Ready, Okay!

Book Description

An unforgettable debut novel about the
lives of a group of alienated teenagers in
suburban California that Introduces a
startling new voice in fiction.

Meet Allen Mockery: "The day I turned sixteen years old I had no idea that in four months nearly everyone I cared about would be dead. Unburdened by this foreknowledge, it was with a free and unclouded spirit that I went down to the DMV and failed my driving test."

So begins Adam Cadre's captivating, darkly comic story of teenage life in America in the new millennium, fold through the lives of Allen and a parade of friends and foes, each more vivid and memorable than the last:

Peggy: "You can hit it off with all kinds of people, but once you've shared a counterespionage run with someone, well, that's the kind of bond that goes deeper than sharing your math notes."

Siren: "They asked us what our career plans were and Siren said she was going to be a Laker Girl. Then we fed these milelong Scantrons into a computer and it said that the career that she was actually best suited for was Laker Girl."

Echo: "Her eyes could bore a hole in you the size of a chicken pot pie and she always dressed entirely in black, which is pretty lame but certainly impresses the hell out of most fifteen-year-olds."

Molly: "She had her own heater to make sure her room stayed a toasty eighty-four degrees. This probably would've been uncomfortably hot if not for the fact that Molly refused to wear any clothing whatsoever."

These are just a few of the people you'll meet watching Allen and friends fry to shepherd one another through a minefield of violence, drugs, and parental abandonment as their story careens to its gripping ending. Adam Cadre has created a heartfelt, original novel that offers a new way of looking at the perennial struggles of teenagers. Ready, Okay! is just the right novel at the right time powerful and entertaining story that an entire generation of readers can embrace and call its own.

Customer Reviews:

Beyond.......2005-11-29

This book is my favorite book of all time...okay im only fourteen so that may not be saying much but i loved it. Adam Cadre' portrayed teenagers in a way i could understand. He added great insights in the form of Molly Allens tweleve year old younger sister, im pretty sure im rethinking my idea on nudists. this book should be in every library at every public,middle,and highschool. It taught me and changed me i picked it up at 1:00pm and didnt stop reading till 1:00am. Direct from a teenager i loved this book and wish i owned it.

Interactive Fiction to Powerful Book-Cadre does it again........2005-05-26

I'll be the first to admit that I purchased this book solely on the strength of Adam Cadre's interactive fiction pieces. I thought that someone as accomplished at a genre I loved so much would surely be able to turn his powerful writing towards fiction with little effort.

And while I will be the first to admit that his writing flows in much the same fashion that his interactive fiction does, I have to say that he has produced a truly amazing first novel.

I've read some reviewers look down on the book because they claim characters 'don't speak like real high school students'. I'll note that it is stated within the book that it is a 'good school'. It's a school with a quality enough education program to, within the book, cause two very religious families to permit their children to attend. Descriptions of the classes themselves also make it appear that it /is/ a 'good school'. And in good schools, it is normal for students to sound educated. Few of Cadre's characters could not have come from my own high school in New York City. Calling bad teachers 'Capitalist Pigs' or 'Big Brother' was almost required for the processed would-be-revolutionaries. I'm sure everyone has seen them-the ones who wear Che Guevara T-shirts, and read Nietzche because they hear it's cool. They have a few quotes they bring out again and again on the right occasions. The character of the high school seducer who charms the girls with poetry and high language is a realistic one-even if it is not one Middle America may be familiar with.

While I was reading the book, though, I noticed one thing in particular. I /could not predict the ending/. Most books tend to follow a rather formulaic approach-from the moment a character first appears, we know what they are there for. We know what their purpose will be. We know what will happen in a given relationship, we know that the world will warp in a convenience for us. Because it's fiction.

But Cadre writes in a more realistic world-a world which does not revolve around the main characters, even though he may choose to spotlight them for a time. A world where answers, like people, are not black and white. A world where having feelings for someone not only doesn't require them to feel the same, it doesn't even require them to survive...

I am not ashamed to admit that I cried, near the end of the book. And it is a book I will keep on my permanent collection, and recommend to others. Frankly, I'm impressed that Cadre could do so well-and looking forward to his next piece.

A personal favorite.......2005-01-23

I really loved this book. It had its faults, certainly, but they did not - at least for me - ruin the overall effect.

The characters are unrealistic in action and speech, each with what amounts to expertise and college degrees in oration, science, philosophy, religion, psychology, and history. Some are possessed of powers and intelligence far exceeding that of any reasonable, realistic portrait of an American high schooler.

Even so... I liked them. It wasn't, to me, about making realistic characters in that sense. I liked reading about them, I worried about what would happen to them. Their very eccentricities and unbelievable aspects were what endeared them to me.

A lot of people have criticized the book for being sophomoric, immature, falsely angsty in that all-too-typical emo teenage way. And that criticism is not entirely untrue.

The book hits a lot of issues. Some people might call it scattered, lacking in direction. So much happens in so short a time, and often without any rhyme or reason... sometimes it's difficult to follow.

But you know what? The directionless wandering and semi-artificial suburban angst? That's not, in my estimation, bad writing: that's adolescence.

