5 comments about Paris in the Fifties.

1. Having lived in Paris during the late 'fifties, I was immediately attacted to the Karnow book by its title. Upon reading the book, I wasn't disappointed. It was an easy read, partly because of the subject matter and partly because Mr. Karnow is such an excellent writer. The history lesson was great!!



2. I loved this book! I like reading books that create a lot of mental imagery and that give me a feeling of "being there". This book does both, and is a great little slice of history. I read it because I was yearning to re-read Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast" but it was checked out of the library. I stumbled upon this instead and adored every page. Do yourself a favor, and take a read- you'll be hooked!



3. The title of this excellent book is a misnomer. Although there is a great deal about Paris, the book as a whole rambles over much of France and even the Mediterranean. Beginning in the late 1940s when Karnow first went to Paris on the GI Bill to study and through much of the 1950s when he served with TIME in their Paris office Karnow lived in Paris. This book is a distillation of his memories and notes he kept from that period. Karnow, however, gives himself free rein to range over a host of topics, sometimes delving into French history, if it helps illuminate his topic. The result is a very personal view of France in the fifties. There is a great deal he doesn't discuss, such as French cinema and art in the decade. He writes of some of the literary figures, but not with any especial emphasis.

   The range of topics that are covered in the book are not encyclopedic but they are exceptionally varied. He will write about wine, food, crime, famous politicians, infamous politicians, housing, French manners, Algerian patriots, people he knew, and a host of other subjects. Some of the chapters could be anticipated, such as a long chapter on French wine and a tour through the French wine districts. Some are unexpected, like a chapter on a man who was the last in a line of hereditary executioners. There is a good deal of name dropping (folks like Samuel Beckett pop in for brief cameos), but not too much. He writes of people whose names remain famous, like Christian Dior, and of many others, especially colleagues, whose names are not so well known.

   One of the best things about the book is that while it may not give you all the facts about Paris and France in the fifties, it definitely gives you a feel for the time itself. It is also fascinating for what it reveals about the politics of the time. Karnow worked for TIME, which espoused a conservative Republican point of view (though more moderate than what would later characterize the late 1950s NATIONAL REVIEW), while Karnow himself was a liberal. In much of his political writing, therefore, one gets a sense of his take on one things on the one hand and the take of his employers, looking over his shoulder, on the other. The book therefore indirectly tells the story of how much of America felt about France during the fifties.

   I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested either in the years following the war or in France or Paris in general. It is entertaining and informative at the same time.

   I'd like to add that the photograph on the paperback edition of the book (and I supposed on the dust jacket of the hardback) is one of the most remarkable I have ever seen of Paris. A couple somewhere in Paris (the angles make it look to be somewhere east of Montmartre) looks over Paris with Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower off in the distance.




4. I've been to Paris twice. This is a very accurate representation of the one of a kind Paris culture. Excellent stories and personalities. Every second of this book was enjoyable. The only drawback was the difficulty to keep track of the personalities sometimes, other than that, one of the best ever!! A rareity..



5. "A beautiful and bygone era comes to life again in this exquisite chronicle of postwar Paris, elegantly penned by an award-winning American journalist who was there..."

   Makes it sound thrilling, huh? You should want to dive into the novel and find out every detail of the wonderful Paris in the Fifties. Well, you know what? Yawn!

   I just got finished reading "Rebecca" by Daphne DuMaurier while I was vacationing in Mexico and I was in a hurry at the Los Angeles airport coming home to find another book for the last couple of hours on the plane. I shoveled out ... (believe me, ... saves a lot!! Always buy before the trip..) from my pocket at an airport book store after I hurriedly found this book. Well, I gave it about 45 minutes (and I read fast, not to forget) and I gave up.

   This book just did not capture me. I gave it more time after I arrived at home, but soon other books and events captured my attention. I'm not saying that you shouldn't read this book. I mean, if you love Paris, totally love it, try this book. Listen to the other people that have written reviews and enjoyed this book also. Everybody has different tastes, and maybe I just didn't give this book a long enough chance.

