5 comments about Last Train to Paradise: Henry Flagler and the Spectacular Rise and Fall of the Railroad That Crossed an Ocean.

1. Outstanding book--extremely well-written and very interesting. It's an enjoyable book even for readers not living in Florida or not familiar with Henry Flagler.



2. I read this book after touring Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL. You cannot go anywhere in St. Augustine without hearing and seeing Henry Flagler's legacy. I really enjoyed the book - I could barely put it down. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in railroad history, and feel it is a "must read" for anyone who's been to the beautiful city of St. Augustine and gotten a taste of Henry Flagler's visionary spirit.
   
   If you read the book without having visited the Florida Keys or St. Augustine, I strongly recommend that you do so soon!



3. 
   Florida has a long and fascinating history, often overlooked by new arrivals to our fair state, whose attentions seem to focus more on theme parks and the lack of frosty weather than what happened here yesterday or the day before. Les Standiford, whose books are always well written and enjoyable, has provided us with a glimpse of old Florida that is well worth the reader's time and attention, in "Last Train to Paradise".
   
   The book is an account of Henry Flagler's love for and work in developing Florida, with a special eye toward the building of the Key West Railroad. Flagler, you will recall, was partner with the crusty "spare-a-dime" plutocrat John D. Rockefeller in Standard Oil. Upon his semi-retirement, Flagler took up as his hobby railroading; not model railroading, but full-size, fill-the-miles railroading.
   
   Many cities along the Atlantic Coast of Florida were founded or revitalized by Flagler's enterprises; for, wherever his railroads went, exotic grand hotels sprang up to which the well-heeled and the curious swiftly flocked. (The First Lady, Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, traveled to St Augustine for the grand opening of the Ponce de Leon Hotel). Indeed, the St. Augustine of today owes more to Henry Flagler for its exotic ambiance as it does to the earliest Spanish settlers. So too, down the coast--from Ormond Beach to Palm Beach--his Florida East Coast Railway and glamorous hotel enterprise sprang, with such speed, vitality and élan that Flagler has been called "the man who built Florida."
   
   Standiford gives a great overview of Flagler and his love for the Sunshine State, and then goes on to tell the compelling story of the building of the Key West Railroad, the only railroad in the world to travel most of its length over open water, instead of land. Originally conceived in a bout of competitive bravura with the Gulf Coast's Henry Plant--at the grand opening of Plant's Tampa Bay Hotel--the Key West Railroad was designed to take travelers in cosseted comfort all the way to the southernmost tip of the United States. Standiford tells the tale of the grueling work that created this modern marvel and of its tragic demise during the horrific hurricane of 1935.
   
   All who have traveled to Key West by automobile have benefited from Flagler's vision, since much of the highway was constructed directly upon what remained of the Key West Railroad's foundations. If you love all things Florida, you will not want to miss reading this book.



4. If you do one thing before visiting the Florida Keys and Key West, PLEASE make time to read this book! We flew to Miami recently and drove this amazing route all the way to Key West. I finished the book right before our return trip, so I couldn't stop talking about the feats of engineering and perilous conditions during the entire car ride! (I think the fam got a little bored with me...should've made them all read it, too!)
   
   The only thing about reading this book while on vacation is that I frequently had to go back and re-read some paragraphs. It's very factual and requires a fair amount of concentration. Kind of hard to do with an umbrella drink in your hand, palm trees swaying overhead and the gorgeous ocean about 15 steps away. Sigh...
   
   Henry Flagler's story is so amazing, I would like to visit all of the hotels he was responsible for constructing all down the Atlantic Coast. We live in such a fast-paced and technologically advanced age that it's hard to fathom the trials and tribulations these men had to endure while constructing the railroad to Key West. It's amazing they ever finished it. Bless the souls who lost their lives in this astounding endeavor.



5. Time and tides wait for no man, nor are they particularly cooperative. Les Standiford's excellent "Last Train to Paradise" illustrates this on scales large and small in this vivid and informative telling of Henry Flagler's building of the railroad from mainland Florida to Key West. Although the project has earned only a footnote in American history, this grand and sad achievement illuminates a great deal of what the "Gilded Age," the years between the end of the Civil War and the Depression, were about.
   
