Brian Shul's photography is near flawless and the interviews are very interesting and revealed a great deal that even a well tuned-in airshow fan might not know about the Thunderbirds (the second best demo team in the world; the Blues are still number one).

This book is incredibly well written and offers the reader insight into an early part of Hank Aaron's life, but the book is so much more than that. It also vividly describes minor league baseball and its impact on one community. It delves into race relations in one Wisconsin city in the 1950s and today. It offers story after story, engagingly told, of how baseball affected lives of individuals and how individuals had an impact on the world of baseball, often through simply accepting someone like Aaron into their homes in an era where racial tension led too many to stare rather than welcome him. Poling's book is one of the most well-written sports histories I've read; I read the book in a day as I couldn't put it down. Granted, partly I was interested in it because I went to college in Eau Claire and lived in Duluth, Minnesota, for a couple of years (another city in the Northern League he discusses). However, I really believe that even those with no ties to Wisconsin but rather a love of baseball or an admiration for Aaron as a person and a baseball player will enjoy this book.

Why would anyone want to look at someone else's snapshots (or, as they're now called "found photographs?") The reason is simple: as soon as you even glance through this wonderful book, you'll find that these strangers lived OUR lives and the lives of our parents and friends. You'll see yourself in these photos.

Look: There's your sister sitting on the trunk of your old family coupe; there's your fourth grade girlfriend eating cotton candy at the beach; there is that California hunk caught with his pants down.

Have you ever seen one of those Kodak square box cameras? You know the kind that took small, shiny snapshots that were kept in large, rectangular scrapbooks with matte black pages, the snapshots held in place with black adhesive corners? This book is filled with them and each tells a story. But since the reader has no idea who the "models" are, each story is a mystery.

Why is that well-dressed woman saluting the ocean liner as she walks briskly by? Or, is she simply holding her hat down in a strong wind? Who buried those kids in the sand? Why is Gramma being forced to play with a hula-hoop?

"Summer Vacation" is real nostalgia for those who lived and grew up in the 40's and 50's. And it is imagined nostalgia for younger, inquisitive minds. It is a book to treasure and my only complaint is that it should have been, at least, twice its length.

It is gourmet, yet simple.

Now, even I can cook with fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil and more...summer ingredients, which remind me of the Mediterranean.

I read this book to my little sister and she would not let me put it down till the end. The book itself reminded me of what it was like being a kid. Having a secret place to play that was yours alone had always been a dream for little girls, me included. Sarah and Suzanne made it possible to fufill that dream through them. There friendship and there encounters with Ms. Lily almost made me cry. It truely shows the importance of friendship and the importance of healing old wounds.

My interest in Jewish history was borne from my love of the Catskills in New York. Having grown up in a Jewish community provided me with a background that prompted many questions for which I never quite found answers. As a young person my favorite comedians were all Jewish-their sense of humor and timing was uncomparable. I could laugh and cry at the same time and it felt good. Upon venturing into the local library in my town upstate in the quest for answers to the whys and wherefores of the names around the Catskills and the pockets of Hasidic communities around my little town, I spotted Stefan Kanfer's hardbound book. A quick glance at the title and the jacket was all I needed to decide this was must reading. From the first few pages my fascination began with the accounts of the immigrants at the turn of the century from Russia settling in New York City and their reasons for looking for 'a land flowing with milk and honey'; their determination to make a living as peddlars of assorted wares; their 'at odds' relationship with other incoming Jewish immigrants; the origin of many of the words we use today; the notoriety of the little towns along Route 17 and the 'not-so-nice' goings on; the rise of the empires of the many Catskill hotels that started out as places for immigrants seeking a 'cure' from TB; the true (and perhaps unknown to many) story of the Grossinger family and others; how many famous comedians got their start in these hotels, (Daniel David Kaminsky for one) and learning the real names of these men and women was a pleasant surprise; and, finally, the sad decline of the summer exodus to the catskills by the succeeding generations as times changed. I would venture to say that the Catskills were "made" by these Jewish immigrants and the knowledge I gained from this book was worth its weight in gold. I cannot imagine it absent from my bookshelf and know that is truly one of the finest books I have ever read. This is a 'must read' publication for any Catskill dweller. Thank you Mr. Kanfer.

This book provides you with guidance both in determining the types of foods that actually improve health and in obtaining and preparing those foods. It doesn't seem too complicated--eat only what your body wants!

Since Amazon hasn't posted an editorial review for this book, here's the description from the back of the book to help you decide if this book is for you: "Warm, passionate and desperate for love ... Summer Roberts was shy and insecure, denied normal loving relationships by a lifelong battle with her weight. Computer tycoon James Gardiner's entry into her sheltered world was devastating in more ways than one -- through his kindness and unintentional cruelty she emerged a slender, beautiful womna, sure of herself and sure of her love ..."

An invitation to spend the summer on Grandma Bates's horse farm leaves Elizabeth Hater with mixed feelings. In the past eleven years, Elizabeth has been near a horse only a handful of times, and she hasn't seen her grandmother even once. She'd rather spend the summer in New York studying water color panting. Yet, this might be just the opportunity she'd hoped for to learn about her mother, an accomplished artist and horsewoman, who died when Elizabeth was very young. But Grandma Bates seems more interested in the horses she raises for harness racing than in her granddaughter, and she won't talk about her daughter. Elizabeth feels more and more like an outsider until Carrie, her mother's childhood friend, and Maggie Last Chance, a spirited filly, draw her into her mother's world and she slowly begins to learn not only about her mother, but about her grandmother-and herself.

My grandfather, a Bostonian, purchased a home on Cape Cod, berore 1910. About five generations of his progeny have enjoyed The Cape since that time. A part of most of my summers - since 1935 - have been spent on the Cape. Mr. Meyerowitz's photographic essay truly captures the essence of The Cape. The beach, the redheads, the old home scenes all strike a chord of memories. I recommend it to all Cape Codders, wash-ashores, and prospective visitors.