3 comments about Fitz H. Lane: An Artist's Voyage Through Nineteenth-Century America.

1. Given that it has been over thirty years since the last definitive biography on this great artist has been written, I was fully prepared to find a few new facts and undiscovered pieces of Lane's art featured. What I read within this book was so, so much more. Fitz H. Lane: An Artist's Voyage Through Nineteenth-Century America is nothing less than a revelation. (Perhaps a better title for this book would have been "Everything You Know About Fitz H. Lane is Wrong") With an easy, agreeable voice the author (Craig) guides the reader through the three distinct phases of Lane's life, exploring each period with an eye for detail unmached by any previous authority on this New England painter. Numerous myths are debunked, not the least of those being the fact that Lane has been referred to by the wrong name for over 70 years! (His name was actually Fitz HENRY Lane, not Fitz HUGH Lane.) Craig soundly illustrates how much this man has been misrepresented, and his artwork misinterpreted,for years.
   As well, never before published pieces of artwork by Lane are featured, new aspects of his life revealed (he was a Spiritualist, a Transcendentalist,and contrary to what we've been told, NOT a recluse)and a vision of this man more complete than ever before has been found. The images (36 full color plates, 120+ b&w's) are, as we'd expect from Lane, stunning. The only complaint I have about this book -and it's a small one- is that the book is a softcover, rather than a hardcover. Weird, but easy to overlook. Overall, a superb "outsider" art history book that entertains, informs, and surprises, all while forcing us to ask some hard questions about those who have been the leaders in American art scholarship for the last thirty years.
   
   P.S. I have been lucky enough to actually attend one of the author's lectures up on Cape Ann and Craig is as stimulating in person, never once looking at notes. It's as if he's talking about an old friend and not a long dead artist.



2. I concur with the previous reviewer and will not reiterate the salient points, however I think there are some other notable points. First, this book is very readable and able to capture and maintain a reader's interest. It is extemely well written and uses primary sources as well as secondary sources so it is well researched and the subject is obviously important to the author. Secondly, it provides an interesting viewpoint of Lane's times. I liked the description of life in New England in the early and mid-nineteenth century, particularly Lane's apparent involvement in transcendentalism,the development of Federalism and the Hudson River School, and the birth of an American art identity. Thirdly, the figures and colorplates are plentiful and beautifully reproduced. Lastly, the book is manageable, by that I mean it is not too long and can be easily read by anyone that would like a background on this famous luminist. I only wish that Craig could give lessons to other authors who attempt similar efforts!!



3. MY SON IS THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK, SO I AM A LITTLE BIAS. I BOUGHT THESE BOOKS AS A GIFT FOR 2 PEOPLE. THEY ARE HISTORY BUFFS AND WILL APPRECIATE HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND THE RESEARCH REQUIRED TO PREPARE THIS BOOK.

5 comments about Man and Wife.

1. Great book. There are some false moves here but its just Klavan's way to keep his readers guessing. The ending was an unexpected surprise and nice to boot. Klavan is a master at the craft of creating a believeable plot with nagging mystery throughout.



2. Psychiatrist Cal Bradley has an uxurious love for his wife Marie, a simple soul, good wife and mother, but not his equal in intelligence and education. He has been mildly aware that her past had some hidden secrets but was unwilling to dredge up the past in case it upset the comfortable present. Cal is treating a troubled teenager Peter Blue, who claims to have a mystical connection to God and whose crazy actions have brought him into trouble with the law. Peter threatens to suicide if put in jail so Cal is more lenient in his treatment of him. As a consequence, a brutal man from Marie's past becomes involved with them all, bringing down tragedy and violence which will forever alter the course of their lives.



3. One of my favorite books written in the last decade is TRUE CRIME by Andrew Klaven. It was also liked by Clint Eastwood who made a film out of it. There was a strong sense of suspense, which grabbed the reader from the first page and never let up. Unfortunately, Mr. Klaven has been unable to recreate that sense of superb storytelling with his subsequent books and they proved to be not nearly as successful. He also left the genre by writing a ghost story. However, I am pleased to report that he is again up to his usual high standards.

