The Price of Admission: How America's Ruling Class Buys Its Way into Elite Colleges -- and Who Gets Left Outside the Gates

Book Description

Every spring thousands of middle-class and lower-income high-school seniors learn that they have been rejected by America’s most exclusive colleges. What they may never learn is how many candidates like themselves have been passed over in favor of wealthy white students with lesser credentials—children of alumni, big donors, or celebrities.

In this explosive book, the Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Daniel Golden argues that America, the so-called land of opportunity, is rapidly becoming an aristocracy in which America’s richest families receive special access to elite higher education—enabling them to give their children even more of a head start. Based on two years of investigative reporting and hundreds of interviews with students, parents, school administrators, and admissions personnel—some of whom risked their jobs to speak to the author—The Price of Admission exposes the corrupt admissions practices that favor the wealthy, the powerful, and the famous.

In The Price of Admission, Golden names names, along with grades and test scores. He reveals how the sons of former vice president Al Gore, one-time Hollywood power broker Michael Ovitz, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist leapt ahead of more deserving applicants at Harvard, Brown, and Princeton. He explores favoritism at the Ivy Leagues, Duke, the University of Virginia, and Notre Dame, among other institutions. He reveals that colleges hold Asian American students to a higher standard than whites; comply with Title IX by giving scholarships to rich women in “patrician sports” like horseback riding, squash, and crew; and repay congressmen for favors by admitting their children. He also reveals that Harvard maintains a “Z-list” for well-connected but underqualified students, who are quietly admitted on the condition that they wait a year to enroll.

The Price of Admission explodes the myth of an American meritocracy—the belief that no matter what your background, if you are smart and diligent enough, you will have access to the nation’s most elite universities. It is must reading not only for parents and students with a personal stake in college admissions, but also for those disturbed by the growing divide between ordinary and privileged Americans.

Customer Reviews:

A bit repetitive... was probably better as a newspaper article.......2007-07-27

In a series of articles for the Wall Street Journal, Golden brought attention to controversial aspects of college admissions that act to hinder economic diversity at elite campuses. The most striking allegation is that many universities mantain active communication between the admissions and development offices. For example, the development office at Duke applied pressure to accept applicants from wealthy families even if there had been no sign of interest in donations. Golden illustrates the unsavory nature of this connection through a series of comparisons between the wealthy (undeserving) applicant who was granted admission and a poor (deserving) applicant who was denied admissions. This style of writing is a nice appeal to emotion, but it works much better in the comparatively short format of a newspaper. After reading a dozen such comparisons between various students I would have preferred some real analysis. One piece of analysis that I have recently come across is a study by the New America Foundation which found that among the 140 most selective colleges, only 3% of students come from the bottom quartile.

The Price of Admission.......2007-03-10

This is one of the most revealing books ever written on the topic of unequal rights and entitlement. Its chilling detail about the disproportionate number of applicants who gain admission into the hallowed halls of America's elite institutions on the backs of their parents financial contributions is riveting stuff. It is very apparent that our legal system would have us believe that colorblind policies and not affirmative action should be the major criterion in considerations of admission in order to level the playing field. But race-based discussions in this context are spurious and misleading. This book reveals plainly why how in the midst of our most diverse society ever, American elite college admissions stands by the motto "I pledge allegiance to my university's endowment and to the hypocrisy for which it stands; one nation, divisble, with Liberty and justice for all who can afford it." Legal challenges would be next to impossible since the cloaked wonders on our Supreme Court come from these same hallowed halls. And we have the nerve to think God Blesses America!

entralling, but biased........2007-02-11

Higher education is regarded as the most effective means to elevate ones socioeconomic position. The author discusses how the admissions system of elite universities continually favors the wealthy, while neglecting disadvantaged students. For this book, he primarily utilizes his past columns on admissions, admissions data from the U.S. News & World Report, and personal correspondence and interviews.
Golden's main theme is the "gross inequity" of elite college admissions obtained through an "informal quota system" aimed at maintaining the homogeneous wealthy class (p. 11). From the introduction, the author details the various means by which elite institutions enact double standards in admissions between "hooked" and "unhooked" applicants via the personal tales of applicants who were rejected by their top choice universities. These sometimes heart wrenching stories are complimented by accounts of admission of various under-qualified applicants assisted by a variety of connections, such as the admission of President Bush's niece to Princeton past the official deadline. While somewhat repetitive by the end of the book, these narratives are effective at illustrating the author's theme of the favoritism towards the wealthy.

