The Gold Coast

Book Description

Welcome to the fabled Gold Coast, that stretch on the North Shore of Long Island that once held the greatest concentration of wealth and power in America. Here two men are destined for an explosive collision: John Sutter, Wall Street lawyer, holding fast to a fading aristocratic legacy; and Frank Bellarosa, the Mafia don who seizes his piece of the staid and unprepared Gold Coast like a latter-day barbarian chief and draws Sutter and his regally beautiful wife, Susan, into his violent world. Told from Sutter's sardonic and often hilarious point of view, and laced with sexual passion and suspense, The Gold Coast is Nelson DeMille's captivating story of friendship and seduction, love and betrayal.

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Welcome to the fabled Gold Coast, that stretch on the North Shore of Long Island that once held the greatest concentration of wealth and power in America. Here two men are destined for an explosive collision: John Sutter, Wall Street lawyer, holding fast to a fading aristocratic legacy; and Frank Bellarosa, the Mafia don who seizes his piece of the staid and unprepared Gold Coast like a latter-day barbarian chief and draws Sutter and his regally beautiful wife, Susan, into his violent world. Told from Sutter's sardonic--and often hilarious--point of view, and laced with sexual passion and suspense, The Gold Coast is Nelson DeMille's captivating story of friendship and seduction, love and betrayal.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting.......2007-09-27

This is one of thw writers earlier books and was found to be superior to his more recent work. John and Susan Sutter are living on the Gold Coast of New York State, an area known for its well known families and OLD MONEY. We are talking about the Astors, Vandebilts and Roosevelts. All is progressing well until a wealthy Mafioso Don moves next door and begins a relationship with the Sutters. The area is decribed well and the characters are richly characterized by the writer. This is an excellent book about existing power struggles as well as human relationships on various levels. It is a complex book and does tend to drag at certain points. The author is most skillful in havin put together a good, although not great read.

There Goes The Neighborhood.......2007-08-07

I laughed aloud many times through the first half of this 1990 Nelson DeMille bestseller, a biting, satirical look at the WASPy upper class clinging onto the North Shore of Long Island. I was laughing at the end, too, at all the implausible plot twists and about-faces. What a sloppy end to a promising book!

DeMille's problem as I see it is with motivation. He likes the effect of a character doing something completely unexpected and revelatory as a way of goosing the plot, but he either doesn't know the character well enough or goes too far for a sudden twist to be able to go back and justify why the character did that. Instead of reworking the idea, DeMille just leaves it there and moves on to his next leap of logic.

I had that problem in "The General's Daughter," and I had it here with all three of the major characters, beginning with the narrator, John Sutter, a white-shoe tax lawyer who finds himself with a sudden problem when his new neighbor turns out to be Mob lord Frank Bellarosa. Sutter knows Bellarosa's trouble, but for various murky reasons he never much expounds upon decides to throw over his privileged lifestyle and abandon his friends and family for the thrill of defending Bellarosa against the wheels of justice.

"Only I know how I got here, and why," Sutter tells an FBI agent who asks why he's doing it. "I have to see it through, or I'll never break out on the other side."

Huh?

The book starts out promisingly, with Sutter telling us all about the plush life with his randy, role-playing wife Susan and her prize stallion, Zanzibar, whose head John would like to mount on his yacht's bowsprit. As channeled by DeMille, Sutter is a wise-to-the-world fellow full of quips about how oddly his social set compares to everyone else.

DeMille does two things very well, dialogue and setting, and "The Gold Coast" shows both gifts off to great advantage. You enjoy being immersed in Sutter's L.L. Bean-and-docksiders alternate reality so much you don't mind that the novel's central crime mystery seems stuck in neutral for the first 300 pages, by far the novel's best part. Social comedy is not why people read DeMille, but he's so entertaining here you don't care.

