Book Description
Octavio Ribeiro is a rising movie star in Chile when, at the request of famed poet Pablo Neruda, he agrees to serve as a media trainer in the presidential campaign of Salvador Allende. This involvement exposes Octavio and his family -- especially his wife, Salomé -- to the ruthless kidnapping and terror tactics of Allende's political rival, General Augusto Pinochet...until they escape to political exile in Sweden, where another couple -- Samuel and Kaija Rudin -- are also living as expatriates.
Dr. Rudin is a psychiatrist specializing in treating people who, like Salomé, have been traumatized by the events of war and upheaval. As the Rudins and Ribeiros dance with destiny, each family must confront the secrets they have kept from one another -- and face the personal consequences of their political choices. Rich with historical detail, and written in shimmering prose, Swedish Tango is an epic tale of two cultures that no reader will soon forget.
Customer Reviews:
A Cinematic and Affecting Tale..........2007-02-02
(Alyson Richman read at the West Side YMCA as part of the Writer's Voice Visiting Authors Series on October 1, 2004. This is from my spoken introduction that evening).
In "Swedish Tango," Alyson Richman covers, through tales of personal devastation and resurrection, the tragic political upheaval of Allende's Chile, the sad, and to most of us I'm sure sadly obscure story of Finnish War children, and the complexities of survivor's guilt through the eyes and heart of a man only part of whose family escaped pre-war France. With these enormous events as backdrop, she manages to at the same time delicately navigate two larger-than-life relationships; relationships whose paths are heartbreaking in their small details and particulars.
Because of the ambitious cutting back and forth from story to story, from decade to decade, it would be easy for the author to lose the reader. Yet Ms. Richman never loses her firm grasp on each character On the contrary, that seeming device keeps the reader focused on the people involved--flawed, admirable, impetuous, passionate, and all too human. With an true artist's hand, she allows you to eavesdrop on them--their conversations, which sound like actual people talking, the way people who know each other, deeply talk to each other, even when they are speaking of events so much larger than themselves. They stay, in today's vernacular, real.
With each choice the characters make, with each turn of the plot, you find yourself leaning forward with them, urging them on, hoping that the choices they make do not destroy them, and fearing for them, as they encounter circumstances beyond imagining. But we don't have to imagine. Alyson Richman has wonderfully captured the richness of these people in "Swedish Tango," and their stories echo and reverberate long after the last page.
A beautiful tapestry.......2005-02-08
This book a very well researched piece of historical fiction which combines political unrest in Chili with the effects of the Holocaust on the survivors who fled and the result is a wonderful tale of love, family, and the will to overcome the most difficult of obstacles, both physical and emotional.
The book is two stories, told separately yet simultaneously in a fashion I found quite compelling, which ultimately overlap as Ms. Richman brings the entire story together in the book's memorable coda.
If you enjoy reading, I wholeheartedly recommend this book, it certainly has everything I look for and enthusiastically enjoy in a novel.
Swedish Tango.......2004-10-25
This novel of two couples; wounded surrivors of several political upheavels and wars of the twentieth century, is beautifully written. This romantic, but dark story, focuses on the power of love to heal, albeit incompletely. Its relative bleakness and pessimism, rings true and gives the novel a level of authenticity that is seldom found in contemporary historical fiction. I strongly recommend this book.
G. Seliger
intriguing look at family vs. society .......2004-09-29
In the 1970s, Pablo Neruda asks movie star Octavio Ribeiro to teach Salvador Allende how to work the media while he runs for the Chilean presidency. Only for his personal idol Neruda would Octavio get involved with politics, but he pays quite a price after Allende's reign falls; thugs of Allende's opponent Pinochet abduct and torture his wife Salome to frighten Allende supporters and to personally make Octavio pay. After Salome is rescued, she, Octavio and their children receive political asylum in Sweden.
Salome visits Dr. Samuel Rudin, an expert on post-traumatic stress syndrome. Samuel has his own troubles as his French Jewish parents never mentally escaped the Holocaust though they fled to Peru before Hitler's invasion. His wife Kaija also has parental issues as her parents sent her to the safety of adoption in Sweden during WWII. Samuel and Salome have a brief affair, but the doctor knows it's wrong and ends it.
Two decades later, Salome is asked to testify against Pinochet. With Samuel dead for years, she turns to Octavio, whom she still loves, asking him what she should do as she fears repercussions.
SWEDISH TANGO is an intriguing look at family vs. society told by the perspectives of Salome and Octavio. The story line is at its best when it places an Ayn Rand lens on societal ethics against personal loyalty and safety. When the tale spins into a possible second chance romance, it still hooks readers interested in what happens to the lead couple, but also loses its deep thought provoking philosophical questions on the needs pf an individual and a family against the demands of deadly leadership and a nation.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
Katie's given up on love . . .so she'll be the perfect bride.