Overall, The Price of Admission is as a interesting, though scalding, review of admissions at elite institutions. Daniel Golden's stories of corruption and heartbreak certainly captivate the reader, and the need for admissions reform is clearly communicated. Some of the author's points, such as abolishing athletic preference, especially for athletes in sports only available to the wealthy, can and should be put into place. However, Golden's recommendations are too idealistic as a whole to be easily enacted under realistic circumstances. While forces other than merit should not influence admissions, much cultural and organizational change would be needed to truly change the current system. Universities rely on alumni monies, as they do funds associated with development cases, and until more equitable fundraising procedures such as those at Cooper Union can be successfully enacted, legacy and development preferences cannot be abolished. Also, American universities need to continue to use their limited financial aid funds for our students, rather than offer needs-blind admission to international applicants. Golden states "a fair, accessible college admissions system based on individual merit...would inspire students of all races...." (p. 297). While this is likely true, one must remember that the changes the author recommends would primarily benefit the fairly privileged middle class, who can afford good secondary education and test preparation to meet merit requirements. To truly open elite higher education to the masses, the reform must begin with primary and secondary education.

who's doing the not so right thing ar schools.......2007-02-07

This is a tattletale book of who is working the system to get their kids into privledged schools, often bypassing any main criteria that the institution has for any other students. The ending is a good one because the author offers solutions to this epidemic. he also cites some schools, one bing, Cooper Union in NYC that does not bow to any pressures to let kids into their school.

Good Book...Disturbing Truth.......2007-01-03

After reading this book I was embarrassed by my naivety. I had always thought that our country's "premier" colleges were special places where the best and brightest gathered. Obviously that is not the case. The admissions practices outlined in the text appeared to me to be little more than discrimination by wealth.

I must confess I am very grateful to Mr. Golden for writing this book. As disturbing as it was to read, I could not put it in down. It has changed the way I look at higher education, the business world, and politics.

In the future when I see the resume of a CEO or political leader I will be looking for a state university as a mark of merit and real world experience.

Dragon's Gate (Golden Mountain Chronicles, 1867)

Average customer rating:

Discovery and Adventure in the Dragon's Gate
worst book i have ever read!
Nourhan's Review
Dragon's Gate - An Image of Poetry
Dragon Gate - A Clash of Cultures

Dragon's Gate (Golden Mountain Chronicles, 1867)
Laurence Yep
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

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ASIN: 0064404897

Book Description

In 1867, Otter travels from Three Willows Village in China to California -- the Land of the Golden Mountain. There he will join his father and uncle.

In spite of the presence of family, Otter is a stranger among the other Chinese in this new land. And where he expected to see a land of goldfields, he sees only vast, cold whiteness. But Otter's dream is to learn all he can, take the technology back to the Middle Kingdom, and free China from the Manchu invaders.

Otter and the others board a machine that will change his life -- a train for which he would open the Dragon's Gate.

Customer Reviews:

Discovery and Adventure in the Dragon's Gate.......2007-10-10

The Chinese culture has always been fascinated by dragons. They have many sculptures, drawings and stories about dragons. The book Dragon Keeper is no exception. It is about a slave girl who befriends a dragon and goes out on a quest to get to a mystical place called Ocean.

The story starts with a lowly slave girl living on a mountain in the far borders of the Han Empire (which was the ruling force back then in China.) The girl lives with the Imperial Dragon Keeper, her master, Lan. It was Lan's job to take care of the imperial dragons, but he got lazy and the slave girl took his job and took care of the beasts. Then, when one of the two last dragons die, the girl feels remorse and starts to take better care of the last one. Then, one day, the girl is forced to escape with the dragon, when an evil dragon hunter finds her and the dragon out.

During the long journey to Ocean, the girl learns her name, befriends people (who turn into her enemies), and fights villains. The book was very enjoyable because of its excitement when you didn't know what was going to happen next. The riddles sometimes go unsolved in the book, which I really didn't like, but if you do solve them it makes you want to read it more. Over all, the book was pretty good, and if you like dragons or the Chinese culture, you should get the book. Dragon Keeper had many mysteries and surprises around every corner, so stay close to the dragons, but keep away from the tigers.

worst book i have ever read!.......2006-11-28

This book is officialy the most boring and worst book that i have ever read. I didnt find any part of this book exciting or good. The whole thing was boring. I had to read this book for school with a group of 5 or 6 other people. Every single person in the group hated the book. I hated this book.

