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"Disgusting as he usually was," Hunter Thompson writes in this, his 1959 novel, "on rare occasions he showed flashes of a stagnant intelligence. But his brain was so rotted with drink and dissolute living that whenever he put it to work it behaved like an old engine that had gone haywire from being dipped in lard." Surprise! Thompson isn't writing about himself, but one of the other, older, aimlessly carousing newspapermen in Puerto Rico, a guy called Moberg whose chief achievement is the ability to find his car after a night's drinking because it stinks so much. (I can smell it for blocks, he boasts.) The autobiographical hero, Paul Kemp, is 30, trapped in a dead-end job (Thompson wound up writing for a bowling magazine), and feeling as if his big-time writer dreams, soaked in Fitzgerald and Hemingway, are evaporating as rapidly as the rum in his fist.
In fact, Thompson was only 22 when he wrote The Rum Diary, but his fear of winding up like Moberg was well founded. What saved him was the fantastic conflagration of the 1960s, a fiery wind on which the reptilian wings of his prose style could catch and soar to the cackling heights of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Puerto Rico in 1959 doesn't have bad craziness enough to offer Thompson--just a routine drunken-reporter stomping by local cops and a riot over Kemp's friend's temptress girlfriend, a scantily imagined Smith College alumna who likes to strip nude on beaches and in nightclubs to taunt men.
Thompson's prose style only intermittently takes tentative flight--compare the stomping scenes in this book with his breakthrough, Hell's Angels--but it's interesting to see him so nakedly reveal his sensitive innards, before the celebrated clownish carapace grew in. It's also interesting to see how he improved this full version of the novel from the more raw (and racist) excerpts found in the 1990 collection Songs of the Doomed (available on audiocassette, partly narrated by Thompson). --Tim Appelo
Book Description
Begun in 1959 by a then-twenty-two-year-old Hunter S. Thompson, The Rum Diary is a brilliantly tangled love story of jealousy, treachery and violent alcoholic lust in the Caribbean boomtown that was San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the late 1950s. Exuberant and mad, youthful and energetic, The Rum Diary is an outrageous, drunken romp in the spirit of Thompson's bestselling Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Hell's Angels.
Customer Reviews:
The Rum Diary.......2007-09-24
Thompson's best work for beginners as well as a favorite for seasoned fans. Written more like a screenplay than any of his other works, The Rum Diary takes you on the journey of a degenerate journalist's time as a sports writer for an English rag in San Juan. From the interesting characters to the usual Thompson antics this book will not disappoint. The length lends itself to consumption of an afternoon, so if you are easily engulfed with storylines make sure you have the time. This is one of the most heavily used books in my Thompson collection as it is a great story that never seems to grow old. I can't wait to see what happens when the movie starts filming.
Best book ever.......2007-08-14
This is honestly the most enjoyable book I've ever read. Hunter S. Thompson is absolutely brilliant. You would have no idea that this was his first novel. I kept having to limit what I read in a day so that I could read it longer. I would recommend this book to anyone (and have!)
Great book.......2007-08-03
This little book was such a find. It is one that once you stop you cant put down. A good read and interesting topic.
hunter s. doesn't disappoint.......2007-07-26
this is a really good book. the pace is really quick, yet there is enough dialogue to connect you with the characters and settings. it is a real fun book to read.
Quality ish..........2007-06-06
I just finished this and it is a real hoot. I have never read any of his other works and intend to. I recommend this book for anyone who wants a laugh and enjoys reading about people who live at the bottom of the bottle. Enjoy!
Book Description
One spirit, Ten cocktails, and Four Centuries of American History
And a Bottle of Rum tells the raucously entertaining story of America as seen through the bottom of a drinking glass. With a chapter for each of ten cocktails—from the grog sailors drank on the high seas in the 1700s to the mojitos of modern club hoppers—Wayne Curtis reveals that the homely spirit once distilled from the industrial waste of the exploding sugar trade has managed to infiltrate every stratum of New World society.
Curtis takes us from the taverns of the American colonies, where rum delivered both a cheap wallop and cash for the Revolution, to the plundering pirate ships off the coast of Central America, to the watering holes of pre-Castro Cuba, and to the kitsch-laden tiki bars of 1950s America. Here are sugar barons and their armies conquering the Caribbean, Paul Revere stopping for a nip during his famous ride, Prohibitionists marching against “demon rum,” Hemingway fattening his liver with Havana daiquiris, and today’s bartenders reviving old favorites like Planter’s Punch. In an age of microbrewed beer and single-malt whiskeys, rum—once the swill of the common man—has found its way into the tasting rooms of the most discriminating drinkers.
Awash with local color and wry humor, And a Bottle of Rum is an affectionate toast to this most American of liquors, a chameleon spirit that has been constantly reinvented over the centuries by tavern keepers, bootleggers, lounge lizards, and marketing gurus. Complete with cocktail recipes for would-be epicurean time-travelers, this is history at its most intoxicating.
Customer Reviews:
And I don't drink!.......2007-08-16
If history were always this well written, I would have been a history rather than literature major. I actually laughed out loud in a number of places, at the same time that I learned facts about 17th century to 21st century history and popular culture that were occasionally paradigm-shifting and always interesting. If you like rum, the recipes-through-history are an intriguing bonus. If you don't, you will still find much, much of value in this volume. Although rum is the focus, the social, political, military and historical dynamics affected by this and other liquors are the actual "plot." It is a legitimate and intriguing lens through which to view history, particularly when written by an academic who throws out the dry and dusty academic voice in favor of a learned, no-nonsense and yet often humorous one.
