Street

My name is also Jane Berentson. I am a 17 year old from Washington state. I just thought that was interesting to share my name with a successful woman.

"Homeless Man Turns Life into a Movement." --Chicago Reporter

"an eloquent voice for Americans too often ignored or scapegoated." --Booklist

"Casanova and Blackburn have created an eloquent statement from the trenches of a movement that is still only about a decade old. As more and more people understand the limitations of charity and the necessity of organizing, people like Casanova, who have paved the way for others, will no doubt be regarded as the Malcolms and Martins and Rosas of a new movement." --Real Change

This book provides an insightful look into one aspect of the life of the "Peter Pan of Chicago", Dr. Gregg Jarrell of the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business. Quotes such as "Its easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission" should be a part of any financier's repertiore

This was an easy read for this econ student. I had trouble understanding the professor's explanations, so I read this book and the author explained the material better than the professor using different types of graphs, actual real world items and clear explanations. This is basic macro econ stuff that speaks about aggregate demand/supply, gdp, functions of money, banking system, business cycles, unemployment, federal deficit and fiscal policy.

This book has the answers to the questions that are asked by both the new builder, and those that have done a few cars.

Not just another tired litany of buying this part or that part and simply bolting it on as most American street rod oriented publishers recommend. Rather, good solid information on how to do it yourself, making many of the components from scratch at home.

The book is loaded with good clear B&W photos of works in progress, bare chassis and the like. Lots of good written information in the text as well. Basic construction on all aspects of street rods is covered as well as advanced engineering techniques.

The typical street rod under construction is covered from stem to stern so to speak, and you'll even find things like installing windshield wipers, hidden washer bottles and defrosters. All in all, a most interesting read.

Since it's a book that focuses on Australian street rod building the steering is on the wrong side for US cars, but that's easy enough to figure out.

Lots of good information here and I recommend it highly.

"Epiphanius Tighe and the Dragon of East South Water Street" is the second book involving the wrinkled and impish dracologist, Professor Tighe, hot on the trail of a dragon, hunting for loot and food in downtown Chicago.

The characters are amusing and well-defined (especially folksy Ephiphanius in his fish out of water situation), and all the subplots all dovetail nicely. What I enjoyed especially is Wood's charming illustrations of how the descendants of Irish immigrants in the U.S., many generations removed, still cling to the notion that they're as Irish as a penny whistle. I guess it just goes to prove that Americans secretly long to belong to something older and deeper with meaning than the disposable pop culture they find themselves in.

All around a terrific read with a great protagonist. Too bad old Albert Sharpe is no longer living; he might have made a great cinematic Epiphanius Tighe! Hats off to Woods in his second Epiphanius Tighe adventure. Am looking forward to the next.

Got this for my now 18 mo old toddler a couple of months ago and he can relate to all of the stuff Ernie and Bert are shown doing in this book -- he just loves it! He often picks it up and looks through every page by himself during the day. Ernie gets dressed, goes out to play and meets his friends, takes turns, and then takes a break for a snack with Bert at the end of the Book. He likes to act out that part to me, as well as the getting dressed :-) My son is a big big Ernie fan after watching the very cute 1 2 3 count with me DVD a few times a week :-) So it absolutely fits the bill for an engaging board book.

My 2 and 1/2 year old son loves to read this book. He watches his dad build in the garage and is fascinated by tools and building. This book goes through the steps and tools used to build a birdhouse. It is very simple and straightforward and shows Ernie and Bert working together. A great learning tool for how things get done step-by-step and which tools are used when. I notice the age range is 4-8, but I would say more like 2-4 is appropriate.

Written as a dialogue/dispute to Mark Twain's "The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn", Escapades On Third Street begins in the same cultural environment, although in the 1970's. At the start of the summer of 1971, Benjamin Thomas, thought only of playing with his eleven year old friends on the streets of Bradentown. That is, until he is approached by Vincent Solomon, an African-American student of such intelligence and presence that Ben is swept up in his cause. Together they perform odd jobs for the residents of Bradentown, and their fame quickly grows, except for one Mrs. Traxton, known as Tyrannosaurus Trax, for her power politics in St. Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, whose congregants are often possessed of the Holy Spirit during church services:

"'OHHHH, Lawdy, Lawdy, thank ya Lawdy. . . OHHH BLESSED SAV-IOR, thank ya!' Suddenly shouted the woman in the red dress as she abruptly bolted to her feet, arms flapping as she bucked up and down and rocked violently forward and backward in the narrow space between two pews."

Just as Vincent Solomon is setting the foundations for his quest to change the community of Bradentown, he is wrongfully accused of rape. The White community reacts with lynch mob mentality; the Black community scurries to evict Vincent from their midst just as he stands alone. Only the Thomas family stands by him timidly; at their peril. Sadly for Vincent, he learns that his ideas are a generation ahead of his peers, not to mention the White community.

Rutledge presents a passionate novel that chronicles the injustices of the South as Vincent's situation turns into a maelstrom which threatens to engulf the region. Centered around a community who take solace in their faith; their music; and their culture, Escapades is an attempt to show the world just what problems remain in race relations. Although the plot lags a little at the beginning, the second half is worth the effort. Escapades is a definitive work and adds to the growing body of Afro-American literature.

Gregory Rutledge is a native of Bradenton, Florida, which constitutes the Deep South in terms of race relations. Growing up on Third Street, Rutledge had the opportunity to observe what he writes about...the evolution of African-American relations. Greg is a graduate of Emory University in English Literature and Philosophy; holds a Law Degree from the University of Florida; and is presently working towards his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he also earned a M.A. in Afro-American Studies.

Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer

Jean Toomer was one of the great literary figures from the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920's. His signature work, Cane, is known by most people who have studied African-American literatureo. Lesser known to readers is this brilliant work, Essentials, published in 1931.

After his success with Cane, Toomer disappeared from the literary scene to pursue his own philosophical and psychological inquiries. He went against the grain of his time which believed African-Americans were not capable of exploring the world of metaphysics, let alone psychology. Toomer, way ahead of his time proved them wrong as he sought enlightenment in the teachings of George Gurdjieff. During this time (1924-1935), Toomer published this slim volume offering his attempts to grapple with the experience of what it means to be human.

Essentials is a collection of Toomer's ponderings in his search for wholeness in a fragmented world. Drawing on modern psychology and eastern religious belief Toomer falls into the comapny of Emerson, Thoreau and Gibran as he deals with that which is transcendent. He revives the use of aphorisms to convey timeless truths in a world which is incable of moving beyond its limited definitions of life.

Long ignored, this work gives us a glimpse of Toomer's metaphysical side. Through it we capture another alternative view of dealing with reality. It is essential reading for anyone interested in metaphysics, African-American literature, Toomer and as an example of a Black writer who refused to be limited by definitions of race for his life. Think on his words. Grow in the wisdom shared by a great literary giant of the 20th century.