Nourhan's Review.......2006-04-30

Dragon's Gate is a truly enlightening book that I have had the pleasure of reading. Both the plot and the excellently mastered figurative language in this novel make it a great book to read. Laurence Yep has beyond the doubt mastered the art of personification, transforming inanimate objects into living and breathing things. Although figurative language is a valuable asset to any story, it alone cannot alone create a page turner. That's where an elaborately planned out storyline based on non-fictional information and events that occurred in history play a major role. This gives a flavor of reality to the story making it all the more enjoyable.

Laurence Yep begins off his novel by sweeping the reader away into the exotic orients of a land known as the Middle Kingdom (now known as China). We look through the eyes of a wealthy young man with what some may consider a dark past. An outcast at his own home, Otter truly seeks acceptance and struggles to find his own identity in a world built on racial discrimination. We follow Otter through the darkest and brightest of days and gradually grow close to this novel's protagonist as we find that we can relate to him in many different ways. This is the main reason I that I (personally) found this novel so compelling.

I would recommend this book to readers with exceptional reading skills (grade 6 and up) in order to really appreciate the excellent figurative language used in the story. I would also recommend this book to people who are unfamiliar to the abuse and mistreatment that the Chinese faced while building the transcontinental railroad. I think this book is great the way it is and would not change a single word in it for I think everybody would enjoy it the way it is.

Dragon's Gate - An Image of Poetry.......2006-04-30

Dragon's Gate is a very well written book that includes varying sensations that range from love to hate and from frustration to pride. Through this book you become conscious of many things that you would have disregarded if this book were not written. This book gives you a clear understanding of the hardships and discrimination faced by Chinese workers whilst building the railroad. The author, Laurence Yep's use of figurative language is what I like most about this book. He makes inanimate objects come alive through personification. At one point in the story, he calls the cold a living thing and has it snatch the warmth from one of his characters' bodies. Yep compares different things in an almost poetic manner. He compares the wooden bunks on a ship to coffins and another line from the book is: `...I saw him like a black shadow within the swirling snow.' I also like the way Yep uses Chinese superstitions in his book. These Chinese sayings make it easier for you (the reader) to connect with the characters in the book, as they are Chinese.
| would recommend this book to people between the ages of 10 and 16. I believe that people older than 16 will find this book really boring because this book is written at a Middle School level. Children under the age of 10 however will not be able to understand the depth of the book and they may not understand the concept of discrimination - a concept which is crucial for the text. In my opinion, the book is great just as it is and any changes may ruin the book.

Dragon Gate - A Clash of Cultures.......2006-04-30

Dragon Gate is a heartbreaking story about a young Chinese boy's life America. Otter had to move to America after he got into some trouble in China, and worked on the railroad during the industrial revolution. This compelling story is about the hardships, clash of cultures, and discrimination that Otter had to deal with. It is a deeply moving story that I enjoyed immensely. It is a story that many people can relate to, which is why I encourage that it should be read. The themes and lessons in this book are very poignant, and relate to everyone on some level. The Characters are very life like and seem almost like real people, and you start to see a little of yourself in Otter. You can't help but put yourself in the characters shoes, and imagine what you would have done in their place. The words and descriptions pull you into the story and make you feel as if you were there; going through every thing Otter was going through.

I would recommend this book to anyone above middle school level and to teenagers especially. Older readers can identify more with the feelings of change, loss, and not fitting in that Otter goes through. At one point in our lives we all have an idol that we try to emulate, and sometimes when that idol does not live up to are high standards we feel let down and betrayed. Otter goes through these feelings with his Uncle Foxfire, and the story makes you realize that our idols are only people and that we should allow them to make mistakes. Even though the book seems simple it is the hidden messages in it that make it such a good read. The story teaches us the lesson of forgiveness, of standing up for what you believe in, but it also enlightens us that it is okay to be scared and make mistakes along the way.

