Strega: A Burke Novel

Book Description

Andrew Vachss's implacable private eye has a new client, Strega. She wants Burke to find an obscene photograph—and that search will take him into the ocean that flows just beneath the city, an ocean whose currents are flesh and money, the anguish of children and the pleasure of twisted adults. It is a place that Burke can visit only at the risk of his sanity and his life. But between the power of Strega and his own sense of justice, there is no turning back.

In Strega one of our most acclaimed crime writers gives us a thriller that might have been imagined by Dante. For this is a tour of hell with no stops left out, conducted by a novelist who writes with the authority of the damned.

Download Description

Burke is an ex-con with many ways of earning a buck and his own code of honor: he only does private eye work if the money and the client are right. Strega is an icy, beautiful Mafia princess who offers Burke money and sex to find a piece of kiddie porn. Burke agrees and hits the streets with his bizarre friends to plunge into the nightmarish world of child abuse.

Customer Reviews:

The return of Burke.......2006-08-04

A couple years ago, I read Flood, the first book in Andrew Vachss's series of Burke novels. It was a good novel, albeit rather grim. I always figured I'd read another in the series, but it kind of fell off the radar for a while until recently. With Strega, the second book in the series, I am back to Burke and this time I think I'll stick with him for a while.

Burke is an unlicensed private eye working the mean city streets. Although he has something of a moral code, he is also a scammer and petty crook who's done time and could easily be doing it again. In Burke's world, there are the citizens (the "regular" folk who are law-abiding) and the street-wise, who exist on the fringes. Burke is clearly in this second class as are most of his acquaintances.

In Strega, Burke is drafted by the title character to obtain a photograph. This Polaroid of her young nephew documents an act of pedophilia; she feels that if she can destroy the photo in front of the boy that he will begin to recover from the trauma. For Burke, this is a needle in a haystack sort of case, but he takes it on, motivated primarily by the promise of big money (and some not-so-subtle threats). His search will take him into the seedy world of child pornography.

The supporting characters in the Burke books are both a strong point and a weakness. On the one hand, they make the story more interesting; on the other hand, they are generally so off-beat that they can take away from the gritty realism: we have Max the deaf-mute killer giant, the Prof who constantly speaks in rhyme, Mama Wong the restaurant owner who is almost a stereotype and Michelle the transvestite prostitute with a heart of gold. Yes, they are entertaining, but they're on the brink of being silly which is not an adjective that fits well with this story (fortunately that line is never really crossed).

The only other real flaw with this book is that it takes a while (nearly 100 pages) for the plot to really go anywhere. Fortunately, there is enough going on outside the main story to keep the reader intrigued. Strega is a nice, tough-guy mystery that is a good, fast read. If you like your crime stories, hard-boiled, this should satisfy your appetite.

Pulls no punches........2006-02-11

When I first read this book, I immediately read it again. It is about a private detective, ex-con who goes where the law cannot and seeks what citizens either cannot stomach or like to ignore. It is a crash course into the hard, sick industry of child-molesters and child abusers. The P.I. Burke is a few degrees above totally criminal, but righteous enough to seek justice. The story entertained but also opened my eyes to a world of just plain evil.

The Toughest Crime Novel I Have Read - OUTSTANDING!!.......2005-01-20

"Strega" is Andrew Vachss' second novel starring Burke, the hard-boiled, in-your-face, ex-con detective, who still isn't sure on which side of the law he prefers to operate. Abandoned at birth, father and mother unknown, Burke has no real first name. "Baby boy" is the name on his birth certificate. The novel is set 1980s NYC, before Mayor Guiliani came to office and cleaned up the mean streets - or tried to. "Strega" is also the first Andrew Vachss book I have read. I must say, I am very impressed by his writing style and storyline. Most of the Burke series deals with hunting down and prosecuting child molesters, as does this novel. Mr. Vachss has selected a noble cause, and deals professionally and knowledgeably with the topic. The author is a lawyer, specializing in prosecuting child abuse cases, so he certainly has the expertise to be an advocate. He openly admits that he writes about the abuse of children because he wants to raise people's awareness of what's going on, and he'll reach a wider audience with fiction.

