A Sport and a Pastime: A Novel

Book Description

“As nearly perfect as any American fiction I know,” is how Reynolds Price (The New York Times) described this classic that has been a favorite of readers, both here and in Europe, for almost forty years. Set in provincial France in the 1960s, it is the intensely carnal story—part shocking reality, part feverish dream —of a love affair between a footloose Yale dropout and a young French girl. There is the seen and the unseen—and pages that burn with a rare intensity.

Customer Reviews:

Eloquent and erotic........2007-07-12

The writing is lovely. Salter strings together words in a refreshing and clean style. The story itself didn't grab me the way I had hoped it would after reading previous reviews. It's not so much a love story as it is a lust story and as such it never quite gets off the ground. Perhaps because it was written 40 years ago and nowadays we are so inundated with graphic sex scenes that those in the book failed to titillate as no doubt they were intended, although I still found them somewhat alluring.
The two lovers (Dean and Anne-Marie) characters are never fully realized so I didn't feel any emotional connection to them (and I'm unsure if they felt any emotional connection to each other).
I enjoyed the vagueness of the narrator. Everything is described by him, as though he were imagining what the young lovers were doing, so the line between reality and fantasy was so blurred that the reader is left unsure as to what actually transpired behind closed doors, which is perhaps the point.
Absolutely worth reading thanks to the languorous language.

Objectification as Art.......2006-04-01

Salter has an incredible sensuous style, so I'm giving this three stars because I just like how he puts the words together on the page. But for me this books feels utterly dated. It was apparently written in the 1960's and it shows -- disaffected American (Dean) hangs out in France, has lots of erotic yet completely emotionally unfulfilling sex. No one communicates very deeply with anyone, nothing seems to have a point and of course it all ends badly. I suspect it seems much more meaningful if you are a certain sex (not mine) and beyond a certain age.

The sex (did I mention there's lots of it?) is vividly described yet weirdly depressing. Why? Maybe it's because I'm a woman and the woman in this story is treated as an absolute object. There is no real effort made to get into her head, and she appears to exist solely to be a docile receptacle for Dean's sperm. For all the emotional involvement our hero feels for her, he might as well have just bought an inflatable doll. So yeah, I find that kind of depressing.

A Thrill and a Seduction.......2006-02-23

This book set me spinning in dilemna trying to decide whether to devour or to savor each of leaf of this luscious novel. It's so delicious it drove me crazy wondering if I should have taken it all at once or milked it nice and slow to last me forever. James Salter can do this to a girl. Seductive and poetic prose fills the lines with the most evocative imagery I've seen in a long, long time. Just be ready for that cold shower, if you know what I mean. It's subtly spicy from the start, with language so intriguing it's impossible not to fall in love -- unless you are totally out of touch with your own sensuality -- or unless you hate the French, which is of course a common sentiment in many political climates. But the novel is not about the French, only the language of love that the French so enjoy.

Keep an open mind and be delightfully thrilled and seduced by the world and the characters created here.

Disappointed.......2006-02-20

I bought this book and also Last Night based upon the gushing reviews you see above. Who are they kidding? The main character is a cad. It is far from "a tour de force" in erotic anything. His short stories in Last Night are only marginally better. Your time is better spent with other authors.

Even better the second time around.......2005-11-09

I first read this novel when it was new, in the late sixties, and I liked it because I, too, had been a student in France and had experienced some cross-cultural coupling during those years. I appreciated the evocation of small city life, smoky cafés, dumpy hotels, and all the rest -- and yes, the sex scenes were great.

I've just (autumn 2005) reread the novel again, almost forty years down the line, and I discover a profundity and philosophical depth that escaped me the first time around. I hardly know of a book that better describes the mystery of sexuality, and its connection with the deepest questions of existence. And o yes, the descriptions of smoky cafés and the joys of screwing are still there -- it's just that there's a lot more to Salter's work, which merits the highest praise. The author has attempted to create a transcendent legend from the encounter of two ordinary and even shallow people, and he has succeeded. The influences of Hemingway and Miller are evident, but the true model is classical mythology. Five stars, or ten maybe.

Baseball without Borders: The International Pastime

Average customer rating:

Baseball without Borders: The International Pastime

Manufacturer: Bison Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Essays & Writings | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Growing the Game: The Globalization of Major League Baseball
Variations on a Theme Park: The New American City and the End of Public Space
Power Politics
Millennial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination (Asia: Local Studies / Global Themes)
The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime

ASIN: 0803271255

Book Description

A televised baseball game from Puerto Rico, Japan, or even Cuba might look a lot like the North American game. Beneath the outward similarities, however—the uniforms and equipment and basic rules—there is usually a very different history and culture influencing the nuances of the sport. These differences are what interest the authors of Baseball without Borders, a book about America's national pastime going global and undergoing instructive, entertaining, and sometimes curious changes in the process. The contributors, leading authorities on baseball in the fourteen nations under consideration, look at how the game was imported—how it took hold and developed, how it is organized, played, and followed—and what these local and regional trends and features say about the sport's place in particular cultures.

