Earlier this month, I was asked to read this novel. Being a SciFi reader, I hesitated before opening the cover and before I knew what had happened, I was engrossed. The detail of the period was great (gotta love those old V-12 Packards!) and the characters were so real that you felt true emotions for them. You can see that the author has done his research on many different levels.

Believe it or not, I had the same "can't wait to sit down and read" feeling with _The Last Season_ as I did when I read Stephenson's _Snow Crash_ even though the subject matter is completely different. For me, that is saying a lot... Good work Ronald Florence! You can't go wrong this _The Last Season_!

The only reason this is a 4/5 is that I am reserving that for the author's first SciFi novel. :-)

In 1941, the war in Europe has captured the fascination of everyone in the Newport area whether they are part of the social elite, fishermen, or members of the Naval War College. The war has forged strange relationships. For instance, naval student and son of scions, Russell Westcott III noticed the beautiful young lady watching while he was winning a yacht race. He later learns her name is Sera and she is the daughter of a Portuguese fisherman living in Stoningham, Connecticut.

While Russell decides to make a play for Sera, her buddy Jake Werth wants her to see him as a lover not a friend. However, Jake knows he cannot compete with the charismatic, win at all costs Russell even as both attend the war college. Jake's role is to be a mole, trying to uncover who is giving away war gaming secrets. At the same time, a slickster wines and dines Russell into revealing those same secrets that he figures are nothing but silly adult games. As both Mike and Russell vie for Sera's affections, their adversarial roles will force a confrontation just as Pearl Harbor is around the corner.

THE LAST SEASON is a superb historical fiction work that brings Newport into clear focus just months before America enters World War II. The lead triangle is formed quite nicely in front of a vivid and descriptive backdrop. Although Jake's morality seems too perfect, readers will fully understand the motives of him, Russell and Sera. Ronald Florence provides a fabulous period piece that thrillingly turns THE LAST SEASON into a splendid novel that will leave genre fans seeking more works such as the authors' GYPSY MAN.

Harriet Klausne

This is a page-turner written with style. Initially, I was attracted by the period spy plot set in 1941 pre-war society Newport. However, equally engrossing are the portraits of racing boats (and the craftsmen who create them) and pre-war ethnic Connecticut village life. Normally a speed reader, I slowed down to savor the details. The picture of "society" reminded me of The Remains of the Day, except that Florence's boat races and chase scenes are more exciting.

A fast paced story that encompasses the actual behind the scenes workings of a banking organization which the author uses as a background. The author, Al Giannini, is obviously a many faceted individual who appears to be knowledgeable in a multitude of subjects which he succeeds in blending into the novel. He knows his way around boardrooms, golf links, airplanes, yachts and DEFINITELY BEDROOMS!

A very readable tale that holds ones interest throughout the entire book. Highly recommended for a pleasant reading experience!

The most basic of human frailties are embodied in a single person, the title character, Luco Parisi. Giannini explores Luco in depth -- his greed, his craving for vengeance, his uncontrollable lust, the ease with which he can betray -- and the extent to which others are affected by the consequences of his amorality. So blinded and preoccupied is Luco with his self-serving pursuits, he is unaware until it is too late that he has incurred the wrath of two very diverse individuals. One, a gangland boss, wants the return of his ill-gotten money and will stop at nothing to get it. The other, Vince Bonetta, is the antithesis of Luco. Vince's sense of values and morality clash with Luco's at every level. Vince is driven not by money, but by a sense of honor and loyalty to old friends that can be satisfied only by exacting just and total retribution from Luco.

Giannini's telling of this story is interwoven with human emotion -- pathos, love, fury, greed, humor -- and told through characters who come vividly alive with dialogue that is compelling and memorable.

It's hard to believe that The Aberration is his first novel. I look forward eagerly to the release of his next work, The Third Wire.

I suspect that my conclusions regarding this book have to do with dreams and realisms of immigrant forefathers versus the greed and lewedness of a wayward son. The sinister plot unravels itself almost immediately corrupting Mickey and endangering the financial success of Phil not to mention an entire banking institution. How can a son born of a father so loving go so wrong?

