LITTLE DEMON IN THE CITY OF LIGHT : A TRUE STORY OF MURDER AND MESMERISM IN BELLE EPOQUE PARIS
by Steven Levingston
Could a person under the influence of hypnotism commit a crime against their will and then be considered guilty? This was a question towards the end of the nineteenth century that was debated heatedly by doctors, lawyers, investigators, and scientists. Mesmerism was quite the rage then in Paris.
In 1889, a married man (quite the womanizer) thinks he is going to have this lovely tryst with the young Gabrielle Gompard. Instead he is murdered by Gompard and her lover Michel Eyraud. They stuff the body in a trunk and dump it on the riverbank of Lyon.
When Gompard is eventually caught, she will claim that she was not responsible for the murder, that because of being hypnotized she didn't really know what she was doing.
The trial was an epic event. Tabloids spread the lascivious news all over the world for months on end. It would be the first time that hypnotism would be used as a means of defense for a murderer.
Little Demon in the City of Light is one terrific book. Author Steven Levingston has great attention to detail that immediately draws you in and doesn't let go. The writing is superb. He effortlessly weaves together everything: the characters, hypnotism, the time period into an extraordinary story.
Levingston is to be commended for the amount of research he did to produce a mesmerizing tale.
Very highly recommended.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
BLOOD ROYAL : A TRUE TALE OF CRIME AND DETECTION IN MEDIEVAL PARIS
by Eric Jager
During the Middle Ages, you certainly did not want to be seen out at night for no undue reason. It wasn't allowed because there was a curfew. Homes and businesses had to be in total darkness. If you were to venture outside, though, you had to make sure that you were well-armed and in the company of others for unseen dangers could arise at any time.
One night, Louis, the Duke of Orleans was returning home after seeing the Queen and was viciously attacked. He had guards but they could not protect him as Louis only brought a few of them with him. It was an extremely bloody death that stunned Paris and all of France. Provost Guillaume de Tignonville (the chief of police) had to figure out who was behind this heinous crime. The more he investigated, the more shocking evidence he found. It was quite a conspiracy that would eventually turn the tide of relations between France and England into a civil war.
Who would have thought that a book about medieval times could be so fascinating? In lesser hands, it probably would have been quite boring. Eric Jager is a professor of medieval studies at UCLA and has written other books pertaining to this genre. He is a great storyteller and draws the reader in immediately. This is a great, historical tale of true crime.
Highly recommended.
by Eric Jager
During the Middle Ages, you certainly did not want to be seen out at night for no undue reason. It wasn't allowed because there was a curfew. Homes and businesses had to be in total darkness. If you were to venture outside, though, you had to make sure that you were well-armed and in the company of others for unseen dangers could arise at any time.
One night, Louis, the Duke of Orleans was returning home after seeing the Queen and was viciously attacked. He had guards but they could not protect him as Louis only brought a few of them with him. It was an extremely bloody death that stunned Paris and all of France. Provost Guillaume de Tignonville (the chief of police) had to figure out who was behind this heinous crime. The more he investigated, the more shocking evidence he found. It was quite a conspiracy that would eventually turn the tide of relations between France and England into a civil war.
Who would have thought that a book about medieval times could be so fascinating? In lesser hands, it probably would have been quite boring. Eric Jager is a professor of medieval studies at UCLA and has written other books pertaining to this genre. He is a great storyteller and draws the reader in immediately. This is a great, historical tale of true crime.
Highly recommended.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
DARK INVASION : 1915 : GERMANY'S SECRET WAR AND THE HUNT FOR THE FIRST TERRORIST CELL IN AMERICA
by Howard Blum
It is 1914 (three years before America entered World War I) and the United States is under attack. German saboteurs create these "accidents" where both munitions plants and cargo ships are exploding just about every day. To make things even crazier and just as scary, they throw in germ warfare.
New York Police Department Captain Tom Tunney is brought in to investigate. He is the head of the Bomb Squad and is determined to find these scoundrels and bring them to justice. Tunney assembles a group of detectives to hunt for the perpetrators. The more he digs, he realizes that this is not some small game but more intricate and dangerous than he expected.
Howard Blum has written a terrific book (it took him four years of research) that I actually did not want to end. It's riveting, exciting, and loaded with suspense. At the beginning of the book, Blum lists the cast of characters: the spies and the spycatchers. You think that you're not going to remember all of these names but as you get involved with the story, these people stick in your mind.
For those who love a good thriller that is a true story, you will definitely want to read Dark Invasion.