When Katie Simpson discovers her boyfriend boffing "Fishpants Fraser," she vows to eat toenail clippings before getting involved again. Life as "the ginger spinster of Pelham Parish" will be lonely, but bearable as long as she shags lots of strangers and hangs tight with her friends. Unfortunately, Katie has the unerring ability to hit on the only gay man at the party (not again!). And her pals are somewhat preoccupied. Mover-and-shaker Janice has started scoping funerals for doddering sugar daddies. George, Katie's gorgeous, flamingly gay best friend (yes, she's tried it), is madly in love with an Aussie heartbreaker (struck out there, too) who needs some speedy nuptials to stay in the country. What better opportunity to plan a fake wedding more elaborate than a ten-tier cake?
However, love hasn't given up on Katie.
Just when the girl who eats like a cow, wears clompy shoes and is unacquainted with her own hairbrush starts trying on white dresses, romance comes from the unlikeliest -- and straight and male -- source. Will Katie let the man she loves ruin her wedding day?
Customer Reviews:
Loved the premise of the story.......2005-04-18
After catching her boyfriend in the bathroom with the town tramp, Katie (who never seems to have met a gay man she didn't hit on) decides to swear off serious relationships. Janice wants to get married and finds the best way to get them is to go to funerals. Sam has just bought a house and is ready to find the right woman to settle down with. And then there is George - he is gay, but wants to have a child and thinks that Katie would be the prefect surrogate.
At her birthday party, Katie is shocked to find that the last man she hit on is the love of George's life. When it's discovered that David soon may be deported, Katie decides to marry him to help the guys out so they can stay together (though there's no baby in their future). This doesn't go over well with Janice (who really wanted to get married first) and Sam, who has had unrequited feelings for Katie for a very long time. Katie, who lacks a lot of self esteem manages to take ten steps backwards by juggling two inappropriate guys - her unfaithful ex (who is now about to become a father), and her new 18-year old boy toy. Sam's newest relationship is a thorn in Katie's backside (and I won't even mention that gal's name), as she tries to come to terms with her own burgeoning feelings for Sam.
The British slang may take awhile to get used to (especially at first), but overall, it was an enjoyable storyline. But I really didn't like the ambiguous ending.
Must Read !!!!!!.......2005-03-16
I am a senior in high school in an independent reading class. I usually read romance novels but thought it was time for a change. The book My Fake Wedding caught my eye because there's a little bit of romance and it's absolutely hilarious!
The main character Katie, gets herself in the most bazaar situations, especially when it comes to men. So, her New Years resolution was to give up on men and relationships altogether, but for some reason men just can't seem to give up on her. She's just turned thirty and has decided that it's time to grow up and take charge of her life. What follows are her attempts to improve her life.
I really enjoyed this book it kept my interests and made me laugh. I liked that the book and the characters seemed realistic. I would recommend this book to women who enjoy a little bit of romance and a lot of comedy. There really isn't anything I can say I disliked about the book, I thought it had a good story line and seemed true to life.
Overall, I thought this was a great book. I wouldn't hesitate to read another one of Mina Ford's books .
Delicious.......2005-01-03
Well, I have to say I haven't enjoyed a book this much for a while. I loved all the crude language and bawdy humour.
Katie has vowed off getting involved with anyone ever again after a spate of disastrous relationships. It seemed very realistic to me that just when you do cry off ever dating again and say as she did it's going to be one night stands all the way ... that suddenly really quite nice commitment-unphobic men start queuing up at your door.
This one was good because the sex was fairly realistic not the usual stuff where people are orgasming their heads off as soon as the man touches them. And ok Katie starts off being a pretty pathetic character but she's so lovable and humanly flawed that I could totally relate to her dilemnas. I really loved this and long to read more by this author.
Not my favorite.......2004-11-18
Honestly I just couldn't get that interested in it. I haven't finished it and I doubt I will
Brilliant fun book.......2004-08-15
My Fake Wedding made me laugh out loud. It was bitchy, sarcastic, and hilarious. I am looking forward to Mina Ford's next book.
Buy this book and turn your sense of humour on!
