SOME GIRLS, SOME HATS AND HITLER
by Trudi Kanter
In 1938 Trudi Kanter was a hat designer in Vienna. She had a well-established business and women who had money and wanted to look their best flocked to her store. Her designs were a must-have. She learned the technique from a Paris showroom.
Trudi met her second husband on the street during lunchtime. Walter Ehrlich was a charming, suave businessman. She fell in love with him instantly. Theirs was a whirlwind romance. He may have been romantic but he didn't have much common sense. As the Nazis drew ever closer, he wanted more time to consider leaving. It's a very good thing that he had Trudi. It was because of her that she got the both of them out of Austria. Trudi was very resourceful and persistent. She knew that she could get a job in any country as a milliner. They got out and went to Prague. Their stay was short-lived and soon enough, they were off to London.
Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler was originally published in 1984. The book was uncovered in a secondhand shop in Britain by an editor only just recently and what a good thing that was.
Trudi Kanter was a remarkable woman who showed strength, tenacity, perseverance, and courage during a time of terror. She was extremely lucky to have a career and be working during World War II while most people had to leave their jobs or they were taken away from them. It is what saved her.
Towards the end of her life, Trudi took creative writing classes and it shows. Her prose is spare but gets right to the point. It's definitely a different kind of memoir than what is usually written of survivors of Nazism. I found it to be revealing, honest, and touching.
Recommended.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
DEARIE : THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF JULIA CHILD
by Bob Spitz
She was larger than life. At six foot three (big height ran in her family; her sister was six feet five and her brother was six feet four), she could fill up a room but had a physical grace. The voice alone was another entity in and of itself. It was a combination of being both lyrical and breathless. In the McWilliams family, all of the women warbled. But it was this voice and her personality that would catapult her to stardom. When she appeared on public television in 1962 (age 50) armed with a hot plate, a pan and groceries to show how to make an omelet, the food revolution began. Millions of viewers tuned in and nothing was ever the same again. She made a huge impact on cooking and influenced thousands of chefs that is continued to this day.
Julia Child grew up privileged in Southern California. She was a gawky child and directionless as a young woman. Julia went to Smith College and after graduating was more of a social butterfly because she didn't really know what she wanted to do. At the age of thirty, she finally realized that she had to do something with her life and joined the OSS in Southeast Asia during World War II. It was here that she met her future husband, Paul Child, who was an illustrator. If it wasn't for him, she would have been nobody. Paul changed her life exponentially. He supported Julia, encouraged her, was her mentor, and their love for each other was enduring. They were inseparable. Julia would stop working for the OSS and Paul would continue with it. He was sent to different countries and Julia would go with him. It was when they lived in Paris (for six years) that Julia found her life's calling. The food was so enticing and delicious that she wanted to cook it herself. Originally Julia had no skills in the kitchen but that all changed when she enrolled in a cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu. Soon she was turning out incredible food at home. Julia was a perfectionist and would test and retest everything that she made. She compiled lists of recipes which would eventually be published in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This book sold hundreds of thousands of copies. From it the idea was created of having a cooking show and The French Chef was born.
I have read several books on Julia Child and none of them have come close to this one. Bob Spitz is a terrific writer and even though it's quite a hefty tome (529 pages), it was quite a pleasure to read. There's so much detail and information that I never knew about. For instance: Julia and Paul lived in Marseille, Plittersdorf (Germany), and Oslo; on their wedding day, they were in a car accident; one of the homes that they lived in burned down; Julia had a mastectomy. With all of the tribulations and health problems, though, Julia always plowed on. Everyone loved her. On camera, she was a natural and a great communicator. Julia had a great sense of humor. She was unconventional forging ahead to do things that most people would refrain from. (Julia did cooking shows well into her eighties and nineties and wrote more books.)
She was an amazing woman.
Very highly recommended.
by Bob Spitz
She was larger than life. At six foot three (big height ran in her family; her sister was six feet five and her brother was six feet four), she could fill up a room but had a physical grace. The voice alone was another entity in and of itself. It was a combination of being both lyrical and breathless. In the McWilliams family, all of the women warbled. But it was this voice and her personality that would catapult her to stardom. When she appeared on public television in 1962 (age 50) armed with a hot plate, a pan and groceries to show how to make an omelet, the food revolution began. Millions of viewers tuned in and nothing was ever the same again. She made a huge impact on cooking and influenced thousands of chefs that is continued to this day.