   The lure and mystery of Key West, Manifest Destiny, pride, John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil, mosquitoes, hurricanes, oppressive heat, a 150-mile stretch of mostly open water, Ernest Hemingway, and a bit of oceanography and engineering are just some of the fascinating ingredients in this wonderful book. It should be required reading for anyone who contemplates driving US Highway One off the mainland south of Miami to the end of the road, where remnants of this tragic tale still remain.
   
   Marsh Muirhead, author of "Key West Explained - a guide for the traveler."

No comments about A Lucky American Childhood (Singular Lives).

4 comments about Minnesota Fats: Never Behind the Eight Ball.

1. Though well written stylistically, it's horribly researched. The author basically just took Wanderone and his fans' word for it, on everything. As most people with any knowledge of billiards history know, "Minnesota Fats" was a fictional character (from the novel, and later movie, "The Hustler"). Wanderone, who had been known as Brooklyn Fatty and New York Fats at the time, adopted the name and then began making up stories of his "exploits". But, in fact, he never played against most of the people he claimed to, much less beat them, and was not a very accomplished player at all (as completely crushing defeats at the hands of real pros, at least one of the televised, demonstrated). In Wanderone's defense, his snookering (pardon the pun) of the media and the general public was a masterpiece of p.r. manipulation, and his stage presence (he did many demonstration tours and other public appearances) was lengendary for its charisma, humor and general entertainment value. Still, people should not be taken in by this book or any other book that treats Wanderone as actually being "Minnesota Fats" (who never existed, nor was based on Wanderone), or as actually being a great player. He was mediocre on the table at best.



2. Written by someone that really knew the Great Pool Hustler! Walther's sincere compassion for the game of pool and for Minnesota is clearly evident. Not just a "Billiards" Book, it offers much more. And the proceeds go to a good cause too! A sincere fan, Mike Soper



3. I read the book on my last flight...I htought it was very insightful as to what this man experienced. It gave me a real feeling of what it must have been like to have this kind of skill, not just shooting stick, but everything that went along with it. I enjoyed it.



4. Fred Walther demonstrates his talents as an author with this wonderful read about the greatest pool player that has ever lived. For anyone interested in billiards or veteran students of the game this book is a must read. It's filled with insightful, helpful and humorous tips and stories from the master himself. What's even more intriguing, is Walther's insight into the fascinating life of Rudolph Walter Wanderone (a.k.a. Minnesota Fats). Walther balances objectivity as an author with his genuine affection for Fats who was his longtime friend. I've read it and re-read it numerous times always finding something new.

   Technically, the book is well laid out with large print. The section on "Tips" straight from Fats is priceless. You can open to any page and start enjoying. I highly recommend this diamond in the ruff.

   Peter Billingsle

No comments about Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life (Thorndike Press Large Print Core Series).

5 comments about Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith.

1. When I read this book, I felt like I could have written every word. Like Anne, I sometimes think that I make Christ drink himself to sleep at night. I wish she was my sister.
   
   Anne writes for us Christians who aren't afraid to say in really expressive terms what we really think and feel about our faith. To me, it seems like most Christian writers live in a rainbow gumdrop unicorn world where nothing bad ever happens - not Anne. She is so refreshingly honest about her struggles with both her family, friends and faith and her redeeming moments. If you are uncomfortable with people who share exactly what they feel without mincing words, this is not the book for you.



2. I like Anne Lamott's writings but she continuously bashes the President in this book. I think this is uncalled for. Seriously. She hates the President instead of praying for him (and as another reviewer noted she should "love thy neighbor") it totally turned me off in this book. Thank goodness I got this one at the library and did not waste my money on this book. Very disappointing.



