The Way the Crow Flies: A Novel (P.S.)

Amazon.com

The Way the Crow Flies, Ann-Marie MacDonald's follow-up novel to her bestselling debut (and Oprah Book Club pick), Fall on Your Knees, opens in 1962 when the McCarthy family moves from Germany to their new home on a Canadian air force base near London, Ontario. Madeleine, eight and already a blossoming comic, is particularly close with her father, Jack, an air force officer. Her loving Acadian mother, Mimi, and older brother Mike round out this family, whose simple goodness reflects the glow of an era that seemed like paradise. But all that is about to change. The Cuban Missile Crisis is looming, and Jack, loyal and gullible, suddenly has an important task to carry out that involves a scientist--a former Nazi--in Canada.

While Jack scrambles to keep his activities hidden from his wife, Madeleine too is learning to keep secrets (about a teacher at school). The Way the Crow Flies is all about the fertility of lies, how one breeds another and another. Although the writing flows with a strong current, the profusion of pop references, especially ad slogans, grows tiresome. The author can, however, capture a lovely image in few words: "The afternoon intensifies. August is the true light of summer" and "yes, the earth is a woman, and her favorite food is corn." At times the story is marvelously compelling, as the mystery of a horrific murder in the fields near the base is unravelled. When events lead to a trial and its outcome, the story peaks, in a conclusion with no easy answers. The last third of the book takes place, for the most part, 20 years later. Here the novel meanders somewhat, losing its ability to captivate with the same intensity. The reader longs to return to the earlier world, which MacDonald has captured in vital detail. --Mark Frutkin, Amazon.ca

Book Description

The optimism of the early sixties, infused with the excitement of the space race and the menace of the Cold War, is filtered through the rich imagination of high-spirited, eight-year-old Madeleine, who welcomes her family's posting to a quiet Air Force base near the Canadian border. Secure in the love of her beautiful mother, she is unaware that her father, Jack, is caught up in a web of secrets. When a very local murder intersects with global forces, Jack must decide where his loyalties lie, and Madeleine will be forced to learn a lesson about the ambiguity ofhuman morality -- one she will only begin to understand when she carries herquest for the truth, and the killer, into adulthood twenty years later.

Customer Reviews:

Memories.......2007-09-14

This book resonated with me on a very personal level so it is hard to review it objectively. There were a lot of parallels between my young life and that of young Madeline. I was also in grade school in the 60s, an Army brat, lived in Germany, and my parents were a lot like Jack and Mimi - wholesome and in love. The authors description of Army lifestyle was "spot on" and brought back a lot of memories that I had long ago forgotten. Driving into your new base and looking for the children who might be potential new friends. Your mom setting up your new house into a home within days. The friends you are leaving behind with the knowledge that you will never forget them - and forgetting them fairly quickly. I relived and enjoyed part of my childhood again through the book. It also made me more aware of what my own children are thinking at this point in time and how they keep secrets.
I've seen comparisons to Lovely Bones and My Friend, which are both excellent reads, but I loved this more.

Excellent.......2007-08-31

MacDonald's book is a terrific look at the ripple effects of secrets big and small. What is the understanding of truth, as seen by a young girl, Madeleine, and her father, Jack. Each are trying to do the best they can and their decisions create multiple complications in a grey world. MacDonald paints a convincing picture of life on a Canadian air force base at the height of the Cold War. There is a depth and richness to this novel that will resonate with the reader for weeks after finishing it. As a reader, the question becomes, is the story worthy of the time required to read 800 pages? Maybe not, but MacDonald's writing is so solid that you can look at it as one more bite of rich chocolate -- perhaps not necessary, but also not regretted.

The Way..........2007-08-07

Totally wish I would have never read this book. There were so many parts that could have been left out and it would have been a GREAT book. I liked a lot of it, but the parts that were bad were SO bad I had to skip over them. It's kind of like a soap opera...you could skip a few parts and still know what is going on!