Very highly recommended.
by Howard Blum
It is 1914 (three years before America entered World War I) and the United States is under attack. German saboteurs create these "accidents" where both munitions plants and cargo ships are exploding just about every day. To make things even crazier and just as scary, they throw in germ warfare.
New York Police Department Captain Tom Tunney is brought in to investigate. He is the head of the Bomb Squad and is determined to find these scoundrels and bring them to justice. Tunney assembles a group of detectives to hunt for the perpetrators. The more he digs, he realizes that this is not some small game but more intricate and dangerous than he expected.
Howard Blum has written a terrific book (it took him four years of research) that I actually did not want to end. It's riveting, exciting, and loaded with suspense. At the beginning of the book, Blum lists the cast of characters: the spies and the spycatchers. You think that you're not going to remember all of these names but as you get involved with the story, these people stick in your mind.
For those who love a good thriller that is a true story, you will definitely want to read Dark Invasion.
Very highly recommended.
Monday, February 10, 2014
BEETHOVEN : THE MAN REVEALED
by John Suchet
He is considered the greatest composer that ever lived. His symphonies, piano concertos, string quartets, and piano sonatas continue to enthrall people all over the world one hundred eighty-six years after his death. Though his music is familiar, not so his life. Until now.
Ludwig van Beethoven had a difficult childhood. His father, Johann, was a perpetual drunk (alcohol was a substance than ran freely in the Beethoven family). What saved Beethoven was his musical prowess. He began studying the piano at age seven and in no time was a prodigy. He started composing within a few years. Soon enough Beethoven's music was being hailed to great acclaim.
Author John Suchet is a well-known authority on Beethoven. He is a classical radio host in Great Britain and certainly knows how to write a great biography.
To understand Beethoven's life, you have to listen to his music. That is his autobiography.
What a tremendous book. The details are fascinating especially how he came to write every one of his compositions. If you love Beethoven and want to learn more about what made him tick, this is a must read.
Very highly recommended.
by John Suchet
He is considered the greatest composer that ever lived. His symphonies, piano concertos, string quartets, and piano sonatas continue to enthrall people all over the world one hundred eighty-six years after his death. Though his music is familiar, not so his life. Until now.
Ludwig van Beethoven had a difficult childhood. His father, Johann, was a perpetual drunk (alcohol was a substance than ran freely in the Beethoven family). What saved Beethoven was his musical prowess. He began studying the piano at age seven and in no time was a prodigy. He started composing within a few years. Soon enough Beethoven's music was being hailed to great acclaim.
Author John Suchet is a well-known authority on Beethoven. He is a classical radio host in Great Britain and certainly knows how to write a great biography.
To understand Beethoven's life, you have to listen to his music. That is his autobiography.
What a tremendous book. The details are fascinating especially how he came to write every one of his compositions. If you love Beethoven and want to learn more about what made him tick, this is a must read.
Very highly recommended.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH EATING : LESSONS IN FOOD AND LOVE FROM A YEAR IN PARIS
by Ann Mah
They had always talked about going to Paris. It was something that was constantly on their minds. But due to their situation of moving every three years to another city, they really didn't think it could happen. Calvin was a diplomat, so though he might be able to pick a particular city to work in, it might not actually happen.
In 2007, their dream became a reality: Calvin is given an assignment in Paris. Sheer joy for he and his wife, Ann. Unfortunately, their bliss did not linger. Within no time (barely unpacked), Calvin was assigned to a different post: Baghdad. It would be for one year. Ann would be on her own not allowed to be with Calvin in Iraq. She had to make the best of it.
Being a foodie and eating just about anything, anywhere, Ann set out to discover ten different regions of France with their signature dishes. She met chefs, home cooks, farmers, restaurateurs, and sampled all the traditional cuisines. What a way to savor life.
Ann Mah certainly knows how to describe French cuisine that makes your mouth constantly water. Her prose is delightful. It's obvious that she adores France and who wouldn't with such a panoply of spectacular food. When she takes her trips all over the country, she learns the original stories behind each specific dish and and throws in some French history of the area, which makes it all the more interesting.
If you're tempted to cook any of these dishes, go right ahead. At the end of every chapter, there is a recipe. You might have trouble with some of the ingredients being that they're not sold in the United States. Ann does give websites and/or alternatives for procuring these items.
So, whether you consider yourself a Francophile, or just love reading about French cuisines, you will want to get this book.
Recommended.
by Ann Mah
They had always talked about going to Paris. It was something that was constantly on their minds. But due to their situation of moving every three years to another city, they really didn't think it could happen. Calvin was a diplomat, so though he might be able to pick a particular city to work in, it might not actually happen.
