1 comments about An Orphan in History: Retrieving a Jewish Legacy.

1. Cowan was raised as the most upper-class of Jews; he even attended an elite, priveleged high school out East where he was required to go to Episcopalian services. This is the story of how he slowly left that world and discovered his Jewish roots. Cowan writes from the heart, expressing all his emotions about his journey, including his fears. I am from an extremely traditional Jewish background, and was very impressed at his openness to first learning about something that he really knew little about, and then gradually beginning to practice it. (One of my favorite parts of the book is when he puts on tefillin, a morning ritual for Orthodox Jewish men). In addition, this is also a story about his wife. Raised as a Protestant, she comes to share his love for his new-found faith. A unique book. It is a shame that Cowan passed away so young; a sequel would have been great.

5 comments about Lads: A Memoir.

1. I love this book. It's devastatingly witty, heartbreaking at moments, and yes, heartwarming. A fun, wicked portrait of glossy twenty-something Manhattan life.



2. A hilariously poignant - and pleasantly pessimistic - tale of one man's rise through New York's publishing industry circuit. Touching at times, yet always temperamental, Izkoff's skewed view on life, liberty and the pursuit of getting laid gracefully skirts the fine line between raunch and redemption, providing a captivating read in the process. An insightful peek behind the headlines and hijinks at Dennis Publishing, it comes highly recommended.



3. Lads gets you both laughing and, with what the writer endures, cringing. Itzkoff is, simply, funny, and his book is smart and well-written, and thankfully much more than a rah-rah recounting of life inside Maxim. To be open, I know the author, but knowing him had no impact on the fact that at many times while reading I actually laughed out loud as Itzkoff described his jobs, his life in the NYC publishing world, his family, the painful dating world and those he worked with or for. But for all the criticism he lays on others, Itzkoff saves his harshest comments for himself; it's not self criticism, it's self flagellation. It's also exceedingly honest, and his examination of being a man in this Maximish world is thoughtful and thought-provoking.



4. Full disclosure: I was once a freelancer in the New York magazine business, and at Maxim on and off for a few years. (Now on with the review.) I really enjoyed this speedy read, but this may be out of sheer self-centeredness: I like stories that accurately give the reader a tour of a part of the world at a particular era, and this made for amusing reading because I floated in and out of that specific moment and place, at an Important Time In My Life, In the Big City. (I read part of the book in a nearby dive bar, and nearly spit out my beer a few times, certain scenes were so hilariously familiar.)
   
   The average non-Maxim-affiliated reader can find plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in Itzkoff's memoir, but New York magazine-biz types have probably just rolled their eyes in disgust at the lad-mag employees who've "sold their souls." (Or rolled their eyes at Itzkoff, Toby Young, or others who unflinchingly hold up the mirror.) The book's definitely funny, but it's a wry, dark humor, given more to acknowledging smiles and nods than knee-slapping guffaws.
   
   Would a comparison to Toby Young's (almost) tell-all be insulting to Itzkoff? Maybe. Young's pratfalls were retarded, cartoonish. Itzkoff's screw-ups (too numerous to call out here) were undoubtedly cringe-inducing, but funny and familiar and heartbreaking, too.
   
   SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! The end is way too pat. I don't mind that Itzkoff and his dad end up on the shrink's couch, but it seemed like that resolution was just stuck on. The scene is well-rendered, but a longer road to the psychiatrist may have been in order.



5. I got this book because it was $4.99 and I needed to spend $4 more dollars to qualify for free shipping on another purchase. It was either pay $8 for shipping, or add this book for $4.99.
   
   I now wish I'd paid the extra $3.01 so that I might not have this bad taste in my mind... that "bad read" taste that just lingers psychically. Ick. You see, I am the type of reader who will see a book through to the end no matter how awful. And therein lies the problem.
   
   This book is of a particular genre, the "glamour job tell-all", sort of a Devil Wears Prada (but not even as good as that, and that wasn't all that good a book -- despite the way Merrill Streep single handedly saved the movie.)
   
   Anyhow, the problem with this book is that for a tell all to "work" the reader sort of has to be sympathetic to the writer/protagonist. And with Lads, that just isn't possible because Dave Itzkoff is the kind of guy you'd go out of your way to avoid in life if you could.
   
   While he skewers all the people he once worked with, from famed editor Mark Golin to loosely disguised Maxim editors, one sort of has to wonder if his coworkers even remember the guy -- he's that much of a wash out. He's such a weasel that self-admittedly only a handful of people show up for his goodbye party and of those most are there for the free drinks and of those there for the drinks most get their fill before making their escape by 7:00pm. Too bad the reader can't get out as easily.
   
   Don't get trapped into spending hours with Dave Itzkoff via the pages of this book.
   
   Gentle Reader, avoid my pain. Even if the book is free; don't do it!

5 comments about Pretty Girl in Crimson Rose (8): A Memoir of Love, Exile, and Crosswords.