Liberal quotations bring contemporary voices to light, while duly considered authorial commentary places them in a reasonable context. I am not a historian, but the bibliography is sufficiently substantial to assure me of grounded research and neither the tone, factual content nor voice ever seems to be stretched to fit the "drink-by-drink" historical structure. This paragraph makes it seem dry (all puns aside, LOL), but this book most assuredly is not.
If you liked "Salt" or "Coal" or "Cod," you'll like this. More significantly, if you're feeling burned out on this kind of recently popular "slice" history, do *not* pass up this one. A must read for you, whether or not you like rum, and a great gift for others, particularly if they do like rum.
This rummy has his facts straight..........2007-05-05
Unfortunately, facts are all you will find in this book. (i.e. Why they call it Grog, Was there a real Captain Morgan, etc.) And that may be fine if you are writing trivial pursuit question cards, but not for story telling. The author covers a lot of events in this book, though doesn't go into the back story much. It's a little like reading a history textbook. The flow is very choppy. Almost like a PowerPoint presentation.
I think the book would best have been split into 10 books. That way the author could take his time to spin stories, build plot, and empathize characters. It wouldn't be the first time an author used a device like an in animate object (i.e. rum) to link characters, history, or events.
The literary devices the author neglected to evolve were numerous. For instance, the chapter on the Tiki trend had my interest piqued. By building upon the characters the author would have made events much more enthralling. I was left with the desire to learn more about them so now must seek out more books.
I haven't tried to concoct any of the rum elixirs listed in the back, but I remain hopeful about a few of them. Perhaps they will be the redeeming value in this average book. I'm not that hopeful.
Terrifically piquant entertainment.......2007-04-14
So rarely do I have a chance to read, but how I have appreciated the multitude of stories that form each chapter of this book. Rum brings to mind sleepy leisure, but its history is teeming with the characters and contexts that form this impression. There is so much information in this book, you are caught unawares by the elegant turn of phrase, beguiled into thinking about the mercantile demographics of the Caribbean economy.
You can pick it up and put it down and enjoy each chapter separately. Now that is a good book.
A fun way to combine history with drink recipes.......2007-01-20
I love this book, it is really fun to learn about history through an alcoholic beverage, and the recipes have been fun, too.
The Fascinating History of Rum.......2006-12-05
Rum, unlike other types of liquor stepped into the bars and in the drinking glasses rather late when compared to Scotch, Vodka, and its other cousins. Wayne Curtis takes you through the history of Rum, and its rise in popularity by exploring history through 10 different drinks. Rum is a wonderfully alive and flexible drink as it is perfectly acceptible for its preparation to vary greatly, unlike many of the other types of liquor that is drunk.
Orignally made from by products of the sugar manufactoring process, Rum was orignally drunk by the poor and the local people. Rum started off with no value and very little popularity. In time Rum manufactures would discover ways to made the drink better, and it rose in popularity.
Rum has gone from being a liquor made from a by-product of sugar manufactoring to where it is now a trendy drink in popular bars. Rum has done this through its flexible nature as it is the only type of liquor you can by in as many of varieties as you can. It can be found in light, dark, and spiced to name a few. Rum continues to evolve and change. Wayne Curtis does an excellent job of describing how an evolving drink continues to be popular today.
Book Description
Cocktails in Tahiti is a visually stunning, full color showpiece combining a playful yet sophisticated look at Tahiti's magnificent luxury resorts and their most delicious, flirtatious, and slightly decadent cocktails. Filled with unusual insights, folklore, and facts about Tahiti and her islands,
Cocktails in Tahiti has something to tempt and delight all tastes.
Over 50 sumptuous cocktail recipes blend exotic fruits, juices, and liquors providing a flavorful and vibrant palette from which to capture the fun and often elegant mood of these captivating islands. You'll learn the history of the legendary Mai Tai, Tahiti's most famous cocktail, and discover the secrets of the intriguing rums, vodkas, and distinctive liqueurs used in creating Tahiti's most celebrated libations.
A special section features the signature cocktail recipes from Tahiti's most outstanding luxury resorts along with spectacular photographs and overviews of these renowned hotels.
Whether served from a coconut or elegantly chilled in a martini glass of fine crystal, the flowering and colorful cocktails of Tahiti have an undeniable presence all their own. If you are dreaming of a future trip or reliving special memories from a past visit to these beautiful islands, this wonderful collection of delightful drink recipes, dazzling hotel photographs, and distinctive insights will put you in a tropical, tranquil mood as you sip your way to our magical paradise.
Al Keahi, Managing Director, Tahiti Tourism Bureau N.A:
A must have book of fun and facts for anyone who has visited or dreams of visiting Tahiti.
New Book Resources, October 2006:
We can't wait to try out the recipes and imagine that we are at one of the featured, dreamlike hotels.
Vincent Guerin, Director of Sales, Starwood Hotels & Resorts French Polynesia:
The finest collection of resort photographs and cocktail recipes from across Tahiti.
Customer Reviews:
What a fun and entertaining book!.......2007-08-05
Not only does this book have a wealth of information on a destination we long to travel to, but it offers a wide variety of fun and DELICIOUS drinks.
