Dishing out heavy doses of moral philosophy, McDonald always keeps the reader entertained and thought provoked. Not quite on par with some of the earlier McGee's, but never-the-less, vintage McDonald. 30+ years of reading his novels, one can only morn the loss that Travis, Meyer and the rest won't have a new tale to tell.

This is a great book if you're in the mood for a philosophy lesson on the meaning of life and how to maintain it. John D. MacDonald knows how to keep the action flowing, without hitting the reader over the head. It's nice to be treated as if you are an intelligent reader, which is why I keep coming back to the McGee series. Travis helps out a man whose father was killed, shortly before cancer would have taken him anyway. As Travis pokes around, he finds a web of dispicable characters hiding behind the entertainment industry. Justice is served to the guilty, as usual. Unfortunately, some of the innocent do not come out of this one, but only those who are not as careful as our houseboat hero. This is definitely one of the better entries in the McGee series, but one should read "A Quick Red Fox" first.

In "Free Fall in Crimson," the 19th Travis McGee episode, author John D. MacDonald refuses to be tied up with boundaries. In fact, this book seems a great deal like a geography lesson, as the plot takes him from Ft. Lauderdale, to other Florida parts, to Beverly Hills, and, finally, to Iowa for the climactic scene!

However, readers should not let that put them off another top-flight installment in the McGee series--this time involving, yes, a murder and other corruption, a hot

air balloon competition.

The plot is set aloft when Ron Esterland approaches Travis for help--seems he's been completely cut out of his inheritance when his father was murdered two years earlier (most of the estate has been left to his estranged wife and her filmmaker friend). Ron wants Travis to find the truth about the murder, suspecting that the wife and friend had much to do with it.

Travis' pursuit then takes him cross country, eventually landing in Roseland,

Iowa, where a film is being made about a hot-air balloon meet. As with the other McGee stories, MacDonald keeps us on the edge until the final pages. It is not that we don't know the guilty party; it is just that Travis must find a way to secure justice--usually his own brand--as many of the guilty are "out of bounds" to legal prosecution.

Readers will not be disappointed in either the story or McGee! While the series does not require a chronological reading, the earlier books establish the characters (especially McGee and economist friend Meyer). The first book is "The Deep Blue Goodby"--and it's a good place to get started, to "channel" the McGee interest. But regardless, "Free Fall in Crimson" merely adds to the charm of the series and of the character--it will leave you grasping for air!

(Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

Now I coulda sworn that I already posted my thoughts about Scenes From a Sistah up in here, but I don't see them anywhere...Oh well...here I go again...

Y'all, Scenes From a Sistah is one of the funniest, most realistic, most entertaining, downright fabu books in the past year. Lolita has a knack for writing witty dialogue and putting her characters in the most hilarious situations. Misty and Reesy reminded me of my best friend and me, which is probably why I liked this book so much.

This sista is true talent and I am so happy to have come across her writing. But don't take my word for it, read for yourself and you'll see what I mean.

And all I know is that I can't wait to "Get(ting) to the Good Part" this winter!

"Scenes From A Sistah" is one of the most entertaining books that I have had the recent pleasure to read. I can't remember how I initially heard about it (net??), but happened to run across it in a Border's Books, thought the title sounded familiar, was having one of those "biorhythmically challenged" days, and needed a pick-me-up; so, I picked it up, took it home and read it. I can't remember how many times I found myself laughing OUT LOUD, and couldn't wait to tell friends about it. There was so much in it that I could personally relate to and, in some cases, felt like I was reliving some of the events (ex. several job-related relocations). In fact, one of my friends is a producer of a daily African-American interests talk show, and I mentioned to him that he would probably want to contact the author about appearing on the show! I truly hope it is picked up for movie rights (and Ms. Files makes a TON OF MONEY from it) because I can't wait to see "that Reesy girl" in celluloid; she's a mess!! I can't wait for her next novel

