Screaming to be Heard, Revised and Updated: Hormonal Connections Women Suspect, and Doctors Ignore

Average customer rating:

It's about time someone got it right!

Very informative

Women's health

I am a patient of Dr. Vliet

Great Book, But Not Easy to Read!

Screaming to be Heard, Revised and Updated: Hormonal Connections Women Suspect, and Doctors Ignore
Elizabeth Vliet
Manufacturer: M. Evans and Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0871319144

Book Description

In this book, Dr. Vliet continues her crusade to debunk myths and misinformation on women's health.

Customer Reviews:

It's about time someone got it right!.......2007-09-11

How frustrating is it to go to the doctor and just be told, "Take a pill and you'll be fine"? Or even WORSE, "It's all in your head"?!
This book LISTENS and KNOWS!! THANK YOU!!!

Very informative.......2007-05-13

Totally comprehensive - so far I've dipped in and out of this book and found it very informative. Such a complicated issue I'm not sure I've identified my own problem yet but have many chapters to read.

Women's health.......2007-01-10

This book was great for helping me get the nerve to face the issues I needed to face. It let me know how to face some issues with confidence. A good book for anyone who is facing issues that they can't seem to get across to the medical profession.

I am a patient of Dr. Vliet .......2006-07-28

I purchased Dr. Vliet's book while searching for relief from a difficult gynecological and urinary tract problem. I found the chapters dealing with my problem very easy to read and could not put it down. I was so impressed, that I made an appointment to visit her office. Over 4 hours were spent at Dr. Vliet's office going over in great detail my medical history. I had these problems for almost 20 years, and other doctors had told me "it was all in my head"! Dr. Vliet clearly explained why I had these problems and we developed a successful treatment plan. The staff was empathetic and knowledgable. Her research is exceptional and I have recommended this book to other doctors and medical professionals. Very few doctors are knowledgable about hormones largely do to the misinformation in the press and the propaganda distributed by the drug companies. It has been 3 years since I first visited Dr. Vliet and I thank God every day that I found this book and my life has returned to normal.

Great Book, But Not Easy to Read!.......2006-03-31

This book is fantastic and you get a true sense in your gut that she is telling the facts. I have recommended this book to several doctor friends and regular friends, who all have ordered it. All my friends have the same complaint, that their doctors won't listen to them or won't give them the tests they want. Fortunately my dr. is very open to trying different things. What my doctor said, is it's my body and I can chose how to deal with it. One thing that is interesting, is that I asked my doctor for the N-telopeptide (NTx) test, and they had never heard of it. Also the lab where I had the test done had never heard of it either. Just goes to show you have to be your own advocate!

The only bad thing about this book, is it is not easy reading. I am on my fourth reading, trying to absorb and notate the various things. You have to read and dig out the various things that you have to do, they are not all cleary spelled out. And if you are in that "fuzzy" state in your life, this makes it even harder. But it's a definate buy!

Average customer rating:

Brilliant!!!
SAME OLD STORY - Cliché
Lescroart does an admirable job of reviving his flagging series.
Loved it!
EUREKA!!!

The Suspect
John Lescroart
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0525949984
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Book Description

On the heels of The Hunt Club—his biggest bestseller to date—John Lescroart weaves a new story of crime and justice in San Francisco that will keep pages turning and readers guessing from start to dizzying finish.

When Dr. Caryn Dryden is found floating dead in her hot tub, homicide inspector Devin Juhle targets a suspect close to home: her husband, Stuart Gorman. After all, Stuart was recently asked for a divorce . . . and he stands to gain millions in insurance. His alibi—that he was at his cabin on Tamarack Lake that weekend—doesn't keep him out of hot water. But maybe a shrewd attorney will.

Gina Roake, a partner in Dismas Hardy's firm, is eager to take on such a high-profile case, especially when the client's innocence seems so easy to prove. Yet the more time she spends with Stuart, the more complicated her feelings become; she feels strangely drawn to him at first, then has to confront the possibility of a dark history lurking in his past. Desperate to know the truth, Gina calls in Wyatt Hunt to investigate. Before the facts are in, her client is on the lam; he's already been tried in the press, and so he's certain the courtroom won't bring him any mercy either. Racing to a stunning conclusion as Gina uncovers disturbing answers, The Suspect is a chilling story of secrets, love, and lies.

Building on The Hunt Club's phenomenal success, The Suspect showcases the writing of a master of suspense at the height of his art.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant!!!.......2007-09-14

Getting only better and better, with "The Suspect" John Lescroart has written a legal thriller which has it all. Brilliant story/case. Brilliant characters. Brilliant setting. Brilliant dialogue. Brilliant courtroom scenes. Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!

Lescroart is staying within the legal circle in San Francisco, created around the hero from his first books, attorney Dismas Hardy. This time there is a heroine, Hardy's colleague Gina Roake, who takes on her first murder case ever, with all the challenges this entails.

Besides being the perfect legal thriller - you never guess who did it, at least not until the very end - "The Suspect" has a lot of humour in it. Lawyers and police have their own language in order to cope with the grim reality they daily face in their work. Lescroart has invented characters like lawyer colleague Wes Farrell. Fashion ikon bizarre/eccentricc with his unique! style and unbelievable collection of T-shirts (One reading: "I'm out of my mind...please leave a message!"). Farrell's beloved dogs also belong in the limelight. Late boxer Bart and labrador puppy Gert. The latter daily present at the premises of law firm "Freeman, Farrell, Hardy & Roake". Smuggled in behind the back of spinster Chief Commandeer par excellance, receptionist Phyllis, who leads her troops with iron will and no nonsense.

