Review of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross: Text and Performance (Casebooks on Modern Dramatists) (Paperback)

I haven't been able to buy this book, but I have read it.It is very good, and doesn't just talk about the play, about half the essays are significantly focused on the movie version of Glengarry Glen Ross, andthere are a few that are completely focused on it.I believe one evenmakes a case that the movie is better than the play (which I agree with). A great book if you are interested in Mamet's work of genius!

Product Description
The 12 original and two classic essays offer a dialectic on performance and structure, and substantially advance our knowledge of this seminal playwright.The commentaries examine feminism, pernicious nostalgia, ethnicity, the mythological land motif, the discourse of anxiety, gendered language, and Mamet's vision of America, providing insights on the theatricality, originality, and universality of the work. Although the dominant focus is on Glengarry Glen Ross, several essays look at the play against the background of Mamet's Edmund, Reunion, and American Buffalo, whereas others find fascinating parallels in Emerson, Baudrillard, Conrad, Miller, and Churchill.The book also includes an interview with Sam Mendes, the director of the highly acclaimed 1994 revival of Glengarry Glen Ross in London, conducted specifically for this collectio. A chronology of major productions and the most current and comprehensive bibliography of secondary references from 1983-1995 complete the volume.

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Review of Beautiful Swimmers: Watermen, Crabs and the Chesapeake Bay (Paperback)

As a kid in Marblehead, Mass. I liked to catch crabs off the rocks.When I grew up a bit, I learned to eat them too---a very succulent food that I still love.But, I must confess that I never thought of reading booksabout them until one day I ran across William Warner's BEAUTIFUL SWIMMERSin a college bookshop.This wonderful work contains all you ever wanted toknow about the life cycle of one particular kind of crab that lives inChesapeake Bay (the kind you probably smashed with mallets if you ever wentto that area).Surprisingly, for most of its life, the Atlantic blue crabhas nothing to do with beer.Taking it for a focus, Warner drawsconnections with the sea, the rivers, the crab-friendly environment thatproduced such a wealth of the creatures, and then the people who live fromthat wealth, the islanders who lived isolated for centuries, but are nowfirmly within the web of modern life.Warner tells of the marketing ofcrabs, the catching of other Chesapeake products like oysters, and even offestivals like a Miss Crustacean contest ! You can learn about esotericalike crab pots, the Waterman's Union, the religious heritage of crabbers,and lots more. My edition came with a number of excellent pencil drawingsof crabs, crabbers, and maritime scenes from the area.I was disappointedby only one thing----reaching the end of this great book.

Product Description
William Warner exhibits his skill as a naturalist and as a writer in this Pulitzer Prize-winning study of the pugnacious Atlantic blue crab and of its Chesapeake Bay territory. Penguin Nature Library.

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Review of Call Me Ted (Hardcover)

I was looking forward to reading CALL ME TED, but being busy and multitasking, I decided to by the CD version.

I listen and re-listen to Ted's story. What amazed me most about this package was that Ted recorded every page of his 500 page book while recovering in the hospital - it took him 40 to 45 hours to record.

This in itself is a world breaking record to begin with. Does he understand what being tired means? I don't think so... you can hear his voice weakening in some moments, but that was the best part of why I find it inspirational.

They keep saying that his life was difficult, or his childhood was a complex one. At that time not many kids had the brightest of childhoods, but none of them were like Ted. He was about what you want for tomorrow in your life, and how you want the day after tomorrow to unfold. That is Ted Turner to me as his reader (or in this case, listener). He is a hard working, very intelligent and creative, long vision and determined, most honest, loving, caring, and a patriot to the core. What is most important, Ted Turner, achieved all of this alone, he created ideas all alone, he managed to make it happen all alone, and he stands all alone. I read almost every biography of successful people and by far this one tops them all. I am very thankful to be able to read someone's life as great as his in a most straight to the point and yet inspiring way. Whatever happens behind closed doors in his real life, this is what we need to see and read, to feel inspired, and this book did it for me. Thank you.



