophie Meunier - An elegant fiftyish woman who lives with her husband Jacques and her silver whippet Benoit. Jacques is a wealthy wine merchant and Sophie spends her time on her appearance; walking Benoit; shopping, etc. [image] � Fourth Floor: Mimi and Camille - Two young female roommates. Mimi is a reserved college student..... [image] ......while Camille is a lively party girl. [image] � Third Floor: Ben's apartment, where he lives with his cat. [image] � Second Floor: Nick Miller - Ben's old school friend from Cambridge. After graduation, Nick and Ben traveled across Europe, then Nick became a venture capitalist and Ben became an investigative journalist. When Ben showed up in Paris, Nick suggested he rent the 3rd floor apartment in the Bienvenue building. [image] � First Floor: Antoine and Dominque - a dysfunctional couple in the midst of divorcing. Antoine is a loudmouth drunk and Dominque is moving out. [image] There's also a concierge, an older woman who resides in a hut by the gate and takes care of the building. [image] No one seems able to give Jess information about Ben's whereabouts, and the Paris police - who are busy quelling demonstrations all over the city - have the attitude 'people can disappear if they want to.' [image] So Jess takes steps to find her brother on her own. In the process, Jess finds hidden passages in the Bienvenue building; discovers almost all the tenants have secrets; and meets Theo Mendelson, editor of 'The Guardian', to whom Ben was planning to pitch an article. [image] The story is told from the rotating points of view of Jess and several tenants, and moves along at a good clip. I was engaged with the mystery from the get-go, though I found most of the characters unlikable. Jess is one of those people who, if she's in your home, will ask to use the bathroom, then snoop through the cabinets and maybe steal a lipstick; [image] Sophie lives on salads, thinks about her looks 24/7, and - except for giving orders - won't speak to 'the help'. [image] Antoine is a hard-drinking, foul-mouthed bully; and so on. [image] The climax of the story, where all is revealed, is exciting and surprising. ...more |
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Mar 30, 2025
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| 0446612871
| 9780446612876
| 0446612871
| 4.14
| 7,277
| May 10, 2005
| May 01, 2006
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In this 4th book in the 'Andy Carpenter' series, the Paterson, New Jersey criminal defense lawyer represents a professional football player. Sinc In this 4th book in the 'Andy Carpenter' series, the Paterson, New Jersey criminal defense lawyer represents a professional football player. Since Andy Carpenter inherited twenty-two million dollars from his father, he doesn't NEED to work. But Andy hasn't had a case in three months, and is itching to get back in the courtroom. [image] A possible case comes up when Paterson, New Jersey Homicide Captain Pete Stanton summons Andy to the home of Kenny Schilling - a star running back for the New York Giants. [image] Kenny is holding off the police with a gun, INSISTING on speaking to Andy. Kenny says he found the bloody corpse of Tony Preston - a wide receiver for the New York Jets - in his bedroom closet, but Kenny contends he didn't kill the man, and has no idea how the body got into his house. [image] Kenny says he panicked when the cops showed up, and he needs a good lawyer. Andy is skeptical at first, but comes to believe Kenny was framed, and agrees to defend the running back. [image] Andy's team includes his investigator and girlfriend - former cop Laurie Collins; [image] law associate Kevin Randall; [image] Marcus Clark - the toughest guy on the planet, who watches Andy's back and squeezes information out of bad guys when needed; [image] Sam Willis - an accountant and computer hacker extraordinaire. [image] Andy's secretary Edna - a crossword puzzle aficionado, who goofs off more than she works; [image] and Adam Strickland - a Hollywood screenwriter who's helping with this case for a screenplay he's writing. [image] Laurie discovers that the victim, Tony Preston, was using AND dealing drugs, and Andy decides to work up a SODDI (some other dude did it) defense - the idea being that a drug kingpin called Cesar Quintana had Tony killed. The drug lord doesn't appreciate the attention Andy's stirring up, and sends goons to Andy's house, so it's a good thing Marcus is on the job. [image] Things get even more complicated when Andy's team learns that young football players across the country have been dying unexpectedly, from sudden heart attacks and road accidents. Can this be related to the murder of Tony Preston? [image] Andy is well-known for throwing everything plus the kitchen sink into his defense maneuvers, and prosecutor Dylan Campbell - who's no slouch himself - resists and objects with all his might. [image] Among the highlights of the Andy Carpenter series are Andy's quips, jokes, and sarcastic comments. [image] For example, when prosecutor Dylan Campbell drags his feet providing discovery, Andy tells the judge: "There is the matter of discovery your honor. We've discovered that the prosecutor does not seem to believe in it. They have not turned over a single document to us." Campbell explains the weekend got