Book Description
"California, Labor Day weekend . . . early, with ocean fog still in the streets, outlaw motorcyclists wearing chains, shades and greasy Levis roll out from damp garages, all-night diners and cast-off one-night pads in Frisco, Hollywood, Berdoo and East Oakland, heading for the Monterey peninsula, north of Big Sur. . . The Menace is loose again." Thus begins Hunter S. Thompson's vivid account of his experiences with California's most no-torious motorcycle gang, the Hell's Angels. In the mid-1960s, Thompson spent almost two years living with the controversial An-gels, cycling up and down the coast, reveling in the anarchic spirit of their clan, and, as befits their name, raising hell. His book successfully captures a singular moment in American history, when the biker lifestyle was first defined, and when such countercultural movements were electrifying and horrifying America. Thompson, the creator of Gonzo journalism, writes with his usual bravado, energy, and brutal honesty, and with a nuanced and incisive eye; as The New Yorker pointed out, "For all its uninhibited and sardonic humor, Thompson's book is a thoughtful piece of work." As illuminating now as when originally published in 1967, Hell's Angels is a gripping portrait, and the best account we have of the truth behind an American legend.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
A Classic Account of a Classic Period.......2007-07-16
As a ripe young 16 year old, discovering the post beatnik era that was blossoming into the hippie era, this account of life with the Angels was hypnotic, gripping, and even influencial on my impressionable mind. As boorish, surly, dangerous and unpredictable as they were the Angels Thompson portrays were perversely attractive to many 60's youth who wondered what kind of life they might want to persue if they, in fact, failed in straight society.
This is a classic account of the Angel's during their classic period when they came of age in the mind of the world. Thompson's chapter "The Making of the Menace" could more aptly be called today 'The Making of the Legend"
An absolute must read.
This is my 3rd copy..........2007-05-12
I just purchased my 3rd copy of this book...I've given two copies away.
Very intersting reading!!!
Hell's Angels.......2007-03-31
started out good, then turned in to a whiny account of author complaing about not being treated right by the Angels.
On the road with the Angels.......2007-03-17
I'm a great Hunter S Thompson fan, and have read all of his books. Although "Hell's Angels" was his first book, it would be the last one, that I got around to reading. I was used to his later, gonzo style, of writing so I was actually expecting this to be more of the same. But it was not. He seems more objective and a bit more conventional in this volume, than in his later work. He is still biased, but not to the same degree as he would become later. Also he keeps his long rantings about everything and nothing with no connection whatsoever to his main subjects to a minimum.
He is still very eloquent and writes in an interesting way, just more sober. A bit like Tom Wolfe or such.
I'm not particularly interested in the subject of Hell's Angels or bikers, but I enjoyed this look into a culture that seldom lets in outsiders. Also it gives some contrast to the image the Hell's Angels have these days. Very interesting and highly recommendable.
DOCTOR THOMPSON LEARNS HIS TRADE.......2007-02-08
As Thompson aficionados are probably aware Hell's Angels is Hunter's first real foray into the sustained writing that would make us smile or be provoked to call for his head on a platter for the next forty years. Although the text clearly demonstrates that this is not a piece of `gonzo' journalism, as it later came to be known, one can see the outline of where he could be heading in this book on probably the most famous outlaw motorcycle gang in American history. The line between Thompson the reporter and Thompson the participant is still fairly clear but one can see just enough sympathy with the subject matter of his book to see where he might be heading. His major `gonzo' work and most famous book Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas thus did not just come out of the blue.
And what of the subject matter of his book, the infamous Hell's Angels that in my youth my mother warned me against incessantly? As noted above Hunter gained a grudging sympathy for them during his yearlong experience in and around their hangouts and their nefarious various doings in Northern California. Some of the antics that they were involved in like their `robust' partying in natural settings and scaring the `squares' seem a little dated, and juvenile. Their gratuitous violence, however, seems rather too familiar.
The more sociological aspects of their marginal social existence is far more interesting and Thompson does a good job of identifying the post-World War II American times that gave rise to such self-defining outcasts. This phenomenon enters the books as one of the outcomes that occur when the Turner thesis on the effects of the end of the frontier and land's end get fleshed out in sunny California. While these men, and they were almost exclusively white Anglo-Saxon men (the women involved with them are a separate and in some ways more interesting question although in the book a marginal one), came from mainly working class backgrounds the details provided by Thompson portrays a classic lumpenproletarian milieu. Thus, politics, protest or allegiance to other organizations meant nothing to them. Forget all that intellectual gibberish, it was about the bikes, man. Dr. Freud can read what he wants into that. Dr. Thompson gives it to us straight.
Book Description
Narrated by the visionary founding member, Hell's Angel provides a fascinating all-access pass to the secret world of the notorious Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club. Sonny Barger recounts the birth of the original Oakland Hell's Angels and the four turbulent decades that followed. Hell's Angel also chronicles the way the HAMC revolutionized the look of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle and built what has become a worldwide bike-riding fraternity, a beacon for freedom-seekers the world over.
Dozens of photos, including many from private collections and from noted photographers, provide visual documentation to this extraordinary tale. Never simply a story about motorcycles, colorful characters, and high-speed thrills, Hell's Angel is the ultimate outlaw's tale of loyalty and betrayal, subcultures and brotherhood, and the real price of freedom.
Customer Reviews:
Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club.......2007-07-19
I bought this book for my brother-in-law. So I had to ask him what he thought. He told me how much he enjoyed the book. So buy this book for anybody that is a biker or a biker at heart.
Best of Angels.......2007-04-30
I've read just about every Hells Angels book out there and this is by far the most interesting and easiest to follow.
