History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in The Other America

Average customer rating:

The other America indeed
a sobering account of the horrendous state of America's impoverished
impressive work of reserach and great story telling
Great Reading
You MUST read this book

There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in The Other America
Alex Kotlowitz
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Children's Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools
Schoolgirls: Young Women, Self Esteem, and the Confidence Gap
Amazing Grace : Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation, The
Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (7th Edition) (MySocLab Series)
Rachel and Her Children: Homeless Families in America

ASIN: 0385265565
Release Date: 1992-01-05

Amazon.com

There Are No Children Here, the true story of brothers Lafeyette and Pharoah Rivers, ages 11 and 9 at the start, brings home the horror of trying to make it in a violence-ridden public housing project. The boys live in a gang-plagued war zone on Chicago's West Side, literally learning how to dodge bullets the way kids in the suburbs learn to chase baseballs. "If I grow up, I'd like to be a bus driver," says Lafeyette at one point. That's if, not when--spoken with the complete innocence of a child. The book's title comes from a comment made by the brothers' mother as she and author Alex Kotlowitz contemplate the challenges of living in such a hostile environment: "There are no children here," she says. "They've seen too much to be children." This book humanizes the problem of inner-city pathology, makes readers care about Lafeyette and Pharoah more than they may expect to, and offers a sliver of hope buried deep within a world of chaos.

Book Description

This is the moving and powerful account of two remarkable boys struggling to survive in Chicago's Henry Horner Homes, a public housing complex disfigured by crime and neglect.

Customer Reviews:

The other America indeed.......2007-09-25

Nice mix of anecdote and historical background on life in inner city America. Excellent insight into the everyday difficulties faced by families and some of the root causes. This book, though almost 20 years old, still has a message that needs to be heard.

a sobering account of the horrendous state of America's impoverished.......2007-07-18

You don't need to look to Africa or the Middle East to find crime and poverty. Millions live in gang-riddled public housing projects, where violence is a fact of life. If these thoughts don't stir your heart, this book will.

impressive work of reserach and great story telling.......2007-04-30

As in his other book, The other side of the River, Alex Kotlowitz proves again what an amazing story teller he is. Kotlowitz spent a couple of years living with and getting to Know Pharaoh and Lafeyette in the Chiacgo housing project, a place where even the police are afraid to go into without back up. The life of these children seems to be written in the stars, everything is planned for them - poverty, delinquency, prison, abuse, drugs and finally death. Regardless of your stand on social (in)equality, wellfare and other government help, it is easy to relate to Kotlowitz' regard for the boys and some of their friends, although most of us are on the "right" side of the law and the more affluent side of society. The poignant story brings to mind the chicken and the egg debate - do people sink into poverty because of inadequate government help or do they have a hand in it? The boys' mother has 8 children, no job and her husband wont provide for them. Why does she continue to have more children? The government built housing for the people, but the housing is substandard, and reinforces the residents' feelings of being left behind, not on society's top priority. Has America given up on these children?
Can't wait for Alex to write an update, 10 years later.

Great Reading.......2007-04-07

I was required to read this book for a class and loved it! The story of these boys was so moving. I would recommend this book to everyone!

You MUST read this book.......2007-01-10

This goes out to everyone living in America today.... you have to read this book. I grew up in a small rural town. My only experience of urban life came from movies and rap music. This book made it plainly clear to me that we are sweeping Americas own problems under a rug. Though I feel strongly for the plight of others all over the world, how can we help them when we haven't spent the time and energy that we need to fix our own backyard? We need to invest in our future and it needs to happen now. This book should be required reading in our schools especially with regards to small town schools. These schools tend to "glamorize" urban life and gangs instead of understanding what they are, a means of survival for our scared youth looking for protection and who don't see another way out nor a future for themselves.

The Jungle: The Uncensored Original Edition

Average customer rating:

The Hobo Philosopher
Recurring 21st Century Themes with an Ideological Slant
A must read!! It's a classic!
I Loved First 150 Pages, Last 150 are Weaker , but Still Great [45]
wonderful classic

The Jungle: The Uncensored Original Edition
Upton Sinclair
Manufacturer: See Sharp Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Political | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Jungle (Cliffs Notes)
Fast Food Nation
Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, And Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.s. Meat Industry
Uncle Tom's Cabin (Wordsworth Classics)
The Grapes of Wrath (Centennial Edition)

ASIN: 1884365302

Book Description

For nearly a century, the original version of Upton Sinclair's classic novel has remained almost entirely unknown. When it was published in serial form in 1905, it was a full third longer than the censored, commercial edition published in book form the following year. That expurgated commercial edition edited out much of the ethnic flavor of the original, as well as some of the goriest descriptions of the meat-packing industry and much of Sinclair's most pointed social and political commentary. The text of this new edition is as it appeared in the original uncensored edition of 1905. It contains the full 36 chapters as originally published, rather than the 31 of the expurgated edition. A new foreword describes the discovery in the 1980s of the original edition and its subsequent suppression, and a new introduction places the novel in historical context by explaining the pattern of censorship in the shorter commercial edition.

Customer Reviews:

The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-18

I discovered this book only recently. It attracted my interest because I'm Polish, I was a butcher who worked in processing plants, I'm a writer and I lived somewhat the life of the "hobo" and wrote my own book entitled "Hobo-ing America" which dealt with much of the same material although in a much lighter and more humorous way, I was raised in an inner-city tenement slum area and I have been a laborer and worker most of my life. I didn't see anything not to like in this book other than I didn't write it. I enjoy reading history and I enjoy reading classics. This is both.
Interesting to note, though Upton wrote this book in hopes of changing conditions for working people, it only succeeded his changing conditions for the cows.

Recurring 21st Century Themes with an Ideological Slant.......2007-09-03

Read the uncensored original edition, and it was interesting to see that the themes that pervaded the meatpacking industry in the early 1900's are similar to those of today if one ties in the recently written Fast Food Nation as the 21st century extension of this novel albeit without the novel ending socialist slant.