Mr. Giannini writes in a skillful dynamic fashion using colorful, descriptive phraseology. He involves places, times, and sequences necessary for continuity and clarity.

All too often one finds a way to continue the story of the pages one has read coming to the conclusion of one's choice. I have done that with this book....coming to my own conclusion regarding the presence of Luco. I look forward, therefore, to a sequel to The Aberration and for Luco to discern his very self.

I found this book to be very well written, and at the beginning I had high hopes that I would like it very much. However, I found that as the book went on, I was less and less sure what point the author was trying to make and just what the focus of the book was supposed to be. What the author's son Ned went through with two unrelated and severe medical problems was compelling to read about, but not really enough to carry the book. The math history parts of the book often seemed quite unrelated to the main tale. Perhaps the book was a way to expose the many uncaring or distant medical professionals the author encountered, but this was not tied together into a real message. Or perhaps the author was telling her story to justify her decision not to return to the States with her son once he ran into medical troubles in Germany---which in my eyes didn't really need justifying---I would not see Germany as having less competant medical care than the US. In any case, I found the ending a bit unfinished---I didn't really see how all of a sudden Ned's elbow was fixed, and we were not told much about the final outcome of his seizures or his brain surgery, although the book was published at least 3 years after these problems started. I feel there could have been a much better book here with more focus and more of a unified point. However, I did finish the book and am still thinking about it--a sign of something worth reading.

I just spent the past Saturday afternoon reading _Angles of Reflection_ by Joan L. Richards and was quite moved by it. For anyone who has had to grapple with balancing work and family -- including in academics where one's schedule is flexible but at times consuming and unpredictable -- this book is a must read along with other similar volumes, such as _Divided Lives_ and _True North_. Richards's depictions of "mother's time" and "professional time", as well as the conflict between the two, could very well have been a chapter in Alan Lightman's _Einstein's Dreams_. German culture is not a very hospitable environment for working mothers, but Richards navigates skillfully through maternal care, professional meetings, and daily annoyances like sharply abbreviated hours for grocery shopping. Her depiction of the German medical system, a form of socialized medicine, might be looked upon as idiosyncratic and Byzantine by all except those of us who have to deal with American HMO's on a regular basis. Past and present, as well as life and art, overlap in this deliciously engrossing volume: as she cares for her son, Richards works through the intricacies of her biographies of Augustus and Sophia De Morgan and finds in their child, Alice, a parallel story of parental concern. Richards's story reminded me of a statement attributed to Jackie Kennedy Onassis: when asked about raising her children, she is supposed to have said, "If I fail at this, nothing else matters." Above all else, Richards's love and care for her two boys shine through this volume, even on pages dense with Newton, the De Morgans, and probability theory. This book, written in the tradition of Jill Ker Conway, is required reading for anyone, but especially for those curious about how the thinking lives of academics intersects with the practical and emotional lives of the everyday world. Highly recommended.

I have read this book twice, and recommended it to several friends, and find it a most complex and multi-faceted tale. On the one hand a poignant account of a sick child,and an examination of the difficult decisions everyone has to make under uncertainty, it is much more than that as it weaves Newton, Leibniz and Augustus de Morgan and the choices they made into the story. It was in many ways a brave decision of Joan Richards to write and publish this book, and those who read it can judge for themselves her success--I found it riveting, and even better on the second reading.

Before more spectacular criminal trials, such as that of OJ Simpson, captured the nation's emotions, the von Bulow case was the criminal case on which more conflicting opinions were launched than on even really important matters of national interest. Dershowitz has his own opinions obviously (doesn't he always?), but here he is remarkably evenhanded, even though he is, was and remains the appellate advocate in the von Bulow case.
His narrative of the events, personalities and relationships in the case is very illuminating and relevant. If one is still interested in this old case, this book should be read. If one has strong opinions on the case, this book must be read.

Those who remember the Von Bulow trial will remember the strong arguments for and against his guilt, but even if you have never heard of him, you should read this book. Dershowitz lays out the case from beginng to end. Its best asset is a clear and concise presentation that tells the story well without wasting words. As we learn the story we are taught about legal procedures and the strategy lawyers use to win cases. Dershowitz is very realistic about the law and is very honest about the system. The book was an entertaining education.

