As The Gift Horse's Mouth opens, Jimmy Flannery learns that he can finally move up from precinct captain to Democratic committeeman in Chicago's 27th ward. It's a job he's wanted all his adult life, and been groomed for by his Chinaman, Chips Devlin, who also steered him into a career walking and inspecting the sewers. Chips has had the job for decades and is now ready to pass it along to Jimmy. It's a moment filled with potential, for Jimmy's wife, Mary, is pregnant with their first child.

But to get the job, Jimmy has to ask the favor of the head of the party, Ray Carrigan. Carrigan says he'll think about it, and while leaving Jimmy finds his mongrel dog, Alfie, having his way with Carrigan's purebred, Mistinguette, who is being walked by Carrigan's receptionist.

The next thing Jimmy knows, he gets an early morning telephone call from Carrigan telling him to come to an equestrian trail in Saganashkee Slough out in the suburbs. Goldie Hanrahan, Carrigan's long-time assistant, has just been found dead there. Jimmy is assigned to look out for Carrigan's undefined interests in the case.

Although he's only supposed to observe, Jimmy is soon off detecting. Goldie has been keeping a horse in a nearby stable for three years, but doesn't usually leave this early in the morning. And her famous golden bridge set (which is the source of her name) is missing. Did she swallow it when she died?

In the investigation, Jimmy learns that Goldie has been "friendly" with many of the Democratic movers and shakers . . . and had a child out of wedlock. Jimmy senses that the death is somehow related to the child, and tries to track the boy down.

Soon, he's single-handedly solved the case . . . which would have remained unsolved otherwise. The resolution of the mystery is a little tricky. Pay close attention to the descriptions of all the characters as you go. The first time I read this book years ago, I had to go back and reread quite a section until I understood how the plot worked. Hopefully, you will be more careful!

The most interesting part of this story is examining the consequences of adult choices. You will get a clear sense that Goldie's life could have been and ended much differently, as you discover who her main admirers were.

As you think about that, you should consider also what choices you have made that have improved and possibly worsened your life. What lessons can you draw from those experiences when you face important choices in the future? How can you pass along those lessons to those you love?

This unparalleled discussion of the globalization of human sexuality provides the first major work to examine the issue, from how sex has been shaped and marketed in the new global economy to how access to Western pornography has changed sexual behavior in China. Global Sex offers a fascinating and informative set of connections between economics, human sexuality, and marketing behaviors results.

Chicago's Fourth Presbyterian Church bucks several trends: it is a successful church in an urban setting; its affluent members are involved in hands-on help with people in a nearby ghetto; it espouses a decidedly liberal theology. Wellman seeks to explain how Fourth Presbyterian has both accommodated to and transformed culture.

Wellman studies the ministries of Fourth Church's four 20th century pastors. Each pastor ministered to an affluent congregation and addressed the social issues that kept near neighbors of the church in poverty. Each pastor was able to rally the members of the congregation to take action on behalf of the less-privileged.

Wellman combines historical investigation and sociological analysis to explain Fourth Presbyterian's success. The book is a revised Ph.D. dissertation but doesn't read like one. Wellman writes in a fluid, engaging style and keeps the academic excursions into sociological theory to a minimum.

This book will be a welcome read for a) folks who love Chicago; b) people who worship in urban churches; c) liberal Christians who wonder if they are any others left on the planet; d) cultural historians; e) folks who wonder if the church still cares for others.

One interesting fact about the fire is that it was both the first and last of its kind of disaster. It was one of the first great calamities of the modern industrial age and yet Chicago was one of the last cities to burn down naturally without help from earthquakes or bombing. Although the catastrophe has been described countless times in many books and articles, few get beyond a basic account, saying merely that Chicago caught fire and burned in October of 1871. Cromie covers the entire fire from the first flames to the relief effort that began a few days later. He tells the story of Chicagoens both rich and poor who were caught up in the fast moving drama. The book is well illustrated and will appeal to most anyone, whether they have a serious interest in the subject or just want to see some good pictures and read the captions. In some ways this book is to the Great Chicago fire what 'A Night to Remember' is to the Titanic'. I doubt anyone will be dissapointed with it.

This book captures the personality of our amazing city, in all its honesty, in all its glory.

This book is by far the most comprehensive collection of all the Chicago trivia you may ever want to know - and then some! Well thought out, the Great Chicago Trivia & Fact Book takes its reader on a journey through the Windy City's history, from inception to present day. This book is perfect for everyone from the Chicago scholar to a curious tourist (it actually tells you the present day locations of many historic events in Chicago's past).

If you're going to Chicago, this book is a must. With an excellent guide according to price and types of food, you can't go wrong. This book is definately on the top of the list for eating out in Chicago. Even though it is out of print, it is well worth the wait!

This interesting book centers around the construction of the original Ferris Wheel, built for the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. It shows that America is unique in its freedom and opportunity for hard-working people from many different nations. I have read this book several times and have found it to be well-written and well-illustrated. I would recommend it for all ages.

Fiction once again is outshown by fact. While at points extremely funny, the book shows the perversions of society wrought by dishonest and corrupt judges. To the cynical, the stories may seem to be expected. To honest citizens of the greatest democracy in the world, the stories are headshaking. The crook enrobed is a shocking thought, and the authors present the reality of that thought. Written in a fast paced style, Greylord is at once terrifying, and instructive. Nothing is quite so strange as a down and out drunk being sentenced to DEATH by a baliff in judges' robes, unless it is a judge who has the "shorts".