There's some backtracking that amounts to what may be unnecessary complication. With some more editing, the sequence of events and chronology could have been a lot clearer.

But I don't begrudge Cadre for making the first half of the book a series of random stories and vignettes. Those were some of my favorite parts of the book; the random look into everyday life, the fleshing out of the narrator and a look into what he experienced from a day to day basis.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a very deep person. But I really enjoyed this book. It pushed all the right buttons, hit all the marks. It wasn't a perfect book by any means. But I think there's something really special despite all of that.

If you're looking for Shakespeare, look elsewhere. But if you can pick the book up with an open mind, forgive it for its flaws... then I think you'll find something honest and sincere beneath it all.

First effort feels cheated.......2005-01-04

If there are echoes of CATCHER IN THE RYE, it's obvious the author is straining too hard to achieve the same kind of hip cynicism for the Nirvana generation. Where the former book was real in touching the alienation of youth, this book sadly wears it's hipster status like Bob Hope in a Nehru jacket. (Remember the old days, when celebrities from Dad's generation appeared "with it" by growing sideburns, moustaches and wearing psychedelia?)

Too many passages in the book appear awkward and phony. Not once did I believe the book spoke true to the suicide girls and boys out there. Peer pressure, depression, sexuality, suicide -- serious issues are juggled in the air like so many balls in the air by a clown. The writing does not have any lyrical quality to suggest "touching" as others on the Spotlight Review board have claimed. (Actually some of the reviews here appear to be manufactured by the author's friends, given the same over-use of the word.) The angst is manufactured for a buck. I paid my copy for only 0.96 cents and am still feeling cheated.

my favorite book so far... .......2004-11-21

I picked up this book at ATL Intl Airport as I was preparing to board thinking that it might be a good enough read during the flight. Surprisingly I couldn't read it, but when I finally started reading it, (about two weeks later) I couldn't put it down. I was still on summer vacation so I had plenty of time, and I finished it in two days. As I finished one chapter and went on to the next, my uncertainity grew, and thus my curiosity to find out how things were going to end. Cadre's narrative is extraordinary, all the things that happen to all the characters are a bit alien to me (perhaps because I didn't grow up in the US) but also very interesting (I wonder if it's really like that growing up in OC), and the plot is rather overwhelming yet perfect.
What I liked most about the book was Cadre's point of view on subjects such as incest, underage sex, drugs, troubled teens, etc obviously expressed through his main character. The ending is a bit sad in my opinion, but I guess it couldn't be any different. I totally recommend this book...

Average customer rating:

Disturbing Subject Matter
A book you can't put down
Haunting, stirring read
Beautifully written
Disappointing

The Kindness of Strangers: A Novel
Katrina Kittle
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0060564741
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Book Description

On a quiet street in the suburban Midwest, a popular, seemingly stable family keeps a terrible, dark secret behind closed doors -- a secret that will have life-changing consequences for all who know them

Sarah Laden, a young widow and mother of two, struggles to keep her family together. Since the death of her husband, her high-school-age son, Nate, has developed a rebellious streak, constantly falling in and out of trouble. Her kindhearted younger son, Danny, though well behaved, struggles to pass his remedial classes. All the while, Sarah must make ends meet by running a catering business out of her home. But when a shocking and unbelievable revelation rips apart the family of her closest friend, Sarah finds herself welcoming yet another young boy into her already tumultuous life.

Jordan, a quiet and reclusive elementary-school boy and classmate of Danny's, has survived a terrible tragedy, leaving him without a family. When Sarah becomes Jordan's foster mother, a relationship develops that will force her to question the things of which she thought she was so sure. Yet Sarah is not the only one changed by this young boy, and as the delicate balance that holds her family together begins to falter, the Ladens will all face truths about themselves and one another -- and discover the power of love to forgive and to heal.

Powerful and poignant, The Kindness of Strangers is a shocking look at how the tragedy of a single family in a small suburban town can affect so many. Katrina Kittle has created a haunting vision of the secret lives of the people we think we know best. Through gripping and heartrending storytelling, The Kindness of Strangers shows that even after the most grave injuries, redemption is always possible.

Customer Reviews:

Disturbing Subject Matter.......2007-09-26

I think this book was well written but as the parent of a young child I had a hard time getting past the delicate subject matter.

A book you can't put down.......2007-09-21

I picked this book up at the book store without any prior knowledge of its story line or popularity. Once I began reading it, I couldn't put it down. It deals with child abuse by describing the impact it has on all who it involves -- the victim, parent, caretaker, victim's friends, etc. I thought the impact was thoughtfully and realistically described. At the same time, the story line is absolutely compelling. You are kept guessing about the true involvement of the mother. I loved Sarah as a character as well as the detailed manner in which her culinary skills were relayed. This was a great read.

Haunting, stirring read.......2007-08-11

"The Kindness of Strangers" is about the looming specter of child abuse. It paints a vivid portrait of suffering and healing, offering readers an unflinching look at the devastating effects of sexual abuse, and how it can happen even in "good" neighborhoods.

Two years after her husband's death, Sarah Laden's family is barely holding together. Her oldest Nathan is reckless and irresponsible; while her youngest son Danny is withdrawn and quiet. Sarah herself struggles; and if it wasn't for the unflagging friendship of her best friend Courtney Kendrick, she'd be lost and alone.