Average customer rating:
- Zesty! Recommended
- delightful humorous romantic romp
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My Big Fake Green-Card Wedding (Harlequin American Romance Series)
Mollie Molay
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Harlequin American Romance | Series | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0373169876 |
Customer Reviews:
Zesty! Recommended.......2003-10-14
Soon to turn thirty, Melina Kostos worries that her traditional Greek family will choose a husband for her. With her position as a bilingual reception at the American embassy in Greece about to be eliminated, she needs a job and green card to assure her future. When she overhears Adam Blake's need of a housekeeper and a nanny, she offers her services in exchange for a green card. Adam surprises himself by responding it is not really a nanny or a housekeeper that he needs, but a wife. Soon they agree to a marriage of convenience.
Melina and Adam agree to a story of love at first sight by way of explain their hasty nuptials. He meets her family, they quickly marry, and within a week fly from Greece to the United States. Despite their mutual attraction, they maintain their physical distance, at least when they can. But soon Melina realizes she has fallen in love, and if her marriage to be real, then it is time to seduce her husband.
Author Mollie Molay adds zest to the traditional marriage of convenience plot in MY BIG FAKE GREEN-CARD WEDDING. While the plot is somewhat predictable, her lively characterizations and humorous approach lends it an air of charm. As Greek tradition clashes with American modernity, the result is a delightful afternoon's read. With an adorable child to add her own charm, MY BIG FAKE GREEN-CARD WEDDING comes recommended.
delightful humorous romantic romp.......2003-09-18
Though she knows she is no Mercouri, Greek Melina Kostos does not want to be married especially to those losers chosen by her overly protective family males. Worse her father decides the time has past and he will provide his twenty-nine years old daughter with a husband. Though she wishes she were not the oldest known virgin in Greece, she would prefer to remain an old maid than bow to some loser.
When visiting American businessman Adam Blake offers a marriage of convenience mostly based on her conditions with one stipulation, Melina accepts. The only thing Adam wants from her is her help in raising his beloved little girl. However, living with the two Blakes soon changes Melina's mind as she has finally fallen in love. She dreams of her spouse making love to her and raising siblings along with their daughter. She plans to pull a Mercouri and seduce her husband.
MY BIG FAKE GREEN-CARD WEDDING is a delightful humorous romantic romp that borders on the inane, but never crosses the line as Mollie Molay keeps order in her plot. The characters are a solid group whether they are Old World Greek or several generation American. Still in the end the tale belongs to a charming duo whose agreement of no touch is driving both batty to the amusement of the reader.
Harriet Klausner
Average customer rating:
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MY FAKE WEDDING
MINA FORD
Manufacturer: Red Dress Ink
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OXBOA8 |
Average customer rating:
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My Fake Wedding
Manufacturer: REVIEW (HEADLINE)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GRQ3RG |
Average customer rating:
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My Fake Wedding
Mina Ford
Manufacturer: Headline Review
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O3RRRW |
Book Description
Another in DCs high-quality Archives series, this hardcover reprints the original stories of the Flash! Jay Garrick was just a normal Joe until an accident turned him into the Flash! This reprint of 1940s-era classics follows the success of the All Star Comics Archives series, and is the first to feature the solo adventures of this iconic character.
Customer Reviews:
Good, entertaining Archive.......2006-01-17
The "Golden Age Flash Archives" is another great volume in DC's Archive series featuring one of the first "specialty" super-heroes with only one power. After inhaling fumes of "hard water," college student and slowpoke Jay Garrick discovers he has super-speed. He becomes the Flash, the fastest man alive.
As the character appeared early in the super-hero genre, its easy to see the experimental qualities of the Flash. Writer Gardner Fox wasn't as worried about convention as he would be later. The most obvious example is that Garrick didn't worry too much about who knew that he was really the Flash. He demonstrates his powers openly, going from bench-warmer to college football star. People approach him specifically for the purpose of his speedster help. Criminals fear him as both Garrick and Flash. His girlfriend Joan is actually quite strong-willed, as opposed to later super-hero paramours. As the series progressed, however, Garrick started to keep his other identity on the QT.
Unfortunately, this early volume is a little disappointing because there isn't a single story that really stands out. As with most of the golden age mystery men, Jay didn't have much of a rogues gallery at first, instead beating up on gangsters and corrupt officials. However, Fox was very good at devising clever uses for Flash's power, e.g. humiliating enemies, spying on people at super-speed, and the like. So, while this is an entertaining volume, it leaves general impressions of fun rather than memorable story-telling.
E.E. Hibbard's art is a little more detailed than your average golden age fare, which comes in handy for the various displays of speedster prowess Fox wrote. Hibbard, while still employing the cartoony style common to the era, had a talent for some solid line work that does stand-out from the work of most of his peers. He's no Jack Burnley or Will Eisner, but his style is distinct and pleasing to the eye.
DC is finally coming out with the second volume of this Archive series, so this isn't a "fast-tracked" series (pardon the pun), but so long as we get more Jay Garrick adventures, I'm happy.