But then the Bellarosa angle takes over, and before you have a chance to digest the implausibility of Sutter going over to the dark side for a lark, DeMille opts to flip cards he never let the reader know were on the table before. It keeps you off-base, but for me it also kept me disengaged from an increasingly goofy story. Even when Sutter faces down a thinly-disguised Rudy Giuliani in court (a comedy high point that also scores points for dramatic tension) it's not enough to save what's been lost in the previous 200 pages.

In a smug foreword to the paperback edition, DeMille compares his book favorably with Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire Of The Vanities", describing it as "The Godfather meets the Great Gatsby" as if he forgot Fitzgerald had a criminal mastermind at the heart of his novel, too. It's tempting to dock the book one more star for hubris. But DeMille is an engaging storyteller who produces plenty of thrills. Too bad he doesn't worry about it making any real sense in the end.

Careful What You Wish For.......2007-06-30

Begin this novel with time to spare since you will have a great deal of trouble putting it down. Narrated by the main character, John Sutter, a successful man who seeks a challenge in his comfortable, yet very predictable life. John is comfortable on the remains of his beautiful wife's North Shore estate. Nothing, however, is really his & he's spent years searching for something without realizing it. Enter Frank, his new next door neighbor & Mafia don at the old estate next door. Life becomes quite interesting with his challenge being found. John's life changes forever. Some for the good, some not.
It's a compelling human novel which is continually peppered by Mr. Sutter's tongue in cheek sarcastic humor. His predictable life shot to hell, he never loses his humor which will have you smiling to yourself more than once.
Living on Long Island & familiar with the once grand estates, the book is also very accurate in it's rather sad description of what remains of this once grand social era. Don't pass this one up

Crossing The Line.......2007-06-21

There is a fine line between Right and Wrong, Good and Evil, Friend and Enemy, and Love and Hate.

"The Gold Coast" is an entertaining novel that places just about every character in the book right on that Line and lets the reader decide on which side they fall.

Nelson DeMille delivers yet again!

Another Fine DeMille Book.......2007-06-16

Having just finished The Charm School, I thought I would take a few minutes to comment on DeMille's versatility as an author. Differing from many of DeMille's other espionage thriller novels, The Gold Coast is more of a morality tale about friendship, loyalty, love, and ethics. DeMille introduces the voice of this novel as attorney John Sutter living in s prestige section of Long Island known as the Gold Coast. Sutter is one of a long line of male characters that are very engaging, culminating most recently in the form of John Cory (Most recently of Night Fall and Wild Fire). The Gold Coast features Sutter's ever growing friendship/relationship with a mafia leader that moves into the house next door. This book has shades of John Grisham and shades of Mario Puzo. This novel is another example of DeMille capturing the subtle nuances of character that make his books intriguing, memorable, and unforgettable. Much fun. Not DeMille's best, but a great 4 star novel.

Fodor's Maine Coast, 1st Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)

Average customer rating:

Great Guide To The Maine Coast
Excellent guide to the coast

Fodor's Maine Coast, 1st Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)
Fodor's
Manufacturer: Fodor's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1400014662
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Book Description

Be one of the first people in the country to see the sun rise, see the lighthouse near Portland that modeled for Edward Hopper, stroll Maine's prettiest village, see the world's largest lobster cooker, or kayak past shipwrecks and reversing falls—Fodor's Maine Coast, 1st Edition offers all these experiences and more! Our local writers have traveled throughout the area to find the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities to prepare you for a journey of stunning variety. Before you leave for your trip be sure to pack your Fodor's guide to ensure you don't miss a thing.

The San Francisco Chronicle sums it up best —"Fodor's guides are saturated with information."

-New compact trim size make these guides even more portable
-Two-color interior design makes it easier to find the information you need
-Fodor's Choice Ratings flag must-see sights and hidden treasures
-Hotel and restaurant reviews cover all budgets
-Plus multi-day itineraries to help you build the right trip for you and/or your family

-----------------------------------
With Fodor’s you get much more than a guidebook–we make it easy for you to customize your dream vacation.

Visit www.fodors.com to find up-to-date travel bargains, mini-guides to worldwide destinations, information on local festivals, dazzling drives, maps, vacation planning tips and much more!

