History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog

Average customer rating:

once of the best of 2007 so far!
Is the world ready for Wilce?
Waiting for Number 2
Original, spirited, and funny
Cliché Free, Fresh Fantasy

Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog
Ysabeau S. Wilce
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152054332

Book Description

Flora knows better than to take shortcuts in her family home, Crackpot Hall--the house has eleven thousand rooms, and ever since her mother banished the magickal butler, those rooms move around at random. But Flora is late for school, so she takes the unpredictable elevator anyway. Huge mistake. Lost in her own house, she stumbles upon the long-banished butler--and into a mind-blowing muddle of intrigue and betrayal that changes her world forever.

Full of wildly clever plot twists, this extraordinary first novel establishes Ysabeau Wilce as a compelling new voice in teen fantasy.

Customer Reviews:

once of the best of 2007 so far!.......2007-08-18

Well, after that title, there isn't much more to say except that Flora is a
wonderfully loveable girl and I think you'll enjoy getting to know her!
Oh, all right, I do have more to say:) Flora's father is mad, her mother is a general and the best line in a book I've ever read is in chapter 2. This is a strange and beautifully unique tale. This might be a hard sell for some of the teens I know, but it won't stop me from recommending it to everyone.

Is the world ready for Wilce?.......2007-07-14

Here's a fact: Ysabeau S. Wilce is profoundly original. If you read all the customer reviews here, you'll get the sense that this is not your formula fantasy. But let's make that point more clearly--you will never read another story like this one (unless, possibly, it's her next one, which we all eagerly anticipate).

This is the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of what could, and certainly should, be the next story franchise that graduates from cult status to mainstream blockbuster. Wilce doesn't sugar coat the risks of adolescence: she dips them in ice cream, lights them on fire, and serves the reader a flaming torch of strange wonder.

Laughter and thrilling excitement are delightful companions all through this romp. The subtitle gives a sense of the former, but don't underestimate Wilce's storytelling: great characters in real trouble make for great reading, and Flora is a heroine who speaks equally to the reality as well as the ambitions of young people.

Oh yes, and while this is not specifically a unique observation, I'd also like to note that it is always refreshing to find a fantasy that does not take place in something that could pass for Northern Europe.

Waiting for Number 2.......2007-07-11

I'm not sure yet how I feel about this book. I like it but then again I don't. What I like about it is the originality of the story. The world and its characters are fully developed and very interesting, especially Flora. What I really like about Flora is that she is not your average cookie-cutter, in-your-face, outspoken heroine who saves herself by swinging a sword. Flora on the other hand has self-confidence issues, often doubts her own abilities and has the same faults as any other regular teenager, which make her character more genuine. What I don't like about this novel is that the story itself seems to move rather unsteadily. It slows down then speeds up then slows down again. I also had a little trouble understanding some of the magic or "Current" lingo. A short glossary could have helped that. There are also a lot of cliffhangers that hopefully will turn up in the next book. All in all this book was good but not great, hopefully the second will be better.

Original, spirited, and funny.......2007-06-04

Ysabeau Wilce has created a truly original imaginary world refreshingly free of the cliches of the fantasy genre. What's more, she's provided the perfect tour guide to this world: Flora Fyrdraaca, an irreverent, eager, believably adolescent narrator scheming to escape the expectations of her family and become a Ranger--a magic-using secret agent--instead of following family tradition into the army, madness, and doom. Assigned to write a speech in praise of her noble House, Flora narrowly rejects openings like "Crackpot Hall has 11,000 rooms but only one potty." Indeed, the ancestral pile has seen better days, partly for reasons bound up in the power plays of Flora's illustrious mother, a famous general who tolerates no insubordination and has disabled the magical Butler that should keep the house in order. Motivated partly by sympathy and partly by the desire to have someone else muck out the stable, Flora sets herself a quest to restore the Butler to his rightful place, but she soon discovers that the price of a little help with the housework can be, almost literally, her soul. Flora's quirky comic voice always keeps the danger of her predicament and the dysfunctionality of her family from weighing down the story, which bounces lightly along to its conclusion--or rather, temporary conclusion, because this is the first volume of a trilogy. I'm no Young Adult, and this is a Young Adult book, but I can hardly wait for Volume 2.