Very Good Read for Flash Fans.......2001-11-13
This is a wonderful book to read if you're a Flash fan. In it, we get the reprinted adventures of the original Flash Jay Garrick. It lacks detailed characterization, and the stories are simple. But, they leave you entertained.
A must-have for Flash fans!!
Fantastic!.......2001-03-19
A short introduction in the beginning, and five tiny biographies of Flash artists at the end, mark the total text found in this book. Almost the entirety of the book is filled with Flash comics from Flash Comics #1 (January, 1940) through #17 (May, 1941)! The covers (even if they include someone other than the Flash) and comics are reproduced in their original size, and in a simply fantastic clarity. I am simply astounded at how good these look!
Here you see the origin of the Jay Garrick (Earth Two) Flash, and watch him kick the butts of more than a few baddies (actually, he preferred to turn them into human tops!). This book is a mite pricey, but it is a fantastic addition to the library of any Flash fan.
awesome.......2000-07-25
its a great book for the jla lovers and the flash i reccomond it to everybody who likes comics
Amazon.com
His name comes up in mentions of Zen's misty past, but without any writings or authentication, modern authors have often referred to Bodhidharma as semilegendary. In 1935, D.T. Suzuki had rummaged through a number of newly discovered Zen texts dating back over a thousand years, but not until recently did scholars agree that some may contain the words of Bodhidharma himself. Now Jeffrey Broughton has brushed off the dust for the English reading world. In question-and-answer style anticipating later Zen classics like the Lin-Chi Lu (Zen Teachings of Master Lin-Chi), Bodhidharma fields questions from his students on dharma, the mind, and reality. Vintage Zen iconoclasm permeates every line as dharmas are dispensed with and scriptures shot down. A rock painted with a Buddhist image is still just a rock. Just so, reality is just reality. A previously unknown student of Bodhidharma, one Master Yuan, shows himself to be a worthy adept, equal to the more well-known Hui-kuo, who also appears. The actual Bodhidharma texts are quite brief, with the bulk of this work consisting of Broughton's scholarly introduction, commentary, appendices, and translations of related finds. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
In the early part of this century, the discovery of a walled-up cave in northwest China led to the retrieval of a lost early Ch'an (Zen) literature of the T'ang dynasty (618-907). One of the recovered Zen texts was a seven-piece collection, the Bodhidharma Anthology. Of the numerous texts attributed to Bodhidharma, this anthology is the only one generally believed to contain authentic Bodhidharma material.
Jeffrey L. Broughton provides a reliable annotated translation of the Bodhidharma Anthology along with a detailed study of its nature, content, and background. His work is especially important for its rendering of the three Records, which contain some of the earliest Zen dialogues and constitute the real beginnings of Zen literature.
The vivid dialogues and sayings of Master Yuan, a long-forgotten member of the Bodhidharma circle, are the hallmark of the Records. Master Yuan consistently criticizes reliance on the Dharma, on teachers, on meditative practice, and on scripture, all of which lead to self-deception and confusion, he says. According to Master Yuan, if one has spirit and does not seek anything, including the teachings of Buddhism, then one will attain the quietude of liberation. The boldness in Yuan's utterances prefigures much of the full-blown Zen tradition we recognize today.
Broughton utilizes a Tibetan translation of the Bodhidharma Anthology as an informative gloss on the Chinese original. Placing the anthology within the context of the Tun-huang Zen manuscripts as a whole, he proposes a new approach to the study of Zen, one that concentrates on literary history, a genealogy of texts rather than the usual genealogy of masters.
Customer Reviews:
The True Teachings of Tamo.......2003-10-09
This scholarly work on the teachings of Bodhidharma sets a new standard. Not only does Broughton provide clear translations, but the volume of informative commentary has made this text my number one Bodhidharma resource. Broughton provides quality with quantity here, explaining unusual phrases from the ancient texts at page bottoms, and endnoting items requiring more thorough treatment. (The endnotes are generally both useful and quite insightful. My only "wish" is that the endnotes could be footnotes instead. This way, the reader could have simultaneous access to both the root text and Broughton's research. As it is, you have to flip back and forth a bit. This is a really minor quibble though, as footnoting everything would have the drawback of making the root text harder to read on its own - mostly by making the pages too "busy.")
This is not a book on "pop Zen"; it is a resource for those seeking to contextualize Tamo's teachings both historically and philosophically. Broughton makes a very good case that the "Two Entrances" commonly attributed to Tamo is actually the work of T'an-lin, an early Sanskritist. He points out that the character of the "Method for Quieting Mind," what he calls "Record I," is more consistent with what we know of Tamo's teaching. Broughton also discusses other members of Bodhidharma's circle, the supporting roles played by other sutras in these texts, and much more.