And then there is "Lou The Greek's", whose restaurant is favoured among San Francisco's legal elite. Not for the food though, only choice on the menu per day being "The Special". A curious Greek/Chinese concoction created by Lou's Chinese wife Chui, and often leading guests to the nearest burger joint afterwards...

Is there so room for serious legal business in all this? Oh yes. You bet. Lescroart has more than done his homework. The investigation is thorough and diverse, leading to ever new possibilities and surprises. The detailed courtroom dialogue, written with perfect professional accuracy, is very much alive, not missing a beat.

As all Lescroart's novels. "The Suspect" is a highly human book. The people are real. Chliché it may be, but they really feel like friends you don't want to leave.

Thanks to all the wonderfully entertaining details and unique sense of humour which make you stop and read passages several times over - and laugh - this page-turner luckily lasts a little bit longer than it otherwise would.

But still. It's awful when it ends. May there soon be more from my favourite author. Please!

A MUST read for fans of the legal thriller and likely to convert those who have yet to discover this genre - and John Lescroart. A master author not to be missed!!!

SAME OLD STORY - Cliché.......2007-07-08

Husband & wife in dead or dying marriage, have fight. Hubby takes off to his lake cabin to get away. Gets drunk, violently destroys the contents of the cabin, decides to come home early, finds his wife dead in the hot tub.

He is stunned! when he realizes the police consider him a suspect (person of interest). Is also stunned when he hears that they are going to do an autopsy. "You mean he's going to cut her up?" "Jesus christ, this is unbelievable. She's just now dead. It's only been a few hours. Don't you understand that? You don't have to cut her up. It won't make any difference." Nobody is going to stand there and say such dumb things to the police. I'd bet you that 99.9% of people in that situation are not going to be saying too much of anything because they know that it is out of their hands. A death has occurred and the whys and wherefores must be found.

Lots of money involved of course! (7 to 10 million!) and of course 99% of it is the dead wifes. Life insurance is 3 million.

As the investigation deepens more and more not so nice things come crawling out of the closet tainting the husbands character. Possible relationship between husband and his wifes sister....

All the characters in this story are the ideal. All the women are perfect beauties in mind, body and soul. The men are manly men (Hubby = "the developed torso could have been that of a man half his age. ...strong jaw, nearly surgical cleft in his chin, good head of hair, blue eyes"...)

Lescroart goes into great detail describing everyones clothes and how each person looks in them. Ya know all that unnecessary bs padding.

Unoriginal, cliché and formulaic best discribes this book.

Lescroart does an admirable job of reviving his flagging series........2007-06-17

Picking up this book I was fully expecting yet another Dismas Hardy book. I have felt that the last few efforts of Lescroart have been fairly underwhelming. However, Hardy only makes cameo appearances here and I found myself excited to be dragged into both a familiar world and a wholly new character to explore.

I was reminded here of Scott Turrow who has used secondary characters from previous books and then gone on to create stories that mesh with the stories from past works while investigating new characters. This is what Lescroart has done here.

This time around, Lescroart is investigating the character Gina Roake is the lawyer hired to represent a murder suspect. A lot of predictable things come to pass here. Of course you will expect that in any legal fictional account for the protagonist to hit a point of rock bottom where everything is stacked against the client and all seems lost, only to storm back and save the day. Seems like this is an almost universal under-lying theme amongst the legal-thriller writers crowd.

What saves this book is a well crafted multifaceted array of possible villains. Until the end you wont really know who it is that has killed the protagonists wife. From one chapter to the next, Lescroart builds up four or five good solid suspects including the man that Gina is an attorney for.

What takes this book down a little, is that it was very predictable. If you like the Lescroart books, I can say with confidence that you will enjoy this one. Too many plot holes are left at the end for this book to be a classic, but this is still a fun few hours of time.

Loved it!.......2007-05-30

Although I didn't enjoy The Hunt Club - John Lescroat comes back with another great courtroom drama - He is very detailed and keeps you hanging on every page.

EUREKA!!! .......2007-04-01

So startling to make a new discovery...when an 'avid' reader and find I've just uncovered an 'avid' writer who's been there all along.
"Suspect" and John Lescroart another thrilling 'first'for me.
I was about one third into it when I was back to Amazon Books ordering another.
Definitely a 'page turner' that I tried to slow down as I wanted to keep reading as long as possible. Enthusiastically told my daughter about it only to hear, "Of course, John Lescroart...Mom,where have you been???"

The Unusual Suspect: My Calling to the New Hardcore Movement of Faith

Average customer rating:

typical
Couldn't make it past the first paragraph
Stevie B has a great Holy Spirit directed book
can't help but love this guy!
I found Baldwin's "tell it like it is" style refreshing and genuine

The Unusual Suspect: My Calling to the New Hardcore Movement of Faith
Stephen Baldwin , and Mark Tabb
Manufacturer: FaithWords
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Perfect Paperback

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ASIN: 0446579750

Book Description

Stephen Baldwin explains why he compares his new life of faith to jumping out of an airplane without a parachute, and calls on you to take the plunge.