Scenes From A Sistah most definitely ranks up there with the greats. It is a story about a friendship that is everything a friendship should be. We all should be so lucky to find a friend that together we balance each other out. I love Misty's career mind and Reesy's ability to speak what's on her mind. They compliment each other because, one's weakness is the others strong points. This book was so good that I could not put it down. I basically finished reading it in one day. Whenever I'm in the bookstore, I make sure that I recommend it to at least one person before I leave. Even the guys will enjoy this one. So, if you don't already own a copy make sure and obtain one. I guarantee you will enjoy it. Lolita Files is truly a very gifted writer and a very inspiring person. I've had the pleasure of being in her presence on a couple of occasions and if she's anywhere near YOU, make sure you attend and get a chance to hear her read because she brings the characters to life with her voice, expressions, and attitudes so well that if you haven't read it you will and if you have, you'll read it again. She is most definitely one to watch. And if you read this Lolita, thanks for being yourself. You have most definitely inspired me. You are definitely a great asset to African American Readers and Inspiring Writers. I, along with many others, look forward to the next book

What could be better than a beach book where a large chunk of the action takes place--you guessed it--on the Beach? Travis and pal Meyer endeavor to clear the name of ship captain, Van Harder. His client, Hub Lawless, was lost at sea and Harder was accused of being passed out drunk at the time of the accident. Van claims he was doped, not drunk, and now has lost his license and means of livelihood. Meyer engineers a neat scam whereby he and Trav get access to all the powers-that-be in Timber Bay, the town where the unfortunate Mr. Lawless was a king pin. His disappearance has left the town holding the bag and severely depressed. There is a serious question whether he engineered his own disappearance, and the insurance company is holding up the payment of a $2 million policy to the widow.

The book is fast paced with excellent dialogue, and if that isn't enough--Enter the Girls! First Trav hooks up with the lady piano player in a bar. He and MacDonald dance around for a few pages trying to absolve Trav of taking advantage of the dreaded, non-sensitive One Night Stand. Then come two good-time girls, Mishy & Licia who were on the boat at the time of the disappearance. Licia, though lovely, has a teeth problem. Much to her dismay one crude fellow told her "with teeth like that, you could eat a Big Mac through a venetian blind." (Not our Trav, of course). Then, saving the best until last, Gretel who brings Trav to his knees in instant adoration. I always get nervous when Trav finds true love; they seem to have a very short life span.

"The Empty Copper Sea" is vintage Travis McGee with more turns than a corkscrew and surprises to match. MacDonald sets up one of his trademark scenes of macabre horror right when you least expect it. He wipes that smile off your face, just in case you thought this was going to be only a lighthearted ramble. Recommended.

Over the years I've read hundreds of novels in a variety of genres, but for pure fun and enjoyment it's hard to beat Travis McGee. Some of the books are better than others, but they're nearly all worth a couple of lazy summer days. They are the ultimate summer time, quick-read beach books. At their core, they're good mysteries and this is one of the best. But Travis McGee is such a great character, with such a wry outlook on life, that often the mystery seems secondary to McGee's views on whatever topic author John D. McDonald has selected for his soap box. Most of them take place in Florida, (a Florida no one will ever see again given they were written mostly in the 60s and 70s) and all have a color in the title. Don't take them too seriously, just have fun in the sun.

The trouble with discovering John D. McDonald's Travis McGee series is that there will be no more. Mr. McDonald passed away several years ago. I find myself re-reading his books in order about every other year. They are still fresh, funny (at times) and insightful.

I like Empty Copper Sea best because Travis meets the main love of his life. Gretel Howard is all that Travis deserves and more. Meyer, the famous economist and chili maker extraordinaire plays a pretty big role in this installment as well. All the familiar elements of Travis' life are here in this book yet the presentation is still fresh. Do yourself a favor and read this book!

This is the first of 21 books John Dann MacDonald wrote featuring Travis McGee, a sometime detective who comes out of retirement when he needs money to pay the bills for his modest houseboat in Florida. When Travis is on a case the houseboat is often rigged to detect unwanted visitors. Seldom is the unflappable McGee caught off guard on his boat or anywhere else, for that matter.

I've read all twenty-one books in the McGee series, at first not in order, but later systematically until I reached the last mystery, The Lonely Silver Rain. These books are a guilty pleasure. Sure, you could be doing something better with your time, but Travis McGee beats 80% of everything on TV. If you pick up one of these novels before bedtime, you might easily find yourself sleep deprived.