I believe that I can state objectively that this book represents a superb piece of research, and that Broughton has made Tamo's early teachings very accessible. It is my sincere hope that the author will continue working in this field. For anyone interested in the early development of Zen, this text is a fascinating read.
excellent.......2000-05-05
I live in the Buddhist hell of Too Many Zen Books. This nicely accompanies all my other ones, and clearly stands out in its own right.
The Bodhidharma Anthology: The Earliest Records of Zen.......1999-12-23
Thorough and enlightening. Brilliant insights! Where has Prof. Broughton been all of these years?
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Journal of the American Oriental Society, published by American Oriental Society on January 1, 2001. The length of the article is 1788 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The Bodhidharma Anthology: The Earliest Records of Zen.(Review)
Author: John Kieschnick
Publication:
The Journal of the American Oriental Society (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2001
Publisher: American Oriental Society
Volume: 121
Issue: 1
Page: 152
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Customer Reviews:
Not quite what I was hoping for.......2006-07-21
So I know her first book was fairly well trashed in reviews. And I knew that one glowing review for this book didn't mean too much, but I decided to by it anyway. However, I was fairly disappointed. The price guide in the back, which was supposed to be updated, was still fairly off. Aside from a couple of ponies (I'm talking maybe 5-10 total), all ponies were listed at the same price. And even the expensive rare ponies prices were off. A totally mint Mimic going for $50 max? I've seen Mimics with haircuts go for that! A totally mint Goldilocks go for $80? There have been a couple minty ones go for $20, and very nice ones go for $8. The pictures seemed like they would be cool, but for every picture in the book, there were at least 3 "not shown." Plus, they looked like the "stars without makeup" horror pictures you see in gossip mags. It didn't seem like she bothered to clean any of her ponies, or comb their hair, or anything. I don't know, but after talking about the importance of moving your collection and dusting your collection, and displaying your collection (because your ponies deserve the best!), it seemed very hypocritical of her to take pictures of ponies that looked as if she had just pried them (some) out of a toddlers hands to take the picture.
Also, there was no good way to determine what you had. Say you have a pony (sorry, I can't think of an example) with a specific hari length, color, body color, pose, etc. and you want to know if it is US or not. You can look the ponies name up in the index, but odds are, there won't be a picture of the pony to compare it to. And more often than not it was the "Seashell without blaze with freckles, different color..." that was not pictured, while the US issued Seashell that was reissued in a different color was sitting there happy on the page.
A sad day for pony collectors. With all the wonderful sites on the internet, with the MLP conventions, and tradeposts, no one has managed to come up with a good enough book yet. Hilary Depiano's book was nice, listing the ponies and accessories, yet it had no pictures or price lists. Debra Bilge tried to provide pictures and price lists, but her information was inaccurate and incomplete.
All in all, I bought this book mainly for the pictures, having little faith in the completion/accuracy, and the pictures were dissappointing. But maybe it is better than nothing after all.
WOW!! Great book for a collector........2006-06-17
This book is fanastic! I am a my little pony collector, and I use this book to keep track of and check off all the international ponies that I have. This book has pictures and descrptions of many international(ponies that were not made in the US) ponies. If you are looking for a price guide/ pictures and descriptions of the My Little Ponies made in the US, you have to check out Debra Birge's other my little pony book! It's excellent.
Overall, this book is fantastic and is perfect for any collector.
Average customer rating:
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Bead It with Beadwork: 16 Projects ("Beadwork" Project Book)
Jean Campbell
Manufacturer: Interweave Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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A Treasury of Beaded Jewelry: Bead Stringing Patterns for All Ages
ASIN: 193149908X |
Book Description
More than a collection of simple projects, this guide teaches the beginner essential techniques for bead success. Each technique is defined with clear illustrations and color photographs so each stitch can be practiced and techniques can be mastered.
Customer Reviews:
Unclear explanations.......2005-03-01
I bought this book because it was touted as good for an absolute beginner. However, the directions are written for someone who has experience with all of the tools and skills for beading. I'm quite disappointed.
Average customer rating:
- Home service cliff notes for uninformed
- Contractors and decorators and plumbers, oh my!
- The last word
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The Franklin Report: Chicago, The Insider's Guide to Home Services
Elizabeth Franklin
Manufacturer: Allgood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Franklin Report Los Angeles, Second Edition
ASIN: 0970578016 |
Book Description
THE FRANKLIN REPORT, a Manhattan-based print and on-line publishing company offering readers the most complete, inside information on top-ranked home service providers, announces the launch of its second title, THE FRANKLIN REPORT: Chicago, The Insider's Guide to Home Service Providers ($22.50, paperback original).
