Love, Lies and Liquor (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)

Book Description

Agatha Raisin is lonely. Busy as she is with her detective agency and the meetings of the Carsely Ladies' Society, she still misses her ex-husband, James Lacey, so she welcomes his return to the cottage next door with her usual triumph of optimism over experience---especially when he invites her on holiday at a surprise location that was once very dear to him. With visions of a romantic hideaway in Italy or the Pacific dancing in her head, Agatha goes off happily with James to...Snoth-on-Sea, in Sussex.While James may have fond memories of boyhood holidays there, Snoth-on-Sea has seen better days, as has the once-grand Palace Hotel, now run-down and tacky and freezing cold. Nor do the other guests have much to recommend them, especially the brassy honeymoon couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jankers, who pick a fight with Agatha in the dining room. But trouble has a way of following Agatha even if romance does not: Just as she and James are preparing to flee to warmer climes, Geraldine Jankers is found dead on the beach---strangled with Agatha's scarf. So much for Agatha's holiday fantasies: Not only is it time to put her detective skills to work, but the police are not even sure that she'll be allowed to leave town.

Customer Reviews:

Agatha Tries Again with James Lacey and Falls in with Villains.......2007-10-06

As with The Deadly Dance and The Perfect Paragon, this book can be read as a standalone if you haven't read the earlier books in the series. I do think, however, that your enjoyment will be increased if you read at least The Deadly Dance and The Perfect Paragon first . . . and seriously consider reading the excellent beginning of the series, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death.

If you are a long-time fan of the series, you may be ambivalent about the reappearance of James Lacey in Agatha's life. But in Love, Lies and Liquor (the 17th book in the Agatha Raisin series) there's a shift in the relationship that makes his character somewhat less tiresome than before.

James is living next door to Agatha again and invites her to take a holiday with him to a "surprise" locale. She packs for the Mediterranean and he takes her to the rundown seaside resort of Snoth-on-Sea where the weather is lousy. While James has fond memories of boyhood trips there, today's Snoth-on-Sea has nothing to recommend it. The hotel is rundown, and the guests seem like louts. In fact, there's a shouting match in the hotel dining room that leads to James punching out one of the other guests.

When a woman that Agatha threatened, Geraldine Jankers, is found strangled with Agatha's scarf, the "lucky" pair from Carsely are stranded as they seek to clear Agatha. Clearing Agatha isn't too difficult, but James wants to flee and Agatha feels that she must investigate to find the murderer. Agatha draws on her Mircester detective agency's resources to scout out the suspects.

Before long, Agatha draws the ire of some dangerous characters and finds her very life at stake.

Several things make this book different from others in the Agatha Raisin series that improved its appeal for me: Agatha and her colleagues make some amazing mistakes that would be hilarious if they didn't have serious consequences; the danger level is high throughout much of the book; there are more mysteries to be solved that are related to the murder than one might expect; the to and fro with James Lacey has unexpected twists; and Agatha's signature vulnerability for handsome men she just meets isn't central to the story for a change. Her detectives are proving to be more able than in the past which provides for some better procedural aspects to the story. The change of scene is also good for the series by providing lots of new characters as well as the opportunity to reprise old characters in new ways.

The pacing of the story is very good. Major shoes drop at regular intervals without much warning that take the mystery and its implications in new directions. My interest was sustained at a high level for almost the entire story. The humor is well developed in the story as many characters take the equivalent of pratfalls . . . but in each case there are serious consequences which gives the mood of the book an interesting feel than a more unrestrained comic mystery would provide.

I look forward to the next entry in the series. I hope it will continue to the trend towards better stories and more rewarding mysteries with more subtlety among the characters.

entertaining!.......2007-08-01

My first encounter with Agatha Raisin was well worth it. Ok so it's not Tolkien but still a very worthy diversion when the mind needs a mental holiday for several hours. It might have been just a tad over long, but it certainly kept me interested and entertained all the way to the end. Just like meeting a new friend.

Love, Lies and Liquor.......2007-06-15

Let's see. Did I like this? My husband gave it to me for Xmas. I've bought every single paperback since the beginning and just re-read Love, Lies and Liquor.

I love this series!

The series is becoming tiresome........2007-05-23

Things haven't changed much in this latest installment. In spite of her wealth and success, Agatha is still insecure and somewhat immature. In spite of his recent healing from cancer and his spiritual retreat, James Lacy is still cold and selfish, and is really quite stupid. At 53 or so, Agatha still views herself as having a girlish figure and dresses in twentyish-something apparel. She is often quite coarse and rude, and she still says, "Rats!" Even more disappointing is none of the lovable characters from earlier books make a significant appearance in this one.

I have always looked forward to the next "Agatha" book but the series is getting a bit tiresome. The plot "formula" hasn't changed from previous books and the reader is subjected to a lot of dialogue of Agatha giving her staff instructions (or in this case, phoning them to tell them what to do). I put this book aside after reading about halfway through and may not finish it for a while. Agatha isn't as much fun as she once was.

Comma-tose.......2007-04-17

I do love Agatha Raisin, but this book fell short of Beaton's usual brilliance. The first chapter was great. After that the author brings in a dizzying array of characters going in and out. The plot was hard to believe.

Singled Out: How Singles are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After

Average customer rating:

A great consciousness-raiser
Somewhat disappointing
"Don't worry, honey, your turn to divorce will come...."
Singe Edition
The Last Socially Accepted Prejudice

Singled Out: How Singles are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After
Bella DePaulo
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Workplace | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Solo Travel | Specialty Travel | Travel | Subjects | Books

Pop Culture | Note Cards | Book Accessories | Our Favorites | Gift Ideas
Similar Items:

Living Alone and Loving It: A Guide to Relishing the Solo Life
Flying Solo: Single Women in Midlife
Single: The Art of Being Satisfied, Fulfilled and Independent
The Single Girl's Manifesta: Living in a Stupendously Superior Single State of Mind
The New Single Woman

ASIN: 0312340818
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Book Description

People who are single are changing the face of America. Did you know that:

* More than 40 percent of the nation’s adults---over 87 million people---are divorced, widowed, or have always been single.
* There are more households comprised of single people living alone than of married parents and their children.
* Americans now spend more of their adult years single than married.

Many of today’s single people have engaging jobs, homes that they own, and a network of friends. This is not the 1950s---singles can have sex without marrying, and they can raise smart, successful, and happy children. It should be a great time to be single. Yet too often single people are still asked to defend their single status by an onslaught of judgmental peers and fretful relatives.

Prominent people in politics, the popular press, and the intelligentsia have all taken turns peddling myths about marriage and singlehood. Marry, they promise, and you will live a long, happy, and healthy life, and you will never be lonely again.

Drawing from decades of scientific research and stacks of stories from the front lines of singlehood, Bella DePaulo debunks the myths of singledom---and shows that just about everything you’ve heard about the benefits of getting married and the perils of staying single are grossly exaggerated or just plain wrong. Although singles are singled out for unfair treatment by the workplace, the marketplace, and the federal tax structure, they are not simply victims of this singlism. Single people really are living happily ever after.

Filled with bracing bursts of truth and dazzling dashes of humor, Singled Out is a spirited and provocative read for the single, the married, and everyone in between.

You will never think about singlehood or marriage the same way again.

Singled Out debunks the Ten Myths of Singlehood, including:

Myth #1: The Wonder of Couples: Marrieds know best.

Myth #3: The Dark Aura of Singlehood: You are miserable and lonely and your life is tragic.

Myth #5: Attention, Single Women: Your work won’t love you back and your eggs will dry up. Also, you don’t get any and you’re promiscuous.

