Would I Lie to You (Gossip Girl, No. 10)

Book Description

Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side where my friends and I live, and go to school, and play, and sleep - sometimes with each other.We all live in huge apartments with our own bedrooms and bathrooms and phone lines.We're smart, we've inherited classic good looks, we have fantastic clothes, and we know how to party... Continuing the #1 New York Times bestselling series about the provocative lives of New York City's most prestigious private school young adults. Sharp wit, intriguing characters, and high stakes melodrama drive the action of this addictive series that have made Gossip Girl the lit world's coveted "it" girl.

Customer Reviews:

Did author not read the previous books?.......2007-04-25

While reading this book, I felt like the writer (which I heard is no longer Cecily von Ziegesar but a ghost writer now) had no clue about what had happened in the previous books. The characters' actions were very out-of-character. Serena is shocked to hear Nate tell Blair he loves her (which was not even the first time for that) and suddenly she has always been in love with Nate. Serena and Nate were not that into each other when they were together. To quote from Nothing Can Keep Us Together from Serena's point of view on page 216, "it had never been right, her and Nate being together. And it would be better be single this summer so she could focus on the film. At least now she wouldn't have to bother breaking with him. Not that they'd ever really been together." And now she's in love with him...yeah, right.
This book was a huge disappointment. I waited so eagerly for it, expecting it to be like the other books, only to be let down. Those who read the series will want to read the last two books but expect them to be awful in comparison to the previous ones and the characters to not act like themselves.

Another GREAT read.......2007-03-04

I've been reading the gossip girl series ever since they came out. The characters have no imperfections, and some have too many, but it's exactly what most teen girls crave. The books have a touch of girly girl, with a huge tocuh of sexuality, where most teen books dont go. But it makes you want to read more and more. Would i lie to you, the most recent book in the series, is so much different from all the other books, because it goes where none of them have gone before. Nate and Blair are finally happy and together, and now Serena has finally got what she deserves and is left stranded, litterally. It really turned the whole series in another direction. But it still keeps you wondering what nate is going to do with his life. I highly reccomend this series to anyone who wants quick entertaining books.

What happened?.......2007-02-18

Would I Lie To You is the 10th book of the highly popular young adult series Gossip Girl. I remember when the first book was released in 2002, and I was finishing my sophomore year in high school. I had no where to go for the summer, went to the bookstore to buy a few books to keep me entertained for the summer, and one of these books was Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar. Once I started reading it I was sucked into it ,and since then I have been buying every single book to keep up with the storyline. Being from NYC I am very familiar with many of the locations that the author mentions, so it's like I can imagine the characters in these places. However the last 2 books have been disappointing, especially this one. From what I've heard Ziegesar has hired a ghostwriter to finish writing the Gossip Girl series because she is too busy writing her newer series "The It Girl". I actually kind of believe this because the writing has changed, and Gossip Girl is not as witty as she used to be, plus the whole mystery of who Gossip Girl really is, is not such a big fuzz anymore, although we still don't know who she is. The main characters of this particular installment are Blair Waldorf, Serena van der Woodsen, Nate Archibald, Vanessa Abrams, Dan Humphrey, and Chuck Bass has a short appearance in this book. Jenny Humphrey (Dans younger Sister) does not appear in this book, but we get to read some of the extremely short letters she sends Dan from her summer vacation trip in Europe.

Reading about Vanessa and Dan was a total bore, most of the times I felt like skipping their chapters, not even the fact that Dan had all of a sudden gone gay amused me or had me in a state of OMG! What straight guy suddenly goes gay? And the fact that Vanessa (Dan's on and off girlfriend) took it well was just plain stupid. The Blair, Serena, and Nate storyline was the part that kept me semi-interested. After Nate tells Blair he loves her, and Serena overhears him, she decides she is in love with him too, even though in the past books she never showed signs of being in love with him. So she decides to write him a letter telling him how she really feels, and puts it inside the compartment of Nate's Car. Too bad Blair finds it before Nate does, reads it, rips it into pieces, and throws it out. I honestly think Serena really doesn't care about Blair, and unlike Blair who actually seems to have emotions, feelings, interests, dislikes , and whatnot, Serena doesn't seem to have any emotional depth. We just know she is the most perfect, flawless, female specimen (Well, physically because she's a lousy friend) to walk the planet earth. *gag* Its as if she were a robot. Overall this book was mediocre, and hopefully the author makes up for it in the next book.

The book of would i lie to you.......2007-01-16

My daughter loves these books of gossip girl's. She's 16 and has ever one of them.

An irresistable installment in the Gossip Girl series.......2007-01-06

In WOULD I LIE TO YOU, most of the Gossip Girl crew moves to the Hamptons for the last summer before college. While not the best novel in the series, fans will still enjoy keeping up with Blair, Serena, Nate, Vanessa and Dan.

A few differences from previous installments are notable. Gossip Girl herself has gone from funny to flirty. Serena is changing a bit and finds herself competing with Blair in new ways, which may damage their friendship permanently. Dan struggles with sexual identity, which will be a huge surprise for readers of the series. And the language has become stronger in this book, with inclusions of the four-letter word.

Still, there is plenty of fun in this tenth volume. Serena and Blair start by being muses to a hotshot designer at his house in the Hamptons only to find that he has also installed two foreign copycats of them. They are like cheap versions of the series stars, with knockoffs and dyed hair. Serena and Blair trick them into going naked, crashing parties and more, as they emphasize who is original and who is not.

In the meantime, Nate spots the naked girls from his Hampton house next door and starts to wonder why he ever left Blair. His summer of work at Coach's house turns dangerous when Mrs. Coach tries to engage him in an affair. Nate does what he does best, which is to run from anything confrontational. But will Blair run with him?