3. I love Anne Lamott and this book is no exception. As always, she writes with honesty and humor about her everyday experiences. She helps me see the lighter and darker side of Christianity and life in general. I can relate to her foibles and rejoice with her in her human triumphs. I'm glad for Christian writers who I can relate to-not holier than thou, never make a mistake writers. I won't mention names. This book was a blessing.



4. I adore this woman for her faith, her wit and her unbelievable ability to keep on "keepin on" but the politics in this book just about drove me over the edge. I know, I know... to love Annie is to expect her political rantings. I kept reading and I did gleam little nuggets here or there of the Annie I know & love. It was worth the read, if only I could fast forward some of the politic heavy chapters.



5. Anne Lamott is back in all of her glorious humor, angst, and wisdom. If you haven't discovered Anne yet, she is shock therapy for those of us who learned how to be religious before we learned how to be human.
   
   In Traveling Mercies, Anne shared her crooked journey through alcoholism, bulimia, and broken relationships to a connection with St. Andrews Presbyterian Church and Jesus. Now, in Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith, Anne shares the new challenges to her faith: The Bush Administration, her aging mother, menopause, the losing friends to illness, teaching Sunday School, and raising her teen-aged son, Sam. While many of her crises in Plan B are stock milestones of middle age they are no less poignant when rendered by Anne's pen.
   
   Anne's power comes from her unflinching authenticity, a scarce quality in the self-serving industry of memoir writing. Anne describes her life has it happens, without bothering to airbrush away her neurotic impulses and imperfections. Her self-depreciating humor and honesty creates a picture of spirituality reminiscent of Dostoevsky; we are all simultaneously noble and depraved. As I read Plan B, I laughed with Anne at her foibles and became more honest about my own.
   
   Anne Lamott, along with Fredrick Buechner, might be the best living Christian Author that you can't find at a Christian book store. Anne elevates cursing to a literary art form. More significantly, Anne is openly pro-choice and pro-gay rights. She addresses God as a feminine being. Some readers might balk at her left-wing politics. However, I'd challenge any reader to see Anne as more than the sum of her politics and ideas. Reading anything by Anne Lamott creates the opportunity to remember that God wills and works through your bad attitudes, flawed character, and humanity. Wading through Anne's positions is worth any personal risk you might feel. Encountering her writing style is a joyous experience and you'll bump into God's grace as often as you will step in piles of human frailty.
   
   Anne is back and triumphant.

No comments about An American Hero: The Red Adair Story : An Authorized Biography.

5 comments about The Great One: The Life and Legend of Jackie Gleason (Thorndike Press Large Print Paperback Series).

1. This author takes every opportunity to take The Great One down a few pegs. Even when begrudgingly admitting Gleason's strong points (such as his generosity and support of civil rights), there is an underlying tone of judgement throughout the book.
   
   Also, I kept waiting for the "Honeymooners" period to be discussed, but this entire period seems glossed over. No anecdotes, no behind the scenes tales...
   
   It seems the author just wasn't privy to much information and instead composed a smear campaign of a dead man. A shame.