Myth #6: Attention, Single Men: You are horny, slovenly, and irresponsible, and you are the scary criminals. Or you are sexy, fastidious, frivolous, and gay.

Myth #7: Attention, Single Parents: Your kids are doomed.

Myth #9: Poor Soul: You will grow old alone and you will die in a room by yourself where no one will find you for weeks.

Myth #10: Family Values: Let’s give all of the perks, benefits, gifts, and cash to couples and call it family values.

“With elegant analysis, wonderfully detailed examples, and clear and witty prose, DePaulo lays out the many, often subtle denigrations and discriminations faced by single adults in the U.S. She addresses, too, the resilience of single women and men in the face of such singlism. A must-read for all single adults, their friends and families, as well as social scientists and policy advocates.”
---E. Kay Trimberger, author of The New Single Woman

Customer Reviews:

A great consciousness-raiser.......2007-10-05

I just finished this book (which I had checked out from the library) and plan to purchase a copy for re-reading. Recently and very unexpectedly divorced after nearly 30 years of marriage, this book came into my life at the perfect time. I (embarrassingly) recognized myself within the pages as one of those who had unknowingly had the cultural advantages and self-satisfied attitudes of couplehood/marriage.

This book has taken me to a new level of awareness and understanding of society's subtle (and not so subtle) messages about people who are single by choice or by circumstance. Ms. DePaulo's writing is clear, insightful, and humorous. (I found her humor in turns wry, sly, and playful, not at all sarcastic or bitter.) She is right-on in her analysis of cultural views of both singlehood and coupledom.

Aided by the perspective of this book, I am no longer simply accepting life as a single, but looking forward to creating a future as rich, fulfilling, and compassionate as possible. I now view my unexpected singlehood as a blessing that allows me to direct my love and energies into new avenues, including deepening my friendships and providing community service. This book has dramatically redirected my outlook.

Somewhat disappointing.......2007-08-01

A friend sent me DePaulo's chapter headings and they are hilarious! I looked forward to reading her book as an interesting exploration of the devaluation of singlehood. The book's concept is thought provoking. The writing, however, is sarcastic (to the detriment of DePaulo's message), at times embittered, and sometimes tedious (e.g., she'll describe at length another writer's work and then pick it apart bit by bit; she could have instead made her point more clearly and persuasively if she wasn't just reacting to other material). All in all, I was disappointed.

"Don't worry, honey, your turn to divorce will come....".......2007-06-23

DePaulo's book is brilliant, but it made me so angry. Angry at how many couples (from here on, "marrieds") stereotype, stigmatize, and ignore singles, of course! I already knew that marrieds feel sorry for singles because they're "incomplete," "lonely," and "unfulfilled." But not everyone wants the same thing, not everyone wants the conventional, predictable married life. I enjoy solitute tremendously, and marriage has never been my life goal. I'd rather focus on my career, which is more fulfilling than any relationship I've had. I also enjoy traveling on the weekends whenever I want, spending my money how I want, hanging out with single friends (fortunately I still have several of them). Most marrieds don't plan a weekend to go visit a good college friend (well, maybe they will if it's a couple and not merely a single person) and spend money "selfishly" on food, entertainment, and going to take photographs of old nuclear power plants or other unique trips. Does this mean I'm not grown up? no! It means I know what I like to do, so I do it. It's that simple. I feel like I have to put so much energy into defending my contented state, while marrieds are assumed to be content (although I know that isn't always the case, especially since marriage ends in divorce half the time).

I am almost 26 so it's still "acceptable" for me to be single, but people still ask why I don't have a boyfriend. "Don't you want to get married one day?" "Are you dating anyone?" "Don't you want to have children?" "You're attractive, why aren't you with anyone?" (there must be something wrong with you!) I used to feel inferior when asked those kinds of questions, especially in college when people were frantically getting engaged, much like a Baskin Robbins gets raided on the day they sell ice cream for 31 cents per scoop. Better get some before it runs out, ya know. But gradually, I became confident in my singleness by my junior year. This book really reinforced my feelings and it was as if DePaulo was reading my mind for most of it. Especially the chapter about why anybody should CARE if we're single of not? Get a life, marrieds..perhaps you should worry about decreasing your divorce rate instead.

I also liked the part criticizing how society gives a hard time to singles who still live with their parents. I still live with mine but am not "mooching" off them. I pay rent, my car payments, my car insurance, my phone bill, my college loans, and other expenses. I am saving up for my own condo (not because it screams "Single person!" but because it's the only thing I can afford in my area). I have a good relationship with my parents and I give a lot back to the economy, much like the Japanese women. I know that I go out and have a social life more than a lot of marrieds I know. And I'm not going out just to look for a husband either, grrrrr!

I have a good male friend in his late 30s. Some people have asked me if he's ever been married. When I answer No, one of them remarked, "There must be something wrong with him." Actually, there isn't. He just doesn't believe that marriage would improve his life. It's overrated and not a "fix-all" solution. He likes being single! He's happy being single. Is that so difficult to understand? Apparently, it is.

Sure, sometimes I think it would be nice to be married, to have that one person who is supposed to be your best friend, lover, etc. But I'm not going to go around actively looking for it because it's not worth it. If it happens, it happens, but I know I wouldn't mind being single for the rest of my life. I don't need another person to make me feel complete. I'm not going to waste time obsessively searching for the right person (dating is much more of a waste than being contentedly single). Ooh, I must be bitter with this attitude! Sometimes I am, but usually I just think, why try to change my life when I love how it is right now? And marriage could also make my life much worse - you never know if it will work out or not, and you could end up devastated by infidelity, abuse, etc (also true in serious unmarried relationships, i know, but people generally have higher expectations of a fairytale perfect marriage, especially with all that commitment). I know a few married men at work who are cheating on their spouses. Obviously, not all marrieds even respect marriage. How then, can this type of person look down on singles as inferior?

I was especially disgusted with Chris Matthews' treatment of Nader. How dare he imply that because Nader did not consume as much as the marrieds (such as no house, no car), that he was less of a person, less responsible? He is really a thousand more times responsible than Newt Gingrich or Bill Clinton, who have made a mess of their marital relationships. Nader is responsible enough to never embarrass a wife (or any other woman, for that matter) on international television. HE never made a mockery of the all-important marriage as others have done. And he is environmentally responsible for not owning a car because, wow!, he doesn't need one, which makes perfect sense (although not to Matthews). Singles rarely get credit for their accomplishments. I admire him and politicians like Condi Rice all the more because of their singleness.

How are people more "grown up" just because they're married? Nineteen year olds get married and are no more grown up than 19 year old singles. In fact, I argue that 19 years old marrieds are much more stupid and insecure than singles their age.

Have to mention one more thing. Once I was invited on a weekend trip where I would be set up with some guy. But I immediately turned it down because I was buying my new car that weekend. An organizer of the trip then asked me, "Which would you rather have, a new boyfriend or a new car?"

"A new car." Of course. I needed a car, but I didn't need a boyfriend...and still don't.

Singe Edition.......2007-06-13

I had been anticipating the arrival of Bella DePaulo's book for months and read it within a day upon receiving it. Ms. Depaulo could not have said it better when she indicates that not all singles are desperately waiting to be rescued by a mate. In fact many are completely satisfied in their solo state while those who are married may not necessarily be fulfilled. Increasingly individuals are choosing to remain single and Ms. Depaulo helps shatter the stereotypical portrait that has been painted. Bookstores today are replete with kitschy chic lit tales, dating propaganda or stories that glorify mommies but Singled Out is a power piece that raises the individual to the positive and realistic rank they merit. I am thankful for the contribution Ms. Depaulo has made and applaud the sincere and courageous stance she has made in putting forth her writings.