Everything she knows about the Kendricks is shattered when Sarah interrupts young Jordan Kendrick's bizarre suicide attempt. In the aftermath, the police uncover shocking evidence of an underground pedophile ring - with the Kendricks at its head - and the neighborhood is plunged into a maelstrom of betrayal, outrage, and scandal. Meanwhile, the Ladens are confronted with the daunting task of reaching out to Jordan in the midst of their own grief.

"The Kindness of Strangers" is sometimes difficult to endure, because Kittle doesn't mince words in portraying the devastation of child molestation. Her bluntness deflates our preferred assumption that this could never happen in our neighborhoods, and forces us to consider a subject most would rather ignore. However, this is a novel of recovery and healing, and though the narrative displays realistic failures, setbacks, and denial, it shows that time can heal wounds - but only when there are willing hands to apply the necessary balm of selfless kindness.

Beautifully written.......2007-08-11

It's one thing to hear about child abuse in the news...and quite another to learn that your neighbor's 11-year-old son has been molested for years by his own parents. That's exactly what happens to Sarah Laden, a recently widowed caterer struggling with her own grief and two adolescent sons.

After the traumatized young Jordan is hospitalized following a botched suicide attempt, Sarah's son convinces her that it's their duty to become his foster family. Although Sarah feels they have enough of their own problems -- least of all being Jordan's sudden unexplained falling-out with his former best friend, Sarah's younger son Danny -- she also feels a need to figure out what's happened, within her own mind. Since she, a grown woman and an outsider, cannot truly fathom the things that the Kendricks did, both with their own son and other children, it's little wonder that Jordan feels completely violated and without hope.

I think the author did a fine job, combining a fictitious account of a young boy's horrors with factual information, allowing the readers to come away feeling like they've gained some insight on a very real situation that affects all too many innocent children in our society.

Disappointing.......2007-08-08

I worked with abused children for a number of years, and I was impressed by the research that Kittle did for her book. However, I would have appreciated a more tightly knit story. Throughout the book, I kept wishing that the author would get out of the way of the story, and that the editor had cut out at least 100 pages, if not more. In a well written book, we don't have to be told how someone feels - a good writer knows how to show the characters' emotions through their actions. Maybe that's why I didn't find the characters very believable. Yes, things like this happen in good neighborhoods and in normal-looking families, but it seemed to me that the author just trotted out some stereotypical characters and tried to find motivation for them. For example, it's pretty darn unusual for a neighbor to adopt a child when there are relatives who could take him in, and frankly I don't think that a real-life Sarah would have volunteered to care for Jordan. Her boys were cookie-cutter children, and Mark was a caricature of a pedophile. Courtney was semi-believable until she showed up to snatch Jordan from Sarah's house - that scene was a bit over-the-top. Jordan was the most believable character, but Kittle just used way too much verbiage to describe his emotions. And, really, was it absolutely necessary to give us quite that much detail about what went on in that house? It's one thing to bring a sensitive subject out in the open, and quite another to beat us over the head with it.

Average customer rating:

Disappointing
Wonderfully bad
Clay's Way: A Novel
Tropical island storm
Didn't enjoy, but can appreciate

Clay's Way
Blair Mastbaum
Manufacturer: Alyson Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1555838197

Book Description

Set against the dazzling backdrop of Hawaii's Oahu and Kauai islands, Clay's Way seethes with energy and hormonally charged nihilism. For 15-year-old Sam, a wanna-be punk rocker who writes bad haiku poetry, his middle-class suburban life feels like a prison. Mistaking lust for fate, Sam becomes obsessed with Clay, a 17-year-old surfer, outwardly cool but equally adrift. The violence and tumult of Clay's search for identity propels him, with desperately confused Sam in his wake, through the hardest decisions and obstacles of their young lives.

24-year-old Blair Mastbaum graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in fine arts. He was a fashion model for six years, and now lives in Beverly Hills, where he is hard at work on his second novel.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-05-04

I have to say I don't understand everyone's fascination with this one. I read it sometime last year and up until today I couldn't even remember the main character's name. Which is sad since Sam happens to be one of my favorite names.

First the good points. I do think Blair Mastbaum has the potential to produce soem really good books. I will read his next one if only to see if it will draw me in. The prenise of Clay's way intrigued me. I thought I was going into the book perhaps to explore through Sam, what makes Clay tick. I was prepared to gain some insight into the minds of both Sam and Clay but that never seemed to happen.

Instead we are led through many disjointed events as we follow Sam through his confusion. There was never a point for me when I actually could sympathize with the character and for me that is an importatn aspect of enjoying a book.

Clay's Way did have it's funny moments but ultimately it failed to keep me engaged. I ended up finishing it because I don't like leaving things unfinished. Which brings me to the last point. The book just stops, it's definitely not the best book to read if you like resolutions and endings that make you think.