Cliché Free, Fresh Fantasy.......2007-06-03

I purchased this book for my daughter after reading Charles de Lint's favorable review in Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine (he's rarely steered me wrong) and after growing impatient waiting for her to begin it, I picked it up to skim the first few pages for myself. There was no skimming; I was immediately absorbed and read the book in one sitting. There was no tired "hero's journey" cliché where the orphan, unaware of his great heritage, begins on a lowly farm. There were innovative and captivating devices, smooth wordsmithing, and the kind of intelligent, brave female protagonist I like my daughter to spend time with. Be sure to check out the author's website and blog.

Bear Loves Food! (Bear in the Big Blue House)

Average customer rating:

A kid favorite
My little girl enjoyed this book!
Feed your child's mind with Bear!
Bearific

Bear Loves Food! (Bear in the Big Blue House)
Janelle Cherrington
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0689824165

Book Description

Do you know what Bear's favorite foods are? Sniff out all kinds of delicious treats in Bear Loves Food!

Customer Reviews:

A kid favorite.......2005-12-06

My 2 year-old loves Bear and this is one of her favorite books. She wants us to read it to her over and over. We just bought our second copy because the first one we had was a pass-down from her older sisters and we wore it out from reading it to the kids so often.
I wish more Bear items were available.

My little girl enjoyed this book!.......2001-08-29

My daughter has always since she was 6 months old loved Bear in the Big Blue House and so we bought her this book and she absolutley loved it. She liked identifying the foods because most of them were her favorites also.

Feed your child's mind with Bear!.......2000-03-28

Our toddler loves Bear and can often be looking at one of her Bear books. Before dinner each evening she wants us to read Bear Loves Food!

In this Bear book Bear talks about different types of food that he loves. He shows that a good variety of foods are just as much his favorites as others. He also introduces Pip, Pop, Treelo, Ojo, and Tutter and their favorite foods.

Bear Loves Food is one of our favorites and I am sure it can be one of yours too!

Bearific.......2000-03-27

My 8 month old loves Bear in the Big Blue House. She enjoys looking at the pictures in this book. The pictures are bold and colorful. It shows bear with all of his friends talking about food It is a very warm book for any child. I would also recommend "Bear Loves Water". My daughter is just amazed by this book.

The Southern Cottage: From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Florida Keys

Average customer rating:

Southern Cottages
Fascinating subject:)
A Treasure

The Southern Cottage: From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Florida Keys
Susan Sully
Manufacturer: Rizzoli
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0847829197
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Book Description

The romantic elements that define the traditional southern cottage-a picturesque picket fence, a breezy sleeping porch, and well-worn heirloom furnishings-have made these small homes perennially stylish. The Southern Cottage showcases the best cozy dwellings in popular seasonal destinations-from the mountains in Virginia and North Carolina to Florida's Panhandle shores and the coast and islands of South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Louisiana. A pristine Victorian lake house and a rustic mountaintop retreat express two moods of escape in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Summer beachside cottages include a colorful Key West home and a century-old family Florida retreat that captures informal old-fashioned spirit. Examples of 19th- and early 20th-century cottages reveal ways in which these diminutive houses satisfy the need for privacy as well as communal living. With tantalizing photographs of shaded porches, stone paths lined with flowers, and wicker-filled rooms, this is an inspiration for those who want their getaway home to evoke the timeless charm of southern living.

Customer Reviews:

Southern Cottages .......2007-09-06

This was an absolute page turner for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful pictures and descriptive dialog. The photos were amazing and were varied with many interior, exterior and garden shots. The only dissapointment was coming to the end!