Julia Child grew up privileged in Southern California. She was a gawky child and directionless as a young woman. Julia went to Smith College and after graduating was more of a social butterfly because she didn't really know what she wanted to do. At the age of thirty, she finally realized that she had to do something with her life and joined the OSS in Southeast Asia during World War II. It was here that she met her future husband, Paul Child, who was an illustrator. If it wasn't for him, she would have been nobody. Paul changed her life exponentially. He supported Julia, encouraged her, was her mentor, and their love for each other was enduring. They were inseparable. Julia would stop working for the OSS and Paul would continue with it. He was sent to different countries and Julia would go with him. It was when they lived in Paris (for six years) that Julia found her life's calling. The food was so enticing and delicious that she wanted to cook it herself. Originally Julia had no skills in the kitchen but that all changed when she enrolled in a cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu. Soon she was turning out incredible food at home. Julia was a perfectionist and would test and retest everything that she made. She compiled lists of recipes which would eventually be published in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This book sold hundreds of thousands of copies. From it the idea was created of having a cooking show and The French Chef was born.
I have read several books on Julia Child and none of them have come close to this one. Bob Spitz is a terrific writer and even though it's quite a hefty tome (529 pages), it was quite a pleasure to read. There's so much detail and information that I never knew about. For instance: Julia and Paul lived in Marseille, Plittersdorf (Germany), and Oslo; on their wedding day, they were in a car accident; one of the homes that they lived in burned down; Julia had a mastectomy. With all of the tribulations and health problems, though, Julia always plowed on. Everyone loved her. On camera, she was a natural and a great communicator. Julia had a great sense of humor. She was unconventional forging ahead to do things that most people would refrain from. (Julia did cooking shows well into her eighties and nineties and wrote more books.)
She was an amazing woman.
Very highly recommended.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
THE AMATEUR : BARACK OBAMA IN THE WHITE HOUSE
by Edward Klein
He always had dreams of grandeur, that he was better than anybody else and could accomplish whatever he set out to do. The only job he ever really had was as a Lecturer at the Chicago Law School. It was here that he wrote his autobiography (he hadn't even done anything worthwhile) when he was thirty years old. He may have been popular with the students but not so with the faculty who never saw him and considered him distant and aloof. In 1996, he was elected to the Illinois Senate and was always absent because, again, he was never there. This wasn't enough for him. He wanted to go to the top and become the president of the United States.
In The Amateur, Edward Klein exposes the dark side of Barack Obama that his advisors have tried to hide. What is revealed is arrogance, narcissism, vanity, and egotism who doesn't have a clue as to what he is doing. He has no leadership skills, doesn't know how to manage, doesn't learn from his mistakes, blames all of his problems on others (especially when they disagree with him) and is surrounded by useless, inept "mentors" who also know nothing. Obama is against capitalism and wants to turn America into a European socialist-welfare state.
Almost two hundred people were interviewed for this book and many of these people have known Obama for over twenty years. Some are positive and some are negative but they all agree that he is not suited to be the commander in chief.
You will read about how Bill Clinton despises Obama (he is the one who coined the title "The Amateur"), saying how incompetent he is; what happened between Reverend Jeremiah Wright (he was offered money to keep his mouth shut) and Obama; how so many high-ranking supporters donated money to Obama's campaign and then he snubbed them refusing to have anything to do with them; the split between the Kennedys; his disastrous role in foreign policy; the powers of Michelle Obama and Valerie Jarrett (she is the gate-keeper) in the White House; etc.
The book is a fast and disturbing read. Every chapter has an interesting, quote, phrase or saying that is appropriate to the subject. There are color photographs.
If you already know what this guy is like, you probably don't need to read this book. If you're the least bit curious, dive in. It may change your beliefs or maybe not. It's definitely eye-opening and extremely revealing.
Recommended.
by Edward Klein
He always had dreams of grandeur, that he was better than anybody else and could accomplish whatever he set out to do. The only job he ever really had was as a Lecturer at the Chicago Law School. It was here that he wrote his autobiography (he hadn't even done anything worthwhile) when he was thirty years old. He may have been popular with the students but not so with the faculty who never saw him and considered him distant and aloof. In 1996, he was elected to the Illinois Senate and was always absent because, again, he was never there. This wasn't enough for him. He wanted to go to the top and become the president of the United States.