Average customer rating:

Favorite book of my cat
Wonderful read
Speechless...
This book is in rhyme, It is like a bell in chime
A unique masterpiece

The Golden Gate
Vikram Seth
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0394549740
Release Date: 1986-03-12

Amazon.com

Can 690 sonnets, rhyming a-b-a-b-c-c-d-d-e-f-f-e-g-g, be a novel? Definitely! First published in 1986 and still fresh (the sole sign of its publication date being the frequent use of the word yuppie), Vikram Seth's The Golden Gate will turn the verse-fearing into admiring acolytes. Janet Hayakawa, a yet-to-be-discovered sculptor and drummer in the Liquid Sheep, secretly places a personal ad for her friend John, even though she too is single. "Only her cats provide distraction,/Twin paradigms of lazy action." The seventh letter does the trick. Lawyer Liz Donati's submission is two sonnets in toto and disarms John into meeting her. Soon they fall into brief bliss, as do her brother, Ed, and John's old college roommate, Phil. Unfortunately, the first couple's love is too soon destroyed, partly by a pet, partly by politics; and the second is rent by religion. Ed pulls away thanks to the Bible: "I have to trust my faith's decisions, / Not batten on my own volitions."

The rest of the novel leads less to the traditional comic ending--rapprochement and marriage all around--than to surprising sadness. But in between there is wit, wordplay, abounding allusion, and some marvelous animals, among them the iguana Schwarzenegger. The author even steps onto the stage on occasion: at a frou-frou publishing party a powerful editor accosts him, curious to hear about his new novel. When Seth tells him it's in verse, the temperature plummets. "'How marvelously quaint,' he said, / And subsequently cut me dead." Luckily, Seth's real editor did anything but.

Customer Reviews:

Favorite book of my cat.......2006-11-10

I read this book in twenty sittings
Alone but for my Bovril tea
And after twenty eyebrow knittings
I pulled the covers over me
High as the pale marijuana smoke
That covers my bed when I try to toke.
"Now don't be greedy," my cat said,
"As someone to whom you have read,
I pray thee, Kevin, read some more of
That book The Golden Gate by Seth!"
"My fault, cat." "It's not life or death,
But that is one of the books I love."
And grinning like the famous Cheshire
We settled in; my nap grew meshire.

Wonderful read.......2005-11-17

A wonderful book that covers
A thousand themes: Sons and lovers,
Men and women, Scrabble and chess,
Bombs and chips, and self-criticism.
All this with warmth and witticism!
It's a masterpiece, nothing less.
Is it prose or verse ? I cannot tell,
For the lines are fluid, tho' they rest
Twice a page. With Seth at his best,
I am sated. None can write so well.

Speechless..........2005-09-23

If by some unimaginible twist of fate, for some unspeakable crime, I were to be condemned to a small, desolate island for the rest of my life and allowed to carry with me but one book, the choice would be easy: Golden Gate by Vikram Seth. It would be easy for the obvious: reading this book is so pleasurable it makes one feel guilty (as in "Oh god I don't deserve to be so happy!!"). It would be even easier for what is not so obvious: reading the book engenders in one an intense desire to try and re-create the sublime beauty of Seth's verse. Such a pursuit is a futile exercise over many lifetimes -- one lifetime in a marooned island would go by in the blink of any eye.

This book is in rhyme, It is like a bell in chime.......2005-09-15

When I picked up this novel-in-rhyme,
I surprisingly had a lot of free time,
But when I started reading this book,
Even at my wrist-watch I forgot to look.
Yes my friend, time passed real fast,
In one go, I read the book to its last.

Even if you are one who prefers prose,
This lovely book-in-rhyme on you grows.
The story is all about people four,
Not a single on of them is a bore.
They are - Jon, Janet, Phil and Ed,
About each, pages have been said.

I will tell the novel's story no more,
Read yourself and see whats in store.
All I'll say is that the book is great,
So go on. Pick up the book, don't wait.
Yes, I am talking about `Golden Gate'
The novel-in-rhyme written by Mr. Seth

A unique masterpiece.......2005-06-08

Vikram Seth's perfect blend of poetry and prose is truly a treat to the reader's soul. A remarkable literary treasure of the 20th century.

Golden Gate Gardening: Year-Round Food Gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area and Coastal California

Average customer rating:

My 2nd most important gardening book
A Wonderful Book --Particularly for those in the SF Bay Area
The idiots' OR experts' guide to Bay Area gardening.
helpful regional grow guide for S.F. area food gardeners

Golden Gate Gardening: Year-Round Food Gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area and Coastal California
Pam Peirce
Manufacturer: Sasquatch Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Herbs | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 157061136X

Customer Reviews:

My 2nd most important gardening book.......2006-03-06

I love this book. I have never read it all the way through, but rather I look up things that I am interested in.

The seed company (and variety) recommendations are likely out of date.

I really appreciate Peirce's reports about her experiences with different plants.

