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Books to read if you're planning a vacation in "Franklin", sorted by average review score:

Death in a Promised Land: The Tulsa Race Riot of 1921
Published in Hardcover by Louisiana State University Press (April, 1982)
Authors: Scott Ellsworth and John Hope Franklin
Average review score:

This book seems to be clearly biased.
Many of the "facts" in this book are clearly in dispute. Other historians and researchers have uncovered evidence that contradicts or even debunks some of the supposeded events. This book seems to try and make the 1921 Tulsa Race WAR look like a very one-sided affair, with whites being "guilty" and blacks being "innocent". The truth is that both sides were at fault. A war broke out, and the blacks lost.

Providing a balanced account to remove the Veil
Rarely do we have an instance when a teller of history valiantly attempts to remain objective. The author has done well in presenting a historical perspective that does not seek unconscionable blame nor claim illusionary vindication. These acts of historical literary balance, lay the foundations upon which great civilizations have risen. Having heard the oral traditions of Greenwood, it would have been very easy to paint all white people with a broad stroke of UNDENIABLE EVIL, as it would have been with providing all blacks with a halo of SAINTHOOD. By piecemilling together facts, reminants of what many have sought to destroy, along with balancing the personal interviews, the author has provided the impetus for how we should begin discussing our history. As a Black American, I feel slighted, as if I have just been walking in circles, having never learned of moments such as Greenwood, which helps us to better understand who we are. It is strange how we have never seen war as a viable option, but have been labeled as the most violent and retched. Thanks to the author and his supporters, who have finally began removing the veil of America's History. May others, who set themselves upon pedestals, possess enough courage to pursue such a task.

Bias even in these reviews...
Regardless of whatever facts one can produce that might make the black people involved in this travesty look guilty, America had never bombed itself before this point. I see one review talking about, there was a war and the black people lost. Yes, we lost this war, and every other war against racism. And looking at this incident allows us all to see why black people will continue to lose for a while: we don't own the bombs and we don't run the government. I don't want to see any condemnations of the truth, and the truth is that the black people were the victims in this. To sum it all up: they were too successful to be in America. We need books like these that show us all of the things that the history books that school our children conveniently forget to include, and all of the odds against black people being successful in this country. I didn't read the book but I commend the author for taking one step towards raising the racial consciousness levels of citizens.


The Haunted Fort (His Hardy Boys Mystery Stories)
Published in Hardcover by Grosset & Dunlap (November, 1975)
Author: Franklin W. Dixon
Average review score:

I like it more than most people
... The cover art was Rudi Nappi's best or 2nd best in my opinion, perhaps only surpassed by the 1962 revision of The Secret of The Old Mill. The dark clouds, the ghost, the fort, and the brothers make this one of my favorite cover arts in the original series. The story however - yes - does not live up to the beautiful cover. Still I find this book gets a bum rap for that very thing. It is like the cover cursed the book. There is a rather good subplot dealing with Chet & artwork. The volume is rather violent in nature or one might say dangerous. Knocked out - locked in a sinking drum in the middle of a lake, a sea monster - this volume is packed with action. The criminals are not revealed until the end - a feature I liked. The manner of their capture was well written. The main plot though was a little on the "dumb" side. All & all, I felt it was a pretty good addition to the series. RATED C+

It Doesn't Live Up To Its Title
Frank, Joe and Chet are called upon by Chet's uncle, an instructor at Millwood Art School, to find two valuable oil paintings stolen from the collection of the school's sponsor, Jefferson Davenport. The paintings, of nearby Fort Senandaga, were painted by an ancestor of Davenport's and one of the paintings in the series is supposed to contain a clue to the hiding place of a valuable chain of gold. The book was average, it had an okay plot and a moderate amount of action. I expected better from the interesting sounding title, but it wasn't bad. I recommend reading it, but I don't think that too many fans will get very excited over it.