P. I. Burke is the narrator. And the narrative, at times, goes off on a tangent, like Burke's thought processes. The PI is a careful guy. He always returns to make his point. I think this occasional stream of consciousness is extremely effective and enhances the detective's persona. Vachss still manages to maintain a tight writing style throughout. Everything and everyone comes under Burke's cynical, seen-it-all scrutiny. I have never learned more about the underworld and life behind bars than in this novel. I find the descriptions of the seamier side of life, the one "citizens" rarely observe, to be fascinating. Burke's expert eye takes in details of life on the street that I never would. "The streets were quiet, but if you look close, you could see things. Two guys standing against the wall of a darkened gas station - the wool caps on their heads would turn into ski masks when they pulled them down, hands in their pockets. A lonely prostitute in a fake-fur coat with a white mini-skirt underneath, looking to turn one last trick before she called it a night. A van with blacked-out windows driving by slowly, watching the woman while the two men in the shadows watched the van. In New York, the vultures work close to the ground."

Vachss populates his world with a colorful assortment of characters: Max the Silent, a mute Mongolian version of Conan the Barbarian with creative ways of communicating; Pansy, a vicious Neapolitan mastiff, just like the kind that came over the Alps with Hannibal; the Mole, a pasty-faced genius who lives in a bunker beneath a high-tech junkyard; the Prophet, a scam artist who has done too much time behind walls to care; Mama Wong, group doyenne and Chinese restaurateur, "keeps her prices high and the ambience foul to discourage yuppies." She cares for the gang and holds Burke's stash; Michelle, a gorgeous transvestite who needs to "break out;" and Immaculata , Max's Vietnamese love interest, a child therapist. I should add here that our hero drives a souped-up Plymouth, another important character. It usually looks like it's been painted with rust. That's the fresh coat of primer it almost always sports - "the Mole makes sure to change the car's color after it is used on a job."

Julio, a big-shot mob figure and acquaintance of Burke's, strong-arms the PI to take a new case. Julio's close family friend, Gina, is an Italian princess with lots of charisma. She is desperate to recover an obscene photograph of a little boy. The child, Scotty, is her six-year old daughter's playmate. Gina calls herself "Strega," ("a witch-bit*h you could lust after or run from. You could be in the middle of a desert and her shadow would make you cold."), is not above manipulation or anything else that will assist her in getting her way.

The search for the Polaroid picture will take Burke and his band of men to the dark side, to a world they never wanted to know, filled with the anguish and pain of children.

Realistic - some of the toughest prose I've read - amazingly lifelike characters - riveting! What more can I say??
JANA

strega, the witch.......2003-12-03

Andrew Vachss is a great writer and a crusader for children's rights. His books are hard-boiled crime fictions wrapped in a strong sense of morality. Good stuff.

Atmosphere is not enough.......2003-06-14

This book certainly has all the noir atmosphere and gritty authenticity that Vachss is known for, but in other respects it's not all that strong. The plot here is very thin; for all its brevity, the book is bulked up to a certain extent with a lot of peripheral stories and vignettes, which, while often fascinating in themselves, feel a little too much like filler. This feeling is reinforced by the extensive description of actions toward an end: getting in the car, driving up the West Side Highway, going and getting the dog...

Other elements contribute to this sense of flaccidity. The character of Strega is not really sufficiently developed, and her psychology is not very convincing. Vachss's secondary characters - the Mole, Max the Silent, Michelle - are always fun, but they tend to border on parody; and while I always enjoy them in themselves - especially Max - Vachss flirts with the risk of undermining his credibility with their over-the-top portrayal.

The net result is a lack of the tension that is what a book like this is supposed to be about. There's really very little suspense, and while I will continue to follow the series for at least another book or two, I'll be hoping for a bit more of a payoff.

Book Description

Be prepared! These stories are sure to set the mind afire, spanning time and space, written by one of the most inventive authors of his generation. Stories include "Skidmore, " "The Sin-Eater of the Kaw, " "The Hero of the Night, " "The Territory, " and the title piece.

Average customer rating:

Fight Fat After Forty

Fight Fat Over Forty Explained and Helped a Lot

Fighting Fat After Forty is validating!