in the way of turning over the material, and Andy jibes, "Since I had no evidence to examine your honor, I spent some time over the weekend looking at the rules of discovery, and it quite clearly states that the prosecution must turn over documents as they receive them, even if God forbid, it interferes with their weekend. I might add that they were able to find the time during that same weekend to provide information to the media. Perhaps if I had a press pass I would have a better chance of getting the information the discovery statute requires." Of course, Andy prevails, infuriating Campbell in the process. [image] Another fun anecdote revolves around Detective Pete Stanton, who's a close friend of Andy's. Pete offers to pass on some information about the case over dinner, and Andy observes: "Since I've inherited my fortune, Pete's goal is to make me poor again. He does this by selecting the most overpriced restaurants he can find and then stuffing himself to the point where he has to be lifted out of his chair with a crane while I pick up the tab.....it would be cheaper to bribe the jury." [image] As always in this series, there are plenty of courtroom scenes, with Andy demonstrating his knack for cross-examining witnesses and throwing the prosecutor off his game. ...more |
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Mar 30, 2025
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0399155384
| 9780399155383
| 0399155384
| 4.05
| 10,452
| Feb 10, 2009
| Feb 10, 2009
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really liked it
| In Alex Berenson's 'John Wells' novels, Wells is a CIA agent whose mission is to stop terrorists. [image] In this 3rd book in the series, Wells has had In Alex Berenson's 'John Wells' novels, Wells is a CIA agent whose mission is to stop terrorists. [image] In this 3rd book in the series, Wells has had too much exposure in Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Russia, etc. to be 'undercover', and he's living outside Washington DC with his fiancée, fellow CIA agent Jennifer Exley. [image] Wells is on the 'enemies' list of many rogue countries, and his and Exley's residence is guarded 24/7. [image] Unfortunately, John and Jennifer are more vulnerable when they're out and about, and an attack when the duo are driving to work leaves Jennifer badly injured, facing a long hospitalization and painful rehab. [image] [image] Wells learns the strike was ordered by Russian arms dealer Pierre Kowalski..... [image] .....and John sets out to track down and kill the Russian, probably in the most painful way possible. [image] Meanwhile, a catastrophic situation is brewing elsewhere. Middle Eastern terrorists have formed a cabal, and mean to destroy both the United States and Russia. [image] The fanatics manage to steal two nuclear bombs from a Russian armory (a feat that's described step-by-step in the book, in case you want to try it.) [image] [image] The Middle Eastern zealots don't have the Russian nuclear codes, so they are going to extract the uranium from the purloined bombs and build their own device (this procedure is also described step-by-step). [image] The fanatics plan to bomb Washington DC during the State of the Union address, which will wipe out the entire U.S. government. If this doesn't work out, the bombers have alternate targets in mind. [image] To insure the biggest possible explosion, the terrorists need a good quantity of beryllium, which they hope to buy from Pierre Kowalski. [image] Thus we have all the players in place - John Wells, Pierre Kowalski, and the Middle Eastern zealots. Of course this is the bare bones of the plot, which is intricate, suspenseful, and more or less realistic. (Terrorists should know detonating an enormous bomb would blow back on the Middle East, AT LEAST with the devastating fallout circling the world. The fanatics in this novel don't seem bothered about this, but it's fiction after all.) [image] All the major characters in the story - including the Americans, Russians, and Middle Easterners -are well-rounded, with motivations that make sense to themselves. The book is a page turner, and I was on tenterhooks to find out what would happen. One thing is clear: it would be good to have John Wells around in an emergency. [image] Well-constructed story, recommended to fans of espionage thrillers. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Mar 25, 2025
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Hardcover
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| 1250869846
| 9781250869845
| 1250869846
| 4.05
| 5,571
| Apr 18, 2023
| Apr 18, 2023
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really liked it
