Book Description
In LAPD homicide detective Charlotte Justice, acclaimed crime writer Paula L. Woods has created a heroine for our times. Caught between her proud African American family and colleagues who still can’t deal with diversity, Detective Justice returns to an investigation she once had to leave behind–and enters an explosive realm of haunting lies and dangerous truths.
Thirteen years ago, Charlotte Justice’s husband and child were murdered in the family’s own driveway. Now, following a particularly violent incident involving a fellow officer, Charlotte is on the edge, bedeviled by bloody memories and living on single malt scotch and antacids. But a cold case is bringing her back to work . . . and a department shrink is willing to help her through it–as long as she is willing to help herself. So Charlotte resumes the hunt for the shooter who gunned down a prominent Republican businessman, his young wife, and two Muslim business associates outside an elegant Los Angeles restaurant. The case has turned hot because Charlotte’s initial suspect has suddenly surfaced as the cause of a freak auto accident.
The trouble is, the suspect is in a coma and the businessman he presumably shot is still hovering between life and death. Once Charlotte and her colleagues start digging, the investigation careens in unpredictable directions, from the meddling of a smooth-talking FBI agent to the bizarre drama unfolding around the victim’s family and business. While Charlotte is accustomed to white cops, black cops, and perps of every shade and persuasion, this case is stranger than even she could have guessed. Worst of all, it’s also about her, her contentious family, and the Justices’ terrible secret.
In this pivotal installment in her acclaimed series, Paula L. Woods returns at full throttle, weaving a brilliant tale filled with nail-biting suspense, twisted relationships, and a strong woman driven by a passion for justice and a hunger for the truth.
Download Description
Advance praise for Strange Bedfellows
“A page-turning, complex tale of deception, betrayal, and sin.”
–Jonathan Kellerman
“An intricate, character-rich police procedural with a thoughtful social spine, and a high watermark in the Charlotte Justice series. It’s another winner from the sure hand and heart of Paula L. Woods.”
–George Pelecanos
“With a diverse array of complex and carefully crafted characters, with a plot that keeps up a speed demon’s pace, with family secrets, intrigue, therapy, and murder, Strange Bedfellows is a roller coaster of a novel. It’s a spellbinding world that the gifted Paula L. Woods has created. Close the door and take a comfortable seat. You’ve come to the right place.”
–Bebe Moore Campbell
“Paula Woods has crafted another winner, taking LAPD detective Charlotte Justice to a new level as she solves a complicated murder while battling department shrinks and demons from her own past. Woods just keeps getting better.”
–Stephen J. Cannell
“Detective Charlotte Justice is everything you need in a good cop–tough, smart, and as just as her name. No one captures the glamour and grit of L.A. better than Paula L. Woods. Strange Bedfellows is a compelling addition to her exciting mystery series.”
–Valerie Wilson Wesley
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
This time it's personal.......2007-06-28
Still wrestling with the physical, mental and emotional fallout of a recently concluded case, LAPD Homicide Detective Charlotte Justice has mixed feelings when a missing suspect in a stalled investigation suddenly reappears, caught between her sense of duty and her need to decompress. Hoping that the case will prove more of a distraction than a burden, Justice begins to pursue the case once more, only to find out that its complexities, and its unexpected links to the death of her husband and child some thirteen years prior, may make it more than she can handle.
Masterfully combining action, character development, suspense and mystery, Woods has delivered a worthy successor to her first three Charlotte Justice novels, Dirty Laundry, Stormy Weather and Inner City. Sporting straightforward, unadorned, yet utterly arresting prose, Strange Bedfellows chronicles a pivotal point in Justice's personal life and career, as she's forced to deal with the tumult in her stressful day to day existence, arising from both past and present circumstances. A thoughtful police procedural, the book stands out because it's dramatic without being melodramatic, unlike recent entries in other popular, long-lived series. This could come from Justice's utter lack of pretension, or from her tendency to react to, rather than ruminate over, the things that are happening around her. Either way, it's a happy circumstance for readers--the lack of histrionics is refreshing and welcome. It's this, and Woods' evocation of the racially charged 1994 Los Angeles, that make Strange Bedfellows a truly compelling read.