All of these books, whether non fiction or fiction based on fact present compelling cases that we Americans are ignorant when it comes to how our meat is processed. Since the US media is run by agenda driven individuals,companies, and special (and powerful) self interest groups, it is too bad that the general American public is not made aware of what we can expect in terms of the quality of meat, and its effect on the public, and how we can address and fix this problem.

But I have digressed from much of The Jungle. It is a book that is well written in many parts narrating the plight of the early 20th century immigrant and how large dominating corporations took advantage of the low level workers at that time. Fast Food Nation adds a 21st century view which ties the meatpackers industry with the fast food companies of today.

Coming to America to fulfill one's dream of wealth and happiness is but a pipedream to the many uneducated people that have come to the US on boats, rafts, or planes with no life savings. Working as "slave laborers" they find that they work to survive and have no other life. Jurgis the main character, comes to the US with family and friend members, works hard at the meatpacking plant and through one problem after another can never elevate himself or his family, finding himself and the family thrown onto the streets more than once.

Crime, booze, prostitution, politics, corruption and immigration are the recurring themes of this novel with an added bonus of getting Upton Sinclair's socialist slant during the final chapters to turn a very good diatribe on the "common workers" problems into a yawner and one where you willwant to turn the pages fast as the novel approaches the end.

One hunred years later, Sinclair's concept of Utopia (Socialism) and that the ideology works, as discussed through characters introduced towards the end of the novel is negated by the facts of history, and his introduction towards the end is strange as it does not flow with the balance of the story. However it may have been his way of finding a way to discuss socialism in an environment that would not tolerate it. And rightfully so as it provides a damper on the story.

But...if you can rip up the last 30-ish pages of the novel, the balance of the book stands up well.

A must read!! It's a classic!.......2007-07-08

This is a great book, published in 1906, especially from the historian's perspective. It was a book that after it was written, completely changed the Chicago stockyards. It was written about a Luthanian family who worked there during the beginning of the 20th century. Not many authors can be credited with writing a book that changed laws (The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) is a direct result of the publication of this book). You have to appreciate a book that had such a monumental impact on many people's lives. The stockyards in Chicago were so bad... and this book brought it to light, not just in Chicago but nationally as well. Last year (2006) it was it's 100th year anniversary. It's a GREAT book and I highly recommend it.

I Loved First 150 Pages, Last 150 are Weaker , but Still Great [45].......2007-07-05

Following the life in America of Jurgis Rudkos delivers tears and hatred which makes the reader want to get up and shout - at those who employ him and at Jurgis as well.

Working in the stockyards of Chicago was hell, the worst time being in the fertilizer division's charnel house where malodorous bone dust swirled about to limit visibility to five feet and intoxicated his every sense of taste and smell. And, after the phosphates layered themselves onto his skin and clothes, he returns home with a stench that cannot be washed out . The smell is so badly terminal that his later imprisonment includes a statement by his roomie - a well worn professional thief - that never before has he smelled anything so bad in the "pen."

But, the place of employment is not the only one at fault. Jurgis, uneducated and well meaning, has to be responsible for his actions as well - he beats the pulp out of an Irish crony who sexually violated Jurgis's wife. In turn, he is imprisoned for a month - during which time the family loses its savings, its home, and their jobs at the plant.

In the first 200 pages, his life sinks deeper and deeper into the abyss. He recovers for a short time when he cow tows to the Irish politicians and makes a few bucks. But, another fight and imprisonment return him to the streets, this time on the lam, from which he becomes a common beggar who is embraced by his long lost sister - now a junky prostitute with enough money to keep her children out of the packing house and in school.

So, with this horrible tale of America, the book ends with about 40 pages of Jurgis's Socialist Manifesto. Remember, in 1906 - when this book was written - Marx and Engels and the like were hot. Really hot. Their writings were received here and in Russia with great fanfare - even if the edenistic portrayal was inaccurate, the life led by the proletariat could not be any worse. The followers rallied to the cry of a better life with better returns for their wages. To those who gave bomb reviews of this book because it was Socialistic propaganda, take note that things were different then and Socialism was one method of reform to be discussed to end the plight of workers like Jurgis.

Ultimately, a truce was made - not in small part because of this book. Federal regulations increased and the industrial giants had to respond to someone other than those silenced by local graft - they had to meet health requirements and more. This incurred more expense, which hurt their bottom line. And, with industrial safety regulations increasing at this time, the wage earning slaves like Jurgis would be less traumatically harmed as the Dante-like workplaces like the fertilizer division's hot rooms of dust would be forbidden.

The fact that this book elicited such political response is most impressive. The writing is equally impressive. The story line is Dickens-like magnificent. This is a must read.

wonderful classic.......2007-05-13

This book is wonderful in itself. This new, revised (more like unrevised!) edition more like the original that Sinclair yearned for, gives this man and work of genius due credit. The book laments of human society and our propensity to greed and suffering. But, Sinclair declares, it doesn't have to be that way. There can be hope, empathy, and love in the most dire of situations.

Average customer rating:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
A haunting mystery adventue that is utterly irresistible!
Fiction based on the real Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House
How Clues Unfold
The Wright 3

The Wright 3
Blue Balliett
Manufacturer: Scholastic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Children's Books | Blowout Books | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Chasing Vermeer
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
Princess Academy
Criss Cross (Newbery Medal Book)
Small Steps

ASIN: 0439693675

Book Description

Spring semester at the Lab School in Hyde Park finds Petra and Calder drawn into another mystery when unexplainable accidents and ghostly happenings throw a spotlight on Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, and it's up to the two junior sleuths to piece together the clues. Stir in the return of Calder's friend Tommy (which creates a tense triangle), H.G. Wells's The Invisible Man, 3D pentominoes, and the hunt for a coded message left behind by Wright, and the kids become tangled in a dangerous web in which life and art intermingle with death, deception, and surprise.

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-08-15

Twelve-year-old Tommy Segovia has returned to Chicago after a year away, and everything is different. His old house is completely different, and he doesn't live there anymore. His best friend, Calder, seems to have a new best friend, and it's a girl! And, the city wants to tear down Robie House, the historic Frank Lloyd Wright home that has always been a fixture in their neighborhood.