Fascinating subject:).......2007-05-23

Ever since I purchased a turn of the century farmhouse I have been a bit obsessed w/ reading about the history and culture of the south. I enjoyed this book and the photos but most of all I love reading about the people who choose to live a simple life:)There is something magical about this way of life. I feel so lucky to experience living in a historic home and I enjoyed reading the reviewer's home featured in the book! OMG!!!! It is an honor! CONGRATS!!!! I googled and made trips to the local museum in my area and found my farmhouse written about in a history book and it is thrilling beyond words! Hope someday the author chooses to write "The Southern Farmhouse" Hint!:)

A Treasure.......2007-05-08

Susan Sully's "The Southern Cottage" is a beautifully written book, illustrated with stunning photographs of eighteen charming cottages. In the spirit of full disclosure, my home is featured in the book (four pages of text and eight photos). I had never met Susan before she visited me last year. An officer of our local Preservation Society recommended my home, a mid-nineteenth century "story-and-a-jump" cottage rehabilitated to historic preservation standards, to her.

Susan's photos show my house as it is. All of the furniture and other items in her pictures are mine, ones that I use daily. Sometimes I sit in my parlor with Susan's book open on my lap, and think, "what a wonderful testimony to the love and care we've shown to this historic old house."

In addition to capturing the spirit of my house in photographs, Susan has written several pages describing the house (it belonged to my grandparents), our family history (including colonial settlers, sea captains, and shipwrecks), and life today on a barrier island.

So far I have read only a few other sections (each cottage has its own chapter), but if the book captures the spirit of every house as faithfully as mine (and I have every reason to believe it does) this is a book worthy of any bookshelf.

A House Is Not a Home: A B-Boy Blues Novel (B-Boy Blues)

Average customer rating:

Painfully Boring!
What was I thinking
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz
A Jood Mess
A Sweet and Simple Swan Song

A House Is Not a Home: A B-Boy Blues Novel (B-Boy Blues)
James Earl Hardy
Manufacturer: Amistad
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0066212499
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Customer Reviews:

Painfully Boring! .......2006-08-01

I must agree with the reviews of Perri Litton, Kevin Lee, and P. Wilson. This book is extremely boring. I'm halfway through the book. It's painful to try to finish. I paid money for this book. That is the only reason I haven't put the book back on the book shelf. This book is 232 pages. I can normally read such a short book in one day but I've been struggling for 8 days to finish.

I've read 3 of James Earl Hardy's previous novels; "B-Boy Blues", "2nd Time Around" and "If Only For One Nite". "A House Is Not A Home" is by far the worst.

I was hoping that it would get better as I go along. I lost hope when I read the reviews. If you MUST read this book, check it out from the library.

What was I thinking .......2006-01-16

I am glad that a friend brought the book and gave it to me a gift (which I regifted). For one I wish the author would learn to keep a consistent writing style or learn how to keep his in a range. I cannot compare this book to ealier writings. I can be truthful and say this B-Boys blues was the best and Love the one your with was good, Everything else was horrible. James Earl Hardy was very sloppy with the other three books not mention (for your own sake), I actually started reading this book in a book store and realized it was not good enough to buy. Thank goodness for amazon's discounts because you would be wasting some serious money on this.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.......2006-01-12

The "B" in B-Boy Blues must stand for BORING. I gave it 1 star because zero stars are not permitted.

A Jood Mess.......2005-10-26

I'm sorry, but did I read the same book as the other reviewers? I purchased this book just knowing it was going to be off da chain just based on the reviews from this site. Damn I was wrong. I own every book in the B-boy Blues series and I must say that this maybe the worst of them all. What about going out with a bang? I gave this book 2 stars just because he caught us up pretty well with everyone. I consider the rest a jood mess.

A Sweet and Simple Swan Song.......2005-09-01

James Earl Hardy ends his ground-breaking B-Boy Blues series with a sweet, simple, and constantly affirming tale of black same gender-loving life and love, with particular and powerful focus on the diverse black family.

The sometimes stormy romance, first introduced in 1992, involving buppie journalist Mitchell and Harlem homeboy Raheim, has come full circle when we encounter them in the 2003-set "A House Is Not A Home."

After more than a decade together, they have separated, but have not fully parted, though both re-explore past sexual connections.

Raheim, who has had some Hollywood success and continues to battle certain addictions, must consider the ramifications of coming out to the whole world when he is offered a plum lead in a film about an openly gay athlete.