And, for more insider secrets, visit “Travel Talk” and “Rants and Raves” online at www.fodors.com/forums to get advice from other travelers like you.

Customer Reviews:

Great Guide To The Maine Coast.......2006-11-05

FODOR'S MAINE COAST is a great guide to the entire coastal area of Maine, from the New Hampshire border to the Canadian border. It tells you about all areas, both rural and urban, and gives you a great idea of where the best shopping is, including the 145-store Maine Mall. However, one glaring omission is the music store Bull Moose Music, which has been a mainstay of the Portland area for the past fifteen years. This is a minor quibble, though, as this book desribes many of the towns in the area.

Excellent guide to the coast.......2006-11-03

This book gives you a great overview of the coast, with small tidbits about the history of the individual areas. As far as I know, this is the only travel book that exclusively with the Maine coast. I wish it would have contained more information on walking tours and hiking. Overall, its a great guide.

The Mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast: Revised and Expanded

Average customer rating:

Excellent!
Unique pictures of a lost world
Printed in China
Mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast: An intimate portrait of America's wealthiest neighborhood
The way a historical book on great Mansions should be written

The Mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast: Revised and Expanded
Monica Randall
Manufacturer: Rizzoli
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0847825825
Release Date: 2004-01-17

Book Description

This beautifully illustrated book features the magnificent estates built in the early part of the twentieth century by the wealthy residents of Long Island's North Shore. Many of the mansions are no longer standing, making this book a critical archive and monument to their glory. In their heyday, they were inhabited by the aristocracy of America's gilded age, among them Vanderbilts, Phipps, and Pratts. The author's evocative photographs capture the splendor of these once luxurious homes, from the houses' turrets, porticos, columns, and courtyards to their vaulted entry halls, spacious ballrooms, and vast libraries. Accompanied by histories of the estates and the families that built them, this book is a classic and evocative reminder of a bygone era and lifestyle.

This expanded reprint includes a wealth of previously unpublished photographs, and fifteen estates have been added to those included in the original edition.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!.......2007-09-23

This was a great book. The pictures and written information were even better than I expected.

Unique pictures of a lost world.......2007-07-30

This book presents a unique photographic material of some still existing as well as buildings that has now been torn down. As other has written before me the printing quality in this book is not what it could have been. The colors in some images are really bad. The artistic value of the photographs could also be questioned (most of the images are not taken by a professional photographer). In spite of all this the book succeds in describing "a lost world" and leaves the reader with a feeling of emptiness and with many questions: How could all this disappear? The buildings and their architecture are in most cases of local interest, but combined with the description of the people and the money that built the "Gold Coast" Monica Randall depicts a history that are of common interest in more senses than one.

Printed in China.......2007-07-23

It is a shame that the publisher decided to save some money and have this book printed in China. The quality of the photos is horrible. Some are blurred, some are dark. It makes the book cheap and cheesy. Anything to save a buck. When will American businessmen learn ? We get tainted food from China, shoes and clothes that don't fit and fall apart, and now badly produced books. Once again, Americans have lowered their standards just to make a buck.........go figure....

Mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast: An intimate portrait of America's wealthiest neighborhood.......2007-07-20

This is an intimate and thorough glimpse into the mansions of America's Gold Coast, a region of Long Island where such wealth and extravaganze accumulated in the late 1800's-mid 1900s as to boggle the modern mind. In an era before government taxes became a hindrance to such spending by the wealthy, the Gold Coast mansions rival even the most exquisite mansions, chateaux, castles and estates of Europe.
I purchased this book because I had just finshed reading "Gold Coast" by Nelson Demille, a modern day "Great Gatsby"-esque look at the decline of the Gold Coast culture. This book was phenomenal (and I highly recommend it), but I had trouble picturing the locales discussed in the book, because the scale and scope of grandeur is almost beyond imagination.
Mansion's of Long Island's Gold Coast has hundreds of pictures, some old some new. With well written descriptions on each locale, it carefully reconstructs a visual aid to understanding that region. Some of the photos are not as modern as you might want, but that is a product of photos being used of mansions before they were torn down, as have many, many of these glorious homes.
This book is a must read for anyone interested in the architecture, culture, and social mores of a bygone era. You could also use it as a reading aid to "Great Gatsby", as there are pictures of the mansions that Fitzgerald used as inspirations for Gatsby's estate, among others. Fascinating!

