GA

Margaret Hunter Bridges, a "lapsed Southern bell," climbs the roof of her neighbor's and lifelong friend's, Ida Matthews, house to survey not only her neighborhood and the skyline of Atlanta, but also her life. All her life she has abided by the rules and strictures of Southern(Atlanta) society, following her mother's belief that 'If something unpleasant is happening, pretend not to notice." However, one day the unpleasant becomes too personal not to notice and with a single act of accidental tragedy, her lfe and that of her family begins to self-destruct and fall apart. Despite tragedy worse than many ever experience, Margaret finds her way out of the past and into a new future with the help of her friends, an ancient yardman, and her son. And it's not all tragedy either, because just as in real life, there is comedy along the way if we can find it to laugh at. The author turns a satirical, if congenial eye on the stereotypical Southern bell while at the same time revealing that most Southern women have escaped that role and are off to new heights and strengths that Southern women have always possessed, repressed or not.

Marilyn Dorn Staats's voice, spoken through Margaret Hunter Bridges in 'Looking for Atlanta,' is not merely that of a lapsed southern belle. Its aching and wrenching observations could just as easily have come from a Tennessee Williams's Laura or Blanche Du Bois. As she lives through the the death of her daughter and the ensuing end of her marriage, we watch Margaret grow from a mass of quivering nerves to a woman whose strength rivals Scarlett O'Hara's in surviving the Battle of Atlanta. Though she speaks the language of the ladies who lunch and attend garden club, what we hear is the voice of a woman who delves deep to find the courage and wisdom she nees to live. She is caught on the cusp of women's liberation -- too old to be a feminist and too young not to be. 'Looking For Atlanta' is about one woman's journey from the shelter of her polite and corseted upbringing to the realities of the world she lives in. We readers are lucky she lets us tag along. Way to go, Margaret!

Being new to the area, and wanting to get familiar with local plants, I found the information in this book to be very helpful. The month by month directions were helpful for plants I was unfamiliar with. My bigest critisim of it would be that there are no color pictures of the plants described so you have to have a hefty botanical book in order to see all of the plants mentioned. They should have a reference section such as that of Southern Living or Sunset which has small color pictures showing the desribed plants. That would make this book perfect.

This book was loaned to me by a long-time gardener at church who said it was the best out there and now I have my own copy becuase I kept going to her house to look up something. I love the way it seperates chores by month and area of garden.

Wel. I must say this is a decent book for those who have just bought a new home in the New Orleans area and are looking to start a Garden. One of the most important points that this book neglects however is MATH.

Miscalculating the size of your garden is a major problem for some folks, especially those who are stuck studying medical knowledge all day, so only really look at this stuff at midnight. They might be the type to be prone to make a mistake like transposing radius and diameter... and therefore planning a, oh I don't know, 650 sq ft garden. Goofy if you ask me. This will be the same person who one day takes out your apendix... er, I mean tonsils.

The other thing this book neglects is that its just too darned hot in LA most of the time to care about a garden. I mean, its a bloody swamp, why people think they are going to plant anyting which doesn't attract alligators and rats is beyond me; so the idea of sitting out in the garden weeding, while being stalked by an alligator, which is hiding behind the Tomatos, is just 'not a good thing'. And its 100% humidity, but only rains when you have to go from your car to a building... the rest of the time the water just sits there in mid air. Unlkess you are talking about the French Quarter, at which it really is not water... don't ask.

Which brings us to pointed sticks. A must for any garden. 'Of course' you say, thinking I am refering to the ability to stake plants up so they grow taller. No, I say... you don't want tall plants - the alligators will then hide behind them, not to mention the 3 ft crickets. You don't want a 3 ft cricket charging you without a pointed stick. Well, unless you are armed with a Banana... I mean, if you got a Banana, then why are you even reading this, you should be over in Iraq helping the American forces.

Unless of course you ate it... then you deserve whatever the cricket chooses to do with you.

Timing is very important in gardening, and in Louisiana with its variations of climate it is dangerous to take generic Internet sourced advice about timing. Dan is the man to listen to here. Especially if you've got huge tracts of land, this book is for you.