Calder Pillay is torn between his two close friends. He and Tommy have been best friends forever, but he and Petra solved a major mystery and crime together (Chasing Vermeer). They both have great and different talents, and Calder knows that if they could just all work together they could make an amazing team. Maybe even good enough to save Robie House. But it looks like he's going to be stuck in the middle for awhile. If only people could be more like his pentominoes. (Pentominoes are a mathematical tool, a set of twelve shapes of five connected squares. Calder keeps a set in his pocket; they help him think.)

Petra Andalee is a quiet girl who likes her books and writing, and she can't figure out why Tommy dislikes her so much. She and Calder make a good team, and Tommy and Calder make a good team, so where's the problem? She's torn between wanting to prove herself and feeling like she shouldn't have to. Either way, she intends to find a way to save one of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpieces.

Between Tommy's finding skills, Calder's logic, and Petra's unique analysis, they aren't about to let the house go quietly. Provided they trust each other enough. And the house might have a few things to say about it, too.

There is A LOT going on in this stand alone sequel to Chasing Vermeer.

Obviously there is the relationship between the three main characters, and the attempt to save Robie House. There is some Frank Lloyd Wright history, as well as Robie House-specific history. There is also mathematical figuring, and architectural oddities. There are even hidden pictures inside the illustrations. It also brings up some interesting ideas about the science of art and the art of science. There's so much happening that I almost feel like I need to go through the book a few separate times, looking at it from different angles.

There aren't many young fiction books geared toward a math/science type mind. If you're that type, I think you will really appreciate and enjoy this book. And even if you're not, it's still a good adventure!

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

A haunting mystery adventue that is utterly irresistible!.......2007-07-17

Twelve-year-old Tommy Segovia has had a rough year. First, he was yanked away from his beloved home in Chicago's Hyde Park, and forced to move away with his mother and her new husband. Then, after a year away from his Harper Avenue home, his stepfather was arrested for conspiring to steal a priceless Vermeer painting, and he and his mother ended up back where they started. Unfortunately, this time things aren't the same. Instead of moving back to his old Harper Avenue home, Tommy and his mother have been forced to rent an apartment located next-door to the Robie House. A beautiful place created by world-famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, that is scheduled to be torn down in a matter of days. While his new class is getting all riled up over the murder of the historical home, all Tommy can do is sulk. During his time away from Hyde Park, his best friend, Calder Pillay, took up company with a frizzy-haired girl named Petra Andalee. Calder wants nothing more than to be friends with both Petra and Tommy, but Tommy isn't having it. In his mind, "two's company, three's a crowd," and he wants Calder all to himself. Unfortunately, Calder is reluctant to leave Petra in the dust. After all, just last year he and Petra solved a huge crime involving a Vermeer painting, and Tommy's ex-stepfather that landed them in various newspapers, clinching their friendship for life. There was no way Tommy could compete with that. So, instead of fighting for friendship, he turns to the companionship of his pet goldfish, Goldman. However, when Tommy notices strange things occurring next-door at the Robie House in the middle of the night, and hears the urgent prodding of his sixth-grade teacher, Ms. Hussey, to save the house, he begins to contemplate joining forces with both Petra and Calder in an attempt to solve yet another art mystery. While he can't stand the constant scritch-scratch sounds that emerge from Petra as she scribbles in her notebook non-stop, and he dislikes Calder's frequent out-of-body experiences as he enters a world of his own thoughts, accompanied only by his pentominoes; however, the creepy voices that float out of the windows of the Robie House, the way the roof moves at unexpected moments, and the fact that there are strange shadows that slip in and out of the light through the windows peak Tommy's interest, and give him the ability to emerge from his own anger, and team up with the two. Through a series of coded messages, dual copies and readings of H.G. Wells's "The Invisible Man," ghosts, hidden treasures, and quite a bit more, the trio begins researching the history of the Robie House, determined to please Ms. Hussey with their discoveries. But as danger begins to follow the three everywhere they turn, they begin to wonder whether saving the Robie House, and solving the mystery is truly in their future; or whether it would be safer to simply turn their back on the project.

After reading Blue Balliett's outstanding CHASING VERMEER a little over a year ago, I found myself salivating over what new mystery she would be able to create for Calder and Petra to embark on. Replacing the trademark blue M&M's of CHASING VERMEER with the red Swedish Fish - aptly titled red herrings - of THE WRIGHT 3, Balliett has penned, once more, and amazing tale that is thrilling from start to finish. As with CHASING VERMEER, I found myself quickly drawn into the world of Petra and Calder once more. Petra's quick-thinking brain, and penchant for keeping notes on everything around her is reminiscent of Louise Fitzhugh's HARRIET THE SPY; while Calder's non-stop movement of his trusted pentominoes, and ability to put together various bizarre pieces to the puzzle throughout the story are irresistible. The fact that Petra is so literary, while Calder is a miniature math-whiz is a nice contrast, and provides a little something for everyone. Perhaps it was because I was so used to the Petra/Calder team from CHASING VERMEER, but I found it hard to accept Tommy into the group at first. He's quite stubborn, and his bad attitude can certainly get on your nerves over time, as he makes rude comments to not only Petra, but also to Calder. He seems like a spoiled toddler who isn't getting his way, and can really come off as an obnoxious individual. However, as the story progresses, he grows on you, and it's quite easy to see how he will make a wonderful addition to the next book in the series, as the "finder" of the group. I only hope that Balliett will keep Tommy's goldfish, Goldman, as a character for the future, as he really added a nice "fishy" side to the story; as well as helped to make Tommy more likable in the readers eyes. I absolutely adored Balliett's inclusion of various Frank Lloyd Wright and Robie House facts; and her tidbits of H.G. Wells's THE INVISIBLE MAN - which are scattered throughout the story - really lend an interesting addition to the mystery as a whole. A haunting mystery adventure that is utterly irresistible!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Fiction based on the real Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House.......2007-05-13

This is a great sequel to the hit "Chasing Vermeer." Our 9 year old and 12 year old sons enjoyed both books. Our older son read both books and younger son listened to both on Audio CDs. I loved listening along as well.