Be Prepared to Fight Back!

fighting fat after 40

Fight Fat After Forty: The Revolutionary Three-Pronged Approach That Will Break Your Stress-Fat Cycle and Make You Healthy, Fit, and Trim for Life
Pamela Peeke
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Weight Loss | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Weight Maintenance | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Women's Health | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Stress Management | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 014100181X
Release Date: 2001-05-01

Amazon.com

If you're a woman over 40, you are undergoing physical and emotional changes, declining metabolism, fat deposits at your waistline, decreased energy, mood swings, food cravings--do we need to continue this list? Now pile on chronic, long-term stress (which the author terms toxic stress), which hits women between 40 and 60 and leads to self-destructive eating behavior. "Uncontrolled or toxic stress keeps the refueling appetite on, thus inducing stress eating and weight gain," Peeke explains. The stress triggers are constant, so the body never gets to turn off the stress response. The weight gained from this chronic, toxic stress--toxic weight--settles inside the abdomen and is associated with heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Peeke explains the association between stress and fat gain, and describes the stress/eating cycle ("the itch you can't scratch"). Then she teaches tools for "regrouping": formulating and following a contingency plan of nutrition, exercise, and self-care. Next are suggestions for a nutritional plan tied to stressful times of the day and an explanation of food needs after age 40. In the final chapters, Peeke nudges us to exercise to relieve stress, reduce body fat, and benefit overall health. Peeke is a highly regarded scientist and clinician who studies the link between stress and fat at the National Institutes of Health. She's also Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and works with Vice President Gore as the Medical Director of the National Race for the Cure for Breast Cancer. --Joan Price

Book Description

It's a fact: stress makes you fat. Renowned clinician and scientist Dr. Pamela Peeke goes beyond diet and exercise with a lifestyle program that shows women how to stop being diet "POWs" ("Prisoners Of Weight") or victims of "Toxic Stress" and how to evolve into physically and mentally stress-resilient individuals. Peeke helps women identify their stress-eating profiles (Are you a stress-overeater? A stress-undereater?) and explains that to remove weight, you have to lift weight. She explains what to eat and, equally as important, when to eat by navigating the afternoon "CortiZone," the hours of highest vulnerability to stress eating. Learn how to put it all together through the fine art of regrouping.

Women can tailor this accessible program to their individual needs using Peeke's three behavior templates:

• Stress-resilient nutrition
• Stress-resilient physical activity
• Stress-resilient regrouping

Dr. Peeke's program is a must for women who want to break the stress-fat cycle that has thickened their after-forty waistlines.

Customer Reviews:

Fight Fat After Forty.......2007-08-24

This book is amazing! It is exactly the solution I needed! It explains, in detail, what is happening to my forty something body. My body has been changing for years now, and the weight has piled on and the old solutions just don't do it anymore. This book has helped me to understand that this has been going on for awhile and unless I change the way I treat my body, it will not get any better. It's not about DIET, but about what you eat and when you eat it. It's about recognizing when stress hits and navigating through it in a non-destructive manor. I now have hope and can't wait to begin this new journey. I realize that without my health and well being, I have nothing. Thanks!

Fight Fat Over Forty Explained and Helped a Lot.......2007-04-23

I'm a Stress Overeater over 50 and this book explains a lot. It also explains why it is necessary, not overindulgent, to continue with my twice per week personal trainer for upper body and core workouts (which I rarely would do on my own) and my twice per week long hikes. I have made other changes which have helped me slowly but surely "remove" the excess weight. If I don't do something perfectly, I don't stress over it, which helps in the long run. For some reason, this book made sense to me and convinced me of what habits I need to stop, continue, and do more of.

I also can spot stress undereaters, and I am now more compassionate than envious (the ones I know are thin and look good, but I know they are also stressed.)

Fighting Fat After Forty is validating!.......2006-07-28

I haven't even finished this book and I've lost 10 pounds. This is the first weight loss in 5 years for me and all I did was change the times I eat! Pamela Peeke is the first doctor to truly understand and work with how a woman's body changes during perimenopause and menopause and it really validates you as a person. You aren't nuts; you really are changing. I can't believe how motivated I am. This is a definite buy and a book that I will save and give to my own daughter.

Be Prepared to Fight Back!.......2006-05-04

I first heard about Dr. Peeke on Discovery Channel's Body Challenge. I read this book cover to cover and it hit me; this is why I've had trouble losing weight! It helped me to understand how stress-eating was affecting my inability to lose weight; or to keep it off. I highly recommend this book and I'm not kidding about how much help it's been to me. The proof is in the 24 lbs lost and 4% fat loss in 10 weeks! What do you have to lose???

fighting fat after 40.......2006-03-09

The book was great information and it seems to be working.