The way a historical book on great Mansions should be written.......2006-09-18

As a admirer of historical older homes across Amrica, and a recent returnee to college at age 49 for a second career in interior architecture, this book is a welcome site. I have a collection of architectual books of Mansions in every grouping or by an architect or designer. The one minor flaw that I and other reviewers have had is that while the original black & white photos of the manisions with update written information on the current condition is great, we never see photos (if possible) of the homes as they look today. This one actually shows on occasion a current photo of the house as possible. Example is of Zog Ruins just off of Highway 106. Zog was abandoned by its owner in the early 1950's and the gatekeeper left it in 1959. The house was vandilized in the 60's. The photos of the house are as the house as it sat in ruins during the 60's and the last photo is dated 1968.
The books photos are not done in the slick style other books on mansions are done, but rather in a personal photo scrap book sort of way. One can actually feel the way M. Randall felt as she assemblied this book. Ms. Randall pours her heart into her personal scrap with love and care and it is seen thru out the marvelious book. Photos are in B&W and color.....while the color ones appear to be Poloariod style, it is refreshing to see them presented this way. Text is simple and straight forward. This would be a great learning tool in architecture and interior design schools as a reference or teaching book on preservation & restoration.

This book is a must for lovers of Long Island, New York or great mansions of anykind.

The Gold Coast Cure's Fitter, Firmer, Faster Program: Get a Killer Body Without Killing Yourself (The Gold Coast Cure)

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Gold Coast Cure's Review
This is not a diet. It's a lifestyle.

The Gold Coast Cure's Fitter, Firmer, Faster Program: Get a Killer Body Without Killing Yourself (The Gold Coast Cure)
Andrew Larson , and Ivy Larson
Manufacturer: HCI
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0757305563

Book Description

A follow-up to the successful "Gold Coast Cure", "Fitter, Firmer Faster" is a revolutionary health plan that can give anyone optimal health and the body that goes with it without deprivation and without spending hours at the gym . "The Gold Coast Cure" helped people from all walks of life lose weight and look great while lowering blood pressure, improving cholesterol ratios and putting inflammatory conditions into remission. In this follow-up book, Andrew Larson, M.D., and his wife, Ivy, a fitness expert, show why "Fitter, Firmer, Faster" is the diet plan for real life for people who have a life. The bonus? Life will be longer and healthier. Let's face it: The market is glutted with books that promise fast weight loss. The problem is, unless you have amazing willpower or a personal trainer, the average person falls off the wagon and puts the pounds back onand then some. "The Gold Coast Cure Fitter, Firmer, Faster" is different. It's the Anti-Extreme Makeover. People can still lose weight and gain health without saying goodbye to foods they love. They simply trade harmful fats for healthy fats and oils and trade refined carbs for whole carbs. By making these simple swaps, plus doing only 30 minutes of exercise just 3 times a week, people will transform their bodies effortlessly, both inside and out.

Customer Reviews:

Gold Coast Cure's Review.......2007-04-01

I found this product to be extremely helpful. It has lots of pertinent information on losing weight and eating smart. I really like the exercise program in there as well. The menu for the meals is a little hard for me to follow with my family lifestyle. It doesn't give me much to time cook extra special meals for myself and we spend too much on groceries right now as it is. But I can at least incorporate some items here and there and I guess that is better than nothing.

This is not a diet. It's a lifestyle........2007-01-11

The "Gold Coast Cure's Fitter Firmer Faster Program" is a terrific book. It's not a quick fix fad, although most people will no doubt experience noticeable changes in just a few weeks.