Dan is impressed with a new co-worker at the Strand who wants to start a literary Salon. But there is very little literature being discussed at the event. People are pairing up instead for a makeout session, and Dan is surprised when his male co-worker kisses him. Is he experimenting? Is he really gay? What is going on?

Vanessa heads for the Hamptons as a nanny, but soon ends up as the new muse for the fashion designer instead. That is, until she gets fired. Vanessa usually ends up on her feet, but this time she finds herself back in Jenny's old room next to Dan's, trying to figure this one out.

Serena and Blair run away together with Nate. As they get ready to head off into the sunset (literally), they make one last stop for Serena's 18th birthday party. It is a night of reveling and revelation all the way around with soul-baring confessions. Readers are left hanging with some big questions. Will Nate still be able to go to Yale now that he dissed Coach's summer job? Will he and Blair be together? Will Serena's confession drive her and Blair apart forever this time?

The same questions continue to pop up even as the Gossip Girl crew grows and tries to change. Even if WOULD I LIE TO YOU isn't as strong as others in the series, there is something irresistible about these characters and the mistakes they keep making. Readers will be waiting to see what happens when the gang goes to college.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

Average customer rating:

I almost can't put it in words.
Sequels aren't always Equals
Douglas Who?
Interesting novel, worthy sequel to Dandelion Wine
A Most Fitting Sequel to "Dandelion Wine"

Farewell Summer: A Novel
Ray Bradbury
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0061131547
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Book Description

In a summer that refuses to end, in the deceiving warmth of earliest October, civil war has come to Green Town, Illinois. It is the age-old conflict: the young against the elderly, for control of the clock that ticks their lives ever forward. The first cap-pistol shot heard 'round the town is dead accurate, felling an old man in his tracks, compelling town elder and school board despot Mr. Calvin C. Quartermain to marshal his graying forces and declare total war on the assassin, thirteen-year-old Douglas Spaulding, and his downy-cheeked cohorts. Doug and his cronies, however, are most worthy adversaries who should not be underestimated, as they plan and execute daring campaigns—matching old Quartermain's experience and cunning with their youthful enthusiasm and devil-may-care determination to hold on forever to childhood's summer. Yet time must ultimately be the victor, with valuable revelations for those on both sides of the conflict. And life waits in ambush to assail Doug Spaulding with its powerful mysteries—the irresistible ascent of manhood, the sweet surrender to a first kiss . . .

One of the most acclaimed and beloved of American storytellers, Ray Bradbury has come home, revisiting the verdant landscape of one of his most adored works, Dandelion Wine. More than fifty years in the making, the long-awaited sequel, Farewell Summer, is a treasure—beautiful, poignant, wistful, hilarious, sad, evocative, profound, and unforgettable . . . and proof positive that the flame of wonder still burns brightly within the irrepressible imagination of the incomparable Bradbury.

Customer Reviews:

I almost can't put it in words........2007-10-08

I read this book in one sitting, just over a month ago, and I'm still finding it hard to put it in words just how powerful it was for me. I had just read Dandelion Wine and moved straight on into Farewell Summer. The cumulative effect was nothing less than awe-inspireing, and I really think it's how you should go about reading the two works, almost as one. Dandelion Wine is without a doubt a masterpiece, and is told as a novel made up of short stories. Farewell Summer is a more concise story, and more of a straight forward novel. While they both deal with the topics of youth and mortality, they each come from a slightly different perspective. Dandelion Wine was written fifty years ago in Bradbury's youth, while Farewell Summer comes to us in his later years. In the end they act as bookends on a topic that is dear, and dreadful to all of us, and perfectly told in Bradbury's magical, poetic style. Read them, back to back, at the end of August, as summer slowly begins to fade. Think about your childhood, and ponder your old age. If you aren't moved, then check your pulse. If it's still there, pay very close attention to it. It's what it's all about.

Sequels aren't always Equals.......2007-06-25

Farewell Summer is a good story, but pales in comparison to Dandelion Wine. While recognizable as atypical Bradbury, it lacks the wallop I was hoping to get from his other books. I can't say much more than that without spoiling the story for you.

It is a fast read though. I finished it in one sitting between lunch and dinner. It's not a waste of time, just not Ray's best work. Read Dandelion Wine first.

Douglas Who?.......2007-06-23

Dandelion Wine has been in my personal top 3 ever since I first read it for a sophomore lit course in 1982. Although the afterword of Farewell to Summer asserts that both novels were born of one draft, the original characters are recognizable only in brief flickers. Douglas Spaulding, in particular, in a matter of supposed mere days or weeks between the end of the first novel and the beginning of the next, has inexplicably morphed from the pensive, sensitive everyboy into the wannabe leader of a small-town terrorist cell. Yes, Bradbury remains ever the wordsmith, but this was just a bummer - too dark and too bizarre in comparison to the original. I almost wish I hadn't read it at all.

Interesting novel, worthy sequel to Dandelion Wine.......2007-03-31

Although not as good as Dandelion Wine, Farewell Summer is still a magical novel, though much darker. Some of the chapters here feel like filler (and I will admit, there was some filler in Dandelion Wine) and the book feels too short. However, it is a worthy extension to a great book, and some of the themes in this book are pulled off quite well. Bradbury's superb writing skills excel this book to a 4-star rating.