For anyone who is interested in gardning in NC, this book is a must. Most gardinging books would only concentrate on how good the plant is. BUt this book also tells us some of the "problems" one might have with the plants and what kind of pests/diseases a plant might be susceptible to. I should have given 5-Stars for this book. The reason I did not give is the indexing is a bit confusing -- the botanical and common names are used in mixed mode. This is not a big problem though, once you get used to the book.

Again, this book is a must for all gardeners in NC -- experience as well as novices.

This book has been very helpful for me in choosing, planting and understanding how to take care of annuals, perennials, groundcovers, shrubs, trees, bulbs, vines and herbs that will grow well in North Carolina. The choices at a gardening center can be overwhelming, but Tony Bost's advice can help you focus on plantings that have a good chance to succeed in a N.C. garden. I especially like the great detail that goes into the exact way to plant your selection, and the maintenance of the plant, so that you know how often and with what to fertilize the plant, and how to water and prune it. Tony Bost has also included up to date information on new cultivars that are being developed and relies a lot on excellent research that is currently being done at the Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh.

If you live in Atlanta and wonder why its Briarcliff becomes Moreland when you cross Ponce, why Marta [stinks], or why even now this vibrant city seems so segregated, you need to read this book. It is an enlightening (if at some points dense) view of the history of Atlanta from the perspective on race and especially for my generation (those who grew up after the civil rights movement) it is a book about the side of race relations you can not truly fathom until you are able to put Atlanta of the past together with Atlanta today.

"Race and the Shaping of 20th Century Atlanta" is a great outline of how race can change and direct the planning of cities. A little tough to remember the acronyms sometimes, but overall a good history. Addresses zoning issues, building projects, and even why Atlanta's interstate and public transportation are where they are. It's a fascinating look at how race affected and even still affects our lives today. As Bayor himself says while lecturing about urban history and city planning, "you get what you plan for." Certainly, Atlanta still shows the product of decisions that were made as early as our city's founding! Thought the book is titled "...Atlanta," it certainly can be applied to many of our great cities. It's amazing how it all works together. Great read--definitely good for those interested in many topics, from architecture, to urban history, to city planning, to racial issues.

Hugh Pearson wrote a painfully honest discussion of that which he uncovered as he took a personal journey to learn how his great-uncle, Dr. Joseph Griffin, 'a wealthy negro surgeon, wielded power in the Jim Crow south.' I both enjoyed and was disturbed by this excellent look back at a grim era in our collective past. Mr. Pearson shares with his readers the pride as well as the conflict he felt upon learning the extremes to which Dr. Griffin chose to resort to fulfill his dreams and aspirations.

Mr. Pearson's style of writing is refreshingly straightforward and in-your-face honest. I was particularly impressed with his impressions of the connection between the Jewish community and the Black community (long an interest of mine,) which haunted him throughout his journey.

In a convoluted way, the story was inspiring. Dr. Griffin went to many lengths and used any means possible to attain wealth, and subsequently power, in an age when power was unattainable to southern Blacks. As the real means of attaining power (education, real estate ownership, political involvement and money) are still out of the reach of many black Americans today, we must ask ourselves how--if at all--have things changed since the days of Dr. Griffin?

I strongly recommend this book to any student of history who would appreciate an accounting of the Jim Crow era, from its last remaining survivors.

Its been a long time since I've read a book that truly captivated and held my attention like "Under the Knife".
Brother Pearson has done the community and humanity a service
with his very real portrayl of the the south and the way in which African-American physicians went through,around and over
discrimination. As an AA physician myself,I read and absorbed the words in this scholarly tome in a much different light than perhaps the average non-physician reader. It was enlightening,

refreshing and down to earth. And lastly, I appreciate Hugh's
avoidance of the usual thou does no wrong image that is often
cast upon our AA heroes. They are "great" men and women who deserve all the praise and glory due each and every one of them,
BUT they are human - and the admiration is even greater when we do not deprive them of this fact.Brother Hugh continue to write
great pieces for all of humanity. Yours in peace...

Perhaps the delirium here is that Harris, a podiatrist, thought he could write a novel, and that an editor at a prestigious publishing house like St. Martin's Press would publish it, after first being released by a small, private firm. It's not that it isn't a good story, but one of the first things they tell you even in the most elementary writing classes is to let the story tell itself. Here the narrator is so obtrusive with his editorial comments that it becomes a joke after awhile. Still, if you read reviews of this book, there are Sevannah natives who rave over it and others, like me, who wonder how it ever got in print. Perhaps if Savannah hadn't been one of my favorite cities I wouldn't have finished it at all, but after starting it I was determined to finish.