A Wonderful Book --Particularly for those in the SF Bay Area.......2001-09-28

This is a good book both for the avid gardener as well as the beginner. I've given this book as gifts to many people throughout the SF Bay area and everyone has loved this book!It is particularly a good gift if they grow vegetables and have had limited success in some aspects of gardening such as trying to grow tomotoes the coastal areas of the Bay Area. This book has growing charts of when to plant and harvest, best varieties for the bay area, and covers points to explain the many microclimates even within the same city.

A great book with lots of pointers. Note that this is not a book to compete with Sunset's Western Garden Book but rather to supplement it. This book doesn't have the details with regard to horticultural specifics.

The idiots' OR experts' guide to Bay Area gardening........1997-09-28

So this past spring I decided, once and for all, that I wanted to start a garden. I had no experience in this subject, and I searched for a good book at the library. I found this book. I ended up renewing it five times, and finally ordering it from Amazon.com. It has truly been a life saver. What I like best is the way the book is laid out, with sections on vegetables, fruits, and flowers, as well as special sections on pests and other problems. The book is well organized and the index points the reader in the right directions, making it easy to find what I'm looking for down to the tiniest detail. The charts make it clear which San Francisco Bay Area microclimates are suitable for which plants, and the book explains down to the tiniest detail how to start plants, transplant them, grow them, and harvest them. At the same time that this book is informative beyond all my original expections, is also excels in not being condescending (one of my pet peeves). I believe it is the perfect book for the seasoned gardener just moving into the area, the seasoned gardener in need of more detailed information, and someone like me, with no gardening experience whatsoever.

helpful regional grow guide for S.F. area food gardeners.......1997-06-16

Don't let the cumbersome title scare you away from this handy book for Bay Area and coastal California gardeners. Pam Pierce understands the unique Mediterranean microclimate(s) of our great gardening region, and offers sound advice on what to grow, when and how to grow it best. Very helpful and well-organized.

Book Description

"We are in the presence of that uniquely photographic and uniquely American phenomenon: the documentary sublime. [Golden Gate] takes you, metaphorically and literally, as far west as you can get. Just as Frederic Edwin Church's colossal Niagara (1857) still surpasses the iconic familiarity of the location, so Misrach's pictures make us see an overphotographed subject in a new light; literally. But the light that shrouds, frames, drenches and (always) dwarfs the bridge is also historical. It is as if the sky of every one of the paintings on show at Tate Britain has, at some point, ended up in the Bay Area. . . . Church's rainbow even turns up in one of them. All-even the ones that are completely abstract, just air, color, light-attest to a verifiable truth: at that moment it really looked like this. We have arrived at a vision of the sublime that is literal and absolute. It is impossible to go any further." -Geoff Dyer

Aperture is delighted to reissue Richard Misrach's highly acclaimed publication, Golden Gate. Misrach's photographs are illuminated by important essays by noted art historian T. J. Clark and by geographer Richard Walker.

Customer Reviews:

Look Ma...I took some photos of the "Golden Gate" that look like my #*#&.......2007-05-08

This book SUCKS...Thank goodness I did not pay $50.00 + for this. I am disabled with multiple scelrosis and I collect different items on the Golden Gate Bridge. My "love affair" with "The Bridge" quickly turned to BEYOND DISAPOINTMENT & RAGE!!! Here are some book titles Mr.RM should of used - 'GOLDEN GATE SKY', 'GOLDEN GATE NIGHT', GOLDEN GATE CLOUDS, GOLDEN GATE SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL...SHAME ON YOU :(.

Color displays of weather and bridge.......2006-03-13

In 1997 photographer Richard Misrach began photographing San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge at all hours of day and night, creating a year-round workbook of seasonal bridge views: GODEN GATE is his catalog which packs in over eighty images culled from a series of over seven hundred shots. Full-page color displays provide a wealth of mostly-distant bridge images set against changing skylines and backgrounds. Weather plays a large part in these captivating images - but so does history, and art historian T.J. Clark adds an essay which provides background information on Misrach's interests and approaches, with geographer Richard Walker adding commentary on geography and viewpoint. The result is an artistic catalog with appeal not only to any California resident but to any interested in Bridges or architectural art.

Amazing photos of an amazing bridge........2002-12-31

I've lived in Marin County for about two years and still get excited going over the Golden Gate Bridge. I was thrilled to receive this book for Christmas and am in awe over the pictures. It's incredible to see photos of the varying weather patterns we get in the bay area and Misrach's time-lapse photos are incredible. What's even more amazing is that Misrach is lucky enough to have this phenominal view from his front porch!