Secrets Never Told.......2006-08-16
At the end of Dirty Laundry, we found Charlotte Justice embroiled in mounting issues just when she was beginning to think her life was settling down. This last case was fraught not only with hard core murder but entanglements with fellow officers who were sexually harassing her and her sister colleagues. There were also links to the gruesome murder that killed her young criminologist husband, Keith, and daughter, Erica, thirteen years prior that were beginning to surface. Now as Strange Bedfellows opens, Paula Woods spins another Los Angeles yarn with twists and turns that fling readers into the wide open L.A. highways like the Santa Ana winds.
Charlotte finds her job is on the line when a culmination of events has overwhelmed her and she is sent to "Chinatown", the psych division for L.A.P.D officers. In denial and protesting all the way, she is flat out told if she does not accept help, she can kiss her job goodbye. This is a sentence worse than death. "For who am I without my job?" Charlotte asks herself. It has just been one week since she wrapped up her last emotional case when she discovers her brother has stolen files from her home relating to Keith's cases; somehow she suspects her mother is involved. But a cold case has resurfaced and the adrenaline is running through her veins. She jumps in headlong but has she gone from the frying pan into the skillet?
Chuck Zucarri, CEO of CZ Toys, is lying in the hospital in a coma after a mysterious shooting and a young intern who worked in his financial department is found in the Central Valley in a coma after a car accident with a stash of $27,000. The plot thickens when the FBI is called in and a black agent is gung ho about dragging the Nation of Islam into the fracas. A trip to the Bay Area turns bizarre, family secrets explode and issues of race and how it plays out in love, war and death are examined. Furthermore, the events of what led to her family's death are finally revealed. Not to mention the members of the Nut House--- Charlotte's parents' home and the man she is now seeing are putting pressure on her to leave the police force. All of these factors threaten the very fabric of Charlotte's existence. Can she come out of this situation sane?
A cast of characters that include the widow of an up-and-coming African American toy manufacturer, the ex-wife and the new trophy wife of Zucari, a rogue FBI agent and a young man with a lost memory set the stage for suspense, drama and secrets. With her usual M.O., Woods gives her readers a journey and history lesson of Los Angeles' African history and culture, visual stimulating images of the city and a heroine who is far from perfect. Woods' craft is getting stronger as like Sue Grafton with her Kinsey Milhone heroine in her ABC mystery series, she gives the inner workings, the psychological set-ups and the anatomy of a murder in methodical, detailed symmetry in the world of Charlotte Justice. My childhood favorite detective was Nancy Drew but Woods' Justice is a blood and guts, real woman who has become one of my top female sleuths. I cannot wait to read the next chapter of Charlotte's adventures.
Dera R. Williams
APOOOO BookClub
www.apooo.org
Paula Does It Again!!!.......2006-04-07
Detective Charlotte Justice is back with another perplexing and disturbing case. She is trying to solve a very public shooting of CEO and chairman Chuck Zuccari, his wife Alma, and their business partners Malik and Habiba Shareef. But this case is not what it seems. There is a dangerous web of Zuccari family secrets that anybody would kill to keep. Charlotte is slapped in the face with her own family secrets. She finally finds out why her brother Perris stole her late husband Keith's files from her house. Perris must tell Charlotte the awful truth behind her husband and daughter's murders. On top of all that, Charlotte has to go through job-required psychological counseling that may lead to the turning point of her career.
Strange Bedfellows is a spellbinding novel by Paula L. Woods. Woods once again brought an outstanding mystery with a lot of twists and turns. Readers will really need to pay attention to the intricate details of this story. I liked how the author incorporated the toy industry into the storyline. I literally didn't know the answer to the mystery until it was revealed. This is the mark of a good crime fiction novelist. This novel reads like a shocking Law and Order episode. Strange Bedfellows is a shining example of why Paula L. Woods is one of the masters of crime fiction.
Taut, well-written and will keep you guessing!.......2006-02-09
Strange Bedfellows is the fourth in the Charlotte Justice series. Justice is an African-American Los Angeles Police Department homicide detective who is in therapy due to some recent killings. She is driven to solve crimes to help the victim's families but her urge is based on the murder of her criminology professor husband and their infant daughter in a drive-by shooting 13 years ago.
Justice deals with narrow-minded colleagues who still can't handle diversity, and her proud family who feel her career is inappropriate and prefer doctors and lawyers. (Charlotte's brother resigned from the police force after the drive-by shooting; and is now an attorney.)
Charlotte is "passed" by her therapist to return to work temporarily to help with a cold case that resurfaces following eight months with no activity.