For anyone who reads the dramatic, compelling books on Oprah's lists, please read this one. It completely takes you in to Savannah during the Civil War, then the 1950's, 1960's, Vietnam War, etc. Though it's somewhat historical, you get to MEET the regular people and see how they lived according to the times they were in. There's so many stories and life situations that keep you intrigued. Looking foward to his second book.

A great read ! An engrossing and fast moving story of family loyalties, ambitions, murders, and political and social intrigues set in and around Savannah (by a native Savannahian) with such a fascinating, moving and authentic presentation of the behavior, attitudes and reactions of its diverse people that the book is extremely difficult to put down until it is finished.

This book was so boring that I couldn't even finish it. There was way too much description and wordiness. Everytime I though it was going to get interesting and get into "Herman the ghost", it popped right back to the boring stuff about the town of Mulberry. I haven't read any of Ansa's other books, and this one makes me not want to. This book could of easily been 200 pages less than what it was and had a chance to be interesting. If your're looking for drama, mystery and suspense this book has none of that.

I found this book to be really disappointing. I'd read so many positive reviews about Ansa and in fairness, I read Baby of the Family and Ugly Ways prior to this title and must conclude that I'm not into her writing style. She has a very descriptive, detailed writing style that consumes pages upon pages of text that describe the environment but is so very weak on plot and story line. I know this was the sequel to Baby of the Family, but I felt she retold the same story within this one. Like in Baby of the Family, I kept waiting for something to happen to/with Lena, the main character. Sure, she summons up a ghost and has lots of sex and love..but basically, that's it. I kept waiting for a dramatic climax, but there was none. The problem is, every time the story started to move forward and show a little conflict (a female ghost rival, an angry town that feels forgotten by Lena), the conflict is resolved far too easily. The book encourages us to stop concentrating on the material and enjoy life as Lena learned to do..but her transformation was dull and truly uneventful for me. It took a lot for me to finish this book..and I had to skim/speed read to make it through it. I'm still trying to figure out what all the hype was about.....I'd agree with another reviewer and put this one at the bottom of the three Ansa books. In my opinion, this book could have been written in half the text and had the same impact.

A whopping good read. You have to admit that this ghostly (not ghastly) affair was a great plot idea. Very original. Ironically, the book's strength is also its weakness. Ms Ansa has a gift for local color and scenic description, with a tendency to go a little bit overboard, which makes for slow, but interesting reading. I bought the book in the spring and could not get past page 10. I started and stopped, started and stopped. But the lush writing was so skillful that I vowed to finish it. Then when summer came and I had a little vacation time, I zipped right through it. Lena is an intriguing character. I must go back and read Baby of the Family now to get the rest of her story.

I debated about reading this book for a long time. I usually don't read non-fiction, but since my preference is for murder mysteries, what better non-fiction book to read than a true crime story. Boy, am I glad I did. This book was so close to fiction that I had to remind myself frequently that is was a true story. I hope before I die that I'm able to go to Savannah and experience first hand the beauty that John Berendt wrote about so eloquently. I've always prided myself on my active imagination while I'm reading, imagining this person or that (actors, mostly)as certain characters. With this book, I could easily visualize Savannah and it's people. Before I read this book, I watched the special "Midnight in Savannah" on A&E and was "taken in " by this city. The characters are one of a kind-only Lady Chablis could have portrayed herself(?)in the movie. No other could immitate him/her!! And the voodoo woman, the woman of 6,000 songs, the Married Woman's Card Club-who could make this stuff up?!? I laughed alot and shook my head in disbelief at other times. But, when all was said and done, maybe Jim did finally pay the price for murder. After four trials, he was acquitted and dropped dead less than a year later. Go figure!!

Truman Capote is credited with having creating that hybrid of writing which combines a factual event with fiction in his novel IN COLD BLOOD. Much in the same way, John Berendt has cleverly interwoven a high-profile 1981 murder case with his vast imagination and created a masterpiece. This book is a terrific read from the very first. Who would have thought that a story based upon homicide could be so very entertaining and even laugh-out-loud funny? Berendt has brought us just that in his description of Savannah and its juxtaposition of old-world grace and modern-day outrage. He gives us the juicy gossip without being tacky about it and we follow him to parties of every class and color. The characters he brings us (and I would like to think that they are all real!) are three dimensional; not just words on a page. I am so glad to have read this work before seeing it maligned in film.