How Clues Unfold.......2007-04-28

Tommy has returned to Hyde Park and all he can think about is why it couldn'thave been him finding the stolen Vermeer painting. But now there is a new problem, the famous Robie House is being torn down!
In the book The Wright 3 Calder and Petra find out about this and they know they need to help. While they are helping Tommy and Petra have a fight and the group splits up. In that period of time they each find a clue that takes them one step closer to saving the beloved Robie House. Petra learns that many deaths have happened because the house apparently moved.When the time comes to sneak into the house they come to surprise such as being chased by two scary men and almost getting burned to death.
Along the way friendships form, clues are found, and the problems unfold. Will Petra, Tommy, and Calder save the house or will they save something even bigger? Find out in this amazing sequel to Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett.

The Wright 3.......2007-04-25

If you like reading mystery books then The Wright 3 is for you! The Wright 3 is about three kids who try to save the Wright House in Chicago, Illinois, from being destroyed. Those three characters are Calder, Petra, and Tommy. In the beginning Tommy moves back to Chicago. He used to be Calder's friend and now that Tommy is back Petra becomes very jealous since Calder starts ignoring her. Soon after, they hear about all the weird things going on in the house. Everyone working on demolishing the house is becoming injured and they have to find out what's going on. Will the Wright House be demolished or will Petra, Calder, and Tommy save it? Read the book to find out!
The Wright 3 was an amazing book with many suspenseful parts. It makes you want to read on all the way to the end without stopping. One time, at the end of the chapter, they leave you wondering what was that? What will happen? In Ever chapter the illustrator even gives a picture and you have to find things to solve something. It's really fun! I know you will like it too. The book also made me want to see the Wright House some day. So if you like mysteries, I highly recommend it!

Average customer rating:

Butkus is #1
Butkus Rules
Dissapointing
Great Read about the greatest Football player ever..
Best Ever at Linebacker

Butkus: Flesh and Blood
Dick Butkus
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Football | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Football (American) | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Nitschke
Golden Boy
NFL Films - Chicago Bears - The Complete History
Romo: My Life on the Edge--Living Dreams and Slaying Dragons
Johnny U: The Life and Times of John Unitas

ASIN: 0385486480
Release Date: 1997-10-13

Amazon.com

Like his no-nonsense tenure as one of the dominating linebackers in NFL history, Dick Butkus's no-nonsense autobiography covers plenty of ground, offers no excuses, scares the hell out of you (you will never look at your knees--or your doctors--in quite the same way again), and, in the end, entertains with his candor and verve. Butkus has axes to grind, and he grinds them wonderfully, but he also is capable of examining his own behavior. What emerges is a portrait of an athlete willing to explore--roots, warts, and all--the aggression and rage he rode to glory on the field, and the challenges he faced trying to harness those same emotions off the field.

Book Description

From 1965 to 1973 Dick Butkus was the most revered player in professional football. Although he never played for a championship team, and one can't say he set all kinds of records, no other defender in the entire history of the NFL has so electrified the game. The stories about Butkus are legendary. They make him sound so intense, so ferocious, and for the most part they are frighteningly true. Yet underneath the layers of mythology resides a man who is as thoughtful and emotional as he is intense.

In Butkus, Dick Butkus tells his entire life story, from growing up and getting into trouble in Chicago, to his uncomfortable yet glorious years at the University of Illinois. He reveals what it felt like to be the ninth child of two hardworking Lithuanian parents--one of whom was born in a Illinois coal mine, the other never fully learned to speak English--and the camaraderie and contentment he experienced while playing football. He recounts the historic nine seasons with the Chicago Bears where he played with and against such immortals as Gale Sayers, Jim Brown, Brian Piccolo, Mike Ditka, and Joe Greene.

Dick Butkus looks deeply into his own psyche to find the source of his passionate style of play--a style that has often been described as violence and intimidation on the football field. With honesty and emotion, he recounts his battles with George "Papa Bear" Halas, the NFL, and the media.

Customer Reviews:

Butkus is #1.......2005-11-10

My first word as a child was: Butkus. There was a football game on TV at the hospital where I was born. The Bears were playing the Lions. Butkus had five sacks and an interception. I like cookies and milk.

Butkus Rules.......2005-10-26

This book is the best book I ever read. Dick Butkus is the greatest human being who ever bit of a refs ear. I would recommend anyone thinking of becoming a serial killer read this book. I like cookies and , milk.

Dissapointing.......2005-10-10

A very comprehensive study of each and every season Butkus played with the Bears. But I was hoping for much more about Butkus's life off the football field. I would have liked to have heard more anecdotes about players he played with and against. Also would have been interesting to hear personal insights from Dick regarding what he felt about the awe-like reputation he inspired on the field from fans and players alike.

This reads too much as a season-by-season and game-by-game account of his career. Interesting at first but repetitive and dry over time. I was hoping for more.

Great Read about the greatest Football player ever.........2003-06-09

I loved it!

But then again I am a huge Bears fan and a huge Butkus fan,good ol 51 played the game like nobody ever did and I enjoyed reading about how he grewup and about the Bears on and off the field and its mangement,I always thought Bears mangement has always been skummy and this book proved me right,I loved this book though as it was great to hear stories about the players and how they spent there time and about picciolo and sayers etc,
I met Butkus about 4months ago and he looks great and seams to be doing well.

Best Ever at Linebacker.......2000-02-06

Never been a Bears fan, never will. But who amongst us growing up in the '60s and loving football, did not admire Dick Butkus? Whatta' player! I loved the cover of this book! What a menacing figure! Let's talk about the book. Overall, a good, insightful book but a couple of items disappointed me. First, the ramblings about his falling out with the Bears. After many pages, I felt like saying, 'Get over it!' but considering who I would be speaking to...well. Second, I was curious what his kids grew up to be like. Not much mention of his wife nowadays either. But, this is a book about Butkus and his life was football. Fun to read...

Kings The True Story of Chicago's Policy Kings and Numbers Racketeers

Average customer rating:

Worth Reading
Chicago's forgotten moneymakers.
A Key Chapter in Black History
Remembering
A Must Get History Book!

