Book Description
On August 23, 1990, CNN Executive Producer Robert Wiener landed at Saddam International Airport. Wiener's job was to orchestrate the network's coverage of the Gulf War from the Iraqi capital of Baghdad-a herculean task that involved everything from negotiating with difficult Iraqi officials to gathering news to lifting spirits (including those that come in bottles). All in a day's work for CNN's executive producer in Baghdad. But, in fact, nothing in Wiener's extraordinary career-not even stints in Vietnam or in Romania during the revolution-could prepare him for what was to come...... Live from Baghdad is the fast-paced story of Wiener's adven-tures in Iraq and a suspenseful, no-holds-barred inside look at how the media covered a simmering crisis.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but writer..........2003-10-13
This book is a good and even thrilling description of the first gulf war and how CNN reporters reported from Baghdad. That being said, this writer couldn't be more self-adoring and congratulatory, or obnoxious. At the end of the book, he compares Bush's intelligence to that of his pet cat. Whether you are a Bush-lover or hater, that is a disgraceful, horrible thing to say about the president of our nation and it reflects Wiener's generally high portrayal of himself and low portrayal of others.
Dull from Baghdad.......2002-12-29
I found this book and thought it would be interesting to see what happened to the press during the war. Unfortunately for me all this author talked about was bureaucratic problems and drinking and smoking. I kept reading thinking that once the war started the book would pick up and at page 275 the war started but the book remained dull. I am assuming that the author is a much better TV producer then author or there is no way he would have a job with CNN.
The book was dull, there is no way around it. The author kept focusing on his drinking and the issues with this ministry and that ministry - not the most exciting. I wanted more detail on what it was like in Baghdad leading up to and during the war - - all the author gave us was what it was like for him in his hotel. Overall I would skip the book and watch the movie.
A portrait of cooperation, luck, and determination.......1999-02-28
Live From Baghdad is one of those books that you just cannot put down. Giving the details of the struggle to get the story out before and during the Gulf War, this book is a tremendous personal account of what it takes to succeed in impossible circumstances. Robert Wiener and his crew made extreme personal sacrifices, sometimes in life-threatening circumstances, to get the story out and beat the competition. A great textbook example on how to negotiate what you need through respect and patience, being rewarded with sucess and a place in history. Great anecdotes about life behind the scenes make this a truly enjoyable read.
Average customer rating:
- Courtesy of Teens Read Too
- The Doc is In!! Book of the year!
- Funny, Sexy, Hip
- I laughed til the tears rolled out of my eyes
- When is the next one coming out???
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The Making of Dr. Truelove
Derrick Barnes
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1416914390 |
Book Description
Diego is a sixteen-year-old boy with a problem. He loves his girlfriend, Roxy. And when they suddenly break up due to Diego's own insecurity issues, the boy is crushed. How ever will he win Shorty back?
On the trusty advice of his (crazy) best friend, Diego invents an alter ego known as Dr. Truelove. A sex and relationship e-columnist, Truelove is smooth where Diego is gawky, skilled where Diego is clueless. Truelove is, quite clearly, the way back into Roxy's heart. Or so it seems. . . .
Customer Reviews:
Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-03-29
When Diego's plans to lose his virginity with his girlfriend, Roxy, don't go the way he wanted them to, he pushes her away. Too late, he realizes his mistake, but he has no idea how to get her back. She's a great girl, being chased by one of the hottest young athletes around, and Diego is a jazz-loving math geek--a jazz-loving math geek who understands Roxy like no one else, but still. There's no way, he thinks, that he can compete with popular, athletic John-John McAfee.
However, his boy J-Live has a plan. A rather insane plan, sure, but it's all Diego's got, so he agrees to go along with it. J-Live wants Diego to start writing an anonymous column about love and sex online. The plan, he says, is foolproof. Diego will learn his stuff from girly magazines, write it all as the anonymous Dr. Dexter Truelove, and then, at the height of his popularity, Diego's identity will be revealed, and Roxy, realizing that he really does have a way with the ladies, will want him back.
Any sensible person--Diego included--would realize the insanity of this plan, but Diego will do anything to get back with Roxy. Of course, like all good plans, it has serious potential to blow up in his face...
Derrick Barnes' smart, funny, debut novel will appeal to all teens. Barnes holds nothing back here, so in case the previous summary isn't enough, beware of some racy content. However, if you're comfortable with that, you will love this book! Barnes is a talented author who really brings his characters to life--my personal favorite is the always scheming J-Live. I can't wait to see what Derrick Barnes comes up with next!
Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce
The Doc is In!! Book of the year!.......2006-11-07
This book is awesome!! The story of transformation of Diego into Dr Truelove to win back his love interest Roxy is hilarious, and made me laugh like crazy. Derrick Barnes does a great job - he knows how to reach out and win his readers. The Making of Dr Truelove has everything you could want in a book: Real and funny characters, an urban setting, a fast paced plot, sexy undercurrents and great humor, not to mention the 'Real Talk Sessions' of Dr Truelove and his 'prescriptions'. I had a great time reading this book. A must read!