The Larson's first book, Gold Coast Cure, went into great detail about Ivy's turn from poor health while battling MS to great health and a reversal of symptoms. The new book is less clinical and more user-friendly.

The Larsons prescribe a whole foods diet and explain in conversational style what that means and how we can all work it into our lives with little effort. They don't expect anyone---themselves included---to be perfect, so there are allowances for real life (including alcohol). However, they make sure you know how to eat for a better life no matter where you are.

The book also explains easy ways to make children eat a healthier diet, and if you've read any recent studies on obesity rates for childen, you know a change is needed. Ivy includes recipes for meals and snacks, and none take longer than 30 minutes. There is also a "Fit Foods" shopping guide.

The fitness component is 30 minutes, 3 times a week. It's circuit training that can be done at home or in a gym. They also add an outdoor workout for the park or vacation. The workouts include strength training (several methods), cardio bursts for metabolism and fitness gains, Pilates, Yoga, calisthenics, and traditional stretching. The workouts can be made harder or easier depending on your age and fitness level. Unlike many authors, whose pictures leave you wondering if they follow their own advice, Andrew (who is a surgeon) looks fit and muscular, but not in an overdone way. He demonstrates many of the exercises. Ivy, who is a fitness instructor, looks like she could still captain the Florida Gators cheerleading squad.

The Larsons also include a rather involved supplement program, but none of the six pills is expensive. The reasons for these six are explained in much greater detail in their first book.

What comes across throughout is that these two really care. To that end, I wrote the Larsons on their Web site to ask for a fitness circuit that would work better in a "manly" gym setting. Ivy responded the same day with a full program and great detail. The circuit kicked my butt too. She also wrote to say she'll add it to the blog, and then followed up with an e-mail to ask me how it worked. I already bought the book, so she genuinely cared about my results with her advice.

Bottom line: eat whole foods, take smart supplements, work out hard but briefly three times a week. This book shows how to do it.

The Gold Coast Cure: The 5-Week Health and Body Makeover, A Lifestyle Plan to Shed Pounds, Gain Health and Reverse 10 Diseases

Average customer rating:

The Best Excercise and Eating Plan for Health and Weight Loss
The Gold Coast Cure REALLY Works!
This book is a must if you want to improve your life!
Makes a lotta sense!
The Gold Coast Cure

The Gold Coast Cure: The 5-Week Health and Body Makeover, A Lifestyle Plan to Shed Pounds, Gain Health and Reverse 10 Diseases
Andrew Larson , and Ivy Larson
Manufacturer: HCI
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 0757302351

Book Description

When Ivy Larson was diagnosed with MS at the age of 22, she and her husband developed an eating plan that cured her, and has since helped hundreds of people-regardless of their size, fitness level or state of health-to lose weight and gain health in five weeks. The premise is simple: Carbs (Yes, it's possible to have your carbs and lose weight, too!) Unprocessed foods and oils Recommended supplements Exercise only 3x a week the Gold Coast way Carbs. By a making simple shopping switches to whole-grain foods instead of processed products, readers will lose weight while enjoying pasta, bread and other "feared foods" daily (including potatoes). Unprocessed foods and oils. The only two things people need to eliminate are trans fat and refined white-flour products-the deadliest of all foods. Readers learn how simple swaps will lower cholesterol and fight inflammation. Recommended supplements. The book includes a complete brand name "Supplement Shopping Guide." This comprehensive guide helps readers get the most for their money-and health! The book will also include a bonus DVD featuring the Cure's resistant-training workout. The workout can be completed in 10-minute, 15-minute or 30-minute intervals.