Mitchell is pretty much a stay-at-home dad. He has a five year old daughter adopted as a new-born from blood relatives. He is also rearing his live-in godson, Erroll, Raheim's 15 year old son we have gotten to know as "Junior" in the 5 previous installments.

Though Mitchell's parenting skills are noteworthy and productive, and are fully supported on both sides of the sexual orientation spectrum, Mitchell, a gifted literary and journalistic artist, wants more out of life.

'House' explores Mitchell, 37, and Raheim, 30, facing life's crossroads, as well as confronting the truths about their mutual relationship.

Told in an easy, dialogue-rich manner (Hardy's ace), 'House' is marvelously deceptive in its unadorned but diamond-class celebration of 'real' family values and the 'it-takes-a-village-credo.

This gentle, unassuming, and heartwarming story, spanning a 4 day Spring weekend in the Big Apple, is filled with universal themes that at once transcend and embrace the sexual and humanitarian natures of our two appealing protagonist. Black or white, gay or straight, "A House Is Not a Home" is a lovely family portrait worthy of being in that honored place on the mantle, above the soothing fireplace.

The fell-good novel of the year.

When You've Got To Go (Bear In The Big Blue House)

Average customer rating:

Great training aid
Great Book
A Very Effective Book for Toilet Training
Not that great
A solid, but not excellent, choice

When You've Got To Go (Bear In The Big Blue House)
Mitchell Kriegman
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Popular Culture | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0689833806

Book Description

Listen to your body when it's time to use the potty! When Tutter, Ojo, and Treelo have questions about going to the bathroom, Bear provides the reassuring answers and guidance that they -- and readers -- need to hear. Pip and Pop also have a great idea that will delight Bear fans who are just starting to use the potty!

Customer Reviews:

Great training aid.......2007-03-12

We have researched many different potty training aids and this is one character that doesn't use baby talk to help motivate your child and is educational. My daughter talks about being like some of the characters in this book and we have found it to be very useful. The video is a great addition to this as it puts the book in visual form and then adds a couple of other topics like hygiene and going to bed.

Great Book.......2007-03-07

This is a great book and goes along with the movie. Excellent potty training tools.

A Very Effective Book for Toilet Training.......2004-11-30

Both of my children love seeing the familiar characters from "Bear In The Big Blue House" in book form, but I believe this book works as well for kids who don't watch the show. The gentle way Bear, along with Luna, the Moon, deals with everyone's fears and anxieties on this subject seems to speak to the heart of children's fears about making this transition. This book was a great help in finally training my 3 1/2- year old who had developed a mental block on the entire subject. It gently reassures and addresses exactly the right things. We've seen the toilet training episode several times, and they love it, but the book gives you the option of taking it into the bathroom and reading it while your future toileteer is trying to make the leap from diapers to big kid. I would also read it to them before we started in the morning as well. My kids asked for this book over and over again, and it's still a favorite. Kids will love this book even after they are fully trained. In addition to being a very useful tool, it is highly entertaining. I can't say enough good things about this book.

Not that great.......2003-04-23

I bought this based on the above reviews but I found it's not that great if you don't watch TV and know these characters. My two year old who was just starting with potty training was very bored with the book. It seems to go on and on. Perhaps it is for older kids than my two year old.

A solid, but not excellent, choice.......2003-01-07

Our son is just beginning the process of toilet training. This book brings forward familiar characters. The pictures are colorful,the word choice is good and the story is good for youngsters. It gets a bit long, but my son stays with it.

I always prefer books that are board pages and not paper so we can let him have the book for his own parousal without supervision. I see this as the only drawback on what is becoming a favorite for my son.

Average customer rating:

Myers tells a good story but should have let it stand on its own.

Growing up in Southwest Philly

the way it was

Darkness on the Edge of Philadelphia

Row House Blues was an emotional roller coaster ride, through those turbulent last days of the neighborhood we loved.