Sherri Langburt

The Last Socially Accepted Prejudice.......2007-06-11

This book is about one of the last forms of prejudice that is still socially acceptable, the stigmatization of people who are single. Contrary to some of the comments made, the author makes it clear from the start that this is not a book about putting down people who are married. The criticism is of married people and others who portray marriage as the only valid lifestyle choice for a mature adult and stereotype single people in such a way that they are portrayed as lesser human beings. I have observed that often, pioneers in exposing stigma of an out group get personally attacked for their "tone", especially if they present compelling arguments that are difficult to reasonably refute.

This is not a book about victims, but rather, a book about the resiliency of single people who have managed to prosper in spite of the negative stereotypes and discrimmination. In each chapter, DePaulo exposes and systematically refutes myths about singles that many in our culture have taken for granted. One of the most prevalent myths is that singles don't "have anybody" when research shows that always single people, especially women have the strongest social support networks. She illustrates how our culture has belittled any relationships other than marriage as unimportant when in fact, friendships and relationships with siblings are just as important and often longer lasting.

The book also exposes how legitimate research can be misinterpreted in the popular media, especially when the data violate cherished beliefs and assumptions. The truth is that singles comprise a higher percentage of households than the traditional married couple with children. While the traditional household is a fulfulling choice for some people, when it comes to marriage, given the high divorce rate and the growing percentage of people who choose to be single and remain happy, clearly one size does not fit all. It is time to stop blaming and pathologizing people for failure to conform to the expectations of society that we all must marry and begin to recognize that differences in civil status are often due to normal, healthy differences in personality and temperament. I have written a lengthier review of this book on my blog:

[...]

Sam Shepard : Seven Plays (Buried Child, Curse of the Starving Class, The Tooth of Crime, La Turista, Tongues, Savage Love, True West)

Average customer rating:

best of Shepard...
an incredible collage of beautiful plays
Essay, Different Ways of Life
The one to start on!
Information about book

Sam Shepard : Seven Plays (Buried Child, Curse of the Starving Class, The Tooth of Crime, La Turista, Tongues, Savage Love, True West)
Sam Shepard
Manufacturer: Dial Press Trade Paperback
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

United States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Fool for Love and Other Plays
Glengarry Glen Ross
Topdog/Underdog
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
13 by Shanley: Thirteen Plays (Applause American Masters Series)

ASIN: 0553346113
Release Date: 1984-05-01

Customer Reviews:

best of Shepard..........2007-05-25

I like to call this collection Best of Shepard Vol. 1. This collection belongs in any actors collection. Sam Shepard is a true, unique American voice. His eccentric characters, sparse writing and classic plays. I've seen "Buried Child" on-Broadway and scenes from "Buried Child", "Curse of the Starving Class", "Savage Love" and "True West" in countless acting classes. One of America's greatest writers.

an incredible collage of beautiful plays.......2006-06-01

This collection of plays is extraordinary. Shepard threads tales of cartoonlike characters bound by the direst of circumstances excellently.

Essay, Different Ways of Life.......2004-11-23

11th grade English Essay
Phillips Academy, Andover

"True West"

The play is about the struggle between modern society and more traditional ways of life. Lee and Austin represent two disconnected brothers with drastically different upbringings who have come to accept different norms. Against the growth of the city and the suburb, their spirit of the Wild West, though diminished, still exists. They steal and fight just like cowboys and highway robbers. Yet, both Lee and Austin are scared and frustrated. Lee doesn't know if he should try to blend into the new ways, and Austin doesn't know if he should go back to the old ways. And this play about two writers writing about the West is in itself a Western story. It has all the excitement and violence of a rider's life.

Who else would steal a dozen toasters and TVs? Austin and Lee were lawless and wild, daring enough to do anything. Austin's car is like a horse, and driving out is like going for a raid. "Lee enters abruptly into kitchen carrying a stolen TV set." The sentence has such an air of ease as if Lee entered with a Shopping bag. Stealing is no more than a normal part of Lee's life. He lives off of it, like those high-way riders who plunder by-passers in the old days. The wholesale raid of the toasters shows the wilder side of Austin." It was toasters you challenged me to. Only toasters. I ignored other temptation." He says to Lee after the thievery. These words make Austin sound like a warrior who has just beaten his rival in some major battle. The only irony is that the major battle was about stealing a dozen toasters. Austin is bragging about his lawlessness, and that is a very cowboy thing to do. Not only are these brothers such "professional" thief, they also are more than violent. From Lee "ax-chops(ing) at the typewriter using a nine-iron" to Austin trying to choke his brother with a telephone cord while their mom is standing on the side. It is hard to get worse than that. It is like a misplaced scene from a Old Western movie. Not only do these pair of thief like to kill each other, they also have that independence and individualism that Western heroic images render so forcefully. On top of living on the desert by himself, Lee also says "I don't sleep." , and does not seem to eat breakfast. "Do you Eat Breakfast?" "Look, don't worry about me pal. I can take care of myself." When Austin asks him if he needs any help with money, "Lee suddenly lungs at Austin, grabs him violently by the shirt and shakes him with tremendous power." Lee wants money, but he is going to get it by himself, not through his little brother. Lawless, violent, and independent, Lee and Austin are depicted in the play as the "True Western Heroes" borne at a wrong time. This, however, is only the first layer of the play. It makes the story entertaining, but not meaningful.

"Yappin' their fool heads off. They don't yap like that on the desert. They howl. These are city coyotes here." The deeper meaning of the play is about the difference between the city "coyotes" and the country "coyotes". The country "coyote", Lee, is older, lives on a desert, use to catch snakes, and uneducated. The city "coyote", Austin, is younger, writes screen plays, does not remember having ever caught snakes, and has an Ivy League education. The brothers grew up together, but went onto totally different paths of life. But they don't merely represent two disgruntled brothers, but the struggle between the different ways of life. In Austin's eyes, the place where they used to live is "built up", but in Lee's eyes, the place has been "wiped out". But the struggle is not that simple. At the same time of feeling deep nostalgia, and refusing to adapt to the new way with help from his brother, because "it is too cold up there." , Lee also says the new houses that he saw were "like a paradise" with "Blonde people movin' in and outa' the rooms." Lee is deeply rooted in the old way of life and very unprepared socially and mentally for anything other than roaming around and stealing things. He likes comfort like anyone else, but the life of those living in those houses is like "paradise". They are far and aloft, and are not in his reach. Lee wants to write something to change his life, and Austin tells him that he can really turn things around and buy a ranch. Lee's excitement was obvious, " (laughs) A ranch? I could get a ranch?" We can see that it is very clear that even when Lee tries to change, he is only trying to change back to the old ways. Austin at the end of the play suddenly made a deal with Lee asking his brother to bring him to the desert. This shows the conflict at the other end of spectrum. Austin has more money, and has a seemingly good life. But is he really happy? Is his frustration with life any less than Lee's? No. The society that he has so well adapted to is of little comfort to him. He tries for years to get a screenplay to production, but at the whim of an executive, the deal goes to his brother. Austin is frustrated, and though he types betters, suffers as much. Lee asks Austin "maybe we're too intelligent..... One of us has even got a Ivy League Diploma. Now that means somethin' don't it?" But no, it doesn't mean as much as it seems.