Two prominent couples were shot as they left a restaurant. One couple is a white, wealthy, conservative toy manufacturer and his young, pregnant trophy wife. The other is an African-American couple trying to do business with the toy company and produce some ethnic dolls. Malik Shareef and his wife, Habiba, were known for a groundbreaking survey and book about how dolls affect children's self-image.
The author, Paula Woods, is known for her depiction of South Central areas of Los Angeles. She feels that cops are at the center of trying to keep the peace, keep people secure and provide justice.
Homicide Detective Charlotte Justice is a complicated, intense, righteous woman, someone who would make a good friend and an excellent cop. When your employer and colleagues do not have the same values and integrity, things can get difficult--and she's gets in the thick of it.
Armchair Interviews says: This taut, well-written mystery will have you guessing up to the very end--the plot twists and turns are astonishing.
Average customer rating:
- Loved this series
- great pagan fantasy
|
The Crystal Sword
Adrienne Martine-Barnes
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
-
The Rainbow Sword
-
The Sea Sword
ASIN: 0380754541 |
Customer Reviews:
Loved this series.......2006-01-15
I loved this series. All of the books were very well done and entertaining. The only problem is the author, Adrienne Martine-Barnes, appears to never have completed it with the fifth book, "The Sword in the Tree", which was promised at the end of both "The Rainbow Sword" and "The Sea Sword". It has been almost sixteen years and I wish that she would finish the series.
great pagan fantasy.......1999-05-06
this is a unique and wonderful work, studded with all sorts of meaningful connections to the ancient knowlege. completely unpredicatble, i dont know why this work has been apparently forgotten. sequled by the crystal sword, and then the rainbow sword. i have not found any of the others past that. YET.
Product Description
First 3 Volumes of the "Sword" series. It begins with Eleanor, who is cast back 800 years into the bygone world of medieval England with the task of restoring the rightful king to the throne of Albion. "Crystal" follows her son, Dylan as he is bewitched by a haunting beauty who enslaves his dreams and lures him on a journey to the underworld. "Rainbow" follows the adventures of Dylan's son, Geoffrey, as he is urged to "go to Byzantium" and find a sword forged before time began.
Book Description
The Life Crystal. A powerful artifact constructed during the Age of Magic, it has the power to control a race of people. Placed in the San-Tarien forest, home of the elves, after the Mage Wars, it has kept the mystical animals safe for hundreds of years. But now an evil necromancer has stolen the crystal and brought back a long-dead mage, Kroundous, to wreak havoc on the land by enslaving the dwarves and sending them to war. Three adventurers, Martell, the last Warrior of the Light, Kira, a warrioress, and Wardil the mage find themselves inadvertently inside the elven forest. While there, the King of the Elves sets them to the task of returning the crystal to its rightful place and saving the animals of the forest. With help from a commander of the human army, Kira's half-brother, and the mighty lammasue, they make their way to the tomb of Kroundous to do battle and save the land.
Book Description
The Earth world of Wales faces certain destruction unless the new Crystal Warrior, Selwyn Wyles, and his companions, the Frost Giant, Arto Gawr, and Prince Lleu can unlock the enigma of Caledvwlch, the Crystal Sword. The trio must face mist gates, the Assassin Prince, Rihcaard, and betrayal in their heroic quest to save Wales and all the other Earth worlds. In this second book of the Crystal Sword saga, the furious adventure shifts from world to world in a wild ride. Only when Wyles confronts Phaestus, the mad dwarf who forged Caledvwlch and the four Rings of Power, does he uncover the dark secret behind the Builders' creation of the one thousand Earth worlds.
Book Description
• A balanced, comprehensive guide to routine childhood vaccinations that offers parents the information they need to make the right choices for their child.
• Fairly examines the pros and cons of this highly charged issue.
Deciding whether or when to vaccinate a child is one of the most important--and most difficult--health-care decisions a parent will ever make. The recent increase in the number of vaccinations recommended and the concurrent controversies about whether vaccinations are safe or even effective have left many parents confused and concerned.
Midwife, herbalist, and mother of four, Aviva Jill Romm sifts through the spate of current research on vaccine safety and efficacy and offers a sensible, balanced discussion of the pros and cons of each routine childhood vaccination. She presents the full spectrum of options available to parents: full vaccination on a standardized or individualized schedule, selective vaccination, or no vaccinations at all. Negotiating daycare and school requirements, dealing with other parents, and traveling with an unvaccinated child are covered in detail. The book also suggests ways to strengthen children's immune systems and maintain optimal health and offers herbal and homeopathic remedies for childhood ailments. Emphasizing that no single approach is appropriate for every child, the author guides parents as they make the choices that are right for their child.