Average customer rating:

Great Pictures

Disappointed

Waste of Dough?

Did the writers actually test these recipes?

Excellent, comprehensive guide & recipes!

The Essential Mixer Cookbook: 150 Effortless Recipes For Your Stand Mixer and All of Its Attachments
Kay Halsey
Manufacturer: Whitecap Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Culinary Arts & Techniques | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Special Appliances | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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The Mixer Bible: Over 300 Recipes For Your Stand Mixer

The Ultimate Mixer Cookbook

Mix It Up! Great Recipes to Make the Most of Your Stand Mixer

Kitchen Aid Great Baking and More

KitchenAid KMCC1KB Stand Mixer Cloth Cover, Khaki with Black Trim

ASIN: 1552855031

Book Description

A new generation of cooks is discovering the stand mixers that were a fixture in their grandmothers' kitchens, but they may be intimidated by all those attachments. The Essential Mixer Cookbook is here to show how to use them to prepare soups, appetizers, main dishes, and an array of baked goods -- cookies, pastries, breads, and cakes -- with far less effort than you would expect. There are over 150 recipes for dishes such as Hummus and Pita, Italian Foccaccia, and Strawberry and Passionfruit Pavlova. This book will have you mastering your mixer -- and all of its attachments from the flat beater, wire whip, and dough hook to the food grinder, pasta maker, and citrus juicer -- in no time at all.

Customer Reviews:

Great Pictures.......2007-04-25

About a month ago, I received a Kitchenaid stand mixer for my bridal shower. I wasn't sure how to use it so I ordered 3 cookbooks from Amazon. I ordered "The Essential Mixer," "The Mixer Bible" and "Mix It Up." The book that I like most is "The Essential Mixer..." because it has beautiful pictures. In addition, The recipes are easy to understand and use everyday ingredients. In the front of the book there is a recipe chart/ index that shows you at a glance what recipes use which attachments. Each recipe is from a different country so if you are trying to create a menu it is easy to determine what foods will compliment each other based on the country it originated in. I loved how the recipes include speeds, times and attachments use. So far I tried making the guacamole, tiramisu and orange chiffon cake. They were all delicious. I'm planning a Mother's Day brunch with the Leek & Zucchini quiche, onion soup Gratinee and lemon au citron recipes for dessert.

Disappointed.......2006-05-31

This book was a big disappointment to me. The recipes are too fancy for my family. I wasted money on this book.

Waste of Dough?.......2006-04-28

If you're having problems with bread dough recipes being too thick or too thin, take a hint from James Beard on Bread: the water content of the flour varies with humidity and weather, and the only way to learn when to add more or less liquids is through practice. Sometimes, lots of practice.

What works for me: as a kid, I'd load up with 5-6 pieces of bubble gum, well-chewed -- good bread dough has about the same look and feel as that bubble gum -- it's just not pink!
Practice -- and best wishes for good luck.

Did the writers actually test these recipes?.......2004-09-28

I really wanted to like this book. The photographs are gorgeous and all the recipes sound and look divine. But I have yet to try a recipe from the book that didn't need at least minor tweaking to work, and one of the recipes ended up causing a huge (and expensive) problem.

Some of the problems are minor: The basic pasta dough needs about two tablespoons of water to come together properly, and the spinach pasta will need more. Some aren't so minor: I have no idea what on earth the pretzel recipe is supposed to produce (paving bricks, maybe?), but the dry, stiff, crumbly dough was impossible to work with even after I added a lot of water and kneaded it vigorously with the dough hook and with my hands. I went over the ingredients several times to make sure I didn't miss something, so I'm inclined to wonder if the recipe as it's written in the book is missing an ingredient or a step.

And then there are the downright disastrous problems: The tagliatelle (pasta) recipe produces too much dough for a 5-quart Artisan KitchenAid to handle. The dough clogged the workbowl, jammed the dough hook, and burned out my KA's motor in just a few seconds.

Maybe there are some decent recipes in the book (I'm too afraid to try another one and risk my poor mixer again), but I'd advise fellow KitchenAid addicts to look elsewhere.

