In the grand tradition of David McCullough and Ron Chernow, the sweeping story of the nineteenth-century American dynasties who battled for dominance of the tea and opium trades.There was a time, back when the United States was young and the robber barons were just starting to come into their own, when fortunes were made and lost importing luxury goods from China. It was a secretive, glamorous, often brutal business—one where teas and silks and porcelain were purchased with profits from the opium trade. But the journey by sea to New York from Canton could take six agonizing months, and so the most pressing technological challenge of the day became ensuring one's goods arrived first to market, so they might fetch the highest price. Barons of the Sea tells the story of a handful of cutthroat competitors who raced to build the fastest, finest, most profitable clipper ships to carry their precious cargo to American shores. They were visionary, eccentric... Views: 24
Lizzie Randall, the preacher's daughter, is murdered. The men of the west Texas town are set on lynching Paco Morales, a Mexican teenager who happened to be in the vicinity at the time. No proof, but, after all, he is only a Mexican. Reason and/or conscience work on most of the would-be lynchers, so that, in the end justice is served. The list of suspects grows to include almost everyone in the story, thus providing an agreeable tangle of clues. Views: 24
By now a Lieutenant, he survived to fly offensive rocket attacks over Gold Beach on D-Day, only to be shot down again on D + 1, and captured and sent first to a hospital in the UK, then into captivity in the USA. He was finally repatriated in April 1946. His description of all these events is entertaining and well-written, ranging from comic to tragic. It is unique in flavor, giving a valuable insight into the undeniably typical lot of those serving in the air arm of the Third Reich. Expertly translated and edited by John Weal, this is a worthy accompaniment to Norbert Hannig’s ‘Luftwaffe Fighter Ace’ published by Grub Street in 2004. Views: 24
Maria Finn's husband was cheating. First she threw him out. Then she cried. Then she signed up for tango lessons. It turns out that tango has a lot to teach about understanding love and loss, about learning how to follow and how to lead, how to live with style and flair, take risks, and sort out what it is you really want. As Maria's world begins to revolve around the friendships she makes in dance class and the milongas (social dances) she attends regularly in New York City, we discover with her the fascinating culture, history, music, moves, and beauty of the Argentine tango. With each new dance step she learns—the embrace, the walk, the sweep, the exit—she is one step closer to returning to the world of the living. Eventually Maria travels to Buenos Aires, the birthplace of tango, and finds the confidence to try romance again. As exhilarating as the dance itself, the story whirls us into the center of the ballroom dancing craze. And buoyed by the author's humor and passion, it imparts surprising insights about how to get on with life after you've lost in love. From Publishers WeeklyShaken by the discovery that her Cuban husband and salsa partner was having an affair, Finn, a contributor to New York magazine, embarked on learning to tango as a way of healing her broken heart, and chronicles her journey in this rather dry memoir. In tango, an Argentinean dance form originating in the immigrant neighborhoods and brothels of Buenos Aires, she tapped the sources of human sorrow and human happiness and found a safe comfort and intimacy among strangers. From standing on the sidelines watching the elegant, accomplished couples to plunging into her initial lessons at the South Street Seaport and attending her first milongas, or social dances, Finn had to connect with a series of constantly changing partners, some better at leading than others, and some more forgiving than others about her mistakes. Finn organizes her memoir around the tango steps—from la salida (the basic) through la caminata (the walk), la volcada (the fall), el boleo (the throw), all the way to el abrazo (the embrace)—which also cleverly mirror her stages of grief, from anger to acceptance. Sadly, her foray remains journalistically stilted rather than tango sensuous, and rarely warms the reader. Along with her personal story, involving a trip to a wedding in Buenos Aires and documenting there the gay tango scene, she nicely elucidates the evolution of the dance, through the music of Astor Piazzolla and Carlos Gardel, and traces briefly its flashpoints across the globe, from America to Finland and Turkey. (Feb.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistWhen she discovered her husband was cheating on her, New York City resident Finn wallowed in anger and grief—but not for long. She realized the quickest path to recovery was to get off her duff and dance. Finn was drawn to the tango from the moment she happened upon a cluster of dashing dancers strutting their stuff in Central Park. She soon found her date book filled with nightly milongas (social dances). Tango, Finn learned, had its own vast vocabulary of steps, from El Gancho (The Hook) and El Boleo (The Throw) to El Abrazo (The Embrace). Its themes of sorrow and heartbreak meshed well with her melancholy frame of mind. The tango eventually gave Finn the confidence to begin dating again. Most of her matchups were a bust, but she didn’t give up hope. When she traveled to Buenos Aires (on a trip originally planned with her husband), she realized that her life wasn’t over; it had only begun. Finn has penned a lively debut memoir, brimming with tango history and lore. --Allison Block Views: 24
One more step ...One more secret ...One more timeSean is in Nepal on a trek through some of the most beautiful - and dangerous - country in the world. His path takes him to the spectacular Annapurna Mountains, and deep into territory filled with Maoist guerrillas challenging the Nepalese government.Yet the local people are friendly, the air is clear, and it′s easy to become accustomed to the national dish of dal bhat.With each step, however, Sean′s thoughts turn towards home and his family in Dublin, and it becomes clear that the obstacles he faces are greater than guerrillas demanding ′donations′ or the reckless behaviour of fellow travellers.Why did he leave Ireland so hurriedly? What makes people regard him so strangely? And what about the beautiful Serena, last seen on an idyllic beach in India, who has inspired him to take this journey?As Sean travels through Nepal, events run out of his control.If he is to survive he must find the courage to let his secret go. Views: 24