Customer Reviews:
Well-researched and informative.......2007-10-09
I am a former biochemistry researcher who researched experimental drugs that were submitted for FDA approval. I am also a new parent who recently had to face the decision of whether or not to vaccinate.
The FDA is made up of approvals boards that have had to retract or revise their decisions on many occasions. Science is still in its infancy in some regards, and when it comes to testing long-term effects of vaccines on infants and children, it is frankly primitive. As many readers know, the FDA has also been sued numerous times for conflicts of interest. Additionally, as a scientist, the possibility of diseases jumping the species barrier through vaccines via the DNA fragments of monkeys or aborted fetuses on which the vaccines were grown is a very real concern.
I am simply not convinced that vaccines have been sufficiently studied, each batch properly screened for the hundreds of known diseases that can be inadvertently transferred, and that all conflict of interests have been eliminated on the part of the FDA.
Of course, I realize the difficulties that such a task would pose. But that does not stop me from facing the fact that vaccines are still experimental substances with known adverse reactions, whose widespread use is heavily influenced by powerful pharmaceutical companies. These companies have a vested interest in making sure each and every newborn gets a Hepatitis B shot (regardless of whether a risk exists and regardless of the fact that the shot is ineffective within a matter of years) and that all children are given waves of booster shots, regardless of the concentration of the vaccine in the child's system at the time. Needless to say, my husband and I chose not to vaccinate.
I would encourage every parent to read this book and to understand their options. Research the history of conflicts of interest and errors on the part of the FDA. And above all, do not be afraid of asking questions and making a decision that others may find controversial. It is a shame that the Hippocratic Oath's edict to "First do no harm" cannot be faithfully applied to the subject of vaccines...
Very informative!.......2007-09-05
I highly recommend this book to all new & potential parents. It is highly informative without swaying too much to either side of "to vaccinate or not". It gives the facts of each side and leaves the decision up to the parents.
Good book to turn to for vaccine advice!.......2007-06-07
This book offered balanced pros and cons on vaccines, which is great when everything from doctors' offices is solely pro vaccine. I have read several books on vaccines is this was the most helpful.
Author: Now that the HiB vaccine has been around a little longer, can we have a Part II with more information on that?
Finally, a balanced approach!.......2007-05-16
Finally we have an excellent book that gives the pros and cons of vaccination for parents and medical professions to consider. Too many books are biased either for or against. This author gives you ALL the facts from both perspectives, and lets the parent decide.
As an adult with hearing loss courtesy of a vax, I'm already anti-vax, but it's great to have this educational material on hand to educate doctors, teachers, and interfering family members.
Not all that balanced.......2007-01-09
This book has some great information but isn't written in layman's terms. Therfore, portions of it can be difficult to understand for someone who isn't overly familiar with medicine. Also, the author definitely approaches the subject from the position that parents should not vaccinate, and I was hoping for a more balanced approach. I would recommend What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations instead, which was written by a family practice doctor who began noticing adverse reactions following vaccinations. What Your Doctor... is much easier to understand and is written from a more neutral perspective.
Book Description
More than 125 easy and delicious recipes using America's favorite new 'ingredient'-the rotisserie chicken otisserie chickens are one of the fastest-selling items in markets across the country-the latest figure shows annual sales of over 750 million. They're everywhere! Plump, juicy, and reasonably priced rotisserie chickens are selling like crazy at supermarkets, warehouse clubs, takeout restaurants, and deli cases. And when you have a rotisserie chicken, you have possibilities. Rotisserie Chickens to the Rescue! unleashes the potential of these deceptively humble birds. The book shows how these ready-to-eat treasures can quickly become the springboard for creating anything from appetizers and sandwiches to soups and main courses. Novice and experienced cooks alike will savor the simplicity of these delicious recipes. Among the scrumptious dishes you will find are: nSpice Island Turnovers with Pineapple Mango Dipping Sauce nCreamy Wild Rice and Leek Soup nLickety-Split Chicken Lasagna nCountry Chicken Pot Pie nChipotle Chicken Club Sandwich, and much more!