The truth is, the old West as it was disappeared long ago. It is no longer filled with rugged mountains, uncharted rivers, cowboy hats, and one does not have the freedom to roam around for thousands of miles with only wild animals as his companion anymore. The untamed natural world went away a hundred years ago with the railroads, and has been changing even more ever since. It is sad to see the past go by for those who grew up as a part of it. Faced with new situations, some of these people try to adapt, some have no chance to adapt, and some don't even want to adapt. And for those who have adapted, they wonder if the decision to change in the first place was valid after all. They wonder if they should go back. That poor Lee had no chance to adapt. He was left out by progresses, and envies dearly the seemingly much more comfortable life that others have. Austin at the same time is in the mainstream of modern life, but he is just as troubled and depressed by commercialism. However, within all these confusions and fightings, all these differences and changes, there is something that has always stayed the same, and that is the true spirit of the West, the "True West". The motivation for people to go to the West in the first place is also the motivation that made the world more modernized. The struggles that the first settlers of the West faced were no different from the struggles that people now face as they move into new ways of life. That spirit is not limited to time nor place, it is about the fundamental human eagerness for new and for more, and at the same time, the unquenchable ties to the past.

The one to start on!.......2002-09-24

The basic text of the most exciting playwright of recent decades. The place to start when discovering the American drama as reader, actor, or teacher!

Information about book.......2002-03-15

First of all, brilliant plays, still classics of the American Theater. Since Amazon no longer has information about this book, I will supply it:
The title of the book is: Sam Shepard: Seven Plays
It includes the full text to 7 of his plays, including:
Buried Child
Curse of the Starving Class
The Tooth of Crime
La Turista
Tongues
Savage Love
and True West

Amazon.com

Vince Luca, 17, has a problem. His wealthy family runs the, uh, vending machine business in New York, and Vince is determined not to be part of it. Especially after a hot date is ruined when he finds that his older brother Tommy has conducted some business with Jimmy the Rat and hidden the messy and temporarily unconscious body in the trunk of Vince's car. His dad, the King of the Mob, is reasonable, sensible, lots of fun, gives great presents to his kids--and his name strikes the hearts of other mobsters to stone.

Although Vince keeps a low profile at school, his family connection brings him unwanted advantages, like the birthday Porsche that gets him arrested on stolen vehicle charges, or the football game in which he makes touchdown after touchdown because word has gotten around and nobody is willing to tackle him. Even private conversations at home have to be carried on in the basement because the FBI has bugged the house and an agent is always listening. Vince's life is inextricably tangled up with the family business, no matter how hard he tries to stay out of it. How can he show them he's serious? Then he meets Kendra, and when she innocently reveals that her father's an FBI agent--that FBI agent--it's a match made in heaven. He thinks.

Gordon Korman, author of (No More Dead Dogs) and over 30 other witty YA novels, is at his best in this Sopranos-style spoof about a teen's home life with the Mob. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell

Book Description

Vince Luca is just like any other high school guy. His best friend, Alex, is trying to score vicariously through him; his brother is a giant pain; and his father keeps bugging him to get motivated. There is just one thing that really sets him apart for other kidsæhis father happens to be the head of a powerful crime organization. Needless to say, while Vince's family's connections can be handy for certain things-like when teachers are afraid to give him a bad grade as they can put a serious crimp in his dating life. How is he supposed to explain to a girl what his father does for a living? But when Vince finally meets one who seems to be worth the trouble, her family turns out to be the biggest problem of all. Because her father is an FBI agent-the one who wants to put his father away for good.

Customer Reviews:

Son of the Mob.......2007-10-05

The Son of the Mob is a great book about the hecttic life of a teenage boy. The weird thing is that Vinces the main characters dad is the Mob leader of NYC (the Godfather). Vinces love Kendra is a big part of his life but her father is a FBI agent trying to get Vinces dad away forever. Although this book is very slow it was lightly funny overall it was pretty good.

Lightly Humorous, Heavily Unrealistic.......2007-08-09

Gordon Korman's SON OF THE MOB gets as much mileage as possible out of a funny situation -- the teenaged son of a mobster falls in love with the daughter of the FBI agent investigating said mobster -- but ultimately runs out of gas while taking unrealistic turns that at times make little sense. Of course, you could argue that a book written to be humorous does not have to drive over the suspension bridge of disbelief, but I'll argue that it sure would get the narrative from here to there a lot faster.

Vince Luca is the protagonist with a heart, Alex is his dweeby friend, and Kendra Bightly (set up for the gag line, daughter of "Agent Bite-Me") the girlfriend. Vince has a bad-boy older brother named Tommy, a Godfather-type dad named (guess what?) Anthony, and a mother who lives to feed her family too much like an Italian (fancy that!) grandmother. The Luca family has a lot of "uncles," if you know what I mean, and Vince commands a lot of respect simply because of his name. I can hear the stereo even as I type!

There's a few good gags in the book, and the plot is carefully constructed, it's just that the actions and the twists and turns don't seem terribly real. Vince does not want to be a mobster's son, yet takes advantage of many of its perks. Anthony Luca is ruthless, but has a heart. Mom cooks, but turns out to hold a larger than expected (or to be believed) role (pass the butter). It's all breezy and maybe entertaining, if you like this sort of thing.

Kids looking for a lot of bang-bang, shoot-em-up, Mario Puzo-type stuff will be disappointed, as this is more skewed toward the trials and tribulations of first love and fitting in with the family than with any violence. It's also safely clean, language, sex, and violence-wise. More for boys, but perhaps of interest to girls as well, SON OF THE MOB is one of those books that will work for you if you embrace both the situation and the characters. I had some trouble with both, making it what mobsters would call "my problem."

Son of the mob.......2007-05-25

The book is very deep in detil and it goes deep into the mob. in alot of the parts it's very suspensful and there is close dangerous action. you can barley put the book down and if you like the mob you'll love this book. It goes deep into the FBI falling the mob boss or godfather.

Great Book!.......2007-02-14

Son of the Mob, by Gordon Korman is a thrilling realistic fiction book about a boy, normal in every sense, except for the fact that his dad is the leader of one of the most known crime organizations in the city, the mob. Vince Luca, 16, has to deal with his dad's title on a daily basis. Son of the Mob is all about how Vince tries to help two guys, James Ratelli (Jimmy Rat) and Ed Manakin. While all of this is going on, he has to keep struggling relationship going with Kendra Brightly, an FBI agent's daughter, with out spilling the beans about his dad. Vince ha

Son of the Mob is a great books for teens, because it talks about all the things that we have to deal with in our everyday lives. I would definitely recommend it to any and all of my friends. but I would not recommend it to any kids under 12-13, because of some scenes in the book, and adults probably wouldn't enjoy it as much. Son of the Mob is not in a series, and it is not a prequel, or a sequel.
My point of view is that he did the right thing, most of the time. This book is about organized crime, mystery, and realistic fiction. The themes are about doing the right thing, love, and lots, lots more. Gordon Korman has written more than 50 books for teens. I give it a 4 stars, out of five.

- Matt Hupy

Son of the Mob.......2006-05-26

Ages 13 and up. Vincent Luca, a 17 year old now a senior in high school, is a mob prince in 'Son of the Mob'. His best friend Alex helps him through his tangeled life with his dad's business, also called 'The Life'. Vince has lovelife problems, until this one amazing girl, Kendra Bightly enters his life; who happens to be the daughter of a FBI agent who is trying to put Vince's dad in prison for a long time. Kendra happens to be the miracle of Vince's life. Would Vince reveal his identity to Kendra? What will he do next? Get your hands on this sensational, comical and amazing book by Gordon Korman.