It's a good thing I read this book -- which indeed is a good book -- before the author got involved with the O.J. Simpson case. After hearing things he had to say during that lengthy legal episode, I have no desire whatever to read/hear another single word of his for the entire rest of my whole life, period.

This book is one of the best I have read in a long time. I have always had trouble finishing books and I can always tell a book is good when I can't put it down. This book achieved just that.

I just completed a truly epic book--epic in the broad definition of a novel that typifies grandeur, a fictionalized historical narrative which is especially revelent in today's world. It is brilliantly written, the characters are well developed, and the setting of life in the 16th century under the Ottomans is realistic and spellbinding. It clearly is extremely well researched. Anthony Goodman's writing is concise and articulate, and conveys a feeling to the reader of one being privy to the intimate machinations of each of the numerous historical figures. I look forward to its appearance as a cinematic triumph, because the story lends itself so well to that medium.

Shadow of God achieves the balance that so many other historical novels fail to comprehend. Good historical fiction is just what the words say, well written plot centered around real history. The story suffers if either side is lacking or is unrealistic. Shadow of God is a fine example of the education and entertainment so many historical stories can offer if written well and faithfully portrayed.

The story revolves around the siege of Rhodes in 1522. At the time, the Ottoman Empire was the most powerful in the world, whose provinces spanned three continents. Money and tons of other resources poured into the imperial coffers. The new sultan, Suleiman, was determined to prove himself the equal of his ancestors. To this end, he organized a massive army and armada to deal with the 500 Christian knights that held the fortress of Rhodes. The descriptions of the Ottoman court and the functions of the state are extremely interesting and enlightening. The Janissaries, the Pashas, the Viziers, are all fascinating subjects that are described very well.

Garrisoning the small island of Rhodes are the Knights of St. John, an order of Christian warriors. From the island, the multinational group of soldiers leads pirate raids on nearby Ottoman ports and ships. The new grandmaster, Phillipe, comes to the fortress as news of the Sultans arrival begins to leak out of Istanbul. The stage is set for one of the most brutal sieges in human history.

The mechanics and tactics of siege warfare are complex but are intriguing when written in a fictitious style. Greek fire, cannons, arquebusiers, muskets, tunnels and underground mines are all detailed and drawn in an entertaining light, never losing their connection to real history. The battle is something to really enjoy. The unbelievable amount of violence and death is written in a horrific narrative. Thousands of Janissaries slipping on their comrades blood is an image that is pressed into your memory throughout the story. The tunnels are the worst part, where thousands of Ottoman slaves are buried alive in an effort to enter the city. The back story is also very interesting and does not compromise the history of the battle.

Both sides of the conflict are characterized as what they were. The Ottoman Empire was a very progressive empire intellectually, but it still captured thousands of slaves from Europe and was built for conquest. The Knights of St. John are courageous and honorable, but they were also somewhat motivated by piracy and the accumulation of wealth.

A great historical story made accessible to all lovers of fiction and history.

As I started reading this book, I felt the author was a very negative person. At the end I still had this feeling, but it was a compelling story none the less. Her writing style made me think, and I had to go back and read several passages again to get the full meaning of her words. The story was a depressing one for the characters, but their life's stories intertwining with each other were fascinating. I'm so glad she didn't let all her characters have the typical happy ending leaving you to feel that their lives would still be full of ups and downs.

It would be all too easy to assume from the title of Weldon's latest novel that it is a depressing read. However, I doubt that Weldon could ever seriously be mournful, especially not when you have both nurses and desire inextricably linked, as you have here. There's just a brief mention of Blues hero Stephane Grapelli, but that's just about how far the relevance goes. However, if you do know who Grapelli is, then you may well be of Felicity's generation in this novel. The title's also an oblique reference to Rhode Island Reds, a particularly fancied breed of chicken at the moment. Apparently, these poultry are extremely easy to rear. It's just Felicity's luck however, that she marries an American GI who hasn't a clue about how to run his own farm. She's even more unfortunate in that she believed his tales of a plantation mansion. Fifty years later, the funeral of her son-in-law from this marriage leads to a quite unexpected flirtation with romance.