Customer Reviews:
Quick, Simple and Delicious!.......2007-03-24
Quick to make and quick to remember. The few meals I have made my family has enjoyed and asked for more. It's nice to have a cookbook that gives me a head start on what to do with an already cooked chicken. I can change the recipe to fit my family without taking away from the meal. A Must Have for the Kitchen library!
Solid book.......2007-03-08
I really like this book. It has some very imaginitive ways to use rotisserie/leftover chicken. I have made a few recipies from it and all were successes. All of the recipies seem quick and easy with easy-to-find ingredients. It does not have pictures though. Overall a solid book.
Mother's little helper............2007-01-12
This book is not only great for the recipes, it is great for giving you an idea about variations and substitutions if you don't have something in your pantry. It gives you a limitless list of things your can do in a very short period of time. A must have for the working mom.
Great Recipes!.......2006-06-07
I too love this book. I bought it off a bargin rack (a competitor) because I collect cookbooks. To my surprise, I found my self earmarking nearly the entire book. This author provides a variety of selections that are quick, simple and easily prepared. She has a nice chapter on salads from common to ethnic (Muffaletta, Pecan Waldorf, Chinese Chicken, California Cobb, and Buffalo pasta salad, to name a few). Other chapters include soups, sandwiches, casseroles, side dishes and glazes to top a deli-prepared roaster. I've made several of the recipes and have put them into my "keeper" files. I go back to this book time and time again. I'm very happy I purchased it.
I Love this Book.......2004-03-10
Dressing up a rotisserie chicken has never been easier. I made the salsa-stuffed bell peppers with chipotle sauce for friends last weekend. Delicious. And the leftovers held up nicely in the freezer. The chipotle sauce is also a winner with fajitas. The book is quite well written. Instead of just flipping through the recipes, I actually read all the front section about stocking the pantry and cookware. Definitely something to slip into the box for all those June brides.
Customer Reviews:
One of the Contributors to the Book.......2006-11-27
Being able to share Mama D's story was one of the truly memorable times in my life; knowing that her story is just one of millions makes my heart break. Everyone who read my copy of this book has loved the animals, cried over their circumstances, & rejoiced at most of the outcomes. In an age of all the cruelty in the world, it does my heart good knowing this kind of book can touch so many. Christina, thank you again for your belief in Mama D's story & it's ability to touch your readers.
Susy Hiller
Heart warming, feel good, animal rescue stories..........2006-10-31
I haven't read all of this book, but rather the stories that interested me. Several brought tears, usually happy, to the eyes. There is a wide variation of the expertise of the writers, but it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the read, and shows you don't have to be a professional writer to write a good story. I would recommend this book to those that have an interest in saving unwanted and abused animals, and perhaps encourage more people to seek out adopting these "loosers". Most make our lives much fuller. Heart warming, feel good stories.
This tugs your heart strings!!.......2006-03-23
This book was wonderful!! It made you laugh and cry, which is the scale I judge books on. The stories were written in different styles, making it so personal. And it makes you want to head down to the nearest animal shelter to see how you can help. Congratulations to the author. I wait for her next compilation.
Animal Friends Volunteer.......2006-03-08
I became aware of this book through the local Pittsburgh Shelter I volunteer for - Animal Friends. The only no-kill shelter in the city of Pittsburgh. It has many heart warming stories and I've sat reading many with tears in my eyes. It not only tells tails of pets from Animal friends, but other rescue groups as well. A must for any animal lover out there.
Cosmo'smama.......2006-01-15
This book is the best I've read about rescued pets. Too many people look at rescue and shelter pets as second best. Nothing could be further from the truth. This book shows pets who have changed lives. Whether they come to us at a time we need a best friend or we rescue them when all of their chances are gone. Animals make lives better every day! Thanks to Chris for telling their stories!
Average customer rating:
|
Maritime Memories of Puget Sound
Jim Gibbs
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Washington
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Pacific Northwest
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ships
| Transportation
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Transportation
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0887400442 |
Book Description
There were good times, exhilarating times and sad times...it was an era of beginnings, first times and frontiers by land and sea. Joe Williamson and Jim Gibbs have joined their talents and captured here the magic, nostalgia and panorama of maritime action of Puget Sound in western Washington State. From its first sightings by English explorers George Vancouvre and Peter Puget in 1792, this unique waterway grew in importance as industry, and settlements helped develop it according to European, rather than its original Indian, uses. 335 old photographs of ships, people and early towns and the historical text tie ship and shore together through the story of the settling of this vast woodland area up to the beginning of the twentieth century. Historians will recognize the importance of this appealing book of social, economic and maritime history.