Wonderfully bad.......2007-02-06

I have looked past the other reviews of this book and I don't mean to stomp any toes, but this book is bad. It's very poorly written. That is not to say that it can't be enjoyed. The story is engaging if a bit simple, and the characters are likable. There are grammatical errors and typos on nearly every page. There are a number of instances where the plot seems to suffer from holes due to excessive rewrites without significant editing. There are choice lines such as "This boner's for you." I'm not kidding. That's supposed to be a romantic line in the book.

Bottom line: if you like MST3k and gay stories, you'll love this book. My boyfriend and I traded off reading chapters to each other every night and found it hilariously bad. I would suggest this to anyone with a sense of humor.

Clay's Way: A Novel.......2007-01-12

It has been almost a year sence I read this amazing book and its still very fresh in my mind, it was the first book of its kind I had read and I found it be pure accident " I miss spelled the book title I was looking for and got this one instead" One of the best mistakes I have ever made. Set in the awsome back drop of Hawaii you have Sam, the young star of the book, who knows what he wants and who he wants it from, then there is Clay who doesnt know what he wants at all, or is blind to what he has and could have. I wouldnt say this is a love story, more a story very close to life. Blair Mastbaum has such a talented way of making the people in his book seem so real. True to life it has its ups and downs, and sometimes the downs can go pretty far. Clay's Way is one of the best books in my collection, I suggest it for any fan of this style of book.

Tropical island storm.......2006-12-26

Set on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, fifteen coming on sixteen year old skate boarding punk Sam, (punk to the extent that he likes dyeing his hair exotic colours), a compulsive haiku writer, becomes infatuated with the handsome eighteen year old surf boy Clay Anderson, whom he meets in the local skate board shop. Much to his surprise his feelings are reciprocated, and he and Clay begin enjoying each others company. However the relationship that ensues, while having its tender and fulfilling moments, rather than following the smooth course of love becomes a tempestuous and uncertain affair.
The story follows the path of their relationship and time together, which includes an eventful and traumatic camping trip to the island of Kauai, and reveals how they each cope with the difficulties that result from of their association.
This is a very moving and insightful story which while following the two lovers also conveys something of the feel of the tropical isle on which they live with its sudden and tempestuous storms. I did at times want to shout at Sam to refrain from being so possessive and stop acting like a drama queen, but that is only a minor criticism, overall I found it a very rewarding book.

Didn't enjoy, but can appreciate.......2006-11-21

This novel was very frustrating for me because I just could not connect with the main character, Sam. I found him attention starved and annoying. Although the author did an excellent job at portraying the character of Sam, I have a hard time getting engaged in a novel if I can't connect to the characters.

Also, if you are looking for a happy, complete novel I would not recommend this one. It will leave you lost and dissatisfied.

Average customer rating:

TV's on and no one's home
An incredible play--another notch in Labute's belt
This is why we read.
Oh Neil, Was this your first?

The Distance from Here
Neil Labute
Manufacturer: Overlook TP
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

War | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1585673714
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Book Description

No American playwright has written more compellingly about the subtle ways in which people inflict pain on each other than Neil LaBute. His films In the Company of Men and Your Friends and Neighbors both gained critical renown for their biting satire and caustic wit. Now, with The Distance from Here, he has written his most riveting play yet, an intense look at the dark side of American suburbia.

With little to occupy their time other than finding a decent place to hang out--the zoo, the mall, the school parking lot--Darrell and Tim are two American teenagers who lack any direction or purpose in their lives. When Darrell's suspicion about the faithlessness of his girlfriend is confirmed and Tim comes to her defense, there is nothing to brake their momentum as all three speed toward disaster.

Customer Reviews:

TV's on and no one's home.......2006-12-14

This is a work that John Lahr (theater reviewer for The New Yorker) suggested be placed on the short list of important contemporary plays. I have to agree. It is the type of play that can and should be read again and again, each reading revealing some new aspect of story, some deeper layer of meaning, and some subtle nuance of character.

The prime movers of the story are Darrell and Tim, two teenagers on the precipice of, well, falling off of it and into a void of mindless jobs, empty relationships, and violence and alcohol infused escapism. It's almost as if they see the world passing them by, but lack the desire or energy to try to keep up. But what kind of a world is it anyway? One of manufactured sensation, numbing repetition, and greeting card emotional relationships. The plot revolves around Darrell's growing belief that his girlfriend Jenn has betrayed and lied to him. His eventual response to the perceived betrayal is misguided and shocking, and will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

What LaBute has managed so brilliantly is tell an intricate story with characters who are essentially inarticulate. Between the um's and whatever's he creates an America we fear is out there, perhaps even glimpse from time to time, but quickly put out of our minds. "The Distance From Here" shows us it may not be as far away as we think.

An incredible play--another notch in Labute's belt.......2005-04-23

This is an incredible play. In this play Labute writes about the type of situations that you'd see on Jerry Springer, so this is a kind of "Labute does Jerry Springer." I may be an oddity, but I like Springer. I also like Labute, so this is a great play for the likes of me.

This play isn't for everyone, but if you've ever read Labute, then you know that nothing he writes is for everyone. It probably borders on being his darkest play, with frequent use of the f, c, and n words, and has a bunch of other racial slurs in it.

I've kind of been wondering about what kind of a person Labute is. Is he a kind of Stephen King-type person who writes well, but is really a weirdo, or what? In the book, Labute writes a two-page introduction that contains such humanity, care for people, and emotion, that it answered this question for me--he's is very human, but is extremely observational about the dark side of life.