Hardy Boys Greatest Hit!
The Hardy boys encounter a lot of mysteries during their lifetime. They often help their father, Fenton Hardy with many of his cases. His mother Laura HArdy and their Aunt Gertude always worry about Frank and Joe's cases. Frank, eighteen has dark brown hair and is one year older than the blonde headed Joe hardy who is seventeen.
In this mystery they all called upon by their chum Chet Morton to go to his uncles art studio to find out about some mysterious happenings at a French fort. While they are there they are asked to find out about hidden treasure and have to look all over to find some clues to the hidden treasure. Will they find it before a gang does? You won't know until you read the book!!!


The hooded hawk mystery
Published in Unknown Binding by ()
Author: Franklin W. Dixon
Average review score:

Change of Heart
Published in 1954 - As a child - I rather liked this volume. I read it once as an adult and was very very bored. The Hardys seemed to professional to my liking in this one. First book to contain interior artwork - so it is a hallmatk of the series. The Hardys are given a Peregrine Falcon to aid them in solving this case. Not much to say about it other than it was sub par. RATED C-

Average
This review concerns the original 1954 edition as well as the revised 1971 edition, which is a shortened version of the original. A friend of Mr. Hardy gives Frank and Joe a falcon so that they can help their father with his case concerning the smuggling of Indians into the U.S., also Frank and Joe search for a kidnapped Indian prince. This book was alright, the first half of it has some slow moments; however, the last 7 chapters were rather good. The book has a moderate amount of action and while the plot isn't totally original, it isn't bad and alot of kids would probably find the parts concerning the falcon interesting. One thing that I did like about the book was that many of the other characters of the series (Mr. Hardy, Chet, Tony, Sam Radley) were used often. It's not one of the best books, but it is worth reading.

The best book in the world.
I recommend this book because it has a lot of suspense and mystery.it is also has a lot of weird happenings.This book is wriiten by Franklin W. Dixon.Another good thing about is its got stuff to do with wildlife.


Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering : A Comprehensive Guide
Published in Paperback by Cambridge University Press (February, 1998)
Authors: Kenneth Franklin Riley, Michael Paul Hobson, and Stephen John Bence
Average review score:

NOT a mathematical book
This is NOT a mathematical book. It looks like a bad's students cheat-sheet. I don't know how they can learn math in England from this? Especially, when their undergraduate studies are only 3 years (actually, 3 x 8months < 3years). Conclusion: do not study in England.

Great for reference, good for learning
I've bought this book to learn the mathematics I need for physics. I'm a high school student (currently, but I plan to study physics). I'm interested in physics and learn it on my own. This book has help understand (and solve) mathematics needed for physics. I used it to learn mathematics, now I use it for reference. A great book.

Best 'Reference' text on Mathematical Methods
As a physicist I'm constantly scrambling to my bookcases to look something up. This text sits at the top of my shelves and is used more often than any other. I give it 5 stars as a reference text, however I cannot really rate it as a 'learning' mathematical methods text (maybe 3 stars?) since most of the methods are familiar to me.


Next Dance
Published in Paperback by Sterling House Pub (01 July, 1999)
Author: Franklin Sherwood Yudkin
Average review score:

Unengaging -- Falls flat!
I read all of the reviews praising this book and am puzzled. Maybe I've missed something here, but I couldn't even force myself to read the entire book. By the fifth chapter, I was completely frustrated by the "flat" quality of the main character. Unfortunately, the one dimension of the character is his idealism which is communicated to the reader via incessant lecture-like soliloquies. I wondered why I should care about this character... and never did find out.

If you're looking for a good example of a writer struggling to find his voice, then this is your book. If not and you prefer more sophisticated and engaging writing, do yourself a favor and skip this one.

Unengaging; Falls Flat
I read all of the reviews praising this book and am puzzled. Maybe I've missed something here, but I couldn't even force myself to read the entire book. By the fifth chapter, I was completely frustrated by the "flat" quality of the main character. Unfortunately, the one dimension of the character is his idealism which is communicated to the reader via incessant lecture-like soliloquies. I wondered why I should care about this character... and never did find out.

If you're looking for a good example of a writer struggling to find his voice, then this is your book. If not and you prefer more sophisticated and engaging writing, do yourself a favor and skip this one.

Next Dance - a breath of fresh air
In a world where romance novels are totally ficitional in all aspects, this is one romance novel that leads the reader to believe there is real romance out there. Beautifully written and full of sparkle, it reaches its reader. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a taste of real romance in todays setting.