We love to entertain and it has been great having 'Cocktails in Tahiti' out at our parties...quite a conversation piece! Everyone loves the stunning photos of Tahiti, the scrumptious drinks, and the intriguing facts of the islands. Thank you!
Experience a whole new world of Cocktails!.......2007-04-28
Always looking for new and exciting cocktails to try, I purchased this book. Each page became more interesting, not only for the drinks presented but for the knowledge that Mr. Bondurant shares about Tahiti, it's culture, local accomodations, etc.
The photos are exceptional and each drink I have mixed has been better than the last. I have bought several as gifts for coworkers and friends. You won't be disappointed!
Cocktails from paradise at your fingertips.......2007-02-06
"Cocktails in Tahiti" is a must have for any lover of spirits with a tropical flair. The author has artfully put together a wonderful collection of cocktails, both old and new, from the scenic paradise of Tahiti. Colorful photographs and descriptions of each drink will have your mouth watering to imbibe several of these treats from the South Pacific. If you are looking for something new to bring some tropical flavor to your cocktail library, then you need this book!
This book will make you fall in love with Tahiti.......2006-12-18
I have always wanted to go to the Tahitian islands but have never had the opportunity. Now, after reading "Cocktails in Tahiti", I am planning a trip to Tahiti for next Summer. I originally thought "Cocktails in Tahiti" would give me some good ideas for entertaining, but soon found out it contained many intersting nuggets about the islands and their history. To sum it up, I am packed and ready to go to these beautiful islands.
If you've ever dreamed of a tropical vacation or just need to brighten up your winter, you should read this book.
Beautiful Book.......2006-12-09
I have never been to Tahiti, but after reading the fun, informative facts about Tahiti, seeing the beautiful pictures, and sampling some of the excellent cocktail recipes, I am ready to go!
Mr. Bondurant's love and knowledge of Tahiti come through clearly in the book, which is very well laid out. It provides enough information and explains things in such a way that an amateur can make delicious Tahitian cocktails as well as the most experienced bartender. The fun facts about Tahiti, along with summaries of the total hotels and the gorgeous pictures, makes this book a must have.
Until I can take my first trip to Tahiti, this book will help bring a little Tahiti to my home.
Customer Reviews:
2 sides to every story.......2007-06-11
The author urges us not to buy cuban rum bcause it 'props up a dictatorship'...mmmn people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Most countries have some darkness in there past and or present...also the pompous reviewer who wants to toast the imminent death of Fidel Castro??? Disappointed Amazon would print that.
Read Ian Williams book "Rum a social and socialable history of the real spirit of 1776" and get another perspective see page 292. And any way Cuban Rum Cuban cigars...they just taste better.
A good celebration of the drink.......2006-03-07
Rum is all too often overlooked as a great drink but this book certainly does its bit to help put that right. It succeeds in making rum interesting, with great accounts of the history of the drink that are nicely interspersed with plenty of top recipes for fans.
However, I would agree with some of the other reviewers who found themselves having to plow through some parts, particularly where the author seems to digress. In this vein, I felt Coulombe's (current) political views were superfluous and only detracted from the book's respectability. And one other point - I was surprised to see almost no mention of Venezuela, a tropical country which has a long tradition of fine rums, including some of today's best, such as my own favorite, Ron Santa Teresa!
Very informative and easy read.......2006-01-05
Mr. Coulombe has written a very good book that is perfect for those who want a general overview of the history of rum and its direct effects on world history. I especially enjoyed learning about early American history that is hard to find elsewhere. This book was not only informative but a fun read as well. My only criticism would be when, on occasion, Mr. Coulombe makes reference to contemporary politcs - it not only deviates from the story but is unnecessary. For example, when he cautions about purchasing Cuban rum because "..profits prop up the oppressive Castro regime" but then fails to realize that the average Haitian (which has effectively been under US control for the last 100 years) would trade their lives with the average Cuban in a heartbeat.
Thirsty work.......2005-11-04
Charles A Coulombe's "Rum: The Epic Story Of The Drink That Conquered The World" is an excellent exposition on practical economics and is deceptively understated in giving superb lessons in history, religion, trade policy, politics, military history and methods, and holidays. To pack so much into a work that is also a delight to read, and in addition provides a welcome addition to the bartender's bookshelf is as generous as a round on the house.
This book is about rum. But we must keep in mind that this centerpiece is well chosen, and very much after the "Wall Street Journal" style of journalism, and selecting a commodity and nation to explain economic history. The discovery of the new world, and of sugar cane and the production of high volume spirits from the bountiful plant, truly shaped the entire fabric of history and western civilization for centuries. The importance of rum cannot be overstated when applied to looking at American and European history.
This is a non-fiction work, and is comparable to Mark Kurlansky's "Salt" and his equally good "Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World" in scope and structure in following the life of the commodity subject. However, we must be realistic: reading a book about rum is a lot more fun than reading a book about fish and a Margarita garnish, and so Coulombe wins the crown for topical economic history.
This is an excellent, readable, exciting book, and Coulombe is to be thanked for writing it. But "Rum: The Epic Story of The Drink That Conquered The World" does promote a thirst. I'm normally a vodka and white lightening man, myself. Nevertheless, no one could resist making a nice Cuba Libra with a fresh wedge of lime when reading this delightful book. Do not forget to toast the hastening arrival of Castro's death.