Organized by region—Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific—and written by journalists, historians, anthropologists, and English professors, these original essays reflect diverse perspectives and range across a refreshingly wide array of subjects: from high school baseball in Japan and Little League in Taiwan to fan behavior in Cuba and the politics of baseball in China and Korea.

Roadside Baseball : Uncovering hidden treasures from our national pastime

Average customer rating:

Take Me Out To The Ballgame! Great book...
America's Pastime - On the Road
Visiting the shrines of Baseball
uncovering hidden treasures
THE ULTIMATE BASEBALL BOOK

Roadside Baseball : Uncovering hidden treasures from our national pastime
Chris Epting
Manufacturer: Sporting News
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

The Ultimate Baseball Road-Trip: A Fan's Guide to Major League Stadiums
Led Zeppelin Crashed Here: The Rock and Roll Landmarks of North America
James Dean Died Here: The Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks
The Ultimate Minor League Baseball Road Trip: A Fan's Guide to AAA, AA, A, and Independent League Stadiums
Fields Of Dreams: A Guide to Visiting and Enjoying All 30 Major League Ballparks

ASIN: 0892047143

Book Description

Roadside Baseball is a fascinating read as well as a fantastic travel guide and history book all in one. Baseball's rich history is celebrated in Cooperstown, N.Y., but it's only a glimpse of baseball's storied past. Baseball history lives in the city streets of Brooklyn to the country fields of Iowa. It's in these places you'll find birthplaces, shrines, museums, final resting places and out-of-the-way spots where Baseball's history was made or still is preserved. Buckminster Hotel, (Boston, MA), where the "Black Sox" planned their fix of the '19 Series; Original "Little League" field and Museum in Willimsport, PA; Birthplace of Jackie Robinson in Cairo, GA; Fayetteville, NC, where Babe Ruth hit his first professional Home Run; Baxter Springs, KS, where Mickey Mantle was discovered by Yankees Scout Tom Greenwade; Kansas City, MO, birthplace and location of the Negro League Hall of Fame; Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, CA, the first stadium named Wrigley Field, 1925 ¿ 1966; Information and selected photos for over 300 baseball historical sights; Regional, state-by-state layout.

Customer Reviews:

Take Me Out To The Ballgame! Great book..........2006-08-27

I bought this book several mos. ago and it has lived up to its reputation as one of the best baseball books around. Great book to take "on the road" and fills a real niche for the baseball historian/enthusiast. I've actually taken this one on the road and it does the job and does it quite well. Kudos to the author on this one.

America's Pastime - On the Road.......2005-06-02

Nothing is more quintessentially symbolic of America than baseball and road trips, and Chris Epting has brought the two together in this delightfully quirky road guide to all things baseball throughout the land. The book is divided first into sections (East, South, Midwest, West, & Outside the Lines),and further divided into states, listed alphebetically, within each section to make it convienent to use as you travel. And even the most knowledgable and die-hard baseball fan is likely to discover events and places within its covers to surprise and delight them.
While 'Roadside Baseball' can direct you to well known present and former shrines of baseball (Wrigley Field; the Ebbets Field apartments with its cornerstone marker commemorating the Dodger's old home field on that site), it is the many lesser known and often quirky places it discovers that really gives it its charm. Epting has discovered roadside markers, plaques, statues, memorials, and museums all over the country dedicated to baseball players, stadiums, and history. Some are charmingly kitchy, like the bed and breakfast in New Hampshire once owned by Babe Ruth's daughter, in which room #2 where the Babe often stayed has been maintained with all of its original furnishings. Others tie baseball history to the history of America, like the marker in Postville, Illinois marking the location of a field where Abe Lincoln played townball, an early form of baseball. And some mark arcane baseball history, like DeVault Memorial Stadium in Bristol, Virginia, where minor leagure Ron Necciai (a pitcher once deemed by Branch Rickey to be of the same quality as Dizzy Dean) once threw a 27 strikeout game, before disappearing into obscurity.
It was seeing many of the references that I know from my own experience that proved to me how comprehensive this book truly is. As a Pittsburgher, I was pleased to see not only the outfield wall and preserved homeplate of Forbes Field listed, but the roadside plaque in nearby Homestead that commemorates the great Negro League team the Homestead Grays. I also found here the tiny church yard in rural Ohio where Cy Young lies buried directly behind the grave of my great grandfather, who was his neighbor; a surprise find I had made years earlier while working on my genealogy. Very little seems to have escaped Mr. Epting when he compiled this wonderful little book.
If you love baseball, road trips, and Americana at its best, you can't afford to miss this outstanding guide to all three.