Excellent, comprehensive guide & recipes!.......2004-08-22

Exactly the right book to go with your KitchenAid stand mixer, or any other mixer for that matter! Apparently written with support from KitchenAid, this book has a nice history of the stand mixer, descriptions for the use of each attachment, and a handy chart cross-referencing recipes with required attachments (and country of origin for the recipe).
Each recipe has icons for the attachment(s) needed, how much time is required for preparation, and complete, clear instructions for making the dish, including how to use the attachment(s), including proper speed number. Most recipes have nice photos of the finished dish, and many have photos showing preparation steps.
This book has been very well thought out. I'm looking forward to creating many of these dishes!

Average customer rating:

Unlocking the Animal Mind

MUST READ for Pet Owners

Unlocking the Animal Mind: How Your Pet's Feelings Hold the Key to His Health and Happiness
Franklin McMillan , and Kathryn Lance
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Angel Dogs: Divine Messengers of Love

ASIN: 1579548806
Release Date: 2004-10-21

Book Description

From the man who pioneered the concept of feelings-based animal care-a revolutionary work about animal moods and emotions that shows us a totally new way to view and care for the beloved pets who share our lives.In this ground-breaking work, veterinarian and animal theorist Dr. Frank McMillan uses a wide variety of examples from his own practice with scores of scientific studies to construct a striking-and extraordinarily logical-depiction of the way your pet's mind works. Dr. McMillan presents a comprehensive look at how physical and emotional feelings are at the controls in guiding your animal's actions, from wanting to go for a walk to hiding from the vacuum cleaner to limping on a sore leg. Understanding the importance of your pet's feelings, according the Dr. McMillan, is the key to unlocking the animal mind. Dr. McMillan shows readers: What the Pet Pleasure Principle is and why your pet wants you to always use it as your main guide in caring for him or her Why feelings are the only things that your pet cares about How profound an influence the mind has on every aspect of an animal's health The importance of the Comfort Zone and how to help your pet reach it and stay in it Why boredom can be devastating to your pet's emotional health and how to relieve it What "stress" really is and how to give your pet the tools to deal with it in his or her life Why the best veterinary medical care is based on your pet's feelings Why a Safe Haven is the single most important factor for your pet's emotional well-being How to determine your pet's quality of life and ways to maximize itFor the 152 million people in the United States living with pets, Dr. McMillan explains why understanding your pet's feelings is essential for making every decision affecting his or her life, such as upbringing, conflicts with other animals, health care, and even the heartbreaking choice of euthanasia. He shows how feelings-based care offers your pet the greatest 20opportunity to enjoy the happiest, healthiest, and most emotionally fulfilled life possible.

Customer Reviews:

Unlocking the Animal Mind.......2006-03-16

I agree with Dr. McMillan's theories as I have observed first hand much of what he says in his book. I applaud his attempt at educating people to the fact that animals do have feelings which should be acknowledged, respected, and addressed along with their physical needs. Overall, I found the book interesting reading, though it was somewhat repetitious. The stories and his encounters as a veterinarian, however, kept my interest, and I feel better informed for improving the quality of life of my pets and rescue animals. That was my intention. I do recommend the book for anyone who sincerely wants to better understand the animal world.

MUST READ for Pet Owners.......2005-07-29

I am a professional pet sitter/dog walker. I have found this to be an EXCELLENT book. I recommend it for any pet owner. It is easy to understand, and the author sights many examples to clarify his point. I think I will buy several more copies to give to some of my clients. PLEASE read this before you give up a "difficult" pet. Please read it if you love your pet and want to provide the best for them. Please read it if you are even considering getting a pet.

Book Description

Textiles are an important part of any interior, but one that is frequently overlooked in restorations. See how the author, Brian Coleman, uses vintage Victorian textiles to create a rich and inviting atmosphere. Period textiles on everything from Victorian footstools to portieres are given an inspiring display in the elegant photography by Linda Svendsen. A helpful description of the varied uses to which different textiles were put in the Victorian home will encourage readers to use authentic fabrics. Advice on the care and conservation of vintage textiles and a guide to establishing values is most useful to those seeking to purchase vintage Victorian textiles today. For designers and collectors alike, this is a feast for the eyes and a prod for authenticity.

Book Description

Meets the rising demand for information about collecting, appraising, buying and selling cameos.