Confessions of an Ivy League Bookie: A True Tale of Love and the Vig

Average customer rating:

Even odds on whether it's worth it.
What a brave and compelling tale!
A Sure Bet!
Very entertaining misadventure
Covers the spread

Confessions of an Ivy League Bookie: A True Tale of Love and the Vig
Peter Alson
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Criminals | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Take Me to the River: A Wayward and Perilous Journey to the World Series of Poker
Broke: A Poker Novel
Hunting Fish: A Cross-Country Search for America's Worst Poker Players
Book On Bookies: An Inside Look At A Successful Sports Gambling Operation
Bigger Deal: A Year Inside the Poker Boom

ASIN: 0517703300
Release Date: 1996-02-27

Amazon.com

Not everyone who graduates from Ivy League schools immediately enters high-paying and prestigious careers. Peter Alson, Harvard graduate and nephew of Norman Mailer, writes in an "almost-tough-guy" style of his life as a bookie in Brooklyn, from the highs of making some big commissions to the lows of spending time in a feces-encrusted and overcrowded cell. A cross between Jim Carroll's The Basketball Diaries and Damon Runyon's tales of down-and-out or lowlife New Yorkers.

Book Description

Juxtaposing the thuggish worlds of bookies and privileged ivy leaguers, this hilarious study of unfettered machismo takes a perceptive look into a young, donw-on-his-luck Harvard graducate who joins a bookmaking operations while he tries to pull his life together.

Customer Reviews:

Even odds on whether it's worth it........2000-02-16

Despite the subtitle ("A True Tale of Love and the Vig") I was plagued throughout my reading of this semi-confession of a former Ivy-leaguer's plummet into the world of bookmaking by a certain dubiousness. Alson's story is written in a kind of flippantly open manner that undermines the believability of his insider's story. Don't get me wrong, it's very entertaining and all, but his coyness about just how "connected" the small-time operation he was a part of was came across as rather disingenuous to me. While his confusion and despair about figuring out what he should be doing with his overeducated self hit the right notes, the subplot of the long distance sort of relationship was often more annoying than interesting. Still, not a bad little peek into bookmaking.

What a brave and compelling tale!.......1998-01-16

I felt like I was growing up with Peter as he faced the consequences of his decisions. Looking forward to his next one.

A Sure Bet!.......1997-10-26

I really liked this book! I thought it was a refreshing and entertaining look at how are lives don't always end up as we had planned. There are some unresolved issues, but perhaps that makes the book all the more realistic. A movie version of this book would do very well.

Very entertaining misadventure.......1997-04-22

This book was a great but limited look inside a small-time illegal sports book. Alson's story is very funny, compelling, and informative but suffers from his distracting whining about a long-distance girlfriend and the unresolved mystery of whether his operation was part of a bigger syndicate. His frustrated accounts of big-time editors wanting his services as a bookie instead of a writer are a gem

Covers the spread.......1997-01-30

Very much enjoyed this real life book and look forward to the next one from Alson

Love Lies Bleeding: A China Bayles Mystery

Average customer rating:

Texas Ranger gone bad
China is a total moron in this book...
An unexpected twist!
Texan who dunnit
Not as good as the others

Love Lies Bleeding: A China Bayles Mystery
Susan Wittig Albert
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Chile Death: A China Bayles Mystery
Rueful Death: A China Bayles Mystery
Lavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery
Rosemary Remembered (China Bayles Mystery)
Mistletoe Man

ASIN: 0425166112

Book Description

The newest in the nationally bestselling series--a "fast-paced and absorbing" tale (Midwest Book Review). Ex-lawyer and herb-shop proprietor China Bayles is investigating the mystery of retired Texas Ranger shot dead with his wife's gun...and at the same time trying to sort out some mysteries about her own relationship after she overhears a suspicious phone conversation...

Customer Reviews:

Texas Ranger gone bad.......2004-08-20

China Bayles is back from a retreat at a monastery and is debating with herself about the future of her herb shop. Should she give it up and move on to something else? Should she add a tearoom and hire someone to run it? One thing that becomes clear to her is her devotion to her live-in lover Mike McQuaid, and China is considering making their relationship a permanent one. In the middle of these personal questions, she begins an investigation into the death of former Texas Ranger, Roy Adcock. His death appears to be a suicide, but China thinks it may be murder instead. During the course of her investigation, she begins to have doubts about her relationship with McQuaid, as well as her investigative skills. Adcock's death becomes complicated when it appears that he had a connection with a notorious drug lord, and China goes up a lot of blind alleys before she finally discovers who is guilty in this case. Her private life also ends on an uncertain note and the future of her relationship with McQuaid is up in the air. It appears that readers need to read the next book, to find out how it turns out!

China is a total moron in this book..........2002-06-01

Let me start of by saying China has always been one of my favorite characters. And I would love to have her back in the next installment. This China, the simpering idiot who blames herself when her boyfriend betrays her, is not the strong heroine of previous books. Bring back the real China!!

An unexpected twist!.......2002-05-06

The author sure thew a twist into this one. Back from her haitus at Saint T's convent, China is trying to get back into the swing on things. However, McQuaid is acting different, and China fears he is having an affair. She overhears a phone conversation between McQuaid and a woman and confronts him about it. McQuaid admits it is true, but that it is over. Also, unbeknownst to China, McQuaid is working undercover with the FBI regarding an issue with Texas Rangers. While China is trying to sort out her feelings, McQuaid is shot while working undercover on his case. We never really get to see how China would have worked things out because once she hears that McQuaid has been shot, everything else is immaterial. Not only does she totally forgive McQuaid for his affair, but she befriends the woman with whom he had the affair (an FBI agent). To top it off, she takes responsibility for the affair by saying that if she had said yes to McQuaid one of the many times he had asked her to marry him, he wouldn't have looked elsewhere. No matter how much she loves McQuaid, I have trouble equating this simpering female with the headstrong,independent China from the previous books.

Texan who dunnit.......2001-06-19

This was my first China Bayles mystery...I enjoyed it, reading about China and the town of Pecan Springs was a hoot. Having gardening plans and ideas strewn throughout the book was fun. Being in the legal field, I can relate to the idea of leaving it all behind and running from the city to a quiet remote little town. But somehow I think the town of Pean Springs has a lot more danger lurking around than one would think. China's friends are quirky and add spice to the background. They mystery itself kept me quessing...I will hunt up the previous China stories as well as the more current ones. Great reading for an rainy afternoon or relaxing on the beach...

Not as good as the others.......2001-06-07

I love the China Bayles series, and I usually love China. She's smart, savy and quick-witted. Her quirky friends are half the fun too. This one just didn't do it for me as much as the others. The actual mystery was pretty good. There were a lot of plot twists and underlying issues like all her previous stories, but I had this one figured out by the end. I won't give anything away, but there's something rotten in the Ranger emporium. What I really didn't like, and what seemed unbelievable due to China's previous shows of independence was the fact that she blamed herself for her lover's infidelity! What's going on with That? I certainly hope that Ms. Albert redeems her heroine in the next outing.