Funny, Sexy, Hip.......2006-11-07
Dr. Truelove has a real hip-hop vibe and a sexy undercurrent that surfaces often enough to create calamity.
The characters are real, the situations are crazy, and the online advice column is hilarious.
I wish my high school experience was more like Diego's.
I laughed til the tears rolled out of my eyes.......2006-11-06
Barnes's language is so real, he gives real insight into how teenage boys think. Not to mention, some of the situations he invents are just side-splittingly hilarious.
Although, by far, what made me read this book over and over again was that it's full of heart. I like that Deigo cares about Roxy, that he has her best interests at heart.
But seriously, though, this high school hopped up on hormones. Read it, you'll love it.
When is the next one coming out???.......2006-10-28
A brave new author with a funny and unique voice, Derrick Barnes combines hip-hop Jazz and urban culture to make the perfect cocktail for any reader of any age. I would call this book a page turner!!!
Dennis J. Schleicher
Glastonbury, Connecticut
Book Description
Winner of the 2002 Sigma Delta Chi Book Award, "Making a Killing: The Business of War" investigates the economics of conflict in the post-Cold War era and the groups who profit from the business of war. The book drew on classified intelligence files, government reports, court records and public documents and identified the individuals and companies involved in the privatization of various conflicts, and explained how they often influence the turn of world events.
Book Description
Edward Kosner's stunning, articulate journalism memoir ranks with the tradition of important tell-alls like Cass Canfield, Howell Raines, and Ben Bradlee.
Kosner, whiz-kid star at Newsweek, editor of New York Magazine, editor of the New York Daily News, editor of Esquire, gives us the inside scoop on Kay Graham, Mort Zuckerman, Tina Brown, and many others — and provides as well a primer for aspiring and veteran journalists alike.
No one, before or since, has achieved the kind of influence in the world of New York's print media that Kosner did; here is an intimate description of the experiences that built one of the industry's most talented editors. From his beginnings in World War II-era Washington Heights, to his days on college publications, to his position at the helm of several of New York's leading news publications, Kosner provides a clear narrative of his life's course, peppering the way with his singular perspective and poignant memories, offering irresistible, well-written fodder for media aficionados.
Customer Reviews:
The molding of an editor.......2007-03-19
Mr Kosner details his rise to become an editor at several journalist institutions. The best part of this book is how he describes the non-glorifying and very anti-climatic process of being fired. it is never easy ona person and this author described that perfectly. The ending of this book which lists several traits that should define a person are an extra bonus with this book. It was smart to include in this book.
Outstanding Memoir by An Journalistic Insider.......2007-01-22
The name of Edward Kosner will doubtless fail to ring a bell in the minds of most Americans. This is because Kosner was a journalistic insider in the Eastern Establishment who preferred to work behind the scenes and also did not write much in the line of columns or any other work that bore his name.
Edward Kosner held top editorial positions at such institutions as Esquire, New York, Newsweek and the New York Daily News. Kosner was in an excellent position to witness the ongoing decline of newspapers and newsmagazines as well as the rise of the Internet as a news source. Among other things, Kosner predicts that newspapers will increasingly become marginalized as a mass medium and come to have only a limited audience in what he calls the "educated elite."
Kosner's book is rich in insight into the state of journalism today and about the practitioners of modern journalism. This is a most important book and as such is warmly recommended.
Enjoyable and Well Written..........2006-10-04
I enjoyed the sections on the youth and family of the author as well as those chapters following his career. The book is extremely well written. I bought it as a gift for my journalist son and decided to read it first and was pleasantly surprised that I liked it so much.
A Life in Print.......2006-09-17
By a person few-- outside U.S. publishing circles-- will know. The book is best when describing the high politics within major (mostly New York-based) magazines and papers. Sections on the author's youth and family will be of little real interest to most.
While Mr. Kosner's ego is certainly large (dropping famous names is rampant), he does have the redeeming feature of not overstating the cosmic value of editors and reporters. They are there to get information out-- packaged in a way the public will buy it.
Book Description
Gail Godwin was twenty-four years old when she wrote: “I want to be everybody who is great; I want to create everything that has ever been created.” It is a declaration that only a wildly ambitious young writer would make in the privacy of her journal. Now, in The Making of a Writer, Godwin has distilled her early journals, which run from 1961 to 1963, to their brilliant and charming essence. She conveys the feverish period following the breakup of her first marriage; the fateful decision to move to Europe and the shock of her first encounters with Danish customs (and Danish men); the pleasures of soaking in the human drama on long rambles through the London streets and the torment of lonely Sundays spent wrestling these impressions into prose; and the determination to create despite rejection and a growing stack of debts. “I do not feel like a failure,” Godwin insists. “I will keep writing, harder than ever.”
Brimming with urgency and wit, Godwin’s inspiring tome opens a shining window into the life and craft of a great writer just coming into her own.
“A generous gift from a much-loved author to her readers.”
–Chicago Sun-Times
“Full of lively, entertaining observations on the literary life . . . [captures] the spirit of a young writer’s adventure into foreign lands and foreign realms of thought and creative endeavor.”