A Most Fitting Sequel to "Dandelion Wine".......2006-12-22

Now in his mid 80s, at the close of a long, and most productive, career in American letters, Ray Bradbury has finally offered a tantalizing, moving sequel to his great novel on youth, "Dandelion Wine", which is once more a return visit to the fictitious town of Green Town, Illinois (Actually Bradbury's boyhood home of Waukegan, Illinois), meeting up once more with Douglas Spaulding, his brother Tom, and their friends, two years after the events chronicled in Bradbury's earlier literary triumph. Much to my surprise, Bradbury doesn't disappoint, offering a most fitting sequel to "Dandelion Wine", with the same graceful, lyrical prose that defined that earlier novel - and I might add, so much of his great work from the 1950s - but with a somewhat more somber, darker atmosphere, as the boys finally confront both the passage of time and their own impending adulthood. Moreover, Bradbury still demonstrates that he is still both a most persuasive spinner of tales and an elegant observer of the human condition, capturing well the nuanced, elaborate personal relationships between the young and old, and between boys and girls.

Spaulding is now the leader of a "Grand Army of the Republic", in which he and his friends undertake several dastardly mischevious raids against the town's senior citizens, most notably the dictator of the local school board, Calvin C. Quatermain. Time and again, young Doug Spaulding leads his friends in brilliantly conceived raids in the vain hope of trying to stop the passage of time, thinking that they could live forever as twelve year old boys. And then suddenly, unexpectedly, Doug has a moment of epiphany which leads to an unexpected truce, and then, a brief friendship with Quatermain, an 81 year-old bachelor, who sees in young Doug, a brief reflection of his own youthful self many, many years ago. And Doug is also unexpectedly soon caught up in the mystique and magic of girls, getting his own first kiss from one in a rather unique, most surprising, manner.

Does "Farewell Summer" rank alongside Bradbury's best works of fiction, like, for example, "Something Wicked This Way Comes", "The Illustrated Man", or "The Martian Chronicles"? I suppose a thoughtful, extremely erudite, critic of Bradbury's work might be inclined to say "No", but I would hope that such a critic would agree that Bradbury hasn't lost his superb skills in both storytelling and in writing elegant, lyrical prose. Regardless, Bradbury's latest, short novel, remains a most fitting sequel to "Dandelion Wine", and perhaps, a most fitting conclusion to a splendid literary career which has crossed genres from pulp science fiction to mainstream literature, earning Bradbury ample recognition and praise as one of our finest contemporary writers of fiction.

Summer in the City: New York Baseball 1947-1957

Average customer rating:

Amazing photographs
The Photographs Make The Book
Brings back a great era in Baseball!

Summer in the City: New York Baseball 1947-1957
Vic Ziegel , and Claus Guglberger
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

History | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Greatest Ballpark Ever: Ebbets Field And the Story of the Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Remembered: The 1955 Days of the Dodgers
The Era, 1947-1957: When the Yankees, the Giants, and the Dodgers Ruled the World
The Brooklyn Dodgers - The Original America's Team
The Last Good Season: Brooklyn, the Dodgers and Their Final Pennant Race Together

ASIN: 0810943425

Book Description

Between 1947, when Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, and 1957, when the Dodgers and the New York Giants played their last season in the East, New York baseball teams appeared in ten World Series. In seven of those years, either the Giants or the Dodgers vied for the championship with the lordly Yankees. These were truly the glory years of New York baseball, when the city breathlessly followed the game in the tabloids rather than on the tube. And the New York Daily News, the nation's largest newspaper, had the best photographers, the best equipment, and the best field position to record the action, bringing the art of baseball photography to its highest pitch.

Accompanied by an evocative text by veteran sportswriter Vic Ziegel, the dramatic photographs (complete with their colorful original captions)-featuring such superstars as Robinson, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Mickey Mantle, and Willie Mays-allow the reader to follow year by year the course of baseball's most exciting decade in the world's greatest city.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing photographs.......2007-01-17

The seminal book about the Golden Age of Baseball in New York. A must have for any baseball fan. The photograph selection by Claus Guglberger is sublime. I eagerly anticipate another release containing the photographs selected by this gifted photographer.

The Photographs Make The Book.......2004-07-09

There have been numerous books written on New York baseball, but, at least for me, it is the photographs that make this a unique baseball book. I have vivid memories of the World Series of the 1950's, and all except 1959 involved at least one of the teams in New York City. The New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers series were classics, and will always be remembered. I enjoyed the descriptive writing of New York Daily News writer Dick Young. When Duke Snider made a wide turn at 3rd base in coming home, Young wrote, "Duke, who is a poor base-runner for a man of his superior speed, took the scenic route home...He was out by some 20 feet." Many of the photos brought back the names of players and umpires of my youth. The photographs illustrate how small the dugouts were in that era. Fans are predominantly dressed in suit coats, ties, and fedoras. Also of interest are photos of fans leaving the park via the playing field, and photographers near home plate photographing the action. Photographs of Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds show views from above the playing field in addition to close ups of the center field area of the Polo Grounds and the center and right field areas of Ebbets Field with the advertising on the wall are also of interest. I am a fan of the Detroit Tigers, but I will always have precious memories of those historic New York teams in addition to the arenas they played in. The text is nice, but it is the photos that make this book unique.

Brings back a great era in Baseball!.......2004-05-25

You don't just have to be a fan of New York baseball to enjoy this wonderful photo-filled book showcasing the great Big Apple teams of the late 1940's to the late 1950's. This wonderful book containing superb photographs from the baseball archives of the New York Daily News, is like a mirror through time. The large photos, (dont you just hate small photos in large books), showcase the players, (stars or not), stadiums, but above all action surrounding the great New York teams of 1947-1957 with a small but no less interesting text explaining each one. The most enjoyable thing about the book for me were the full-page sized photos showing all the action in ballparks, some unfortunately no longer with us (Ebberts Field and the Polo Grounds) and the pre-renovated Yankee Stadium. The nuances of these parks with their crazy outfield angles and advertising boards gives us an appreciation of what it was like to play or watch baseball in them back then. The shots of the fans who populated these parks also tells a story, of rabid fan allegience and spirited optimism. Any baseball fan will love this book as part of their collection. There is a brief text opening the selection of photos for each year that may be short but this book let's the photos do the describing. A fabulous book!