5 comments about The Defense Is Ready: Life in the Trenches of Criminal Law.

1. This book gives a very interesting inside look into the world of criminal defense attorneys. The author gives her unique perspective on the law through stories of several cases she defended. While I found the book very interesting, especially her explanation of the Menendez case, I couldn't help thinking that she was giving only one side of the story and leaving out facts that didn't support her views of defendant's rights. Still, it was very enthralling and hard to put down.



2. I have always liked the way that Leslie Abramson handles herself as well as being a fairly big fan of her courtroom practices. So, I went into this book with some preconceived biases. Well, they were all proven wrong.

   Abramson is an extremely intelligent woman, and an excellent attorney, but her writing, as well as that of Richard Flaste, is quite dry and rather boring. She has some nice stories to tell, but the manner in which she delivers them is undeniably dull.

   The book clearly had no cogent flow to it whatsoever. The book was somewhat hard to get through, but I read on, hoping it lead to something better. But, it truly didn't.

   I gave the book two stars simply because the information on the cases, and the behind the scenes stuff was pretty interesting. Unfortunately, that is all this book really has to offer you.




3. I have to question the factuality of the stories written in this book. My family is the subject of one of the stories Leslie chose to discuss in detail within her book. I have to say I was shocked and infuriated to find my family story, including names and a picture sent to Leslie in a Christmas card, printed without our consent or knowledge. After the initial shock I sat down to read the book and was again outraged at the many erroneous facts intertwined in our brief story. I have to wonder if she even looked at our file or if she just tried to pull from memory and/or embelish this brief condensed story of our life. I do not know all the laws governing what you can or can't print in an autobiography, but I would think that if you were writing about other people's lives, you should have to state the facts and be able to substantiate those facts with documentation. I know that the 6 pages of this book dedicated to my life story has so many fabricated and outright false statements, it is impossible for me to read any of the other stories with any degree of faith that what I am reading is the Real story! I would recommend that anyone who reads this book takes it for what it is, an autobiography about Leslie Abramson. Do not read it to understand the subjects of her cases or what the Real facts behind their cases were.



4. Perhaps I'm being anachronistic, but I don't think an autobiography should be written by anyone other than the subject him or herself. If the person doesn't feel up to the job, he should have an authorized biography published with a vignette explaining his involvement in the project. Whatever her reasons, Ms. Abramson's decision to employ Richard Flaste was a big mistake. If she was too lazy to write this book herself, she should have at least taken the time to find a competent writer. Reading this book is like trying to drive across a treacherous bog in a Ferrari. You hope there's something good on the other side but the journey is so needlessly frustrating and unpleasant, you aren't sure if it's worth it. Let me save you some trouble. Even if you had a Range Rover, this journey wouldn't be worth it. My conclusion: for someone who is so assertive and logical in her public speaking, Ms. Abramson has published a very disappointing autobiography



5. If you ever thought there was more to certain cases than what you saw on tv, irregardless of whether you agree with Abramson's conclusions or not, you owe it to your sense of humanity or cynicism to read this boo

5 comments about Eva Peron: A Biography.

1. In English, this book often reads more like a romance novel than like a serious biography; I do not know whether it reads that way in the original language. It seems more like a work of poetry than a work of prose- not as many cold hard facts as I would have expected from a biography, but some vivid character portraits. Eva Peron comes across as a kind of overgrown child, alternatively desperate to be somebody, do good, and fulfill her whimsical desires for elegance and ego gratification. Her husband comes across as a cold fish, someone who would never have risen to the top in a bigger country with a larger talent pool.



2. Alicia Dujovne Ortiz's major biography of Eva Peron is an interesting book chronicling the rise and fall of Argentina's most famous First-Lady.
   