2. On the first page of the book you hit the statement that Jackie was "the laziest man alive." For me, that statement sets the tone. A quick look at the picture of the author will show he doesn't know much about excercise himself. I found it laughable that one of the big gripes William makes about Gleason was he proported musical talent was his that belonged to others, when whole paragraphs from the previous two biographies mysteriously found themselves into this book, word for word at times. Whereas the first two books were written by friends of Jackie's, William never had even a personal conversation with him, and spoke to NONE of the family. While he did speak to coworkers, I got the feeling from the beginning that he had set out to write a "Jackie is a smuck" book, and filtered everything accordingly. Within the first few chapters, I lost count of the number of factual errors that I found. Mae's mother had 11 children, not 5. They never actually lived in Ireland. Jackie's darkness didn't come from some ancestral Spainard sunk of the coast of Ireland, but from a maternal Great-Grandfather from Portugal. Herb, the father, was not a decade older than his wife, but three years. These were all easily researched items and were wrong. This cast a long shadow of suspicion over the rest of the book which consists of people's accounts of things long past. We all know how memories can be. The bookcover said the author treated shortcomings with compassion, but I found it closer to intense condemnation, such as with the statement, "the laziest man alive" because Jackie didn't walk 12 blocks in New York. Have to wonder if the author would have hoofed it, or hailed a cab. There may be some facts buried in the pile of misinformation and bad feeling, but it may be hard to find, or to identify. For me, I see Jackie's ever changing stories as a way for him to keep the truth private and just for himself. I certainly hope no one out there really believes that Tom Cruise is telling us the truth about his life, or Julia Roberts. Just because they do something, doesn't mean we deserve the intimate details of theirs lives. And just because Jackie wasn't upfront about his, doesn't change that mystical magic that happens when people watch the Honeymooners. He wasn't perfect, few of us are, but he gave us smiles we didn't have before. His life was sad and hard, but to be so spiteful and mean about it makes William's life even sadder. Imagine implying Jackie shouldn't feel upset because his mother died when he was a "man of nineteen" instead of boy of sixteen. I can't imagine having lost both parents by nineteen and to only have one cousin at my wedding for family. This book will only give you what you want if you already know that it has been written by someone who looked for the bad and down played the good, or quite possibly, simply didn't include those accounts. The book wasn't that interesting, and I certainly could put it down. It left a very bad taste in my mouth.



3. On the first page of the book you hit the statement that Jackie was "the laziest man alive." For me, that statement sets the tone. A quick look at the picture of the author will show he doesn't know much about excercise himself. I found it laughable that one of the big gripes William makes about Gleason was he proported musical talent was his that belonged to others, when whole paragraphs from the previous two biographies mysteriously found themselves into this book, word for word at times. Whereas the first two books were written by friends of Jackie's, William never had even a personal conversation with him, and spoke to NONE of the family. While he did speak to coworkers, I got the feeling from the beginning that he had set out to write a "Jackie is a smuck" book, and filtered everything accordingly. Within the first few chapters, I lost count of the number of factual errors that I found. Mae's mother had 11 children, not 5. They never actually lived in Ireland. Jackie's darkness didn't come from some ancestral Spainard sunk of the coast of Ireland, but from a maternal Great-Grandfather from Portugal. Herb, the father, was not a decade older than his wife, but three years. These were all easily researched items and were wrong. This cast a long shadow of suspicion over the rest of the book which consists of people's accounts of things long past. We all know how memories can be. The bookcover said the author treated shortcomings with compassion, but I found it closer to intense condemnation, such as with the statement, "the laziest man alive" because Jackie didn't walk 12 blocks in New York. Have to wonder if the author would have hoofed it, or hailed a cab. There may be some facts buried in the pile of misinformation and bad feeling, but it may be hard to find, or to identify. For me, I see Jackie's ever changing stories as a way for him to keep the truth private and just for himself. I certainly hope no one out there really believes that Tom Cruise is telling us the truth about his life, or Julia Roberts. Just because they do something, doesn't mean we deserve the intimate details of theirs lives. And just because Jackie wasn't upfront about his, doesn't change that mystical magic that happens when people watch the Honeymooners. He wasn't perfect, few of us are, but he gave us smiles we didn't have before. His life was sad and hard, but to be so spiteful and mean about it makes William's life even sadder. Imagine implying Jackie shouldn't feel upset because his mother died when he was a "man of nineteen" instead of boy of sixteen. I can't imagine having lost both parents by nineteen and to only have one cousin at my wedding for family. This book will only give you what you want if you already know that it has been written by someone who looked for the bad and down played the good, or quite possibly, simply didn't include those accounts. The book wasn't that interesting, and I certainly could put it down. It left a very bad taste in my mouth.



4. As far as I know, this is the only biography written by someone who was not a friend of Gleason's, and it shows. While the book is well-researched, the author takes an inordinate amount of pleasure in pointing out as many of Gleason's faults as he can. I was left with the impression that the author was jealous that Gleason enjoyed such enormous success despite not always being a pleasant person.