Ghost at Skeleton Rock (Hardy Boys, No. 37)
Published in Library Binding by Putnam Pub Group Library (November, 1975)
Author: Franklin W. Dixon
Average review score:

Very Very Very Disapointing
Published in 1957 - I recall many years ago I was given my first Hardy Boys book. A revision of "The Melted Coins" written in 1970. I thought - boring title - boring book. I glanced at the back cover and after scouring the title wondered why I wasn't given The Ghost at Skeleton Rock. Surely that volume dealing with ghosts would be scary and a great read. When I finally read this volume I was greatly let down. Perhaps the best titled book in the canon - it does not live up to fascinating title. The brothers don't arrive at Skeleton Rock until the final two chapters basically and the ghost winds up being some air stuffed windbag. There was no suspense. The Hardys certainly weren't afraid. I yawned through the whole thing myself. This was the first volume cut from 200+ pages to roughly 180 pages. The cover art was definately not among Rudi Nappi's best. The brothers in this one seem more like FBI undercover agents than amateur teenage detectives. As I said - a very big disapointment. RATED C-

A Very Misleading Title
This review concerns the original 1957 edition and the revised 1966 edition. The original and revised editions are essentially identical, the plot and the events are the same and the only differences are in the phrasing of a few sentences. Frank and Joe become involved in Mr. Hardy's top secret case when he sends them a note to look for "Hugo Purple Turban" which turns out to be a ventriloquist's dummy that has diamonds hidden in it's eyes. Eventually, Mr. Hardy asks Frank, Joe, Chet and Tony to go to Puerto Rico to assist him, but when they arrive, Mr. Hardy is missing. Personally, I think that the author tried too hard to make this book action packed and exciting, but alot of it is too coincidental and doesn't make sense. First of all, when Frank and Joe are first trying to find "Hugo Purple Turban", they go to see a fortuneteller named Hugo that Aunt Gertrude told them about and this man just happens to be a part of the gang they are after. Second, of all the shops in the U.S. that would carry ventriloquist's dummies "Hugo Purple Turban" just happens to get sent to a shop in Bayport. My biggest problem with this book is its title. The ghost and even Skeleton Rock play a very small part in this book and could easily have been eliminated without altering the story. The ghost isn't even mentioned until chapter 18. Some fans may love this book, but I didn't and any fan who reads this book expecting a story about a ghost is going to be sadly disappointed.

Action packed with unique settings
THE GHOST AT SKELETON ROCK was the best book I ever read since THE MYSTERY OF CABIN ISLAND, because it started out with an interesting storyline, and then the action started immeadiately, where it seemed to lead up to the conclusion wonderfully. At the end, it was really breath-taking, and I was really happy at the ending.

So all said, this was a great book, and I think you should read it, too. Enjoy!


The Crisscross Shadow
Published in Hardcover by Price Stern Sloan Pub (June, 1953)
Author: Franklin W. Dixon
Average review score:

Average
This review concerns the original 1953 edition and the revised 1969 edition , which follows a plot similar to the original edition except it is shorter. When a phony leather goods salesman steals the key to Mr. Hardy's filing cabinet, Frank, Joe and Chet track a clue to an indian village and end up helping the indians find the lost deed to their land to prove their ownership. This book isn't bad, but it's not one of the really good ones either. The first half of the book is a little dull, but the last half is pretty good and it isn't until this point that the indian mystery comes into the story. If you don't mind the first part of the book you should enjoy the last part.

The Crisscross Shadow
I think this book was nice, especially for the action parts like getting klidnapped, the train incidient, and the cliff part. Those are mostly the only things I like about this book. But it's still a classic, no matter how many stars it has. That's a fact.