Amazon.com
Although primarily a reference text, Pruning & Training is also a stroll through an arboretum, intertwining beautiful and descriptive photographs with explanatory text. If you've ever wondered how a tree, shrub, or vine was trained or formed, this book will explain every how-to for every plant that stirs your experimental side. If you're saddled with an overgrown orchard, poorly maintained landscaping, or heavy frost damage to trees and shrubs, you can renovate them through pruning. Solid background material is provided, including growing habits (and how to take advantage of them), advice on pruning tools, and basic and specialized pruning techniques.
The reference is organized by ornamental trees, fruiting trees, ornamental shrubs, soft fruits, climbing plants, and roses. Each section discusses specialized methods for the subject plant type and includes a plant-by-plant dictionary. With the American Horticultural Society's stamp of approval, you can be sure that Pruning & Training does not neglect pollarding, coppicing, and pleaching. Step by step photographic sequences and before and after shots provide invaluable visual clues. Drawings showing pruning locations frequently feature a silhouette that illustrates the end result of the pruning method. If you'd like to try your hand at espalier or topiary, many training methods are also addressed at length. This is no guide for the casual pruner, but if you want a reference to answer any question you will ever have about the subject, you've found your book. --Molly McElroy
Book Description
Filled with brilliant before-and-after photography, it provides gardeners with complete information on how to create the garden of their dreams.
Customer Reviews:
Informative.......2007-07-08
This book is perfect for someone who wants to understand why pruning techiniques are used and how to get the most out of them. I purchased it so I could predict how my plants would react to what I did to them.
Great help!.......2007-05-12
It provided great help in managing our fruit trees and in helping decide how to take care of future projects!
American Horticultural Society Pruning & Training (American Horticultural Society Practical Guides).......2007-04-03
Excellent reference and fabulous illustrations. Great book to own!!
I use it all the time........2007-03-16
I purchased this book just over a year ago and use it all the time for pruning things like roses, trees, shrubs... pretty much everything.
Lots of great pictures and visual aids help to explain the various pruning techniques.
Got a garden -- get this book.
Much more than academic .......2007-02-21
I have been pruning trees for 30 years (wow), and this is definately the best single source for technical information, and ideas, but it's especially good for its depth & breadth of coverage: a great variety of tree/vine/rose specimens and treatments. The drawings, pictures, sketches are the best I've seen in one presentation. These guys have done it right -- a first class book for the serious gardener!
Average customer rating:
|
Literacy, Education and Manuscript Transmission in Byzantium and Beyond (Medieval Mediterranean)
Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Interior Design
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Byzantine
| Schools, Periods & Styles
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Medieval
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Movements & Periods
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Arthurian Romance
| Beat Generation
| General
| Gothic Revival
| Medieval
| Modernism
| Postmodernism
| Renaissance
| Romanticism
| Surrealism
| Victorian
Literacy
| Words & Language
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Education Theory
| Education
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Social Situations
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Linguistics
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 9004120963 |
Average customer rating:
|
The Collections of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: Prints 1460-1995
George L. McKenna
Manufacturer: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| History & Criticism
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Criticism
| History & Criticism
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Museums & Collections
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Museums
| Museums & Collections
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Permanent Collection Catalogs
| Museums
| Museums & Collections
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Exhibition Catalogs
| Museums
| Museums & Collections
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Printmaking
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Kansas
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Missouri
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0942614267 |
Average customer rating:
- A Fine Book
- A window into a warped world
- Inspiring Tales of Holocaust Survival
- Outwitting the Hungarian Holocaust like a Secret Agent!
|
Masquerade: Dancing Around Death in Nazi Occupied Hungary
Tivadar Soros
Manufacturer: Arcade Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Jewish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Holocaust
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Rich & Famous
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Hungary
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Holocaust
| Jewish
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Alchemy of Finance (Wiley Investment Classics)
ASIN: 1559706929 |
Book Description
The Nazis came late to Hungary because until early 1944, Germany and Hungary were allies. But when they did arrive, their orders were to put "the final solution" into effect with deliberate speed. This unique account of survival is told by a Budapest lawyer whose courage and savvy saved not only his family but scores of other Hungarian friends and relatives following the invasion of the Germans in March 1944. Soros views his experiences with a beguiling humor, deep humanity, and a wisdom that is humbling. MASQUERADE is a very personal, low-key testament of the Holocaust, of how one man managed not only to escape, but to retain his integrity, compassion, family unity, and humor by "dancing around death."