Average customer rating:

A Great Summer in the City
The first half is painful, the second is slightly less painful
GREAT EXCECT IT'S MISSING MORE ACTION BETWEEN THEM
Better than Weekend in Paris
Enjoyable, but ordinary

Summer in the City
Robyn Sisman
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0452286123
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Book Description

Suze Wilding and Lloyd Rockwell are complete strangers. She lives in London; he lives in New York. But when their advertising firm sponsors a job swap, having them trade apartments and jobs for the summer, they find themselves living each other's lives. From the beginning, these two seem polar opposites—Suze is impetuous, brash, and commitment phobic, whereas Lloyd, cautious and thoughtful, is looking to settle down with his suitable girlfriend. But when Suze discovers a plot at work to get Lloyd fired, the two begin communicating long-distance, and can't help wondering if they might just be perfect for one another.

From the internationally bestselling author of Weekend in Paris, Summer in the City is a wickedly funny, irresistible look at modern romance.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Summer in the City.......2007-03-07

This book was really interesting. The story was well thought out and there were some unexpected twists thrown in. This one is not predictable and boring like other books that I have read. The idea behind the story is fantastic and I have not read another book like this one.

The first half is painful, the second is slightly less painful.......2006-08-30

Ironically, when I started this book I was on vacation out in the Hamptons (staying on Shelter Island) for a few days. The first half of the book was spent with little or no plot and with the author Robyn Sisman painfully developing the characters. The amazing thing is Lloyd Rockwell the main character was not even developed until the final chapters. As someone that's lived in Manhattan for a good portion of my life, and stayed in London for a while; I found this book very painful to digest.

To be fair the one part I did find interesting was learning about the Advertising Industry, but to be frank most of the men in the industry are gay and most directors in Hollywood are straight. I found it amuzing that the author chose to reverse these stereotypes. The symbolism that was used for the main characters was also a bit off base, the main character is called "Rock-Well" . I'm guessing that she meant Lloyd faired well under pressure and stress, like a water proof ocean vessel in undeer a storm; but yet he always came across as a complete wimp that was stepped on by everyone, from his girlfriend to his bosses, to his subordinates.

Suze "Wilding", a.k.a. Wild-Thing, as least has a more consistent symbolic name.

After suffering from the akward writing style, there were points where the book suddenly would become a "page turner." ...but then you would just be stumbling over the overly done descriptions of second hand characters and the rooms that surrounded them, before you knew it you were praying for something to happen that you couldn't predict. You just keep reading to find the back cover summary of the book dragged out over 300 plus pages. Oh, I want my time back and you ask why didn't I chose a differnt book for the beach. I'd say if a friend gives you the book for a vacation then go right ahead, but don't waste a dime on this one nor your time. If you must read chick lit then at least read something by a decent writer of the English language like Libby Schmais, "The Perfect Elizabeth."

GREAT EXCECT IT'S MISSING MORE ACTION BETWEEN THEM.......2006-06-13

SUZE LIVES IN PARIS AND lLoyed lives in the city. they sign up to exchange jobs and lives. they're both getting ajust to their new lives but things are geting complected with their new jobs. they ask each other for help if they need help with their jobs and life prombles. they start to get to know each other in a new way and trust each other. but they still have their prombles in their new jobs which they may lose if they don't ask each other about it and that going to lead to something......read it and find out what it is.....

Better than Weekend in Paris.......2006-05-03

After reading weekend in Paris I enjoyed this author but didn't love her...I really, Really enjoyed Summer in the City. It takes you to both London and New York, get a taste of both. Suze and Lloyd trade cities and homes for a month to work in each other's offices for a work program for the advertising firm.

Lloyd gets abruptly fired from his position and, with the help of his New York friends and Suze, works hard to get his job back and creating a relationship along the way. The both realize that by living each other's lives over those few weeks that they become a part of each other's lives. It's a very sweet story.

Enjoyable, but ordinary.......2006-03-12

Average chick-lit. This book had a great basic storyline, of two business people exchanging jobs and homes for a month, however it didn't live up to its potential. I found the use of British slang to be somewhat misplaced, and the characters to be underdeveloped. Still, it was a fun read, and I particularly enjoyed the true-to-life descriptions of New York and London from native, not tourist, viewpoints.

Memories of Drop City: The first hippie commune of the 1960's and the Summer of Love

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Memories of Drop City: The first hippie commune of the 1960's and the Summer of Love
John Curl
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0595423434

Book Description

Memories of Drop City follows a group of people and their radical movement, in the Southwest and on both coasts, in a decade that shaped the rest of the century.

"John Curl's characters in Memories of Drop City aspire to be '100 years' ahead of the rest of us, but Curl shows, through his highly crafted and brilliant novelistic memoir, that they often succumb to the same social flaws as the rest of us. This might be the most balanced memoir or novel yet published about the Sixties."

Ishmael Reed, National Book Award nominee

"With this compelling evocation and portrayal of breathing people, John Curl unpacks the boxed lunch myth of America's alternative lifestyle Sixties, and restores the day to day flavor of a deeply fabled era still key to understanding the way we live (and don't live) now."

Al Young, poet laureate of California

"Memories of Drop City is an extraordinary book which brings the Sixties back to life in vivid detail and conveys the spirit of the Sixties better than almost anything else I've read."

Gerald Nicosia, author of Memory Babe

"Memories of Drop City brings vibrantly to light the flower children who returned to the land seeking peace and by that act were committing revolution. John Curl captures the idealism of a generation and their demonstrations against war in a revolution with a smile.."