Theo Logos

Visiting the shrines of Baseball.......2004-07-11

For many, baseball is almost akin to a religion in America. Many undertake the pilgrimage to all the Major League ballparks, but Epting has created the ultimate cultural tour of history that goes far beyond these parks. Sure, anyone can go to see where Babe Ruth hit his final home run, but would we know where to go to see where he hit his first (or as Epting makes the distinction, where he hit his first professional home run, and where he hit his first professional home run in a regular season game)? No event escapes Epting for potential inclusion in this journey into our heritage. Each site is identified with an address, often a photo and an explanation of why it is important to note. But also, Epting's book can serve as a warning to us. So many of the important sites from the early years of baseball have been lost; they have become the victims of "progress." He takes the time to try and show us where historic fields are, but too often they are fully tossed aside, with an apartment building, or a parking lot now occupying the spaces where the pioneers played and set our early records. For each ballpark that has been lovingly restored or kept in good condition, there are two that have become lost to the wrecking ball. This is one of the ways that Epting's book should open up our eyes to prevent further loss of our sports history in the name of progress. Someone like Epting helps make sure that we never forget, even if others have. Put this in your glove box, and find a bit of our national pastime history across the country.

uncovering hidden treasures.......2003-06-22

I found this book very enjoyable. It is 288 pages of baseball monuments from all over the United States. Each historic baseball artifact and locale is given a brief and concise description. It was interesting to see which region was famous for who or for what. The book covers alot of ground and has introduced me to many new topics within baseball, and led me in search of other books covering the various players and places that i have read about here. I really enjoyed it.

THE ULTIMATE BASEBALL BOOK.......2003-05-23

I cannot remember enjoying a baseball book this much. It focuses on hundreds of historic baseball landmarks, and the breadth of places is fascinating. There are all of the classic former ballpark sites like the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field, complete with a description and photos of what is there now. Dozens of baseball museums I never knew existed, historically placed markers identifying famous homeruns by Babe Ruth, the home of Connie Mack, sacred baseball burial grounds and much more. I cannot believe how much I learned from this book (and I have studied the game for a long time). Some fine detective work here--like where Lou Gehrig really played his last game, the birthsite of Jackie Robinson, and where Babe Ruth pitched a notable yet obscure game against Walter Johnson in California. Lots of historic Negro League sites, too--for we baseball fans who love the road and who love history, this is our ultimate guide and I've never seen anything like it.

Average customer rating:

Skinny
Blood may be thicker, but water washes many transgressions away . . .
This is one of the Better Spensers
Vintage Vignettes on Varieties of Rain? Dining on Times Past? Casting Pearls Before Swine? Oh Yeah. Tim Taylor approved!
Essential reading, in that we learn a bit about Spenser's past

Pastime (Spenser)
Robert B. Parker
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hard-Boiled | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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

Stardust (Spenser)
Walking Shadow (Spenser)
Double Deuce (Spenser)
Paper Doll (Spenser)
Thin Air (Spenser)

ASIN: 0425132935

Customer Reviews:

Skinny.......2007-09-24

The actual plot of this novel felt more than a little thin, puffed up with a great deal of extraneous information about Paul's and Spenser's childhoods, along with annoying descriptions of what everyone was wearing and what color their garments were. It isn't necessary for a writer to tell every detail about a character or his furniture or his drinks or his food. The story does pick up somewhat in the end, but not enough to save the book completely.

The characters are OK--no better than that. Paul is boring. Hawk is a minor figure in this book. The gangsters are OK, with the exception of Gerry who is quite good. Ditto for the atmosphere. Some of the dialogue is excellent, if not quite attached to the plot. Doing tricks and funny asides with the dialogue doesn't mask the thin nature of the story.

P.S. I did like the dog. She appears in subsequent Spenser novels.

Blood may be thicker, but water washes many transgressions away . . ........2007-07-15

In this somewhat haunting note in the Spenser series, Paul Giacomin comes to Spenser asking for help in tracking down his mother, who has gone missing. Never the best of mothers - having often abandoned Paul to his own devices when he was younger, causing Paul to develop as a very neurotic youngster before Spenser took him under his wing in Early Autumn (as Paul says at one point "she used to literally hide under the bed . . . but I would find her") - Patty Giacomin had nonetheless kept in at least loose contact with her son through the years. However, when he had recently left several messages on her machine and then stopped by her house to find no one there, he became concerned. Spenser also suspects that Paul is seeking some resolution of the issues from his childhood, as he is now engaged to his significant other Paige and planning on marrying in the next year or so.

When Spenser begins investigating, he becomes concerned that he will learn something about which Paul would rather not know. Paul nonetheless insists on being involved every step of the way. Because of the nature of the investigation and the strain it puts on Paul, Spenser finds that talking about his own background and history to Paul helps distract the boy. (Up until now, much of this information has been a mystery to not only the characters, but also the reader.) Susan manages to get even more out of him. This makes for fascinating reading.

When Spenser's investigations lead to evidence that Patty's new boyfriend may have been involved with Gerry Broz, things begin to turn ugly.