Kings The True Story of Chicago's Policy Kings and Numbers Racketeers
Nathan Thompson
Manufacturer: The Bronzeville Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0972487506

Book Description

The True Story of Chicago's Policy Kings and Numbers Racketeers.
An Informal History by Nathan Thompson and published by The Bronzeville Press.
A history of Black Chicago and Bronzeville USA.

Customer Reviews:

Worth Reading.......2004-09-17

This is a great book. Aside from documenting the intriguing history of policy, it also confirms the origin of the Levin guitar that Django Reinhardt is shown holding in the famous picture taken after performing with the Duke Ellington band. Freddie Guy is shown strumming what is probably the same instrument in the photo section entitled "The Rhythm of Bronzeville."

Chicago's forgotten moneymakers........2004-09-07

When discussing the history of Chicago, several things instantly come to mind. First, there's the incredible legacy of Chicago's overzealous, long-winded, power-struggling politicians from which the nickname "Windy City" derived. There's the glorious history of Chicago's world-renowned sport teams, and infamous gangsters and law enforcement, leaving the names of such notables as Al Capone and Elliot Ness forever associated with the city. Yet, the history of Chicago seems incomplete. A city with one of the largest African-American populations in the United States, there seems to be little to no history detailing the legacy of this group. Nathan Thompson has heeded the call and has written a detailed account of how Chicago's historical South-Side was developed and run by African-Americans, due in part to the policy kings and local number racketeers.

Thompson's extensive research brings to life how the game of policy, similar to the modern day lottery, was developed by African-Americans in the South and brought to Chicago during the great southern migration. Within a short time African-Americans from all walks of life were playing the numbers. Monies generated by the gambling catapulted key policy backers into some of the first African-American tycoons of the city. In turn, many of these policy kings reinvested in their communities creating economic independence and institutions still instrumental in Chicago's African-American community today. Yet, all was not rosy and peaceful, for large sums of illegally begotten money in the hands of the African-American policy kings did not go unnoticed by crooked politicians, policemen and notorious gangsters.

Nathan Thompson should be congratulated on his comprehensive research on the development and destruction of the policy game. Thompson has helped fill a gap in Chicago's history, for the African-American can no longer be conveniently left out when discussing the development of the city. The book is also a remarkable testament to the inventive, entrepreneurial spirit of the African-American, at a time when all other doors to economic prosperity were closed. Without Thompson's research, who would have known that the county's Lottery system was invented and perfected by an African-American.

Reviewed by L. Raven James
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

A Key Chapter in Black History.......2004-01-08

Nate Thompson has done a fabulous job telling the story of the Policy Kings, the Blacks who invented the lottery and helped underwrite significant portions of black business with its earnings. While much of the action depicted is in Chicago, "policy" had its tentacles throughout black centers in America. It is a key history lesson that reads like a fast paced action novel - I could not put it down.

Remembering.......2004-01-06

I and my friends have enjoyed reading King's. It tells about a time when the numbers game did not belong to the State of Illinois. It is as true as it can be. Because a lot of the people involved at that time are no longer around. When all of the families have read the book, Nathan Thompson will have even more to write about. But it brings back some interesting memories....The niece of C.D.Davis

A Must Get History Book!.......2003-12-23

'KINGS' is a tremendous book, full of the rich history of Black Chicago from the 1880's to the present day. 'KINGS' covers the economic, social and cultural stories of the most powerful Businessmen in Black America. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Average customer rating:

Geunine Stories of Real Chicago People
A Stellar Talent
Capturing the essence of Chicago
Highest recommendation.
'Pet Milk' does a body good

The Coast of Chicago: Stories
Stuart Dybek
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Childhood and Other Neighborhoods: Stories
I Sailed with Magellan
Chicago: City on the Make: 50th Anniversary Edition, Newly Annotated
The House of Breath
Streets in Their Own Ink: Poems

ASIN: 0312424256

Book Description

The stolid landscape of Chicago suddenly turns dreamlike and otherworldly in Stuart Dybek's classic story collection. A child's collection of bottle caps becomes the tombstones of a graveyard. A lowly rightfielder's inexplicable death turns him into a martyr to baseball. Strains of Chopin floating down the tenement airshaft are transformed into a mysterious anthem of loss. Combining homely detail and heartbreakingly familiar voices with grand leaps of imagination, The Coast of Chicago is a masterpiece from one of America's most highly regarded writers.

Customer Reviews:

Geunine Stories of Real Chicago People.......2006-02-25

I have read all of Stuart Dybek's books and have even had the privilege of having lunch with him and discussing his works. Being of Polish descent, I have lived in the neighborhoods that he describes. All of his books accurately depict real Southside Chicago people and their histories, their hardships, their heartaches, their woes and their lifestyles. I read his stories and I am transported back 20 years to my childhood neighborhood. I am always overcome with a feeling of nostaglia after I finish one of his books.

A Stellar Talent.......2005-01-15

You would have to search long and hard to find stories anywhere with this originality and beauty. They will stop you in your tracks. Dybek has staked out a territory purely his own, the lost and dispossessed of Polish Chicago. Chicago has proudly produced Dreiser, Norris, Algren, Levin, Bellow and Farrell--and now Dybek. His work is enduring, funny, incisive and unforgettable.

Capturing the essence of Chicago.......2004-03-23

It is only fitting that this collection of 14 short stories was chosen for the One Book - One Chicago program hosted by The Chicago Public Library this spring. What a better way to promote communal reading in Chicago than to sponsor a book about life in their own city. While reading each short story it is apparent that Stuart Dybek has an intimate knowledge of Chicago. He successfully uses his memories and fondness for the city from his childhood of growing up in the Little Village and Pilsen neighborhoods during the mid-20th century. Each short story details with the passage of time and what it means to live in Chicago. A sense of place is an important factor running throughout each story and successfully unites each story into this collection. The story that resonates the most for me is "Chopin in Winter" about one boy who is immensely affected by an upstairs neighbor who plays the piano each night. The portrayal of the grandfather Dzia-Dzia and his relationship with the principle character are noteworthy and memorable. THE COAST OF CHICAGO is a wonderful collection of short stories that will remain in a special spot on my bookshelves for enjoyment for years to come. I love living in Chicago; and these stories resonated strongly with me. Highly recommended.