Moving on to a discussion of Mojitos....
some very interesting material plus a lot of filler.......2005-09-28
I bought the book for the listings in the back of the rum producing countries, their distilleries and the specific rums they produce.
In addition to that, there is a lot of great information in the book on the specifics of how rum was made historically and how it is made in each country, I was quite happy to find the recipes and some of the historical background - I had no idea so much rum was produced in colonial America - for example.
However I think it would have been a better book if it was ~20 pages shorter, some of the background material is not really related to rum.
Book Description
The presidential election of 1884, in which Grover Cleveland ended the Democrats' twenty-four-year presidential drought by defeating Republican challenger James G. Blaine, was one of the gaudiest in American history, remembered today less for its political significance than for the mudslinging and slander that characterized the campaign. But a closer look at the infamous election reveals far more complexity than previous stereotypes allowed, argues Mark Summers. Behind all the mud and malarkey, he says, lay a world of issues and consequences.
Summers suggests that both Democrats and Republicans sensed a political system breaking apart, or perhaps a new political order forming, as voters began to drift away from voting by party affiliation toward voting according to a candidate's stand on specific issues. Mudslinging, then, was done not for public entertainment but to tear away or confirm votes that seemed in doubt. Uncovering the issues that really powered the election and stripping away the myths that still surround it, Summers uses the election of 1884 to challenge many of our preconceptions about Gilded Age politics.
Customer Reviews:
How the Republicans lost in 1884.......2005-07-21
This is an extremely insightful examination of the election that first put Grover Cleveland in the White House. The ways in which Summers analyzes the political process remind me of Holt's masterpiece, "The Rise and Fall of the American Whig Party". (That is a much more massive book, as it covers a broader topic over a longer period). The use of political cartoons of the period to support the narrative is probably the best I've seen. The style is engaging, although occasionally I think Summers gets slightly carried away. For example, at least one discussion of the standard myths about the period goes on long enough to be somewhat disruptive. Also, while I don't detect any factual bias, there is a tendency to look at things more a Republican perspective. That is, issues (e.g., the role of the minor parties) are more often discussed in terms of problems facing the GOP and how well they did or did not deal with them. The outcome of the election is reported in language that seems rather wistful that Blaine lost. Again, this is only a matter of relative emphasis - there is excellent material on the complex relations between the Democrats at the national and state levels and the rival Democratic machines in New York City. Despite my minor quibbles, I highly recommend this book to anyone with a general interest in American political history, and it certainly must be read by anyone with a particular interest in this period.
Great book.......2000-12-21
Anyone interested in politics or American history should love this book. The writing style is crisp and entertaining and the author strikes the right balance between explaining long ago and long forgotten events without drowning the reader in unnecesary details. The 1884 election itself was one of the most interesting of our history with sex scandals, charges of political corruption, party splits, and campaign blunders. The author brings the excitement to life and lets the reader understand not only what happened but why it occured and, even more interesting, what the participants had hoped to accomplish with their political strategies. The book succeeds in describing how late 19th century elections looked and felt to the participants. The human dynamic skillfully set out in this book (the cynical maneuverings, the overheated rhetoric, and the intense partisanship)are very familiar with what we experience in campaigns today-this very familiarity helps make Blaine and Cleveland seem real and not just sterile historical figures. Read this book!
LONG OVERDUE DEPICTION OF A FORGOTTEN PERIOD IN U.S. HISTORY.......2000-11-02
The last half of the 19th century is a period that the historians generally give short shrift to. They dutifully plow through it in the obligatory chapter in their rush to get from the Civil War to Teddy Roosevelt, Wilson, and the Progressive Era. The campaign of Grover Cleveland against James Blaine for the presidency in 1884 is just about forgotten. This is too bad because what with the emphasis on character and values (accompanied by some really gross mudslinging), the extensive changes in technology and business, the factionalism and divided government, it was a period much like ours. Summers does an excellent job of dispelling the prevailing view of this period as a doldrum bookended by Lincoln and TR. In a comprehensive yet not overly long book, he shows that substantive issues like the tariff, the relationship of the national government to the states, morality in politics, substance abuse (ie prohibition), and other pressing matters really were at stake, he explores those issues and the men and women who had to face them. This book is one of the best treatments of the 1884 presidential campaign (or any other campaign for that matter) out there. Find a copy of this book and read about a time that is so much like ours.
Mark Summers Makes History Come Alive Again!!!.......2000-09-07
As an undergraduate at the University of Kentucky some years ago, Professor Mark Summers changed my life and I eventually devoted my life to the study of history. His lectures made the past come alive and seem so fresh and real and vital. Anyone who has read any of his books can relate to the sense of excitement that I am describing, and his latest book is no exception. In fact, it is perhaps his best book yet. Lively, fast-paced, yet scholarly and thought-provoking, Summers' book is everything that his readers have come to expect. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in nineteenth-century politics or U.S. history in general, or for those who consider history dry and boring and would like read a book where the past truly does come to life.
A Great Historian Brings An Era to Life.......2000-04-29
Mark Summers is one of the great historians of mid-nineteenth century America. He is fully capable of taking subjects which have seemingly been worked to death and making them fresh with new material and original analysis. Rum Romanism and Rebellion does just that, making Blaine and Cleveland seem more vital and alive than the current occupants of the White House. The issues engage us, the political battle grips us. This is one of the author's best (to my mind, Mr. Summers best work is his two volume work on political corruption [neatly divided between ante-bellum crooks and post-war thieves]; let's hope that Mr. Summers has a trilogy in mind and next turns his attention to wartime corruption: from the transcontinental railroad to the supply of Union soldiers and the appointment of generals, that era was rife with corruption, yet very little has ever been written about it). Well done, Mr. Summers!