–The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“As cities and continents and men change, the entries are borne along by . . . the young Godwin’s fierce conviction that she is meant to write fiction and her desire to distract herself from this mission with any man who catches her eye.”
–The New York Times Book Review
“[Godwin] describes a high-wire act of love and work. . . . She espouses fierce, uncompromising ideas about fiction.”
–Los Angeles Times
“[Gail Godwin’s journals] are a gold mine.”
–The Boston Globe
Customer Reviews:
A Personal and Professional Journey.......2007-03-08
Gail Godwin's latest book is as much about the struggle of a female in her mid-twenties to find her life's work, as it is about writing. As her story unfolds over a two-year period, the reader can sense the author's growth, both as a person and as a writer. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to be a writer.
Raw and Revealing.......2006-08-11
I first read Gail Godwin's work in the mid-seventies, when in the midst of the women's movement, I was trying to find my way through the dilemma of being an independent woman who loved men. Godwin had been there before me, and I was attracted to her early novels--The Perfectionist, The Odd Woman and Violet Clay.
Now, reading her journal, I see that she was addressing of this dilemma nine years before she published her first novel in 1970. She's been one step ahead of me ever since. At first, this journal seems to be rather typically about a woman with a wealth of male lovers and friends who can't decide who's Mr. Right. Remember, this is pre-Second Wave feminism, on the early edge of the Sexual Revolution. She's so circumspect about her sexuality that you must read carefully to figure out who she's sleeping with, and who she's not. Although Britain must have been more open that North Carolina where she grew up, Gail scandalizes the people who run the boarding house where she lives by staying out all night. She struggles with developing her own moral compass just as diligently as she struggles with her affection for a variety of men.
She also forms one of her rare female friendships with an American woman of color, something that was uncommon for Southern white women as the Civil Rights movement gained momentum.
Meanwhile, she flogs herself about her writing and re-writing of various fictions, none of which makes it to publication during the course of this journal. She takes her vocation as a writer seriously, above anything else. Amazingly, she's only twenty-four when this journal begins, but she's already married and discarded one husband and one career as a journalist.
Beyond her determination to be a writer, two things intrigued me about these musings: the attraction she must have held for men and the absence of mention of her parents. I found explanations for both that satisfied me before I finished. The poet Sylvia Plath was about the same age as Godwin and lived in London at the same time. There is no indication that they encountered each other, but it's interesting to compare how the two women addressed very similar personal and vocational issues.
Now I want to return to the novels and see if they have the same power I felt when I first read them. Godwin was brave to publish this journal, because by spilling her guts on some very raw material, she reveals how her persistence led to a rich literary career.
Of Zeitgeists and Interstices.......2006-03-26
On the face of it, this book seems to be pitched to aspiring writers, but I think that it holds greater value as a reflection of the early 1960's, and as a testimony to the human spirit.
In "The Making of a Writer" Gail Godwin describes her life in terms that echo the words of a heroine in her fictional work, "The Odd Woman". In that book, the character of Jane says, "Sometimes I think those persons raised in the interstices of Zeitgeists are the ones most punished."
At the beginning of the 1960's, America was not a country given over to self-examination. A resurgence of feminism was nothing more than a vague rumor that may have swirled in the air. Women in the early 60's were not well positioned for success. This was a generation in peril of falling through the cracks. The truest echo of this time may be Sylvia Plath's classic, "The Bell Jar".
For Gail Godwin, the 60's began with an abortive attempt at marraige and a short stint as a journalist with the Miami Herald which also ended disastrously. Focusing her indomitable will on her desire to become a writer, Godwin embarked on a personal odyssey, traveling to Denmark, Spain, and the Canary Islands before taking a job with the Travel Service and extended residence in London.
In her journals she depicts both the struggle to become a published fiction writer, and a deeper quest to understand herself and other human beings. As she records impressions of her life and the characters who populate it, she also strives to find the modern writers that most speak to her sensibilities and to discover the essences she most wants to inform her own stories.
As a "twenty- something'', Godwin is possessed of a very acute intelligence--but the reader will also find hints of youthful callowness. To her credit, Godwin has not expurgated her journals. Their scrupulous honesty is part of their appeal.
As the book progresses, Godwin seems to shift her aims away from overly idealized characterizations and toward a new concern with "displaced persons". As this volume ends, she is beginning to investigate Carl Jung's psychological theories, something which seems to bode well for a young writer who views much of the world in black and white.
One thing that I didn't find endearing about this book was its use of an "explicator", in the form of editor Rob Neufeld. His italicized introductions and interjections often seem to be leading the reader like a rather stuffy tour guide through the Musee d' Godwin. I didn't really appreciate his presence, and I wish Godwin had done the honors (of "explication") herself.
Not every reader who comes to this book is going to buy into the idea, as Neufeld does, that Godwin is a writer of greatness deserving to join Faulkner, Steinbeck, or even Salinger in the firmament. The excerpts from the fiction Godwin was writing at the time of these memoirs reveal only a talented beginner---one who seems intimidated by the contemporary Beat writers ( her story about a Village girl seems lifeless ) and unsure about how to fully animate fiction drawing on her own backround.