"IF YOU THINK YOU'RE TOUGH INSULT A BIKER".......2007-02-17
A first hand and personal look into the life of a Hell's Angel.Where better to find out what the Hell's Angels are all about than from a founding member ,the President for many,many years and who has been in the center of the organization for 40 years. There is nothing he doesn't know about the organization since he was there through it all,and had a hand in everything that happened.
There has been much written and much coverage in the media over the years,some of it true but a lot of it pure fiction and legend.From reading this book ,you'll come to the conclusion,that by and large ,the fiction and legend is heavily slanted towards putting the Hell's Angles in as bad a light as possible.
More often than not,when violence erupted,it was started by law enforcement,town officials or other club riders who decided to hassle or take on the Hell's Angels. These people soon found out that their actions would not be tolerated and the Hell's Angels would stand by their own,to the end and if others wanted to " take them on " it was their choice. When the smoke cleared ,the media and police would alwys blame the riders.
The clubs were made up of men who were independent to a fault, to everything except the loyalty to each other,and the rules of the club. You learn that you didn't decide if you wanted to join,the club decided ;and either you obeyed or you were gone.The Hell's Angel's were tough men,who lived hard ,who gave no quarter and asked for none.
In all the years I've seen groups of Riders on the highway,I have always found them very courteous and well behaved.In later years, there seems to be a lot in the media about their illegal activities such as drugs;but everyone knows there is a lot of that,it's a tough business,of territorial disputes,beatings and killing;but there's a lot of people involved other than Moror Cycle clubs.Heck! even law enforcement and other officials turn up on the wrong side on those issues.
Some people get nervous with the sight of a group of Riders ;but if you give them respect,I don't expect they will give you any trouble.
As a personal experience,several years ago,I was attending a big outdoor event of Country Music.David Allan Coe was one of the star performers and everything was going very well.There were a lot of security types around that gave the impression that they'd just love to take you on if you dare get out of line.In other words,almost hoping something would happen,so they could "move in". Well,about an hour before David Allan Coe was to appear ,a large group of Motorcycle Club members arrived.I can't remember what club they were;Hell's Angels,Satan's Choice,Outlaws or whatever. The crowd seemed to get nervous and many even moved back and probably a few left. I noticed they drove their big machines into the parking area ,all in one spot,dismounted,took off their expensive helmets and simply sat them on their bike seats ;then proceeded to the concert. I did,however, notice several uniformed police officers (not the security personnel) remained in the parking area. It was obvious,that noboby was going to mess with thir "stuff". Coe came on,did his show,the Bikers and Women enjoyed the concert,and were very well behaved.A lot of them had a knife on their belts
(but never took them out),several smoked,and many were even friendly with the crowd.When Coe finished, the Riders had seen what they had come to see,everyone enjoyed themselves,and they got up and left very orderly.The next act came on and the concert continued as if they had never been there.The only thing thst changed was a lot of music fans obtained a different feeling for these people than they had developed from the media.
Of course,there,s a lot of people who would not like their lifestyle,but that's their problem,not the Bikers.
Of course,they break laws,so do a lot of businessmen,politicians and others.When they get caught,they pay in spades,as Sonny did,that can't be said of many other types of lawbreakers.
You will also find a lot of comments on other movies and books about the Hell's Angles but I found the contrast in what Sonny had to say about Hunter S Thompson ,and the reviewers comments on his book on the Angles ,very interesting.
A great read if you want to know what the Hell's Angles are all about.
Take The Patch & Scratch.......2007-01-13
Sonny Barger's tales are Slurs of Confabulations, False Recollections, Fuzzy Logics, basics of "FMS" (False Memory Syndrome). Sonny Barger demonstrates a "Limitless Capacity for Denail" therefore Distorting His Own Statements from Yesteryear. Mr. Barger was evidently under the impression, by placing his name upon a book that the reading public would be sensationalized into the Illusion Barger's some sort of an American Hero, Hardly. Mr. Barger speaks of Brotherhood & Freedom; Never Defining either. (Brotherhood was betrayal of silence after the RICO Trial. Freedom was before Barger's First Conviction, since he has never known real freedom.) All too-much in Barger's Book can be refuted by its mere statements. This book was obviously just put together for money and cover-ups. Publisher should have included an airsickness bag with each book. 10% of a book that covers over 40-years of Hells Angels History was spent taking cheap shots at the Government, over the RICO Trail 1979/1980. This was a Gamble by the Publisher, too-many have known otherwise. Publisher changing the title would help. (Hell's Angel: The Lies and Crimes of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club)
An interesting memoir and lifestory. .......2006-12-31
Love him or hate him, Sonny Barger has one interesting story to tell. In this book he chronicles his life as a child being kicked out of school for hitting the principal, the beginnings of his life on a motorcycle, the creation phase of what would become the Hell's Angels motorcycle club, his legal battles, prison time, and other related Hell's Angels stuff.
Sonny Barger is quite a writer, and this book is a well written look at an era in history of when the Hell's Angels ruled the biker world with an iron fist. You will not read another book like this, and you need not have an extensive education on the Hell's Angels to understand this book. While it's somewhat shocking, it has a lot of entertainment value and even some inspiration here and there.
Average customer rating:
- Taut mystery
- Disappointing
- Racial politics and murder in LA
- CONNELLY EXAMINES RACE RELATIONS IN LA
- Pretty close to perfect...