Customer Reviews:
An excellent read!!!.......2003-11-15
This was a very good book. When Jessica goes to visit her friends debt ridden inn in the Carribean, she is delighted to be there. But when her friend is found murdered{by a razor of course}, Her beautiful vacation is ruined. When she starts her own investigation, She turns up a side of the Carribean you never want to see, the dark side. That is a common trait with Jess, get snooping and find the dark side of people. But any-way, the only problem with this book is that it becomes obivous who commited the crime in the last five chapters. Even though, this still a great book.
Great Book.......2002-02-16
Jessica is off to the beautiful US Virgin Islands to get away from a harsh Maine winter. She checks into her hotel owned by old friends called Lovers Lagoon, which is being run out of buisness by another hotel next door. One night when Jessica is walking on the beach she discovers the body of one of the owners. Jessica does some checking in to the murder, and finds out something shady has been going on at the hotel. This is one of my favorite Murder She Wrote books I've read. The plot though is very similar to the book Murder At The Powderhorn Ranch, that's why I gave it a 4 star
Murder at Lover Lagoon's Inn.......2000-11-12
This is the first book I read in the "Murder, She Wrote" series. Jessica Fletcher, the main character in the story is off to Lover Lagoon for a vacation. She knew the owners and were on good terms with them. It was one night when she was taking a walk at Lover Lagoon when she discovered the body of one of the owners,Walter Marschalk. She was determinded to find out the murderer. Walter's previous job was a famous travel writer and so Jessica accept the invitation of the owner of rival inn, Diamond Reef, to have dinner with a group of travel writers. She found out that Walter was not well-liked among his friends. As the story goes on, Jessica found a lot of suspects and discovered a lot of unexpected things. I find the story moveing on a bit too slow and the ending is also abrupt. But overall it is a nice book.
"A Caribbean Mystery".......2000-11-04
This is the second book in the series of the new "Murder, she wrote" mysteries. This time murder takes a holiday with Jessica to the Caribbean. She settles into an extremely luxurious and expensive resort, property of old friends from Cabot Cove and, both writers; he a travel writer who produces his own tour guides; and she, a gourmet cook who mixes her Maine coking with that of the islands. However, as soon as she arrives Jessica senses a lot of tension in her hosts (the owners of the inn). Problems succeed one another until, during a night stroll about the beach, Jessica herself finds a corpse. None other than her own host friend, brutally murdered. Jessica is not convinced of the guilt of an ex-employee who's been apprehended by the police, and she launches into a sleuthing sequence of events that very much annoys everybody, including the local police and her newly widowed host-friend.
I have found this book to be more truthful than the first one to the characters created in the original TV series. It certainly is an improvement from "Manhattans & murder", (which was the first one), but I would not exactly characterize it as unique. The first chapters are somewhat slow, then the murder happens, quite unexpectedly and it will catch you by surprise - good. More slowness right up to the point where the novel really picks-up (too many red herrings perhaps?); and then in the last five chapters is when I couldn't put it down. I have to say also, that although in the TV series Jessica's power of deduction to solve murders is extremely fast and brilliant; in this book she seems much slower. I could pinpoint whodunit even faster than her - something I don't usually achieve with the TV version. Readers new to mysteries will find this an enchanting, maybe even exciting, novel; but as far as I am concerned, it is a simple one.
Razor up some good old-fashioned mystery!.......2000-10-10
"Rum and Razors" is by far the best Donald Bain has written. Going away on a much-needed vacation to the Caribbean, America's favorite amateur sleuth, Jessica Fletcher, soon wishes she was back home in Cabot Cove, Maine. During a therapeutic stroll along the seashore, a body is discovered and everyone at the local inn is thoroughly investigated. I could not put this book down and neither will readers. This mystery is for all Murder, She Wrote fans.
Book Description
Follow up to Kavieff's best selling The Purple Gang, this book delves deeper into the Prohibition-Era gangs of the Detroit area.
Whereas the Purple Gang was a predominantly Jewish group, the crime organizations covered in this volume all come from different ethnic backgrounds. Each gang covered provides insight not only into their crime organization, but also into the ethnic origins of the region. For instance, the chapter on the Giannola/Vitale Mafia covers the origins of the war between the two gangs, which lasted from 1918 to 1921. It also covers the origins of the Italian Mafia-including the history of the dreaded "Black Hand"-and its enclave in the Detroit area. Among other famous area gangs included is the predominantly Irish "Legs" Laman mob and the "River Gang" whose leaders became the founders of Detroit's modern Mafia family.
Kavieff's first book, The Purple Gang, stayed on the Detroit bestseller list for months after its release. With this title Kavieff once again captures the flavor of the era and the region marvelously and is sure to captivate readers across the country
Customer Reviews:
Quick-moving, detailed survey of Detroit's gangs.......2007-01-30
Paul R. Kavieff handles his complex topic capably and professionally, providing us with a window into an active and influential Detroit underworld often neglected by other writers. The author of "The Purple Gang" broadens his focus for this, his second book, to explain in detail the activities and interrelationships of the Detroit area's significant Prohibition Era criminal organizations.