   Cal Bradley, a psychiatrist is happily married in a small New England town. Into his life step two men who threaten to tear his life apart. One is Peter Blue, a young man who, after beating his girlfriend, ran to a local church and set it on fire while threatening a police officer with a gun. Cal sees a lot of potential good in Peter and decides to take him under his wing at a local psychiatric hospital instead of keeping him in prison where Peter threatens suicide. The second is a shadowy tough figure of a man who may have past ties to Cal's wife, Marie. He may be the key to the unraveling of their marriage.

   Andrew Klaven has written a fast paced suspense novel with just the right amount of surprises to keep the pages flying. Characters are very well sketched as is the locale. In returning to the crime fiction and suspense subgenre, Andrew Klaven has returned to the arena of his greatest success. I sincerely hope he decides to remain here.




4. I really enjoyed reading this book. It's one of those books that leave you hanging at the end of every chapter. I like how it was written in a unique way so that it kept you guessing. This book shows how one troubled teen can change many people's lives. Cal Bradly and Peter Blue are very real and interesting characters in this book. Cal is the psychologist, husband and father. Peter is the troubled and influential nineteen year old. And Marie, Cal's wife, is the woman with the mysterious past. This was a great book and I encourage others to read it.



5. This is my first Klavan novel, and it was engrossing. Its greatest strength is the unique and powerful love story, in my opinion. Klavan describes what I think true love is about, the almost miraculous nature of it, unexpected, unforced, irrestible, rendering its captives completely devoted to each other, and, thus, vulnerable. Not enough of that kind of love around, it seems, but nice to see that someone can portray it beautifully. The suspense was also good, but this one clearly revolves around love, from the outstanding and unforgettable first line forward.

5 comments about To Marry an English Lord or, How Anglomania Really Got Started.

1. Every time I read this book it becomes more and more interesting. Meticulously researched, with great little anecdotes and etiquette tips.
   This book is a lot of fun! I especially liked the many photographs of the designer gowns (most by Worth, if you please!) that are liberally scattered throughout.
   If you're ananglophile you'll want to get this one!



2. Those few of us who have wondered why in the world a comfortable, cosseted American girl would want to marry an Englishman and live in a cold climate in an even colder stone castle will find answers here, even if the answers aren't satisfactory to the modern ear.

   Think of it: wealthy American society girls, products of generations of men and women who gave lives and fortunes to escape a Royalist society, thought it a worthy investment of their lives, loves and wealth to buy an English title in the form of a husband. It's understandable that men who have no money and are saddled with huge estates and titles with no way to support themselves "in the manner to which they have become accustomed" would search out these women. It's another matter to understand the women, especially if they were bright and energetic (like the fabled Jenny Jerome).

   Of course the first women to get involved in this weird method of social climbing didn't realize what was involved. (Though why American society decided that an English title was important in the United States, especially if it could be bought with money, still escapes me.) The problems included loveless husbands who paid little attention to their wives and carried on affairs; cold and drafty castles into which Papa sank tons of money to no avail as far as comfort was concerned; families who refused to accept them in spite (or because) of the fact that they provided the money to keep the lifestyle intact; servants who often were sulky and rebellious ("but we've ALWAYS done it that way"); children they handed over to nannies. The first brides must have kept the hardships and loneliness from the succeeding generation, for the rage for English titles prevailed from the mid-19th century almost through the mid-20th century.

   TO MARRY AN ENGLISH LORD is a fascinating and complete look at these women and the lives they led. Illustrations showing the homes and households of the times and how they operated, fashions, maps, photographs of the women and their friends, families and husbands all combine to present the core of that particular section of society in that particular age.

   The book is meticulously researched and includes a bibliography, a register of American heiresses, a suggested walking tour of the women's London and a very handy index. It's built around the stories of these women and the men who wooed and won them. Who they were, what they did and what the consequences were -- all adds up to an intriguing and fascinating read.




3. Who says that history is boring and stuffy? This well-researched book is chock full of anecdotes, pictures, and facts to make the period and the subject come to life.