This is/was one of the few books that actually deserved to be on the bestseller list for as long as it was. Honestly, I can't find anything wrong with it. The movie is another story--avoid it at all costs! But the book is just fantastic, with great colorful characters and of course, the main star which is Savannah itself! Very, very well done with just the right amount of suspense and intrigue. I'd give it ten stars if I could.

Also recommended: McCrae's Bark of the Dogwood and In This Mountain

I normally like stories like this one but unfortunately I found this book lacking spark. Parts of the book are really good but unfortunately those moments never last very long. The main characters are into martial arts, and I guess that practitioners might appreciate the lengthy descriptions about it but it gets a bit dull for the rest of us. Aud is a complex character and the plot is basically good even though it could have used some more work. The fact that Aud wouldn't really care about the crime and its investigation if it hadn't been for Julia makes the read a bit tedious.

Nicola Griffith's novels are focusing more and more astutely on the struggle to separate from family, the transition described as eloquently by Gail Sheehy as by the new-age spokesentity Michael. Slow River deals immediately and instantaneously with these themes, presenting its POV character with a crisis that forces her to do this work years before she might normally be inclined to. The Blue Place shows us a more likely (if no more realistic) example of the transition.

Aud Torvingen had a horribly alienated childhood, and has evolved into a grownup devoid of emotional awareness, revolving around her parents by means of a thorough-going denial of her vulernability. This material could be taken over the top, but Griffith handles it like the master she is. The book can be read simultaneously as high post-camp and a movingly realistic portrayal of the coping mechanisms of avoidance and obsession taken to extremes.

Once the series plays itself out, I think we're going to look back on this book as a remarkably introduction to a character who is going to go down into her own private Hades, and then emerge smaller and wiser. I look forward to the insights that Griffith will offer.

In the meantime, the book is enjoyable as character study, as travelogue, and as thriller. I highly recommend it.

____________________________________________

By page four of Nicola Griffith's The Blue Place (Avon, $23), we've
met the tall, beautiful, smart and deadly Aud Torvingen, heard about
the recurring nightmares that have her walking Atlanta streets at
midnight, ...and witnessed a house explode. Things slow down a
little after that, but ...it's hard to overpraise the taut plotting and
broad intelligence of this thriller. ...what makes The Blue Place
stand out is its precision. You constantly feel like you're getting
the inside dope on new worlds, including those of martial arts,
woodworking, Norwegian foods and dress styles, ice hiking
and burglar alarms...

-- Paul Skenazy, Wasington Post

I'm too lazy to write a real review --but here are some
snippets, and a (virtually) spoiler-free commentary
-- and look for the author's comments on the review
continuation page at Amazon: Aud as James Bond(!))

Snapshot quotes:

Aud Torvingen, dressing to meet a new client:

I felt sharp, rich, very good looking. It pleases me to wear silk
couture and gold and pearls. I like the way it feels on my skin,
the way it fits.

And looking out into her Atlanta garden:

Two cardinals trilled liquidly at each other, bright red against
emerald green. One of the neighbour's cats slunk belly down
through the grass towards them. Snakes in fur coats, Dorothy
Parker had called them.

The book ends in graphic blood & terror. Aud gets revenge, but
puts herself in terrible jeopardy. I'll be most interested in how she
resolves her predicament in the sequel.

[ A reader writes, at nicolagriffith[dot]com ]
"I don't understand your ability to create such beauty and
such pain and such darkness. I am pretty devastated ...by the
ending of The Blue Place."

[NG responds: ] "I've had many responses on the
subject which range from: "I'll never read anything by you

again!" to "I admire your courage..." That last one is usually
accompanied by a doubtful shake of the head.

I imagine that when such readers finally get hold of the second Aud
book, they'll be even more annoyed . I can hear the complaints
already: "How can you *do* that to her?!"

There have been mundane complaints that Aud is smarter, stronger,
faster and sexier than you (or indeed any mere human). This is true.
If power-fantasy offends you, do not enter The Blue Place!

Happy reading!
Pete Tillman