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Review of Dying for Revenge (Gideon Trilogy, Book 3) (Hardcover)

Gideon is back!That simple sentence has enough power in it for fans to salivate in this, the last book in a phenomenal series.I will be honest and say that this book didn't start off with the liquid fast pace that his others one have.It actually caught me off guard because I was like "what in the world"?It was that noticeable and very unusual for EJD.That being said, I still hung with it because this man is pure talent and I knew he wouldn't let the story down.AND HE DIDN'T!I was pulling for Gideon (of course) but through the course of the story I also felt myself pulling for Matthew and the red-hair lady who loved shoes.I take that back, this crazy woman had an obsession for shoes!!

It was almost comical in how Eric described her and her obsessive infatuation.This woman could be in a gun fight for her life and she could tell you not only where her would be assassins bought their shoes, but what size they were, how much they paid, and what store on the exact street they bought them in!!But that's just a side dish let me get back to the main course... Gideon.Gideon.Freaking Gideon!!This assassin/lover/protector/walking paradox/murderer/one-man-dispenser-of-justice is the driving force to this entire trilogy.To say that this man is battling demons is like saying The Clinton's hate the Obama's... no kidding!

Once this story got going it really didn't slow down and THAT is what I expect from Mr. Dickey.I also LOVED the relationship between Gideon and Hawks.That was a part of the story that I didn't expect but it was a very, very strong glue to this book.In this book Gideon is the hunter and the hunted, usually at the same time."Gideon" must be Latin for "nine lives" because this man gets out of more impossible situations than James-freaking-Bond.You really can't help but pull for Gideon even though his brutality is sometimes just downright...well... brutal.With violence emanating off him like cheap perfume it wouldn't be right if his friends and enemies were anything different.Once they start to hunt for each other the body count becomes high, the blood flows free, and the pain is given and taken like breaths.

The physical pain that Gideon goes through is only rivaled by the emotional and mental anguish he's feeling trying to protect what is "his".You read this series, this story in particular, and you wonder how one person can endure so much.So much pain.So much hunger.So much distrust.So much never having a home.So much destructive sexual freedom.So much what-ifs?So much... everything.Then you realize that Gideon is a murder-for-hire and maybe THAT is how he deals with it.But who knows?Maybe God?Maybe the devil, but even I think he's afraid to get on Gideon's bad side.

A really great finish to a really great series.I do think, however, that Eric is about .000008 seconds away from leaving the States and making his new home on the islands.The way he describes the islands is like describing an incredibly sexy and beautiful woman.If he does go I hope he's looking a chaperone... but I don't want Gideon as the pilot.:-)



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Review of Frommer's San Francisco 2005 (Frommer's Complete) (Paperback)

I have been to San Francisco dozens of times and used at least five different travel guide books. I especially liked this one because the author gave a real sense of the places and gave me a better idea of whether I wanted to go to the places--especially when it came to restaurants. As far as sights go, all the essentials are covered. And there are plenty of hotels, restaurants, and shops to choose from. I found some real neighborhood gems thanks to this book. It definitely helped me to see more of authentic San Francisco.

Product Description
You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go-- they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!

Thoroughly updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer's San Francisco featureseverything you need to know to enjoythe sights and experiences that await you in the City by the Bay. Our author, a longtime resident and noted dining critic, hits all the highlights, from Golden Gate Park to North Beach. She's checked out all the city's best hotels and restaurants in person, and will help you find the choices that suit your tastes and budget. Her honest, irreverent, and opinionated dining reviews encompass everything from the best dim sum to the freshest seafood, from affordable burrito joints and Vietnamese restaurants to trendy bistros opened by California's hottest chefs.

Look for up-to-the-minute coverage of shopping and nightlife; detailed walking tours; accurate neighborhood maps; and side trips to Berkeley, Sausalito, Muir Woods, Point Reyes, and more. There's also a detailed chapter on the nearby Wine Country, with the best wineries, inns, spas, and gourmet shopping, and the most decadent restaurants in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. You'll even get a free color fold-out map and an online directory that makes trip-planning a snap!

From the Back Cover
Experience a place the way the locals do. Enjoy the best it has to offer. Frommer's. The best trips start here.

