Boston

Since reading this novel first some six years ago, I've always felt that it has one of the most unattractive titles of any book I know. On re-reading it, I still think so. This should not put readers off, however, because behind that bland, unimaginative moniker, which reflected some long-since faded thoughts by the author, you will find a fascinating study of divorce in the 19th century, in a society that condemned it. Fifty years ago I can remember my own mother whispering the word 'divorced' when speaking about a couple no longer together'it was too shameful to say out loud. Yeah, well, times have changed. But what about the mid-1870s ? Howells carefully draws the picture in his usual, nuanced style.

A handsome, but shallow youth, Bartley Hubbard, flirts with Marcia Gaylord in a small Maine town. We can see their union is ill-fated right from the start, her family opposes it (he seems to have no relatives), but Marcia burns for Bartley. They marry surreptitiously and head for Boston where Bartley gets a foothold in the newspaper world. He mouths idealistic pap like 'I hope I shall never do anything unworthy of your idea.' but basically he has no moral framework in his character; he's selfish, facile, opportunistic, and self-indulgent. Marcia, though beautiful, is ignorant, self-centered, and very jealous. Howells emphasizes their lack of religion as a key to their deficiencies. As the marriage falls apart, we turn more and more to other characters, all in the higher levels of Boston society, who have the moral fiber that the Hubbards do not. Ben Halleck, Bartley's ex-friend, wrestles with his conscience over his secret love for Marcia as he sees her suffer over Bartley's abandonment of her. In very 19th century style, he worships her "as a woman whose constancy to her mistake" makes her sacred. He suppresses all his desires, even disappearing to Uruguay for two years, but merely thinking of another man's wife, albeit a desperately unhappy one, is utterly beyond the pale. He castigates himself unmercifully and winds up a penitent minister. But A MODERN INSTANCE is not a simple melodrama---it is a complex mix of personalities. There are no simple answers---isn't it easy to be upright when you are financially secure ?---and the end is indefinite. Though Hubbard is used as an example of moral decay, a man without firm principles and moral rectitude, he is still the most vivid, most realistic character. He is a likeable scamp, no matter how he is villified by the Boston society people.

The values that people live by in Boston circa 1875 are far from those we know today. They agonize about things that would not give us much pause. They emote on 'civilization' because they, like Howells, could not imagine the horrors of the 20th century. Thus, in a sense, Howells' novel is passé. Yet, his conversations, his picture of relationships, his description of the times, and even of nature are excellent. For example the vivid logging camp scenes (pp.79-97)are pure genius. You feel that you know that time and place by the end. Even if there are certain melodramatic twists and turns in the novel, and even if the last 90 pages drag a little, I would certainly recommend that you read A MODERN INSTANCE if you have any interest at all in American literature. It is a startlingly powerful book whose characters will stay with you.

Howell's novel follows the doomed marriage of jealous, insecure Marcia Gaylord and immoral--but somehow quite likeable--Bartley Hubbard. The story is very readable, and only seems to bog down in the last section of the book. The characters are well drawn, and Howell captures the changing character of American society towards the end of the nineteenth-century. There are no great moments of drama--rather this novel quietly makes its points. Cady's excellent introduction is best saved until after reading the book, so as to not spoil the plot. A great read for lovers of Wharton or Dreiser, or for anyone interested in American culture.

Mr. Waldstein is a bargain-hunting angel. This book is well-organized and a fun read, though sometimes directions are sketchy and hours of operation or phone numbers are wrong. It is less like having access to a city's reference librarian than meeting a friendly person who's lived in the city for years and knows all the best places though not always the details.

This was the first book of the Mr. Cheap series and is now in a second edition. Organized into four main sections (shopping, entertainment, restaurants and lodging), reviews are informal and newsy, usually around 100 words. The index is adequate and an appendix lists restaurants (the most comprehensive section of the book) by food type/ethnicity.

Well worth its cost though not the only reference you'll need.