Customer Reviews:

The Best Excercise and Eating Plan for Health and Weight Loss.......2006-10-18

I've been working at a national cooking magazine for 13 years and I thought I knew what kinds of food was good for my health. This book has been an eye opener! I'd been suffering from lots of food cravings and was eating all the time, even when I wasn't hungry. Needless to say, I was packing on the pounds. After reading the book, I switched to whole grain pasta and bread and consciously ate more whole foods like vegetables, potatoes, legumes, and lean meats. I don't worry about portion control because whole foods fill you up more quickly and takes longer to digest, so you don't get hungry as quickly. I sourced out local, organic vegetables and pasture-raised, natural meats and switched to organic milk. Combined with the easy-to-do, low-impact excercise plan (40 minutes, two or three times a week. All you need is a step up bench and five-pound hand weights), I've lost 14 pounds in a few months and went from a size 12 to size 6 (I also started doing yoga, which I love). I don't have any of the diseases mentioned in the book, but I think this lifestyle change is really helping to keep me healthy.

The Gold Coast Cure REALLY Works!.......2006-08-02

Four of my friends and I ordered The Gold Coast Cure on the recommendation of a fifth friend. We couldn't put it down. We call ourselves the Gold Coast Girls! The book explains everything so simply and I have never found an eating/exercise plan so easy to follow. What I noticed first was that the water weight I carry in my hand and feet disappeared. I feel lighter and so much healthier. I retooled my pantry and my entire family jumped on board with me. The changes in our diet were really easy to make because they did not seem drastic. The kids love the soy nuggets. I can't believe such simple changes in my diet made such a difference in how I feel every day. I have so much more energy. It feels good to feel good!

This book is a must if you want to improve your life!.......2006-03-24

This book explains how your body uses food - both good and bad food. It makes it easy and clear why weight loss diets you have tried in the past have not worked. It replaces weight loss diets with healthy eating habits that will last the rest of your life and make the rest of your life better. It teaches you how to read product labels and understand what they mean and what they don't mean. Following this way of eating helps you with chronic medical conditions you have and others that you may be in line for developing in the future. I have more energy, I have less pain, and even though I didn't really do this to lose weight, I have lost 10 pounds. My food cravings are gone - I don't snack all the time anymore - I feel better about myself and I feel great! Thank you Dr. & Mrs Larson for a book that has changed my life.

Makes a lotta sense!.......2006-03-18

I was impressed by the the credentials of these authors as well as their research into diet and physical fitness. I will try the eating plan simply to lose weight and become healthy.

The Gold Coast Cure.......2006-03-15

Very good book. Lots of information on lifestyle change and Body Makeover tips. The receipt ideas are very tasty and easy to use.

Fodor's Pacific Northwest, 16th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)

Average customer rating:

Excellent Product and Service
Great Book About The Pacific Northwest

Fodor's Pacific Northwest, 16th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)
Fodor's
Manufacturer: Fodor's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1400016525
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Book Description

Hike to thundering waterfalls near a volcano, climb slopes of gold and red on a drive through the cascades, wander around the largest Chinese garden outside China, browse the stalls of a bustling historic market, or educate your palate with delicious pinot noir and pinot blanc—Fodor's Pacific Northwest offers all these experiences and more! Our local writers have traveled throughout the area to find the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities to prepare you for a journey of stunning variety. Before you leave for your trip be sure to pack your Fodor's guide to ensure you don't miss a thing.

The San Francisco Chronicle sums it up best —"Fodor's guides are saturated with information."

- We frequently update our Pacific Northwest guide, and we make every effort to bring you the most accurate and thorough book. Plus we provide timely updates about the area to Fodors.com.
- Unlike other travel books, Fodor's guides rely heavily on local experts who know the territory best—so you know you're seeing the real Pacific Northwest.
- We give you the planning tools you need to tailor your trip. We give options for all budgets. You make the choices.

-----------------------------------
With Fodor’s you get much more than a guidebook–we make it easy for you to customize your dream vacation.

Visit www.fodors.com to find up-to-date travel bargains, mini-guides to worldwide destinations, information on local festivals, dazzling drives, maps, vacation planning tips and much more!

And, for more insider secrets, visit “Travel Talk” and “Rants and Raves” online at www.fodors.com/forums to get advice from other travelers like you.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Product and Service.......2007-05-16

The book appeared to be new. It arrived several days before the specified arrival date. I appreciated the e-mail from the seller giving the shipping and projected arrival date.