The only book of its kind, Cameos Old & New, 2nd Edition provides a comprehensive reference for anyone interested in cameos, including how to:

Build and care for a cameo collection; develop an eye for quality and an appreciation for cameos as "art"; detect genuine cameos from among synthetics and imitations; "circa date" cameos to differentiate old cameos from new; distinguish ultrasonically-produced cameos from hand-carved pieces; avoid the major pitfall--the purchase of mediocre pieces, fakes, and forgeries; and much, much more.

Customer Reviews:

Not bad.......2007-07-15

I liked the book. It could of had alot more information in it because there was a few things that I did not get answered...like I had hoped. But I guess you can't expect one book to give you all the information that a person seeks.

Everything you always wanted to know about cameos........2005-07-01

If you love cameos and collect them this is a wonderful little book for you. Tells you the history, the types, the reasons for certain styles, how to tell the age, how to tell the value, and all the necessary terminology for discussing them. Good illustrations are also a plus.

More than just your grandmother's brooch.......2004-08-15

When most people think of cameos, they think of the standard woman's profile carved from shell and mounted as a brooch or necklace. But the art of the cameo encompasses far more than that. Historically, it dates back to the ancient world, and over the centuries many materials have been used in making these works of art. Although female heads are probably the most common subject, mythological figures, animals, portraits of individuals, and many other things have found their way onto cameos. The quality can range all the way from cheap mass-produced modern items to fine hand-crafted pieces worthy of any museum.

Anna Miller's "Cameos" is a wonderful introduction to cameos. She covers the history of the form, the subjects normally found and what each one looks like--very useful in an age where few people know their mythology. She describes the different materials that have been used in making cameos--including lava from Mt. Vesuvius, shell, agate, onyx, plastic, and glass. There's an extensive section on how cameos are made and on the people who made (and make) them. One particularly useful discussion describes the differences between traditional hand-carved works and those made by modern ultrasonic machines (vital for any modern buyer). The author also gives information on how to evaluate quality and condition and on market value. The book is illustrated throughout with black and white pictures, and there is an extensive color section in the middle. One of the best things about this book is that the author is able to convey her appreciation of the art of cameos to the reader. "Cameos" is an essential reference for anyone who wants to acquire a knowledge and understanding of this art. Highly recommended.

Review by a Cameo carver........2003-12-12

I am one of the small number of portrait cameo carvers on gemstone.

I found this book to be excellent. There is a wealth of detail on all aspects of cameos. There are also good illustrations. There is valuable info for collectors on identifying and valuing Cameos.

Information on how to distinguish Ultrasonic Cameos from the more valuable hand-carved cameos is given.

You will gain a lot of knowledge on how Cameos are made and valued from reading this title.

Great for the beginner.......2003-05-31

This book is extremely useful for anyone new to cameo collecting. There is an extensive history of the cameo, information on famous cameo artists, as well as the different materials used for cameos. It contains a small section on how to date cameos, and how to spot fakes. Overall, a great book for the beginner.

From the Publisher

Pasteprints are relief images, a rare 15thcentury German art form difficult to preserve.Using modern scientific analysis, this study shows why they deteriorate. Disributed by Woodstocker Books.

Book Description

Born a slave and reared a sharecropper, Alonzo Herndon (1858-1927) was destined to drudgery in the red clay fields of Georgia. Within forty years of Emancipation, however, he had amassed a fortune that far surpassed that of his White slave-master father.

Through his barbering, real estate, and life insurance ventures, Herndon would become one of the wealthiest and most respected African American business figures of his era. This richly illustrated book chronicles Alonzo Herndon's ascent and his remarkable family's achievements in Jim Crow Atlanta.

In this first biography of the Herndons, Carole Merritt narrates how Herndon nurtured the Atlanta Life Insurance Company from a faltering enterprise he bought for $140 into one of the largest Black financial institutions in America; how he acquired the most substantial Black property holdings in Atlanta; and how he developed his barbering business from a one-chair shop into the nation's largest and most elegant parlor, the resplendent, twenty-three chair "Crystal Palace" in the heart of White Atlanta.

The Herndons' world was the educational and business elite of Atlanta. But as Blacks, they were intimately bound to the course of Black life. The Atlanta Race Riot of 1906 and its impact on the Herndons demonstrated that all Blacks, regardless of class, were the victims of racial terrorism.

Through the Herndons, issues of race, class, and color in turn-of-the-century Atlanta come into sharp focus. Their story is one of by-the-bootstraps resolve, tough compromises in the face of racism, and lasting contributions to their city and nation.

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