Floyd Salas, author of Tattoo the Wicked Cross

Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion: The Making of a President, 1884

Average customer rating:

How the Republicans lost in 1884
Great book
LONG OVERDUE DEPICTION OF A FORGOTTEN PERIOD IN U.S. HISTORY
Mark Summers Makes History Come Alive Again!!!
A Great Historian Brings An Era to Life

Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion: The Making of a President, 1884
Mark Wahlgren Summers
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Elections | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0807848492
Release Date: 2000-03-01

Book Description

The presidential election of 1884, in which Grover Cleveland ended the Democrats' twenty-four-year presidential drought by defeating Republican challenger James G. Blaine, was one of the gaudiest in American history, remembered today less for its political significance than for the mudslinging and slander that characterized the campaign. But a closer look at the infamous election reveals far more complexity than previous stereotypes allowed, argues Mark Summers. Behind all the mud and malarkey, he says, lay a world of issues and consequences.

Summers suggests that both Democrats and Republicans sensed a political system breaking apart, or perhaps a new political order forming, as voters began to drift away from voting by party affiliation toward voting according to a candidate's stand on specific issues. Mudslinging, then, was done not for public entertainment but to tear away or confirm votes that seemed in doubt. Uncovering the issues that really powered the election and stripping away the myths that still surround it, Summers uses the election of 1884 to challenge many of our preconceptions about Gilded Age politics.

Customer Reviews:

How the Republicans lost in 1884.......2005-07-21

This is an extremely insightful examination of the election that first put Grover Cleveland in the White House. The ways in which Summers analyzes the political process remind me of Holt's masterpiece, "The Rise and Fall of the American Whig Party". (That is a much more massive book, as it covers a broader topic over a longer period). The use of political cartoons of the period to support the narrative is probably the best I've seen. The style is engaging, although occasionally I think Summers gets slightly carried away. For example, at least one discussion of the standard myths about the period goes on long enough to be somewhat disruptive. Also, while I don't detect any factual bias, there is a tendency to look at things more a Republican perspective. That is, issues (e.g., the role of the minor parties) are more often discussed in terms of problems facing the GOP and how well they did or did not deal with them. The outcome of the election is reported in language that seems rather wistful that Blaine lost. Again, this is only a matter of relative emphasis - there is excellent material on the complex relations between the Democrats at the national and state levels and the rival Democratic machines in New York City. Despite my minor quibbles, I highly recommend this book to anyone with a general interest in American political history, and it certainly must be read by anyone with a particular interest in this period.

Great book.......2000-12-21

Anyone interested in politics or American history should love this book. The writing style is crisp and entertaining and the author strikes the right balance between explaining long ago and long forgotten events without drowning the reader in unnecesary details. The 1884 election itself was one of the most interesting of our history with sex scandals, charges of political corruption, party splits, and campaign blunders. The author brings the excitement to life and lets the reader understand not only what happened but why it occured and, even more interesting, what the participants had hoped to accomplish with their political strategies. The book succeeds in describing how late 19th century elections looked and felt to the participants. The human dynamic skillfully set out in this book (the cynical maneuverings, the overheated rhetoric, and the intense partisanship)are very familiar with what we experience in campaigns today-this very familiarity helps make Blaine and Cleveland seem real and not just sterile historical figures. Read this book!

LONG OVERDUE DEPICTION OF A FORGOTTEN PERIOD IN U.S. HISTORY.......2000-11-02

The last half of the 19th century is a period that the historians generally give short shrift to. They dutifully plow through it in the obligatory chapter in their rush to get from the Civil War to Teddy Roosevelt, Wilson, and the Progressive Era. The campaign of Grover Cleveland against James Blaine for the presidency in 1884 is just about forgotten. This is too bad because what with the emphasis on character and values (accompanied by some really gross mudslinging), the extensive changes in technology and business, the factionalism and divided government, it was a period much like ours. Summers does an excellent job of dispelling the prevailing view of this period as a doldrum bookended by Lincoln and TR. In a comprehensive yet not overly long book, he shows that substantive issues like the tariff, the relationship of the national government to the states, morality in politics, substance abuse (ie prohibition), and other pressing matters really were at stake, he explores those issues and the men and women who had to face them. This book is one of the best treatments of the 1884 presidential campaign (or any other campaign for that matter) out there. Find a copy of this book and read about a time that is so much like ours.

Mark Summers Makes History Come Alive Again!!!.......2000-09-07

As an undergraduate at the University of Kentucky some years ago, Professor Mark Summers changed my life and I eventually devoted my life to the study of history. His lectures made the past come alive and seem so fresh and real and vital. Anyone who has read any of his books can relate to the sense of excitement that I am describing, and his latest book is no exception. In fact, it is perhaps his best book yet. Lively, fast-paced, yet scholarly and thought-provoking, Summers' book is everything that his readers have come to expect. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in nineteenth-century politics or U.S. history in general, or for those who consider history dry and boring and would like read a book where the past truly does come to life.

A Great Historian Brings An Era to Life.......2000-04-29

Mark Summers is one of the great historians of mid-nineteenth century America. He is fully capable of taking subjects which have seemingly been worked to death and making them fresh with new material and original analysis. Rum Romanism and Rebellion does just that, making Blaine and Cleveland seem more vital and alive than the current occupants of the White House. The issues engage us, the political battle grips us. This is one of the author's best (to my mind, Mr. Summers best work is his two volume work on political corruption [neatly divided between ante-bellum crooks and post-war thieves]; let's hope that Mr. Summers has a trilogy in mind and next turns his attention to wartime corruption: from the transcontinental railroad to the supply of Union soldiers and the appointment of generals, that era was rife with corruption, yet very little has ever been written about it). Well done, Mr. Summers!