Highest recommendation........1998-07-28

Lovely stories that take place in the intersection of dream and waking life, stories you'll want to read again and again from one of the most original and lyrical writers working today.

'Pet Milk' does a body good.......1998-07-10

Stuart Dybek is truly a gifted writer. But moving beyond my humble opinion, this unique collection of short stories shines. Dybek's prose is haunting, his language at times startling and spare, at others languid and nearly musical. His characters are alive and absolutely believable in their mistakes and victories. Each story stands as a reflection on everyday beauty; Dybek that takes time to notice the details other authors overlook or dismiss as mundane. In 'The Coast of Chicago' Stuart Dybek has managed to do something quite rare in the all-too self-conscious realm of short story writing-- create stories that are rich yet still real without trying too hard to be so. Allow yourself to get sucked up into the twisting paths of his Chicago-- it's a journey you won't regret.

Guns and Roses: The Untold Story of Dean O'Banion, Chicago's Big Shot before Al Capone

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Book
North side chicago vs the NYC mob classic
The Genuine Article: Rose Keefe Delivers 100 Proof Goods
Well-researched and a fun, fast read
O'Banion, Chicago's Premier Florist Gangster

Guns and Roses: The Untold Story of Dean O'Banion, Chicago's Big Shot before Al Capone
Rose Keefe
Manufacturer: Cumberland House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

The Man Who Got Away: The Bugs Moran Story--A Biography
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre: The Untold Story of the Gangland Bloodbath That Brought Down Al Capone
After Capone: The Life And World Of Chicago Mob Boss Frank "the Enforcer" Nitti
Gangster City: The History of the New York Underworld 1900-1935
Mr. Capone

ASIN: 1581823789

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Book.......2007-06-12

This is about the people who nearly beat the Capone Mob for control of the Chicago boot-legging business. They were led by a florist and included a war hero, a cowboy, a bigamist and a practical joker who starred in an early stag film in the middle of a gang war. The wild Northside Gang is today best remembered for being the victims in the St Valentine's Massacre but in the twenties they were household names. This and Rose Keefe's book about Bugs Moran are both fascinating. A must read!

North side chicago vs the NYC mob classic.......2007-01-23

A great bio on the Chicago gangster gunned down in his flower shop during the "Roaring Twenties". The book focuses on the rivalry between the Northside Chicago mob and the Southside Torrio-Capone mob.Obanion and his cohorts are literally devoured by the inter-city "big time" mobs with connections to New York city.From reading this book I don't believe Obanion knew what he was up against,he was a small town boy who moved to the city of Chicago, yet he tried to run his crime empire like a small business. Cavorting around a flower shop by day,shaking hands,(without an enemy in the world?),with little to no protection,meanwhile engaging in criminal activity that would include murder.That's just asking for it,and Torrio's mob,later inherited by Capone,was only too happy to oblige. It seems Torrio's mob when they arrived in Chicago was already an experienced hard core criminal transplant from NYC and cites thereof.How could Obanion honestly think that when the control of rackets,gambling,bottlegging,and the millions of dollars at stake, there was a "moral" line that shouldn't be crossed?Especially when dealing with the mob and seeing as the mob eliminated its own so what could a rival gang expect.Capone listed his profession as furniture dealer but I doubt you would see him lifting furniture into trucks.His furniture business was a fort.The short baby faced Obanion never had a chance in dealing with the NYC mob. this book really brought this out as I read it.An excellent work on crime history but it sort of makes Obanion look like a "farmer".

The Genuine Article: Rose Keefe Delivers 100 Proof Goods.......2006-07-11

This is the most comprehensive and thoroughly researched biography of Dean O'Banion and it has been justly recognized as definitive. Rose Keefe's greatest accomplishment is that her meticulous research has refuted dozens of journalistic half truths, embellishments and canards that have become commonly accepted as the truth simply because of constant repetition over eight decades. The actual Dean O'Banion is a far more complex and interesting character than his newspaper stereotype.

Many sources have characterized the Prohibition battles between the Northside Gang and the Capone/Torrio mob as simply a territorial battle between the Irish and those damned Dagoes. Keefe correctly points out that the Northsiders were, in fact, an exceedingly diverse group comprised of Irish, Italian, German, Jewish and Polish hoodlums. The reality was more complicated than the widely accepted conventional wisdom.

Although O'Banion could act in an utterly ruthless manner if circumstances warranted, more often than not he relied upon his quick wits. He possessed superior intelligence and had an engaging personality that inspired great loyalty from his comrades even long after his death.

Despite his humble origins, O'Banion had the ability to put people from various walks of life at perfect ease and to form lasting friendships that allowed him to move easily in political and social circles despite his criminal background. O'Banion was a contradiction: he was a devoted son and husband. One could envision the industrious O'Banion succeeding in almost any field of endeavor that he tried. The loss of his beloved mother to tuberculosis and a childhood accident that left O'Banion partially crippled with a permanent limp were traumatic episodes, but rather than contenting himself to be sidelined by his handicap or to endure a life of economic hardship and privation, O'Banion chose not to be pushed around as he hit back hard with both fists in order to survive in the rough and tumble, dog eat dog environment that was Chicago in the early years of the past century.

If you are living from hand to mouth, it always pays to be ambidextrous and O'Banion was, figuratively and literally: his custom tailored suits contained multiple pistol pockets which allowed O'Banion to draw concealed revolvers using either his right or left hand or both hands simultaneously. The same hands that O'Banion could and did use to fire pistols, crack safes, stuff ballot boxes or slug out rival newspaper hawkers would also cut flowers into lovely arrangements for weddings and funerals. As a bootlegger, O'Banion prided himself on selling quality products as opposed to the rot gut handled by his rivals.

Keefe relates the many occasions on which O'Banion performed acts of charity. Some of these kindly acts were calculated, however, since O'Banion was also interested in reaping votes come election time. By performing good deeds, he could call in favors when ballots were being cast by his neighbors. Unlike Al Capone who coupled brutality and with openly lewd and lecherous behavior (Scarface allegedly gained his trademark after making crude remarks about a woman's shapely posterior in the presence of her protective and knife wielding older brother), O'Banion was noted for behaving in a courteous and oftentimes chivalrous manner.