   Audrey Meadows commented at the end of her book "Love, Alice" that the author skewered Gleason for not living up to his (the author's) standards, and that sounds about right. To pay Meadows back for this, the author tries to discredit her story about how she won the role of Alice on "The Honeymooners," but only ends up looking vindictive again, as Meadows has published the photos taken of herself auditioning for Alice that prove her story true. This is only one of several instances where Henry tries to attack people who try to disagree with his negative view of Gleason.

   There are many instances in the book of phrases like "Gleason said..." or "Gleason often commented..." but very few of these quotes are backed up with any kind of source in the text itself, and there are no endnotes in the book. In addition, many other people quoted in the book are identified only as "colleagues," with no one specific being cited as the source(s) of many of the stories about how horrible Gleason really was.

   I noted the comments from various celebrities on the back of the dust jacket, and was surprised to hear praise from people who call themselves Gleason's friends. It makes you wonder just what kinds of friends they were.




5. What Mr Henry reveals in this biography is the true ugliness of Jackie Gleason. Yes, he was an outstanding performer. Yes, he was loyal to his "pals". Yes, he worked his way up from nothing to become something. But what, exactly, did Gleason become? "The Great One", a title he bestowed upon himself? Or a miserable, bitter drunk, who twisted and controlled everything and everyone around him just to project the image of a genius?

   I believe every word of William Henry's excellent book, even though Jackie fans most certainly do not. I believe it because Mr Henry went to the sources--he interviewed Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, Jane Meadows and Joyce Randolph; he interviewed The Great One's directors, producers, castmates and writers (the people that truly made him great)--and they all agree to a universal conclusion, even when they try to be kind: Jackie Gleason was a crude, cruel, manipulative man, even beyond what you may expect. Read this book and prepare to be shocked.

5 comments about Dust Tracks on a Road: The Restored Text Established by the Library of America (Thorndike Press Large Print Perennial Bestsellers Series).

1. This was a book I felt I needed to have read for my general education and rounding as a person.
   I am aware of what people say about the way Hurston fabricated her life for this autobiography, but isn't all of history in some way fabricated and presented through someone's eyes? I mean, this is a highly subjective field, even when presenting mere facts, it is so easy to skew things when deciding which bits to leave in and which to take out. We all do it, Hurston is no exception.
   The spirit and nature of her life was captured beautifully: a sad (very), positive, hopeful, stubborn, opinionated, strong, resilient, hard-working woman. A remarkable woman in every way that I can see, and I feel right to have spent some time honouring her life by reading her story through her eyes, "Nothing that God ever made is the same thing to more than one person".
   The other value of the book lay in her exploration of basic life concepts, such as Love, Friendship, Religion and Race. I always enjoy the experience of getting as close as possible to looking at things through someone else's eyes, an opportunity afforded here as Hurston shares her opinions.
   Finally, I would give this 4 stars, not 5, but for some reason, star-rating is fixed at 5 for this book...



2. As with any of her works, Zora being who she was has to weave in folklore, anthropology, history, and some of everything into her work. Her autbiography is no exception. She is truly one of the most poetic and artistic authors of all times. She knows how to play with words and phrases that keep you hooked; not necessarily for the content but because you are waiting to see what funny or thought-provoking thing she will say next.
   
   The only reason I had to rate this work four stars is because of a couple of inaccuracies. She claims to have been born in Eatonville, FL for one thing. This is not true according to U.S Census records. She also takes years off of her age, but never explicitly tells when she was born. Other than that, this is one of the most interesting autobiographies that you will ever read. Also one of the most inspiring.