A Shadow in Summer (The Long Price Quartet)

Average customer rating:

A well-crafted character driven fantasy
The best modern fastasy since GRRM!
promising
INDELIBLE
Best Fantasy

A Shadow in Summer (The Long Price Quartet)
Daniel Abraham
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0765313405
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Book Description

In this brilliant and original epic fantasy of Machiavellian intrigue and unique magic, Daniel Abraham portrays fully realized women and complex, conflicted men in love, caught between the forces of money and power. The city-state of Saraykeht dominates the Summer Cities: commerce and trade fill the streets. Any desire, however exotic or base, can be satisfied in its soft quarter. The people live and work secure in the knowledge that their city is a bastion of progress in a harsh world. It would be a tragedy if it fell.... At the heart of the city's influence is the poet-sorcerer Heshai and the captive spirit Seedless which he controls. Heshai is at once the linchpin of and the most vulnerable point in Saraykeht's greatness. Far to the west, the armies of Galt have conquered many lands. To take Saraykeht, they must first destroy its prosperity. Marchat Wilsin, head of Galt's trading-house in the city, is planning a terrible crime against Heshai and Seedless. If he succeeds, Saraykeht will fall. Amat, House Wilsin's business manager, her apprentice Liat, and two young men from the farthest reaches of their society stand alone against the dire threat to the city. But in this city of power and intrigue, no one is without secrets. The price they must pay to save Saraykeht may be greater than they can afford....

Customer Reviews:

A well-crafted character driven fantasy.......2007-09-27

I use 'fantasy' in a loose sense of the word. Reminiscent of George R.R. Martin, 'Shadow' has very few fantasy elements and turns out to be a strong piece of character driven fiction. But don't read Martin's blurb of praise and expect another 'Ice and Fire.' In most ways, this book is incredibly different.

As most I'm sure that have reviewed this book, I picked this up on recommendation from Martin (he has good taste in books, I've read a fair share from his What I'm Reading list.) I saw GRRM on his Feast book signing tour and he told everyone there to keep an eye out for Daniel Abraham before this was even published. So naturally, I anticipated this, expecting the next great fantasy epic. I didn't end up purchasing it until recently, as I had plenty of other things to read, but what I found was quite different than what I expected.

I'll tell you now, that if you lack the patience for books with lots of politics and intrigue and little action, 'Shadow' is probably not for you. I won't say that this book is slow moving, because a good writer doesn't need fighting and battles to propel a story, but there is almost no 'action' in the usual sense of the word. There are some strange and interesting ideas though. Such as the andat. An andat is an idea brought to life created by a poet, who forms it partially out of himself. Andats have different abilities and the one that this story focuses on -Seedless- has the ability to remove seeds from bales of cotton in seconds, giving the city of Khaiem a great advantage in trade, and making them more powerful then neighboring nations who have to make war for similar gains. Seedless can also use his abilities for things more sinister however, such as the ability to pull a child from its mother's womb. Yet even with Seedless, Abraham chose to keep the fantasy tones to a minimal. Other than the fact that he is elegant and beautiful, he looks and acts just as a regular person.

The setting for this story has an Asian tone to it, with poets resembling monks and postures conveying much of the spoken language, though the book hints that other cities in Abraham's world are more of the traditional European medieval that we are used to. The setting and the interesting idea of the andat however take a backseat to Daniel Abraham's greatest strength, characterization. His characters are wonderful. They are each very different and they are realistic. Their actions, decisions and flaws are believable and this helps you to empathize with them and feel their emotions. Few fantasy writers have truly created characters with this kind of depth that you can relate with, and Abraham is one of them. his dialogue and prose are fantastic as well. He writes elegantly yet plainly enough to be read easily with pages that flow.

As you can see, for all the praise I've given this novel, I did only give 4 stars. I hope that you take in to account what I've already said as I explain why, but the reason is because there is almost no action. I'm not saying that Daniel Abraham should have a more action packed book, it's his vision and he didn't deem it necessary, but for me, a five star book appeals to the intellectual in me as well as the child in me. The intellectual in me craves the intelligent characters and realistic dialogue, while the child in me craves the battle, conflict and war that invoke excitement and emotion. As I said, I wouldn't have wanted the book different, as battle and such would have probably been unnecessary and wouldn't have worked, but that is my reason for the docked star.

All in all, this is a great read. Read it for the prose, the characters, the dialogue and the interesting ideas. I hope to get my hands on the sequel very soon.

The best modern fastasy since GRRM!.......2007-08-04

I am shocked that only 19 people have reviewed this book since its release over a year ago. This book is great! It should be more widely read.

Word should have spread already, but if it hasn't reached you yet, then take heed: A SHADOW OF SUMMER is the type of fantasy you have been looking for.

George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series was a double edged sword for me. It is stupendous but it has ruined the genre by comparison. Abraham is the first fantasist I've read since GRRM who rivals him (obviously all bow to Tolkien).

Abraham populates his world with complex characters. Each feels real because they are flawed. The players make choices they regret, are uncertain of, that are both good and bad. In short, they reside in a world of grey, rather than a world of black and white.

If you, like me, are tired of the down-trodden farm boy that finds the power within to fight the great evil, then you will welcome A SHADOW OF SUMMER. Here, characters are not totally virtuous or totally malevolent. They are doing the best they can and may only be judged based on the totality of their circumstances viewed from their perspectives. This amounts to a fascinating read.

SHADOW has elements of the supernatural or magical. But their presentation in SHADOW is totally unique. Poets or magicians - to draw an illustrative comparison - realize their supernatural whims by distilling them into a physical form. To remove seeds from cotton, for example, the poet must create and capture a sentient being that can do such an act.

Abraham explores the implications of enslaving a creature to facilitate the lives of a society at large from many perspectives, including individual, economical and governmental.

The setting has an Asian flair, which is different from the medieval setting normally found in the genre. I enjoyed the presentation of this new setting.