Blood Washes Blood: A True Story of Love, Murder, and Redemption Under the Sicilian Sun

Average customer rating:

One of the best so far to capture what life in Sicily is like!
Gorgeous Writing, This Book Will Help You Understand Sicily
Now I understand my father.
Fantastic!
Fascinating

Blood Washes Blood: A True Story of Love, Murder, and Redemption Under the Sicilian Sun
Frank Viviano
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Midnight in Sicily
The Stone Boudoir: Travels through the Hidden Villages of Sicily
Unto the Daughters: The Legacy of an Honor Killing in a Sicilian-American Family
On Persephone's Island: A Sicilian Journal
Indecent Secrets: The Infamous Murri Murder Affair

ASIN: 0671041592

Amazon.com

In 1995, two years after his grandfather whispered the name of his great-great-grandfather's killer to him, Frank Viviano visited Sicily to learn the events that shaped his namesake's life and strongly influenced his own. Nicknamed "The Monk" for the garments he wore while robbing the rich and bureaucratic, Viviano's ancestor left little for the experienced foreign correspondent to follow. Plus, the slow-jolt journey of Sicilian lifestyles often ended in polite reticence or remarkable disorganization; even rudimentary information, such as his predecessor's gravesite, was lost. In a "morbid tidying up," Mussolini's local officials removed the remains of all pre-Fascists: "In their zeal to launch the new millennium, the fascisti hadn't bothered to keep lists of the disinterred. The old tombstones were dumped into the sea, next to the limestone blocks that the fishermen referred to as 'Atlantis.'"

In between assignments in Bosnia and the West Bank, Viviano learned to take a less direct approach. Guided by stories told to him in his childhood by his grandmother, he demystifies the region's bandit-rebel history, its current life under the sistema, and its creation of the modern Italian mafia. Viviano was already aware of his family's supposed connections to the mafia, causing him to look more carefully at the times that produced these men. In the process, he began to take a closer look at his own personal life:

The dramatic narrative of ancestry is not erased by immigration. It is driven into a clandestine realm where setting and characters are only dimly recalled, or transformed into fairy-tale heroes and villains in the landscape of fable. The Monk, in this sense, had withdrawn into my grandparents' tales and the isolated recesses of my imagination, into hidden canyons where I could not directly confront him.

Suspenseful and well balanced, Blood Washes Blood is an exciting and thoughtful page-turner, a remarkable story of family, mystery, and friendship. Viviano's writing is at its best when he follows the complicated trail of his family's past, and falters only slightly when he attempts to imagine his ancestor's life. --Karin Rosman

Book Description

Against the sweeping backdrop of western Sicily, in a riveting seven-year quest, Frank Viviano pieces together his own harrowing ancestral history of betrayal and redemption. His take is haunted, from its violent opening to its stunning climax, by an ancient Sicilian proverb, Lu sangu lava lu sangu, "Blood washes blood": the torrent of unforgiving vengeance that flows from an unforgivable offense.

Viviano's great-great grandfather was a legendary bandit who traveled the countryside of Sicily by night in the robes of a friar and was known as "the Monk." His brutal murder has remained shrouded in mystery for four generations. Until now.

Populated by an extraordinary cast of nineteenth-century Robin Hood brigands and twentieth-century underworld bosses, here is a true-life Godfather, in which past and present finally merge into a single story with a shattering climax that ultimately changes the way the author views his immigrant family's complex legacy -- and himself.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best so far to capture what life in Sicily is like!.......2007-07-23

My own maternal Grandparents emigrated from Terrasini, Sicily as children in the early 1900's, and we Grandchildren heard some of the stories related in BLOOD WASHES BLOOD when growing up in St. Louis, Missouri. Terrasini in the 19th Century was only a town of a little over 2,000 people (Today it has about 10,000), and 19 families make up ~ 90% of the population. My Mother's relatives had lived there for over two centuries. Some of our family have been fortunate enough to return there on vacations, and my husband and I have visited twice in the last 3 years (Sicily is very much like Southern California where we live). The Viviano Family (St. Louis branch) are related to the DiMercurio's in St. Louis - my Mother's relatives.

Having taken a course in Sicilian Studies under the auspices of the University of California, I was already familiar with the feudal and absolute structure of Sicily's ruling class up to the late 19th Century. Frank Viviano does a terrific job of bringing that life to light, as well as the confining and demeaning influence of the Mafia and Sicily's current economic woes. Unemployment in Palermo Province still sits around 20% even in these most prosperous times. I did not realize that Sicily was under martial law, at least, twice after the reunification of Italy because of the widespread political unrest, resulting in many emigrants - including my Great-Grandparents and Grandparents - literally escaping from the island under false pretenses to reach an Italians or other port where they could get a ship to the USA without a valid exit visa. I think Frank Viviano does a great job describing the impact of the reunification effort on Sicilians and even mentions the atrocity of Partinico, although he merely alludes to the torture and cannibalism that occured there so near to lovely Terrasini. A people can only withstand oppression for so long, then...

By the end of the book, I felt that Frank Viviano had not only solved a family mystery but came to grips with some aspects of his own life that became clearer. It is no surprise that he is an award-winning journalist. If you are a reader and have not visited Sicily, Danilo Dolci's SICILIAN LIVES brings 20th Century Sicilian culture/norms to life, even if it does stop at the early 1980's. So much has changed in Sicily for the better as we noted when we were there in 2005, but the inherent Sicilian nature is certainly portrayed accurately in this gem.

Gorgeous Writing, This Book Will Help You Understand Sicily.......2007-04-12

I read this book when in first came out five years ago. For work and pleasure, I have probably read over 100 books about Italy in the intervening years and this book is still one of the best. I just re-read the first page and got chills. The writing is eloquent, the story incredible (and all the more so because it is true) and the sense of place Viviano evokes is so compelling. If you want to understand Sicily, the history of rural Italy, the confusing legacy of the Old World for many Italian-Americans, read this book. If you just want to read a great piece of narrative non-fiction, read this book. I'm planning on re-reading it.

Now I understand my father........2005-09-11

My sister gave all of us a copy of this book and she said we needed to read it to understand who were are. She was right. My father was born in Palermo and came to the United States at the age of 14. He was a wonderful family man who loved his wife of 58yrs and his 4 daughters. But, he was a complicated man and at times, very secretive. Now I understand. He told us of his transition into the American life and I thought he was embellishing because he was a great story teller, but now I understand the hardships, the backbreaking work, and the joys of providing for his family. After reading this book, I am even prouder to say when asked, "No, I'm not Italian-American, I am Sicilian-American."

Fantastic!.......2004-08-08

I highly recommend Blood Washes Blood. While it may be a bit dark and heavy for a summer read, it is definitely worth any time or money spent in the endeavor.
Mr. Viviano has a gift with non-fiction unlike any other writer of this genre I have ever read. His story unfolds like a novel, fascinating in its characters and settings and yet all the more immediate because it is true.
Mr. Viviano traces his family's history and his own journey of self-discovery through the winding streets of Sicily, uncovering a few secrets and finding even more along the way.
At times his prose is almost too real, too painful and private, but it creates an intense bond with the reader.
In short, don't pick up this book expecting a quick read. Yes, it is riveting, but at times a little overwhelming as well. The highest praise I can give Blood Washes Blood was that it left me with plenty to think about once it was finished, and a lingering interest in Sicily and its history.
Mr. Vivano has had articles recently in publications such as National Geographic, and I highly recommend readers to search out more of his work. You won't be disappointed.

Fascinating.......2003-07-19

Having come of age in St. Louis, and marrying into a Sicilian American family, all the "old stories" and legends were the makings for any family get together. Blood Washes Blood brought so many of the old stories to life and was even more compelling to read than The Godfather because it was a family with a familiar name.

On his deathbed, Frank Viviano's grandfather whispers an old family secret to him. The secret leads Mr. Vivano, back to Sicily and to a search for answers that seem to elude him. His curiosity as a foreign correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle well prepares him to do the research and fuel his interest in exploring what happened to the great grandfather known as The Monk.

Amazon.com

Irish Love follows the story of winsome couple Dermot Michael Coyne and Nuala Anne McGrail as they vacation on the western coast of Ireland. Though Nuala is recovering from the stress of her demanding musical career and the birth of their second child, she still has the wherewithal to sense the evil intentions of past and present criminals.