3. I found the memoir of this icon of a Renaissance woman to be very exciting and enlightening. Hurston's revealing portrait was a curious blend of anecdote, memory, and observation. I agree to some degree with other critics who question the truth and authenticity of the story as autobiography. At times it does seem a little out of sequence and jumbled. However, it is a precious collection of material (memory, folklore, dreams, anthropology, legend, etc.) out a key era in the history of African Americans. It is very informative and regardless of its shortcomings and the questions it may leave unanswered, at the same time, it does allow us a peek into the life and psyche of a deep, delightful and brilliant woman who was certainly before her time. It is our good fortune that she was able to set down this account of her experience, which has been preserved for us to share. Hurston was obviously somewhat of a free thinker as well as a scholar and I wonder if she could have told her story any way other than the way she did, although she has been criticized for it. It is the account of a particular Black woman who had a very unusual life for the time that she lived in. I would also add that given the alternative material related to the book which has been uncovered since the initial publishing it has to be taken into account that the book was likely censored, which would color the whole picture in ways the author may not have originally intended. But I was greatly affected, inspired and informed by the book and would recommend and encourage any Hurston enthusiast to read it.



4. This is a highly compromised book. Critics are all over the board on what on earth motivated blatant lies that she told about her life, and the sugar-coating of the realities of the black experience, in america, before civil rights.
   
   I would personally say, that this is a very unfortunate piece. I would give it three stars for its entertainment value.
   
   Zora Neale Hurston was born in 1891, in Alabama, about 10 years before she claims, in ''dust tracks.'' She was not born in Florida.
   
   She essentially falsifies her identity; she shares experiences from about 1900 - 1940, lived by a person who is actually 10 years older than she claims to have been!
   
   College would look like a very different place if you experienced it at 32, than if you were to go through it at 22.
   
   I recommend this work, only if you read it with a current biography next to it.
   
   In hindsight, her presentation of her life and times, compared to our general understanding of her realities makes this work a very interesting historical document.



5. This autobiography focuses equally on her opinions (highly untraditional)and her life (also highly unorthodox) giving the reader an unashamed glance to peer into the deepest wells of her being.

No comments about Saints Galore (Large Print Edition).

5 comments about After All.

1. I read this book in a sitting,admittedly skimming certain parts.Although I am a big MTM fan, it whetted my appetite without satiating me...there is definitely a vague "arm's length" quality to this book noted by previous reviewers...MTM obviously suffered from a lack of connection with either of her parents as well as a lack of any kind of spiritual connection...I found the "vegetarian" chapter oddly placed and suspect readers might be more interested in how she keeps such an enviable physique.All that drinking and never a hangover,wow,what a charmed life...it was hard to picture squeaky clean Laura Petrie or Mary Richards smoking like a chimney, too.Although she states she's nothing like her TV characters, in the end the book made her seem a little one-dimensional,like a television actor.I still admire Ms Moore but I think some professional writing help would have greatly improved the quality of this work.True fans will probably enjoy it , but others should pass..



2. Mary Tyler Moore displays a great talent for writing. She holds nothing back in her book, and is brutally honest. I can't imagine a person being more honest with themselves than she is in her autobiography.
   It is a great read for all MTM fans.



3. In "After All" Mary Tyler Moore writes openly about her
   childhood,growing up in Brooklyn NY, then Hollywood.Her life
   in showbusiness.Personal tragedy,loss,regrets and finally
   being able to find the happiness within.You will feel her joys
   and sorrows.You will laugh and you will cry.As I finished the
   book this morning I felt I had lost my best friend.
   Truly a remarkable book on a remarkable woman.



4. I read every word of this book (in about half an hour) and wish the white space at the end of two or three page "chapter" was filled and then some. This is an exceedingly superficial, detached treatment of very personal, sometimes revealing stuff. Yet why do I feel MTM managed to pull it off--telling me her secrets while keeping herself at armslength. Then again, she seems to keep at armslength from herself... There is information about The Dick Van Dyke show, the The MTM Show, MTM's alcoholism, diabetes, pregnancies and marriages, the deaths of her son, sister, and brother, her audience with the pope, her visit to Israel...all these things, yet not very much. Possibly one of the most fascinating lives in modern American entertainment, and so many details left out! Maybe Ms. Levine will write another book--maybe a book about each of the highlights (or lowlights) by themself.



5. Mary has a flair for writing which makes this book more interesting that your average celeb biography. Her life is fascinating, and she spares nothing in this engrossing book.