When Stephen Baldwin was riding the wave of fame from his most successful movie, The Usual Suspects, he thought he was in his glory. Hot in Hollywood--whatever Stephen wanted, Stephen got. Years later, happily married and living his life far from Hollywood, Stephen happened upon Christianity via a most unusual conversion. Now Stephen takes us behind the scenes and tells the stories we've yet to hear--of celebrity fun, curious family, and hardcore faith. He takes an in-depth look at the church's current role in society and the extreme faith movement. It's obvious Stephen has identified his new role in life--that of a Christian--a role more radical than anything in Hollywood.

Customer Reviews:

typical.......2007-09-25

I started this book with an intense curiosity to see just what type of faith this man would be talking about. Certainly we can see that Mr. Baldwin is living a much better life since he adopted Christianity! There is no doubt about that.

But where he falls short is when he starts trying to preach and convert others. His claim that only his God is the right one, and his belief in a literal interpretation of the Bible point to the fact that he can only address the lower ends of the belief spectrum: the Stage ones (see my blog: BeliefStagesandGrowth.com for explanation) who are as yet totally unprincipled and need to adopt that type of religion to make their lives work and the Stage Twos who have already adopted his same type of Christianity and are happy to find their own beliefs substantiated by his.

Certainly, Mr. Baldwin's ministry is of great benefit to the Stage Ones of the world. I wish him much luck in converting all of them! But I do wish there were more understanding in the world that other forms of belief (including that held by many more advanced Christians - Stage Fours) that hold validity as well. Mr. Baldwin makes the mistake of assuming all the world either follows his religion, (called Stage twos on my blog: BeliefStagesandGrowth.com) or lives a totally unprincipled life filled with the chaos of his own pre-Christian experience. (called Stage one on my blog) He seems to try to refute the objections some of the upper level believers might offer (i.e. a God of love would never send anyone to hell,) but he does so in a typically Stage two way - with short, pat answers that come from the bible and are based simply on blind faith.

The only trouble with promoting this simplistic belief system as being the final word is that it discourages the possiblity of questioning and growth to one of the more mature forms (http://beliefstagesandgrowth.com/blog/2007/07/29/walter-clarks-criteria-for-a-mature-religion/)that people might be able to achieve, were the less mature form not being touted in such a pat way by people like Mr. Baldwin.

Couldn't make it past the first paragraph.......2007-09-24

I decided to check this book out because I had heard some great things about the upcoming movie "Midnight Clear". As I read the first paragraph, I was troubled by the comment he made about Barney- ??? - Rubble. What is that about? We all now what that's a euphemism for. It was a red flag for me. I'm not judging the guy. I just don't want to read that.

Stevie B has a great Holy Spirit directed book.......2007-08-30

Stevie B's book I truely believe is inspired by God HIMSELF. What the Lord is doing in the Livin it Ministries is great. You can really see the power of God in Unusual Suspect and with the wonderful stories and teaching to the Young and old, married and unmarried alike. God is AWESOME!! I really pray that the Lord Jesus does a great and mighty work with this book and the Ministry to bring many into HIS KINGDOM.

can't help but love this guy!.......2007-07-28

can't help but love this guy! Pray for him as he ministers to his family...pray for his family too!

Keys to Third Heaven...Using Third Heaven Revelation to Impact a World

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I found Baldwin's "tell it like it is" style refreshing and genuine.......2007-06-06

Over the years, I've been a bit skeptical about celebrities who become Christians and actively proclaim their faith in Jesus. I took this type of "show me it's true" attitude as I began reading Stephen Baldwin's book with the subtitle, "My Calling to the New Hardcore Movement of Faith." I have seen a few of his films and am familiar with his acting brothers.

Page by page, this book wins over the skeptics, and the reality of Baldwin's genuine Christian experience rings true through these chapters. We learn about the youngest Baldwin brother, who was raised in a middle-class Irish Catholic family in Massapequa, New York. In the opening chapter, Baldwin talks about the depth of his chasing celebrity and a story about seeing Robert Downey, Jr. at the Playboy Mansion. Downey leads Baldwin to a beautiful wine cellar where four playmates are smoking pot. Since Baldwin had stopped drinking several years earlier, he saw the meaninglessness of the situation and left.

Describing his life as blessed and lucky, Baldwin sheds light on his acting career and how it's given him a platform to talk to American youth --- and actually have them listen. Ironically, most teens recognize him from Bio-Dome, a film that the critics hated. As he writes, "God had me make this film to give me the platform that would later become my life's work. At the time, I just wanted to goof off with Pauly Shore for a couple of months. God knew that, and He also knew the plans He had for my life, plans He made sure came to pass."

Baldwin's faith story is told in detail. His wife, Kennya, hires Augusta, a Brazilian housekeeper who only speaks Portuguese. Since Kennya is from Brazil, she can communicate with Augusta. But the housekeeper has one minor quirk: she walks around the house singing about Jesus. Because of Augusta, Baldwin's wife begins to read her Bible and occasionally attend some Bible studies. During a year of prayer for her husband, Kennya shows him Jesus; ultimately, during the ninth and twelfth months, he begins to listen.

Baldwin describes his journey to grow in his faith and give control to Jesus. The Unusual Suspect covers the basics of faith for a new believer from Baldwin's perspective. His stories are unconventional, and his insights about the centrality of the Bible, the importance of prayer and the reality of love for the lost have a freshness that will resonate with many people.