This is one of my top two Labute plays. Excellent job.

This is why we read........2004-11-05

I have not seen this play performed, only read it, and what I read was excellent. Fans of Neil Labute's work will be pleased to see that he has branched out to a new demographic, straying from the upper-middle class business-man type that so commonly (although not regrettably) populate his plays and stories.

Instead what we have is the story of a group of lower-class friends and family - although I hate the term, "white-trash" does come to mind. However Mr. labute does not treat them as such. Rather he presents them as down-on-their-luck folk that have simply been delt a rotten hand in life and who know in spite of their hopes that their is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Hell, there's not even a rainbow.

The story revolves around a kid named Darrel, his friends Tim and Jenn, and his family which consists of an apathetic mother, a tough-guy of a step father and a naive older-step sister. Labute focuses on the influence of family and friends and the hierarchy of the lower class - with the person who is the least affected by inevitable physical and emotional abuse ruling over them all.

I myself did not grow up in a house with these people, these kinds of people, but I did know them well through school and friends. Neil Labute has captured a small, and almost completely unrecorded demographic of the american subculture and should be praised for his accuracy, honesty and unblinking earnestness in the telling of their story. Don't expect to enjoy this as you would a regular play. Chances are that most people will probably set this book down with the sense that they have just witnessed something gross and disturbing. And indeed they have. But you will be a better person because of it. This, folks, is why we read.

Oh Neil, Was this your first?.......2004-10-17

Alright. Here we go. Let me first start by saying, I LOVE Neil LaBute and his writing. He's hard, gritty, and exposes all that deep, personal stuff that our bottled up society tries so desperatly to hide. I, myself, have become inspired many times to write my own works after reading his shows. I would consider him, as well do many of my colleges, to be one of the greatest examples of a contemporary theatre playwright.

But he kinda missed the boat with this one.

Sure, it was a good idea. But just because it was a good idea doesn't mean it goes anywhere. Much like this play. It goes nowhere. In fact, it never starts. It's just kinda like that dumb horse that forgets to run after the gun is fired. We just see some characters enter, talk about pointless stuff, and they leave. It really doesn't pick up until the last few chapters, but even then it isn't satisfying enough to make up for the whole other eighty something pages you had to dredge through just to get to that point.

And maybe that's what he wanted. Nothing characters with no depth and a serious lack of direction, making their distance from there, quite a long and arduous task, especially for characters of their caliber, or lack of it. The mere thought of any sort of positive advancement in their lives would cause any one of them to either give up a go drink a 40 or send them into a depression so deep that suicide is the only comfort. So those characters sit there, twiddling their thumbs, waiting in their static lives for something to come along a give them a Second of Pleasure (read that one, it's great!). Shoot, I bet if someone were to burp it would give them the most action they'd ever seen.

So, once again, I'm sorry Neil LaBute, but this one just wasn't your best work. I, being a young playwright myself, have turned a lot of bad work. And some good stuff too. Much like a lot of his other works.

I would highly recommend The Shape of Things (my personal favorite), The Mercy Seat, Seconds of Pleasure, and Bash. All are amazing testaments to the shining and shocking brilliance that is Neil LaBute.

Average customer rating:

If you liked Wonder Years, you'll like this novel
This book will make you laugh and cry
The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green
How Old Are You?
Daughter loved it.

The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green
Joshua Braff
Manufacturer: Algonquin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1565124200

Book Description

It's 1977. Jacob Green, a Jewish kid from suburban New Jersey, sits on the stairs during his family's housewarming party, waiting for his father, Abram--charming host, everyone's best friend, and amateur emcee--to introduce him to the crowd. Housewarming parties, Annie Hall parties, and bar mitzvah parties punctuate Jacob's childhood and require command performances by all the Green family members. But when the confetti settles and the drapes are drawn, the affable Abram Green becomes an egotistical tyrant whose emotional rages rupture the lives of his family.

Jacob doesn't mean to disappoint his father, but he can't help thinking the most unthinkable (and very funny) thoughts about public-school humiliation, Hebrew-school disinclination, and in-home sex education (with the live-in nanny!). If only his mother hadn't started college at thirty-six (and fallen for her psychology professor). If only he were more like his rebellious older brother (suspended from Hebrew school for drawing the rabbi in a threesome with a lobster and a pig). If only Jacob could confront his overbearing father and tell him he doesn't want to sing in synagogue, attend est classes, write the perfect thank-you note, or even live in the same house with Abram Green. But, of course, he can't. That would be unthinkable.

This self-assured, comic, yet piercing first novel deftly captures the struggle of an imperfect boy trying to become a suitable son.

Customer Reviews:

If you liked Wonder Years, you'll like this novel.......2007-07-12

Oh! Oh! Oh! I so enjoyed this book. Picture the Wonder Years, except it takes place in the 1970's and it's a Jewish family. The trials and tribulations of a young boy coming of age that lives under the roof of an overbearing father in which he can never stand up to his expectations. Jacob has an older brother that is quite the rebel. So, this leaves Jacob as being his father's hope for the perfect son. The unthinkable thoughts that jacob manifests in order to cope with all the pressure are absolutely hilarious. There is some mature sexual content and foul language in this book. I'd like to see a sequal to this book and see what else is next for Jacob.