| This multigenerational tale focuses on Alberto Cohen and his descendants, a family of Sephardic Jews whose lives were buffeted by the events of their This multigenerational tale focuses on Alberto Cohen and his descendants, a family of Sephardic Jews whose lives were buffeted by the events of their time. The novel was inspired by author Elizabeth Graver's ancestors, especially her grandmother Rebecca (the novel's main protagonist), whose story started in Turkey and culminated in America. Graver includes photographs of her relatives in the book, which adds a personal touch to the story. As the novel opens in 1907, Alberto Cohen, his wife Sultana, and their children live in Fener, a wealthy neighborhood in Istanbul, Turkey. Alberto owns a successful textile factory, and the Cohen's eight-year-old daughter Rebecca attends Catholic school with other privileged children - Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim. Rebecca speaks Ladino at home and French at school. She also has a lovely singing voice, and trills tunes in Ladino, French, and bits of Turkish, Hebrew, and Greek. [image] Istanbul, 1907. Rebecca Cohen on left, with siblings Isidoro and Corinne. Their cousin Victoria stands behind them. [image] Istanbul, circa 1900s Rebecca especially enjoys Shabbat (the Sabbath), 'when the children are encouraged to dance and make merry, and the family visits relatives or takes a riverboat to the park. For supper there's cold fish with lemon and egg, and lokum [Turkish delight] for dessert, and the ball comes out for catch, and the tambourine for song.' [image] Synagogue in Istanbul [image] Riverboats in Istanbul [image]\ Lokum (Turkish Delight) Rebecca has a very happy childhood, learning needlework and drawing at school, climbing ropes at Maccabi gymnastics, spending hour after hour with her best friend Lika, listening to tales and superstitions related by Lika's Tiya (Aunt) Djentil, going to picnics, and so on. (Note: The tales of Tiya Djentil - who's actually Alberto's first wife - are wonderful!) Despite the Cohen family's obvious good fortune, Rebecca's grandmother sews a bonjuk bead to the underside of every collar to ward off the evil eye - a practice Rebecca picks up and practices all her life. [image] Bonjuk Bead (to ward off the evil eye) In 1914, World War I begins, and the winds of change start to blow. Rebecca's father Alberto is a half-hearted businessman, and he drinks raki, and plays poker, chess, and backgammon for high stakes - rapidly squandering the family fortune. At the same time, Turkish tolerance for Greeks, Armenians, and Jews fades, and 'ethnic' families begin to leave the country. [image] Bottles of Turkish Raki [image] Ethnic families emigrated from Turkey Rebecca's friend Lika relocates to America with her parents, but Rebecca knows her family won't follow. 'Her family, especially her father, is from here [Turkey] the way the pavestones are from here, drawn from the very earth.' [image] Rebecca Cohen in Istanbul, 1920 Nevertheless, by 1925, Alberto and Sultana feel compelled to emigrate. Among other things, young men are being conscripted into the Turkish army, and the Cohens fear for their sons. So Alberto seeks a position elsewhere, and is offered the modest job of shammash (caretaker) of a synagogue in Barcelona, Spain. Spain!! The country that expelled the Sephardic Jews in 1492, and robbed, beat, and raped them on the way out. Spain is now inviting descendants of the Spanish Jews back, for economic reasons. [image] Alberto and Sultana Cohen Alberto sees no options but to take the shammash position, and the Cohens move to Spain. Though the Jews are ostensibly welcome in Barcelona, they still have to keep a low profile. Alberto advises Rebecca, who's now a talented seamstress looking for work, not to mention they're Jewish, just to say they're Turks....and not to bring up the synagogue to anyone outside the community. When Rebecca asks why they must hide, Alberto responds, "What do you want? To dance in the streets? To scream and shout? Be my guest, and see what happens!" Alberto is right because, despite Rebecca's excellent needlework, she's rejected by an employer who learns Rebecca's last name is Cohen - a Jewish name. "Next time - the dressmaker leans in, her voice low - "you say this: I am Marie Blanco Camayor, from Paris France." Rebecca adopts the professional name Marie Blanco Camayor, gets a job, and since she's a talented seamstress and fashion designer, Rebecca soon has her own business. By now Rebecca is in her early twenties, well past the age girls are expected to marry. With few Jewish bachelors in Barcelona, Rebecca is encouraged to wed 29-year-old Luis Baruch, who - it turns out - is badly damaged from exposure to mustard gas during WWI. [image] A Jewish wedding in Barcelona, Spain Rebecca and Luis have two children, David and Alberto (Albert), but Luis is a bad husband and absentee father, always off in other countries 'doing business.' [image] Barcelona, 1929. Rebecca in dark coat, with sons Albert and David in front of her and her brother Josef in doorway. Woman in striped dress unknown. Years pass, during which Rebecca really shows her mettle, taking care of her sons, running her business, and even making a difficult journey to see Luis in Adrianople, Turkey, then returning to Spain. (Note: The 'helpful suggestions' of the Jews in Arianople are nothing short of outrageous and laughable.) [image] Barcelona, 1928. Rebecca Cohen Baruch sits holding her son, Albert, with son David in front of her. Her parents, Sultana and Alberto Cohen, stand behind her with other relatives and friends. [image] Rebecca Cohen Baruch with her sons Albert and David By 1934, Luis has died, and European Jews are feeling the hatred of Hitler and the Nazis. Rebecca is encouraged to marry a Jewish widower named Sam Levy, who lives in America. This would provide Rebecca's sons with a father, Sam's daughter Luna with a mother, and might help the