Throughout the book, Bible verses are woven into the text in an appropriate and non-preachy manner. My skepticism turned to enthusiasm as I read about Baldwin's experiences combined with the skilled storytelling from writer Mark Tabb. Baldwin has had a true encounter with Jesus and is out to change his world. He doesn't claim to have all the answers, but he clearly understands that the love of God has to be balanced with the fear of God's pending wrath. Toward the end of the book, Baldwin includes some words that may startle the conservative crowd: "You can think all of this is a bunch of crap. That's your right. You can slam this book shut and say I don't know what I'm talking about. You can say that the God of love you believe in would never send anyone to hell. You can take that chance if you want. But keep this in mind: A day of judgment is coming. Don't blame me when the lever is pulled and you start falling toward hell."

I found Baldwin's "tell it like it is" style refreshing and genuine. I wholeheartedly recommend The Unusual Suspect.

--- Reviewed by W. Terry Whalin

The Fingerprints of God: Tracking the Divine Suspect through a History of Images

Average customer rating:

Re-forming the Reformation
Burns the Heart

The Fingerprints of God: Tracking the Divine Suspect through a History of Images
Robert Farrar Capon
Manufacturer: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802847684

Book Description

In The Fingerprints of God best-selling author Robert Farrar Capon takes readers on a sleuthing project, using his own uniquely developed history of images to find evidence of the Divine Suspect in our midst." "Capon first explores various images that prompt proper talk about God and the nature of Scripture. The Bible, he says, is the mystery story of God's hidden presence as the Divine Suspect behind all history. Capon discusses the misuse of Scripture due to literalist interpretation, looks at the ways Christ has suffered at the hands of human image-makers, and proposes a novel understanding of salvation history that clarifies the proper roles of Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus." "In the second part of the book Capon turns his magnifying glass on major thinkers from church history - Irenaeus, Athanasius, Anselm, Luther, Melanchthon, Calvin, Julian of Norwich, and others - pointing out both the strong and the weak images they have produced. Throughout the centuries, Capon sees God as the "Divine Bowler" trying to knock down the faulty "pins" of ideas that have been set up in the lanes of religious history, while also disclosing himself in profound and powerful ways.

Customer Reviews:

Re-forming the Reformation.......2000-08-08

Father Capon has done it again! He has given us food for thought with his own unique spin. True, he makes points that he's already made in preceding books - but in this one, he zeros in on the mistakes of some of the church fathers and puts a name to it - "transactionalism" - the old left-brain idea that one must contribute some kind of coin - sacrifice, repentance, good works - whatever - to deserve the free gift of forgiveness and grace given by God from the get-go to humanity. The Reformation kicked transactionalism out the front door, proclaiming salvation by grace, through faith, (not works), but let it right back in the back door by stipulating that faith was the current coin of the realm.

In his own inimitable style, Father Capon has the Holy Spirit saying (in a dialogue among the Trinity at the beginning of the book), "They're going to paint themselves into a corner and say that the unbaptized go to hell or even that sins after Baptism make forgiveness flake off like a bad paint job, and that unless Christians go to confession for a second coat before they die, they'll go to hell too. Oh sure. We've also agreed on this Reformation business where I convince them that nobody has to do anything to be forgiven except trust the grace that Jesus has already given everybody. But give them a hundred years after that and they'll manage to turn faith itself into a requirement for grace: no faith, no forgiveness. Out the window again goes the free gift we've given them once and for all; and back in comes forgiveness as a deal that's good only as long as they behave themselves."

The author goes on to explain how the great church reformers such as Irenaeus, Athanasius. Luther, Calvin and Melanchthon, while contributing invaluable insights essential to a true reformation, still slipped in this pernicious transactionalism. "Human beings aren't afraid of accountability," says Capon's Holy Spirit, "they're crazy about it. If they can't get credit for themselves or dish out blame to others, they cry, 'Unfair!'"

Father Capon says he was originally planning to call the book *Re-forming the Reformation* and I think that may have been a better title for it (a worthy double entendre) because the book seems to hang together on the explication of these wrong turns in Christendom better than it does on an exploration of images. The only time images take center stage is when the author is talking about Literalism/Fundamentalism vs. Liberalism (turning the Bible into a book of ethics and denying the mystery) and he says both views are mistakes. God can jolly well use any device he wants to tell the STORY of scripture - images in poetry, hyperbole, allegory, parables, and yes, even literalism - even though the latter is seldom employed. So literalism is madness and deconstructivist liberalism takes all the vital juice out of it and who needs that?

The history of church thought that the author covers is most valuable and enlightening, but I thought that the imaginary dialogue with the church fathers toward the end of the book was a bit pedantic and tedious. Most of the same points were made in an earlier chapter.

But the burning question, to my mind, is - isn't the atonement itself a transaction no matter how you slice it? Just as C.S. Lewis says that the fall of man didn't HAVE to happen, did the atonement HAVE to take place? What dark necessity required it? Was it a god above and beyond or behind the Father as the god of Destiny was behind and beyond and above Zeus? We find out what the atonement is NOT. It's not a "ransom" - a transaction between God and the devil; it's not a task - a "what" that Jesus accomplished by fulfilling a transactional bill of particulars; it's not even a "bait and switch scam perpetrated by God himself" where "the cross is a mousetrap for the devil" (although Capon seems to favor this interpretation above the other two because it has a sense of humor). But I'm still scratching my head. How ELSE to see the atonement except as SOME kind of transaction?