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Angels Flight (Harry Bosch)
Michael Connelly
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co (T)
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A Darkness More Than Night
ASIN: 0316152196 |
Amazon.com
Michael Connelly, whose novel The Poet won the 1997 Anthony Award for Best Mystery, is already recognized as one of the smartest and most vivid scribes of the hard-boiled police procedural. Now, with his much-anticipated sixth Harry Bosch novel, Angels Flight, Connelly offers one of the finest pieces of mystery writing to appear in 1998. Bosch is awakened in the middle of the night and, out of rotation, he is assigned to the murder investigation of the high-profile African American attorney Howard Elias. When Bosch arrives at the scene, it seems that almost the entire LAPD is present, including the IAD (the Internal Affairs Division). Elias, who made a career out of suing the police, was sadistically gunned down on the Angels Flight tram just as he was beginning a case that would have struck the core of the department; not surprisingly, L.A.'s men and women in blue become the center of the investigation. Haunted by the ghost of the L.A. riots, plagued by incessant media attention, and facing turmoil at home, Bosch suddenly finds himself questioning friends and associates while working side by side with some longtime enemies.
Angels Flight is a detective's nightmare scenario and is disturbingly relevant to the racially tense last decade of the 20th century. Amidst the twists and turns of his complex narrative, Connelly affirms his rightful place among the masters of contemporary mystery fiction. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
The man most hated by the LAPD - a black lawyer who has made his name by bringing lawsuits alleging racism and brutality by police officers - has been found murdered on the eve of a high-profile trial. The list of suspects included half the police force. And Harry Bosch is the detective chosen to head the investigation.
The political dangers of the case are huge. If it's not investigation fairly, the public outcry could make the Rodney King riots look tame. But a full investigation will take Bosch into the ugliest corners of law enforcement.
To make matters worse, Bosch's wife, Eleanor, has disappeared. Bosch fears she has left him - or succumbed to her gambling addiction. He's not sure which would be worse.
ANGELS FLIGHT reads in a white heat. It continues to up the ante of the series that is "raising the hard-boiled detective novel to a new level...adding substance and depth to modern crime fiction." (Boston Globe)
Download Description
The man most hated by the LAPD--a black lawyer who has made his name by bringing lawsuits alleging racism and brutality by police officers--has been found murdered on the eve of a high-profile trial. The list of suspects includes half the police force. And Harry Bosch is the detective chosen to head the investigation The political dangers of the case are huge. If it's not investigated fairly, the public outcry could make the Rodney King riots look tame. But a full investigation will take Bosch into the ugliest corners of law enforcement. To make matters worse, Bosch's wife Elizabeth has disappeared overnight. Bosch fears she has left him--or succumbed further to her gambling addiction. He's not sure which is worse. Angels Flight reads in a white heat. It continues to up the ante of the series that is "raising the hard-boiled detective novel to a new level . . . adding substance and depth to modern crime fiction." (Boston Globe)
Customer Reviews:
Taut mystery.......2007-09-12
This novel is the latest in the "Harry Bosch" mysteries. Mr. Bosch is a hard boiled Los Angeles detective, whose life is far from perfect. His detective skills though, are wonderful.
I loved this book. The police procedures were entirely believable, and as an Angeleno, I enjoyed the accuracy of Mr. Connelly's descriptions of L.A.
I highly recommend this great read. It will not disappoint!
Disappointing.......2007-08-05
pros:
usual Harry Bosch character
cons:
opening crime not very interesting.
tension between Harry's crew and IAD not very engaging.
plot moves ahead sluggishly.
I had to give up reading this at p. 170 of 454.
As usual, minimal character development. Emphasis is merely on plot. I saw little of Harry's personal life, except for his occasional attempts to call his wife. (But this is true of ALL Michael Connelly books. And I usually put up with it.)
Racial politics and murder in LA.......2007-07-27
Edgar and Anthony award-winner Connelly takes a high dive right into the turbulent currents of Los Angeles' racial tensions in this Detective Harry Bosch appearance.
On the eve of a major lawsuit against the LAPD, high-profile civil-rights lawyer Howard Elias is shot. "Bosch thought about all the suspects there would be, many of them standing around outside at that very moment, watching." The obvious suspects are the police; and the black populace, on the brink of rioting, demands action.
Suing the police for beating a confession out of a (black) suspected (white) child murderer, since acquitted, Elias has polarized the city. But Bosch soon discovers that the lawyer had more going for him than racial politics; he had evidence - evidence that the accused child killer, still presumed guilty, was truly innocent. Elias was confident of victory, but his big secret died with him.
Find the secret, find Elias' killer, Bosch realizes. But retracing Elias' steps proves difficult, especially with the police stonewalling, the black community clamoring, and Elias' files off-limits. With adroit compassion, Connelly ("Blood Work," "The Black Echo") explores the complexities of racial politics, using the hidden passions and public maneuvering to heighten suspense.
Meanwhile, his wife's gambling habit is draining their marriage and city anger is nearing explosion. Bosch steps on toes and strains friendships as he pursues the sordid human mystery, unrelated but now at the core of all this political fury.
Thoughtful, suspenseful, masterfully plotted and well written - as readers have come to expect from Connelly.
CONNELLY EXAMINES RACE RELATIONS IN LA.......2006-09-02
Bosch is back. A high-profile, black, civil right attorney is slain and Harry Bosch is given the assignment to find the murderer. To those unfamiliar with Detective Bosch, he is not a "go along to get along" guy. He tells it like he sees it even if it rankles the Chief of Police, the FBI or other police officers. That is much of the fun in reading a Harry Bosch novel. And I use the word "novel" in its literary sense; Mr. Connelly has written a novel in ANGEL'S FLIGHT, not a police procedural, although it is a wonderful example of that as well. ANGEL's FLIGHT is really about race relations in Los Angeles and about police-minority relations in particular. The murder mystery in ANGEL'S FLIGHT is just the hat tree on which to hang the fedora of political and racial insights. This is the sixth in the Bosch series and the best-written so far (I am reading them in the order published); Mr. Connelly keeps growing as a writer. For me, the ending was just a little two pat in terms of poetic as well as legal justice being served to make this a five-star book, but one reads Mr. Connelly to learn about Harry Bosch and see him in action more than anything else. At least I do.