He discusses the warring factions of the Sicilian Mafia, as well as Polish and Irish ethnic gangs and the predominantly Jewish Purple Gang. He suggests credible causes for underworld conflicts, such as the Giannola-Vitale war, and shares the specifics of gang crimes and underworld hits.
Kavieff is not at all stingy with facts, but he still writes efficiently and keeps the story moving quickly - possibly a tad too quickly for a reader new to the subject. The book weighs in at just about 200 pages of easy-on-the-eyes type.
The Violent Years is a must-read for organized crime historians and those interested in the Motor City's past.
I still like "The Purples"!.......2006-08-03
To be honest, I gave this book 3 stars simply for the fact that it wasn't my kind of book. I read it because it was the 2nd volume from Paul Kavieff. I thought the book was good, but there were too many different crews, accounts, details for me to follow. Not to compare, but I liked the book about The Purple Gang better. It focused on the one gang and really dove into their dealings. I don't doubt that this book is well documented, I just think it had too many details for me to really get involved.
On the other hand, to bring out a few good points, the book starts off discussing how the mafia came about, and how they had no use for authority figures when Sicilians 1st immigrated to the USA. It showed how in Italy, the mafia boss was more powerful/influential than the government (thus showing the lack of importance for government officials from the very beginning). This was interesting to see the origin of certain rules, how people think, for what reason, etc...
Then we read about "The Black Hand Extortion Racket" (receiving money for protection) which is explained in detail. It gave a quick summary of The Purple Gang which I enjoyed. To think they had a loose organization of 200 guys in 1925 (then again, they held control for such a short period of time) - remarkable history! The book also explains "The Snatch Racket" which involved kidnapping racketeers for ransom (something I never heard/or even thought of until now)! Overall, a decent book, I just wanted more flow, but I guess that's difficult when you're covering so many different gangs...
The Violent Years: Prohibition and the Detroit Mobs.......2003-09-04
An excellent history of the Detroit underworld and a necessary book for any serious crime historian. Kavieff brings the material to life in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are at the scene of the crime. This book as well as Kavieff's first book The Purple Gang: Organized crime in Detroit 1910-1945 are the only histories ever written on the Detroit underworld of any period. The Prohibition era focus is most appropriate as Prohibition bankrolled modern organized crime
The Violent Years: Prohibition and the Detroit Mobs.......2003-09-04
An excellent history of the Detroit underworld and a necessary book for any serious crime historian. Kavieff brings the material to life in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are at the scene of the crime. This book as well as Kavieff's first book The Purple Gang: Organized crime in Detroit 1910-1945 are the only histories ever written on the Detroit underworld of any period. The Prohibition era focus is most appropriate as Prohibition bankrolled modern organized crime
Beyond the Purple Gang.......2002-10-03
This is a great successor and companion to Kavieff's previous volume, The Purple Gang, and an even better book than its predecessor. Covers the Mafia factions who succeeded the Purples as masters of Detroit's underworld and various independent mobs, some unheralded since their last appearances in 1930's vintage detective magazines, such as "Legs" Laman's kidnapping gang, or the "Flatheads" gang headed by Paul Jaworski who committed the nation's first armored car robbery. Violent crimes have soared in volume over the years but for sheer audacity "crime in the streets" pales in comparison to the 1920's and The Violent Years captures this spirit better than any book I've seen in a long while.
Average customer rating:
- A must-read
- A truly satisfying read.
- The Wisdom Of Yawdy Rum
- I could smell the beignets
- Compelling and inspiring...a great read!
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The Wisdom of Yawdy Rum
Micheal Lane
Manufacturer: Expert Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
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General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Motivational
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
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Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
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ASIN: 1931945705
Release Date: 2007-01-12 |
Product Description
On a stormy flight to New Orleans a business executive meets Yawdy Rum, an old jazzman who turns out to be a sage. From this meeting, grows an endearing tale that leads to the world of New Orleans jazz, corporate politics, and hurricanes-both real and emotional. It is a story about relationships, self-discovery, setting priorities, and discovering the courage to change.
Customer Reviews:
A must-read.......2007-04-28
The Wisdom of Yawdy Rum is a nice read! The plot was intriguing and I finished reading the book within three days. I enjoyed reading about the rich history of New Orleans and loved how music and jazz were integrated into the plot. As a former musician, I liked how author Mike Lane showed great creativity by including the music symbols with Yawdy's advice at the end. Curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and enjoy this book!
A truly satisfying read........2007-03-04
Written by successful marketing executive Michael Lane, The Wisdom of Yawdy Rum is a memoir-style novel following the path of the author's fictional alter ego, an overworked businessman who suddenly finds himself amid a workplace flare-up that could spell the beginning of the end. His frequent business trips take him far from his wife and three children, one of whom is autistic with special needs. Just when his life seems bleakest, he forms a friendship with an old jazz musician and learns about seven basic principles, which help him come to a turning point to positively change his life. Set in New Orleans prior to and during Hurricane Katrina, The Wisdom of Yawdy Rum combines the candid tone of a memoir, the perplexity of real-life dilemmas, and the optimism of the resilient human spirit to create a truly satisfying read.
The Wisdom Of Yawdy Rum.......2007-02-27
Micheal Lanes definitive wisdom will compel readers to rush to libraries and bookstores, where they can dive directly into the writers' works. Within this book of keys to our lives, readers will find not only strength of talent but also strength of character; they will find hours of enlightenment, and of pleasure.