To be fair to Capon, this was a burning question with me long before I read *The Fingerprints of God*, but since his earlier books (that little gem of Theodicy) *The Third Peacock* and the Parable books (Parables of the Kingdom, Judgment and Grace) changed my life and outlook, I was hoping this one would answer that question. Who knows? Maybe the next one will. In any case, Robert Farrar Capon's books are all and always worth reading, in my opinion. Read this one. Read his others. You won't be disappointed.

pamhan99@aol.com

Burns the Heart.......2000-08-04

Fr. Capon has a book that gives me an Emmaus experience. This author has been gifted with the ability to present the Gospel in fresh ways that light a fire inside. Like his other works, Capon has been careful in his accuracy, yet prophetic in his mission. He is one of the few authors today who side steps the modern avalanche of pious moralisms. Rather, he seeks to present the Word in context and in the radical and revolutionary power of what God is saying to us. From page one, I found my well-constructed theological walls of presumption and complacency being chipped starting to crumble. Not a casual read, but an incredble journey for someone who already has inner hints that there must be something more than we have been told about God's relationship to us!

Let There Be Suspects (Ministry Is Murder Mystery)

Average customer rating:

'Tis The Season to be Murderous!
Murder and Family Rivalry at Christmas
A Must Read
Emilie Richards new series is wonderful
Emilie Richards

Let There Be Suspects (Ministry Is Murder Mystery)
Emilie Richards
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425213072

Book Description

With the chalk outline gone from their front porch, Aggie Sloan-Wilcox and her minister husband think they can resume their lives. But when Ginger, Aggie's despised former foster sister, comes for Christmas, and turns up dead as a drumstick, Aggie's sister is suspected. Now it's up to Aggie to find the real murderer-who's decided there's a loophole in thou shalt not kill.

Customer Reviews:

'Tis The Season to be Murderous!.......2007-09-22

I confess...I love this series! I found the first book to be less than great because the main character, Aggie, seemed just too-too... too perfect. However, all that is gone in the second book of the Ministry is Murder series, and I LOVED this one! Though the murder didn't happen until after page 90, I thoroughly enjoyed the build up and the family dysfunction! It was great fun, and very realistic. I found myself immediately wanting to read the next one in the series, Beware False Profits, but I don't have it yet. I am eager to read it, and that is always a good sign for a series, in my book! Great fun, interesting characters, good mystery, and satisfying ending -- all the ingredients for a good cozy mystery are find right within the pages of Let There Be Suspects.

Murder and Family Rivalry at Christmas.......2007-02-03

It's almost Christmas, and Aggie Sloan-Wilcox's mom, Junie, and sisters, Sid and Vel, arrive for a holiday family reunion. Only Junie arrives with their former foster sister Ginger. Ginger and Sid get along like vinegar and water. Ginger is very manipulative and controlling while coming off as sweet to those who don't know her so well. Unfortunately Junie has always seen the sweet side of her. Sid has been Ginger's victim too many times to see the sweet side.

Sid and Ginger's rivalry surfaces immediately, and when Ginger turns up dead, Sid is the logical suspect. Aggie knows Sid couldn't have killed her, so she sets out to find the real murderer before the police arrest Sid. Can she do so without putting herself or her family in danger? And without putting her husband's position in jeopardy?

Aggie is a fun character. The fact that she is a pastor's wife really adds to her sleuthing. Her family and all their quirks really adds to the story. Often families get lost in the story as the mother sleuths. Not so in this series. And the sub-plots don't detract from the story at all. In fact they enhance it and make it a well crafted mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

A Must Read.......2007-01-22

If you are not familiar with the writing of Emilie Richards get on board with Let There Be Suspects. It's funny and heartwarming and so well written I'm sure you'll be an immediate fan. This is the second in the Ministry is Murder series where mildmannered Aggie Sloan-Wilcox deals with the everyday life of being a Minister's wife raising a family, dealing with relatives and busybody paritioners and oh yes solves murder in her spare time.
Be prepared to laugh out loud while you read this book.

Emilie Richards new series is wonderful.......2007-01-19

Just finished this second in Richard's new Ministry is Murder series. I am a cozy mystery addict, but this series is already my favorite of all times. Emilie packs unique characters in a page-turning plot and manages to make me belly laugh along the way. Absolutely delightful. I didn't want this book to end, and I can't wait until the next one in the series.

Emilie Richards.......2007-01-15

I have read several of her books and have thoroughly enjoyed every one.

We Are All Suspects Now: Untold Stories from Immigrant America After 9/11

Average customer rating:

An Easy, Yet Informative Read
We are all suspects now
Immigration, asylum and criminal policies
Immigrant Stories After 9/11

We Are All Suspects Now: Untold Stories from Immigrant America After 9/11
Tram Nguyen
Manufacturer: Beacon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Discrimination & Racism | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

September 11 | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0807004618

Book Description

Known as Little Pakistan, the community of Midwood, Brooklyn, has suffered a remarkable exodus in the years since 9/11. One sixth of the community-20,000 people-has left in search of liberty. In an ironic reversal of the American dream, this immigrant community now lives in fear, witnessing the unjust detainment or deportation of family members, friends, and neighbors. Tram Nguyen reveals the human cost of the domestic war on terror and examines the impact of post-9/11 policies on people targeted because of immigration status, nationality, and religion. Nguyen's evocative narrative reporting-about the families, detainees, local leaders, community advocates, and others-is from those living and suffering on the front lines. We meet Mohammad Butt, who died in detention in New Jersey, and the Saleems, who flee Queens for Canada. We even follow a self-proclaimed -citizen patroller- who monitors and detains immigrants on the U.S.-Mexico border. We Are All Suspects Now, in the words of Mike Davis, takes us inside a dark world . . . where the American Dream is fast turning into a nightmare- and suggests proactive responses to stop our growing climate of xenophobia, intimidation, and discrimination.