Take it from me, a reviewer who does not give everything 5 out of 5 stars, you should not miss a SHADOW OF SUMMER. I give it my highest recommendation.

promising.......2007-07-03

i did enjoy this book. i did not know what to expect from it, i picked it up at the library on a whim. i gave it 3 stars because .... i like reading fantasies that have a clear evil verses good struggle and good triumphing. this book is more ambiguous - a little more like the real world. hey, i like escaping the real world sometimes and books are a wonderful way to do that. i will admit i enjoyed the characters and the different approach to fantasy. i enjoyed it enough to want to read the next one. i also gave three stars because i would have liked it better if there was no cussing. cussing is well crass. language in general is wonderful and there are ways to get the point across much stronger without cussing.

INDELIBLE .......2006-10-30

When you've read fantasy for as long as I have (I'm 37 and started at 11 with LORD OF THE RINGS and then Zelazny's AMBER SERIES), you get tired of the fact that 90% of fantasy tales revolved around a dumb farm boy who is the missing heir to the kingdom or to long gone magical powers, he has a good heart but can't seem to get the girl, he has to leave home and help the world/nation/kingdom against some Dark Lord, who tends to be archetype and has some old mentor who gives him the sword/magical talisman to win and kick the beejesus out of the Dark Lord. Oh, and then he gets the girl usually or finds someone better than the girl because the girl wasn't a very nice person. Heh.

Back then there weren't too many variations on this tale unless you wanted to read Michael Moorcock or maybe H.P. Lovecraft, though, he's more horror than fantasy.

Nowadays, fantasy is beginning to shift to grittier/realistic tales; George R.R. Martin being at the forefront. So, now, it isn't about such tales so much and if it is the dumb farm boy might not be such a nice guy or he may lose against the enemy. Maybe, unlike traditional fantasy, someone can wear black and not be a bad person.

So, saying all that for those who have walked with the fantasy genre as long as I have, we finally get to encounter a novel that takes another spin.

A SHADOW IN SUMMER has a distinctive Asian flair to it with almost no focus on the usual medieval European setting. Moreover, there isn't some Dark Lord to defeat.

The tale focuses on politics between various factions within the city of all cities. This city has gained the powers of a powerful spirit that has the ability to give the city a major up in the cotton trade by taking the seed out of cotton plants, thus, giving them a huge advantage upon other cities that need to hand pick the seeds out of each cotton bushel.

Naturally, other cities, most notably one similar to a European one, wants
to free that spirit or control that spirit so that they can then monopolize the cotton trade.

So the whole story is about various groups either trying to do this or about other people investigating this plot, not quite realizing the full details until later.

One of the world details I liked about this world and that is based on historical facts is that the people communicate very much in body language rather than words so people will be talking and then take on a pose of apology, love, joy, anger or conciliation. It's definitely a nice touch.

So read this book if you like intrigue, court politics and strong characters, who are not the usual archetypes and are actually doing something besides running the from the minions of the Dark Lord.

Best Fantasy.......2006-10-20

It has been four months since I read this book, and I still vividly remember the characters. The characters are real to me.

They are real, not only because they have all the foibles and intricacies of true people, but also because Abraham drew them with such vivid, perfect descriptions.

You should read this book if you enjoy seeing interesting characters interact in a fantasy setting. The fascinating characters' interactions are like a dance.

I recommend this book, if you want a wonderful reading experience that will stick with you.

Average customer rating:

Travel, Comedy and Mystery
A thinking person's summer book
Fantastic book!
ALMOST LIKE A TRIP TO CHIANTISHIRE!
Good Show, Old Boy. I Mean Bella!

Summer's Lease
John Mortimer
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0670819840

Customer Reviews:

Travel, Comedy and Mystery.......2005-08-27

I enjoyed the book start to finish and the mystery bit at the end was a nice edition to an already funny parody of the typical travel memoir. I think my favorite character in the book was the prince. The accidental confrontation between him and Haverford made me laugh.

A thinking person's summer book.......2003-06-12

The book is set in Tuscauny, where an English family is renting a home. Odd things happen, water disappears, and then someone dies. The mother, Molly Partiger, becomes obsesses with getting to the heart of these mysteries, and with meeting her mysterious landlord. It is a particular pleasure to see Mortimer's love of Shakespeare come through in Molly's Falstaff of a father, and the Hamlet-like play-within-a-play which gives Molly the final clue to the murder. Interwoven with the plot is an homage to Piero della Francesca (although it has been written that Mortimer gets everything wrong about Piero's Flagellation). The book ends with typical Mortimer poigniancy. Summer's Lease is light in the way that a Tom Stoppard play is light -- an intelligent guilty pleasure.

Fantastic book!.......2003-02-13

this book is fantastic. the masterpiece theatre production was awesome too. i would like to buy a copy of the video if anyone has one. this is definitely worth reading - and watching too!

ALMOST LIKE A TRIP TO CHIANTISHIRE!.......2001-11-08

I read this book because I saw the Masterpiece Theatre production on TV in the early nineties and fell in love with the characters and the story. This is the type of detective mystery novel where one can truly relate to the detective as she is an average person with a highly developed sense of curiosity. While I shared Molly's intense curiosity about her absent landlord and her outrage at the so called "water racket", I would not have gone as far as she did to satisfy that curiosity. Molly is rather reckless (if not stupid) towards the end and doesn't realize the consequences of her actions until too late - and even then chalks it up to coincidence. All in all the book is a quick and delightful read that will have you longing to travel to those Tuscan hills. I wish Masterpiece Theatre would rerun the film or make it available on video. You've got to see the film. The cast was so well chosen and the locations are beautiful, especially the terrace on La Felicita.