Over 100 years after a mass murder occurred, Nuala and Dermot discover an old diary that chronicles the investigation of that murder and the trial and conviction of an innocent man. As they read about the young journalist Edward Fitzpatrick, they begin to uncover a story that still angers the local inhabitants. As a series of modern crimes occurs, Dermot and Nuala wonder if there is a connection between the past and the present.

That author Andrew M. Greeley has done his homework is evident in his careful reconstruction of a historical time period and a fact-based crime. The story line of Fitzpatrick and the past murders is by far the more interesting one, and readers may happily skip to these italicized sections without missing much about Dermot and Nuala. Good fiction has great conflicts, and the Fitzpatrick story line has enough to keep your interest. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien

Book Description

Continuing the enchanting chronicles of the fabulous Nuala Anne McGrail and her spear-carrying husband Dermot, bestselling author Andrew M. Greeley takes them once again to Ireland for another thrill-packed adventure.Back on the Emerald Isle, Nuala and Dermot soon get the feeling that someone is out to get them. They find themselves dodging multiple explosions, and someone starts shooting at Nuala while she is water-skiing in the cold Atlantic. Meanwhile, the handsome parish priest, Father Jack, has given Dermot the diary of a young Chicago newspaperman. Written in the year 1882, the diary tells in horrendous detail an intriguing story of a mass murder and a trumped-up trial in which one of Ireland's greatest heroes was accused of the murders without a shred of evidence. These two stories, ancient and modern, soon get mixed up, and they make for an utterly fascinating tale of murder, betrayal, and redemption with Nuala and her magical powers at the center of it all. Andrew Greeley not only tells us a riveting tale of adventure and derring-do, he gives us a picture of modern-day prosperous Ireland and the engaging and, of course, sometimes villainous people who live there.

Customer Reviews:

easy read .......2005-08-22

A bit to formula for my taste, no big surprises. Certainly not the best of the Nuala Anne McGrail series. Beach reading but doesn't hold your attention.

dissapointing!!.......2002-03-24

Andrew Greeley has lost his sense of identity as a priest, otherwise he would not have published something so close to romance (code word for print-a-porn). As an alledged catholic, he is a heretic (at least in that novel). As for the rest of the book, it is a lot of sentimentalistic Irish-American superstition and drivel; taking place in an Ireland which the real Irish cannot recognize. terribly dissapointing!

Nuala and Dermot Michael go back to Ireland.......2001-11-12

Nuala Anne is suffering from post natal depression and in keeping with her character she has a pretty severe case. She gives up singing and doubts herself in everything. Her doctor prescribes Prozac and a trip home. Of course, they can't have a quiet trip. Fiona the wolfhound is pregnant, and the TD next doot has his house blown up. More disturbing, while on a walk through some ruins nearby, both Nuala Anne and Nelliecoyne see a scene of murder from the distant past. Apparently, a man was wrongfully accused of the murders and hanged for the crime. The local priest, Jack Lane, finds part of a journal, written by an American reporter who was there at the time, that tells the whole story as it happened. Nuala, Jack Lane, and Dermot have to find the rest of the journal and the fate of the murdered man's family.

This is pretty typical of the series. Nuala has a crisis of some kind, she finds a mystery in the past, she solves the mystery and her problems at the same time. Each one of the mysteries, however is very well done, with just a little bit of Irish history thrown in.

Wearing Thin.......2001-09-22

I have loved every other Nuala Anne McGrail novel that Andrew M. Greeley has written, so it was somewhat of a disappointment to me that I did not love this book as much. Although I enjoyed it to a degree, I felt myself predicting future events and had nearly figured out the entire plot by halfway through. After I read the author's note at the end where he explains his formula, I realized the problem. The Nuala Anne McGrail books have become too obviously formulaic, and it's making otherwise delightful characters go just a little bit stale. Nevertheless, if you're looking for a quick read, you might want to try this one. Just don't expect anything terribly different from the others.

Enchanting variations on a theme.......2001-04-27

Dermott Michael, Nuala Anne, and the growing Coyne family have returned from Chicago to the West of Ireland. Our author, Father Greeley, gently reminds those with faint understanding of "The Troubles" in Ireland that there is more involved than religion - a history of British occupational forces and their progeny. Time to sing along with Johnny Horton? o/~ "In 1814, we took a little trip, along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Missipp. We took a little bacon & we took a little beans and we fought the Bloody British in the town of New Orleans." o/~ But, of course, that Colonel Jackson went on to become President Andrew Jackson and besmirch himself and our fledgling Nation during the course of his forced march of Native Americans on the "Trail of Tears."

In "Irish Love," Father Greeley has again interwoven a compelling and interesting historical tale with the equally interesting modern day Coynes, this time adeptly comparing the trials and tribulations of the Indigenous Irish to those of Native Americans:

"We're not talking about justice out here, son. We're talking about controlling an uncivilized people and placating Dublin Castle and Westminister. Bolton is not a nice fellow, but London needs someone like him out here." [page 105] "he was in much the same position as a Sioux or an Apache who did not know a word of English in an American courtroom without an interpreter." [page 173]

One more song to conclude this review: o/~ "Oh Lord, take me back. I want to ride in Geronimo's Cadillac." o/~

`Tis a brilliant book altogether!

An Hour To Kill: A True Story of Love, Murder, and Justice in a Small Southern Town (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
Average customer rating:

Horrible Story - Not A Great Book

Well written, but otherwise average.

By Golly, Jethro, I Think We Have Us A Murder On Our Hands Here

Terrific Story

Excellent non-fiction writing

An Hour To Kill: A True Story of Love, Murder, and Justice in a Small Southern Town (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
Dale Hudson , and Billy Hills
Manufacturer: St. Martin's True Crime
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Gone Forever: A True Story of Marriage, Betrayal, and Murder (True Crime (St. Martin's Paperbacks))

Never Leave Me: A True Story of Marriage, Deception, and Brutal Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library)

Such Good Boys: The True Story of a Mother, Two Sons and a Horrifying Murder

One Deadly Night (St. Martin's True Crime Library)

Tacoma Confidential: A True Story of Murder, Suicide, and a Police Chief's Secret Life (48 Hours Mystery)

ASIN: 0312978359

Book Description

Church-goer.Family friend.All-American boy.Murderer.Ken Register, much to the shock of the small town of Conway, South Carolina, was all of these things.Clean-cut, polite to a fault, and respectful of elders, Ken was the kind of guy parents wanted their daughters to date.But only months after a seventeen-year-old girl's brutal murder, the residents of Conway were in for another surprise: that the killer was one of their own.Ken and Crystal Todd were "best friends," and had even briefly dated.When Crystal's hideously gutted body was found near the woods of Conway, Ken checked in every day to console Crystal's mother and inquire about the murder investigation.Ken was practically the last person anyone would suspect.Until he started acting nervous and suspicious, afraid he would be "framed" for Crystal's murder.And until DNA tests confirmed that he was indeed the man who repeatedly raped and stabbed Crystal Todd, then left her mutilated body in a nearby ditch.Discover, through fascinating first-person accounts: the tortured Southern son who committed murder; the courageous detective determined to break the case; the broken mother who lost her only child; and the disbelieving parents who, to this day, defend their son's innocence.AUTHORBIO: BILLY HILLS is Associate Professor of Psychology at Coastal Carolina University.DALE HUDSON is a successful businessman.Both authors, life-long residents of South Carolina, spent nearly five years researching for this book.