In The Amateur, Edward Klein exposes the dark side of Barack Obama that his advisors have tried to hide. What is revealed is arrogance, narcissism, vanity, and egotism who doesn't have a clue as to what he is doing. He has no leadership skills, doesn't know how to manage, doesn't learn from his mistakes, blames all of his problems on others (especially when they disagree with him) and is surrounded by useless, inept "mentors" who also know nothing. Obama is against capitalism and wants to turn America into a European socialist-welfare state.
Almost two hundred people were interviewed for this book and many of these people have known Obama for over twenty years. Some are positive and some are negative but they all agree that he is not suited to be the commander in chief.
You will read about how Bill Clinton despises Obama (he is the one who coined the title "The Amateur"), saying how incompetent he is; what happened between Reverend Jeremiah Wright (he was offered money to keep his mouth shut) and Obama; how so many high-ranking supporters donated money to Obama's campaign and then he snubbed them refusing to have anything to do with them; the split between the Kennedys; his disastrous role in foreign policy; the powers of Michelle Obama and Valerie Jarrett (she is the gate-keeper) in the White House; etc.
The book is a fast and disturbing read. Every chapter has an interesting, quote, phrase or saying that is appropriate to the subject. There are color photographs.
If you already know what this guy is like, you probably don't need to read this book. If you're the least bit curious, dive in. It may change your beliefs or maybe not. It's definitely eye-opening and extremely revealing.
Recommended.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
THE KISSING SAILOR : THE MYSTERY BEHIND THE PHOTO THAT ENDED WORLD WAR II
by Lawrence Verria & George Galdorisi
It's a photo that has become iconic. For millions of people it signified the end of World War II when Japan finally surrendered. On V-J Day, August 14, 1945, a photographer by the name of Alfred Eisenstaedt (Eisie) was in Times Square with his Leica 35 mm camera draped around his neck. Whenever Eisenstaedt took pictures, nothing was ever planned, staged, nor posed. He was on assignment for LIFE magazine wanting to capture the emotions of that moment. There were many opportunities. While Eisie was in the crowd, an American sailor saw a nurse in white, walked up to her, grabbed her and kissed her passionately while his own girlfriend looked on. Eisie snapped four pictures never knowing their names. For sixty-three years the photo went untitled. In 2008 it was finally called V-J Day, 1945, Times Square. But nobody ever knew who these people were. The unidentified sailor and nurse never saw the photo until 1980. That year LIFE attempted to determine their identity and they were inundated with hundreds of claimants. It became a circus.
Intrigued for years by all of the events, authors Lawrence Verria and George Galdorisi decide to dig in themselves sifting through tons of misinformation and evidence. They finally solved the mystery with verifiable proof.
This is a great tale. You wouldn't think that you could get so much information just from a photo, but that's exactly what you get with The Kissing Sailor. It's a well-written detective story. Even though the book is small, it's jam-packed with incredible details. If you're a history buff, then you'll love it.
A terrific read.
Recommended.
by Lawrence Verria & George Galdorisi
It's a photo that has become iconic. For millions of people it signified the end of World War II when Japan finally surrendered. On V-J Day, August 14, 1945, a photographer by the name of Alfred Eisenstaedt (Eisie) was in Times Square with his Leica 35 mm camera draped around his neck. Whenever Eisenstaedt took pictures, nothing was ever planned, staged, nor posed. He was on assignment for LIFE magazine wanting to capture the emotions of that moment. There were many opportunities. While Eisie was in the crowd, an American sailor saw a nurse in white, walked up to her, grabbed her and kissed her passionately while his own girlfriend looked on. Eisie snapped four pictures never knowing their names. For sixty-three years the photo went untitled. In 2008 it was finally called V-J Day, 1945, Times Square. But nobody ever knew who these people were. The unidentified sailor and nurse never saw the photo until 1980. That year LIFE attempted to determine their identity and they were inundated with hundreds of claimants. It became a circus.
Intrigued for years by all of the events, authors Lawrence Verria and George Galdorisi decide to dig in themselves sifting through tons of misinformation and evidence. They finally solved the mystery with verifiable proof.