Admittedly, parts of Felicity's life story are quite grim. Sophia, her only living relative, works in London as a film editor, whilst Felicity herself abides in Connecticut. Felicity has had a minor stroke, and is coming to terms with the reality of her advancing years. Sophia loves her grandmother - it's just that she feels far more comfortable when the Atlantic Ocean is in between them. Her busy life as a film editor means that she cannot just drop everything and be by her grandmother's bedside in Connecticut. Weldon is very perceptive in relating how much guilt can taint love, and how uncomfortable the young can be beside the old.

Sophia, and Charlie the chauffeur, tend to view the world from the perspective of the movies. When Sophia visits an aged relative Weldon notes that this old lady tends to use references from the fairy books of her youth in her conversation. Maybe what Weldon is saying here is that the motion picture is now the dominant form of fiction. Unfortunately, it really grinds my teeth to come across yet another character in an English novel this year that works in the Soho media world. If future readers ever come back to these novels, like Toby Litt's 'Corpsing', and Amy Jenkins' dire 'Honeymoon', they might think that everyone in England was working in film. The only writer who has a credible excuse for writing about Soho is Christopher Fowler who actually works there. The impression I get is that most young English novelists would really much rather prefer writing for the movies, and I can't help but think that this is very sad.

Sophia mentions many films in her narrative, whilst neglecting to mention the most obvious one: 'Harvey'. Okay, so The Golden Bowl is an old peoples' home, but it does stand comparison with the mental institution in Jimmy Stewart's movie. Okay, so you don't get to see the invisible rabbit in 'Rhode Island Blues' either - it's the interaction between the characters and the structure that seems quite similar. You don't see the whole of this story from Sophia's viewpoint, since Weldon chooses to flit between the main characters at times. It's quite a jolt to suddenly see the world from Nurse Dawn's perspective, who seems to be such a minor character otherwise. But then 'Harvey' also strayed from Jimmy Stewart's suspect vision, into other smaller narratives, such as the nurse's romance with the doctor. Although, this being Weldon, the Doctor/Nurse relationship here is far more risqué.

Feliticty's mental health comes into question when she starts seeing a gambling toy boy, and when the staff at The Golden Bowl discover what we've known all along - namely that her Utrillo painting is not a print. With insurance being such a premium in the litigatory States, moves are made to ensure the safe removal of the Utrillo from the Golden Bowl's walls (James Stewart's mental state in 'Harvey' was also brought into question due to a suspect portrait). Unfortunately, Felicity has also let slip to Sophia that she may have more family in England. Sophia, all alone apart from a temporary fling with a film director of Kubrick's stature, can't help but investigate her roots. She finds a couple of quite dull cousins who eventually let her enter their lives. Felicity impulsively decides to remarry at the tender age of 83. Sophia's cousins just as impulsively decide to check out their newly found grandmother, and petulantly join Sophia on her trip to the States. The question on everyone's minds seems to be this: is such an old woman capable of looking after a valuable Utrillo?

Ironically, Utrillo spent much of his own life in and out of institutions, with painting his only therapy. From this point of view, it's very fitting that his work should end up on the walls of an institution like The Golden Bowl. Sophia recognises the name of the old peoples' home as deriving from a passage in Ecclesiastes. No doubt it is also a reference to the novel of the same name - that also featured a suspected gold digger. What this novel seems to be about broadly, is the clash between the new and the old: the disparities between British and American culture, the contrast between the generations, and old and new forms of fiction. Several novels this year have discussed a problem which currently troubles Western culture: what to do with an ever aging population, from Will Self's vulgar 'How the Dead Live', to Barbara Kingsolver's life-affirming 'Prodigal Summer'. Weldon comes somewhere in between the two extremes. There is something quite merciless about some of her observations, mostly concerning the immigrant Charlie and his ever-increasing family. But most chilling and timely of all is Sophia's disquieting journey on Concorde. However, Weldon provides us with a mixed dish here; not all of her prognosis is quite as gloomy as this. The blues are there, but playing quietly in the background with the reds.