1. What can one say that will accurately describe this book?
   That it's a marvelous memoir that reads like a novel? Yes!
   That it's a special treat for cruciverbalists of the cryptic kind? Most definitely!
   That it's quite unlike anything you've ever read? Probably
   That Sandy Balfour should just keep writing more and more? Most assuredly!
   But, to sum it up in a phrase...?
   O.K. *A truly fun read (reed)!!![.]



2. I wish Balfour had concentrated more on his love of crosswords and less on the memoir. The crossword discussion and examples were fascinating and educational. I've learned a great deal on the art of solving the cryptic variety of crosswords. By the end of the book my chances of solving these clues had gone from none to slim. The deciding factor now is a matter of culture. So many of the clues in the British puzzles relate to British culture and/or slang as well they should. I'm fairing better with the clues in the Games Magazine cryptic crosswords which is a huge step forward for me.



3. At first impression this seems to be a wandering memoir focussed on the author's love of crosswords with a few personal details thrown in. But as you read on, it becomes clear Balfour is writing a long love letter to his girlfriend, who introduced him to crossword puzzles. As he explains lucidly how he slowly began to understand the way the puzzles were put together, he slips in more and more details about his girlfriend. As you wonder whether they stayed together, you learn that she is pregnant with their first child. Time passes on, he gets better and better jobs, and suddenly she is giving birth to their third child. This is a wonderful piece of writing and one I cannot recommend highly enough.



4. This is a clever, quirky little book. The cover says it is a memoir of love, exile and crosswords, but it actually defies categorisation. It isn't really a memoir - the writer is quite selective about which doors of his life are opened to the reader. We know he becomes a crossword afficianado and has a deep fondness for his adopted country (England, he is an ex pat South African) and for his "girlfriend", a title that becomes somewhat grating as the book progresses and she becomes central to his life and the mother of his chidren. But along with a few snippets about his professional life, that's about all he gives away about himself. The story is more a series of recollections of moments in time which he describes for their life importance and for their association with where he was at the same time, in his development as a crypiic crossword afficianado. The originality and cleverness of the book is in the way it is a history of the development of cryptic crosswords and and their setters, and a "how to do them" guide, (arguably a fairly dry subject) which is flavoured up with human interest by being embedded in some important events in the writer's life. Definitely recommended for those who love doing cryptic crosswords and those who aspire to do them. Probably of less interest to those who consider crosswords to be only for nerdy types who need to get a real life. (Pretty Girl in Crimson Rose - answer, rebelled - if you can't work it out and are itching to know why, buy the book!!)



5. Sandy Balfour, South African by birth, but foreign in other countries since his 21st birthday, writes his memoir which he links inextricably with crosswords. It has a strange disembodied quality to it. It is almost as though Balfour is narrating someone elses life. It is reflective of the crosswords he adores, that sometimes the clues have layers to them, just like his life seems to be. Nothing, like a cryptic crossword, is straightfoward.
   
   It is a slow and layered biography which seems to be at times oa series of interlinked anecdotes about what happened in his life and how it fits in with the crossword clues of that time. Even the title of the book is a crossword clue and reflects his life.
   
   For those clues he doesn't solve, or even the ones where the answer is in the text there is a page in the back which talks about how to solve the particular clue, in case you didn't understand how the answer of reached. So you get the double benefit of learning to solve cryptic crosswords, if you didn't already know.
   
   I quite liked this book. It was quite a different type of read but enjoyable and I found it oddly compelling. It wasn't that Balfour was a sympathetic character, or even Oprah-like in his confessions. It was such an unusual book and well written which made it so interesting. My only distraction was the at times jerky connection of events which, in the context of a crossword are fine, but didn't work as well for the connection of a series of life events.

5 comments about On Assignment: The Stories Behind the Stories : Inspiring Experiences of an Lds Broadcast Journalist.

1. The stories in this book are motivational, inspiational, and exciting. This is one of the best books that I have ever read. Art Rascon is the greatest writer on the face of the earth.



2. In this book, Art Rascon CBS news corespondent shares faith promoting stories about his career as a journalist and the stories he has covered. It is extremely well written. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I especialy liked the story of how he got locked in a school locker for over an hour, how could kids be so mean? Buy it.



3. In this book, Art Rascon CBS news corespondent shares faith promoting stories about his career as a journalist and the stories he has covered. It is extremely well written. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I especialy liked the story of how he got locked in a school locker for over an hour, how could kids be so mean? Buy it.



4. This book is the greatest! I'm not under 13 but I'm writing in this space anyways... I read this book and it is very insperational! I love how he shared his experiences of his life and his news stories and tied it in with his belief and church standards. It's a great book and recomend it to everyone! I love the story of the him getting stuck in a locker by some of his "friends". It was sad and mooved me. I also like how he always followed what the church wanted him to do. I believe this man is a great person! I recommend you reading this fantastic book of truth!



5. This collection of inspiring stories by this award winning LDS broadcast journalist, is hopefully not Art Rascon's last compilation effort. Rascon's journalist wit and his compassionate and profound understanding of people combine to set the stage for his spiritual back-stories of the several memorable events he covered as a CBS news correspondent during the later half of the 1990's. Highly recommended reading for members of all faiths.