   Out of the many biographies written about Eva Peron, this is one of the better-researched interpretations so I definitely recommend it over the many other more sensationalized accounts. However, this is far from being the best of the lot. In my opinion, Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro's book "Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron" is the best written in the English language even though it's over 20 years old. Julie M Taylor's "Eva Peron: The Myths of a Woman" is also excellent and insightful, especially in getting a better understanding of the many myths this legendary woman inspired. Robert Crassweller's "Peron and the Enigmas of Argentina" also deserves mention because it is an excellent book, not just about Eva but of Peron and Peronism in general.
   
   Ortiz's book is well researched but sometimes her personal opinion of Eva gets in the way. I guess it's to be expected when you have a woman analyze another woman who is renowned for her glamour and personal style. Ortiz does a good job laying out Eva's life from her humble beginnings to her amazing transformation into "Evita", the imposing and elegant blonde crusader of the less-fortunate. Ortiz uses a lot of witness testimony and she goes into detail when covering Eva's charitable work and Social Aid Foundation however it's nowhere near as detailed or as enlightening as the Spanish edition of her book which is disappointing and I will get into it a little later. Like Fraser/Navarro, Taylor, Crassweller and the several other historians/scholars who have researched Eva Peron and have written well-documented accounts, Ortiz also tries to separate myth from fact. Although at times, she is a bit rough towards the legend she is writing about, the author treats her sympathetically and portrays the mysterious Eva as a flawed but exceptional woman.
   
   Eva's detractor's, on the other hand, have portrayed her as a one-dimensional caricature devoid of any human emotion and morals. Evita, in the eyes of Anti-Peronist biographers such as Mary Main, WA Harbinson, Paul L Montgomery etc, was a beautiful, murderous monster who was smarter than every single person alive in Argentina at the time and anyone who crossed her path fell victim to her dark, sinister charms. These writers dissect and bring to light every single negative character flaw, real or imagined, this woman may have possessed. They choose to ignore the 1000+ schools, 100+ hospitals and the thousands of other establishments such as homes, hostels and orphanages that Eva through her foundation built between 1948-1952. They hardly pay any attention to the food, medicine and money Eva personally handed out from her desk at the Evita Foundation or when she traveled to shanty-towns or remote, country villages. They may mention that through Eva's foundation several malnourished children finally received health care and food; they may hint at the fact that because of her several thousand impoverished country folk finally received running water and electricity; they may mention as a footnote that Eva sent First-Aid and food to countries outside of Argentina's borders such as Colombia, Ecuador, Turkey, Israel and the US but they will cite exploitation and self-aggrandizement as Eva's principal motive. But no matter how much they try to condemn her, the result is always the same, unintentional glorification. They loathe this bejeweled beauty but can't help love her all the same. The musical "Evita" is a perfect example of this. No matter how much it tries to discredit her, Eva's poetic image is what hovers in most people's mind long after the curtain descends. Most will remember an impeccably dressed blonde clutching a microphone and the famous taglines such as "She Seduced a Nation" or "EVITA IS IMMORTAL" or "EVITA will stir you to your very soul". These are hardly ways to represent such an amoral, corrupt megalomaniac who slept her way to fame.
   
   This major biography of Eva Duarte de Peron was released around the same time as the film in 1996 (at least the English version was). It was originally written in French and later translated into several languages. It is very detailed and it held my interest throughout but having read the Spanish translation, this English version is a poor imitation. I'm not sure how close to the original the Spanish translation is but in comparing it to this, I noticed that the English edition is heavily edited and in some instances, very poorly translated. For those of you who can read Spanish, I recommend that version instead as it is far more complete. Having said that, Alicia Dujovne Ortiz treats Eva Duarte Peron as a flawed but extraordinary human being. After all that's exactly what Evita was, flawed but extraordinary? I guess that's how she should be remembered.



3. The dark myth of the white Santa Evita whose legacy as the patron saint of Argentina's poor. Ortiz paints a raw, compelling, and ruthless drive of one woman whose innate desire to rise above her shameful beginnings is riveting and profoundly sorrowful despite Eva's scliptic rise to power.