This book will make you laugh and cry.......2007-05-18

Jacob Green shares his thoughts about growing up in a Jewish family trying its best. His rare gift of being able to read Hebrew makes up for other weaknesses, one of them: poor spelling skills. Occasional typoes in the novel, however, hint at the fact that it can't be entirely fictional, which renders the protagonist and/or author even more endearing.

Especially worth reading if you are a Braff-fan and want an image of 6-year-old Zach (alias Gabe) in a tiny tux. The humor is very SCRUBS-like, following the narrator's trail of thoughts, which mingles the plot with the Unthinkable. At any rate, a must-read.

The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green.......2007-03-11

A great read. The story centers around the relationship between a teen boy and his domineering father. The emotions leap out from the page and one gets the sense that this writer has walked in his characters' shoes. We root for the boy and his dad and his older brother as they sort through the muddle of growing up together as a family. I have a 16 year old boy that is a reluctant reader and he sped through this book in two nights (as have I)and we have both passed it on to other readers. The language and situations are in keeping with an older teen's life, you may want to read first before giving to younger readers. I can't recommend this book highly enough for mature readers, it captures the sweetness and sadness and funny ackwardness of being a teen boy.

How Old Are You?.......2007-01-17

I bought this book whe I was in 7th grade because it was in the recommend list that I got from a local newspaper. Well, I thought that it had some mature content to be included in a middle school book list.

Although it is a pretty nice book in whole, it has lots of sexual references tht one may not recommend to a twelve-year old.

Daughter loved it........2006-12-13

I purchased this book for my 15 year old daughter and she had it read in two days. She totally loved it. I would highly recommend to anyone.

Average customer rating:

LOVED IT!
Great read
JERSEY BOY
Humorous quick read
Very funny and touching book!

A Boy Named Phyllis: A Suburban Memoir
Frank DeCaro
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0140255370

Customer Reviews:

LOVED IT!.......2006-10-02

Very good read. It's funny sad and sweet at the same time. I read it in one day. I could not sepparate from it until the end.

Great read.......2005-12-29

This is an excellent book...one of my favorite memoirs. It was hard to put down and I was sad when it ended. I am surprised it didn't more "buzz" when it first came out. It is light-hearted, funny, and very interesting. It reminds me a little of A Girl Named Zippy. I wish he would write a follow-up book. Definately worth the read!

JERSEY BOY .......2005-01-17

A BOY NAMED PHYLLIS is a wonderfully hilarious, touching, and original coming out memoir about the pains of growing up VERY gay in an Italian-American household in suburban New Jersey. Witty, raucous, peppered with one-liners, wacky situations, and even wackier characters, this debut book is a minefield of belly laughs. Whether he's discussing true love in Coordinate Geometry class, true lust for David Cassidy, the enduring pains of sissy torture, the unrefined glories of 70s pop culture, or the idiosyncrasies of his family, Frank DeCaro has created a frothy memoir readers aren't likely to forget. This memoir is one that paved the way for the tres-gay, silly, and shamelessly confessional works of David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs - so if you love their work give it a try.

Humorous quick read.......2004-05-16

Several times when reading this book of reminiscences by a man who escaped uniform suburbia to become an openly gay New York writer, I laughed out loud. I appreciate any book that can inspire a reader to do that; the author has a very funny, succinct writing style. I also appreciate books about people who are other than "mainstream," so I mostly enjoyed this one. However, as a heterosexual female, I didn't appreciate the writer's graphic descriptions of just what he likes (or liked as a teenager) to do with his male partners. When readers are trying to broaden their minds by choosing books about people not exactly like themselves, that kind of detail isn't what they're normally after. If this author has a second book, hopefully he's gotten that type of thing out of his system.

Very funny and touching book!.......2003-12-05

This is a very well told story of growing up different. I also loved his rememberances of being part of the 70's disco culture.

Autobiographies live or die based on the "tone" and how much the writer shares with the reader. Here the tone is humorous and refreshing - the details are moving.

This is a great book and deserves more attention. I have had my friends all read and love it. :)

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Interesting History of Kansas City Metro Area

Mr. Loeb & Mr. Wedin

Alternate Universe

Sprouts!

A native son's view from Ireland

The King of Kings County: A Novel
Whitney Terrell
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Huntsman: A Novel

The Goodbye Look

Literacy Matters: Writing and Reading the Social Self (Language and Literacy Series (Teachers College Pr))

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ASIN: 0670034258
Release Date: 2005-08-22

Book Description

Few first novels elicit the rave reviews enjoyed by Whitney Terrell for The Huntsman. The New York Times called it “a searing first novel,” while the Chicago Tribune compared Terrell to “Faulkner, Conrad, and Melville.” In The King of Kings County, Terrell again takes us to his native Kansas City for a heartrending look at a young man's coming- of-age as he confronts his father's—and his city's—dissolution.