It is enduring and full of life.
I could smell the beignets.......2007-02-21
I read this book in one day as it touched me in many ways. I have worked in the corporate world that Mike describes and have come through similar challenges. I used some of Yawdy Rum's secrets and am better for it.
I've been to New Orleans. I could see the places described in the book. I could smell the beignets at Cafe Du Monde through Mr. Lane's description. I could see Preservation Hall. Those places are still there, and you can be there without the travel. This book will take you there.
Compelling and inspiring...a great read!.......2007-01-26
What a great book! I quickly got caught up in the story of the businessman and the character of Yawdy Rum and couldn't wait to see where the friendship would take them next.
The author's description of New Orleans both before, during and after the hurricane made me feel like I was in the book. I could almost taste the food and hear the music.
The story felt very authentic to me. The challenges that the main character faces at work happen in real life every day, and the way he struggles to balance family and work is something most people relate to in one way or another.
I was very pleased with the wisdom, or life lessons that he shared, as well. They're very down-to-earth, doable ideas that could be used in a variety of situations. Simple concepts that can translate into big results. Just what we all need!
Book Description
One of the world's oldest and best selling spirits, often misunderstood, steeped in tradition and with a colorful though not always honorable past. This is the first comprehensive, illustrated book to cover rum's history, production and full range of flavors. The pure rums are detailed by their island or country of origin, with an explanation of the climatic differences and productions methods that provides each with unique character. A guide to tasting and evaluating the full range of rums by style and class is provided along with a section on spiced and blended rums and how they are made and marketed. The book concludes with a directory of 180 of the world's most notable rums complete with statistics, tasting notes, label photos and a rating from one to five stars. Beverage managers and bartenders both professional and at home, will find this an essential buying guide and very entertaining reading.
Customer Reviews:
Booze is just booze, but Rum is American history........2007-01-03
As a long time sailor and regular rum drinker (Mount [..], lime slice, dash of seltzer) I found "Rum" to be much more than a book about my favorite libation - it is, in fact, a fascinating portrayal of a young America flexing it's early capitalistic muscle in competition with England, France and Spain each of whom is entangled with slavery, intrigue and occasional flashes of distilling brilliance. I bought the book as a coffee table item for my boat "Rumble," named after my two favorite subjects, rum and bull, but found it instead to be a fascinating historically accurate novel. Pour a glass of rum and settle in for a great read called "Rum."
Great book, but with one major shortcoming.......2006-02-02
I got this book only a few days ago, and have hardly been able to put it down. The book simply reads like a great story about rum, and it actually pulls you along. The profiles of individual rums are very interesting and useful, and the photography throughout is spectacular.
The major shortcoming is the photograph descriptions. The book is so well-written that it makes you feel like you're there, but the photograph descriptions as so general that they're useless, and actually take away from the book. One photograph shows someone walking up a colourful but run-down backroad in some Carribbean town, but all the caption says is the "The Real Carribbean is in the backroads." Others say things like "Sugar cane harvest" or "A local enjoying some rum". Some basic information about where the photo was taken and a bit more about what we're looking at would be nice.
Evocative journey through the universe of rum.......2005-05-24
I could kick myself for digging through a shelf of quotation books to find Lord Byron's "There's nought no doubt so much the spirit calms as rum and true religion." Rum, by Dave Broom, a luxuriant keeper volume published by the Wine Appreciation Guild, has got the very same quote emblazoned on the back cover. Of course, Byron used the term "rum" to refer to all potent alcoholic beverages. If anything, the usage attests to the wide historical and social reach of rum. "Here is a drink," Broom writes, "that has been the catalyst for the birth of nations." The scope of Rum, the book, aided immeasurably by the superb photography of Jason Lowe, does true justice to the beverage.
Rum is distilled from sugar cane, and like sugar, it reveals a history of misery and pain. "Rum was slavery's currency; it made some people vast fortunes and helped others forget their misery," Broom reflects. Caribbean sugar production was so labor-intensive that it almost mandated that slaves be worked to death and periodically replaced. The rum and slave trade went hand-in-hand, enriching cities like Bristol in England and Newport, Rhode Island. American rum, sugar and slave trade with the Caribbean led to the first major commercial rifts between the American colonies and England; these soon escalated into heated debate, then gunfire and revolution. America's founding fathers reached for rum above all other beverages when they needed to stiffen their resolve.
In the nineteenth century, technical innovation spurred the creation of a modern rum industry. The Caribbean nations stratified into various "schools" of rum production: Don Facunado Bacardi in Cuba developed light rums; Jamaica kept to fuller-flavored rums ("Jamaicans are hard-headed people. They weren't going to change.") In the twentieth century, changing beverage tastes in Britain (favoring whiskies), prohibition in the US, and the Great Depression of the 1930s signaled a decline in rum's popularity. Today's swing away from the whiskies and towards exotic mixed drinks heralds a revival.
After covering the history of the beverage in great depth, Broom moves to an exacting study of how rum is manufactured. It all begins in the sugar fields. Harvesting and processing sugar cane and its derivatives is "hot, hard, brutal work that has not changed over the centuries," Broom writes. Manufacturing processes vary throughout the Caribbean. You'd never imagine that photographs of pipes and distilling equipment-much of it aged, all of it dignified-could be so exquisite. The passion for the machines and the processes cannot be separated from the passionate beverage itself. Rum is more than a drink; like salt, cotton, pepper or gold, it is a human story.