4. I have yet to find an entirely satisfactory biography of Argentina's controversial first lady once widely revered as a saintly Madonna. This book is written chronologically, from the subject's birth in an unremarkable Argentinean provincial town, to her death and the return of her body to Argentina in 1974. It strives to be balanced and to summarize the evidence around various controversial points regarding the life of Eva Peron.

   Unfortunately, this book, written by a Paris-based Argentinean-born journalist, while thoroughly entertaining, can hardly qualify as a serious historical or political analysis of Eva Peron and her times. Having only read the English version, it is hard to judge whether the translation is awkward is some places, or whether the original prose also lapses into a saccharine style of romantic best sellers. Even as a journalistic book on this subject, you might find a better, more articulate, and shorter account (which does draw from this book by Ortiz) in Looking for History: Dispatches from Latin America, by Alma Guillermoprieto (which I have also reviewed of this website).

   There are some interesting photos in this book, but if it is photos of Evita and her times which interest you, I would recommend Evita: An Intimate Portrait of Eva Peron, by Tomas De Elia, which I have also reviewed on this site.




5. EVA PERON by Alicia Dujovne Ortiz is not a good book. It is not helped by the fact that, as others have noted, it was originally written in another language. As is often the case, something was lost in the translation. In addition to being overly dramatic, at times tabloid-ishly so, it is plagued with historical inaccuracies: it uses the terms "dictator" and "fascist" to refer to Peron. Such accusations are by now passe to the serious biographer of Peron and Evita. As Robert D. Crassweller points out in PERON AND THE ENIGMAS OF ARGENTINA, "Peronism was not fascism ... (it was) an authoritarian populist movement, strongly colored by Catholic social thought (and) by nationalism [pp. 220-223]."

   After reading EVA PERON by Alicia Dujovne Ortiz, I was left wondering what the point of it was. Why was this book published? It really has nothing of substance to offer. Obviously, it was published to coincide with the release of Madonna's movie EVITA and to capitalize on the renewed interest in the historical Eva Peron.

   For a serious biography of Evita, I recommend EVITA: THE REAL LIFE OF EVA PERON. For an interesting anthropological study of Evita's importance to Argentine society, I would recommend EVA PERON: THE MYTHS OF A WOMAN.

No comments about A Conversation With Norman Corwin (1998).

No comments about Run Ma Run.

No comments about Blessings (Hodder Christian Audiobooks).

5 comments about Rebound: The Odyssey of Michael Jordan (Penguin Audiobooks).

1. Any book or anything with Michael Jordan is great because he is the best of ALL time!And all his books like Rebound are great books to read.And they have great pictures.



2. It explored some issues, like is Jordan a ballhog, but not in depth. It is average quality. I wouldn't recommend it, but I wouldn't disparage it either.



3. don't get me wrong...it's a good one. boby greene really writes well.... but it's just not the magic of "hang time"



4. This book mainly talks about Jordan's father. Sure he was a main part of his life and all, but... come on. I was looking for a biography, tell more about his life. How did he get to the Bulls? Where's the rest of his family through this book? The author mainly talks about conversations with Jordan...Which i found quite boring. Its just my opinion, maybe someone else shares it too...



5. I have mixed feelings about Michael Jordan. On the one hand, he is a great athlete. I respect his work ethic. He has turned in a number of great performances and is no doubt one of the greatest to have ever played the game of basketball.

   There is a flipside. Michael Jordan got all kinds of special treatment while he was in the NBA. He was the first player I noticed who was granted all kinds of trips to the charity stripe because of unbelievably, ticky tack calls. He scored at least ten points a game at the free throw line from bogus calls. It was great when there was a picture session for 'greats of the game' with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan. Magic told Larry not to stand too close to Michael or they might call a foul. In front of reporters and television viewers, that was a classic comment by Magic. I believe Mike got 99% of all calls in his favor because he was such a cash cow for the NBA. Dominique Wilkins was robbed of a slam dunk championship when Mike scored a perfect 50 doing the same dunk Dr. J did years before. I doubt Dr. J ever received a perfect 50 for it. Dominique's dunk was much more impressive, and he received a 49.5. Please. Mike got in a fight with Reggie Miller, and only Miller got suspended at first. Only after there was an outcry did Mike get suspended. How are Mike's punches different? Mike elbowed Kevin Johnson to the ground for all to see, and Kevin was called for blocking!