Keefe's writing is factual and entertaining. The O'Banion who she describes in such great depth proves to be such a charming and larger than life personality that it is entirely possible to imagine his immortal soul awaiting forgiveness and redemption in Purgatory. I was reminded of the Warner Brothers crime melodrama "Angels with Dirty Faces" in which a priest played by Pat O'Brien called upon a group of juvenile delinquents to "pray for a boy that who couldn't run as fast as I could" after his childhood friend who failed to escape the corrupting influence of the mean streets died at an early age as a result of embarking upon a criminal career. If this sounds like a mere Hollywood screenwriting cliche, consider the fact that a Roman Catholic priest was disciplined and transferred for leading graveside prayers for Dean O'Banion despite orders from the Cardinal to deny Christian burial rites to known gangsters.

The only serious fault that I found with "Guns and Roses" is that the book lacks proper footnotes. There is a bibliography, but Keefe ought to have provided footnote attributions to the excerpted materials that were previously published elsewhere. There are also some minor geographical, historical and typographical errors that Chicagoans may catch in the text, usually on minor details, but the book is otherwise solid. Despite these shortcomings, this book is nevertheless a significant addition to the true crime history of Chicago during the Prohibition Era.

Well-researched and a fun, fast read.......2006-07-06

I'm so glad to see some really well-researched books coming out these days about the legendary figures of organized crime. Dean (not Dion) O'Banion was one guy I never expected to see a full-blown biography on, yet here it is. Rose O'Keefe must have done a lot of digging to come up with all of this material, and virtually none of it can be found in any other book; certainly none that I've ever heard of. She scores well as a writer, too, telling O'Banion's story in a way that will keep you turning those pages, eager to see what's coming next. There's a lot of context here about the various gangs of 1910s-1920s Chicago, and O'Banion's place in that jungle, which is helpful. If I had to name one small criticism, I'd have to say that the author's tone betrays a tiny lack of objectivity about her subject. He just seems like a vicious thug to me, though a fascinating one, but the book empathizes more with O'Banion than with his victims. But overall this is a must-have book for anyone interested in the history of organized crime in America. You'll be so entertained in reading it that you won't mind the education you're getting!

O'Banion, Chicago's Premier Florist Gangster.......2006-06-02

"Guns & Roses: The Untold Story of Dean O'Banion, Chicago's Big Shot Before Al Capone" by Rose Keefe is a long overdue crime book. This biography of Chicago's first celebrity gangster (he was a popular florist) is excellent and has numerous unpublished photographs. Dean's death started a five year run of killings and bloodshed. Keefe's writing style is very good and easy to read. I agreed with previous reviewers who have encouraged others to purchase this book.

Mike Koch, Author of "The Kimes Gang."

The Common Place of Law: Stories from Everyday Life (Chicago Series in Law and Society)

Average customer rating:

An excellent, meticulously researched book.
Common Place Of Law is anything but common
A very, very important book for the study of law today.

The Common Place of Law: Stories from Everyday Life (Chicago Series in Law and Society)
Patricia Ewick , and Susan S. Silbey
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Law | Subjects | Books

Philosophy | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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

The Law and Society Reader
Rights at Work: Pay Equity Reform and the Politics of Legal Mobilization (Chicago Series in Law and Society)
Getting Justice and Getting Even : Legal Consciousness among Working-Class Americans (Language and Legal Discourse Series) (Chicago Series in Law and Society)
Law/Society: Origins, Interactions, and Change (Sociology for a New Century Series)
Just Words, Second Edition: Law, Language, and Power (Chicago Series in Law and Society)

ASIN: 0226227448

Book Description

Why do some people not hesitate to call the police to quiet a barking dog in the middle of the night, while others accept the pain and losses associated with defective products, unsuccesful surgery, and discrimination? Patricia Ewick and Susan Silbey collected accounts of the law from more than four hundred people of diverse backgrounds in order to explore the different ways that people use and experience it. Their fascinating and original study identifies three common narratives of law that are captured in the stories people tell.

One narrative is based on an idea of the law as magisterial and remote. Another views the law as a game with rules that can be manipulated to one's advantage. A third narrative describes the law as an arbitrary power that is actively resisted. Drawing on these extensive case studies, Ewick and Silbey present individual experiences interwoven with an analysis that charts a coherent and compelling theory of legality. A groundbreaking study of law and narrative, The Common Place of Law depicts the institution as it is lived: strange and familiar, imperfect and ordinary, and at the center of daily life.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent, meticulously researched book........2000-03-06

The richness of this book comes from four hundred thirty interviews that support the text. The gist of the book is that people have three takes on the law: before the law, against the law, and with the law.

"Before the law" is an attitude of awe and respect for the institution. Faith in that day in court, that statue of blind justice and the policeman is my friend. "Against the law" is an attitude of resistance to the institution. Law as a caprice of the powerful, and resistance the right way to deal with it. "With the law" is an attitude of game playing with the institution. I didn't make the rules, but me and my lawyer, we sure as hell will play the game. People shift and change among these modes depending on where they are in life, the particulars of the situation, and growing experience with the law.

The biggest contribution of this book is in highlighting the game playing aspect of dealing with law. I think game-playing gets short shrift from other law authors who may be stuck inside their very serious institution. Most other books reduce game-playing to simple economic theory and don't pay enough attention to the human side of gaming with the law. I mean, really. Just look at how big the sports section of the Sunday paper is versus the economic analysis section! Games are a big part of everyday life. Ewick & Silbey give game-playing the appropriate type of attention. Big bravo.

My only criticism is that the language of this book is mainly for an academic audience, and thus I give it only four stars-sorry. The writing could be de-academicized and made more powerful and popular. Overall it is an excellent, meticulously researched book

I got the book for its cover-the picture of chairs in newly shoveled parking space. Now that's a real hotbed of attitude in the informal/formal law divide. Thanks to the authors and worker-bees for all their work.