The first of its kind, this comprehensive, 300-page survey based on client reviews of the top home service providers in Chicago provides ground-breaking imformation on home service companies and individuals who have acheived national recognition, as well as those who are considered well-kept secrets among industry "insiders". Also included are in-depth overviews on how to hire providers in 24 home service categories ranging from architects to interior decorators to plumbers, and everything in between.
"Our mission is to simplify the task of choosing a home service provider by codifying the "word of mouth" process consumers rely on, and to offer the community a chance to contribute to this on-going dialogue, both in print and on The Franklin Report website. Finding the right person for the job do work in your home can be a daunting experience; there are many choices, not all of them right for the job or client. The Franklin Report and its regularly updated website, has compiled reports on a select group of master artisans, technicians, interior designers, architects and craftspeople based on feedback from thousands of their clients," stated The Franklin Report founder and CEO, Elizabeth Franklin.
The profiles and evaluations which appear in the guide and on the Franklin Report website are based on in-depth interviews with clients, factual information culled from the providers, consultations with industry insiders and experts, and surveys submitted through the website, email, phone, fax and in person. All information is then compiled into accessible, easy-to-understand entries that provide complete provider contact information, a description of services and specialties, a summary, and specific, anonymous comments from clients and industry peers. Each provider is then given ratings on a scale of 1 to 5, based on the following parameters: QUALITY, COST,VALUE, RECOMMEND. "We went to exhaustive lengths to ensure that the information provided comes from verifiable and reliable sources, and conducted follow-up interviews when any questions arose. And as a company policy, we only publish the consensus view, and disregard unsubtantiated information," Franklin said.
"The result," Franklin continued, "is a guide to the most reliable, prominent, and professional home service providers that no home owner or home renter should be without."
The Franklin Report is committed to an aggressive publishing schedule, and plans to roll out several other city guides including Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, and Atlanta. "As additional city surveys are published, existing guides will be thoroughly updated and released," Franklin further stated. The website will also be updated regularly.
Customer Reviews:
Home service cliff notes for uninformed.......2001-12-13
First of all, I must admit that I had never heard of the Franklin Report
until a real-estate broker colleague of mine
was talking about giving copies to all of her clients. At the time, I needed
to find an architect for a large project, soinquired about the book. Since
then, it has taught me a lot about the home services buisiness. I've really
found theFranklin Report to be an amazing tool that saves me time,
aggravation and in the end -- money. The book givesme all the research and
information that I would otherwise have to go and spend hours digging for. I
once called anarchitect whose name I overheard at the office to renovate my
townhouse and I was so embarassed to find out hewas a modernist and
basically scoffed at the traditional design I wanted! Now, I've put together
a list of the book'shighest rated traditional architects and interviewed
them all. In the end, I got the best quality for the budget I
hadanticipated -- thanks to the Franklin Report. Now my friends want to know
how I know so much about the business -- so I quietly tell them my industry
knowledge came from The Franklin Report.
Contractors and decorators and plumbers, oh my!.......2001-12-12
I bought the Franklin Report originally for the same reason I subscribe to Architectural Digest and House Beautiful. I like to keep current on the big names in interior design even though I'm not about to do a two million dollar apartment. What I've found, in addition to bringing me the most informed and comprehensive round up of decorators, is that this book includes much more functional business that I need to use all the time. Most important is that these companies, used by the best ID's in town, are totally accessible to you and me. It really is the first place I feel I've found a credible stable of usually suspect trades. Plumbers, air conditioning guys, painters -- I've found them all with eye-popping results. So while I may not be hiring the fanciest decorator in town to redo my home, I certainly can find some startlingly professional and nice people to improve it at rational prices. My only criticism is I wish they had more categories. I need a good roofer!
The last word.......2001-12-12
For those of us who choose not to buzz around the social circles of Chicago's Gold Coast co-op's and North Shore newcomer's groups, it's nice to know there's a resource to get some juicy word of mouth recommendations without mind-numbing cocktail-speak. The Franklin Report is just that, a who's who power list of the city's decorators, contractors, electricians and other what the book deems "home service providers." It's not only a useful tool that blows the yellow pages out of the water and makes your dentist's sister's yoga instructor's on the side-furniture restoration business a non-call, but its an enormously entertaining read. Anytime an industry gets sized up and ranked, especially with the egos involved in design and the notoriously insulated, fragmented building industry, it's a hoot. The reviews are concise, on target and written with a certain restrained tongue in cheek, reminiscent of Zagat's, which this publication is surely trying to emulate. It's a more complicated subject, but I think they pull it off at The Franklin Report. If anything else, it's a must have for anyone doing a home remodel or who just wants to know the right names to drop at the next
cocktail party.