It could be that in the future, nonetheless, these diaries (of which this volume is the first) may be regarded as Godwin's best work. I am not ready to compare her to Anais Nin or Lou Salome, but these journals do reveal an estimable intelligence possessed of great determination. In finally stepping out from behind the veil of fiction, it is here that Godwin may make her lasting mark.
A private glimpse into Godwin's early life .......2006-01-25
Bestselling author Gail Godwin, a three-time National Book Award nominee, keeps a journal that her friend Joyce Carol Oates suggested she edit and share with readers. In this first installment, we eavesdrop on Godwin's life as she emerges as a writer during her travels to Europe as a young woman.
The journals open as Godwin is waitressing at a resort in North Carolina, saving money for her grand excursion. She is soon on a ship headed to Denmark --- and adventure. Humorous character sketches of her fellow passengers draw the reader in as we follow her to her destination.
Godwin struggles with self-doubt as a writer and her relationship with the man she loves in Denmark, as well as her perennial lack of money. She considers going home, but when she's offered a job in London, she takes it. First, though, she visits the Canary Islands for a blissful month. Afterward, she is torn between staying with a local love and going on to London. When she finally decides, her leave-taking is wrenching.
In London, her roller-coaster writer's life continues with the highs of doing good work and completing projects in which she takes pride. The lows are rejections and periods of writing inertia. She similarly experiences a roller-coaster relationship with 38-year-old never-married, "probably hopeless" James. She connects with other men and travels back to North Carolina to meet up with an old lover.
Back in London, Godwin struggles with co-workers, office politics, changing apartments, and writing or not writing. She yearns for a true relationship with a man, all the while despising herself for caring so much. At the same time, she celebrates her freedom.
Godwin constantly thinks about her writing. Even as she battles self-doubt she concocts rules to write by, such as: Don't be false. Trust in the story. Eliminate the dull parts. Forget second-best plots. Don't anticipate the reader's reaction. Start somewhere, anywhere. Let the ending be found in the beginning.
The reader of THE MAKING OF A WRITER is privileged to watch as Godwin composes a story, talking herself through each part and using her life experiences --- a fascinating process. She also includes advice on keeping a journal and the reflection that her journal entries seed writing that may come decades later. The book is also liberally peppered with footnotes; at the outset I found these distracting but soon came to relish them.
I've been a Gail Godwin fan for decades. After reading her journal, I feel that I now know her as a struggling author and as a person of moods and vulnerabilities. I constantly looked forward to my time reading it and discovering more about the author. It is particularly fascinating to read Godwin's latest novel, QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD, which was partially based on the author's experience as a young reporter in Miami, in order to discover echoes between the two books: a suicide, waitressing jobs, significant names, and more. An excellent read; highly recommended.
--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (terryms2001@yahoo.com)
Book Description
Jules Witcover has covered American politics for more than half a century. His career extends from the "I Like Ike"days of manual typewriters and whistle-stop trains to the high-tech era of laptop computers and jet travel, covering every presidential matchup from Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush and John Kerry.
In The Making of an Ink-Stained Wretch, this venerated reporter reveals anecdotes from 56 years in journalism, 52 of them in Washington, D.C., and on the campaign trail, tracing his journey from small-town reporter to nationally syndicated columnist and author. In the process, he moved from the confines of straight reporting to analysis, emerging today as a sharp critic of presidents in both parties.
Witcover, as one of the original "boys on the bus,"provides a personal perspective on the life of a political writer on the road. He testifies to the often-fickle relationship between the press and the candidates, gives readers more than a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes, and writes of critical public events from close range. He was only steps away from Robert Kennedy the night of the candidate's assassination and was at Gerald Ford's side in California when another assassination attempt was foiled. He watched from the South Lawn of the White House as Richard Nixon departed Washington after resigning the presidency. He traveled with the campaign of gubernatorial and then presidential candidate Ronald Reagan and a few years ago rode the "Straight Talk Express"with John McCain.
With wit and candor, Witcover captures the grit, glamour, joy, and excitement of newspaper reporting. He presents an insider's view on the changing role and style of reporters, commentators, and other shapers of opinion in today's contentious political climate.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic-- From one the Greats!.......2006-01-24
If you are a fan of Timothy Crouse's Boys on the Bus; or you read Witcover and Germond's Presidential election analyses; or you followed their column (and later just his), then this book will be a blast. Highly insightful and full of great anecdotes (and several practical jokes), I thoroughly enjoyed a more personal perspective about many of the same events detailed in his other books. The book provides an insider's view of the political writer's world with great characterization and great storytelling. Mr. Witcover has had a wonderfully exciting life and has been witness to some of our greatest (and worst) moments. I have always respected his logical and well-researched analysis. All around great stuff!