rest of the Cohen/Baruch family move to the States. To accomplish her emigration, Rebecca must wed Sam in Cuba, then enter America as his wife. [image] Berlin, 1930s. SA and SS men post signs signs reading Germans! Defend Yourselves! Don't buy from Jews! [image] Cuba in the 1930s Now in her thirties, Rebecca faces many new challenges in Astoria, Queens (in New York City), where the Levy family resides. For one thing, Sam's mother is cool to Rebecca; for another, Sam's daughter Luna, now seven-years-old, was born severely handicapped. Luna can't walk; can't use the bathroom; speaks in grunts and garbled words; can't feed herself; and has distorted features. (Note: Luna's condition isn't named, but she apparently has cerebral palsy.) Sam and his mother coddle Luna, but - despite Luna's very strong resistance - Rebecca takes it upon herself to make the girl more self-sufficient. When Sam protests, Rebecca tells him, "“If you wanted a dishrag for a wife, you picked the wrong lady. I won’t sit back and watch a life go down the drain." Thus Rebecca makes Luna wear her leg braces, and over time, teaches the girl to walk, talk, and take care of herself. From Luna's point of view, “Newmother [Rebecca] tortures her. For the past month, [Rebecca] has been taking her through a set of exercises for an hour a day, but with Nona [Grandmother] gone, the hour becomes two, then three.� Still, Luna's life improves over time. [image] Astoria, Queens in the 1940s In Queens, Rebecca and Sam have children of their own. In addition, Rebecca guides her sons David and Albert through adolescence; opens a dressmaking shop; helps Sam with his candy store; sings a repertoire of Spanish, Hebrew, and Ladino songs at the local Jewish center - where she has a devoted following; and is an important presence in the Jewish community. Nevertheless, in 1950, when the novel concludes, Rebecca's disappointments are many. 'She is not well-to-do, though she was born to be. She is not surrounded by family and has a perpetual sense of being not quite at home. More than anything, she is often lonely, wanting more chatter, more cuddling, more laughter and especially � is it odd for a woman her age, a mother of six? � more play.' [image] Catskills (New York State), 1937. Sam Levy rows the boat. Albert Baruch mugs for the camera as his brother, David Baruch, leans toward his half-brother, Jack Levy. Rebecca holds her daughter Suzanne and sits beside her stepdaughter, Luna Levy. Unknown boy in water. Though the novel focuses largely on Rebecca, we also learn about other characters, including.: Rebecca's father Alberto, who has a sojourn in America as a young man; divorces his first wife because she's sterile; loves reading and gardening; and has his hopes crushed by sad events. [image] Istanbul Garden Rebecca's mother Sultana, who has a sunny personality and runs her Istanbul household with a cook and servants; Sultana is the optimist of the family, and tries to see the bright side of events. [image] Cook in old Istanbul Rebecca's best friend Lika, who's gifted in math and science, and would like to be a nurse, which the nuns [at the Catholic school] say is possible if you pray and study hard enough. [image] Nurses in the early 1900s Rebecca's son David Baruch, who's a poor student and naughty adolescent. David has a traumatic experience while he's serving as a seaman during World War II. [image] Seamen during WWII And more. Graver's word pictures of Turkey, Barcelona, Cuba and Queens are vivid and picturesque, and Graver is adept at describing the lives of the characters as they migrate from place to place. This is a compelling story of a family buffeted by fate, and the antisemitism prevalent in the 20th century. Sadly, prejudice against Jews and other groups is still (and again) a factor in the lives of many people. Very good book, recommended to readers interested in Jewish history. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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| 0812988876
| 9780812988871
| 0812988876
| 4.27
| 1,281
| Feb 25, 2025
| Feb 18, 2025
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really liked it
| 4.5 stars Lorne Michaels (b. 1944) is a Canadian and American television writer and film producer. He's probably best known for creating and producing 4.5 stars Lorne Michaels (b. 1944) is a Canadian and American television writer and film producer. He's probably best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live (SNL), which has been on the air from 1975 to the present. [image] Lorne Michaels This biography of Michaels toggles back and forth between Lorne's life and career, and the step-by-step preparations for the SNL episode that aired on November 3, 2018 - with host Jonah Hill and music guest Maggie Rogers. [image] Jonah Hill [image] Maggie Rogers As always, the Writers' Meeting for the Hill-hosted show took place on the Monday before - October 29, 2018 - at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where SNL is based. The Writers' Meeting is where writers pitch ideas for sketches, and the following six days - during which the skits are tested and rewritten and rehearsed and winnowed - culminates in a live broadcast on Saturday night at 11:30, before a worldwide audience of millions. Preparations for the November 3 episode, under