I don't want to say anything particular about the book, only that it was virtually perfect. Fay Weldon understands human emotions and faults. She expresses all of the thoughts and feelings people carry around all bottled up inside, and she does so with great conviction and humor. Just read the book.

Best Hikes in CMR is a great book for parents and kids to utilize for day hikes in the area. We found the most critical piece was that their ratings of difficutly and timeframes to complete are accurate. Also has many hikes in area's that are not the typical "tourist" hikes. The only negative was the limited maps that went along with the trail descriptions. Would be great if the author could point us to better maps or have a web site with them.

The series is a must-have for hiking with children. I use the CT-MA-RI book to scope out which trails would be good for hiking with my 5 year old son. We have done about 8 of the 79 so far. Each one had accurate descriptions and good indicators for difficulty. Highly recommended.

A well illustrated book , numerous examples of what is known in pottery as " Egyptian Paste ". Ornaments , tiles ,cups, figurines and the ever present ,beads. More than enough colour photographs to satisfy the thirst . The 3 different processes of manufacturing Egyptian Paste objects are explained technically. Plus ,the many variations in the paste through the centuries. My only reason for not giving another star , not enough goblets .

I waited for some time to get my hands on this work. If you're interested in AE faience artistry - the pictures alone are worth it. A fine addition to the Egyptophile's library.

Dull ruminations on fishing off Block Island by a privileged yet simple man gone poetic.

Roy put into words what most Surf Fisherman feel. I have already recommended this book to two friends who now will try surf fishing. I even enlisted my wife to accompany me on a trip to Block Island. Thanks Roy for this wonderful look into a place that is free for the taking.

I'm a sailor, not a fisherman, but by the end of the first chapter I was hooked by this book. Small in size, but huge in meaning, the book connected me to the blackness of night, the beauty of dawn at sea and the kind of foothold I have in this vast natural world. Rowan does this with the reporter's voice. It's matter-of-fact, down to earth and not difficult to grasp. He tells the hows and whys of fishing. He shows us Block Island up close--offering us both its natural beauty and the range of islander stories. He knows his history. Even Ben Franklin plays a minor (but significant) role.

Good stuff. Great book! Thanks, Mr. Rowan, for sharing your passion and wisdom with us.

At once a nice travelogue of Newport, Rhode Island, in the 1920's and a novel of human interaction, "Theophilus North" is a well-written and engaging (at first) book. It's just hard to understand why Wilder wrote it. There is so little of it in the way of dramatic or comic invention. The protagonist is a bodhisatva (a saint on earth) who spends his days doing good. All the time. You keep expecting some rising action - after 100 pages you yearn for it - but it never comes. Just one good deed after another. It isn't a bad read, and it might even be a good thing to put into the hands of teenagers (if you can get them to sit still for it). But there's no inner struggle going on in this first person narrative. And that makes ultimately for a weak plot. The book was something of a hit when it first came out, but it has since sunk to the obscurity it probably deserves. That saddens me, because I thought the author's "Our Town" and "Skin of Our Teeth" to be some of the finest writing this side of Heaven.

I read this book more than 20 years ago as a college student and I still find myself thinking about it now. I was a persnickety English student and I wouldn't have imagined the book was making much of an impression on me at the time. Maybe I needed to age considerably before I could appreciate Wilder's idea that you do get everything you wish for -- just not on your schedule, and seldom packaged as you may have hoped or expected.

this author, which has written books so beatiful, has given the world this one which is also beatiful, but pointless, i guess that the main character is himself. the book does not have a plot or at least is not going anywhere, but it is not boring, and it is a good read. i just loved it, even though when i finished i had the sensation of not being told anything new. the book has gone into oblivion and will propably stay there, the one i read i took it from the library and i was the only one who got it from the shelf in more than a decade, i guess it is there in the shelf at the library, waiting for another ten years until some reader will take it down, and write another pointless review about it....

LUIS MENDEZ luismendez@codetel.net.do