Customer Reviews:
A Fine Book.......2003-03-22
This book has it all: drama, humor, philosophy, and history. The author is an unprepossessing, very clever, unsung hero, who makes humane, practical, difficult decisions daily and keeps his nerve under the Nazi occupation of Hungary. The number of lives he saves can never be properly tallied. You will find yourself alternately holding your breath and then cheering.
A window into a warped world.......2002-11-12
I lived in Budapest for several years and became fascinated by the stories of those brave souls who survived there through the trials of the last century. This recently translated memoire is one of the best. Mr. Soros is able to convey convincingly his experiences in Budapest during the last years of WWII. Like the best memoires, it offers a window into the mind and thoughts of the author in a way which rings true and resonates with the reader. For those who are interested by the human experience in this period of history, this is a must read.
Inspiring Tales of Holocaust Survival.......2002-01-10
"Life is beautiful - and full of variety and adventure. But luck must be on your side." So begins a remarkable memoir of Jewish life under the Nazis in Hungary, _Masquerade: Dancing Around Death in Nazi-Occupied Hungary_ (Arcade) by Tivadar Soros. Soros was a thoroughly remarkable man who certainly had variety and adventure in his life, and his share of luck. There are many accounts of the horrors of the Holocaust, and Soros certainly does not minimize the death and terror that he witnessed. Unlike many such accounts, however, this is a story of optimism and triumph. Soros and all his family survived.
His memoir begins in 1944 when the Nazis occupied Germany. Soros realized that "Since we can't stand up to Hitler's fury, we must hide from it." He and his family hid, but since they had to be seen in order to take care of daily needs, they took on the aspects of Christians. This involved his forming close relationships with a series of forgers, and once he took care of his immediate family's documents, he took care of other relatives, and then friends, and clients. "If anyone asked for my help, one of my principles in life was never to say no - if only to avoid diminishing their faith in human beings." Amidst narrow escapes and harrowing close calls, Soros kept a sense of humor which frequently emerges on these pages. As a "Christian," Soros was able to obtain cigarettes when those were denied to Jews, and since he didn't smoke, he would leave them at a watchmaker's, so that people with stars could get some. He went to the watchmaker to get his watch fixed, and asked the price. "How can you ask such a thing? It's on the house," the watchmaker said, and then whispered to the woman working beside him, "This is the Christian gentleman who brings us the cigarettes, you know." Soros says, "At least the Jews got to see that there were still a few decent Christians." Much of the humor is tinged with humane sadness; according to one of his sons, Soros used to say, "It is amazing how well people can bear the suffering of others."
This wonderful memoir has been in print before. Soros, that practical idealist, as an Esperantist wrote the original in Esperanto in 1965, three years before his death. In libraries of Esperantists the book has been an outstanding volume from the literature the planned language has produced. It is here translated by Humphrey Tonkin, a linguist whose name is familiar to all American Esperantists. It includes brief, loving memoirs by his sons, one of whom, George, has become one of the world's richest and most influential people. If there is room on your shelves for history with hope, written by a thoroughly humane and lovable man, this book is perfect.
Outwitting the Hungarian Holocaust like a Secret Agent!.......2001-08-06
This book will add another view of the Holocaust that few have seen before. When I told my wife I was reading the book, she said, "Isn't it depressing?" Naturally, any book that comes close to so much unnecessary loss of life will make the reader sad, and that is appropriate. On balance, though, this book will probably leave you feeling more optimistic than you were about what can be accomplished by well-meaning people.
Tivadar Soros was a Jewish lawyer in Budapest when the second world war began. Hungary had been an ally of Austria, so the Nazis did not occupy the country until March 19, 1944 as they began to fear betrayal behind their retreating forces in the Soviet Union and the Balkens. The country was liberated by the Soviets in January 1945. Unfortunately, the Nazis used this ten-month period to murder as many Hungarian Jews as possible.