In 2007, their dream became a reality: Calvin is given an assignment in Paris. Sheer joy for he and his wife, Ann. Unfortunately, their bliss did not linger. Within no time (barely unpacked), Calvin was assigned to a different post: Baghdad. It would be for one year. Ann would be on her own not allowed to be with Calvin in Iraq. She had to make the best of it.
Being a foodie and eating just about anything, anywhere, Ann set out to discover ten different regions of France with their signature dishes. She met chefs, home cooks, farmers, restaurateurs, and sampled all the traditional cuisines. What a way to savor life.
Ann Mah certainly knows how to describe French cuisine that makes your mouth constantly water. Her prose is delightful. It's obvious that she adores France and who wouldn't with such a panoply of spectacular food. When she takes her trips all over the country, she learns the original stories behind each specific dish and and throws in some French history of the area, which makes it all the more interesting.
If you're tempted to cook any of these dishes, go right ahead. At the end of every chapter, there is a recipe. You might have trouble with some of the ingredients being that they're not sold in the United States. Ann does give websites and/or alternatives for procuring these items.
So, whether you consider yourself a Francophile, or just love reading about French cuisines, you will want to get this book.
Recommended.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
AMERICAN MIRROR : THE LIFE AND ART OF NORMAN ROCKWELL
by Deborah Solomon
He never really considered himself as an artist. An illustrator was his line of work. The details of his paintings were meticulous.
For almost half a century (from 1916 to 1963), Norman Rockwell did 323 covers for The Saturday Evening Post (it was published on Thursday). So many people would sit at their kitchen tables devouring the latest issue. Rockwell's art depicted ordinary Americans doing everyday things and had massive appeal. They each told a story. The majority of his figures, though, were males. He wasn't really comfortable around women even though he had three wives. All of Rockwell's friends were men and he would go fishing, trek mountainsides, and go on vacations with them leaving his better halves at home.
Whoever met him thought that he was absolutely charming, personable and down-to-earth. But behind his folksy, pipe-smoking, bow tie-wearing facade, was a darker side. Rockwell always felt inadequate, lonely, and anxious. His relationships with his parents, wives, and three sons were horrible. He pretty much ignored his children. Rockwell was obsessive about cleanliness and would sweep his studio several times a day. He never varied his meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When he was fifty-nine, he went into treatment for depression with the renowned psychoanalyst Erik Erikson (that was not his real name). Rockwell would be treated by many psychiatrists over the years but nothing really changed for him.
Rockwell's art, though, would become more and more popular even as many art critics derided it. Today the prices for his pictures sell in the millions. Rockwell would be dumfounded but most likely wouldn't care as he wasn't interested so much in the financial aspects. He just wanted people to see themselves in his illustrations and feel good.
Deborah Solomon has written a terrific biography on Norman Rockwell. The prose flows effortlessly and considering that Rockwell was attempting to tell a story with his illustrations, Solomon is a great storyteller, herself. The details are quite fascinating and you never get bored. At four hundred forty-one pages, the book is pretty hefty, yet you never feel encumbered. Several color plates of some of his most famous paintings lie within, along with charcoal drawings, and black-and-white photos. Solomon is an art critic and analyzes Rockwell's works. She is no slouch when it comes to writing because she has written two prior books on other artists: Jackson Pollack and Joseph Cornell.
American Mirror is a great read.
Very highly recommended.
by Deborah Solomon
He never really considered himself as an artist. An illustrator was his line of work. The details of his paintings were meticulous.
For almost half a century (from 1916 to 1963), Norman Rockwell did 323 covers for The Saturday Evening Post (it was published on Thursday). So many people would sit at their kitchen tables devouring the latest issue. Rockwell's art depicted ordinary Americans doing everyday things and had massive appeal. They each told a story. The majority of his figures, though, were males. He wasn't really comfortable around women even though he had three wives. All of Rockwell's friends were men and he would go fishing, trek mountainsides, and go on vacations with them leaving his better halves at home.
Whoever met him thought that he was absolutely charming, personable and down-to-earth. But behind his folksy, pipe-smoking, bow tie-wearing facade, was a darker side. Rockwell always felt inadequate, lonely, and anxious. His relationships with his parents, wives, and three sons were horrible. He pretty much ignored his children. Rockwell was obsessive about cleanliness and would sweep his studio several times a day. He never varied his meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When he was fifty-nine, he went into treatment for depression with the renowned psychoanalyst Erik Erikson (that was not his real name). Rockwell would be treated by many psychiatrists over the years but nothing really changed for him.