No comments about Reluctant Expatriate: The Life of Harold Frederic (Contributions to the Study of World Literature).

No comments about Angela Hutchinson Hammer: Arizona's Pioneer Newspaperwoman.

2 comments about The End of Romance: A Memoir of Love, Sex, and the Mystery of the Violin.

1. Hummmm...I was so excited when I rec'd this book, but it was short lived. This book reads like a really bad memoire filled with conversations that go on and on and on about nothing but the relationship between the author and her cousin (which happened to be 25yrs her senior, and whom raped her at the young age of 14), along with 2 other females which played no important role in the story at all. The plot deals with finding the origin of the Guanari family, but there are way too many distractions along the way. The author's cousin is a sniveling complainer which drags the whole book down. And, personally, I was sickened at the lack of the author's morals. Along with her cousin, she has sex with several strangers despite being married. I did, however, learn a few facts about violins and the detailed process of how one is created. Learning always deserves something, so I gave it 3 stars.



2. If we start to eliminate all the great writers who had less than perfect morals, we'd have precious little to read. If we rejected all the literary practitioners who committed adultery, we'd enjoy the company of very few.
   
   Since writers are by nature and practice, cannibals, feeding on their observations and regurgitating them transformed by imagination, why of all people should we turn to them when searching for moral paragons?
   
   So, yes, when a reviewer complains of being sickened by the writer's immorality in sleeping around while married, pardon me but this is perhaps the wrong book for such a refined sensibility. "Love" and "Sex" are mentioned in the title, so we have been warned. The faint of heart should retreat immediately to the safety of Kate Douglas Wiggin's "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm."
   
   However, Norma Barzman's "The Red and the Blacklist" makes much better reading than "The End of Romance," so read that one first.

2 comments about Mencken: A Life (Maryland Paperback Bookshelf).

1. Despite some boring passages, Fred Hobson provides a generally interesting and thorough portrait of the original cynic, H.L.Mencken. The book addresses many issues of racism and anti semitism on Mencken's part fairly and openly. The novel is excellently written. I would have preferred more information on the Scope's Trial in relation to Mencken because my interest in Mencken was sparked when reading Inherit the Wind by Laurence and lee in which Mencken is satired as E.K.Hornbeck. Read this book- it is informative and excellent. My congratulations to Fred Hobson and Happy Reading



2. As a fan of H.L. Mencken--and perhaps one of the few people under thirty who has read "The American Language," "Treatise on the Gods," "Heliogabalus" and all five volumes of "Prejudices"--I am shocked and appalled at the lack of respect paid the great author by his biographer. Mr. Hobson didn't seem to undertake the arduous task of writing a biography on his subject due to a sincere respect or enthusiasm; rather, he seems to have been moved by the less noble motivation of "One-ups-manship"; for as a Baltimorean scribe who happened to be at the right place, at the right time--he was granted access to some of Mencken's hitherto guarded (and now recently released) documents by the executors of Mencken's estate. As a result, Hobson is at times needlessly peevish with his subject, naively judgmental and historically hypocritical. The last remark is born of a nausea grounded in a Politically Correct self-righteousness that the biographer displays when he all but waves his finger at ghosts from the past when, say--for instance--he notices that in a much different world people in the 1910s and 1920s used such racially insensitive phrases for "haggling" as "jewing one down". (SHOULD this be considered offensive? --Certainly.) But for anyone in the modern era who has uttered the phrase "gyped," perhaps eighty years from now some pompous pedant will lodge the ludicrous claim that this shows your hatred of "gypsies" (where in fact the term "gyped" comes from). No, I might hazard the assertion that most people who have used the phrase do not hold an irrational grudge against the Romany people. Rather, they use such phrases unthinkingly--bereft of an racial connotations. My point? --Yes, there were insensitive things about the past. But no more so than in the Present. And to trot out situations and customs--verbal or otherwise--without the benefit of a cultural context betrays both ignorance and malice. Mr. Hobson is shameful in his betrayal of that lowest of critical temptations: To lash out at one's betters. Perhaps if Mr. Hobson thinks that using the term "African American," instead of "black" is a badge of tolerance over and above that of Mencken, maybe he can back up his words with actions: For it was Mencken--not Hobson--who distinguished himself by aiding and promoting writers of the Harlem Renaissance and for his outstanding support of civil rights for both blacks and Jews. Perhaps Mr. Hobson has given as much of himself to the causes of helping others? --If not, then he needs to moderate his disrespectful attitude; for Mencken's actions speak louder than Hobson's words.

1 comments about Light Years.

1. I loved this book. Sitting outside under a tree reading this book was like heaven. Schreiber talks about fly-fishing, nature, her precious cat, everything she writes about, she makes special. It is a thoughtful, touching book about memories, the important things in life, loss and love. I have now picked up this book to read for the second time. I want to be taken away again to where Le Anne Schreiber is. Her words are so soothing and thought provoking. There was nothing about this book that I didn't love. When I would read it at work, I found myself longing to get back to it, sneaking peeks at it whenever I could. wonderful essays on life.

No comments about A Rebel in Defense of Tradition: The Life and Politics of Dwight Macdonald.