Swift Paced
Published in 1953, this was a swift paced adventure that took place primarily in the wilderness near an Indian reservation. The crooks were known early on in the book to the Hardys and there was a great amount of interaction. All & all I really enjoyed this book. The frontispiece ranks among my favorite, the cover was well drawn, the plot and mystery kept the reader turning from page to page. There actually was a good mystery here as the Hardys were in a race with the criminals to learn the location of the Crisscross Shadow. RATED B+


In Pursuit of Fertility: A Fertility Expert Tells You How to Get Pregnant
Published in Paperback by Henry Holt & Company, Inc. (January, 1996)
Authors: Robert R. Franklin, Veasy C. Buttram, and Dorothy Kay Brockman
Average review score:

Good on 'structural' problems, lacking in other areas
This book is filled with valuable information, but there are two problems:

1. Some of the information, or lack thereof, is outdated (it was fully updated in the most recent edition - 1996).

2. The focus of the book is somewhat narrow, although there is no indication of this fact until you read other books and understand Dr. Franklin's clinical and research interests.

That having been said, there is a wealth of excellent information regarding structural infertility causes in both women and men. Dr. Larry Lipschultz, a leader in his field, authors the best and most comprehensive chapter I have seen on male-factor infertility - this alone makes purchasing the book worthwhile!

Dr. Franklin provides detailed information regarding endometriosis, uterine abnormalities and tubal abnormalities in addition to other issues. Where this book is lacking is on matters of hormonal causes of female infertility. For example, it lacks FULL information regarding the treatment of Polycystic Ovarian Disease, instead focusing on telling women to 'just lose weight.' Many treatment options for hormonal-based infertility are not covered. Other books are much better for this purpose. (This stands to reason since Dr. Frankin is not a reproductive endocrinologist. This is a key point.)

The bottom line is this book has a lot of good information, but is best used in conjunction with other books on infertility.

Descriptive, Concise, and Hopeful
I read this book before I had my first Laparoscopy and HSG. It helped me to know what to expect, and how the procedure is performed. And (! ) if I should get a disappointing diagnosis, which I did, I had it all right there in my hands. From PCOS to Endo to Adhesions, it has it all, but not everyone has it all. And for this reason I found it extremely helpful for many friends of mine who have a different diagnosis than I to give them descriptive reference. What I especially liked about the Author was his way of "looking" into his patients feelings. I wish more doctors would take that extra, yet essential time, to really know their clients.

Be an active participant in your case management
I have lived by this book for the past three years. Instead of having the medical terms that were tossed around at my clinic visits go right over my head, this book gave me the tools to understand what was happening at all times.

Also, my husband and I were able to make informed decisions about what procedures we would be willing to go through, and those that we did not feel were right for us.

If you are looking for facts, and a way to determine if the odds for a particular course of treatment are favorable, read this book.


The House on the Point: A Tribute to Franklin W. Dixon and The Hardy Boys
Published in Hardcover by St. Martin's Minotaur (17 October, 2002)
Author: Benjamin Hoff
Average review score:

A Bitter Disappointment
"The House On The Point" is a modern rewrite of the classic Hardy Boys adventure, "The House On The Cliff".
Reading it brings to mind the old axiom: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
The original "The House On The Cliff" is one of the best of the Hardy Boys canon and can scarcely be improved on, yet the author tries - vainly.
For no reason at all, he changes the name of some of the major recurring characters in the series and has the Hardy Boys and their friends jive-talking in 40's slang.
The original outline for "The House On The Cliff" is available to any researcher at the NY Public Library. The author should have consulted that instead of attempting to "modernize" this classic story with his rather bizarre ideas.
Your best bet is to stick with the [original version of] "The House On The Cliff".

Save Your Money
I have no idea what the author was trying to do here--other than jump on the HB nostalgia bandwagon that began rolling several decades ago when Leslie MacFarlaine wrote his fine book about being the ghostwriter for the HB series ("Ghost of the Hardy Boys"). But I could not get through the first ten pages of "House on the Point." Big deal. The Hardys get a little older. They now dig cars and hot music. Who cares. The original texts are what they are. Take 'em or leave 'em. They do NOT need to be improved, enlightened, brought "up to date" (their old-fashioned charm was what I liked most about them), deconstructed or corrected. Save your money and get one of the Applewood reissues of the original HB texts.

A great read for new and old fans
A rewrite of a classic Hardy Boys mystery novel, carefully researched and beautifully written by a devoted fan. Hoff gives personality and flair to the boys - who all too often suffered from factory-style writing. This was a pleasant read; part trip down memory lane, part new adventure.