   I am not too impressed that the bulls beat the lakers in the NBA finals. Magic was double teamed every game every minute he was in. On top of that, James Worthy and Byron Scott were injured. Magic and Larry never won three championships in a row because the competition, teams, and players in the 80s were much better than the nineties. Luc Longley, Will Perdue, Bill Cartwright, or Bill Wennington stopping Kareem? Ha!

   Sport Magazine recently had a piece on the ten greatest moments and ten greatest players ever in the NBA. Mike was ranked number one all time player. Kudos to Mike for mentioning in 'For the love of the game' that to pick a "greatest ever" is impossible because of all the different eras and evolutions of basketball. The nineties bulls were given three of the ten greatest moments in NBA history. This is just more Mike bias. Give me a break. There are hundreds of classic and amazing moments in NBA history. One of the moments picked was Mike beating the Jazz in the final minutes of his last game. He put his hand on Bryon Russel's backside and shoved him out of the way. Then Mike made the game winnig shot. All eyes were on Mike, but the ref did not make the obvious call.

   There is also Mike's arrogance. According to him, Wilt Chamberlain was a fluke eventhough Wilt was a great all around player. He made a comment about Magic and Larry reaching a 'certain level of greatness' and that the two were not good on defense. What? Are we talking about the same Larry Bird? Shaquille Oneal is also much better and much improved than Mike gives him credit for. Shaq has turned into a solid defender, passer, and he works hard at both ends of the floor.

   Mike's corporate poster boy behavior is laughable. He did ads for AT&T and then MCI. The Wayans family is also split between the two companies. Mike talked about the enviroment in Rayovac ads and then pitches hot dogs? Mike is not the only athlete who will pitch anything and everything to make millions. I wonder if Mike has checked into Nike's labor practices.

   Players like Mike and Charles Barkley soured me on the NBA. Charles played like a thug and got away with it because he was a star. Plus, Charles insisted on wearing number 34 at Philadelphia eventhough it was retired for NBA great Billy Cunningham. The star treatment and inflated egos has grown old, and that has turned a lot of people off to sports. I miss the Lakers and Celtics match ups of the 1980s.

No comments about Playboy On the Move, v2 (Playboy on the Move, Vol 2).

No comments about Christopher Columbus: A Concise Biography (Pocket Biographies).

4 comments about Appointment at the Ends of the World.

1. This book tells the story of Dr. William Karesh, a wildlife veterinarian. Karesh tells us about his early interest in wild animals, and how he came to study veterinary science in graduate school. Following his studies, he used his skills working for zoos and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Now he spends much of his time traveling around the world studying the habits and health of various wild creatures. Highlights of Karesh's stories include nursing an injured okapi back to health, and chasing peccaries through the Peruvian forests. The best tale of all, however, has to be that of the time he was high in a tree, attempting to stare down a jaguar who thought he smelled like a nice hunk of meat. The point of the book is not all light-hearted stories, however. Karesh provides us with some important points to ponder about wildlife conservation and the future of the planet.



2. Books by vets are usually very interesting and concern more common animals. This book is different as Dr. Karesh only works with wild animals and puts his life on the line many times during the year.

   It is always interesting to discover how a person got into his line of work and this story is no exception. Though he loved animals from birth (almost), being a vet was furtherest from his mind.

   This is a good read and highly recommended.




3. Simply put - this is my most favorite book of all time! If you love wild animals, adventure, and a great read - this well-written, heart felt book is for you!



4. I listened to this book on audio tape, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't realize a vet could enjoy his life so much. Each illness was an adventure, and some were quite dangerous. He obviously loves his work, and won't let anything stand in his way. His stories were humorous and interesting, and just technical enough to appreciate his vast medical knowledge. This book was a pleasure to listen to, and I recommend it highly.