Long & Shifty.......2007-07-11

I really liked the story and the characters. However, I did not enjoy the passages, phrases, quotes and somewhat "randomness" scattered throughout. I also did not enjoy the characters speaking in French, It added to Mimi's character and I understand that but there where times when I just wanted to know what they were saying. I liked the unique mix of a coming of age novel and a war mystery- it certainly made me want to finish it to know what happened even though I was frustrated with the writing/story telling style at times.
I would have given this book 5 stars if it was about 200 pages shorter, the beginning picked up faster, overall it read smoother, and the "extras" (little quotes and stories, etc) were removed. Often when I read the extras I said to myself, "ummm what??" They didn't really add to the book to me at all. I loved the story, I just wish it had all come together more, and I hate to say it... polished?

Harrowing.......2007-03-24

Ann-Marie MacDonald's "The Way the Crow Flies," can be a difficult and unpleasant read at times. The reader is first taken down the primrose path as we're introduced to the seemingly perfect military family -- handsome, good-humored Jack McCarthy; his beautiful adoring wife Mimi; and two bright-eyed adorable children Michael and Madeline. As the novel opens in the early 1960's, the McCarthy family has just moved to Centralia - a Canadian fighter pilot training base, where the men concern themselves with the potential of nuclear war (the Cuban Missile Crisis), and the women concern themselves with preparing dinner for their families. But, as one might expect, the picture perfect paradise is only skin deep.

The main character of the book, Madeline, who's a fourth grader in the first two-thirds of the book (and an adult in the last third) attends a class taught by Mr. March, a loathsome pedophile, who each day keeps certain girls behind after class for "exercises," which, tragically, Madeline and the others keep secret. When Claire, one of Madeline's classmates, is strangled to death, a popular teenager (whose father is a holocaust survivor) is accused, and Madeline's father, Jack, must withhold exculpable information to hide the identity of a nazi war criminal smuggled into the West to assist with the space race against the Soviet Union (in a real program designated "Project Paperclip"). There are agonizing moments in this book where I wanted to transport myself through the pages and shake sense into Jack and Madeline to reveal what they knew.

In the last third of the book, a grown-up Madeline grapples with her personal life, but especially with her past. As other reviewers noted, perhaps the author could have tightened up this part of the story, as it often goes off into tangents unnecessary to the major plot. Also, I really couldn't accept the major twist (what really happened Claire), because I don't think what is described is physically possible. But "The Way The Crow Flies," is powerful and unforgettable, and Ann-Marie MacDonald stands out as an extremely talented author with alot on her mind.

Highly recommended, but expect to spend a few restless nights as the frustrating and disturbing events are slowly divulged.

Average customer rating:

As the Crow Flies
Fun Intro to Maps
Excellent introduction to the concept of maps
Wonderful Explination of how we see our Surroundings
Very Cool Children's Introduction To Maps

As the Crow Flies: A First Book of Maps
Gail Hartman
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0689717628

Book Description

Maps -- they help you get where you want to go. People use road maps to find their way. These maps show miles of highways that point out the right direction. But what about the crow? What kind of map does he use? Or the eagle, the rabbit, the horse, and the sea gull? What's on their maps?

Customer Reviews:

As the Crow Flies.......2007-03-14

Used to set up a focus on perspectives related to a map unit in both PS and elem. settings.

Fun Intro to Maps.......2007-01-11

This is a fun little book to share with children while introducing them to maps.

Excellent introduction to the concept of maps.......2006-02-02

This is a great book from the 'teaching the concept' point of view, but what it more it is beautiful (great art work) and sweet for little chidren, with each map introduced through teh eyes of an animal's travels.

Wonderful Explination of how we see our Surroundings.......2005-09-29

This is a wonderful book for young readers. It shows a good picture of the small part of the that many of us live in.

Very Cool Children's Introduction To Maps.......2000-09-19

Good reading for 3-8 yrs. This book wins big points for originality. It serves as a good tool for demonstrating how places relate to each other and exposes them to the concept of maps. They are very basic maps--landmarks only--combined with good illustrations, that make it so easy for children to comprehend.

Average customer rating:

Saga of a shopping empire
An excellent introduction to Archer
A Triumphant Tribute
UNIQUE WRITING STYLE
did i read the same book?