This is a very revealing book, in many ways. We learn a great deal about Spenser; we learn a few things about Hawk. We see that Paul, despite all his hard work over the years, is inside still very much the insecure young boy yearning for his mother's affection and attention. We see some great interactions with Joe Broz and his son, Gerry - there are several very interesting parallels and contrasts which can be drawn between Joe Broz and Gerry's relationship vs. that of Patty Giacomin and Paul. Although Patty is not around by the end of the book, because of her dysfunctional approach to relationships (and as predicted by both Spenser and Paul in the book), I suspect this is not the last we will be seeing of her.

I have to say that my heart almost literally broke for Vinnie Morris, for the decision he had to make toward the end of the book. Vinnie may be a crook, but he is a crook with honor and I felt bad for him being put into the position he was in. I hope we'll see him again in the future, in a better situation.

A very strong recommend from me for any fans of Spenser, not to mention anyone who is a fan of a well-crafted action/suspense tale. I would also STRONGLY recommend that, if you are new to the series, you NOT start with this book; not that it necessarily would be impossible to follow the plot without having read the earlier books, but it would ruin some of the thrill of reading the earlier books and speculating on why Spenser is the way he is.

This is one of the Better Spensers.......2007-04-08

I've read most of Robert B. Parker's books, and this is definitely one of the better ones. This novel is technically a sequel to an earlier novel called EARLY AUTUMN, but you don't have to read that book to enjoy this one.

The plot of this novel is nothing special, but PASTIME is unique because it reveals a lot of details about Spenser's early life. This novel also marks the first appearance of Pearl the Wonder Dog, who has appeared in many subsequent Spenser books. Parker obviously loves dogs, and the passages of this novel describing Pearl's behavior are very funny.

I'm not a huge fan of most of the Spenser books after 1990, but this is definitely one of the stronger ones. If you like Parker's writing style, you should find this book a lot of fun, and it's short enough to read in one sitting.

Vintage Vignettes on Varieties of Rain? Dining on Times Past? Casting Pearls Before Swine? Oh Yeah. Tim Taylor approved!.......2006-07-14

The beginning chapters of PASTIME used a dramatically different stye from previous books I've read in the Spenser series. As other reviewers have helpfully described, this one's personal, and as such, to me it felt warm and "homey" (though, after the first chapters, the Spenser/Hawk/mob grit got going with full guts and grandeur... then paused periodically for more cozy "cookie" breaks).

Loved the story opening featuring Pearl's entry into the Spenser/Silverman family. Parker has a knack for drawing dogs to life on paper, in their cuddly, lapping, mysterious ways. I have to admit that I love animals, and any story which realistically captures their caricatures usually has me hopelessly hooked.

In fact, pets work so well to draw me into a book, that I was shocked, yes, to read the concluding statement of a delightfully edgy-eloquent review on this novel. I was so impressed, I was ready to click the "Yes" vote, wishing I could click it repeatedly and have each mouse tap add to the tally. Then, oh my. I read the final statement in the review: "But I still hate that damn dog."

I could not do it. Couldn't click "Yes" on a review which ended with that comment. You have no idea how much conflict I felt, wanting so badly to praise and honor that review. But, to vote against a dog? Could not.

Also could not vote "No." The review was too exquisite, and to love or not to love a dog is not the question; it's a matter of taste and heart, not of reviewing talent, or of a review being helpful or not.

BIG sigh. I almost went into a rash of hives of "does not compute" with that click-or-not conflict.

Maybe this is a good place to note that I'm beyond impressed with the variety of customer review posts on Amazon, including many of the spitting, hissing ones. It's this priceless collection of contrasting opinions (some of them profound, most of them interesting) on products which brought me to Amazon's pages; it's what keeps me here (in addition to Amazon's entertaining, colorful, graphics lush, public-carnival atmosphere, of course).

That out of the way, I'll slip out of my moody reverie mode and continue on with a review.

Laughed out loud at the "Boink Brain" term Spenser used for Susan's ex, and a couple clips describing Pearl antics.

Had a difficult time connecting my habitual reading rhythm for a Spenser novel to the first scenes including Paul Giacomin. The mood of those scenes seemed like Spenser might have allowed a somewhat "in process" character, like a son in his late teens, early 20's, to work/write with him on the Paul parts. At first I felt a loss with the seemingly diminished spark, snap, and sizzle of Parker's style, though there were a few perky passages:

>> "I was sixteen," I (Spenser) said. "And she sat in front of me in French class."
"Sixteen," Paul said. "You had a childhood?" <<

Then I began to contemplate the significance of the title using the word "Pastime" which, beyond the obvious allusions to Parker's welcome and interesting inclusions of Spenser's personal history, hinted at how one passes his time (usually meaning personal, leisure, home-life time, a quality of which most P.I.'s do not possess in any card count, and certainly not in Spades). At that point, I almost achieved a consciousness-shift into the home-base of "duh."

What's more, after reading into the scene from which Paul was excluded, between Spenser and Vinnie Morris, I began to see what was happening with the subtled-down-syntax, the artistic demand of it. I enjoyed the warm humor around Vinnie's attempts to understand and reconcile Paul's (e-mo-tion-al) need to find and understand his mother, and Spenser's support of that process.