The Roosevelt Presence: The Life and Legacy of FDR
Published in Paperback by University of California Press (September, 1998)
Author: Patrick J. Maney
Average review score:

Disappointing, at times bizarre!
Other reviewers have accurately noted that Maney both praises and criticizes Roosevelt. I based my purchase on this expectation of a balanced portrait. What they didn't note is that both the criticism and the praise are done from an extreme left perspective.

Unlike most books written about FDR from the left, Maney does address some of the low points in Roosevelt's presidency. However, when doing so he at times goes into bizarre explanations/justifications which left me scratching my head. For example:

1) Roosevelt's plunging the recovering economy back into depression in 1937 by deliberately shrinking the money supply and reducing government spending. Explanation: He only meant to slow down the growth of the economy, he couldn't have expected this to slow down the economy.
2) Roosevelt's decision to imprison Japanese Americans in WWII against the advice of J. Edgar Hoover (no softie on security!). Explanation: It wasn't his fault, he was given bad advice by the people he appointed.
3) Roosevelt's postwar plan to create a soviet style economic model in the US where the government could dictate which job any person had ("labor draft"), and guaranteed food, shelter, clothing, and recreation to all in return. Explanation: The fact that he didn't advocate the abolition of corporations and the total redistribution of all wealth shows that Roosevelt was becoming a moderate.

I wouldn't have believed these examples (and others), had I not read the book! The other thing that surprised me were some of the horrifying things Roosevelt did which clearly didn't bother the author at all. For example, neither Roosevelt's attempt to "purge" the Democratic party of those he deemed not ideologically pure, nor his breaking the back of the supreme court in the infamous "court packing" case troubled the author.

With all this said, the worst part of the book by far was the concluding chapter "Reputation and Legacies". This last rambling chapter bemoans the fact that President Carter could not have predicted from FDR's experience that restricting the national oil supply would create a recession. He drones on for several pages on this theme of how FDR let the world down by not having the foresight to give advice to future Democratic presidents. The final paragraph concludes with "There is much to admire about Roosevelt... yet as the experience of his successors helped confirm, his greatness was much too deeply rooted in the circumstances of his own times... Among presidents, alas, [FDR] was not a man for all seasons." While I'm not opposed to criticizing Roosevelt, this is as unfair as it is disappointing. How can we blame FDR for addressing the key issues during his presidency? At the same time, important topics like the legacy of Social Security, FDR's decision to give Stalin N. Korea, the complicity of members from the Roosevelt administration in bringing Mao to power in China (to name a few) are left undiscussed.

an excellent and perceptive book
Despite its lack of heft, Patrick Maney has produced a wonderfully balanced and nuanced portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Indeed, Maney's book may be the finest jumping off point for those looking to get acquainted with FDR in full bloom, and not just with the nostalgic, sometimes mawkish, remembrances of politicians.

When it comes to FDR, far too many readers, including a number of other reviewers here, only want to hear about positive aspects: the New Deal, winning World War II, etc. As a professional historian, Maney is not in the business of producing such hagiographies. As such, what we have here is the cool judgment and dispassionate analysis of a writer who is constructing a narrative of the historical record; not someone who is cheerleading for a particular political persuasion. Those who want a softer and friendlier treatment of Roosevelt should look elsewhere.

In addition to Roosevelt's many triumphs, Maney provides great detail about some of FDR's more negative aspects, such the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, or his near pathological secrecy that kept him from grooming a successor. Maney also lays bare Roosevelt's personal peccadilloes, such as his long-term affair with Lucy Mercer.

In the end, Maney has done a fine job of presenting Roosevelt, and he should be commended.

Ya'll need to step off
All ya'll been about misreviewing this book, but it was tight, yo! My man Maney gets scientific in his approach of talking about a cat nobody can touch, and he has the cojones to take a stand, and tell that s--t real. And none of you ever been to the Depression, so don't be even trying to talk about how he was wrong about it. Give Maney props, he gives an even-handed book telling of the many things, good and bad, or Franklin Roosevelt, our former president.


Related Vacation Book Subjects: Washington
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