Rockwell's art, though, would become more and more popular even as many art critics derided it. Today the prices for his pictures sell in the millions. Rockwell would be dumfounded but most likely wouldn't care as he wasn't interested so much in the financial aspects. He just wanted people to see themselves in his illustrations and feel good.
Deborah Solomon has written a terrific biography on Norman Rockwell. The prose flows effortlessly and considering that Rockwell was attempting to tell a story with his illustrations, Solomon is a great storyteller, herself. The details are quite fascinating and you never get bored. At four hundred forty-one pages, the book is pretty hefty, yet you never feel encumbered. Several color plates of some of his most famous paintings lie within, along with charcoal drawings, and black-and-white photos. Solomon is an art critic and analyzes Rockwell's works. She is no slouch when it comes to writing because she has written two prior books on other artists: Jackson Pollack and Joseph Cornell.
American Mirror is a great read.
Very highly recommended.
Monday, November 18, 2013
THE HIDDEN WHITE HOUSE : HARRY TRUMAN AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF AMERICA'S MOST FAMOUS RESIDENCE
by Robert Klara
Bess Truman really hated hosting any kind of reception. Having to smile, spouting off small, inane talk, and shaking an innumerable amount of hands made her absolutely miserable. So, during one afternoon in the winter of 1948, Bess was hosting a tea party for the Daughters of the American Revolution in the "Oval Reception Room" of the White House. The Blue Room was the perfect setting for small gatherings. Aesthetically, it pleased everyone who came to call. Except for Bess who couldn't wait until they all left. On this particular day, she almost had a good excuse. Above from where Bess was standing was this huge chandelier. It was called the "Pendeloque" and weighed twelve hundred pounds. She heard this noise and when she looked up the crystals in the chandelier were tinkling and getting worse by the minute. After several seconds, Bess looked up again and saw that the entire thing was swinging. What was going on upstairs? Why, Harry S. Truman was having a vigorous bath. Of course, later, Harry thought it was hysterical that he could have crashed through the ceiling wearing only but his spectacles. This started the ball rolling with having architects and engineers come in to survey the floors. What they found was much, much worse. The mansion was completely collapsing and quite dangerous to live in. The Trumans were evicted and moved across the street into the Blair House and there they would live for the next three years.
The Hidden White House is quite a fascinating story. The outside was left untouched but everything inside was gutted and braced with steel frames. Robert Klara does a great job detailing what went on with all of the major players: architect Lorenzo Winslow (quite an interesting character), John McShain (from Philadelphia), and of course, the Truman family. Just reading about the stuff that was found inside of the walls (Truman thought there were ghosts) makes you shake your head in amazement. The middle section of the book has quite a bit of black-and-white photos (the before, the middle, and the after). It was really quite an undertaking and put undue stress on everyone that was involved.
You have history, architecture, and drama all wrapped up together for a great read.
Recommended.
by Robert Klara
Bess Truman really hated hosting any kind of reception. Having to smile, spouting off small, inane talk, and shaking an innumerable amount of hands made her absolutely miserable. So, during one afternoon in the winter of 1948, Bess was hosting a tea party for the Daughters of the American Revolution in the "Oval Reception Room" of the White House. The Blue Room was the perfect setting for small gatherings. Aesthetically, it pleased everyone who came to call. Except for Bess who couldn't wait until they all left. On this particular day, she almost had a good excuse. Above from where Bess was standing was this huge chandelier. It was called the "Pendeloque" and weighed twelve hundred pounds. She heard this noise and when she looked up the crystals in the chandelier were tinkling and getting worse by the minute. After several seconds, Bess looked up again and saw that the entire thing was swinging. What was going on upstairs? Why, Harry S. Truman was having a vigorous bath. Of course, later, Harry thought it was hysterical that he could have crashed through the ceiling wearing only but his spectacles. This started the ball rolling with having architects and engineers come in to survey the floors. What they found was much, much worse. The mansion was completely collapsing and quite dangerous to live in. The Trumans were evicted and moved across the street into the Blair House and there they would live for the next three years.
The Hidden White House is quite a fascinating story. The outside was left untouched but everything inside was gutted and braced with steel frames. Robert Klara does a great job detailing what went on with all of the major players: architect Lorenzo Winslow (quite an interesting character), John McShain (from Philadelphia), and of course, the Truman family. Just reading about the stuff that was found inside of the walls (Truman thought there were ghosts) makes you shake your head in amazement. The middle section of the book has quite a bit of black-and-white photos (the before, the middle, and the after). It was really quite an undertaking and put undue stress on everyone that was involved.
You have history, architecture, and drama all wrapped up together for a great read.
Recommended.
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