Book Description
While analyzing Damon Runyon's work in terms of historical contexts, popular culture, and of the changing function of the media, Schwarz argues that Runyon was an indispensible figure in creating enduring images of New York City culture, which spurred an interest in the demi-monde and underworld exposed in The Godfather films and The Sopranos. In lively and exuberant chapters that include a panoramic view of New York City between the World Wars--and its colorful nightlife--Schwarz examines virtually every facet of Runyon's career from sports writer, daily columnist, trial reporter, and Hollywood figure to the author of the still widely read short stories that were the source of the Broadway hit Guys and Dolls. As part of his discussion of Runyon's art and artistry of Runyon's fiction, he skillfully examines the special language of the Broadway stories known as "Runyonese" and explains how "Runyonese" has become an adjective describing flamboyant behavior.
Customer Reviews:
A sure thing .......2006-12-26
One of the most interesting parts of this book is Schwarz's examination of how Runyon created the special language of his 'Runyonese', of how he put together the language of vaudeville, of the radio, of the criminals slang, of New York City street talk, of Yiddish mamaloshen, to build an idiom all his own yet reflecting the energy and vibrancy of his special world of gamblers, sportspeople, Broadway characters , of all types.
Schwarz is also interested in examining how Runyon contributed to the shaping of our image of New York City, of urban life in general.
An outstanding study especially for those who know who Nicely- Nicely and Harry the Horse are.
Lifestyles of the shadowy and desperate.......2004-04-19
"Broadway Boogie Woogie" is a fascinating read, both for anyone who finds New York City a fascinating city and for anyone with an interest in the origins of today's debate about how American journalism does and should shape the popular imagination. In "Broadway," Schwarz convincingly and vividly portrays an early-twentieth-century urban world of celebrity journalists and criminals, those who set the stage for that part of today's popular culture embodied in the celebrity cult phenomenon.
At the same time, he paints the true American Dream story of Damon Runyon, a man who used words--from his newspaper articles to his short stories--to pull himself out of humble beginnings to attain wealth and fame. But while Runyon took full advantage of the elevated status he reached in early 20th century society--somewhat in the tradition of William Randolph Heart--he never forgot where he came from: his highly entertaining stories about humble men and women were suffused with a great deal of sympathy and sometimes even glorified shadowy and desperate lives. Anyone who ever loved "Guys and Dolls" and "West Side Story" should read this book.
For city slickers and journalists.......2004-04-19
"Broadway Boogie Woogie" is a fascinating read, both for anyone who finds New York City a fascinating city and for anyone with an interest in the origins of today's debate about how American journalism does and should shape the popular imagination. In "Broadway," Schwarz convincingly and vividly portrays an early-twentieth-century urban world of celebrity journalists and criminals, those who set the stage for that part of today's popular culture embodied in the celebrity cult phenomenon.
At the same time, he paints a true story of "the American dream," embodied in Damon Runyon, a self-made man who used words--through his newspaper articles to his short stories--to pull himself out of humble beginnings to attain wealth and fame. But while Runyon took full advantage of the elevated status he reached in early 20th century society--somewhat in the tradition of William Randolph Heart--he never forgot where he came from: his wrote about humble men and women with a great deal of sympathy, sometimes even glorifying the lifestyles of the shadowy and desperate. Anyone who ever loved "Guys and Dolls" and "West Side Story" should read this book.
Where Guys and Dolls Came From.......2004-02-19
Schwarz has written a fine book that captures the energy and excitment of high life and low life in Manhattan in the first half of the twentieth century. He discusses Damon Runyon's many short stories--including those that were incorporated in the musical "Guys and Dolls"--setting them in their historical context and drawing our attention to Runyon's gift for conveying speech in writing. Schwarz also discusses Runyon's life and his work as a reporter who covered many of the major events of the day, especially showcase trials like the Lindberg trial. If you liked "Seabiscuit," you; will like this book: as with "Seabiscuit," you will come away from Schwarz's book feeling that you have vacationed in the twenties and thirties and have been enriched by the experience.
Wiseguy World.......2003-07-17
BROADWAY BOOGIE WOOGIE situates Runyon's stories and reportage in their New York, circa 1929-1946, context and tells us why Runyon's work still matters. The seriousness and skill that Schwarz used in earlier books to examine the writings of High Modernism (Conrad, Joyce, Woolf, Wallace Stevens) he uses here to illuminate the "wiseguy" world of BROADWAY BOOGIE WOOGIE. With insight and compassion Schwarz re-visits this world of gamblers, gangsters, swindlers, womanizers, and cheats and looks at America's ever present yearning to "take a walk on the wild side." The book should appeal to not only students and scholars in American Studies, 20th Century American History, Urban and Immigration History, Working-Class Studies, and American Literature, but also to anyone who simply loves New York.
Book Description
This definitive biography of the author of Gone With the Wind offers a perceptive psychological analysis of the novel and a concise study of the book's shifting critical fortunes in the contemporary South. The life of "Peggy" Mitchell, from her birth in the highest reaches of aristocratic Atlanta in 1900 to her death in 1949 in a car accident, is detailed in a manner that is sympathetic yet wholly objective. A fascinating mass of contradictions, Mitchell emerges here as alternately retiring and flirty, as a Southern belle confident enough to enter Atlanta's worst prisons and slums during her journalism career at the Atlanta Journal, and as an intensely private person who nonetheless answered every fan letter herself. The breadth of this biography is vast, ranging from the intimate-including the astonishing real-life model for Rhett Butler-to the global-exploring the intense responses to the book from people all over the world who continue to see an image of their own political struggles in Mitchell's depiction of bravery in defense of a lost cause.