In 1956, Alton Acheson—part conman, part visionary—begins building a suburban empire amid the cornfields of Kings County. As Alton bluffs his way into prosperity, his son, Jack, becomes a reluctant accomplice to his grand ambitions. But when greed, corruption, and organized crime combine to create an urban nightmare instead—abandoned buildings, ghettos, and slums—Jack is forced into a clear-eyed confrontation with his father's legacy. This extraordinary saga, The King of Kings County, examines the manufacturing of an American Dream, one whose contradictions divide us to this day.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting History of Kansas City Metro Area.......2007-01-13

One. Year. It took me an entire year to read this book. Don't blame the book. It was my fault. I started reading it, but then, my attention span shifted.

This is actually a fantastic book. It is written by Whitney Terrell, a native of Kansas City. This is one of the reasons the book interested me. To read a book written by a native of the city in the book is always interesting. I find that there is a richer amount of detail that can only be written by a native. Stephen King writes about Maine. Terrell writes about Kansas City. Simplicity and honesty.

The premise of the book is the development of the "fictional" Kings County on the Kansas side of the Kansas City Metro area. Those of us who live here know darn good and well that "Kings County" is actually Johnson County. Now, I do not know all the legal wrangling involved in the actual development of Johnson County. However, if they were anything like the proceedings in this novel, HOLY COW! Segregation, money, deceit...essentially the Calligula of Real Estate.

This is a novel that does not have the "edge of your seat" suspense that I typically read. No shootouts, no catastrophic virus epidemics, no espionage. Nope. Real Estate. Not a typical book that I would read. Still, it was extremely entertaining. There is something fun about reading a book and finding references to places you know. For example, in one passage, the main character of the story is driving southbound on I-35 and sees a billboard for Dolgin's Jewelers and the pole sign for Kopp's Carpets (even describing the sign's cartoon English Bobby police officer). Something about reading parts that you have personal knowledge of that makes things fun and interesting.

I won't tell you much about the book's plotline. I think residents of this fine city should simply read it for themselves. Particularly if you are a resident of Johnson County. It will make you think. Even if you are not a resident, this book will give you a good history (though probably - hopefully a bit embellished) of Kansas City from the 1950's up to 2002. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Mr. Loeb & Mr. Wedin.......2006-06-14

Mr. Loeb is perhaps a bit hasty in attacking his fellow reviewer "Ralph Wedin" for hiding in a cowardly manner behind the name of a teacher at Pembroke-Country Day. Ralph Wedin was one of my teachers; he was also the father of Ralph Wedin Jr., who graduated a couple of years before I did in 1963. I remember both Wedins warmly. Mr. Loeb could be correct that Mr. Wedin doesn't know much literary theory -- but Mr. Wedin the younger certainly knew more than I did as a student at Pem-Day.

Alternate Universe.......2005-12-03

This book gave me a headache. Some of the locations were really Kansas City and Johnson County, Kansas, but most were from some alternate universe in which a place oddly similar to Kansas City was developed by someone other than J.C.Nichols. I also found the ending of the book deplorable when suddenly the protagonist reveals that the whole thing is actually a letter to his 18-year-old daughter, the child he didn't know he had even fathered. I wonder how she'll react to the news that her mother was directly involved in the death of another human being (did he fall? or was he pushed?) and the rest of her family consists of successful bigots. I suppose if you'd never set foot in Kansas City, you might consider this to be pseudo history, but it's fantasy. And the real city, with its rich heritage, never has a chance to shine. Obviously Terrell knows all kinds of dirty little secrets, but if that's what he wanted to share, he could have shown some guts and written an excellent non-fiction book. He certainly has the knowledge and the skill.

Sprouts!.......2005-11-04

The narration is strong, the characters laugh-out-loud funny, dialogue crisp, and the images well-rendered. But what really shines in this novel is the kind of mystic golden-age quality that defines the Kansas City of the narrator's youth. At times it can border on being a little too well-remembered, a golden autumnal haze engulfing everyone and everything, but just when it gets closest to this, it is interrupted by the cruel reality of the adult world. In the end, this tendency to sentimentalize youth and school-days works because it exists to be the contrast against which the narrator discovers the "real" world of backroom deals, dishonesty and fallen heroes.

And if that isn't enough, just look at all the bickering it caused. Doesn't that make you want to read it?

A native son's view from Ireland.......2005-10-27

It is amusing and heart-warming, from abroad, to hear the hollow howls over Whitney Terrell's most recent undressing of my unlamented hometown Kansas City.

I've lived somewhere on every point of the compass in this life and spent six years in service but never in a place as insidiously and comprehensively racist, reactionary and anti-Semitic as Kansas City. Post-war Kansas City has been, and continues to be, hopelessly second rate, solely because of the absence of moral and ethical and visionary leadership by the bigoted, self-interested, Episcopalian ruling class that produced Mr. Terrell himself, and me. Lord knows he knows his subject and God bless him for biting the avaricious hands that spawned him. The surprise is that he hasn't been run out of town yet. He will be. And be grateful for it. The door in Kansas City is always closed.