Cheap internet cafes, public library lectures, poetry readings,kayak trips, jazz music...... Retail sections also form a large part of the book: infomation on second hand musical information is available; if you want to bring in your instruments to trade in. Similary, second hand bookstores offer the same service. A wide range of CDs, books and furnishings and electronic equipment for the bargain hunter with also locations of fabric stores for designing clothes as well as dress patterns. Besides listing the locations of more unusual supplies like where to get portfolios, there are address guides of the chains of larger stores. A good supplement to Mr Cheap's Guide is Romantic Days and Nighs in Boston by Patricia Harris & David Lyon. It gives great ideas for strolls in the parks, cycling, afternoon teas,picnics and brunches for two. Mr Cheap's guide does not provide maps or comprehensive transportation information and is ideally used as a supplement to a travel guide with location guides. Instead of a travel guide, a travel map is also ideal: hightlight the spots of the map of interest and then plan where to go and stay. Most of the information should ideally be used as early as possible; for bookings of hotels as well as current information on talks and free concerts. It is recommended that internet research is done with the book at hand: for the university lectures, performances, concerts and symphony sessions, current information is needed so read the book over and highlight places of interest and check up for more information. Some organizations also require that you write to them so do armchair travelling in advance.

I read this wonderful little book when I was 12 or 13, right during the time I learned to play guitar and jammed to the Beatles and everything 60's held indescribable wonder for me; at the time I thought it was perfect, it really took me away to another time and place, now I realize, a decade later, that it probably won't be nearly as grand for a teen or pre-teen who is not totally into "that scene." Still a very good book for any avid readers and those interested in that particular era.

This book is good...but that's only if u like boox bout drug use(not much but sum)...runaways...(it's based on a 17-yr-old chick who ran away to find a life all her own...or as the back of the book says (2 sum it up shortly) "17 yr old Wendy feels a desire 4 freedom and a need 2 find herself.She spends her summer in New York in a hippie haven.Wendy finds some surprising info bout herself." Its worth the buy & the read. By the way it's the paperback...not the hardcover...

Entertaining a move to Boston, I bought this book on a whim. It's a nice guide and will give you a general overview, but I wanted more meat. I suppose I'd be in a better position to judge had I actually moved at this point. It does give some nice information by neighborhood, so you could theoretically find a dry cleaner/coffee shop/hardware store your first week in town if you needed to. A little too much of the book (for my taste) was devoted to moving basics...like a packing timeline, etc. I already know this stuff or would consult UHaul if I didn't...I would rather have had more Boston info in the book. The writer clearly loves the city and is proud to share it, and isn't afraid to discuss the city's foibles (traffic, parking and high -- really high -- cost of living). If you're looking to move to Boston, I'd buy this in tandem with another book or two -- just to make sure you're getting everything you need.

An excellent book. In the tradition of Mr. Gaffin's reknown website Bostone Online, the book is enlightening for those of us from far off lands on the true culture and language of Boston. A true guide to bean town. Well recommended.

Mr. Fast's relatvely short, but gripping account of the events leading to the Battle of Bunker Hill. His focus on a colonial doctor as protagonist provides an interesting and different viewpoint on the battle. The protrayal of the British Officers including Howe and Clinton made them look to be more interested in their misstresses than the war. Perhaps that was historical.

The climatic battle scene is first rate. Clinton's statement to console Howe after the destruction of his grenadiers that, "London does not count the bodies, just the victories" was very memorable.

A good read but lacks that last bit of sparkle to get a 5 star rating.

Howard Fast's sparkling prose and keen insight for historical detail come together very well in this novel concerning the seven days leading up to the Battle of Bunker/Breed's Hill in the early days of the American Revolution. A wonderful read which works well as a follow-up to Fast's "April Morning."

So far, my husband and I have been on three of the hikes. Of them, two were not as described -- I would have rated the Holyoke one as a Moderate-Difficult, given the steepness of the terrain, rather than Easy-Moderate. It also didn't talk about the alternate route to the top, which was much easier, and less stressful. However, I do like the history and the cultural background of the areas we're hiking through. Highly recommend the Mad River walk in the Waterville Valley -- but bring your bug spray!

It would have been very nice to have the book tell you when you had to pay for parking -- especially in the US Park Service territories. We will continue to use the book, but I'll take the descriptions with a large grain of salt, and bring cash, just in case.

This book not only gave great detailed information on the local hikes and outings, but also contained lots of helpful cultural and local interest details. Each destination was painstakingly researched and contains an extremely helpful and easy to decipher map of the area. For those planning longer trips, a helpful selection of local hotels and bed and breakfasts will be a welcome addition. I also appreciated the restaurant selections carefully sorted by price. The author writes with enthusiasm about each travel destination and is very convincing about the merits of each spot. I found the details for each country walk to be extremely helpful in increasing both my knowledge of the area and my overall enjoyment of the trips.