As the Crow Flies
Jeffrey Archer
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0312997116
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Amazon.com

When Charlie Trumper inherits his grandfather's fruit and vegetable barrow, he inherits as well his enterprising spirit, which quickly lifts him out of poverty in London's East End. Success, however, does not come easily or quickly, particularly when World War I sends Charlie into combat and into an ongoing struggle with a vengeful enemy who will not rest until Charlie is destroyed. Charlie Trumper's epic journey carries him across three continents and through the triumphs and disasters of the twentieth century, all leading toward the fulfillment of his greatest dream.

Book Description

Growing up in the slums of East End London, Charlie Trumper dreams of someday running his grandfather's fruit and vegetable barrow. That day comes suddenly when his grandfather dies leaving him the floundering business. With the help of Becky Salmon, an enterprising young woman, Charlie sets out to make a name for himself as "The Honest Trader". But the brutal onset of World War I takes Charlie far from home and into the path of a dangerous enemy whose legacy of evil follows Charlie and his family for generations.Encompassing three continents and spanning over sixty years, As the Crow Flies brings to life a magnificent tale of one man's rise from rags to riches set against the backdrop of a changing century.

Customer Reviews:

Saga of a shopping empire.......2007-05-24

At the beginning of the 20th century, an East End barrow boy, Charlie Trumper, learned to become a successful salesman by accompanying his grandfather while he purchased fruit and vegetables from the ealy morning markets to sell from his wooden barrow on the streets of London. Copying his grandfather's spiel, Charlie soon learned the trade of fruit and veg. mongering and developed a good rapport with his customers. He married the daughter of a local baker and together they worked the business until they had acquired enough capital to purchase their first shop. By working incredibly long hours and by knowing what their customers wanted, they built up their business, increasing the number of shops until they had bought all of them on one huge block of ground in London. The story covers the period between 1900 and 1970, with two world wars, love stories, friendships, heartaches and the evil doings of a vengeful old woman which dramatically altered their lives. It's a long and terrific read which I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to anyone who loves these family sagas.

An excellent introduction to Archer.......2006-12-21

Somewhere in my past, I had heard Jeffrey Archer criticized as writing "kitsch for the masses" and had avoided his books based on little more than a one liner from someone. Meanwhile, Archer's personal life has been the source of scandals that rival those of the characters in his novels.

So, it was with some trepidation that I picked up this novel in a used bookstore and decided I'd see what the fuss over this author was all about.

I have to honestly say that I enjoyed this book as much as any I've ever read. He's been called one of the top 10 storytellers in the world, and I'd have to agree with that assessment.

This book chronicles the life and times of Charlie Trumper, a fictional character who goes from destitute street vendor to department store magnate over the course of his lifetime. When we first meet Trumper in the early 1900s, he is living hand-to-mouth with his two sisters, fed only by the meager income of his grandfather who sells produce from a tiny wheelbarrow-like cart (or 'barrow as the British like to call it) in one of London's poorer districts. Trumper's father is a ne'er-do-well who drinks away his paycheck, does nothing to support the family, and hasn't been seen in years. Charlie's mother is not in the picture either.

When not in school, Charlie tags along with his grandfather each day, enchanted by the old man's remarkable salesmanship, and the boy dreams of nothing more than someday having his own 'barrow - his single passion in life. When the grandfather dies and leaves his 'barrow to Charlie, the boy is suddenly thrust into the role of chief breadwinner, a role that thrills him rather than overwhelms him. He drops out of school before he's barely hit his teens and quickly shows a brilliant ability to sell that surpasses even that of his grandfather.

The saga takes us through Charlie's life as his dream grows from a single 'barrow, to a storefront, to a series of storefronts, to the idea of building the world's largest department store - and the ups and downs along the journey. When Trumper's patriotism compels him to join the army in WWI, he meets up with several individuals who will prove to play central roles in his personal and business life for years to come, and the story's main antagonist arises from a most unlikely place.

This is the type of book that could easily be made into a mini-series because it covers 60+ years of the characters' lives, and Archer does an outstanding job developing those characters quite fully. I found myself getting quite attached to the characters and when the book came to a close, there was a sense of sorrow at having to say goodbye to these people with whom you had shared so many of life's triumphs and disappointments.

Archer chooses to write this book from the alternating viewpoints of various characters in the story, ranging from Trumper to Trumper's wife to the story's main antagonist, to various others. He does so quite masterfully, and it is interesting to view the same events in the story through the eyes of different characters.