Great Book About The Pacific Northwest.......2007-02-11

FODOR'S PACIFIC NORTHWEST is a great book about Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, with its focus on Portland, Seattle, Eugene, and their environs. I found out about a couple of VERY upscale shopping malls in Seattle (Pacific Place and Westlake Center), which shows Seattle to be a city whose median income is slightly higher than average. It also covers some music stores other sources miss. The only real omissions that, as the message of the film THE BLACK CAULDRON says, you need friends to help you cope with are Westfield Southcenter Mall and Alderwood Mall, but overall, if you're a guy trying to keep your woman happy, this book will guide you to the right places to do so.

Fodor's Naples, Capri & the Amalfi Coast, 4th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)

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Fodor's Naples, Capri & the Amalfi Coast, 4th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)
Fodor's
Manufacturer: Fodor's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1400017432
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Book Description

With its starlit isles, 24-karat resorts, and sapphire-shaded lagoons, Campania has been the crema di crema of Italian tourism ever since the Roman emperors headed here to work on their tans. Today, its siren call remains irresistible: with five of the top ten destinations in Italy for Americans---captivating Capri, whirlwind Naples, seductive Sorrento, petrified Pompeii, and perfect Positano---this region is second only to Tuscany for number of visitors per year. Covering it all, Fodor’s Naples, Capri and the Amalfi Coast is gorgeously written and “immensely useful” (to quote Conde Nast Traveler’s rave) but now ups the ante with a spectacular, new, photo-rich make-over.

Quintessential delights to be featured in unique, pictorial layouts, including “Remembrance of Things Pasta" (hey, pizza was born in Naples), "Mamma Mia, Sophia!" (on native girl Sophia Loren), and “Postcards from the Ledge" (on the Amalfi Drive, "road of a 1,001 bends")

Tantalizing 8-page color photo insert will capture Campania’s bluer-than-blue bays, glittering Baroque palaces, and skyhigh villages in all their glory

New chapter openers feature interactive maps and Planner Pages on how to make the most of traveler’s time

Plus new maps, “Voices of Italy” interviews, and an abbondanza of on-target restaurant and hotel reviews

Average customer rating:

Elmore's Best!
Gold Coast Not Solid Gold
How it pains me to write a bad review for Leonard!
good premise, weak ending
Not a Sunny Read

Gold Coast
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0060084057

Book Description

When he kicked off, Florida mob boss Frank DiCilia left his gorgeous widow Karen everything, but with strings attached. She loses the millions, the cars, the palatial Gold Coast mansion if she ever gets involved with another man. And there's a crazy cowboy-wannabe thug named Roland who's acting as Frank's eyes beyond the grave, making sure Karen doesn't dally, with serious muscle, if necessary. But now Cal Maguire's come into the picture. A sexy, street-smart Detroit ex-con, Cal's got a line and a scam for every occasion. And he's got the perfect plan for getting Karen DiCilia her money and her freedom ... if it doesn't get them both killed first.

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E-book extras: "Martin Amis Interviews 'The Dickens of Detroit'"; Elmore Leonard's "If It Sounds Like Writing, Rewrite It"; "All By Elmore: The Crime Novels

Customer Reviews:

Elmore's Best!.......2006-12-18

I've read 20 of Elmore's 40 books, and thus far, Gold Coast remains my favorite. I find the bad guy in this particular book endlessly facsinating and hilarious!

Gold Coast Not Solid Gold.......2006-08-04

Elmore Leonard's Gold Coast starts out solid, but weakens about half way through. This plot had so much potential that it made the ending an even bigger let down than if the book had been mediocre all the way through.

The first half is likely to hold your interest and the characters are quirky, strong, and solid. But mid-way through there is a lot of repetition and the sense that it should be coming to a conclusion long before this. You just want it to move on. But there is a sense that with such a good set up it is worth hanging on for what you expect to be a fantastic finish.