Pretty close to perfect..........2006-08-24
Angels Flight was the first Michael Connelly/Harry Bosch book that I read and when I picked it up four years ago, I realized that Connelly was no ordinary mystery writer. It took three more years to finally read the rest of this series, and since finishing them all, I wanted to go back and reread Angels Flight as I didn't remember much of what happened. Not only did I enjoy it just as much the second time around, but it remains one of my very favorite Bosch mysteries.
Howard Elias in a black civil rights lawyer who has made a name for himself suing the LAPD (this is a post Rodney King/OJ Los Angeles). One of his clients is Michael Harris, a man who was acquitted of kidnapping and murdering a young girl, Stacey Kincaid. He is now suing 15 members of the LAPD's Robbery and Homicide Division (RHD) for torturing him in trying to obtain a confession. Two days before the trial is to open, Elias is murdered. There are a whole bunch of cops who would like to see Elias dead and the citizens of LA believe a man in blue did the killing. They expect that the LAPD will close ranks and engage in a cover-up to protect their own. Tempers are raging and the city is on the verge of riots. Normally, this high profile case would fall to RHD. But since they're all suspects, it is given to Harry Bosch and his partners, Kiz Rider and Jerry Edgar. IAD and the FBI are also put on the case, which makes things more interesting and more complicated.
Bosch discovers that during the Michael Harris trial, Elias was planning to expose the real killer in the Stacey Kincaid murder. He decides to go back to square one in the Kincaid murder, believing that the killer of Kincaid and Elias are the same person. In the course of the investigation, Bosch is shocked at what he discovers--from a child pornography ring to the bad judgment of those he thought he knew and trusted. Through it all, the LAPD is trying to whitewash anything detrimental to the force.
Connelly writes with true feeling and with the knowledge of one who has lived in LA and written the crime beat there. When Kiz Rider picks up on Bosch's personal problems, Bosch muses "Her having picked up on his personal turmoil was a testament to her skill as a detective--reading people was always more important than reading clues." Also, a black lawyer attempts to explain to Bosch the reasons for the rioting in LA: "It's about hope, detective...The minority communities of Los Angeles have no power, have no money, have no voice...When you take hope away, it leaves a void. Some people fill that up with anger and violence."
The Angels Flight case does not quite play out so that all the issues are resolved. Then again, we don't live in a perfect world. But Connelly comes pretty close to perfect in writing this book.
Average customer rating:
- Slightly Disappointed
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Demolition Angel
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Doubleday
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ASIN: 0385495846
Release Date: 2000-05-16 |
Amazon.com
Penzler Pick, May 2000: Like many authors with ongoing characters, Robert Crais has taken a break from his famous private eye. After eight novels featuring Elvis Cole and his loyal sidekick Joe Pike, Crais has created Carol Starkey, a bomb squad veteran now doing time as a Detective-2 with LAPD's Criminal Conspiracy Section. Three years have passed since the detonation that killed Carol's partner and lover, but she is still severely scarred both mentally and physically. She can't bear to look in the mirror, and she hasn't been with another man since David Boudreaux left her bed that last morning he went to work. She gets through the day with the help of Tagamet and alcohol.
When a bomb call takes the life of another colleague, Carol begins to investigate a series of explosions that seem to be designed to exterminate bomb technicians. She soon realizes that she's "the one that got away." With the help of an FBI agent whom she loathes professionally for interfering with her job but finds attractive anyway, Carol must track down one of the most frighteningly brilliant killers of the modern age.
This edgy thriller's protagonist is one that the reader at first may have difficulty liking, but she's got a background and history that make her truly three-dimensional. One hopes that Crais, one of the handful of young crime writers capable of writing consistently luminous prose, will continue to give us characters like Carol Starkey to star in his always powerful portraits of modern-day Los Angeles. --Otto Penzler
Book Description
With the most unforgettable female lead character since Clarice Starling,
Demolition Angel is a blistering stand-alone thriller from the freshest bestselling voice in crime fiction.
Carol Starkey is struggling to pick up the pieces of her former life as L.A.'s finest bomb squad technician. Fueled with liberal doses of alcohol and Tagamet, she's doing time as a Detective-2 with LAPD's Criminal Conspiracy Section. Three years have passed since the event that haunts her--a detonation that killed her partner and lover, David "Sugar" Boudreaux. Fragments from the same explosion sliced through Starkey's protective Kevlar, scarred her beyond repair, and left her outside looking in at the life she left behind. Now she can't bear her reflection in the mirror, and hasn't been with another man since Sugar left her bed the morning they rolled out to the bomb site.
When a seemingly innocuous bomb call turns into a devastating murder scene, Carol catches the case and embarks on an investigation of a series of explosions that reveal intentions far more disturbing than one-shot acts of anarchy. The bombs are designed expressly to kill bomb technicians, and as the one tech who survived the deadliest of blasts, Carol is in for the most intense fight of her life.
Against the dazzling and lonely backdrop of contemporary Los Angeles, Robert Crais has crafted a work of ingenious depth of character, matched with a transcendent narrative velocity.
Demolition Angel is sure to take its place among the finest thrillers of the modern age.
Customer Reviews:
Slightly Disappointed.......2007-05-07
DEMOLITION ANGEL was written by Robert Crais in 2000, and was his first novel not to feature the private detective Elvis Cole. Instead, this novel is about a LAPD bomb expert, Carol Starkey, and her investigation of a serial killer who uses explosives to kill his victims.