In all, the story itself and the way it was told were both top-notch. I have read several of Archer's books as a result of reading this one, and have found all to be highly plausible storylines that never come across as contrived, impossibly complicated, or boring. The dialog is authentic, and Archer's formidable intelligence is evident with an outstanding command of history, politics, commerce, and human nature. His books span the gamut from espionage thrillers to political sagas to business sagas, and although Archer is a Brit, I have found his command of American politics to be just as fluent as his command of British politics. Although the details of his personal life are somewhat bizarre, no one can fault his intelligence or storytelling ability.

If you have not read Jeffrey Archer, I heartily recommend this as an excellent starting place. If you are already a Jeffrey Archer fan, you will need little coaxing and I consider this one of his very best efforts.

A Triumphant Tribute.......2006-06-17

Wars are waged throughout this historical epic - both destructive and personal, and it makes for one engrossing book.

Spanning 70 years from 1900 to 1970, As The Crow Flies tells the story of a young man who starts out with nothing but a love of working with his grandpa, selling fruits and vegetables from a barrow in the slums of England.

Eventually that young man, Charlie Trumper, grows up and day by day grows bigger, even when life continually threatens to take everything away from him. The story covers mostly Charlie's life, but sometimes through the perspective of several different characters including a childhood classmate, a socialite, a colonel, and the matron of a powerful London family.

You may not think there are 700 pages worth of material to cover one man's life, however Charlie's life is extraordinary - covering everything from his gruelling experiences in world war one, to his dreams slowly being realized as he plots to take over a prestigious street of shops and build his own giant department store. Every major event of the early 20th century affects Charlie's journey - the stock market crash, WW2, the general strike, Queen Elizabeth's coronation, even the 'teenage' era of the 1960's.

Along the way you encounter a twisted and deeply rooted family rivalry that threatens Charlie's dreams on several occasions, practically until his retirement. Each turn of the page keeps you guessing as to how things will ACTUALLY turn out in the end. And the truth of the matter is, the end is not so far from the beginning.

I truthfully didn't like this book for the first section or so - as the first two sections narrated by Becky and Charlie are both quite long. As well, a solid part of the book is set during World War 1 and is rather slow compared to the excitement of the rest of the book. If you can make it through the first bit, or if you enjoy it, you'll be guaranteed to love the rest of the story.

When the 'focus character' or narrator changes from section to section, you'll find the book has an interesting format in that the first chapter of each section is in first-person, while the rest of that section is in third person while following that same character. This was a favourite characteristic of this book for me - as it provided insight that helped solve pieces of hte puzzle.

In terms of weaknesses, the book is a tad long and over-drawn out at times, but I still felt compelled to read every page. As well, the final twist during the climax of the book (Charlie's last section) can be spotted from a mile away, in several sections earlier.

That being said, I'd easily reccomend this novel to anyone that truly enjoys a good gripping story caught somewhere between a suspense novel, a business manual, and a historical epic biography. An excellent, excellent effort.

UNIQUE WRITING STYLE.......2006-06-16

As The Crow Flies is definitely Archer's Best. The story is gripping, and the writing style is one I've never experienced before. You start reading from the hero's (Charlie's) point of view for a few years, say 1900-1919, then from his girlfriend's point of view from 1918-1921, then from his rival's point of view from 1920-1925, and so on finally ending 70 years and 740 pages later, again from Charlie's point-of-view. Each time you switch perspective, a few years, like 1920-1921, are repeated so though Charlie's rival may seem like a bad guy from Charlie's side, he actually seems not-so-bad when you see the same incidents through the his own point of view.

Having read eight out of twelve Archer novels, I see his books falling into four categories:
1) The Linear Plot: These include the likes of Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less; and Shall We Tell the President?, both books following a straight-forward and very simple plot of the protagonist(s) going after the villain. It is often Archer's writing style and not the plot that lend these books its vibrance.
False Impression also falls into this category but is a bit more convoluted, yet failing to excite.
2) The Duo Plot: Kane and Abel, Sons of Fortune. Two people, when their lives cross. Moderate level of complexity, typical Jeffrey Archer novels, giving a sense of deja-vu once you've read even one.
3) Spy Game: The Eleventh Commandment, Honor Among Thieves. High number of crosses and double-crosses, rendering a high level of intricacy often making the storyline a bit too complicated.
4) As the Crow Flies. A completely different and well-written book.

did i read the same book?.......2005-12-21

By the end of the book i was already skipping pages. There are pros and cons in this book.