Customer Reviews:
Southern Daughter.......2007-01-12
The research is well done but there are too many details repeated. I would have enjoyed it more if it were condensed at least 30 per cent.
Amazon.com
The title, as Dave Barry admits, is not entirely accurate. To be sure, this collection of articles does contain what the Pulitzer-Prize-winning author calls "an unusually high (for me) level of factual content." But there is also an abundance of goofy reportage, fart jokes (see "It's A Gas"), and Barry's long-overdue thoughts on natural childbirth.
Book Description
Since Dave Barry writes about weird things, you might be tempted to think he has a weird brain. He does, of course, but that's not the whole explanation: A lot of the things he writes about -- exploding Pop-Tarts, for example -- are real. In fact, Dave's main job as a humor columnist -- aside from playing Stealth Fighter on his computer to avoid writing humor columns -- is to point out what is already funny in a world that is seriously bonkers.
In Dave's world, amazing but true adventures occur every day, as the Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist investigates a ground-breaking anti-flatulence product recommended to him by a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; the ecologically dangerous shellfish attacking women's undergarments; and the epidemic of snakes and woodland creatures currently appearing in people's toilets. Dave's bad song contest required him to read thousands of entries from people like you; now, people like you could have the pleasure of being badgered all the bad songs that badger Dave.
Dave also participates in real-life form of investigative journalism that actually require him to leave the house: marching with the Lawn Rangers precision lawnmower drill team of Arcola, Illinois; playing lead guitar in an extremely mediocre rock band with Stephen King and other literary lights; and taking his little boat Buster from its happy berth in the Barry garage onto Miami's high seas, only to run it aground. He's even appeared in an episode of "Dave's World," the CBS television show based on his real life -- only taller -- in which he bids for an air conditioner.
Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up includes longer feature pieces by Dave in which many of the featured facts happen to be accurate. Now you can read Dave Barry on UFO thrillseekers and the Elvis lovers who hang out at Graceland -- all articles that show Dave at his best and smartest. Complete with illustrations by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Jeff MacNelly, Dave Barry is Not Making This Up brings you straight into the truly twisted center of Dave's world.
On Buying His Son Sneakers: The salesperson's tone of voice carried the clear implication that he was going to call the Child Abuse Hotline if I didn't care enough, as a parent, to take out a second mortgage so I could purchase sufficient sneakerage for my son.... We need Congress to pass a law requiring the sneaker industry to return to the system we had when I was growing up, under which there was only one kind of sneakers, namely U.S. Keds, which were made from Army surplus tents and which cost about $10, or roughly $1 per pound.
On Being Left-Handed: According to the researchers, left-handers die sooner than right-handers because they have more accidents. I know why this is: We read books backward...This saves us a lot of time with murder mysteries, but it's a bad habit when we're reading, say, the instructions for operating a barbecue grill, and we begin with "Step 147: Ignite Gas."
On The Uses Of Exploding Pop-Tarts: When we detected incoming missiles, we'd simply hold the toaster levers down via some method (possibly involving Tom and Roseanne Arnold) and within a few minutes Whoom the country would be surrounded by a protective wall of flames, and the missiles would either burn up or get knocked off course and detonate harmlessly in some place like New Jersey.
On Readers' Reaction To The Bad Song Contest: Sometimes the voters were so angry that they weren't even sure of the name of the song they hated. There were votes against "These Boots Are Made for Stomping"; the Beach Boys' classic "Carolina Girls"; "I'm Nothing But a Hound Dog"; and "Ain't No Woman Like the One-Eyed Gott."
Customer Reviews:
Other Books.......2007-09-03
A collection of amusing anecdotes from the American writer, humorist and columnist Dave Barry. He finds all sorts of weird, crazy, stupid and funny stuff that people do, say or come up with all across the United States of America, and puts them into print.
Dave doesn't mind a drop of the droll, Dave doesn't.
comedy at its best.......2007-08-28
I have read nearly all of Dave's books, and it never ceases to amaze me that he can be hilarious on each and every occasion. He doesn't duplicate any annecdotes, he simply uses his comic genius to make up new ones.. you will never be bored with Dave's ability to make you rush to the toilet to save wetting the floor, or laughing so hard you feel sick, and the back of your head hurts. This book is my favourite. Every story is funny, clever, and even sometimes sentimental. Please buy this one, you won't regret it. He's on top form.
not my style.......2007-07-12
Sorry, my husband and I listened to this for quite a bit and did not find it funny at all and didn't even want to continue listening to it, it just seemed long and boring--I guess we have a different sense of humor than most of the other reviewers.
Unique sense of humor and easy reading.......2007-05-24
This is an incredibly funny writer who is able to dramatise everyday events into a comical prose. Dave Barry had me laughing out loud in public places with some of the essays in this book. The only thing I would say is that this is one of those books that you can't read cover to cover...you need to take a break now and then before jumping back in.