• Insider tips on the best side trips from San Francisco, from the Napa and Sonoma valleys to Berkeley, Sausalito, and Muir Woods.
• Outspoken opinions on what's worth your time and what's not.
• Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect trip no matter what your budget.
• Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions.

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Review of Fodor's Colorado, 6th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides) (Paperback)

This book was essential to our wonderful trip. I was able to focus on the things that really interested me, and I actually suprised my relatives who live in the area with some little-known places thanks to the book. It is full of useful info and great travel tidbits.

Product Description
Colorado is an outdoor paradise second to none. For ski enthusiasts, The Rockies create a mountain spine, eternally covered in snow, that's larger than Switzerland.It's eastern third is a sea of waving grasslands, and its southwest is a multihue desert, carved with pink and mauve canyons. Whatever the activity, you will be captured by Colorado's beauty.Our local writers have explored the state to find the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities to prepare you for a journey of stunning variety. Before you leave be sure to pack your Fodor's guide to ensure you don't miss a thing.

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

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

From the Publisher
We've compiled a helpful list of guidebooks that complement Fodor's Colorado. To learn more about them, just enter the title in the keyword search box.

Compass: Colorado (4th Edition): A stunning, full-color guide to the character, culture, and history of Colorado.

Skiing USA: The Guide for Skiers and Snowboarders (2nd Edition): Where to Ski, Snowboard, Stay, and Eat in the 30 Best U.S. Ski Resorts.

Mobil 98: Northwest and Great Planes: America's favorite domestic series, famous for its encyclopedic listings.

Complete Guide to America's National Parks: The Official Visitor's Guide to All 375 National Parks.

Great American Sports and Adventure Vacations (2nd Edition): 500 of the Country's Best Outdoor Trips and Sports Schools ... Selected by the Pros.

Healthy Escapes (6th Edition): 255 Resorts and Retreats Where You Can Get Fit, Feel Good, Find Yourself, and Get Away From It All.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Review of Fill 'er Up!: The Great American Gas Station (Hardcover)

The book is pretty good with tons of pictures of vintage gasoline memorabilia. It also mentions European Gas Station Matters, The book at times is repetitive. But Is a pretty good collection of memorablilia.No memorabilia of D-x/Diamond-X/Sunray DX however, or others that could have been covered.

Product Description
In this car culture of ours, what could be more American than the gas station, from the roadside pit stop in the middle of nowhere to the spit-and-polish, full service city shop?



This brightly illustrated history of service stations runs the gamut from East to West, North to South, spotlighting the culture and lore of the gas-pumping garage that has kept the United States moving for a century.



Whether it's the last-chance Texaco or the Sinclair dinosaur winking in the distance, the beckoning Shell, or the winged Mobil horse, it's here in all its small-town glory of compact architecture, inspired promotions, art deco pumps, and endless views of the American horizon.



Author Tim Russell, one of the world's foremost collectors and historians of Petroliana, rolls out the ribbon of highway that takes us to all of those way stations of Americas motoring past.



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Review of Rope: The Twisted Life and Crimes of Harvey Glatman (Mass Market Paperback)

I've read a number of true crime books in the past. None of them has dealt with a character as strange as Harvey Glatman, a mousy little guy from New York who came to California to meet girls, and wound up tying them up and strangling them. It's a curious, strange story, and it'd be interesting if it weren't for Newton's obsession with getting every last fact before the reader.

The book includes a summary of each of the killings. Glatman essentially kidnapped the women, tied them up, photographed them, raped them, then strangled them, abandoning the bodies in the desert to the south or east of L.A. He was caught when his fourth victim fought back, and managed to get his gun away from him, running away right into the arms of a Highway Patrol officer getting off work. All of the facts of the crimes as far as the author can discern them, Glatman's trial (he pled guilty and requested execution as soon as possible) and subsequent execution, and even the disposition of the victim's personal effects, are covered in detail. It's fascinating for the most part, if a bit much.

The problem comes in the author's decision to go beyond that. He spends a chapter not only going over the killer's early life in New York, but briefly surveying the history of Jews in New York City (Glatman was Jewish and from N.Y.C.). The author seems obsessed with displaying a command of the study of serial killers which would no doubt be interesting in a survey of them. Unfortunately, given that the book is supposedly about Glatman, it's mostly distracting. To make things worse, the killings themselves are described in detail, mostly reconstructed from the interrogations the police did after Glatman was arrested. Several chapters later, the interrogations are repeated almost word for word, so that you go over the same material again. It's a bit much.