Elaine R.
Lake Forest, IL
Book Description
13 striking patterns depicting the rose, iris, tulip, lily-of-the-valley, and other lovely blossoms make it easy for craftworkers, home decorators, and graphic artists to enhance walls, furniture, fabrics, and other flat surfaces. Complete, easy-to-follow instructions are included.
Amazon.com
How is it possible to paint a portrait of an artist who left behind none of the notebooks and journals that provide most biographers with important personal details? After exhaustive researching and interviewing, Donald Spoto came to the conclusion that "Hitchcock's films were indeed his notebooks and journals ... [they] are astonishingly personal documents." This account of Alfred Hitchcock's life reads the mind of the man through the making of his films. Spoto argues powerfully and convincingly that movies like Notorious, Rear Window, Vertigo and Psycho can be appreciated not only as masterpieces of entertainment but also as subtle, revealing autobiography.
Book Description
This is the definitive life story of Alfred Hitchcock, the enigmatic and intensely private director of Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, The Birds, and more than forty other films. While setting forth every stage of Hitchcock's long life and brilliant career, Donald Spoto also explores the roots of the director's obsessions with blondes, food, murder, and idealized love-and he traces the incomparable, bizarre genius from Hitchcock's English childhood through the golden years of his career in America as one of the greatest directors in the history of filmmaking.
Customer Reviews:
The Champ.......2006-09-18
Nearly 25 years later Donald Spoto's book on Hitchcock, which caused sch a stir when it appeared, is still the champ. You could read it for its salacious details, such as the real reason he wanted Madeleine Carroll in handcuffs. Or you could read it to see him organize Hitchcock's different films into categories, classifying them not only by way of theme but with reference to studio politics. Think of how different Hitchcock's "Warners" films are than his Selznick pictures, even with the understanding that the same auteur created them.
Spoto is unable to make out what was really going through Hitchcock's head while making VERTIGO. Did he really want the insipid Vera Miles to play the part(s) of Judy and Madeline, and then grow impatient with Kim Novak largely because she was no Vera Miles (thank goodness). If he was so furious with Miles, why did he then cast her in THE WRONG MAN, where she's so dreadfully bland one forgets she's in the picture? (And later he used her in his longrunning TV series.) If, as Spoto says, Hitchcock had an erotic fetish for blondes, did it somehow turn itself off when confronted with Kim Novak, one of the most obsessable women in film? I don't believe it!
However Spoto is spot on when it comes to Hitchcock's last passion, for the actress "Tippi" Hedren with whom he made his two best films. Another reviewer here dismisses Ms. Hedren as a "mediocre performer at best who should have been grateful for a great man's attention and adoration," but under Hitchcock's skilled direction, she was able to pull off quite capably two of the most intense and primal roles ever created in the American cinema. People might have been startled by her work at the time, but it just keeps looking better and better where some of the other performances he elicited aren't looking that good any more, for he could make good actors look bad (Olivier, Fonda, Clift, Paul Newman, etc)--like the cattle he thought of them as.
Our views of Hitchcock will continue to evolve, but we will always be grateful to Donald Spoto for expressing a certain biographical turn with great elegance and, almost, wit.
Scandal-Ridden Junk.......2005-09-08
Of course, in 2005 we're accustomed to knowing a lot more about celebrities than we really ought to. When this book was first published twenty years ago, this fixation had not quite gotten to where it is today.
No - instead, on the heels of Spoto's "The Art of Alfred Hitchcock," which gave Spoto free access to the late director and to his archives, Spoto insists that knowing way too much information about Hitch's private life is essential, somehow, to understanding his art.
To a certain extent, that's the case. But some of this stuff is simply gratiutous. How relevant to art is the "Marnie" incident with Tippi Hedren? What possible addition to an important body of knowledge does that story make?
If you want gossip, it's here. If you want to gain some insight into our greatest director's artistic character, it's promised here but maybe not delivered.
A fascinating insight into the enigma.......2005-01-19
"Some of our most exquisite murders have been domestic, performed with tenderness in simple, homey places like the kitchen table."
...and here is the Master of Suspense. While Hitchcock happens to be one of the better-known directors of the 20th century, he surely is the only master of enigma. Spoto has done an admirable job in depicting the life of a man always shrouded in mystery.