the eagle eye of Lorne Michaels, are described in great detail, and should interest fans of the show. [image] Original Cast of SNL. Not Ready for Prime Time Players: John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Dan Aykroyd, and Gilda Radnor It seems like Lorne Michaels was destined for show business from the get-go. The SNL creator was born Lorne Lipowitz in Toronto, Canada, to parents Florence and Henry Lipowitz. The Lipowitz family loved the entertainment industry, and they would watch movies and TV shows, and talk about the actors and actresses. Lorne daydreamed about acting, writing, and directing, and he put on musicals in summer camp, wrote funny items for his high school newspaper, contributed comedy sketches to the school's 'Frolics', acted in school shows, etc. [image] Young Lorne Michaels Teenage Lorne's friend (and later his first wife) Rosie Shuster was the daughter of comedian Frank Shuster, and Frank taught Lorne the fundamentals of television production. [image] Lorne Michaels' first wife Rosie Shuster [image] Frank Shuster Lorne also steeped himself in culture: Victorian novels, Romantic poets, Shakespeare, newspapers, plays, comedy revues, comedy recordings, etc. Lorne and a friend would also take the bus to New York to sit in studio audiences and meet people working in the industry. At the University of Toronto Lorne majored in English, and co-wrote and directed the University College Follies, a well-regarded theatrical revue. 'Lorne had organizational skills, a grip on the technical aspects of mounting a show, a knack for spotting talent, and a temperament that allowed people to flourish creatively.' Lorne was honing the talents he'd later need for SNL. After college, Lorne spent time in Europe, especially London, then returned to Canada in 1966, determined to succeed in the entertainment industry. Lorne and his friend Earl Pomerantz formed a comedy team called Lipowitz and Pomerantz, and performed in local clubs and on radio and television shows. [image] Lipowitz and Pomerantz Comedy Team (Lorne Michaels and Earl Pomerantz) Along the way, Lorne changed his name to Lorne Michaels and married Rosie Shuster - who was also a comedy writer. Lorne had originally planned to stay in Canada, but went to Los Angeles at the age of 24, to write for 'The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show'. Going on to write for 'Laugh-In', and with his knack for fraternizing, Lorne met all the right people: talent agent Bernie Brillstein; variety TV eminence Bob Finkel; sitcom writer Bob Schiller; producer George Schlatter; and more. Lorne soon moved on to other aspects of show business, cultivating his skills. One of Lorne's triumphs is a hilarious skit on 'The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour' called 'The Puck Crisis'. This is a mockumentary about an invasive species that spread Dutch Puck Disease, which devastated the crops of Canada's hockey puck farmers. "Over grim footage of lab-coated scientists examining shriveled pucks drooping from branches, a dead-serious voiceover explains the blight's origins: puck pests, or puctococci, were accidently carried over on the sticks of a touring Dutch hockey team." This skit - and numerous others - stood Lorne in good stead as he pursued future endeavors. [image] SNL cast member Gilda Radner challenges the show's guest, professional football player Fran Tarkenton, to an arm wrestling competition on set [image] Will Ferrell on SNL Lorne's ascent up the entertainment industry ladder is thoroughly documented by author Susan Morrison. Starting early on, Lorne worked with talents like Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Teri Garr, Candace Bergen, Neil Young, James Taylor, Garrett Morris, Albert Brooks, Lili Tomlin, Buck Henry, Richard Pryor, Molly Shannon, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, Pete Davidson, Norm Macdonald, Chris Rock, Jimmy Fallon, and on and on - creating many symbiotic relationships with show business folk. Lorne also became close friends with famous people like Paul Simon, Mick Jagger, and Paul McCartney, which added to his glittery image. [image] Paul McCartney and Lorne Michaels [image] George Carlin on SNL [image] Eddie Murphy on SNL [image] SNL cast members Bill Murray, John Belushi, Garrett Morris, and Steve Martin are seen hanging out backstage on set [image] Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, and Bill Hader on SNL [image] Chris Farley on SNL On the subject of SNL, the book covers every aspect of the show, from conception, to creation, to birth pangs, to success, to Lorne leaving for five years, to good and bad shows, to sketches, to political philosophy, to budgets, to drug dealers on the set, to awards, to Lorne's management style, to props, to everything else you can think of. If you're interested in the people connected with SNL - producers, directors, writers, assistants, actors, actresses, comics, mimics, musicians, guest hosts, costume designers, supporters, detractors, critics, what have you - this is the book for you. [image] The control room for SNL in the late '70s was just as busy of a place as it is today, as the show has been live since its inception [image] Dennis Miller, Dana Carvey, and Tom Hanks on SNL [image] Joe Piscopo appears in a sketch impersonating David