Customer Reviews:

An Easy, Yet Informative Read.......2006-11-29

In her book, Tram Nguyen claims that there is very little room left for any infraction by someone without the legal status to be here in the US due to a post-9/11 national climate of fear and growing intolerance. She argues that there is little room left for immigrants in America to become anything more than "cardboard cutouts" simply playing a role to please their suspicious neighbors and ever more watchful government. She claims that the American political imagination has shifted so far to the right that people without status who have a certain profile must work harder and harder to earn and deserve their place in society: they must prove to everyone else why they should not be suspected, jailed, and eventually shipped away (in other words, guilty until proven innocent). Not only that, the book also discusses how recent security concerns have been used as a justification for the US government to display increased racial and cultural discrimination in areas of long-standing concern to civil rights advocates; such as housing and jobs. There are no exceptions to the argument presented, any and all immigrants, and especially communities of immigrants have been affected in the post-9/11 national security frenzy. Somalis, Haitians, Pakistanis, Mexicans, and more, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, have all been targeted by recent policies. While several scholars and others have so far explored the legal and constitutional ramifications of the war on terror, this book takes a different, ground-level, view of how these national and local policies affect the individuals, families, and communities themselves - the real effects of such policies on our neighbors. Most importantly, the author argues that with hindsight, racial and ethnic scapegoating in response to crisis is by and large viewed as unjust and inexcusable. The author asks readers: Will the war on terrorism redefine the meaning of who belongs in America?
The claim that America has been putting every immigrant and foreigner in the USA under suspicion post-9/11 is backed up in this book by several firsthand stories and conversations. Also, at the end of the book there is an appendix which is titled "2001-2004: A time line of major events and policies affecting immigrants and civil liberties", which briefly describes over 100 policies and events which have directly affected immigrants, their families, and their communities since the September 11 World Trade Center attacks. Policies and events included are Secret Proceedings, the USA Patriot Act, Military Tribunals, Indefinite Detentions, INS Restructuring, and the new Department of Homeland Security, among others. The firsthand stories alone are not enough for me to deem this book effective in its claim that all immigrants and foreigners are living a suspected and frightened existence in America. However, the time line appendix in combination with these stories does make it an effective and worthwhile portrait in my mind. This book was not made to dryly describe policy and legalities, it was written to get readers, fellow Americans, to feel sympathy and outrage at what has been going on to our immigrant neighbors. To me, I did end up fully feeling this sympathy and outrage to the fullest upon finishing the book.
The author points out alternative arguments in a few instances that the attack on immigrant civil rights is not new in the post-9/11 era, but only grossly exaggerated and magnified. She cites the war on drugs which racially profiled men and women of color in the 1980's, as well as the continued conflict over the US-Mexico border in the southwest, especially California, throughout the 1990's and today. Other evidence cited that the new post-9/11 policies are just magnified excuses for increased racial profiling and suspicion enacted by policies of the last two decades, including the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act and Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, which both expanded grounds for deportation to include over fifty categories of crimes and made detention and deportation mandatory minimum sentences (both signed by Clinton in 1996). These are just a few instances painting a picture of what the author feels is wrong with the United States immigration policy and treatment in general going back much further than the crisis following September 11, and will keep going on much longer afterward.
Closing with: "What the detained and deported have to teach us is the lesson of the most disenfranchised of this state. How we treat the people nobody wants to defend, America's least wanted, tells us much about the ability of this system to uphold a free and democratic equal society", Nguyen's book was the most convincing argument I have read since 9/11 that shows me the injustices of a society living in fear of "terrorists", which I just see as a fear of different cultures. The Civil Rights Act may have been passed in the 1960's, but now it seems as if we are just a nation going back in time and breaking promises that have been made for civil liberties for all inhabitants of our country. The book has opened my eyes ever wider to the fact that old and discredited ideas about race, ethnicity, and culture are rapidly rising. The narratives and interviews pulled at my emotions, making me ask myself over and over again, "How can we treat people so inhumanely?" While the ending time line made me ask "How did these policies all get passed without any sort of a public outcry for justice?" Overall, We Are All Suspects Now has earned my respect as being a wonderful and straightforward book that can pull in and eventually open anyone's eyes (even those who normally don't like to read) to the current culture crisis which is now facing the US.