The book follows Hitch from his childhood. A rather unattractive mother's boy, he was an outcast at public school. It continues his story from humble beginnings, through the discovery of genius, and ends at his death in 1980, at the age of 81. Throughout the pages, Spoto covers Hitchcock's life in detail, including his many quirks, obsessions bizarre sense of humour.
Hitchcock's life was indeed bizarre - his personality and obsessions manifesting themselves in his over-eating and his dry, often macabre sense of humour. However, as the author rightly points out, the director also revealed this side of himself through the images of his movies. This makes a fascinating study once you have read the book and you'll never view Hitch's films at face value again.
Because of her desire to protect her father's privacy, Hitch's daughter, Pat, refused Spoto any assistance in the writing of this book. He went instead to a veritable legion of actors and screenwriters who knew him and worked with him. The result is an extremely revealing and often very dark portrait of a man whose character was as shadowed as his films.
But not all is dark and foreboding. There are several amusing anecdotes, which highlight Hitch's macabre sense of humour. Like the time he had a dummy made in his own likeness and sent it floating on its back down the Thames river as a publicity stunt for his movie "Frenzy" in 1972.
My own personal favourite is the story of a woman who accosted him and complained that the "Psycho" shower scene so frightened her daughter that the girl would no longer shower. His laconic reply was, "Then, Madam, I suggest you have her dry cleaned."
He also did not suffer actors gladly. While he did have his stable of favourites that he worked with, he once claimed that actors were cattle. Later he said, "I didn't say that actors are cattle - I said they should be treated as cattle." Another story says that when an actress asked Hitchcock if her right or left profile was better, he told her, "My dear, you're sitting on your best profile."
Some of Spoto's claims I can't help but treat with a little scepticism. I do know that Hitch had a fascination with murder but the tender way in which he presents it in his films is classic Hitchcock. However, the author's statement that scenes in Hitch's movies reflect kind of voyeurism, I feel that with his trademark camera pans through windows, the director was trying to give the audience a bird's eye view of the scene - no more and no less. It is his way of allowing us to enter the private lives of his characters.
When all is said and done, this is a fascinating book of a fascinating man. A genius in his own time, but also a frustrated enigma, with a taste for the truly macabre. I highly recommend this book to anyone remotely interested in learning about the man behind the mystery, although it is a little heavy at times.
I'll leave the last word to the Master of Suspense himself:
"Television has brought back murder into the home - where it belongs.
Extremely informative, interesting.......2004-07-02
Donald Spoto has done a tremendous work in obtaining first-hand accounts from Hitchcock's friends, colleagues, family, and even Alfred, himself. There is not one iota of information about Hitchcock left out of this monumental work.
He traces the ghosts of psychology that haunted Hitchcock from a very young child on until his pitiful death. Hitch's wants, desires, insecurities, and love affairs (one-sided) are intricately outlined and analyzed in a biography that has few contemporaries. This truly is the ultimate work on Hitchcock's life.
The Man Who Knew Too Little.......2003-10-27
Spoto has done an admirable job at putting together 500 compelling pages of reading. Unfortunately, he mentions the fundamental problem with this book in the very preface...that Hitchcock left few records and let his guard down for few individuals. The Hitchcock most knew was no more personal than what we know from his television persona. So right away, we have a biography that doesn't have much basis. So Spoto tries to compensate by drawing conclusions about Hitchcock based on his films. Kind of silly, really. Spotos analysis of the films could be interesting, but it's very uneven...he'll spend 10 pages on one film, and barely mention the existence of another. And the only revealing passage on anything regarding Hitchcock's life itself is on his Tippi Hedren years.
However, my chief problem with The Dark Side of Genius is Spoto's tendency to excuse Hitchcock when convenient. It's ridiculously facile. EVERY time Spoto reached an unsuccessful Hitchcock film, he explains how Hitchcock was preoccupied, depressed, or altogether uninterested in the that film. Can't we allow that a genius is fallible? His classics were the product of passion; his failures were due do lack of interest. That's way too black and white a stance for any serious biographer or film scholar to promote. He never allows that Hitchcock tried and failed at times. To Spoto, when he failed, it's because he didn't care.
Books:
- Swimming Toward the Ocean: A Novel
- The Autobiography of Foudini M. Cat
- The Coast of Good Intentions: Stories
- The Cornelius Quartet: The Final Program, A Cure for Cancer, The English Assassin, The Condition of Muzak
- The Darker Passions: Dracula
- The Diaries of Adam & Eve: Translated by Mark Twain
- The Drowning Tree: A Novel
- The Empress of the Last Days: A Novel
- The Essential Tales of Chekhov
- The FALL OF A SPARROW: A NOVEL
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Broken for You