But Mr. Soros also had had an unusual experience earlier. He had been a prison of war in Siberia during World War I. From that experience, he had learned that those who are prominent are in danger from totalitarianism, after seeing the prisoners' represenative shot to terrify the prisoners. Mr. Soros had been offered that "honor" just recently and had declined. He soon escaped from the prison camp, and had a most difficult time getting back to Hungary through the midst of the Russian Revolution. Where he had been idealistic and vocal before World War I, he came back determined to enjoy each day as though it might be his last. This exasperated his wife, who knew he could accomplish more.
This perspective served him well when the Nazi occupation arrived. As in other countries, the Nazis relied on Jews to follow orders. There was a Jewish Council whose families were exempt from the deportations who helped organize others into the death camps and ghettos. Many people voluntarily wore the yellow star. Wanting to cut off the potential leaders, one of the first groups being rounded up were lawyers. This was being done in alphabetical order, so Mr. Soros had a little time to prepare. Rather than complying (as did over 600 Jewish lawyers from Budapest who were killed in the Holocaust), Mr. Soros decided to resist. He quickly justified this on the moral grounds of self-defense.
Deprived of his livelihood and his property, Mr. Soros decided to use camouflage to protect his family (wife, two sons, and mother-in-law) by pretending to be Christians under assumed names. Although he knew nothing about how to undertake such a deception, he soon learned to acquire forged and real papers. He also shared what he learned with anyone who asked for his help. Those who were wealthy, he charged as much as he could. Everyone else, he either charged nothing or only what forged documents cost him.
To be safest, the family continually lived apart from one another, meeting occasionally for coffee or a swim, and moved frequently. He helped them learn their "cover stories" and helped them practice how to react if braced by Nazis.
There are many surprises in the book. Mr. Soros occasionally called on "Christians" for help who turned out to be other Jews using false papers. Some actual Christians took up wearing the yellow star, and the Nazis left them alone. While many people would not help, few turned Jews in to the Nazis. Some people would help for either profit or humanitarian reasons. You just had to keep looking until you found them. Most lost their nerve eventually and were either caught or stopped helping.
Mr. Soros estimates that about 5 percent of all Jews in Budapest eventually obtained false papers. He also describes what happened to those who tried other ways out, like bribing Nazis such as Eichmann.
The book is far more compelling than any spy novel I have ever read. It is also more inspiring because it shows what a committed "victim" of an evil regime can do. While other books portray Jews as being tough in concentration camps or in the Warsaw Ghetto, secretly hiding out in attics owned by friends, and being slaughtered, this one shows the side of a vigilent self-defense operating from an immediate defiance of the illegitimate authorities. This model needs to be well understood by everyone.
Contemporary readers will also be fascinated to read about the rest of Mr. Soros's family, which includes the then 14-year-old George, who is now one of the world's richest men and famed fighter against totalitarian regimes. What an incredible family! The book also contains introductory comments by both sons, which will interest you as they recount the remarkable father they knew whom you will meet in this amazing book.
The book was originally written in Esperanto, and was only recently translated into English for the first time.
Everyone who wants to prevent future Holocausts must read this book!
After you finish reading it, think about what you could do today to help someone else retain or gain their freedom and safety from injustice.
Be prepared to save yourself . . . when all else fails! Saving someone else today increases your allies for tomorrow!
Books:
- Strega: A Burke Novel
- Tales of Terror: 58 Short Stories Chosen by the Master of Suspense
- Tears of the Giraffe: More from The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency
- The Academy: Tales of the Marketplace (The Marketplace Series, 4)
- The Blue Nowhere: A Novel
- The Cat Who Sang for the Birds (Cat Who...)
- The Curious Conspiracy and Other Crimes
- The Distant Beacon (Song of Acadia #4)
- The Distant Echo
- The Floating Girl
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- 12: The Elements of Great Managing
- The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocki
- The Quilter's Apprentice
- The Last Good Kiss
- The Old Man and The Sea
- The Science of Orgasm
- The Magnificent Mountain Women
- Marx's Lost Aesthetic: Karl Marx and the Visual Arts
- The Meaning of Fossils: Episodes in the History of Palaeontology
- The Fern Guide: Northeastern And Midland United States And Adjacent Canada
Dirty Laundry: A Charlotte Justice Novel (Charlotte Justice Novels)
Inner City Blues (Fawcett Book)
Stormy Weather
A Dark and Deadly Deception (Marti MacAlister Mysteries)
Pursuit: An Inspector Espinosa Mystery (Inspector Espinoza Mysteries)