Pros
Good storyline with twists compared with the books published nowadays.
I loved the camaraderie btw the "good guys " especially with daphne.

Cons
I felt no emotional attachment to the characters

I hated the way things were dealt with for example the son's death. Everything was dealt with practically and mechanically.

I understand the book is about the company but i felt like i was reading an economics book. He should have reduced the boring business stuff.

The different characters thing perspective was cool but it got tired and repetitive when a character would recount something I already knew.

two and a half stars for me

Average customer rating:

AS THE CROW FLIES
Jeffrey Archer
Manufacturer: Harper Collins NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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First Among Equals

ASIN: B000I6QYV0

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As the Crow Flies
Cornelia Meigs
Manufacturer: New York: The MacMillan Company, 1940
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LVDQ36

Average customer rating:

Graphic SF Reader
Not a Perfect Book, The Artwork Could Have Been Better
Despite cover, it's Penguin's show
Nothing really special here
Disappointing Storyline Between "Hush" and "War Games"

Batman: As the Crow Flies
Judd Winick
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401203442

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Standard Batman fare with a pretty cool Scarecrow-derived beastie, though. The monster that is created to fight the Bat family in this arc is cool in the Where The Wild Things Are sense, as well, which is hopefully what the artist was trying to get at. Even though it is supposed to be crazy and nasty, it is something like a kid might come up with.

Not a Perfect Book, The Artwork Could Have Been Better.......2006-08-15

In As The Crow Flies, Batman must discover who has unleashed a vicious, man-eating monster called the Scarebeast on Gotham City. All the while, the Penguin has started making moves with crime families to take over Gotham City.

The storyline, while decent, doesn't grab my attention like Hush or Under The Hood Vol. 1 and 2, did. Judd Winick is a great writer but here it doesn't feel the same as it did in his later work. The story tries to grab your attention, but just can't seem to hold it (for a long amount of time, that is).

I liked it but I took off one star for the story, becuase it was average, and one star for the artwork, which was unfortunately, average.

The Penguin is interesting, but it seemed to be a story that was more centered around him than Scarecrow or Batman, despite the title of the book.

Now there are some really good scenes in here, particularly, when Batman is dosed with the Scarebeast's fear gas and begins to hillucinate about the Joker, Two-Face, and Jason Todd. That's where the spectacular dialgue is, other than that, the rest of the dialogue is blah, except for a line that made me laugh when Tim Drake is dressed like a girl to go get tissue samples from the dead body of one of the mobsters. That dialogue made me laugh.

Summing it up, the story's okay, not too fantastic, but not so dull you'll fall asleep while reading. This is mainly for fans of Judd Winick and Penguin.

Despite cover, it's Penguin's show.......2005-09-22

Even though the title is "As the Crow Flies," and Scarecrow is on the cover of the book, the Penguin is the real puller of strings here. If you were in hopes of an intriguing Scarecrow vs. Batman storyline, this book will partially disappoint you.

Batman confronts two maddened thugs who become superhumanly strong after coming in contact with fear toxin. Soon after, a scarecrow monster of Goliath proportions begins threatening organized crime. All the while, Penguin is sitting back, sharpening his beak.

What is the mysterious new "Scarebeast?" That is the new mystery Batman must solve. The answer to the mystery is a bit surprising. To earn that answer, Batman must subdue a seemingly unstoppable monster.

This is a fairly good storyline. However, I offer the warning that this is not, in the main, a Scarecrow story. It is a plot that highlights the Penguin as shooting for a criminal takeover of Gotham after "No Mans Land."