Lastly, remember that I said Glatman took photographs? They were apparently destroyed after his conviction (some of them were nude) but a newspaper in Denver got some of the milder ones and published them, and Newton reprints them. They're nothing compared with modern pornography: women bound wearing clothes, with frightened expressions on their faces. The idea that the fear is real, though, is a bit unsettling, and some may be squeamish about this.

All in all this is a solid true crime book, if a bit heavy on the detail and extraneous material.

Product Description

JOURNEY TO THE KILLING GROUND

It was an age of innocence -- an era of carhops, poodle skirts, and hula hoops. It was also a time of terror. In 1958, a man named Harvey Glatman sped along the Santa Ana freeway out of L.A., headed to the desert with his "date" huddled in the passenger seat beside him. In his pockets Harvey had a gun and a length of rope. Drunk on power, arousal, and rage, Harvey also had a plan. And beneath the desert stars, by the light of the moon, he carried out his ordeal of unimaginable cruelty -- using his body, a camera, and his rope....

Months later, after one of his inhuman attacks went awry, Harvey's torture killings were described to a shocked and silent California courtroom. For decades, these infamous deeds would inspire television and movie plots. But until now, there has been no definitive account of the forces that drove one of America's most legendary serial killers. And never before has it been explained why, for Harvey Glatman, his crimes weren't about killing, raping, and torturing at all -- they were all about the rope.

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Review of The American Century Cookbook (Hardcover)

I recently received a copy of The American Century Cookbook.My wife and I have several dust covered recipe books that are largely ignored when it is time to cook up something new.After one quick shuffle through thisbook however, we found ourself sitting together and going through the bookas if it were, well what it is, an intriguing history book that accents its"flavor" with numerous recipes, pictures and facts.Several ofmy friends, including my parents and my in-laws will be receiving their owncopy of this wonderful historical treasure. I may even have to buy myselfanother copy because my wife likes to dogear pages that she wants to comeback to.In this case it would have been easier to dogear those that shedid not want to return to.



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Review of Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball (Paperback)

The Lucille Ball in Kathleen Brady's book, "Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball" is a study of contradictions. Partly an homage to a star she clearly adores, partly an expose on Lucy's dark side, this book paints an incomplete and unsatisfying picture of America's premiere television comedianne.

The Lucy in this book comes across both as a scrappy fighter early in her career, and a hardened soul at the end of it, which may very well be true, or not. It was difficult to discover the viewpoint of Lucy that the author was trying to take. At times, it was clearly injected with personal opinions and commentaries not warranted in the biography of someone else's life, both glowing and scandalous. And whereas the majority of the book takes up the years of Desilu's powerhold on the television industry, from I Love Lucy to Star Trek, it shortchanges both her early career and later career, almost as insignificant bookends to her highest pinnacle in the 1950's. Certainly, Lucy had a full, complete life, only some of which is shown here.

However, there were some parts I did enjoy. Lucy's less-than-impressive movie career which eventually gave birth to her TV persona was interesting, as you root for her to make the transition earlier. Her undying devotion to Desi in the early years, despite mutual fits of jealousy and rage, made for a deepening look at their marriage.And the occasional parts that show her softer, kinder side were warm to read.

Which leads to this thought. Clearly Lucy is loved country wide; were we ready to learn some negative things about the woman we cherished? Certainly not unknown, nor surprising to anyone who's read other things. The issue perhaps comes in balancing all viewpoints to present a clearer one, rather than being all over the board haphazardly.

As for Lucie and Desi Arnaz, Jr.'s objections to the book were clear to me as I read through to the end. Kathleen Brady seemed to have a personal vendetta against these two, as she paints them very unfavorably as spoiled Hollywood rich kids. Nary a kind word was said about these two, which leads me to think they offered no assistance in creating this book, so a price was paid for their silence.