The key core of Rum is a section entitled "Pure Rums." Broom covers each nation's rum culture and industry in detail, starting with Cuba, "the island that first elevated rum from an interesting to a modern classic spirit." Cuba, the largest Caribbean island, is "the cradle for most of the world's great rum-based cocktails and is home to some of the finest barmen on the planet." Jamaica, of course, has its own ideas. Rum is integral to Jamaican life. Even non-drinking Jamaicans use the beverage as a medicinal rub for wounds and to ward off colds. Jamaicans drink their strong rums-which may at times be distilled illegally-with passion and quickly-voiced opinion. Yet all the islands, and mainland South American nations like Guyana, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazil, have their own rum heritage. French-speaking Martinique has its own rhum agricole-cane juice rum-subject to strict appellation regulations. Guadeloupe's rhum traditionelle is extremely popular in France as a cooking ingredient. Puerto Rico, home of present-day Bacardi, has become a major rum producer for the American market. The British have their variants; the Royal Navy long motivated its sailors by dispensing (or withholding) rations of rum. Rums are produced in India, Nepal, the Philippines, and all over the world.
You don't just sip or "nose" rum, Broom insists, "you pull all your senses to work: sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch-plus that remarkable reference bank in your head known as memory." And, yes, Broom recommends a certain type of glass for your tasting, in this case a tulip-shaped sherry copita, a brandy snifter, or even a white wine glass; anything but a tumbler. Once you've refined your sense and taste for rum, you can try a hand at some of the "ancient cocktails" (Classic Daiquiri, Rum Flip, Tom and Jerry) or "modern cocktails" (Between the Sheets, Floridita, Mai Tai, Mojito). An extensive final section explains and reviews more than 180 major rum brands, many with evocative label illustrations. Ultimately, Rum-in all its ebullience-could hardly pretend to calm the spirit as Byron suggests; you'd require the real thing for that.
Food writer Elliot Essman's other reviews and food articles are available at www.stylegourmet.com
A Delight for Serious Drinkers.......2003-12-29
By Bill Marsano. Rum has been a forgotten drink for some decades now. Just why it fell from favor isn't entirely clear, but now, more or less all of a sudden, it's back. And in comes with this handsome book--a real lapful of pleasure--to do it justice. Certainly the new interest in cocktails of recent years has fostered the comeback, and so has the long-delayed realization that there really isn't any such thing as "rum." Instead, there are many, many rums--each different by style or flavor or the whim of its maker. Rum shows as many personalities as malt scotch does, in fact. Finally, serious drinkers have recognized that while there are plenty of raffish, piratical rums of the "Fifteen Men on a Dead Man's Chest" variety, there are others that are made as carefully and aged and lovingly as fine cognacs.
David Broom is our guide here--he's a good writer (author of numerous other books on fine drink) and a real expert in the realm of distillative arts. Wisely he doesn't try to cover every rum from every place (there are far too many, after all). Instead he focuses on the home country of rum, which is the Caribbean basin and the Spanish Main (which means, of course, mainland, so we get the word on rums from Venezuela, Guatemala, Guyana, Brazil and elsewhere). But he concentrates on the islands: Barbados, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Trinidad, the Virgin Islands (U.S. and British) are of principal importance. And of course there are little oddities. Bermuda has its own famous run but grows no sugar cane; the Caymans are known for what might be called "J. and B."--a blend of Jamaican and Barbadian rums. My personal favorite is what Broom rightly calls the "fearsome" Jack Iron, which comes from Trinidad but is unreasonably popular in Grenada and its sister island of Carriacou. It was also illegal--contraband--at least until recently.
I bring this up to illustrate rum's breadth of personality. Jack Iron is a punishing 151 proof but it has been legalized for sale to Grenada's tourists--they pick it up at the airport as a ruffianly souvenir. But I prefer its contraband version, still smuggled in to Carriacou. Every time I visit I call at a certain saloon in Hillsborough, which is just down the road for that lovely airport that has to have cars and cattle chased off the runway, and after some idle chit-chat I ask the barman if he can sell me a bottle of Jack Iron. "Not the fancy kind," I say. "I want the stuff that comes over in a neighborly kind of way." At which point he'll hand me a clear liquid in a recycled plastic soda bottle. It'll have a cheap black-and-white paper label stuck onto it bearing the name Jack Iron and a skull and crossbones. In short, he'll hand me the real McCoy.
Broom does an excellent job of covering the connoisseur rums that are leading this spirit's resurgence, but he doesn't neglect rum's splendidly disreputable side either. It's importand, even critical to understanding rum becuase rum IS a disreputable drink. It was first made from industrial waste--that's what molasses was, after all. And its roots are sunk deep in the misery of slavery and the woes of drunken sailors.
Broom provides helpful guides to appreciating rum and to individual brands of note. Finally, there's a raft of fine, color-saturated photographs by Jason Lowe, to top off this truly fine book.--Bill Marsano has won a James Beard medal for his writing on wines and spirits.
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- The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook : 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker
- The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook : 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker
- The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook : 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker
- The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook: Delicious Dairy-Free Cheeses and Classic "Uncheese" Dishes
- The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen: Classic Family Recipes for Celebration and Healing
- Today I Made My First Communion
- Vegan with a Vengeance : Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock
- Vegetarian Times Low-Fat & Fast Mexican
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