Travis McGee is a knight in tarnished armor. I think we like him better for the fact that, like us, he has lots of faults; but he is true to his friends and when he gives his word to a client, he is not afraid to put himself in harms way to resolve the case. Like Sherlock Holmes, he has a bit of the bloodhound in him and relentlessly follows the trail of clues and leads until the action packed end of the story.

Murder and mahem are an integral part of every Travis McGee mystery, but also thoughtful conversation with his economist friend Meyer and with McGee's own best friend, himself. He is a loner who is happy with his own company. He lives comfortably in the present until necessity or his own good will prompt him to act.

The magic of all the Travis McGee books is that we think we know him, we like him, and we are delighted to be taken along on his travels when he is on a case, but we are just as satisfied when we evesdrop on his quiet conversations with Meyer and learn something of the McGee philosophy. Disagreeing with McGee, not often enough probably, is part of the fun. I was disappointed when I put down the last mystery, but I know that, like the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, I'll probably come back for a second reading.

This is the first of the Travis McGee books and quickly establishes why they have been so popular for so long. From the opening page the atmosphere is totally relaxed as we are welcomed aboard Travis' houseboat, The Busted Flush. Travis works only when he has to, which means, just before he runs out of money. The rest of the time he spends lazing around the Florida waters, living the good life.

He is coaxed into action by the bad-luck story of a friend of a friend and quickly and professionally gets to work coming to her rescue. On the way, he acts as a knight in shining armour to a second woman who desperately needs help, going above and beyond the call of duty, firmly entrenching him as a helluva nice guy.

This book was written almost 30 years ago, yet it is fresh enough to make one believe that it is set in today's world. It's an excellent introduction to the world of Travis McGee and has certainly whetted my appetite for more. Travis McGee is the ultimate laid back hero who carries his flaws as humbly as his talents.

Sit back and relax. Start at page 1 and take the ride of your life with Travis McGee. This first book in the series is an excellent starting point for first-timers because all the ingredients for the McGee stories are here-a lady in distress, a stolen "treasure", and a brutal unrelenting villain. MacDonald had a talent for involving you so deeply that you find yourself going back to re-read passages that hit you hard the first time. Junior Allen is a perfect villain--A force of nature motivated by greed with an ever-deepening bent towards sexual brutality. This book contains storytelling so vivid that you feel the punches with McGee. This book, along with Donald Hamilton's Death of a Citizen, is the perfect example of the 50s-60s Fawcett Originals.

Travis McGee gets a check for $25,000 (a lot of dough for 1969) and the dying wish of an old friend, to look after her suicidal daughter. So McGee goes to Fort Courtney to observe the daughter, her sister and her husband. What McGee encounters is a series of unusual circumstances, including dead bodies, cheating spouses, and the evidence that somebody is spying on him. Could all of these things be connected? Sure - but only McGee could figure out the complicated connection. True to most McGee novels, justice is served in the end, although in a form the reader does not expect.

This is my 11th McGee novel. Clearly MacDonald writes in a more sophisticated style than 98% of the mystery writers today. A new reader may find it annoying that one must suffer through a good 100 pages before the action really begins, but this is typical MacDonald style. Not only do you get a complex mystery, but you get a lot of philosophy along the way.

Well, I'll keep this short & sweet. I'm not much of a mystery reader but this series was recommended to me by several people. I picked this one randomly to start the series. I liked it...the story was quick-moving, had good character development, some humor, a lot of action, and tied up nicely at the end. At 250 pages it's a quick read, perfect for an airplane ride. If you like Dick Francis, Robert Parker, et al, then you'll like this series.

This was my second John D. MacDonald book and my first Travis McGee book. I had heard that MacDonald could flat-out write, and I was not disappointed by this book. What I enjoyed the most was MacDonald's insight into the human condition; he really understood what motivated people. This helped his plotting and dialogue seem fresh and real even after 30 years.

I'm hooked. If you haven't read MacDonald you're missing out.

This is a companion book to Don Johnson's Cruising Guide to Maine Vol I Kittery to Rockland. See my review under that title.