"She got something he wants?" (Vinnie's question)
"His past," I (Spenser) said.
Vinnie looked at me some more and tossed his foot some more.
"His past." Vinnie said.
I nodded.
"What the f... is that supposed to mean?" <<

In contrast to the ooie-gooie, warm-fuzzy personal parts in this one, the tense bar scene was all the more effectively enthralling, with Spenser, Hawk, Gerry Broze-and-bodyguards being brought up to and down from a sit-u-a-tion of guns-drawn-every-which-way. Vinnie, you done good with your timed entry and smooth actions there!

In fact, all scenes including Vinnie were an effective contrast to the increased personal lives drama in this # 18 Spenser offering. Possibly the most telling of these was Vinnie's difficulty attempting to understand (or NOT to understand?) Paul's need to find his mother (see quote above). Psychobabble not being a part of the gangster-mob-mystique, Vinnie's puzzlement around Spenser's concern for Paul's emotional struggle was comical. What? The kid's not in mortal danger, not playing for mortal stakes, and Spenser has dropped everything to help him find a worthless woman who doesn't want to be found?

As to Spenser's childhood info, I enjoyed all of it, especially the explanations he gave on why/how he became a good cook, and why he continues to cook for himself, which tied in perfectly to his unique but so appropriate childhood.

As to some of the more typical macho male machinations (yet even this one was warmed by Pearl's presence) I became deeply engrossed in the struggle-through-the-wilderness scene, the wet, drippy forest with a leg-wounded Spenser and domesticated Pearl making their slow, heavy, water-logged way away from the stalking, tracker-enhanced bad guys.

PASTIME was a rainy day heaven, raining every-which-way, from peaceful, to harsh-in-a-marsh, almost constantly throughout the plot, ... AFTER the Sunny Scene One with Spenser, Susan, and Paul's variation on Ozzie & Harriet, kid, dog, and picket-fence-in-progress, with the requisite pretty pitcher of iced-tea brewing in the house. Yeah, Susan was doing that! Also, with awkward intensity, she cooked a meal for Paul and Spenser; the concoction was some type of honey-marinated, chopped-up chicken.

Iconic dichotomies of Ideal Vs Real in this plot were prime, posed perfectly:

-- From the impotent face off of Ozzie Dear to Mommie Patty.

-- From Spenser's parenting of Paul paired off with Joe Broze's unsung, unplaced, bio-son, Gerry (contrasted to Joe's "true" son, Vinnie).

-- From the architectural "glory" of The Commons, Formal Gardens, Designer Parks, manmade (from tax-dollar-dues) ponds stocked with loons; to the some-pastimes-never-die, all-night-diner, coffee-and-pie-house, open-24-hours (featuring hard-cooked apples w/core pieces, but good cherries, and thick, heavy, white-porcelain mugs).

-- From the backdrop of a Capitol building glowing through the pinnacle of night, to "fragrant bums" covered in newspaper, shedding rain with cardboard tents:

>> To our left Beacon street went up the hill to the State House, its gold dome lit and visible from everywhere, its Bulfinch front pretending that what went on inside were matters of gravity and import. The wind that had, in the late afternoon, slanted the rain in hard as I left police headquarters, had died with the daylight, and the rain, softer now, came down in near perfect silence. <<

Having finished the book and reflected upon the unique style of PASTIME featuring an Ozzie side of Spenser being exposed to his favorite gangster types, confusing the heck out of them to the point of increasing the normal edges of comedy; I realized that I had enjoyed this book even more than I had thought, as I was skipping through the lighter read of it, even as it took place mostly in the rain (not in Spain; but in and around Boston).

Loved the ending scene with Spenser and Susan. I began marking passages to quote, but the marks wouldn't end until every word in the scene was included. So, I suppose you may have to read the book to get it.

With ongoing ruminations of respect for this fascinating series,
Linda G. Shelnutt

Essential reading, in that we learn a bit about Spenser's past.......2006-02-13

Paul Giacomin, Spenser's surrogate son, comes to Spenser with yet another problem concerning his mother, Patty. She has vanished without a trace, although it appears that she left voluntarily, as there is no sign of foul play. Spenser and Susan Silverman have also become the custodians of Pearl the wonder dog, who formerly belonged to Susan's ex-husband. Spenser agrees to take the case and the trail quickly puts him on a collision course with gangster Joe Broz and his crazy son Gerry. Patty has run off with Rich Beaumont, a thief who has absconded with over a million dollars of Joe's money. After Spenser has a shoot out with Gerry Broz and some of his goons, Hawk becomes involved and protects Patty and Rich. At the end, Joe orders Gerry to kill Spenser, but Spenser has no difficulty in shooting Gerry in the leg first, sparing his life.
What makes this Spenser story an essential one is that we learn a lot about Spenser's past. His father and uncles raised him, and they split the household and parenting tasks equally. Spenser talks about how strong and tough they were and how they loved him so totally. Spenser and Hawk also talk a bit about their past, how they fought in the ring once, and how Spenser first went to Hawk's aid. Susan also talks openly about the love they have for each other, yet never express. We also learn a great deal about the unusual code of honor between people like Spenser and the criminal elements. Vinnie Morris is a hit man for Joe Broz and he may be sent to kill Spenser. And yet, Vinnie and Spenser can talk to each other as equals, openly discussing the "problem" and ways in which they can perhaps resolve it. This is a fundamental element of the plots of future Spenser novels, so it is essential that it be understood.
This story shows Spenser at his finest, hard enough to kill a man with no remorse or sympathy. Yet, he is very tender to Pearl and shows mercy to Gerry Broz, a man who would have shot him in the back if he had ever been given the chance. It is one of the best Spenser novels.