   This book discusses the phenomenon of the "dollar princesses": American hieresses who married into titles abroad, particularly England. Amongst them were Winston Churchill's mother; a woman who was the second-highest ranking woman in the British empire (after only the queen); and maybe the most famous of all: Consuelo Vanderbuilt, who begrudgingly became the Duchess of Marlborough in a marriage aranged by her social-climbing mother.

   Written informally, with lots of pictures, this might be a great book to buy a teenager who is just transitioning into "grown-up" non-fiction, but finds most of it dry and uninteresting. It is also a must-read for anyone who plans on traveling to country-houses in England, as it gives a more accurate view of what it was like to actually have to live in one of those monstrosities! Anyone who is interested in the history of class in America, or of the British Aristocracy, would also be interested.




4. As the other reviewers have noted, this is a great romp through a part of American history you don't learn about in school. I read it through once and then re-read it just to savor all the little bits and pieces the authors have so generously loaded it with. If you ever wondered about all those Vanderbilts and all those Whitneys, here is your chance (from an American point of view!)to find out just how and why these ladies ended up in the postions they did- all for the love of Edward VII. I wish there were more reader-friendly books like this that make history so entertaining.



5. I read this book the first time when I checked it out of the public library. I loved it so much that I had to have my own copy. It is a fascinating account of how the nouvo riche in the U.S. basically bought acceptance to high society for their daughters. You can just pick it up and read sections - it's not necessary to start at the beginning and work through. Not a summer goes by that I don't pick it up!

1 comments about A Guide to Historic New Haven Connecticut (History & Guides).

1. But don't let the size put you off.
   
   The first thing you will notice upon browsing this book, beyond its small size, is that there is a whole lot more to New Haven than Yale University. If you're looking for a comprehensive guide to buildings at Yale, this is not the book. While Yale has its proper inclusion, so do all of New Haven's other fascinating neighborhoods. New Haven's history includes a significant period of industrialization, so most of its colonial core is gone. Though there are a few remaining examples, colonial and federal structures made way for mid to late 19th century romantic styles. Lovers of Victorian architecture have to consider New Haven a treasure.
   
   Since the guide is small and the building stock in New Haven is rich, the entries are exceptionally short. Most simply include an address, building name, date of construction and a brief description. There are a few black & white photographs scattered about, but the author hasn't attempted to add one for each entry. There are few really good photographs, but there are still a few.
   
   Since the book is arranged around walking tours (and a few driving tours), there are nice maps for each chapter that exactly pinpoint the building locations. You're going to do a lot of walking to cover all this material, that's for sure. There are no historical essays to introduce the city or the architecture, rather, the author chooses to get us right to the architecture itself. And there are no architect biographies.
   
   I know I seem to be talking a lot about what this book isn't, but perhaps I should mention what it is; a surprisingly complete and effective catalog of historic New Haven meant for the curious traveler and casual architecture enthusiast.
   
   Note the title: There's no modernism here, but there's a drop-dead beautiful church on every corner (and every page).

1 comments about Monhegan: A Guide to Maine's Fabled Islands.

1. This is a fabulous book. For decades, everyone who loves Monhegan has expressed the wish that there was a good book which they could show friends and neighbors "back in the States" when they rave about this wondrous isle 10 miles off the coast of Maine. But no book, no website ever came close to capturing the magic of Monhegan -- until now. This is the book every Monhegan-oholic has been been waiting for. Even people who think they know everything about Monhegan and who think they have seen everything there is to see on Monhegan will discover new secrets within the pages of this marvelous book. This is THE book.

No comments about The New-England Primer (Vocabulary of a Warrior).

5 comments about Footsteps in the Attic: More First-Hand Accounts of the Paranormal in New England.

1. This book was better than faces in the window, although it was good too, This is a book I will keep in my library.



2. While the stories in "Footsteps in the Attic" weren't anything shocking or amazing in most cases, I found them more believable because of it. Eno's simple, no-nonsense style presented the facts of each investigation in logically order.
   
   I was struck by the way Eno would attempt to explain any paranormal activity in non-paranormal terms. This approach gave quiet credence to everything from his personal written accounts to the photographs in the book.
   