$The 2007 Report on Men\'s and Boys\' Tailored Overcoats, Topcoats, and Car and Suburban Coats: World Market Segmentation by City$
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The 2007 Report on Men\'s and Boys\' Tailored Overcoats, Topcoats, and Car and Suburban Coats: World Market Segmentation by City
Philip M. Parker
Manufacturer: ICON Group International, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Econometrics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0497734575
Release Date: 2006-11-13

Book Description

This report was created for global strategic planners who cannot be content with traditional methods of segmenting world markets. With the advent of a “borderless world”, cities become a more important criteria in prioritizing markets, as opposed to regions, continents, or countries. This report covers the top 2000 cities in over 200 countries. It does so by reporting the estimated market size (in terms of latent demand) for each major city of the world. It then ranks these cities and reports them in terms of their size as a percent of the country where they are located, their geographic region (e.g. Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America, Latin America), and the total world market. In performing various economic analyses for its clients, I have been occasionally asked to investigate the market potential for various products and services across cities. The purpose of the studies is to understand the density of demand within a country and the extent to which a city might be used as a point of distribution within its region. From an economic perspective, however, a city does not represent a population within rigid geographical boundaries. To an economist or strategic planner, a city represents an area of dominant influence over markets in adjacent areas. This influence varies from one industry to another, but also from one period of time to another. In what follows, I summarize the economic potential for the world\'s major cities for "men\'s and boys\' tailored overcoats, topcoats, and car and suburban coats" for the year 2007. The goal of this report is to report my findings on the real economic potential, or what an economist calls the latent demand, represented by a city when defined as an area of dominant influence. The reader needs to realize that latent demand may or may not represent real sales. For many items, latent demand is clearly observable in sales, as in the case for food or housing items. Consider, however, the category "satellite launch vehicles". Clearly, there are no launch pads in most cities of the world. However, the core benefit of the vehicles (e.g. telecommunications, etc.) is "consumed" by residents or industries within the world\'s cities. Without certain cities, in other words, the market for satellite launch vehicles would be lower for the world in general. One needs to allocate, therefore, a portion of the worldwide economic demand for launch vehicles to both regions and cities. This report takes the broader definition and considers, therefore, a city as a part of the global market.

The 2007-2012 Outlook for Mens and Boys Tailored Overcoats, Topcoats, and Car and Suburban Coats in Greater China

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The 2007-2012 Outlook for Mens and Boys Tailored Overcoats, Topcoats, and Car and Suburban Coats in Greater China
Philip M. Parker
Manufacturer: ICON Group International, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Econometrics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0497400502
Release Date: 2006-09-28

Book Description

This study covers the latent demand outlook for men’s and boys’ tailored overcoats, topcoats, and car and suburban coats across the regions of Greater China, including provinces, autonomous regions (Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Xizang - Tibet), municipalities (Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin), special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau), and Taiwan (all hereafter referred to as “regions”). Latent demand (in millions of U.S. dollars), or potential industry earnings (P.I.E.) estimates are given across some 1,100 cities in Greater China. For each major city in question, the percent share the city is of the region and of Greater China is reported. Each major city is defined as an area of “economic population”, as opposed to the demographic population within a legal geographic boundary. For many cities, the economic population is much larger that the population within the city limits; this is especially true for the cities of the Western regions. For the coastal regions, cities which are close to other major cities or which represent, by themselves, a high percent of the regional population, actual city-level population is closer to the economic population (e.g. in Beijing). Based on this “economic” definition of population, comparative benchmarks allow the reader to quickly gauge a city’s marketing and distribution value vis-à-vis others. This exercise is quite useful for persons setting up distribution centers or sales force strategies. Using econometric models which project fundamental economic dynamics within each region and city of influence, latent demand estimates are created for men’s and boys’ tailored overcoats, topcoats, and car and suburban coats. This report does not discuss the specific players in the market serving the latent demand, nor specific details at the product level. The study also does not consider short-term cyclicalities that might affect realized sales. The study, therefore, is strategic in nature, taking an aggregate and long-run view, irrespective of the players or products involved.

The 2007-2012 Outlook for Mens and Boys Tailored Overcoats, Topcoats, and Car and Suburban Coats in India

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The 2007-2012 Outlook for Mens and Boys Tailored Overcoats, Topcoats, and Car and Suburban Coats in India
Philip M. Parker
Manufacturer: ICON Group International, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Econometrics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0497484943
Release Date: 2006-09-28

Book Description

This study covers the latent demand outlook for men’s and boys’ tailored overcoats, topcoats, and car and suburban coats across the states, union territories and cities of India. Latent demand (in millions of U.S. dollars), or potential industry earnings (P.I.E.) estimates are given across some 4,100 cities in India. For each city in question, the percent share the city is of it’s state or union territory and of India as a whole is reported. These comparative benchmarks allow the reader to quickly gauge a city vis-à-vis others. This statistical approach can prove very useful to distribution and/or sales force strategies. Using econometric models which project fundamental economic dynamics within each state or union territory and city, latent demand estimates are created for men’s and boys’ tailored overcoats, topcoats, and car and suburban coats. This report does not discuss the specific players in the market serving the latent demand, nor specific details at the product level. The study also does not consider short-term cyclicalities that might affect realized sales. The study, therefore, is strategic in nature, taking an aggregate and long-run view, irrespective of the players or products involved.

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