Letterman. As the comedian looks in the camera, his cue cards can be seen in the wings [image] Kenan Thompson on SNL SNL has been on the air for half a century, and is the parent of a huge 'family'. Morrison writes, "When graduates of the show reunite for anniversaries, they feel a kinship across the decades. They are an elite tribe, like astronauts." And producer/comedian Paula Pell remarked, "It's like Lorne had a hundred children with nine wives. It blows your mind, the amount of connective tissue he's created in the world of comedy." [image] Paula Pell [image] Steve Martin joins magician Harry Anderson at a cast party after the show in the early '80s. To this day, the cast still gathers for an after-party following each episode [image] Candice Bergen practices her opening monologue during rehearsal for an episode in which she was the host. She was the first woman to host SNL and did so five times between 1975 to 1990 Part of Lorne's legacy includes show business ventures beyond SNL, and Morrison writes about these as well. The author also discusses Lorne's personal life: his mother, father, extended family, wives (Rosie Shuster, Susan Forristal, and Anne Barry), friends, lifestyle, homes, favorite restaurants, vacations, parties, gift-giving (Lorne has a knack for thoughtful presents), and so on. (Note: Lorne and Alice Barry have three children, Sophie, Henry, and Edward) [image] Lorne Michaels' second wife Susan Forristal [image] Lorne Michaels and his third wife Alice Barry [image] Lorne Michaels with his children Sophie, Henry, Edward Morrison did an enormous amount of research for this 600+ page biography, which tells us a lot about Lorne Michaels. It would seem Lorne's most important legacy is the 'healing laughter' provided by SNL, which can draw a smile, and help us go on, even after a disaster or bad news. It feels like every famous person in the modern western world is mentioned in this book, which I'd recommend to readers interested in the entertainment industry, especially fans of SNL. Thanks to Netgalley, Susan Morrison, and Random House for a copy of the book. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Mar 19, 2025
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Hardcover
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| 0062678450
| 9780062678454
| 0062678450
| 3.10
| 24,040
| Feb 20, 2024
| Feb 20, 2024
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liked it
| 3.5 stars Mystery writer Sebastian Trapp, author of the popular 'Simon St. John'' detective series, stopped writing for a decade after a tragic inciden 3.5 stars Mystery writer Sebastian Trapp, author of the popular 'Simon St. John'' detective series, stopped writing for a decade after a tragic incident in his life. [image] Two decades ago, on New Years Eve 1999, Trapp's wife Hope vanished from their San Francisco mansion, and their 14-year-old son Cole disappeared from a sleepover. [image] [image] Sebastian was suspected of killing them both, and was investigated by the police and attacked in social media, but the cases went cold without resolution. Trapp went into isolation, communing only with his (then) 19-year-old daughter Madeline, who was a college coed at the time. [image] The years smoothed the angst, and Sebastian cranked out one last 'Simon St. John' novel ten years ago, and was remarried five years ago, to a beautiful woman named Diana....who had once been Hope Trapp's assistant. [image] Now Sebastian's kidneys are failing, and though he's getting dialysis several times a week, Trapp is given only three months to live. The mystery writer decides to wrap up his life with a mini-biography, and he hires New York City writer/mystery buff Nicky Hunter to pen the book. To do the job, Nicky moves into Trapp manse, and is set up in Cole's old bedroom, which encompasses the entire huge attic. [image] Cole's old domicile is rather eccentric, being half boy's room and half repository for family artifacts, including taxidermied 'Watsons' (Watson 1, Watson 2, and so on) - the family dogs over the years. The current Watson takes a shine to Nicky, and Nicky - who's a dog lover -likes Watson as well. [image] Nicky's modus operandi is to hang out with Trapp - at his home, at his club, and sightseeing around San Francisco - while he relates stories about his life. [image] Nicky also speaks to Trapp's family, friends, and acquaintances. This includes Trapp's daughter Madeline; [image] Trapp's happy-go-lucky nephew Freddy; [image] Trapp's widowed sister-in-law Simone; [image] and Trapp's former assistants, fellow club members, etc. [image] Like many suspense fans, Nicky has amateur sleuth DNA, and she hopes to solve the mystery of what happened to Hope and Cole. Nicky gets lucky when she finds Cole's dusty old diary hidden under a floorboard in his room. [image] The journal, as well as stories Nicky hears, reveal that Cole was an artsy kid who liked to do origami.....and NOT the sporty lad Sebastian wanted for a son. Trapp was determined to 'fix' Cole, Hope defended her son, and things in the family were tense. [image] [image] Could this have led Sebastian to murder his wife and son? As Nicky spends time with Trapp, strange things happen in the mansion. Red origami butterflies appear here and there; Madeline gets mysterious texts; and a thief riffles through Trapp's desk. [image] Then there's a suspicious death!!! Two San Francisco detectives investigate the incident, which renews interest in the old disappearances of Hope and Cole. Nicky discovers that not everything is as it seems with the Trapps and their circle, and many people are keeping secrets. The book's climax takes place at San Francisco's 'Land's End', a coastal labyrinth made of stones, where the unexpected truth is revealed. [image] The book is suspenseful, but slow-moving, and readers who prefer lots of action might be frustrated. I liked the book though, and appreciated the step-by-step build-up and (what later turned out to be) subtle clues. Recommended to fans of cunning mystery stories. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Mar 13, 2025