Customer Reviews:

Horrible Story - Not A Great Book.......2007-05-03

I purchased this book because of the strong reviews. Perhaps the other reviewers have not read a lot of true crime, because there was nothing special about this. Basically, it was a newspaper article extended with a few more facts to make a book. The story is horrifying, but you never really learn much about the people.

Well written, but otherwise average........2007-03-23

An Hour To Kill is the story of a brutal murder in a small South Carolina town. As an avid reader of true crime, I have mixed feelings about the book. There are a number of negatives: The center picture section is weak. There is NO decent picture of the victim, Crystal Todd, merely a tiny blurred picture of her on her tombstone. As she was a high school senior, it should have been relatively easy to at least get a yearbook picture. Also, for no other possible reason than to fill up the section there are pictures of Mickey Spillane and his wife! These people really have nothing to do with the book, except as an afterthought, not even appearing in the book until the last few pages.
There is no depth given to the main characters, Ken Register and Crystal Todd. Due to a lack of information or interest, the authors present them as little more than props around which to base the story of the arrest and trial. This is especially poorly done with Crystal. She is the victim of a brutal murder and we learn virtually nothing about her except that her mother loved her.
There does not seem to have been much in depth research in the writing of this book, which would have helped as the crime is not in itself really that interesting or unusual, except for its sheer brutality,

This book could have been a total true crime trasher due to the serious faults listed above, but it is saved by the authors' narrative abilities.
The writing is crisp and clean. It is for the most part reportorial in nature, and avoids the trap fallen into by lesser true-crime writers, of feeling that they must express their own opinions of the crime. Consequently they do not impose their own personalities on the story, which in my opinion is almost always undesirable in a true crime book. The writers, Hudson and Hills, move the story along briskly and professionally. Ultimately, An Hour To Kill is an easy read, but could have been much deeper.

By Golly, Jethro, I Think We Have Us A Murder On Our Hands Here.......2007-03-13

True crime is my genre; about the ONLY thing I read. And in many years of reading this genre, I have read many, many books whose setting was in the South, even the deep south Georgia, but I have NEVER run across authors who did such an excellent job (said tongue in cheek)of making the "characters" out to be such hillbillies. Living in a small, southern town myself, I can say this: sure, we have some odd sayings and our own dialect; but, come on, do you have to play on it? Even though I speak "the language" of these people, I still had a very difficult time reading it.

And this has to be the only true crime book I've read to date that included photos, but not any clear photos of the victim or the accused. Readers are provided with a grainy photo atop her headstone, taken at a distance of the victim and one side view photo taken of the accused. But, hey, there is a clear photo of Mickey Spillane and his wife, Jane, for your enjoyment! Go figure!

Throw in that this book plays on the fact that Crystal Faye Todd was murdered by her best friend Ken Register, but we're not given much background information on neither them nor their families; only that they had all been life long friends. Btw, how is that Ken Register was her best friend, but she had refused to date him and told her mother it was because he wanted sex all the time and smelled badly? Doesn't really sound like best friend material but, amazingly, Bonnie Faye Todd considers him as someone she can lean on and trust.

However, if a reader can wade through all that mess, there is a good argument here for the conviction. It was based mainly on past actions of the defendant and primitive use of DNA. Quite frankly, the jury, in my opinion, didn't have enough evidence to convict but read it and form your own opinion. Just plan on having Jethro's voice in your head while you do!

Terrific Story.......2006-03-03

I first read Dale Hudson's Dance of Death, then purchase An Hour To Kill. Both books are superb. They both kept me spellbound and glued to my seat. My only criticism is that they weren't longer, as I read them far too quickly and was mad at myself for doing so. I look forward to reading his next book.

Excellent non-fiction writing.......2005-12-03

This non-fiction story is a thriller to read. It's the sort of writing you expect in a work of fiction, but when you realize that this really did happen, then you want to congratulate the authors for their research and prose. Basically, what I'm saying, is this piece of work is well done.
It's hard to think of a nice Christian boy living in a small town such as Conway, SC, committing such a heinous crime. But hey, the world is full of sickos and small towns are no exception. And yet, just how sick has our society become that a young man professing to be a devout Christian and, hits the church every time the doors open, can fool so many people? But DNA comes into play, even though it was just being introduced and some people doubted the results. I'm sure the parents of Ken Register don't want to think their son could be guilty of murdering his friend, and then cutting her to pieces like he did. This book is anything BUT boring and I do highly recommend it to non-fiction lovers.
Co-authors, Billy Hills (an Assoc. Prof. of Psychology) and Brad Hudson (a successful businessman) appear to be on their way to a successful writing career. Too bad they don't know the difference between SIT & SET and SITTING & SETTING, which were basically the only flaws I found in the story. Wonder why their editor didn't catch it.

Sex, Love, and Violence: Strategies for Transformation

Average customer rating:

Madanes's Magnificent Manifesto

Sex, Love, and Violence: Strategies for Transformation
Cloe Madanes
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Sex | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Mental Illness | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Medicine | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Violence of Men: New Techniques for Working with Abusive Families: A Therapy of Social Action (Jossey-Bass Social and Behavioral Sciences)
Strategic Family Therapy
The Relational Trauma of Incest: A Family-Based Approach to Treatment
Psychosomatic Families: Anorexia Nervosa in Context
The Secret Meaning of Money: How to Prevent Financial Problems from Destroying Our Most Intimate Relationships

ASIN: 0393700968

Customer Reviews:

Madanes's Magnificent Manifesto.......2007-07-16

It may be too strong an assertion for many, but there -are- "voices of god" in the world of professional psychotherapy. For me, those voices have included Pierre Janet, Harry Stack Sullivan, Margaret Mahler, Karen Horney, John Bowlby, Carl Rogers, Donald Winnicott, Melanie Klein, Erik Erikson, Erich Fromm, Michel Foucalt, Eric Berne, Fritz Perls, Ronald Laing, Murray Bowen, Ronald Fairbairn, Heinz Kohut, Otto Kernberg, Albert Ellis, Aaron Beck, Diana Baumrind, Marsha Linnehan, Theodore Millon, Lorna Benjamin, Daniel Stern, Bruce Perry, Stephen Pinker, and, and, (and) and.

Now I have stumbled onto Cloe Madanes. Good Lord. The woman has no fear of taking a position (even though I very much disagree with some she's taken here and elsewhere, including shaming adolescent molesters and all-but-ignoring their family etiology). SL&V is nothing less than a manifesto of therapuetic morality in the post-modern age of the New Moral Relativism. The student who may need some sense of closure after plowing his or her way through tens of thousands of pages of theory, method and research before setting out onto the floor where It All Gets Real won't do him- or herself any harm here (so long as he weeds out some of Madanes's possible enmeshments or over-identifications with female child clients).

In fact, I'm not sure I've ever encountered such a straightforward statement of purpose and organizing principles for one's future conduct in this racket.

Madanes came from the "strategic" school of family therapy along with Jay Haley, Paul Watzlawick and John Weakland. Thus she might be said to be "downline" of the thinking of people like Gregory Bateson, Don Jackson, Virginia Satir, Milton Erikson and Salvador Minuchin... and she is. But she has ventured way beyond her influences, and at the same time found a voice that can leapfrog the Himalayic heights of psychophilosophic technospeak and lay the Things That Really Matter right there at your big flat feet.

The introduction (called "The Naive and Dangerous Therapist" -- whoa!) and first chapter alone are worth the price of admission here, but the next ten chapters make this dig into the memory banks and sorting systems of one of the giants of family therapy a vital experience regardless of therapeutic orientation. I am -not- a "family" therapist. But I know a -lot- more about empowering change in individuals in the family, workplace, team or any other social context after absorbing this remarkable book.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books