This is a great tale. You wouldn't think that you could get so much information just from a photo, but that's exactly what you get with The Kissing Sailor. It's a well-written detective story. Even though the book is small, it's jam-packed with incredible details. If you're a history buff, then you'll love it.
A terrific read.
Recommended.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
ATLANTIC FEVER : LINDBERGH, HIS COMPETITORS, AND THE RACE TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC
by Joe Jackson
On May 20, 1919, a Frenchman by the name of Raymond Orteig offered a prize of $25,000 for the first aviator to cross the Atlantic Ocean, in one flight. No stopping was allowed from either Paris to New York or New York to Paris. The prize lay dormant for eight years. Then, for five stressful weeks during the spring of 1927, sixteen competitors took to the skies while the world held its breath. It was considered the most spectacular race ever held. For sure, it was one of the most dangerous.
Atlantic Fever is one tremendous, hefty book. (If you include the Index, it tops out at 525 pages.) Joe Jackson does a hell of a job writing about the fliers, the financial backers, the construction of the planes, and the history of aviation. It certainly kept me absorbed. If you can't remember all of the flights and when they occurred, there is a transatlantic time line after the Epilogue. There's even a Glossary. Truly a great read.
Very highly recommended.
by Joe Jackson
On May 20, 1919, a Frenchman by the name of Raymond Orteig offered a prize of $25,000 for the first aviator to cross the Atlantic Ocean, in one flight. No stopping was allowed from either Paris to New York or New York to Paris. The prize lay dormant for eight years. Then, for five stressful weeks during the spring of 1927, sixteen competitors took to the skies while the world held its breath. It was considered the most spectacular race ever held. For sure, it was one of the most dangerous.
Atlantic Fever is one tremendous, hefty book. (If you include the Index, it tops out at 525 pages.) Joe Jackson does a hell of a job writing about the fliers, the financial backers, the construction of the planes, and the history of aviation. It certainly kept me absorbed. If you can't remember all of the flights and when they occurred, there is a transatlantic time line after the Epilogue. There's even a Glossary. Truly a great read.
Very highly recommended.
Friday, August 17, 2012
DOUBLE CROSS : THE TRUE STORY OF THE D-DAY SPIES
by Ben Macintyre
June 6, 1944 was a huge victory for the allies. Known as D-Day (a military term), soldiers landed on the coast of Normandy completely surprising the Germans. They believed that Pas de Calais and Norway would be attacked so that is where they sent their troops. Hitler and his cohorts were completely deceived. There were five secret weapons used and they were three men and two women. These spies were double agents. They gave false information to their German handlers while actually working for Britain. None of them ever met one another and they were a quirky bunch with issues galore. They consisted of: a bisexual Peruvian socialite, a diminutive Polish fighter pilot, a Serbian womanizer, an eccentric Spanish chicken farmer, and a high-strung Frenchwoman who wouldn't go anywhere without her dog. Using drama, wit, words, and pure inventiveness, Agents Bronx, Brutus, Treasure, Tricycle, and Garbo completely duped the enemy. It's mostly because of them that the casualties were much lower. The German army waited for an invasion that never arrived.
Ben Macintyre is quite a master storyteller. Having read his previous books Agent Zigzag and Operation Mincemeat (both of these have been reviewed in this blog), Double Cross is even better. Talk about being glued to my seat. The deceptions were truly amazing and they're all explained.
There's pictures of the spies, the dummy tanks and aircraft, the Normandy landings, and other neat stuff. The writing is superb, natch. Macintyre is so skillful at weaving everything together that it all blends seamlessly. A tremendous read.
Very highly recommended.
by Ben Macintyre
June 6, 1944 was a huge victory for the allies. Known as D-Day (a military term), soldiers landed on the coast of Normandy completely surprising the Germans. They believed that Pas de Calais and Norway would be attacked so that is where they sent their troops. Hitler and his cohorts were completely deceived. There were five secret weapons used and they were three men and two women. These spies were double agents. They gave false information to their German handlers while actually working for Britain. None of them ever met one another and they were a quirky bunch with issues galore. They consisted of: a bisexual Peruvian socialite, a diminutive Polish fighter pilot, a Serbian womanizer, an eccentric Spanish chicken farmer, and a high-strung Frenchwoman who wouldn't go anywhere without her dog. Using drama, wit, words, and pure inventiveness, Agents Bronx, Brutus, Treasure, Tricycle, and Garbo completely duped the enemy. It's mostly because of them that the casualties were much lower. The German army waited for an invasion that never arrived.