Dave Barry is one funny dude!.......2007-02-21
Dave Barry is one of my favorite columnists ever, and I was deeply saddened by his decision to retire. Luckily, he has all these great collections of his past articles, and this is the first one I've read. He has so many seemingly random things to write about, and every one of them is absolutely hilarious. A particular favorite of mine is how he speculates on how he could make it rich quick by writing a John Grisham-esque legal novel. His parody of that style of book is a riot, especially since I'm familiar with some of those books. Other highlights include an article about loud obnoxious passengers on airplanes, a poll on the worst songs ever recorded, and several narratives about his expeditions on his not-so-trusty boat Buster. A must-have for humor enthusiasts everywhere.
Average customer rating:
- Tastes Good!
- Wine, with love
- Sweet, helpful, and unpretentious
- Alcohol and I don't mix, but I still loved this book!
- Disliked everything except the whole book
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Love by the Glass: Tasting Notes from a Marriage
Dorothy J. Gaiter , and
John Brecher
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Wine & Winemaking
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The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine: New and Improved: How to Buy, Drink, and Enjoy Wine
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Decantations: Reflections on Wine by The New York Times Wine Critic
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The Accidental Connoisseur: An Irreverent Journey Through the Wine World
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Tasting Pleasure: Confessions of a Wine Lover
ASIN: 0375505601
Release Date: 2002-01-08 |
Amazon.com
Dorothy J. Gaiter and her husband John Brecher are best known for their Wall Street Journal wine column, "Tastings," a passionate yet practical guide to their favorite subject. Love by the Glass: Tasting Notes from a Marriage is their marriage-and-wine memoir, an account of the couple's life together in terms of the bottles they discovered, shared, and enjoyed (or didn't) over time. If readers learn less than they should about the pair when their glasses aren't raised, they are nonetheless treated to a fascinating (as well as useful) investigation of a growing education and the bottles that fueled it.
Chapters are named for the couples' progressive wine discoveries, from the "rudimentary" (André Cold Duck, enjoyed on their first date) to the diversely more evolved (for example, a "magnificent" Gevrey-Chambertin Gérard Quivy provided in a basement shop in Burgundy). Other discoveries are delightfully serendipitous (like a "small" but delicious Collery brut champagne, enjoyed at the launch of the pair's wine Web site). In the process, readers follow the intertwining lives of the love-at-first-sight couple--he, from one of a few Jewish families in Jacksonville, Florida; she, African American and raised in the environment of Florida A&M University--as they blend burgeoning journalism careers with their love of wine. Emblematic of this ever-evolving infatuation, and a narrative high point, is the couple's maternity ward visit to wet the lips of their newborn second daughter with Taittinger champagne. Thus wine and love are once again mutually measured in a book all devotees of the grape, and of the couple who so plainly elucidate its mysteries, will want to read. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
“I am deeply inspired by this heartwarming story of how two people found love and—even better—a way to get paid for drinking wine.” —Dave Barry
Internationally renowned journalists Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher present a captivating memoir about falling in love with each other and with wine.
She grew up in the all-black environment of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. He was raised in Jacksonville, Florida, where his was one of a handful of Jewish families. When they met on June 4, 1973, in the newsroom of The Miami Herald, she says, “I felt in my bones like I had known him forever.” And he says, “I felt the instant I saw her that we had always been together, and knew we always would be.”
That passion for each other and for wine has made their column a must-read for millions of neophyte and veteran wine lovers, who also follow their appearances on Martha Stewart’s TV show. The annual global celebration of wine that they created, “Open That Bottle Night,” encourages readers to finally drink that special wine they have been keeping. As Dottie and John write, “Wine can conjure up memories in a way that few other things can,” whether it’s a rare Burgundy or a bottle of cold duck.
Frank J. Prial of The New York Times said of their first book, The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine, “Their enthusiasm for the grape . . . is exceeded only by their enthusiasm for each other. It spills over on every other page.” Indeed, John and Dottie say they don’t write a wine column; they write a column about more important things.
This book follows them from love at first sight, through a life of journalism, to a triumph on the basketball court at Madison Square Garden. You’ll discover the joys of wine along with them, but you’ll also discover that wine is really about good times, bad times, moments shared with loved ones, and new friends. It’s about memories. It’s about life.
Customer Reviews:
Tastes Good!.......2006-06-16
What a wonderful way to organize a book! Most life stories are organized around major life events. This memoir is organized around the small events that matter in the long run. The wine is the supporting actor/ress, never overwhelming the stars, but always rounding out the story.
One day, Americans will drink wine with the same sophistication we currently save for sports, complete with fan clubs and tasting events, and of course, comptitions. In the meanwhile, wine is working its way into our family events, our personal acheivements, and intimate moments. This kind of "viral" change takes a long time. But eventually, wine will win.
These are wonderful events and worderful in the life of an interesting couple. The place wine has in their lives is probably not unique, but the writing is easy (like a summer Chard) and interesteing.