We are all suspects now.......2006-11-27

In the book We are all Suspects Now written by Tram Nguyen, she explains the untold tales of immigrant life in the United States after what happened on September 11th. People of Somali, Muslim, Arab, and South Asian decent tell their stories of detainment, deportation, and discrimination through out all areas of North America crushing their hopes and dreams of a better life for many immigrants in this country.
Nguyen begins her focus of We are all Suspects Now by explaining the happy lives most immigrants had living in the United States. She further explains that many immigrated to the U.S. fleeing poverty and harsh treatments in their homelands or for a better life. The U.S. is where they could fulfill the American dream. Many immigrants came just to work and send money back to their families across sea. Others found good jobs and a safe place to raise their families. These stories of their "dream" land continued on until September 11th. This crises threw the U.S. into a period of discrimination and racial slander not only from ordinary American citizens but also from American government. From then on immigrants lives have been changed and mainly not for the better.
Within a period of about two months after the 9/11 attacks, more than 1,200 immigrants were unfairly detained as "suspects" to the attack with no proof to even convict them. The way that Nguyen explains how these immigrants were detained was very disturbing to me because I was not aware of many of the actions taken, or situations these people were put in until after I had read his book. For example, Nguyen gives details of how they were not even told most of the time that they were being detained or even given the right to an attorney. This lead to many people just "disappearing" in the eyes of their family members and friends. Next the U.S. government took this process a step further by requiring men 16 and older to register in order to find out which immigrants had been living in the U.S. illegally with no green cards or visas.
I believe that Nguyen is an inspiring writer because of the many issues she talks about. She rises above many people by telling these immigrants stories, including people such as Mohommad Butt who have died during this struggling period in American history. Mohommad Butt was the first person to die during detainment and Nguyen recognizes that in her book by making him a hero along with other immigrants of their time. She also includes tales of immigrant leaders who rose above to guide other immigrants to do the right thing in order to prevent deportation and detainment. She even included the harsh trips to Canada when fleeing the United States and how they were sent right back after spending their lives savings to reach this "safe haven."
Nguyen uses these examples along with many others to explain the tragedies occurring to US immigrants after September 11th. She tells her story in such a way that it is almost unbelievable what happened to many of these immigrants. Nguyen not only uses facts against the US but also sympathizes somewhat for the US, giving the reader a better understanding of both sides of the story. To do this she explains that many of these immigrants that were deported had legitimate reasons to be according to United States laws. Many of them were illegal immigrants or had expired visas. Immigrants may have gotten away with this for some time, but it was against the US law so the government was in many ways just enforcing these laws in a stronger way. Nguyen only went so far with this idea because in her writing I believe people are able to understand that these situations could have been handled in a better way. Nguyen also makes us aware that many people were fleeing the borders of Mexico into the United States causing many problems with drug dealing and violence. The people living there, American or not, had to deal with these issues in a very uncomfortable manner including encounters with minutemen and small citizen made "militias" attacking not only the trespassers in their front yards, but them as well.
Nguyen is a very strong writer because of her truthfulness as shown above. In my opinion I feel like Nguyen is a very convincing and relatable writer. She uses very realistic and relevant information throughout her book, which after reading I felt like was not exaggerated or overwhelming. When I first started reading this book I thought it was going to be similar to a dull history novel, but after I started reading more into it, I began to enjoy it more and learned a great deal about the subject of United States immigrants. I thought it was mainly going to be about things I had already known about 9/11, but everything I learned was knew to me. For example, I did not know that the government was being so harsh and racist against these groups of people and was shocked by most of it. These people were just trying to support their families and strive for a better life while America was racially discriminating against them just because of their race and culture. I believe that Nguyen is trying to get this point across in her writing so more people can be aware of these situations and they do not happen again in the future.
Over all, this book was very informative and interesting to me. I learned a lot of information about immigrant life in America. I was very much appalled at the way in which the United States citizens and government handle situations after September 11th. From the stories Nguyen explained I realized that I was somewhat naive and unaware to these situations as I'm sure many others were too.

Immigration, asylum and criminal policies .......2006-06-21

WE ARE ALL SUSPECTS NOW: UNTOLD STORIES FROM IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AFTER 9/11 is essential reading for any who would understand the changed lives of immigrants in the U.S. after the event. It gathers the personal stories of communities affected by post-9/11 tension and threats to civil liberties, examining immigration, asylum and criminal policies and how these have affected thousands of immigrants past and present. Changes to these policies reflect a shift to the right - and a shift in how immigrant communities are surveyed and managed.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Immigrant Stories After 9/11.......2006-05-09

This book is a collection of stories of prejudice, discrimination and racial profiling brought on by events and government policies after the September 11th attacks on the United States. It explains what some of these immigrants went through both before and after the attacks of September 11th. The author does a good job explaining the unjust detainment and sometimes even the deportment of immigrants around the country.
This book describes in relatively good detail, how these people were living before and after the events and policies after September 11th. It goes into detail on how most of the immigrants had a relatively good life while trying to achieve the American dream. These people had jobs and they were making enough money to live and to send to their families in their own countries. Most of them saved to bring their families to America so they could leave the poverty, war and oppression of their home countries. This all changed on September 11th 2001.
Within the next two months, the government conducted what was called the September 11th roundup. This is when they detained more than twelve hundred Muslim, Arab and South Asian men who were possible terrorist suspects. These men were not given attorneys or told why they were being detained. None of the men that were detained were found of aiding terrorism. This was just the start of the policies that made immigrants fearful that they might be deported from the country they loved back to the country they feared.
The government also had new policies like special registrations that forced men who were sixteen or older to register with the government. This lead to an extremely large number went through deportation hearings and many also were detained. This policy seemed like it was meant to get rid of the immigrants whose visas and green cards were already expired. This would mean that they would go through deportation hearings and most likely would be deported. Most people did not want to register because they knew what was going to happen but one way or another, they would be found out and most likely deported. This was also a tragic thing to happen to a family. It would mean that the man would have to leave his family who were still living in the U.S. It was made even harder because the family would often have to follow the man because they really had no choice in the matter. They would have no money if the male had to leave the country.
There were also some really awful things that were done to the detainees in the prisons. They were not allowed to make any phone calls, not even to their families. Most people were denied the use of a lawyer. They tended to set bail at a high price so the detainees would not be able to get out of jail. If they did have the money, it was hard to tell your family because you were not allowed phone calls and they also moved the detainees all over the place to different locations, sometimes even multiple locations in one day. There were some bad things that were done to the prisoners and I wish that I could say that they were done for a reason but I can't see any logical reason to do any of these things to those people.
The issue that I think is the most severe is the border patrol issue. As an American, I think that it is very alarming that people can just about come into the U.S. from Mexico unnoticed. This seems like it makes us even more susceptible to many different kinds of terrorist threats and should probably be treated as so. If all these migrants can cross the border without being caught, then why couldn't a terrorist? Although the only places where they can cross are in either mountain or desert areas where many people die just trying to have a little piece of the life that we have. In some way it makes me respect and understand just how lucky I really am and how much more worse off I could be.
There is also another part to the story of many immigrants just trying to make it in the free world. There are plenty of immigrants who were forced to seek asylum in Canada because they heard their asylum laws were not as strict as the U.S. and they did not want to register in the U.S. But the laws in Canada were about to change. The U.S. and Canada had both worked together to create similar laws to protect the border. So most of the time when the immigrants made it to the border, the Canadian government would take them right back to the United States. I don't exactly know how I am supposed to feel about this situation. I realize that all these people want is a home but the sudden rush of people trying to get asylum hearings was just not going to happen during these hard times.
This was a very intrusting and enlightening book for me to read. I feel extreme sadness and sympathy for the people who were wrongfully affected by the procedures of these policies that were implemented by the United States government after the tragedy of September 11th. Although I think that for the most part, these procedures needed to be put into effect. Something needed to be done to help prevent another tragedy from occurring, especially on our own soil. These policies are by no means perfect but they are a large stepping-stone for us to start on.