Nothing really special here.......2005-05-19

Current Batman scribe Judd Winick's first storyline for the regular Batman title comes off as average at best. Taking place after the events of the massive hit "Hush" storyline from Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee, and the disappointing "Broken City" storyline from 100 Bullets creators Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, Batman finds himself haunted by the memory of the late Jason Todd-Robin. Soon enough, he learns that various underbosses of the Penguin are being killed, and the mystery involves a partnership between the Penguin and the Scarecrow, and the emergence of a deadly new foe. Winick tells a good story, but it's not as interesting as it thinks it is. Dustin Nguyen's pencils are solid, giving the book a great look, which saves As the Crow Flies from being comic fodder. All in all, As the Crow Flies is worth a look for Batman fans, but if you're looking for a truly great Batman story, look elsewhere.

Disappointing Storyline Between "Hush" and "War Games".......2004-12-14

Judd Winnick scripts this storyline, which was pencilled by Dustin Nguyen and inked by Richard Friend. The five-part storyline was serialized in BATMAN #626-630. It followed "Broken City" (by Azzarello and Risso), which itself followed the very successful "Hush" storyline (by Loeb and Lee). "Hush" proved a disappointment to many, as did the ambiguous "Broken City" -- but at least they were interesting. The same can't really be said for "As the Crow Flies."

The story focuses on The Penguin, whose underbosses are being killed off. Penguin has the Scarecrow working for him, and a new foe -- called Scarebeast -- appears. Scarebeast ends up killing lots of The Penguin's people, but Crane (the Scarecrow's alter ego) doesn't seem responsible. Ultimately, Crane really was responsible -- and that character is changed "permanently," while a rather uninteresting new character is launched. But it hardly matters, as the rather conventional story fails to grab our attention: we don't get under the skin of any single character here.

This is true even despite an appearance of the evil Jason Todd from "Hush" -- who seems to simply be a hallucination here as well as in that storyline. Except that, at the end, Alfred finds Jason's mask -- a suggestion that Todd might really return, though he certainly doesn't here and he clearly WASN'T in the scenes wherein he supposedly might've left his mask. If that strikes you as weak, I wouldn't blame you.

The failure of this storyline is unfortunate, particularly because Winnick, Nguyen, and Friend have all proved themselves capable elsewhere.

"As the Crow Flies" was the last storyline in BATMAN prior to the "War Games" crossover, which itself is being collected in trade paperback.

-- Julian Darius, Sequart.com (for the sophisticated study of comic books and graphic novels)

Average customer rating:

The Way the Crow flies

Manufacturer: Harper Collins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Glass Castle: A Memoir

ASIN: 0965494535

Product Description

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sex and drugs and art in the east village
Easier to be critical than correct
It could have been better.
What a Terrible Story!
The Crow Flies and Never Falls

Three Days As the Crow Flies: A Novel
Danny Simmons
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0743466411

Book Description

Back in the day, sex, drugs, and Run-DMC ruled. New York City during the 1980s was a breeding ground for experimental artists, from Andy Warhol to Jean-Michel Basquiat to Madonna. Among them: Crow Shade, a drug-addicted hustler who manages to convince an A-list gallery owner that he is a "real" artist -- and has three stolen paintings to prove it. With a facility that surprises even himself, Crow successfully plays out the role of a downtown visionary, affording him with all of the money, dope, and women he could dream of. But how high can Crow fly before he's knocked down and dragged out? What are the boundaries between art and life? When does deception end and obsession begin? Written with an unerring ear for real-world conversational rhythms, Three Days as the Crow Flies keeps readers engaged, restless, and in awe of Crow's underground adventures through the now-legendary New York art world.

Customer Reviews:

sex and drugs and art in the east village.......2004-07-05

There are many inexplicable things going on in this book. Danny Simmons is not a very capable writer, he jumps around into every character's thoughts with reckless abandon. When I was reading this book, I kept wondering why he didn't just stay in one person's head and stay there. On the walks Crow and his cronies take around the East Village, they hop from St.Marks down to 2nd Street and back up to St. Marks without stepping off a curb. They walk down 6th Street which is a crosstown street. The character Candy is refferd to as both Candy and Candace Maria for no particular reason, it seems as if the writer is showing off his inside knowledge of this latina hottie who is his own creation. There is stereotyping galore, East Village types looking down their noses at folks from 'gasp' Westchester and 'yikes' New Jersey while they themselves are from those dreaded places. Crow becomes shaken to the core thinking about when he was in lockup apparently for protesting something or other? OK, on the positive side, the book is a quick and mildly entertaining read about a fun era in NYC history. Danny Simmons is clearly a talented painter,and a truly creative cat.