Get a glass of your favorite, whatever it is, and enjoy!
To your health, good times, and good friends!
Wine, with love.......2005-06-19
I have recently started to study the world of wines thoroughly. But when a friend gave me this book to read and told me that I might like it, I was a bit skeptical because I believed wine could be told only in technical and sometimes boring terms.
I just had no idea it would be such a charming and enjoyable reading.
The book is very unpretentious, written with lots of charm and fun - and especially with love. The story starts by explaining the long road the authors took before becoming wine columnists for the Wall Street Journal. It is delightful to discover how many years two people spent on discovering wines, learning about what they like, learning how to distinguish good ones from bad ones, and going on trips to wineries around the world. It is an honest and sincere story about how they discovered the unique pleasures wine can give. All that seasoned with their love for each other, and of course for wines.
I have to admit that there are some parts in the book where I think they may have stressed their private lives too much -- such as how much they struggled to conceive their first child, or how much their houses cost. But the story remains above all a captivating telling about their love story and wine.
I don't think there is anything more beautiful and enjoyable than a couple and their discovery of another shared love - in this case, the love for wine. But, of course, this is a very subjective view and wine plays a central role, and so I recommend the book only to those who enjoy reading about wine.
Sweet, helpful, and unpretentious.......2003-12-03
Gaiter and Brecher have employed their love of wine as a wonderful frame for the warm and touching story of their lives together. Both are people of incredible accomplishment who share their experiences and appreciation of wine in an uncomplicated, unpretentious, and understated fashion. While what they share about their evolving interest and expertise in wine is interesting, it is their own personal chronicle that is fascinating.
This is a wonderful book for the neophyte/developing devotee of wine. They frankly point out their initially pedestrian taste in wine, and their continued willingness to try seemingly unsophisticated, "fun", or inexpensive wines. I experienced some mild nausea reading what a wonderful principled paragon of good journalism the "Wall Street Journal" represents (in light of its editorial page); however, its credibility jumped in my estimation while reading this book due to the admiration I developed for them and their advocacy of the paper. This book challenged my assumptions, in that the seeming journal of the privileged features a wine column ideal for the needs of regular people.
"Love By the Glass" is a practical guide to savoring wine that doubles as a touching memoir. It is not a great book or a connoisseur's guide, but definitely is a fun and worthwhile read.
Alcohol and I don't mix, but I still loved this book!.......2003-11-07
I'm doing research for a series of romance novels about a family of winemakers. My friend, Gwen, recommended this book since she knew I was a neophyte where wine is concerned. I'm so glad she did. I learned a lot about wine, how to choose a good one, why wine changes from the moment you uncork it to your last mouthful.
I learned about the regions where grapes are grown, and why some grapes grow better in certain regions. I learned that oftentimes how good a wine is depends not so much on the soil the grapes are grown in, but the patience, passion, and faith of the winemaker. Most of all, this book is about enjoying life. Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher definitely know how to do that! They're inspiring. A truly heart-warming story. And I didn't have one potent potable while reading it! :o)
Disliked everything except the whole book.......2003-08-22
There's plenty to dislike about this book.
First is the style: it's written in the third person, as if by some distant friend of the authors, and that's a highly debatable choice for two people who are zealous advocates for wine being best experienced as an intimate personal event. Then, apparently in recognition of the fact that the 3rd person style has its limitations in this context, the authors throw in occasional personal asides in italics, adding an element of inconsistency on top of their initial poor choice. (A much better style would have been, say, the joint author style used in "All's Fair," the book that James Carville and Mary Matalin did together several years ago). It's thus almost hard to believe that these two are the esteemed writer/journalists that they claim to be...which, in turn, brings up another problem with the book: there's a typical baby boomer self-centered, self-congratulatory note here in a text that doesn't need it. Also in the stylistic department: the end of the book seems awfully rushed. After a leisurely pace through most the book, within the space of a couple pages at the end, the authors breeze through Martha Stewart, the dot-com bust, their decision to give up the traditional careers they started, and 9/11/01.
On top of this, at least some readers are sure to find that the authors really are the wine snobs that they so often claim not to be. They admit, after all, to being Central Park West, East Coast, yuppy liberals who love eating at chi-chi restaurants and living close to the edge of their means while traveling the world. Oh, and for liberals who might be inclined to love the authors all the more because of all this, keep in mind that the authors barely explain their life decision to work for capitalist tool "The Wall St. Journal."
I'll be darned, then, if I didn't enjoy every single page of this fantstic and wonderful book (much as I love John & Dottie's regular newspaper column). It seemed so honest and intimate. I literally laughed and cried while reading this book. I don't want to say much more, except read it yourself.
And here's a fun tip for how to read the book: while you would do just fine to read it piecemeal (Chapter 1 here, Chapter 7 there, Chapter 4 later), read it cover to cover without thinking about it too much (i.e., without concentrating on gleaning every wine tidbit from every page). Then, go back when you're done, and look again at the chapter headings, each of which is titled after a wine. Then scan each chapter again to see where that wine fits into the story told in the chapter.
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