Row House Blues: Tales From the Destruction of Philadelphia's largest Catholic Parish
Jack, Myers
Manufacturer: Infinity Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Row House Days: Tales from a Southwest Philadelphia Childhood

ASIN: 0741434962
Release Date: 2006-11-17

Product Description

Combine a neighborhood in turmoil, a strong blue-collar family, and a teenager with middle class instincts what do you get? Row House Blues. . . . In Jack Myers' sequel to Row House Days, the Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood of Jimmy Morris' childhood is no longer simply declining it's plunging headlong into the abyss. As neighbors sell out and head for the suburbs, a painful choice confronts the Morrises: to remain in their once-comfortable row home, or opt for a new life beyond the city limits. The definitive, hard-hitting story of white America's late-twentieth century exodus from our inner cities.

Customer Reviews:

Myers tells a good story but should have let it stand on its own........2007-07-04

The blurb on the cover that calls this book "controversial" is NOT exaggerating. In ROW HOUSE BLUES, author Jack Myers expresses views on one of the most sensitive subjects in all of human history, and one of the most turbulent periods in recent human history, that are firmly in opposition to the "party line."

RHB is the sequel to ROW HOUSE DAYS, a fictionalized account of the author's Southwest Philadelphia childhood. RHB picks up where RHD leaves off, chronicling the author's junior high and high school years, and ending with an epilogue set in the present day. Like RHD, RHB is a series of short, self-contained episodes that concern both Myers's personal experiences and his perception of the events of the day.

-- but this time, the events of the day play a much more significant role. The time is the late 1960s. The Vietnam war rages, along with the antiwar protests, demonstrations, and peace marches. The draft claims one of the teenagers from the neighborhood, but more importantly to "Jimmy Morris" and his family and friends, the enmity between blacks and whites has escalated into a war of its own. The powers that be seek peace through forced integration, which only makes things worse, Jimmy must attend Catholic school because public school is as perilous as the battlefields of Vietnam. But the situation isn't confined to school. Ultimately Jimmy, his family, and his friends find themselves the unwelcome intruders in the very neighborhood they grew up in.

As with RHD, Myers knows how to tell a good story. He has avoided one of the traps that would-be autobiographers often fall into -- assuming that an event will be fascinating for everyone, just because it was significant for you. Myers is careful to select incidents that will hold your interest for their entertainment value, emotional impact, or historical significance. If you like to tell stories about your own life, but find your intended audience yawning or walking out on you, you can learn a valuable lesson from both books.

Of course, it helps that there's plenty of inherent drama in the late 1960s, but, ironically, that creates one problem. As RHB progresses and the events of the times become more significant and more intriguing, the stories that deal purely with Myers's personal experiences start to seem like an intrusion. I also feel that if Myers wanted to provide a definitive account of the downside of the 60s, he should have mentioned the Altamont disaster -- especially since he discusses Woodstock.

But I had a bigger problem with RHB that I didn't have with RHD. This time, Myers isn't as successful in avoiding another problem that often plagues the "autobiographically challenged" -- insisting that the reader/listener agree you got a raw deal on the occasion being described. Throughout the main body of the book, it isn't a matter of anything Myers himself says. As with RHD, he recounts events without editorializing, and if the stories were there by themselves, they would leave the reader to form his/her own opinion. But there are also numerous quoted passages that contain a great deal of editorializing about the situation. Granted, the use of quotes to amplify an author's point is an established literary technique, but in my experience, the quotes are confined to the beginning or end of the book, or possibly to the beginning of each major section. Placing the quotes at the beginning of EVERY CHAPTER seems a bit heavy-handed.

More heavy-handed, however, is the 70-page epilogue. It would have been okay by itself, as an essay, but as the ending of RHB, it reminds me a bit of those closing narration's to THE TWILIGHT ZONE, wherein Rob Serling would hit you over the head with his point, just in case you didn't get it from the episode itself. Again, Myers is a good story teller, which means that his story could have spoken for itself, and he should have let it.

So do I agree with Myers? On the general subject of the late 60s being a bad time, yes I do -- which is another reason I wish he'd mentioned Altamont. I'm one of those who feel that incident served to shatter the illusion that the 60s was a time of peace and love.