Victorian Roses: More Embroidery and Pastimes for the 21st Century/With Print and Pattern

Average customer rating:

Victorian Roses: More Embroidery and Pastimes for the 21st Century/With Print and Pattern
Jenny Haskins
Manufacturer: Quilters Resource
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Embroidery | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Victorian Pansies: Embroidery and Pastimes for the 21st Century
Victorian Dreams: The Creative Art of Lace Making by Machine

ASIN: 1889682152

A Short History of Western Civilization, Combined

Average customer rating:

Not "paperback" version but study guide
Wrong Book Reviewed
A Study Guide, Not a History
European History as a Diet of Facts at its best
Excellent work for students and general readers alike

A Short History of Western Civilization, Combined
Richard Sullivan , Dennis Sherman , and John Harrison
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Early Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Civilization & Culture | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

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

jp-unknown1 | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

DK History of the World
De Viaje: Writing Activities Workbook and Student Tape Manual : Glencoe Spanish 3
Glencoe Literature: The Reader's Choice, Grade 12, British Literature
Western Intellectual Tradition: From Leonardo to Hegel
Readings in Ancient History: Thought and Experience from Gilgamesh to St. Augustine

ASIN: 0070268975

Book Description

This classic, inexpensive, brief text is perfect for colleges organized on the quarter system or for professors who want to assign supplemental reading. The organization of the text was revised for greater clarity, and this edition includes a chapter on "The Collapse of Communism and New Realities." The coverage of social and cultural history has been increased without sacrificing the text's distinctive balance. The eighth edition contains a thorough map program, and a boxed feature highlighting primary sources.

Customer Reviews:

Not "paperback" version but study guide.......2003-09-03

What is being called the "paperback" version of A Short History of Western Civilization here is in actuality not the paperback version at all but another paperback book entitled "A Study Guide to Accompany A Short History of Western Civilization from the 1600's." Richard Sullivan is not the author of THIS book. On the order form and on the packing slip it says "A Short History of Western Civilization" but it is not! If what you want is a study guide for half of this book then go ahead and order it. If you really want the entire Short History of Western Civilization book, then order the HARDCOVER version.

Wrong Book Reviewed.......2002-01-24

Dear Amazon.Com,
I wrote the one star book review for this book which is currently on file. The review is incorrect and should be deleted or modified. I ordered "A Short History of Western Civilization (paperback), but received "A Short History History of Western Civilization since 1600 (paperback)". I wrote the review and then discovered that I had the wrong book. I have returned the book for a refund and reordered the hardback book of the same title. You might want to note that the paperback version is a Study Guide and not a History Book. If you wish you can move the review to the correct book or delete the entry. Thank you

A Study Guide, Not a History.......2001-12-25

A Short History of Western Civilization (paperback) is a study guide and not a history book. It's great if a study guide, complete with questions, is what you are seeking. The volume was written by Joyce E. Salisbury, not Richard Sullivan as listed in the web site and published in 1994, not 1993. It's Volume Two: since the year 1600, and not a complete guide to the hardback book. The guide is about 128 pages and includes some maps. I give it one star because a study guide is not what I'm seeking.

European History as a Diet of Facts at its best.......2001-01-29

Combined with interesting lectures that built upon the content of this book has the potential to creat a great semester of Western Civilization. I found the book to be a comfortable read, that provided the necessary facts and stories to provoke interest in the topics covered in each chapter. It also provides a fulfilling interpretation of historical events and the culture shaping effects of those events in history, as well as detailing the people behind the decisions. Its a comprehensive collection of the Western Civilization.

If you get your hands on this text, read it if you are interested.

Excellent work for students and general readers alike.......2000-04-10

This book traces the history of the western world, from ancient Egypt up to the fall of the Berlin wall.

The book is divided into periods of history, then further subdivided into sections about that period. You can 'dip-in' to a section easily, I find myself picking the book up for a light spot of reading with a cup of tea. I also use this book heavily in my Classics course - so it has a multitude of uses.

Overall, a thorough, unbiased, but easy to read account of western civilization. If you live in the western world, and are wondering where you came from or why things are the way they are, then get this book!