Ben Macintyre is quite a master storyteller. Having read his previous books Agent Zigzag and Operation Mincemeat (both of these have been reviewed in this blog), Double Cross is even better. Talk about being glued to my seat. The deceptions were truly amazing and they're all explained.
There's pictures of the spies, the dummy tanks and aircraft, the Normandy landings, and other neat stuff. The writing is superb, natch. Macintyre is so skillful at weaving everything together that it all blends seamlessly. A tremendous read.
Very highly recommended.
Friday, July 27, 2012
STRAPLESS : JOHN SINGER SARGENT AND THE FALL OF MADAME X
by Deborah Davis
During the 1880s, Parisian society could not get enough of Virginie Amelie Gautreau. She was considered to be quite beautiful and flaunted it every way that she could. Amelie (who always went by her middle name) was a Creole from New Orleans. Her skin was alabaster white but she had a secret in keeping it that way. Amelie was quite the narcissist and desired fame. What better way to showcase her beauty than to have an artist paint her and be exhibited. John Singer Sargent (also an American) was a portraitist and he was chosen to do just that at the 1884 Paris Salon. The painting would forever be known as Madame X even to this day. It caused quite a sensation and not in a good way. In the portrait, Amelie was wearing a black gown with two jeweled straps and her face was in profile. One of the straps had fallen down below her shoulder. People were shocked. It was considered such a scandal.So instead of catapulting the two of them to stardom, Amelie was humiliated and hid herself from the public and Sargent escaped to England.
Strapless is a terrific story and impossible to put down. Deborah Davis is a wonderful author (this is the second book of hers that I have read; the first one is Guest of Honor and is reviewed in this blog) and really knows how to flesh out all of the characters involved and bring them together, seamlessly.
Several of John Singer Sargent's works (in color) are in the middle of the book. What is interesting when you see these paintings of Amelie is that her face was ordinary and not particularly attractive. Even though she had a voluptuous figure, her visage was not exceptional. Unfortunately for her, Amelie inherited her father's long nose which was quite prominent and his red hair.
You get two biographies within one book. Sargent's life was absolutely fascinating (he lived all over the world) and Amelie's background is equally intriguing.
If you're interested in art and learning about Sargent's brilliance, this is one fabulous read.
Very highly recommended.
by Deborah Davis
During the 1880s, Parisian society could not get enough of Virginie Amelie Gautreau. She was considered to be quite beautiful and flaunted it every way that she could. Amelie (who always went by her middle name) was a Creole from New Orleans. Her skin was alabaster white but she had a secret in keeping it that way. Amelie was quite the narcissist and desired fame. What better way to showcase her beauty than to have an artist paint her and be exhibited. John Singer Sargent (also an American) was a portraitist and he was chosen to do just that at the 1884 Paris Salon. The painting would forever be known as Madame X even to this day. It caused quite a sensation and not in a good way. In the portrait, Amelie was wearing a black gown with two jeweled straps and her face was in profile. One of the straps had fallen down below her shoulder. People were shocked. It was considered such a scandal.So instead of catapulting the two of them to stardom, Amelie was humiliated and hid herself from the public and Sargent escaped to England.
Strapless is a terrific story and impossible to put down. Deborah Davis is a wonderful author (this is the second book of hers that I have read; the first one is Guest of Honor and is reviewed in this blog) and really knows how to flesh out all of the characters involved and bring them together, seamlessly.
Several of John Singer Sargent's works (in color) are in the middle of the book. What is interesting when you see these paintings of Amelie is that her face was ordinary and not particularly attractive. Even though she had a voluptuous figure, her visage was not exceptional. Unfortunately for her, Amelie inherited her father's long nose which was quite prominent and his red hair.
You get two biographies within one book. Sargent's life was absolutely fascinating (he lived all over the world) and Amelie's background is equally intriguing.
If you're interested in art and learning about Sargent's brilliance, this is one fabulous read.
Very highly recommended.
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