Porch Photography.......2002-09-20

What a disappointment, and what amateur uninteresting photos from the author's porch in the Oakland Hills (I presume). All you need is a wide angle lens, a tripod and some 35mm film. Take a picture every week or so, vary the time of day and then publish a book. Ca ching! He must be a layed-off dot.commer.

Being born, raised and schooled in San Francisco, I feel cheated. Hopefully no tourists will see it. They may stay home.

Beautiful, but not for everyone.......2002-06-09

I live on the ocean south of San Francisco(and I'm into photography), so I appreciate the ever-changing weather
and light in this wild region. I was fascinated by this book of
photos the author took from his front porch, especially
since I have taken photos of the sunset and weather formations
from my porch during the same time frame ('97-'00). Having
said that, I wouldn't recommend this for everyone. It's the
exact same view over and over, so if you live outside the Bay Area you'd be better off with a book showcasing a larger portion of the region. This tome is for fanatics of the Golden Gate,
and Bay Area photography.

The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park (1893-1942)

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The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park (1893-1942)
Tanso Ishihara
Manufacturer: Ishihara
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

The Gate: The True Story of the Design and Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge

Average customer rating:

Can't Stop Reading This Book!
A thriller for engineers and others.
Let's Make It a Movie: Survivor III!

The Gate: The True Story of the Design and Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge
John van der Zee
Manufacturer: Backinprint.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

History of Technology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0595094295

Book Description

<>The Gate is an absorbing panoramic account of the building of one of the world's most beautiful and famous landmarks. In a narrative richly laden with detail and the flavor of the period, John van der Zee reveals for the first time the complete history of the longest single-span suspension bridge of its time—including the identity of the man who actually designed it, which has been obscured since its completion in 1937.

With novelistic flair, van der Zee recounts an exciting drama of human greed, ambition, frailty, courage, and intellectual achievement.

"It is among the top books on California I have ever read."—Kevin Starr, State Librarian of California and author of Americans and the California Dream

"A case study of personal and technological adventure bordering on hubris...The engineers in this bok come alive as people, with all the faults and foibles associated iwth the human species. A fascinating work that shows that the best of cutting-edge engineering is much, much more than science and technology."—Henri Petroski, Nature

Customer Reviews:

Can't Stop Reading This Book!.......2006-03-13

I have a bad habit of picking up books that look interesting and then giving up after the first hundred or so pages. This book is one of the few out there that gain and hold your interest, with such compelling detail that it boggles the mind how the author could have compiled and written this book in just 18 months. This is a wonderful, well-researched book with many surprising twists and turns. In fact, I bank with Bank of America, and now when I go up to the ATM and see the picture of the Golden Gate on the screen, I know why that image is there. A must read, and you will never look at the Golden Gate the same way again.

A thriller for engineers and others........2000-09-30

The book is one of the few books that I've ever read twice. And I find that I've continued to tell other people about this book from time to time. I would characterize the book as a thriller or, at least a drama, for and about engineers. The book is highly location-conscious. After reading the book, you'll be able to relate how the Golden Gate Bridge is related to engineering companies in New York City, to fund-raising efforts in the northern counties in California, to engineering professors in the mid-west, to a theater designer of the 1939 World's Fair on Treasure Island, to professors at U.C.Berkeley, and to a certain humble bascule bridge that continues its unsung day-to-day chores in an obscure part of San Francisco. To repeat, I really liked the author's interconnections, that he related in the book. The book deserves to be back in print, and it deserves to be in every gift shop in the City. The book is highly fact-based (it is not laced with fanciful commentary), and yet the book is difficult to put down. Perhaps the most striking and sad part of Van Der Zee's book, is that the engineer responsible for most of the innovations of the bridge was left off of the plaque (for political reasons), which is mounted on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Let's Make It a Movie: Survivor III!.......2000-09-09

San Francisco politics. Bridge politics. Egos clashing and crashing. The original "Survivor" saga, this book has all sorts of people intrique. Strauss is definitely the book's Richard. If the two of them ever sought out the same goal....yikes!! Strauss cut deals with everyone from whom he could benefit, and he axed out those "friends" as soon as he was finished 'using' them. The designer, Ellis...out, and it was three years before he could find another job in the depression 30s. O'Shaunassy, as SF's city engineer, was right in there swinging from the start. Michael was voted out by Strauss, and cast aside. (He did finish the Hetch Hetchy project for the city.) Strauss created a string of bodies as his ego forged ahead to be known as "Mr. Bridge, designer, builder, ......" of the Golden Gate span. Well, he was none of these things. Unfortunately, the text is quite weak on providing the engineering details of the span.The few pictures the book has are interesting, but not sufficient to acquire a good idea of the supurb engineering that went into the structure. You'll have to go to another book for that!