Regarding the race problem, though, I'm ambivalent. On the one hand, I've had plenty of experiences that support Myers's position, including harassment at school and being robbed several times on the streets of Philadelphia. And those were just the major incidents. On the other hand, the white population is certainly not without culpability. Myers does discuss slavery in his epilogue, but feels that sufficient reparation has been made. I can see where many people might find that assertion debatable, given the history of black oppression in the USA since the times of slavery. In fact, in the main body of RHB, Myers does recount several incidents of white prejudice, but he doesn't seem to take these into account when forming his final opinion.

However, although I'm not sure Myers is being completely fair, I DO NOT think he's guilty of racism or bigotry. He is critical of black attitudes, but never advocates hatred of blacks or tries to make a case for their inherent inferiority. So if you're going to get angry with Myers, get angry over the right thing.

But even though I have mixed feelings about the opinions expressed in RHB, I applaud Myers's willingness to express them, knowing they're in violation of the "political correctness" directive. While I agree with the general intention of political correctness, I think it's been taken too far, to a point where no one can feel completely free to express themselves. RHB definitely asserts that freedom, and as I said before, Myers is a good story teller. If RHB makes you a bit uncomfortable, it's still an interesting read.

Growing up in Southwest Philly.......2007-04-11

This book is a must read if you grew up in southwest Philly. I had no idea what really was behind the decline of the greatest neighborhood on earth, until I read Jack Myers book. It was truly a walk down memory lane for me as well as an explanation of what happened to the Mom and Pop stores and decline of the parrishes.

the way it was.......2007-03-31

jack told it like it was. it was like going back to 1970 all over. couldn't put the book down.

Darkness on the Edge of Philadelphia.......2007-03-09

Since writing my review of Mr Myers' "Row House Days" I have had several email communications with the author. I do not claim that I am free of bias(nor should anyone else). However, I state this up front as many critics of Meyers'first effort sought to disparage those who liked the book as neighborhood croneys. Fine.

If you think you have a better book in you about your beloved southwest Philadelphia, by all means write it.

I ( and many others) would be particularly interested in the African American perspective on neighborhood changes in Philly. I think it was a nightmare for all concerned and that is a story that also needs to be told. Unfortunately, Mr. Myers is not qualified to tell it.

Now, it has been said that early Baby Boomers remember a world reflected in "Father Knows Best" while the ones that came later remember a childhood of unrest and uncertainty at home and war abroad. Similarly, I often expressed confusion about Mr. Myers' sentimental recollections of the old neighborhood. I think neighborhood decline was in motion the day I was brought home from Fitzgerald Mercy and continued until the day my father reluctantly got us the hell out of Dodge in the early 1970's. I'm one of those who came later.

The neighborhood I remember is pretty accurately depicted in Row House Blues. Here, Mr. Myers painstakingly reconstructs a neighborhood in decline. His recollections are detailed and poignant.

If you are a fan of the first book, you'll find his epilogue to be the best writing he's done so far. There, he gives a broader context to the day to day lives of the people of Kingsessing and details how socio-economic forces well beyond their control put their lives in a state of complete upheaval. It isn't pretty or politically correct. However, political correctiness is a luxury reserved for those not living on the brink of economic disaster.

It is good reading.

So, once again, here is an endorsement from a fellow Southwest Philadelphia refugee. I do not claim impartiality. So take my words for what they're worth.

I hope you enjoy reading Row House Blues.

Row House Blues was an emotional roller coaster ride, through those turbulent last days of the neighborhood we loved........2006-12-24