In the end, I did not feel closer to Lucy than I had before reading this. I may suggest grabbing a bowl of popcorn, putting up your feet, and watching some classic episodes of I Love Lucy, to remember Lucy the way she wanted us to remember her, with a smile and a laugh.



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Review of Dangerous Attraction (Paperback)

How far will a mother go to protect her adult son from a murder charge? Sometimes, pretty far, as is revealed in the book Dangerous Attraction, by Robert Scott.

Twenty year old Katrina Montgomery was a lovely and warm young woman who was also a very beloved member of her family. None of her family is sure why she began to hang out with the lethal street gang in Ventura, CA. called the Skin Head Dogs. It appears that Katrina felt some sort of thrill involved with "taking a walk on the wild side."

Katrina befriended a member of the gang, the tattooed and drug abusing Justin Merriman, who himself was also twenty years of age and was doing time for the assault of a correction's officer. Katrina and Justin spent much time writing letters back and forth to each other until the day that Justin's time had been served and he was released.

Justin came out of prison with the impression that Katrina was his girlfriend, but that is not the way that she saw it. At a gang party on Thanksgiving of 1992, Katrina proceeded to get herself quite intoxicated and ended up at Justin's family home along with two other of the gang members. In Justin's bedroom, she was taken and raped by Justin right in front of his buddies. He then stabbed her in the neck with a knife, beat her over the head with a heavy wrench, then finally cut her throat. Her body was never found.

It was not until six years later, when he was stopped for a bike riding violation by police and ran, that he was caught.....and even that was after a wild chase and a harrowing seven hour standoff.

So, where does Justin's mother fit in?

Beverlee Sue Merriman had her own ways. She did everything within her powers to protect her son, no matter what the consequences were to her. She made sure to keep in close contact with Justin's other skinhead gang buddies, to ensure that no one would "talk." She ended up doing her son more harm than she would ever imagine.

This case had grown cold by the time the police had finally gathered enough evidence to bring Justin to trial, where the jury concluded that he was to die by lethal injection at San Quentin Prison in California.

This is a very well written true crime book. Robert Scott, also the author of Rope Burns and Like Father, Like Son, has done an excellent job of laying out this story which occurs over an eight year time span. Fans of true crime will find this story of murder, along with all of the terrorizing used to keep the gang members silent, to be a very interesting read.


Product Description
Katrina Montgomery took a walk on the wild side with a brutal, speed-fuelled skinhead called Justin Merriman. After serving a sentence for assaulting a prison officer, he murdered Katrina while his friends looked on. Katrina's body was never found but Merriman eventually died by lethal injection.

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Review of Time's Arrow and Archimedes' Point: New Directions for the Physics of Time (Paperback)

This is one of the hardest books I've ever read.It was rewarding, though.Price wrote the book explicitly for philosophers and physicists.Frankly, it was nice to see a book written thus with all the condescendingattitudes that these two (?) spheres of knowledge have had towards eachother in this day and age.This book belongs in the same prestigious realmas the books on physics & philosophy that were written by WernerHeisenberg and Sir James Jeans earlier this century.I would like to seemore books of this type in the future.

As you might have guessed,the book deals with the nature of time.It is HIGHLY recommended thatanyone attempting grapple with this intellectual Godzilla have a generalunderstanding of quantum mechanics (if, that is, anyone really DOESunderstand QM) and some background in thermodynamics and relativity wouldnot hurt, either.This book is not for those who think of books byDanielle Steele as intellectually stimulating.

The book deals with theentropy "problem" of how it is that matter ever got to its lowentropy state after the big bang, since (apparently) high entropy (heatdeath) is its natural state.Price tours some potential (althoughsometimes far fetched) answers to this query.

For me, the mostfascinating facet of the book was its discussion of the idea of advancedaction as a solution to the nonlocality "problem" in QM.It'samazing for me to think that two entangled photons could already KNOW thatthe other's spin is going to change at such-and-such a time due to theirtravelling at the speed of light.Although Price did not invent thisconcept, he supports it (compellingly) and also objects to the normalcriticism that either we can have relativity or free will, but not both.Atruly fascinating concept for physicists and philosophers alike.

So,if you want a wild and engrossing intellectual ride, this book is for you.



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