This book is smoothly written and well plotted. Overall, though, I was somewhat disappointed with DEMOLITION ANGEL. The characterization is rather thin, and Starkey is a very difficult character to like. Many of the supporting characters are barely fleshed out. The romance between two characters is underdeveloped and unconvincing (how did these characters fall in love exactly?). I also found the climax to be a little over-the-top in its execution. In many ways, this book reminded me of a big action movie: it's well paced and exciting, but very little of it is truly memorable.
Crais is a top-notch crime writer, and I have really enjoyed some of his other efforts, most notably THE TWO MINUTE RULE. My advice is to start with that novel first, and then try some of his Elvis Cole novels, which are first rate.
Just okay.......2007-03-02
It was a decent action-packed mystery. I thought that perhaps the characters were a little thin and cliché, but the plot was twisted enough to keep you guessing about them. The story moved along swiftly (perhaps thanks to the abridgement, I don't know) and there were surprises, so that kept it interesting. At the same time, it was very mindless - rather like when you sit down to watch an action flick, and the most meaningful thing you get out of it is that tingle when The Rock finally takes off his shirt. Not a book that will make you think and ponder, or laugh and chuckle, but one that will provide a bit of entertainment. Still not as good as seeing The Rock half-naked, but we take what we can...
One of the Best .......2007-02-12
Don't miss this thriller! Crais is in top form with this particular bomb technician, who happens to a troubled woman with serious balls. Crais has drawn this soulful main character elegantly and with so much explosive inner conflict, tangles at work, with alcohol addiction and questionable men that you won't want to stop reading it until you get to the last page, and even then you won't want to put it down. From start to finish, Crais does it good!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
terrific and awesome!!!.......2006-12-03
very good police procedure and interesting plot. well written and showed respect to readers with a fantastic story. this is even better without elvis cole.
This book sucks.......2006-07-27
I'm a fan of Robert Crais but this book sucks. It's very bad. It drags on and on with an incredibly dissapointing conclusion. Of yeah sure, it's kind of interesting about the bombs, but it was a bad book. This is probably the worst Robert Crais book there is. If you're interested in Robert Crais read the Two Minute Rule.
Book Description
After catching her husband having an affair and being fired from her job, Maggie Walsh suddenly finds her perfectly organized existence has become a perfect mess. She decides, for the first time in her life, to do something daring -- and flees to her best friend, Emily, in the faraway wonderland of Los Angeles. In this mecca of tanned, beautiful bodies, unsvelte, uncool Maggie is decidedly a fish out of water. Yet, overnight, she's mixing with film folk, pitching scripts, even experimenting with sex -- and discovering that the end of a marriage is not the end of the world.
Customer Reviews:
A Book Worth Picking Up.......2007-10-02
Angels is a pretty good read from one of my favorite chick lit writers. I have just a couple of complaints. First, some of the story sidelines are a little "out there", not very believable or well-developed (i.e., Maggie's fling with Lara, which seemed kind of "thrown-in"). My other complaint is that I felt it took a little too long to establish the basis for the crumbling of Maggie and Garv's marriage. Although the tragedy was woven throughout the book, I would liked to have seen the author delve a little deeper into the emotions. But then again, I've always thought of Keyes' books as escapism chick lit with a message. I guess to go any further into the pain would make her work a different genre entirely.
I did enjoy this book, and would recommend it to a friend. I'd give it 3 1/2 stars.
my fav.......2007-07-27
This was my first Keyes book and is still my favorite after going back and reading others. The humor, the gotchas, the characters and the satire are just marvelous. Not predictable, with a wonderful ending. Flashbacks are perfect here, not a burden, but rather soemthing we're quite looking forward to --parceled out in just the right, tantalizing doses.
An engaging story unfolds.......2007-07-04
At first, when Maggie leaves her husband, I was as confused as her family and friends as to why. Maggie is the Good Daughter, the one who married her first boyfriend, who had a career. Then it all starts unraveling. Her marriage, her job ... she slides into depression and is convinced a change in scenery would do her good. She leaves Dublin and goes to LA to visit her dear friend Emily. It's an interesting contrast in settings -- Dublin to LA and back. And Keyes tells the story in a fascinating way. We don't really know what happened between Maggie and her husband until she's ready to tell us, in a series of flashbacks that go from funny to tragic to bittersweet. Suddenly it all starts to make sense, and we end up pulling for our charming heroine. This is my third Keyes book (Under the Duvet and Sushi for Beginners) and as always, she very very witty. But it doesn't diminish her bedrock humanity and the affection she feels for her characters.
Angels.......2007-06-27
This was a great book. I discovered this author while living overseas and I have continued to read her novels.
fun and easy to read.......2007-06-27
Angels describes LA with great fun and sarcasm. Just the right mixture of romance, break-ups and chaos, family, friends and careers on edge.... a good time with a good message, thank you Marian!
Average customer rating:
- Stalking the Second Elvis Cole Novel
- Stalking the angel
- Elvis Cole rocks!
- Not Quite As Good As "Monkeys Raincoat", But Still Enjoyable
- Such a disappointment
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Stalking the Angel
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Classics
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Crais, Robert
| ( C )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
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General
| Mystery & Thrillers
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Similar Items:
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The Monkey's Raincoat
-
Free Fall
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Lullaby Town (Elvis Cole)
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Indigo Slam: An Elvis Cole Novel
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Voodoo River
ASIN: 0553057138
Release Date: 1989-09-01 |
Book Description
Bradley Warren had lost something very valuable, something that belonged to someone else: a rare thirteenth-century Japanese manuscript called the Hagakure. Everything PI Elvis Cole knew about Japanese culture he'd learned from reading SHOGUN, but he knew a lot of crooks - and what he didn't know, his sociopathic sidekick Joe Pike did. Together their search begins in LA's Little Tokyo, the nest of the notorious Japanese mafia, the yakuza, and leads to a white-knuckled adventure filled with madness, murder and sexual obsession - just another day's work for Elvis Cole.