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| 0063157519
| 9780063157514
| 0063157519
| 4.03
| 814
| Feb 11, 2025
| Feb 11, 2025
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really liked it
| The struggle for civil rights in America has been going on for centuries, and though progress has been made, some injustices haven't changed. This boo The struggle for civil rights in America has been going on for centuries, and though progress has been made, some injustices haven't changed. This book centers on two generations of Black women - a mother and daughter - fighting a discriminatory system decades apart. [image] Author Nancy Johnson was inspired in part, by recent events. In an interview, Johnson observed, "These periods are different, yet we are going through the same thing over and over again. When we look at where we are in America—new presidential administration, new Congress—marginalized groups now are grappling with how to resist. Looking back at how our ancestors did generations back can be instructive for how we respond today.� In 1959, Freda Gilroy, who comes from an upper-middle-class Black family in Chicago, begins her freshman year at Nashville's Fisk University. [image] The school is a legacy from her parents, Almeda Gilroy and Dr. Booker Gilroy - who see higher education as their people's true emancipation. [image] Freda, a math major, follows the rules of her Jubilee Hall dormitory; is conscientious about her classes and schoolwork; calls her parents every Sunday; and becomes best friends with her two roommates. Cora and Evaline. [image] As Freda's freshman year unrolls, she meets two young men who will be instrumental in her life. The first young man is Darius Moore, a saxophone player and Fisk student who's a civil rights activist; [image] During Freda's outing to the state fair with Darius, she's exposed to blatant racism for the first time in her life when she sees a sign indicating 'Colored Bathrooms' and 'White Bathrooms.' This literally makes Freda sick to her stomach, and it's just one of many exclusion policies in the Jim Crow South. [image] Freda is even more taken aback when she happens to be shopping at Woolworth's on the day Black students are staging a sit-in at the 'Whites Only' lunch counter. Darius is one of the demonstrators, and the reaction of White patrons - and the police - is vicious. As a result, Freda is drawn into Darius's civil rights activism. [image] Meanwhile, Freda meets Gerald Vance, who turns out to be a very nice medical student at Nashville's Meharry Medical College. Gerald's philosophy aligns with that of Freda's dad - that education is the path ahead for the Black race, not demonstrations. [image] Freda is torn between Darius and Gerald. Darius matches her compulsion to fight for civil rights, and Gerald matches the expectations of her parents, who feel Black advancement will be achieved via academics and professionalism. * Jump ahead to 1992, and Freda is married to Dr. Gerald Vance. Freda is teaching math, Gerald has a successful medical practice, and their 27-year-old daughter Tulip has been working at Maddingly Public Relations for five years. [image] Tulip is one of two Black employees at Maddingly, and she's a real go-getter. Tulip works extra hours on her accounts and finds a novel way to attract new business to the firm, all in hopes of getting a promotion. Tulip knows White employees see her as an affirmative action hire, and she's subjected to microaggressions and furtive snide comments. [image] In her private life, Tulip is dating a handsome bus driver named Key, but the romance is constantly discouraged by her parents, who want Freda to marry a professional man. [image] Tulip's life comes to a crossroads with the Rodney King case. King was the victim of police brutality, and when the cops are being tried, Tulip fully expects a conviction. When the police are exonerated, Tulip is stunned and feels compelled to join activists demonstrating against the verdict. [image] Tulip faces the same discouragement her mother did, but forges ahead to assist a rally for justice. Along the way, Tulip jeopardizes her employment by using work contacts to advance her cause. [image] The book toggles back and forth between Freda's story in 1959 and Tulip's story in 1992, and it's evident these two women are fighting the same battle more than three decades apart. [Note: Sadly, we still see police brutality against Black victims, like George Floyd, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor, and more.] [image] The