Good Show, Old Boy. I Mean Bella!.......2001-10-26

This is a quaint and entertaining novel. The characters are interesting and carry the story well. The plot is simple, but not boring and certainly not bad. The introspective thoughts and actions of Molly the forty year old protaganist who looks for love in all the wrong places, Hugh her "successful" attorney husband and Havorford Downs, Molly's rogue father are most captivating.

It's a lighthearted mystery in which the writer allows the reader to participate at any depth the latter prefers.

Descriptions of Tuscany are well done to the point that this reader could almost see lines of slim cypress lining a dirt road and smell the pungent aroma of a bottle of black rooster labeled Chianti. There were times while reading that I couldn't help but laugh out loud. There are some really funny moments in the tale.

Brits who read the novel will, I feel certain, fall right in line with the story. We Yanks, on the other hand, need a little time to acclimate ourselves to British verbal nuances. Surprisingly, though, it didn't hinder the reading enjoyment even a little bit.

Book Description

It's one of those days in the city when the sidewalk is hot as a frying pan, and Mimi and her little brother Joe are sweatin' out rivers. Spyin' on Mama and the blah blah ladies is no fun. Out on the street the buses are huffin' out dragon-hot smoke. Even a princess-pink snow cone melts away too fast to lick.

Then Mimi and Joe find their way to a place where it's always cool, a place where you can be a princess on a throne or a dinosaur in a forest, a place where you can let your imagination run free . . . the library.

Gregory Christie's red-hot illustrations team up with Barbara Joosse's smooth urban voice in this book that points the way to the coolest place in any city.

Customer Reviews:

book Hot City by Barbara Joosse.......2007-08-23

This is a delightful book for all ages. The illustrations are fun and creative and the text is also memorable. My two-year old daughter and my 74-year old mother both enjoy it.

Picturebook Masterpiece!.......2005-02-08

Hot City is one of those picture books that jumps right off the coffee table and gets under your skin. The funny, jazzy, spontaneous, and easy-to-follow text is perfectly illuminated with the bright, lively, syncopated, and imaginative illustrations. The plot is simple enough: a sister and her younger brother finding things to do on a very hot summer day in the city. The dialog moves us through their activities: spying on the 'blah-blah' ladies (that must be universal - how kids feel about their mothers' company and their endless prattle); eating snow cones ("we lick fast, but not fast enough"); and escaping into a cool library. While plopped "down in a big old chair, smooth and cool, like a throne" sister (now Princess) escapes on the back of a unicorn and thwarts a pirate-robber before her brother - riding in on a T.Rex - calls her back to the reality of the library and they depart for home. It's a story that honors where books can take us and would be a great read-aloud to younger children during a library storytime hour.

Average customer rating:

LACROSSE?
A Great Surprise You Should Read!!
Courtesy of Teens Read Too
SO much more than expected.
a good one

Summer in the City
Elizabeth Chandler
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Love & Romance | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Fiction | School & Sports | Teens | Subjects | Books

Being a Teen | Social Issues | Teens | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0060847344
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Book Description

Athletic Jamie isn't sure about spending the summer in the city with her romance–novel–writing mum. But when she meets irresistible Josh, Jamie realizes she could probably use all the romance advice she can get!

Lacrosse camp 9 a.m.–noon (can't be late! "Coach" Josh will freak out)

Basketball camp 1:00–4:00 (so many screaming kids. . . )

Shopping with Mona 4:30 (finally a break)

Date with Andrew 7:30 (he's so perfect. . . isn't he?)

Customer Reviews:

LACROSSE?.......2007-09-18

this book was not the type of book for me!..if you enjoy books such as gossip girls, clique novels,crank, and the very detailed girly scenes and novels i definitly wouldnt reccoment this book. She plays lacrosse and helps with camps and its mostly about all sports. I love sports and play basketball and volley and track and softball on select teams and i still didnt enjoy this book as much as i expected to.

A Great Surprise You Should Read!!.......2007-07-30

Oh My Gosh! I have already read this book twice and am still surprised in how it developed. The first time I stayed up untill 2:00 a.m. and couldn't put it down.If you don't read it you are missing out on one of the great pleasures of life!!

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-06-09

SUMMER IN THE CITY is a novel based around sports, boys, and romance in the big city of Baltimore, Maryland, where Jamie is going to attend college in the fall. I didn't know if I was going to like this book at first, but I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised! I'm not a big sports fan, but this book had enough romance in it to keep me interested!

Jamie's parents divorced a long time ago and she lives with her dad. She and her father are very close because Jamie is really into sports and her dad is a football coach. She is the kind of girl that all the guys like hanging out with but not going out with. Her dad wants to take her and her school counselor (his girlfriend) up to their cabin for a summer of camping -- but that doesn't sound so appealing anymore. So instead Jamie goes to spend the summer with her mom, who is an ex-middle school teacher who became a romance writer.

Jamie's dad finds a lacrosse camp to enroll her in to give her something to do while she is there. She ends up getting a job helping run a basketball camp for underprivileged children. She loves basketball and the kids so she has a lot of fun!

You have to read the book to find out all of Jamie's romantic adventures in the city!

Reviewed by: Taylor Rector

SO much more than expected........2007-03-20

When I bought this book, I was hoping for a good teenage romance novel; one that would have me laughing, crying, and wishing I was the main character. "Summer in the City" did not disappoint! I was captivated from the start. Jamie was intriguing, as were the other main characters of the book. I fell in love with Jamie, Mona, Ted and Josh, hated Andrew, and felt the kisses between Jamie and Josh.

This book was everything I wanted and more. I read it in only one day, it was that amazing. :)

a good one.......2007-01-30

what appealed to me most about the book is the sports factor. So if you love sports, this book is right on. that's especially what makes it different from most teen-romance novels. which is also a good point.

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