Customer Reviews:
Stalking the Second Elvis Cole Novel.......2007-04-10
Stalking the Angel, by Robert Crais, is the second entry in the Elvis Cole Los Angeles Private Investigator series. I guess this should be more appropriately referred to as the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series. I read an interview by the author in which he stated that he didn't suggest reading the books in order, as the recent books are much more indicative of his style and the characters. In spite of that, I have elected to read the books in order, and I am glad that I have. This novel dwelves even further into the odd relationship between Pike and Cole. Pike is at ease killing bad guys, or making Cole breakfast.
The mystery here, or case, involves the Japanese mafia, and one very dysfunctional family that hires Cole to locate a missing Japanese treasure. The story was enjoyable and the characters are outstanding. The wise-cracking Cole had me laughing at several times as I read. While Pike in all his stoic glory is a delight. This book really focues on the true ambiguity that sometimes exists between right and wrong and the good guys and the bad guys.
I highly recommend this book and would encourage any potential Crais readers to jump right in. A strong 4 stars.
Stalking the angel.......2007-04-04
captivating suspense story that reads like a goood novel. A pleasure for the novice or the suspense finatic.
Elvis Cole rocks!.......2007-03-30
I'm a big fan of Michael Connelly and the Harry Bosch series. When I found another crime / mystery novel series set in LA, I was hooked. You've got the smartass, charming, darning detective in Elvis Cole. You've got the serious, mysterious character of Joe Pike. It's a great team.
This novel deals with a missing book, a screwed up family and lots of adventuring. I found that I couldn't put this novel down. The chapters were fairly short and the action was fast and furious. And if you live/lived/visited Los Angeles, it's even more fun as there's a lot of good geography contributing to the story.
Thumbs up!
Not Quite As Good As "Monkeys Raincoat", But Still Enjoyable.......2007-01-03
Wisecracking private investigator Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner Joe Pike are back in "Stalking The Angel", the second novel in the Elvis Cole series. This time Elvis and Joe get involved with the Japanese yakuza when hired by a local businessman to find a priceless Japanese historical artifact. When Elvis gets too close to the truth, the businessman's teenage daughter is kidnapped for leverage.
While the idea of the plot is novel, I found it to be somewhat less interesting than his previous novel. Don't get me wrong - it's still a good read, but at times a bit disjointed, and a couple of little things bugged me. For instance, I found the idea that a Japanese thug would have the Chinese name "Tang" to be somewhat doubtful. While still a smartass, the one-liners Cole drops are a little less funny than in the previous installment. On the plus side Robert Crais keeps on developing the two main characters, allowing little glimpses inside their psyche that made me want to come back for more.
Such a disappointment.......2006-11-28
I have read several Elvis Cole novels and really enjoyed them all... until this one. The plot was just SO unbelievable!!! He goes out on a limb (not unusual for Elvis) but for such a teeny, tiny reason, then, there's a ton of violence and posturing (OK, so that's not unusual for him, either). It was the assumptions he made and the unwelcome "Knight in Shining Armor" schtick that really got to me. Maybe I've just read one too many of his, or something.
Also, I must say, that I rely heavily on Publisher's Weekly Reviews to help me determine which books to read (so many books, so little time...), and I feel the review for this book was way off base.
And, honestly, how does Elvis pay his mortgage and power bills? I've yet to see him take money for a case, isn't he supposed to be a 'professional' private eye?? I just could NOT suspend disbelief while reading this book.
Book Description
The Hell's Angels. The name conjures up images of toughs on Harleys terrorizing the law-abiding; of wild brawls and wild sex; of drugs and cruelty, beatings, and even murder. Their lifestyle, we think, is horrifying, but it's also perversely fascinating, for there's an alluring freedom in such nihilism. Still, nobody knows what it's like to be an Angel except an Angel-an Angel like George Wethern, for many years the vice president of the Oakland Chapter.
Until he found himself in reluctant service to the courts, Wethern was the quintessential Angel, tough as they come, one of the most important drug dealers on the West Coast-a man who loved bikes, fights, women, and drugs; a man who knew the deepest secrets of Angel life. Arrested, strung out on drugs, in despair, he testified in several major trials against Angel members-and then went into hiding.
In A Wayward Angel, we witness killings, drug deals worth millions, "picnics" that are nothing short of orgies, the inner codes and inner workings of the club and its bizarre initiation rites. It is a vivid portrait of the chaos of postwar California, the awful early collision of the drug scene and the alienation of modern life, a story as American as can be. This is a powerful book, and not for the squeamish; but it's fascinating and important, terrifying because it's real.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Read.......2007-06-08
I heard of most of the people he talked about. A little too much about him and not "them." But after all, it is an auto-biography, isn't it?
Very interesting.......2007-05-14
An interesting read, i see other reviews that think it isnt, but this was the thrid book i have read on the subject and i found it insightful, the glory days of the hells angela are what interest me the most and this book details them well. Worth a read for sure.
Just some what pleased.......2007-05-10
Old info about club. Club doesn't operate that way any more.
A Waste of Money and Time.......2006-05-22
Let me save you the money and time of buying and reading this book. Here it is.....I was an Angel; I used, bought, and sold drugs; I got caught and squeeled on my brothers......Thats about all this book says. It's a waste.