book is more than a story about civil rights, however. The author explores the lives of the characters, and I was drawn into the exploits of Freda, Tulip, and the people around them. Along the way we encounter bad boy behavior; trouble paying tuition; a gay man half-way in the closet; an accidental pregnancy; abusive white nationalists; the secret activism of Nat King Cole; Pullman Porters furtively transporting money for Black demonstrators; and more. [image] Pullman Porters I liked the book and was very pleased with the finale, which satisfied my personal sense of 'chickens coming home to roost'. I think it's important to include another snippet from Nancy Johnson's interview, where she says, "It feels like we take a few steps forward and a few steps back. I mean, right now, when you look at some of the executive orders from the current administration and their attempt to roll back some of that civil rights progress made when Freda was a student in the 1960s. Some of what’s been couched as DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] looks like there is an attempt to roll back some of the civil rights protections people have. I see the trajectory, and it’s scary. It’s a lot, but I think when people read People of Means, it will feel like it’s in conversation with where we are today because there are so many parallels with what’s happening in the 50s and 60s, in the early 90s, and today." [image] Author Nancy Johnson I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Nancy Johnson and Bahni Turpin, who do a fine job. Thanks to Netgalley, Nancy Johnson, and HarperAudio for a copy of the book. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Mar 13, 2025
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| B0DM36BVV5
| 3.98
| 3,549
| unknown
| Jan 23, 2025
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liked it
| Twentysomething Winona took care of her dying grandmother in Escondido, California, and is lonely and mourning now that Grandma Jane has passed. [imag Twentysomething Winona took care of her dying grandmother in Escondido, California, and is lonely and mourning now that Grandma Jane has passed. [image] At a support group, Winona meets a fellow mourner called Dakota, and agrees to go foraging with Dakota and her housemates. [image] The foraging is agreeable, and Dakota and her housemates are friendly. [image] Winona is invited over to eat the foraging feast, and it turns out the housemates live in the weird 'mirror house' - a house covered in mirrors - that's the talk of Escondido, with some people saying a religious group lives there. The housemates are Maude, Kristen, Dakota, Scarlett, and a man called Simon Spellmeyer. The atmosphere in the house is laid-back, with cooking aromas, guitar playing, vaping, and drinking......lots and lots of drinking. [image] Winona feels so comfortable that, when she's told there's a spare room in the mirror house, she quickly agrees to move in. Winona transfers her few belongings to the mirror house, and continues to work at her bookstore job. It soon becomes obvious that Simon is the 'leader' at the mirror house. Simon is a psychologist, but his practice is 'on pause' and he's consulting about 'software engineering stuff.' [image] Nevertheless, Simon is functioning as a therapist for the women in the house, to help them get over their 'fears.' For instance, Kristin needs to stay on the wagon; Scarlett needs to conquer claustrophobia; Winona gets queasy at the sight of blood; and so on. Simon schedules private sessions with the gals for therapy. Anyone looking in from the outside would KNOW this is a cult, but Winona just thinks she's surrounded by a new loving 'family'. Since alcohol flows freely all day long, Winona's perhaps not thinking clearly, but she's drawn in, day by day, to accept more and more control over her life. As the story unfolds, Simon attracts more followers and things take a very ominous turn. [image] The book is told from Winona's point of view with excerpts from Scarlett being interviewed by a journalist. It's not a spoiler to say that Scarlett is speaking one year after Simon's 'girls' committed mass suicide. This is a typical cult story, and as always when one is an 'outside observer', it seems unbelievable that the women are too blinded (or stupid‽�) to see what's going on. It you're interested in seeing how someone is drawn into a cult, inch by inch, you might like this book. However, the novel doesn't cover any new ground, being a standard cult indoctrination scenario. Thanks to Netgalley, Faith Gardner, and Mirror House Press for a copy of the book. You can follow my reviews at ...more |
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Mar 30, 2025
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|||||
|
| 4.06
|
liked it
|
not set
|
Mar 30, 2025
|
|||||
|
| 3.65
|
liked it
|
not set
|
Mar 30, 2025
|
|||||
|
| 4.14
|
not set
|
Mar 30, 2025
|
||||||
|
| 4.05
|
really liked it
|
not set
|
Mar 25, 2025
|
|||||
|
| 4.05
|
really liked it
|
not set
|
Mar 20, 2025
|
|||||
|
| 4.27
|
really liked it
|
not set
|
Mar 19, 2025
|
|||||
|
| 3.10
|
liked it
|
not set
|
Mar 13, 2025
|
|||||
|
| 4.03
|
really liked it
|
not set
|
Mar 13, 2025
|
|||||
|
| 3.98
|
liked it
|
not set
|
Mar 09, 2025
|
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