As a sailer planning a world cruise, I view this book as one of the best cruising books I have read because it touches so much on the cultures and people along the way rather than merely on the sailing aspects. I have only read volume one and am eagerly awiting volume two. If you are not a sailer, this is a superb armchair travel book. You will really feel you are meeting people all over the globe. Sue manages to convey the excitement, beauty, learning and sharing of a couple sailing around the world.

It is just what I want to use to try new restaurants, but I'd rather have a more current edition than 1994. Is it scheduled for publication

So many of the restaurants listed have either closed or moved that the guide as a whole is useless except for restaurants still around. Even then the chefs change ian, indeed, the cuisine. For the restaurants still in operation the guide is first class. It's a pity that many book stores still sell it without any indication of its vintage.

John D. MacDonald's 20th Travis McGee book "Cinnamon Skin" reads as well today as it did when published in 1982. It is one of the very few books I have ever re-read and it was refreshing to find that it is just as exciting, just as relevant today as it was when I first read it. In "Cinnamon Skin," we find Meyer's newly-wed niece Norma and her husband being murdered aboard Meyer's boat "The John Maynard Keynes"--and, of course, the circumstances are suspicious. Was the explosion at sea revenge for a drug deal gone wrong? Did it have something to do with Meyer's own past (after all, he'd been in Chile a few years earlier)? Regardless, it is greatly disturbing to Meyer who enlists his friend Travis to help. Meyer's loss is Travis', after all, Travis is rough and tough but philosophic,and the ensuing McGee adventure takes the two on a convulted odyssey from Ft. Lauderdale to Texas to Mexico. MacDonald holds us spellbound with his plot revelations, but he is also a master at capturing the local color (especially noteworthy here is his interesting "history" of Cancun), and of sparking his suspense with daubs of humor. MacDonald's works frequently touch on socially significant issues, such as the environment, and especially on the damages that developers have been plying on the Florida coast, from shabby construction to irresponsible waste disposal. He likes to remind us that we are, after all, in the 20th century. "Soon the bosses of the microcomputer revolution will sell us preprogrammed units for each household which (will provide for everything). It will be the biggest revolution of all, bigger than the wheel, bigger than Franklin's kite, bigger than paper towels." In his many books, sometimes MacDonald seems to assume the role of Cassandra outside the gates of Thebes, crying out his revelations and prophesies, yet he is doomed not to be believed. Tis a pity. "Cinnamon Skin" carries, brilliantly, the MacDonald/McGee mystique, and while the series is over thirty years old, the colors in the titles have not faded; Travis is as relevant today as he has always been. MacDonald's prose--if nothing else-- will transport the reader on a magical, mystical, enthusiastic ride, well worth the fare. Take a trip to Lauderdale--it'll be a treat.

A boat blows up coming into harbor in the Florida Keys. Within hours a Chilean Terrorist group claims responsibility for planting the bomb with intent to kill the famed economist Dr. Meyer. Private Detective Travis McGee is suspicious and tracks Meyer -- a good friend -- down and finds he was in fact, not aboard the ill-fated boat.

Photographs from a nearby boat reveal that a man Evan Lawrence also may not have been aboard the boat. Lawrence recently married Meyer's niece, and when McGee's suspicions seem confirmed, the two friends (he and Meyer) begin a hunt to find out about Evan Lawrence's past.

Thus begins Cinnamon Skin, a taut, fun mystery thriller that leads two friends through the criminal past that formed a killer. Some of the most deft touches in the novel come when MacDonald describes the lives of people along the Rio Grande Valley in southwest Texas. At one point, I actually got out a road map and traced their quest from Eagle Pass to El Paso and back all the way to Brownsville. MacDonald blends fact with fiction at just the right pitch in this, his twentieth Travis McGee novel.

MacDonald writes like a writer who has earned it, man. He seems to know his story so well, there is very little drift in the way he tells a story. Each sentence is exact or darn near exact, and the end result is a taut mystery that is very fun and very entertaining -- the kind of novel you'll want to talk about with friends.

I highly recommend Cinnamon Skin to folks who like good old storytelling at its best, most genuine form. It is the perfect airplane, poolside, vacation novel to help you beat the heat this summer. And its depth will leave you feeling satisfied at any time of year. Good stuff.

Please hit the "helpful" button if you found this review helpful. I like to know you care.