Pastimes: The Context of Contemporary Leisure
Average customer rating:

Enhanced with discussion questions & more

Pastimes Review:

Pastimes: The Context of Contemporary Leisure
Ruth V. Russell
Manufacturer: Sagamore Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Leisure | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Physical Education | Education Theory | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Recreation Programming

One World, Many Cultures (6th Edition)

Leisure and Life Satisfaction: Foundational Perspectives

Introduction to Commercial Recreation and Tourism: An Entrepreneurial Approach, Fourth Edition

Black Recreation, A Historical Perspective

ASIN: 1571675647
Release Date: 2005-01-04

Book Description

An introductory text that gathers together state of the art information in leisure science and practice, reflecting a wide range of literature from the disciplines of sociology. psychology. economics. political science, and anthropology. More than a text that teaches the foundational meanings and roles of leisure. Pastimes is also a point of view. This text presents leisure as a human phenomenon that is individual and collective, vital for survival, frivolous, historical, contemporary, good, and bad.

Pastimes, 3rd Edition continues with its contemporary introduction to leisure, while emphasizing new concepts. This edition contains two new chapters, and includes more illustrations of concepts through field-based case studies, research studies, biographical features, definitions, and photographs. Material is more personally relevant with exploratory activities and applications to professional practice.

Customer Reviews:

Enhanced with discussion questions & more.......2002-06-05

Now in a revised and updated second edition, Pastimes: The Context Of Contemporary Leisure by Ruth V. Russell (Professor of Recreation, Indiana University, Bloomington) is a highly accessible and scholarly textbook on the specific subjects of leisure behavior; the history of leisure; the recreational activities in literature, art, and music since the Kingdom of Kush and Ancient Greece; the balance between leisure and capitalism; and much more. Enhanced with discussion questions, summaries, resources, references, and an index Pastimes is a superb text for curriculum studies or self-education on the subject of contemporary leisure and the impact of pastime pursuits on American popular culture.

Pastimes Review:.......2001-12-14

This book provides a fantastic explanation of the things that human's do for leisure. The book describes how leisure has changed from ancient times, and shows the importance of leisure in contemporary society. This is a must for philosophy students and people interested in finding out why leisure skills are important to human beings.

What Baseball Means to Me : A Celebration of Our National Pastime

Average customer rating:

A nostalgic look back....
An okay book but given the subject it should have been great
What Baseball Means To Me
Very disappointing...
A beautiful book about a wonderful subject

What Baseball Means to Me : A Celebration of Our National Pastime
the National Baseball Hall of Fame , and Curt Smith
Manufacturer: Warner Books, Inc. New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Baseball | Sports | Bargain Books | Stores | Books

General | Biography | Bargain Books | Stores | Books

Sports | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0002Z0HTM

Book Description

A unique collection of illustrations from the National Baseball Hall of Fames archives and original essays by baseballsbiggest fans from all walks of life, featuring celebrities from the worlds of sports, entertainment, and politics.This extraordinary book, which is fully endorsed by the Baseball Hall of Fame, features never-before-published essays by Americas best-known baseball lovers. These celebrities write about how they became fans, what magical moments they remember best, and what the game truly represents to us all. WHAT BASEBALL MEANS TO ME features more than 150 contributors, including commentary from such notables as Ted Williams, Tim Russert, John Updike, George Bush, Dave Barry, David Maraniss, Cardinal Edward Egan, Lisa Fernandez, Vin Scully, Ann Richards, Hugh Sidey, Bob Uecker, Dan Rather, and many more.

Customer Reviews:

A nostalgic look back...........2005-09-10

Although I purchased this book as a gift for my sports fanatic son-in-law, the book was so inviting that I took a little time to peruse it before I wrapped it and found myself taking a trip down memory lane. I especially enjoyed the comments about what baseball was like when I was growing up. It took me back to a time when I, too was awed by my first trip to Yankee Stadium. Definitely a good read for any "baby boomer" who remembers the "good old days" when team rosters stayed virtually the same for more than just a season or two!

An okay book but given the subject it should have been great.......2003-05-12

The best advice I can give you for reading "What Baseball Means to Me: A Celebration of Our National Pastime" from cover to cover is based on the same principle by which you should never leave a baseball game earlier. You might see something worth remembering. This is certainly the case with this book, which is edited by Curt Smith because the idea that this is a collection of "essays" is a definite misnomer. What happened was that 150 people, from former and current baseball plays like Phil Rizutto and Pedro Martinez, along with writers, politicians, presidents, and other types of celebrities were asked to provide responses to the statement "what baseball means to me." In the case of coach Mike Ditka and writer Elmore Leonard that means a slight paragraph, while David E. Birney and Dan LeBatard provide poems, and Doris Kearns Goodwin compares and contrasts her early love affair with the Brooklyn Dodgers and her current affection for the Boston Red Sox for several pages. These responses are accompanied by more than 200 photographs from the National Baseball Hall of Fame (whose seal of approval appears on the cover).