Headlands: The Marin Coast at the Golden Gate

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Headlands: The Marin Coast at the Golden Gate
Miles Decoster , Mark Klett , Mike Mandel , Paul Metcalf , and Larry Sultan
Manufacturer: Univ of New Mexico Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Book Description

history/photo-text work

Average customer rating:

Good history, not quite so good mystery
It made me want to have longer commutes
Very nice book
A fun fast read.
A Great Read

Swing: A Mystery
Rupert Holmes
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812970977
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Book Description

“Swing just might be the best historical thriller of the year. Certainly it is the most creative.”
–Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In the swinging big band era, jazz saxophonist and arranger Ray Sherwood is haunted by personal tragedy. But when Gail Prentice, a beautiful and talented Berkeley student, seeks his help in orchestrating an original composition slated to debut at the newly created Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay, Ray is diverted from his worries and drawn to the beguiling coed. Within moments of their first meeting, however, Ray witnesses a horrifying sight: a woman plunging to her death from the island’s emblematic Tower of the Sun.
Ray soon finds himself trapped in a coil of spiraling secrets in which nothing is certain, including Gail’s intentions toward him and her connection to the dead woman. And as events speed toward the shocking climax, Ray must unlock an ominous puzzle with sinister implications that stretch far beyond anything he could imagine.

Customer Reviews:

Good history, not quite so good mystery.......2007-05-06

This is a hard one to pin down. It's billed as a mystery. I know this because it says so on the cover. But the mystery is very secondary to virtually everything else that goes on. And though it is hinted at early on it is lost for much of the book and only resurfaces very near the end, with a few intimations of it along the way.

Ray Sherwood is a musician and arranger in a traveling swing band in 1940. He's running from many things, but mostly from himself, something we all learn sooner or later we cannot really do. The band he plays with comes to Oakland, across the bay from the San Francisco World's Fair on Treasure Island, just before World War II or at least the U.S. entry into that fray. Ray is offered an arranging job by a beautiful and talented young woman. And this arrangement, both the musical arranging and the relationship with the young woman turn out to be more than initially meets the eye. Another young woman dies near the beginning of the story, but we don't know how she fits in until much, much later. I think this sort of a teaser or hook, the way movies and TV use the same device. And, of course, since we're on the eve of World War II we have Japanese and Nazi spies and nobody is what they appear to be. Unfortunately we've seen much of this before in books and movies. Alfred Hitchcock, were he still alive, could no doubt make a good movie of this book.

Even though the mystery aspect of the story is secondary, I was intrigued by the characters, the Treasure Island location and bits of history, music tidbits and the era in which the story is set, etc. All of this kept my interest throughout. There were, however, too many coincidences that just stretch the limits of credibility. Because of that the climax was a little bit disappointing.

Even though I enjoyed this novel for the most part, I am giving it four stars instead of five. Why? Because of the false advertising. This is a mystery only loosely and what there is of the mystery is largely contrived and too coincidental, though the main conceit with the music is an interesting and unusual one. But it is a good portrait of the era. Had the mystery been more prominent (and a little less contrived) or the word mystery not been so prominent on the cover I would give it five stars. So let's say four and a half, even though I can't give it that extra half.

It made me want to have longer commutes.......2007-03-08

I listened to the audio book in the car and it is fantastic. I wanted to drive all the time. I can't believe the author is the Pina Colada guy.

I'm one of those people who hate suspense and I looked everywhere for the spoiler, so here it is.

!!!!!!!SPOILER HERE!!!!!!!!

The score for "Swing Around the Sun" is actually a code to the Japanese about converting Treasure Island to a Naval base.

Adeline Head is actually the girl that fell off the tower. Martha kills her because she decifered the code.

Gail is not Ray's daughter. Martha knew about the reed because they went through his wallet when he got arrested.

Martha is not Gail's mother either. Martha is the main spy. She tells Gail to help her so she could be reunited with her real father in Germany.