Not great, but worth a look.......2006-05-14
George Wethern may appear to be "coming clean" in this book, but just like in every book written by ex-OMG'ers, the bravado as he describes his days with the HAMC is a bit of a turn-off. As Sonny Barger used to say, "Why do they lie about us? The truth is bad enough." Well, neither Sonny nor George seems capable of just laying it out there for us to see in some un-trumped-up manner. At least Sonny's books don't purport to be tell-alls. What is Wethern's excuse?
This book really fell apart at the end. Wethern took a wrong turn. Rather than talking at length about the details of his cooperation with authorities, and his feelings about his "ex-brothers" as well as their feelings for him, he spends little time on it. Instead, we are treated to page upon page of trailer park-esque writings between him and his wife. Who cares?
I also believe that the book was not particularly well edited.
Still, this is sort of a landmark writing because it blows a little lustre off the mystique, and there is not a lot out there by ex-insiders that purports to tell any truth. I do recommend "Under and Alone" by William Queen if you want a little more honesty about what it's like "inside."
As for Wethern's being a "rat", the people in question were all criminals to some degree anyway, so why get hung up on that? I do like the brotherhood aspect of OMGs and I am not particularly fond of rats, but there are reasons why George turned. Wethern was not the only one to not live up to the "brotherhood" ideal.
Book Description
This first-person account tells how author Amy Racina survived for four days and nights, both legs badly broken, in a remote valley in California's Sierra Mountains after a sixty-foot fall during a solo hiking trip. Battling pain, fear and exhaustion, she pulled herself along with her hands, and refused to give up, even when her chances of salvation were remote. The book chronicles her miraculous rescue, and describes her dramatic airlift out of the canyon, swinging helplessly from two straps, dangling fearfully beneath a helicopter high above the ravine where she had lain.
It is an amazing tale of despair and courage and hope. It speaks of incredible strength and heartbreaking weakness as it details what one woman believed might be the last days of her life. It is a memory of the darkest of times—and an affirmation of miracles. It is a celebration of a life almost snatched away, of survival against the odds.
- The book includes deeper spiritual reflections, the heartwarming story of "Helping Amy," the organization set up by the author's friends to aid her recovery, plus tips for wilderness survival.
Customer Reviews:
Inappropriate Marketing.......2007-09-27
I have not read the book and do not intend to. I am posting this review to express my disapproval of the marketing material I found for this book while hiking the John Muir Trail. A card promoting this book was left at the John Muir Hut in Kings Canyon National Park. The park service (and common sense) prohibits such marketing efforts.
Wonderful Read!!.......2007-09-20
I could not put this book down Iam an avid reader and I read it in one day. What a wonderful testament to the human spirit. Amy has such a special gift of telling her story and the people who were key in her survival. Also, her rehabilitation and most of all her own spirit to raise above her situation and overcome so much.
Bless her and her Angels in life.
Thank you in writing the story.
Diane
An amazing story of survival.......2007-07-11
This is surely one of the great stories of survival, on par with `Into Thin Air', `Alive' and `Touching the Void'. A story of heroism, survival and recovery. Amy Racina is an ardent hiker who enjoys great solo journeys in the Mountains of California. She planned a 162 mile journey in Kings Canyon National park in 2003. This was to be in one of the most remote parts of the park, Tehipite, many miles from the nearest hikers, well beaten tracks and worn trails. In this brilliant account the author tells the tale of her tragic accident, a terrible fall, and the rescue at the hand of three `angels' and her subsequent recovery. It is a harrowing tail of someone approaching death in the wilderness, alone. The only downside of the tail is that a majority of it deals with recovery and less of it with hiking. It would have been more interesting to learn more about the great outdoors. However this book will be of great value to anyone recovering from any form of injury. Nevertheless the author provides interesting insights into the `spiritual tools' for survival and interesting stories of her family history and its relationship with the Sierra.
An inspirational survivor story.......2007-05-24
There is something fascinating about wilderness survival stories. Perhaps it's because they offer such stark lessons of despair, courage, and hope. Amy Racina's tale of her falling accident while backpacking solo in a remote valley in California's King's Canyon National Park is no exception. It is harrowing, inspiring and beautifully written. She has a spiritual perspective on her accident that is unique.
I just noticed that Amy has a list here on "Listmania" of her "Favorite True-Life Adventure Books," but I would add her book to the following, as superb survival stories in the wild:
Touching the Void, Joe Simpson
Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Aron Ralston
Jungle: A Harrowing True Story of Survival, Yossi Ghinsburg
Shattered Air: A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite's Half Dome, Bob Madgic
The Bear's Embrace: A Story of Survival, Patricia Van Tighem
Congratulations, Amy, on your recovery, and on writing such a magnificent book. Here's to many more years of hiking in the Sierras.
Capricious disaster and indominable endurance.......2007-03-31
I enjoyed Amy Racine's chronicle of an unexpected, capricious incident that alters forever the life and outlook of a freedom-loving independent woman. Amy Racine shows remarkable introspective self-awareness as she analyzes who she was and why she was so comfortable hiking alone for days and weeks in the wilds of the Sierra Nevadas. Its is a special kind of free spirit that is both independent and trusting, also with a deep love for the quiet solitude of the outdoors. And into this carefully constructed independence comes disaster, and near death. There is no metaphysicial transport here, or mysterious lights or voices in the wilderness. There is pure pain, agony and grit with the will to survive. And suddenly there are also people and relationships and inter-dependence that make survival a possibility. With this comes the awareness that we are not alone, and that people who are perfect strangers can come out of the wilderness or out of a hospital or the city to reach out and touch us and change our lives forever. I've read many out door wilderness epics, many very skillfully written, and epic in their scope. But Amy Racine has a kind of honest vulnerability about herself and what happened that is very refreshing, and you will thoroughly enjoy the read.