This book is controversial only in that it dares to tell the truth. It cuts through the political correctness which all to often stifles honest discussion. It tells the sad tale of the metamorphosis of one proud city neigborhood. It is a metaphor for many.
As one whom grew up in Philadelphia's Kingsessing section, attended Most Blessed sacrament and West Catholic High, there was an erie sense of deja-vu. Jack Myers does yoeman's work in transporting us back in time, to those familar streets, and alleys, where we played boxball, wire ball and ringup. Had a cheese steak, and a black/ white milkshake at Phil's Deli. Where we whiled away summer nights on our favorite corner. The characters in his book are familiar to all whom were privliged to experience being part of that extended family, of neighborhood.
This book is a must read for anyone whom grew up in Philadelphia(or any big city), when it truly was a city of neighborhoods.
Where working class ethnic people, in many cases, one generation from poverty, eked out a living...and lived, in their urban cacoon. I could not stop laughing at some of the tales. As well as experiencing a rekindled sense of neighborhood pride. I had to fight back feelings of long buried anger at the destruction ultimately bought on by wrong- headed social experimentation, perpetrated by "progressive" elites, from their Ivory Towers.
There is obviously a racial element to this story, in that those moving in were African-Americans, inflamed by years of unjust treatment, leading in many cases to a misguided distrust of all whites. There were good people, both Black and White whom tried to make it work. With the social upheaval of the 60s, Martin Luther King's assasination...the odds were against them. All of the ingredients were in place for... "Row House Blues".

Average customer rating:

Plenty of lovely decoration ideas for incorporating blue into an overall home scheme

Choosing Blue: Color You Can Live With
Stephanie Hoppen
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0823006697
Release Date: 2006-02-01

Book Description

• Exciting new approach to choosing color for the home

• Book is organized from baby blue to midnight blue—with azure, teal, robin's egg, cobalt, lapis, Ming, and Wedgwood in between

• Packed with stunning full—color photographs

Think of decorating with blue and most people think of blue and white, or maybe a touch of sunflower yellow. It's time to stop thinking small and start thinking big—big like the sky, big like the ocean. This imaginative guide shows readers exactly how to use blue, in all its many shades and tones, to create distinctive, personal palettes for the home without the stress of experimenting. Success is guaranteed every time, whether the interior is traditional, modern, country, or eclectic. Choosing Blue is packed with practical design advice on matching and choosing colors as well as ways to select accents to use with blues for wall coverings, textiles, and accessories. Choosing Blue offers an eye-opening new way to look at color in the home.

Customer Reviews:

Plenty of lovely decoration ideas for incorporating blue into an overall home scheme.......2006-04-04

Choosing Blue: Color You Can Live With discusses how to decorate with blue and complimentary combinations to create distinct home styles without experimenting. Success is guaranteed with an approach which pairs design tips with overall insights on mixing and matching complimentary colors. Organized by shades of blue, Choosing Blue provides color photos throughout and plenty of lovely decoration ideas for incorporating blue into an overall home scheme.

Average customer rating:

useless
For the most part I liked it.
Beautiful book of blue and white decor.

Blue and White Living
Stephanie Hoppen
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0609603566
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Amazon.com

Blue and white is the simplest color combination to decorate with, because most shades of blue look good with other shades of blue and because so many world cultures have produced art and home furnishings in those colors. Therefore, its subtleties are often overlooked. Stephanie Hoppen takes us on a blue-and-white tour of the world: the turquoise tiles of Turkey, the soft milky blues of Sweden, the marine blues of the Caribbean, the crisp dark blue of Chinese pottery, all set off by clean white paint, linens, and porcelain. China, glass, fabric, and tile are all featured in chapters on dining, sleeping, and bathing in blue and white, with close to 200 lovely photographs by Fritz von der Schulenberg making it all look at once peaceful and lively. There's an accessibility to the beauty of blue and white; Hoppen shows that mixing and matching shades and styles is practical and fun. As she says, "We may not live in castles, palaces, or idyllic country retreats, but we can all enjoy the beauty of blue and white living."

Book Description

Fresh and crisp with a classic appeal, the combination of blue and white is the world's most popular decorating scheme. From Chinese tiles to French fabrics, from the deep blues and bright whites of Greece to the pastels of Wedgwood china, these colors can be found around the globe, used in the most beautiful ways. With Blue & White Living, you can bring those same styles into your own home, whether you are decorating a grand mansion or a country cottage, reupholstering a sofa, or simply draping a quilt on a bed.