Marie assumes Adeline's identity, but she later dies assuming Martha's identity. Martha swapped her dental records since she works at the doctor's office.

Martha kills Vera, stealing her passport to go to Mexico. But she gets caught.

Ray and Nancy get back together. They later have a son.

Very nice book.......2006-08-17

I hope that if they make a movie of it they do it justice. :)

A fun fast read........2006-07-04

I ordered this book initially because I love his music. What a wonderful surprise when I opened it and stepped into a different time and place. The detail was wonderful and the story kept me guessing until the reveal. I found out quite a bit about the industry, and the expo that I never knew. The characters are well crafted and you care enough about them to wonder about their backstory and their future. No spoilers here, you'll have to read it for yourself to find out the story.

A Great Read.......2006-03-17

Two nights ago, I was staring at my bookshelf, looking at all of the books I've been totally interested in, bought, and then left to gather dust. Among them was Rupert Holmes' "Swing." I have no explanation for why I didn't read it right away -- I'm a real fan of Rupert's work, and I loved his first novel, "Where the Truth Lies." But for whatever reason, it sat on the shelf until Tuesday night.

Well, if I had read it right when I bought it, I wouldn't have had the pleasure of devouring it this week. So it all works out. "Swing" is an excellent novel, much different in tone from the incredibly sexy "Truth." This one is set in 1940, about a year and a half before the U.S. entered World War II.

"Swing" starts out as a witty, bittersweet story of a jazz musician who misses his daughter, and the young (female) composer who charms the socks off him. But anyone familiar with Rupert's writing will know he's a twisty guy, and soon "Swing" is throwing you more curves than Lombard Street.

The characters feel very real, especially the narrator, Ray Sherwood. Having met Rupert (just once, more's the pity), I can say that Ray has some of Rupert's own charm. The character's pain and his humor ring very true.

The CD that accompanies the book adds some color, though you could totally enjoy the book (and get the entire story) without ever listening to the CD. However, it's worth playing the CD to enjoy Rupert's original take on big band music (and to hear the very unusual piece around which the plot revolves, "Swing Around the Sun").

Overall, this novel is definitely worth reading. And *this* movie won't have to be rated NC-17! (Stupid ratings board!!!)

The Cruising Guide to Central and Southern California: Golden Gate to Ensenada, Mexico, Including the Offshore Islands

Average customer rating:

Disappointing
Older book but good information
Outstanding and unique
Excellent coverage of the channel islands

The Cruising Guide to Central and Southern California: Golden Gate to Ensenada, Mexico, Including the Offshore Islands
Brian M. Fagan
Manufacturer: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0071374647

Book Description

Comprehensive and authoritative, this guide combines and updates two smaller, long-trusted regional books to provide seamless coverage of the entire California coast from just outside the Golden Gate Bridge to Mexico, with special attention given to the popular offshore islands between Point Conception and San Diego. Brian Fagan draws upon more than three decades of experience sailing those waters under all conditions to offer the definitive cruising guide for both sailors and powerboaters.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-10-05

After cruising in the Pacific NW for the past two years using the Douglass and Hemingway guides and the Waggoner Guide, we were admittedly spoiled. If that's the quality you expect, you won't get it here. On the other hand, we couldn't find an alternative, and this is better than nothing. The harbor diagrams were nice, but there aren't enough of them and what there are don't provide enough detail. The landmarks mentioned in the text often don't appear in the diagrams. We also noticed inaccuracies, but this could be due to time. For example, the fuel dock in Morro Bay wasn't where the guide said it was. However, the woman at the Visitor Information Center also thought it was in the direction indicated in the book. (For others looking for it, it's across from marker 12, not beyond 18.)

Older book but good information.......2007-07-26

This is a good book for those interested in cruising the west coast, you can always get something out of the book if you plan to make that trip up the coast, lots of good information to research and make plans from.

Outstanding and unique.......2002-11-09

We have used Brian Fagans guidebooks from SD to SF for many years, but this is the best of the lot. We recently led a cruise to the Channel Islands, and made this a "must" for the cruisers, all of whom praised it highly. Really THE guidebook to coastal cruising in Central-Southern California---and a bargain!

Excellent coverage of the channel islands.......2002-01-04

From a recent sailing trip out of Santa Barbara through the channel islands I can tell you that this book is invaluable. His treatment of safe ports and refuges (arranged very well but conditions) was fantastic and kept us out of danger.

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