   Furthermore, I enjoyed Eno's scientific approach to explaining the existence of ghosts. I found it very plausible, and supported much more strongly than previous explanations I had heard. Eno laid evidence as he saw it on the table repeatedly throughout the book, but always in what I felt were appropriate moments.
   
   If you enjoy ghost stories, paranormal events, or even speculating on the afterlife this is the book for you.



3. I enjoyed most of the book and the author had some good ideas and interesting tales on the paranormal and combating negative energy. However, I could have done without the anti-liberal tirade near the end.
   
   The writer could have gotten his point across without this sort of commentary, especially when "liberals" are more inclined to be open-minded about subjects like the paranormal and not treat the believer as is he/she is a crackpot. This was the first book I have read by Mr. Eno, but I will never read another because of these comments. If you want to sell a book or want the reader to read more, don't insult them.



4. I ripped through this book in a couple of sittings, and literally could not put it down. Paul Eno offers up some fascinating and, what I would call, groundbreaking theories about what exactly ghosts are, and where a lot of those strange little occurrences we have come from. His quantum mechanics approach may set any preconceived notion you have about why we see ghosts on its ear. Be prepared to consider a completely new perspective. The theories are not "dumbed-down" for those of us who have not made a study of quantum physics. They are explained in clear, thoughtful, and concise terms that any lay-person can understand.
   
   The theories he poses go a long way in explaining the extreme and persistent déjà vu I have experienced all my life. The chapter on parasites gave me much insight into what that shadowy little wisp I had in my benign little middle-class house was, why it gained strength over the course of almost two years, and then turned not-so-nice after all. A trusted psychic told me at the time that the thing I had was not human, and that I had picked it up through Tarot cards, both of which Mr. Eno verifies with his explanations.
   
   This is paranormal investigation at its finest. Paul Eno has set himself apart as a top-notch investigator of the paranormal. He and his team investigate, with methodical precision, each of these ghosts, poltergeists/parasites, and "tortured souls" with intellect and compassion. After reading this book, I will NEVER touch a Ouija Board again. Much information is here for the taking - highly recommended for anyone seeking an alternative explanation which is not afraid to deviate from the norm.



5. this book strays from the inhuman, demonic from hell type of thinking. it goes into quantom physics, and the rip in time, big bang way of thinking.the only thing imight question is his photos of ghosts. ir lights give off a host of lightrefraction, dust e.t.c. all in all a good read. not for your pop ghost hunter. i book that gives one pause to think.

1 comments about The Lost Towns of Quabbin Valley (MA) (Images of America).

1. The destruction of the Swift River towns and villages is a true tragedy. This book gives excellent insight into the lives that were dismissed by Boston and its uncaring politicians. The Swift River community was a vital and active area, and Lost Towns gives an understanding of the sadness which is still felt today by those who remember the life that was taken away.

2 comments about Republic of Shade: New England and the American Elm.

1. When I first saw this book I was intrigued by the title and could not wait to read it. The introduction almost made me cry. This book is truely a wonderful and entertaining read. Everyone, from botanist to a person who couldn't tell an elm from an oak should read this book. It ties horticulture, American history, and botany together in a fascinating way. I could not stop reading this once I started. Campanella brings his reader from the colonial and early American love affair with the elm to modern disease breeding. I honestly recomend this book to any one wanting to learn about a fascinating and untold story. Fantastic!!



2. An outstanding work. This book deeply aquaints the reader with this quintessentially American tree and answers any question as to why the love of Elm persists despite the tragedy of DED. Prior to reading this book, I was unaware just how great a role this tree has played in our American history, from the period before the first settlers to modern day. Excellent photographs and a great read, connecting the Elm of our past with those of our present and beyond -- long live the Elm!

1 comments about Haunted Salem & Beyond.

1. This book is a VERY easy read. It gets right to the point about the history, current activity, etc..
   This book is more of an overview of ghostly happenings rather than an in depth investigation.
   I found this book "helpful" in my adventure to Salem for Halloween '06.