Stephanie Hoppen, owner of a decorative antiques gallery in London, is the ideal guide to blue and white's exciting possibilities. In Blue & White Living, Hoppen highlights the major rooms of the house--bedrooms, dining areas, living rooms, and bathrooms--in addition to devoting chapters to collectibles, fabrics, pictures, and exteriors. With careful attention to each room, she showcases the colors in all their decorative forms, including curtains, carpets, paint, pillows, crystal, porcelain, upholstery, and more. And since the book features hundreds of full-color photographs, it will immediately inspire, educate, and demonstrate why the combination of blue and white is both fresh and versatile.

Blue & White Living is a must for collectors and decorators who are interested in creating unlimited variations on a timeless theme.

Stephanie Hoppen owns The Stephanie Hoppen Gallery in London, where she is an expert dealer in decorative antiques, books, and maps. She works as an independent consultant to both private and corporate clients and is developing the merchandising of her picture archive. The author of Decorating with Pictures (Potter, 1991), she resides in London.

With the practical inspiration of Stephanie Hoppen's decorating expertise and Fritz von der Schulenburg's vivid photographs, the classic look of blue and white finds hundreds of exciting new interpretations.

Customer Reviews:

useless.......2002-07-10

Very dissappointed with this book. I did not find it at all helpful in planning a blue and white living room. The information was more common sense than proffessional advice and education.

For the most part I liked it........1999-08-06

A reader in Wisconsin

I read the book and for the most part I enjoyed it. The book have giving me many ideas on the the basic theme of blue and white. Two disappointment that I did have is that the color combinations were some what limited. (few blue-greens, violets, greyblues etc.) Also it tended to lack practical ideas for the average home. However for the most part it is helpful.

Beautiful book of blue and white decor........1999-04-05

This book is a must for anyone who loves blue and white decorating. The photographs are magnificent! I highly recommend.

Welcome to the Big Blue House (Bear in the Big Blue House)

Average customer rating:

Thank god for Amazon
Bear wins again!
Delightful
very nice
Great Book - AND Durable TOO

Welcome to the Big Blue House (Bear in the Big Blue House)
Ellen Weiss
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 068982386X

Book Description

Which room in Bear's house has the most surprises? Come on inside and find out in Welcome to the Big Blue House! -- with 13 flaps to lift.

Customer Reviews:

Thank god for Amazon.......2006-08-02

It is impossible to purchase any of the books from the Bear in the Big Blue House in Australia. My son was extremely happy when he opened his package and found the book. He loves lifting the flaps to discover whats underneath them.

Bear wins again!.......2006-02-22

My son is just in LOVE with Bear...and anything to do with him. He is 14 months old and this is the perfect book for him. Lots of little flaps to open and look under, a short story to keep his attention and of course, bright, colorful photos of Bear and his friends! If your child loves Bear, they will love this book.

Delightful.......2005-09-16

My nephew's two year old daughter and eleven month old son absolutely love Bear and his friends. This book enchants them as much as the Bear DVDS they have.

very nice.......2004-10-22

Okay, if your child loves Bear in the big blue house, like mine does, you can't go wrong with this book.
It is cute, entertaining and will keep the little bear fan happy for a while.
The colors are bright and the entire book is nice, truly a lot of things to see and to point out and hey you can start telling your own story with items you see in the book. Ask your child questions about the items and what bear or Ojo would do with them.
BUT...the flaps are really small. I had to wear them in for my little girl. They stick to the pages very tightly and are hard to open or see at first. Like everything else. A couple of times used and it all works much better. But for the eager reade/listener it is a bit frustriating at first.

I also find the story a bit short, but hey it is bear.. he rocks and we love him no matter what.

Enjoy it, it is a nice book

Great Book - AND Durable TOO.......2003-04-11

I don't usually do reviews, but this book has survived for 3.5 yrs now which is unusual for the "lift the flap books". I have 16 mo twins and my little girl twin likes these kinds of books but finds them to be the "lift and rip and tear" books. Not so with this book - the flaps have actually survived her curiosity and destructiveness! And of course, we all love Bear, Tutter and his friends. A worthwhile purchase for your kids library.

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