Common Place Of Law is anything but common.......1999-10-19

The Common Place Of Law is a literate, witty and very well written explanation of how law does and does not work for the people for whom law was created: the common citizen.

Using anecdotal material mixed with sociological theory, Ewing and Silbey have created an intelligent mix of the plebeian and the patrician.

A very, very important book for the study of law today........1998-11-11

This book is accessible to many different audiences and is profound in its content. It would be an excellent book for undergraduate education, legal education or, even for pleasure reading. The anecdotal chapters interspersed with the analysis of the role of law in the lives or ordinary Americans makes this sophisticated book about the sociology of law in contemporary society one that should have staying power in the academy as well as more popular venues. What it has to say about law -- that Americans have a complex and sometimes contradictory relationship with the legal system and its promise of justice -- is not surprising as much as it is affirming and explanatory of so much of what we experience these days in the media and popular culture. The method the authors use to tease their thesis is rigorous and convincing, a model of scholarship for students and professionals. The Common Place of Law is a book to which I will refer and which I will reread for years.

Double Deal: The Inside Story of Murder, Unbridled Corruption, and the Cop Who Was a Mobster

Average customer rating:

Accurate
If you like "true" gangster stories. . .
Sleazy Loser Tries to Cash In
Great book....
WILD SIDE

Double Deal: The Inside Story of Murder, Unbridled Corruption, and the Cop Who Was a Mobster
Sam Giancana , Michael Corbitt , and Bettina Giancana
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Organized Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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

Double Cross: The Explosive, Inside Story of the Mobster Who Controlled America
Criminal Justice Ethics: Theory and Practice
Serpico
Accardo: The Genuine Godfather
When Corruption Was King: How I Helped the Mob Rule Chicago, Then Brought the Outfit Down

ASIN: 0061030481
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Book Description

An expose of organised crime and its unholy alliance with world leaders, intelligence agencies, and law enforcement, Double Deal is a 40–year saga told with unflinching honesty by mob insider and former Chicago chief of police Michael Corbitt.

Growing up poor and angry, Michael Corbitt fought his way up the ranks of greasers and street gangs until he attracted the attention of Chicago crime boss Sam Giancana, who placed him on the Willow Springs, Illinois, police force. By the time Corbitt was appointed chief of police, he'd also moved up the Outfit's ranks and was living the high life of a respected mobster.

Corbitt's luck turned when he was indicted on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder. Although there was a mob contract on his life and he was facing a 20–year jail sentence, he refused to testify against organised crime figures under the witness protection programme, maintaining instead the Mafioso's code of silence – until his release from prison.

Now Corbitt breaks that silence, holding back nothing–including the account of his personal involvement in the brutal murder of the wife of Chicago mob attorney Alan Masters.

Corbitt bares his soul, confessing in graphic – sometimes horrific – detail a life lived as both saint and sinner, a life that moved back and forth between the conflicting worlds of the police officer and the gangster with ease.

Customer Reviews:

Accurate.......2003-12-01

As a life long resident of the SW side of Chicago I was able to corroborate many of the accounts Mr. Corbitt gives in Double Deal. Many of the "baby boomers" who were "in the Know" from my area stated that Mr. Corbitt was a very influential gangster associate on the SW side. The man was heavy and dangerous. He killed people,but many were in the line of duty. He also made it very clear in the book that he wasn't an angel.The man gives some very accurate accounts of his life and experiences

If you like "true" gangster stories. . ........2003-10-01

. . .you may wish to spend some time with this book.

The book tells the story of a small-time hood who, due to friends, and not really to any talent of his own, becomes a moderately significant figure in Chicagoland organized crime in the 60's, 70's, and 80's.

Believe me, the main character (and co-author) Michael Corbitt is not really a likeable or sympathetic character. What I found most interesting about the book was the willingness of law enforcement -- on all levels, including the prosecutors who eventually brought him in -- to behave in ways quite similar to those "mobsters" they are trying to control.

There are truly no real "good guys" in this book.

As I said, if you like this genre, the book is worth reading. If the genre doesn't interest you, "The Godfather" is a much better story!

Sleazy Loser Tries to Cash In.......2003-09-20

They might have a great sense of humor, or love their mother or support various charities, but in the end, most are cold-blooded murderers.

That descripion only fits the top mob bosses. Scummier still are the average hoodlums that make up a crime organization and that's where Michael Corbitt fits in. A street thug ends up making a few friends that help buy a corrupt gas station business. Next thing that happens is that he joins a corrup police force in Illinois and when the drunken chief retires, he is made chief.

Eventually, the law and his fellow sleazebags catch up with Corbitt so here comes his book. Sure, the book is interesting, but Corbitt was never a main man. He was just a very small player in a much larger organization. What's shocking is that he was able to so as a top police official in Illinois, but given some history in that state, how surprising is it?

To summarize the book, you will find that Corbitt has killed people, he helped cover up a murder, he was involved in all kinds of other corrupt illegal activity, he stole millions from the taxpayers of his community.

Somehow I'm supposed to feel sorry for this scumbag or have sympathy for him?

Great book...........2003-09-03

This was a great read. I live right in Chicago, near Oak Park, so this was especially of interest to me. Iam not sure if its all true or not, but if it is, it makes a lot of sense. This book offers lots of explanations, i.e. Marilyn Monroe, Kennedy assasination,etc. and once you read them, they really make you think.

WILD SIDE.......2003-08-20

AS A BIG FAN OF MR GIANCANA THE (AUTHOR) I FIND IT AMAZING THAT HE IS ABLE TO FIND THIES PEOPLE TO WRITE ABOUT. THIS STORY WAS ONE THAT KEPT YOU TRUNING THE PAGES AND NOT WANTING IT TO END.THIS WAS AS GOOD OR BETTER THEN GOODFELLOWS AND CORBITT MUCH MORE INTRESTING THEN HENRY HILL THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE CHICAGO CREW AND MOSSAD AND OTHER HISTORIC FIGURES MAKES ME THINK THAT IF GIANCANA AND CORBITT ARE NOT BEING SUED THEM MUCH OF THIS MUST BE TRUE.MAKES YOU THINK? GREAT READ!

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books