Ultimately it is supposed to be the stories told about the love of baseball that matters and not the identity of the person writing the response, but the book works against that goal. I get the sense that "What Baseball Means to Me" was compiled rather than edited. The responses are arranged alphabetically rather than thematically, so George Bush is followed by George W. Bush. This is not a coffee table book that you sit down and read cover to cover; a series of symbolic rain delays are probably helpful in getting through all the responses. I would have liked the book a lot more if there had been a more logical pattern of organization beyond the alphabet. Instead of being engrossed in this volume I was constantly distracted by entries that were not worthy of inclusion. When I got to Bob Costas and found a brief series of sentences separated by ellipses, I knew this book was in trouble. However, at the end of the alphabetical rainbow are Bob Uecker and Ted Williams, so hang in there.

Still, everybody who loves the game should find a couple of choice gems within these pages if they take the time to mine them out from the rest. My choice memory from the past was called forth by a photograph of Mel Stottlemyre sliding home to complete an insider-the-park grand slam home run at Yankee Stadium on July 21, 1965. That was the year I started watching baseball and had decided I was a Yankee fan (I liked New York as a state and the Yankees in the Civil War), and I remember watching that game on television and them showing the play over and over because the announcers could not get over the fact that this had just been done by a pitcher (Mel hit that big gap in deep left center, way beyond the monuments). So there are things here to touch upon your love of the game, but we still cannot help but feel disappointed that this book is not as great as it should have been.

What Baseball Means To Me.......2002-05-31

Curt Smith is right on the money with this wonderful book. It made me cry in parts because the passion that so many of the writers have for the game of baseball is that same passion that is in all of us for something we truly love. The choice of people was very timely. There were people I knew, and others I didn't know, but I enjoyed reading every one of their essays. This book would be a great Father's Day gift. It's one of those books that you see and think is beautifully done, but once you start reading, you can't put it down. A real treasure. I'll keep it on my coffee table for a long time.

Very disappointing..........2002-05-25

...but most of all a little boring. actually, a lot boring. I get enough of Dan Rather and Dave Barry to care what they think about baseball. If the author posed specific questions, then it might have been interesting. This book does not at all go to the Heart of the game.Very disappointed.

A beautiful book about a wonderful subject.......2002-05-13

This is one of the most beautiful books I've seen in a long time. The stories are not about being celebrities, but about baseball and how it gets hold of you and never lets go. Theirs are not stories of being famous, but of being Americans with a common love of The Game. If you love baseball or know someone who does, get this book.

Baseball Gold: Mining Nuggets from Our National Pastime

Average customer rating:

Tedious book full of errors
Baseball gold is gold.

Baseball Gold: Mining Nuggets from Our National Pastime
Dan Schlossberg
Manufacturer: Triumph Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

History | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Stark Truth: The Most Overrated and Underrated Players in Baseball History
The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs: Recrowning Baseball's Greatest Slugger
The SABR Baseball List & Record Book: Baseball's Most Fascinating Records and Unusual Statistics
Few and Chosen: Defining Negro League Greatness
The Glory Days: New York Baseball 1947-1957

ASIN: 1572439580

Book Description

Trivia buffs and casual fans alike will marvel at the nuggets found in Baseball Gold, the first book of its kind to uncover some of the quirkiest factoids about our national pastime. Who, for instance, would have guessed that the only other player besides Hank Aaron to homer for the Braves more than 15 seasons in a row was Warren Spahn? Or that Hideo Nomo once gave up a home run after leaving a game? Baseball Gold will make a believer out of you and in the process take you on a magical tour of the game's unusual history. As Joaquin Andujar once said when asked for a one-word description of baseball, "Youneverknow." Now you do.

Customer Reviews:

Tedious book full of errors.......2007-08-12

This book promises more than it delivers. The text abounds with errors (sometimes two on one page!). And the reminiscences by Brooks Robinson are bathetic rather than entertaining.

Baseball gold is gold........2007-06-08

Maybe it is because this book is brand new but I cannot fathom why no one has reviewed this yet. This book is a great read for hardcore stat heads to the casual fan alike. It is basically 400 pages of little stories and stats. However, the way it is layed out is what makes the book special. Since I am NOT a know-it-all about baseball, I tend to stay away from trivia or Q&A style books. This book just gives a quick answer or anecdote. For example, most books would ask "What American League player has represented five different teams in an all-star game?", then for the answer you would have to helplessly flip through a hundred pages. In Baseball Gold it just tells you that Gary Sheffield made the all-star team with five different teams. To me, that just makes more sense. Almost ever single page has at least one picture. Overall, a great buy.

Average customer rating:

Excellent book but condition was less than expected.

Painting as a Pastime

Manufacturer: Cornerstone Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Sir Winston Churchill: His Life and His Paintings
My Early Life: 1874-1904
What Is Art? (Penguin Classics)
The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill
Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth

ASIN: B000EZ5GTG

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book but condition was less than expected........2007-02-19

I knew this was a used book, but the condition wasn't top notch, but that's okay. the content is excellent. Very interesting and insightful.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books