But, alas, all that glitters is not gold and the ending is extremely disappointing. I was expecting a great twist and something unexpected and creative. Instead, it was as if Leonard was tired of the whole thing himself and just stuck an ending on because he didn't want to make the effort to come with anything good.

I would recommend reading it; it is entertaining if somewhat redundant and slow toward the middle. But plan to be disappointed as you finish it up.

How it pains me to write a bad review for Leonard!.......2006-05-17

This one got off to a great start and I loved the Florida setting, with the protagonist being the half hearted worker at the Seaworld-like park. The story builds quickly, the dialogue is great and you get ready for another Elmore Leonard wild ride, but then it just fizzles. It really comes off to me as a rough draft. If not for the order of printing, I'd believe it was a first version of Tishomingo Blues or Maximum Bob. The plot just gets too twisted for no reason and the reader loses interest, which should never happen in such a short novel. I was anxious for it to end, not to find out what happens, just so I could go to the next novel.

Considering the ending, I don't really think the blurb on the back fits the story, but more the way it should have been.

good premise, weak ending.......2005-08-30

Like many Leonard novels, this one had a great beginning, great introduction of characters, etc. but it just fumbles apart by the end. There's so much pointless and confusing plotting in the last 50 pages that I got tired of trying to figure out what was going on. By the end, none of it mattered anyway. Still some good parts and funny exchanges but I have a hard time recommending it. It's disappointing to spend time on something like this and get cheated with a slack ending.

Not a Sunny Read.......2003-11-03

A Review by Amanda

When Karen DeCilia was widowed for the second time her husband wanted her to be with no one else. So he put a clause in his trust saying she couldn't sleep with any other man. If she did break this factor of the trust she would never receive another dime of his money, the cars, or the estate. In her way is a man named Rowland he wants to ruin it all. She needs Maguire's help, an ex-con, to find a way around Rowland.

I really didn't care for this book very much. I didn't like how the pace of the book was
slow and boring. There weren't many, if at all, any real suspenseful parts. The characters never really evolved into anything. Such as Karen she was just a rich girl trying to get out of her late husbands tight hold on her. But that was about it. There was a lot of mention of this girl named Vivian, but it truly never explained who she was or what significance
she was to the story. It was a very difficult story to follow and not a fun read at all. The story never evolved into something interesting. It was just a boring book to read.

Customer Reviews:

Historically accurate and easy to read.......2000-09-09

It was fun reading that book, it took me only 3 days! Gwen Bristow uses her writing skills to bring historic events to life. From the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill to California's admission as the 31st state of the Union - an interesting description of California history. Including a portrayal of the first woman (and baby daughter) to travel to California across the country in 1841.

Fodor's Naples, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast, 3rd Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)

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Fodor's Naples, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast, 3rd Edition

Fodor's Naples, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast, 3rd Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)
Fodor's
Manufacturer: Fodor's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1400013119
Release Date: 2004-02-03

Book Description

As Italy's most glamorous seaside getaway, this region remains one of the world's most gorgeous corners. Here along the sinuous Amalfi drive, ancient ruins, Baroque villas, and luxurious retreats entrap your senses. Positano, the most photographed fishing village in the world, clings to its rock above the sea. Naples, the city at the center of it all quickens the pulse with its picturesque streets and warm people. Our local writers have traveled this enchanting corner of the world to find the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities to prepare you for a journey of stunning variety. Before you leave be sure to pack your Fodor's guide to ensure you don't miss a thing.

The San Francisco Chronicle sums it up best - "Fodor's guides are saturated with information."

- Two-color interior design makes it easier to find the information you need
- Fodor's Choice Ratings flag must-see sights and hidden treasures
- Hotel and restaurant reviews cover all budgets
- Plus multi-day itineraries to help you build the right trip for you and/or your family

Customer Reviews:

Fodor's Naples, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast, 3rd Edition .......2007-02-12

Great book if you're going to be visiting Naples... Fodor's always has lots of great travel info. But it's not so good for Amalfi Coast (which is where we're planning to go).

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