Easier to be critical than correct.......2003-10-21

I am writing not to review Danny's just fine first effort, but in response to the comment from "a reader from NY," who says: "The only thing impressive about him is his brother's money. And that is what probably got this supposed work or art published." Not liking the book is one thing. But anyone who has ever seen even a single one of Danny's paintings (some of which are represented in the book, albeit in shades of gray, which do them little justice), could have no doubt that "his brother's money" has nothing to do with why people keep buying them (the person in Charlotte, NC, who bought the painting that appears on the cover did not know who Danny was, let alone to what family he belonged); why some of them reside in places like the United Nations' permanent collection and have been auctioned at Christie's; why his work increases in value or why people flock in droves to his art shows, parties or any of the exhibits of young artists of color that he and his staff curate at either of his New York City galleries-because it's not just about him, you see. Critical analysis and CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM may in fact be necessary to the growth of any artist, but poorly informed and down right nasty personal attacks are the dreck of small minds, over-inflated self-importance and reveal much more about the critic than the criticized. Would "a reader" like to tell Danny what could have been improved upon specifically? I look forward to reading anything "a reader" ever writes (or seeing what he or she paints), for are we not told, "Criticism comes easier than craftsmanship?" Tell us "a reader's" real name and I will be the first one in here with my two cents. (Hope that's not too many "large words" for "a reader.")

It could have been better........2003-07-16

This book is a waste of time to read. The editor who bought this book wasted the publisher's money. The book went on and on about nothing. More than half way through it, the characters are still stuck on stupid, and haven't accomplished a thing. The editor just wanted to acquire the Simmons name. Don't waste your time folks.

What a Terrible Story!.......2003-07-15

In order to tell a good story, an author has to know how to write. Unfortunately, Danny Simmons does not know how to write. He barely has a story to tell. He has thrown together stereotypical ideas of what urban life is and the people who live it. He uses every pararaph to conceal his insecurities by using large words and poetic phrases that do not pertain to the scene at hand. Talentless, boring, and uninventive- I pray that he does not come out with another one. The only thing impressive about him is his brother's money. And that is what probably got this supposed work or art published.

The Crow Flies and Never Falls.......2003-07-10

Trying his hand at fiction, Danny Simmons paints a vivid, sexy and extremely hilarious portrait of 1980s New York and its decadent art world. But this isn't a book about art. It's a story of awakening. In three days Crow Shade is transformed from a scrounging Brooklyn coke addict to studnet of the artists. Ways. There's plenty of wine, women and white lines. But the most important thing is that by the end Crow is forces to see himself for who he really is, and more importantly who he wants to be. This is a wonderful novel that I hope reader don't sleep on. I'm about to read it again.

Do Android Crows Fly Over the Skies of an Electronic Tokyo?: The Interactive Urban Landscape of Japan (Architecture Landscape Urbanism)

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Do Android Crows Fly Over the Skies of an Electronic Tokyo?: The Interactive Urban Landscape of Japan (Architecture Landscape Urbanism)
Akira Suzuki
Manufacturer: AA Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Landscape | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1902902076

Book Description

'It is difficult to describe Tokyo in terms of traditional urbanism. Its population is extremely fluid and capricious. It has no tradition of architectural culture, its infrastructure is quite haphazard, and its local communities -- recently even the family unit -- have begun to disintegrate.'
The impact on Japanese cities of social and technological change is the focus of this collection of essays by Akira Suzuki, editor of Telescope magazine and Professor of Design at Kobe University. Entertaining, but equally thought-provoking, the essays describe urban rituals and catastrophes, and suggest lessons that might be learnt from them. Progressing in scale from the minimal dwelling space for the single urbanite to the dispersed urban infrastructure, they put forward a new conception of urbanism that takes account of the changes in information technology that have begun to render national boundaries meaningless.

As the Crow Flies (Unabridged (Audio Cassette))

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As the Crow Flies (Unabridged (Audio Cassette))

Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 078870107X

Product Description

16 Cassettes

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