Pierce E. Scranton Jr. M.D.
author, "Death on the Learning Curve"
Book Description
In "Tales from the Angels' Dugout", take a look at the lighter side of 41 years of frustration and then re-live the excitement of 2002, when the Angels finally got the monkey off their backs. Author Steve Bisheff reminds us of those colorful days with The Cowboy, Gene Autry and the struggles under the ownership of Walt Disney Co., as well as the curses, hexes and tragedies that haunted the Angels for so long. Bisheff contrasts zany personalities such as Bo Belinsky, Dean Chance, Albie Pearson and Reggie Jackson with the remarkable, but non-superstar bunch that finally won the World Series, including The Gamer, The Pest, The Pure Hitter and The Phenom. Finally, what Angels book would be complete without the Rally Monkey, a mascot that took on a life of its own. "Tales from the Angels' Dugout" is just what Angels' fans have been waiting for to capture on paper the long road culminating into a world championship.
Customer Reviews:
THIS BOOK IS WORTH IT.......2006-05-28
THIS IS A BOOK ABOUT THE EARLY HISTORY AND THE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON OF 2002 CONCERNING THE ANAHEIM ANGELS. THE AUTHOR DOES A GREAT JOB DESCRIBING THE EARLY YEARS WITH EMPHASIS ON THE TRAGIC AND DISAPPOINTING EVENTS THIS FRANCHISE HAS ENDURED. FROM THE PLAYOFF LOSES IN 1979, 1982 AND 1986, THIS TEAM HAS ALSO BEEN SNAKE BITTEN WITH THE DEATHS OF LYMAN BOSTOCK AND DONNIE MOORE. AS THE HEALTH OF OWNER GENE AUTRY DETERIORATED, THE TEAM IMPROVED. HE DIED BEFORE HE SAW THE ANGELS WIN THEIR 1ST WORLD SERIES. THE BOOK ALSO COVERS THE ANGELS 2002 SEASON IN DETAIL AND ALSO FOCUSES ON THE MANY PLAYERS WHO HELPED MAKE IT HAPPEN. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR ALL ANGELS AND BASEBALL FANS.
Brings the story of the Angels up to date........2004-10-28
Although it is not as well organized a book as Ross Newhan's earlier book, this volume brings the story of this often overlooked and tragically plagued franchise up to date, including the magical 2002 World Championship season. Steve Bisheff does bring in stories about the earlier Angels, whom I remember fondly, although he concentrates on the contemporary stars. Both Newhan's and Bisheff's books should be read in conjunction if you want a good picture of the adventures of this team, of whom I have been a fan since its beginning. GO ANGELS!!!
Attention Angels fans. Read this book........2004-06-05
If you're an Angels' fan like me, you will love this book!!
Book Description
Since the 1980s, Los Angeles has become the most racially and economically divided city in the United States. In the poorest parts of South Central Los Angeles, buildings in disrepairâthe legacy of racial unrest. Moving beyond stereotypes of South Central's predominantly African American residents, João H. Costa Vargas recounts his almost two years living in the district. Personal, critical, and disquieting, Catching Hell in the City of Angels examines the ways in which economic and social changes in the twentieth century have affected the black community, and powerfully conveys the experiences that bind and divide its people.
Through compelling stories of South Central, including his own experience as an immigrant of color, Vargas presents portraits of four groups. He talks daily with women living in a low-income Watts apartment building; works with activists in a community organization against police brutality; interacts with former gang members trying to maintain a 1992 truce between the Bloods and the Crips; and listens to amateur jazz musicians who perform in a gentrified section of the neighborhood. In each case he describes the worldviews and the definitions of âblacknessâ these people use to cope with oppression. Vargas finds, in turn, that blackness is a form of racial solidarity, a vehicle for the renewal of African American culture, and a political expression of revolutionary black nationalism.
Vargas reveals that the social fault lines in South Central reflect both contemporary disparities and long-term struggles. In doing so, he shows both the racialized power that makes âblacknessâ a prized term of identity and the terrible price that African Americans have paid for this emphasis. Ultimately, Catching Hell in the City of Angels tells the story of urban America through the lives of individuals from diverse, overlapping, and vibrant communities.
João H. Costa Vargas is assistant professor in the Center for African and African American Studies and the department of anthropology at the University of Texas, Austin.
Robin D. G. Kelley is the William B. Ransford Professor of Cultural and Historical Studies at Columbia University. He is the author of numerous books, including Yo Mama's Disfunktional: Fighting the Culture Wars in Urban America.
Customer Reviews:
Essential reading on Los Angeles.......2006-10-11
South Central L.A. looms large in our popular culture as the center of a dangerous underworld that must be contained and controlled. Finally we get a book that goes beyond the media's ominous depictions. Vargas spends time actually living in the neighborhood and getting to know the people there. He writes about their lives with honesty and compassion. Moreover, unlike many ethnographies of the "ghetto" he avoids the construction of a moral typology that measures behaviors against "mainstream values". Instead he recognizes the actions of residents as complex responses to a political economy and legal system that powerfully marginalizes them. Highly readable, this book should be studied by everybody who wants to know Los Angeles beyond the Hollywood fictions.
Books:
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- Hooked Rugs Today: Strong Women, Flowers, Animals, Children, Christmas, Miniatures, and More - 2006
- I Spy Treasure Hunt (I Spy)
- Image Transfer on Clay: Screen, Relief, Decal & Monoprint Techniques (A Lark Ceramics Book)
- Introducing Character Animation with Blender
- Knitting Around
- Learn-To-Knit-Afghan Book
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