In the fifth of Linda Barnes' very enjoyable Carlotta Carlyle series, the main character comes into her own as a PI. Although she still has a wry sense of humor, a self-deprecating streak, and daily contact with a cast of outrageous characters, this story is a serious one.

Carlotta is approached by a distraught woman, Emily, who is accompanied on the visit by her young and handsome psychiatrist. It seems that Emily's young daughter, who was being treated for a curable form of leukemia, suddenly took a violent turn for the worse and died. Emily is certain that it was due to gross negligence on the part of the hospital, one of the most prestigious in Boston. Her psychiatrist does not agree, but wishes to soothe his patient by letting her hire Anna.

Anna finds the case daunting and more than a little confusing, especially when her first forays into information-gathering result in the death or disappearance of several key players, including Emily herself. Is Anna in over her head? What exactly DID happen to Emily's 6-year-old daughter? Is there a conspiracy of silence at the hospital, and if so, which of the pompous, well-known doctors is taking part? As Anna digs deeper, she finds herself involved in a dangerous web of intrigue that threatens not only the patients in the hospital, but her own life as well.

Although this story has much more meat than the previous books in the series, it is not without its own special brand of humor and quirky characters. Carlotta's insanely nutty roommate, Roz, is her usual outrageous self, as is Diane, the impossibly huge proprietess of the Green and White cab company. Carlotta is still involved with Sam, the offspring of a well-known mobster, and no-nonsense cop Mooney, her friend, mentor, and would-be lover, still disapproves. There are also some plot-thickening incidents with Carlotta's beloved "little sister" Paolina, and her immoveable mother Marta, who has become very ill.

All in all, this book promises a new twist in the series, and bodes well for the future of Carlotta's career as an offbeat, but successful, private eye.

If you're a fan of Linda Barnes and her Carlotta Carlyle protagonist you will enjoy Snapshot the fifth installment in this series. I listened to the audio of this book and have to admit that reading would have been much better. I feel the audio is to easy to get distracted from. However, I love C. J. Critt and feel she does a wonderful job. Snapshot takes you into the world of hospitals and medicine and secrets they may hold. Carlotta is taken into this world by her customer who later cannot be found. Snapshot has many twist and turns (which I enjoy in a novel). Several people who could be the bad guy, and our old favorites Mooney, Gloria and Sam make appearances. Although they are not involved as much as in the previous novels. Snapshot will not let you down if you are looking for a good whodunit with a great protagonist.

Although there are some great stories in here, it left me wanting more. There should have been much more from the Stanley Cup winning and fun-loving teams of the early '70's.
There are numerous grammatical errors that never should have made it past any half-decent editor.
Lastly, in about the last third of the book, EVERY SINGLE picture has the wrong caption. How on earth did this make it to printing without being noticed?
For [money], there should have been more tales and less errors.

If you bleed black and gold you'll love this book its a must !!!

Levitt offers us a number of interesting insights into the lives of Dominican migrants in the 21st Century. She tells us that the lives of Dominicans in the U.S. and those who remain in their local communities at home are shaped by the transnational experience. This is largely the product of what she refers to as "social remittance." Levitt also goes into a long discussion of the role that institutions like political parties, the Church, and community development organizations play in this process. In many ways this analysis is a re-cycled version of earlier analyses of immigrants. For instance, Bodner gives us a version of this story in "The Transplanted." Of course, Levitt attributed this new form of "Transnationalism" to thinks like improvements in technology, communications, transportation, and interpretations of citizenship by governments. For those of us who remember the heyday of modernization theory, much of this sounds familiar, and wanton for a critique focusing on issues of inequality. Although Levitt takes the discussion of Transnationalism further than some of her contemporaries, it remains encumbered by the theoretical limitations of her selected framework.

This book is a fun read; I enjoyed it very much. It's a well written, well researched account of how Dominican immigrants retain strong, multiple ties to their homeland. Sociologist Levitt explores the nature of these ties and their implications, drawing on many examples from her extensive fieldwork.

A quick light mystery by a superb author. Most of her novels are much deeper/harder to get into. This one has a rather unrealistic plot with somewhat stereotyped characters (Hannibal Lecter for one) but is enjoyable. Good for a 3 hour plane flight. MUCH better than alot of the best selling mysteries such as those by James Patterson.

Loved the story of Marni and Jake. Am a n avid reader of mysteries. Author supposedly writing next book in series. What happened to it?