Stacey

It wouldn't take much of an argument to convince me that CINNAMON SKIN is the best -- or at least one of the best few -- of the fine "color-titled" Travis McGee mystery novel series by prolific John D. MacDonald (author of CAPE FEAR, etc.). This actually is at least two novels in one, as Trav and best-friend Meyer first travel America (mostly the Texas-area Southwest) ferreting out the murderous past of a serial killer -- then track him to his current lair in the Cancun-Yucatan area of Mexico and lay a dangerous jungle trap for him there. VERY highly recommended for fascinating characters (good and bad), local color, and tense action. Of course, as with all JDM's work and especially the McGee series, CINNAMON is well-crafted and written. Enjoy!

Over the years I've read hundreds of novels in a variety of genres, but for pure fun and enjoyment it's hard to beat Travis McGee. Some of the books are better than others, but they're nearly all worth a couple of lazy summer days. They are the ultimate summer time (or any other season for that matter), quick-read books. At their core, they're good mysteries. But Travis McGee is such a great character, with such a wry outlook on life, that often the mystery seems secondary to McGee's views on whatever topic author John D. McDonald has selected for his soap box. Most of them take place in Florida, (a Florida no one will ever see again given they were written mostly in the 60s and 70s) and all have a color in the title. Don't take them too seriously, just have fun in the sun.

Some years after his death, John D Macdonald remains much under-valued. The Travis McGee "colour" series parallels Macdonald's career and on re-reading can be seen to develop along with the maturity of the author. Travis observes things as John did. This blurring of the line between author and character is assisted by the use of the first person, and is fascinating in itself. However, it also reaches a new plane in 'Rain'. For twenty-odd years Travis represented the man who lived our dreams: unattached, entirely self-sufficient, a wolf among the sheep. In 'Rain', Macdonald courageously forces his hero to pay the price of those choices. I've read this book many times. The last chapter makes me cry every time (which is tough for a 41 year old Englishman). I don't weep for Travis, but for the end of all our dreams and the persistent treasure of family.

The Travis McGee series represents one of the greatest accomplishments of American fiction -- ever. Never mind the rumors of MacDonald working on another story (before he died) with the color "Black" in the title, this is the way a series should end. Travis has taken countless blows, physical and emotional, throughout his career. In this novel, however, we see Travis's rusty armour nearly falling off, his horse nearly crippled, and his enemies closing in on all sides for the kill. As he triumphs one last time over the insurmountable odds, he gains a new reason to continue being the white knight. While this book is superb, I wouldn't recommend reading it until you've read at least a few others in the series (especially "Pale Gray for Guilt"). Not only will you understand more about the plot and characters, you will have more invested in seeing Travis's ultimate redemption.

My earlier review stated that "Colonial Spanish America" needed an index. Now that I've seen a hardcover edition, it appears that it DOES have a pretty decent index, but the paperback I own does not--most likely an isolated defective copy.

This book is a fine addition to the impressive Scholarly Resources series on Latin America. It is an unusually stimulating & effective collection of sources & readings on Spanish American history. A major innovation is that it acknowledges the value of non-literary sources, & includes a number of visual & artistic primary documents with full explication. The range & quality of documentary materials is quite good, though inclusion of (undeniably insightful) secondary sources may confuse some students. There are two flaws, one general & the other specific to this work. 1) It is poorly supplied with reference aids; index, good maps & unified bibliography are missed. 2) What about Portugese America, namely Brazil? Since its most appropriate use is in Latin American history courses, even a terrific book on SPANISH America reinforces U.S. neglect of the major country in LATIN America, & leaves professors scrambling to fill the gap. (Apart from this the book deserves a 5-star rating.) Since Bradford Burns's "Documentary History of Brazil" is not readily available, the best complement is Robert Conrad's "Children of God's Fire: A Documentary History of Slavery in Brazil," also a superb collection, but the lack of symmetry will be apparent. Nevertheless, I look forward to assigning Mills & Taylor when I teach on Colonial Latin America. It deserves wide exposure.

This is an excellent collection of documents, but then I am biased since I've been a student of Ken Mills... The editorial introductions situate each document historically and culturally. Very useful for beginning students, undergraduate or graduate.