Round Up the Usual Suspects: The Making of Casablanca : Bogart, Bergman, and World War II

Average customer rating:

A Warm Survey of an Amazing Story
Great book on the best film of the 1940s
A Great Read on the Making and Success of Casablanca
The best MAKING OF A MOVIE book I have ever read!
A Miracle of Accidents

Round Up the Usual Suspects: The Making of Casablanca : Bogart, Bergman, and World War II
Aljean Harmetz
Manufacturer: Hyperion Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1562827618

Customer Reviews:

A Warm Survey of an Amazing Story.......2006-10-26

As a Casablanca lover (words don't do it justice), I ate this book up. Harmetz writes with warmth about nearly everyone involved in the film except Jack Warner, about whom she writes with a deserved respect. The stories of the bit players, most refugees, expanded the Casablanca context tremendously for me. The suspense, and the tale of how this gem could have been different in so many ways (or not produced at all), made me appreciate this cultural icon even more. I haven't seen the film since reading this book, but you bet when I do I'm going to turn off the phone.

Great book on the best film of the 1940s.......2003-09-25

Aljean Harmetz's "Round Up the Usual Suspects" is one of the best books on the making of what is probably the best film of the 1940s (and possibly of all time). Harmetz explains almost every aspect of the story--often sounding more like fiction than fact--of the making of this all-time winner. These aspects include who was behind the camera, the actors, and the writers. She provides many details about life behind the WB shield--which collaborates the view of Jack Warner as a jerk seen in a fine book,"Hollywood Be Thy Name"--the fights on who wrote the screenplay, and how they all meshed together to create an enduring classic. She also explains how the film escaped the propanganda machine of later 1940 films. If you love this film, you should read this book! Let us hope that it returns to print witht he release of the special DVD edition of "Casablanca".

A Great Read on the Making and Success of Casablanca.......2003-01-07

This book is a great read. Although heavily documented, the "characters" come alive throughout--the characters being actual actors, the Warner brothers of Warner Bros., the director, writers, even the lighting director and sound men on the set.

It wonderfully describes the studio system, the differences between the studios and how "properties" were loaned out, and how WW II affected everybody in the movie business.

Two quotes had me laughing until I was in tears. It is a great book. Additionally, the hardcover with translucent dustjacket is most gorgeous. This is a winner and a keeper for movie history buffs.

The best MAKING OF A MOVIE book I have ever read!.......1998-08-28

"Round Up the Usual Suspects" provided many behind-the-scenes tidbits about CASABLANCA that I've never heard before - Murray Burnett's lawsuits against Howard Koch, the feud between Jack Warner and Hal Wallis and a precise picture of the Warner Brother house style. Ms. Harmetz provided an excellent and detailed account of Hollywood moviemaking in the early 40s. After reading this and her books on GONE WITH THE WIND and THE WIZARD OF OZ, she just may well be one of the foremost historians of Hollywood's Golden Age.

A Miracle of Accidents.......1998-07-29

"Casablanca" is quite simply my favorite film. Its history encompasses the studio system at its finest, the political movements of World War II (the famous Casablanca conference provided invaluable free publicity for the film), and some of the best casting in film history (my favorite character was always Claude Rains' Louis Renault).

In "Round Up the Usual Suspects," Aljean Harmetz has brought the history of this film to glorious life, exploring its origins and dispelling its myths. (How seriously was Ronald Reagan considered for the lead? Did Ingrid Bergman know the ending?)

Her attention to detail would have been sufficient to make this a great book, but Harmetz does much more. Her greatest achievement (and it's great indeed) is to present the film as a miracle of accidents, the almost coincidental meeting of the forces of Hollywood with the forces of history.

"Round Up the Usual Suspects" is essential reading for anyone interes! ted in the story of how a great film is made.

Average customer rating:

Enjoyable and clever

A neat book

BUY THESE BOOKS

Middle readers will LOVE this book

WOW!

The Sisters Grimm Book 2: The Unusual Suspects (Sisters Grimm)
Michael Buckley , and Peter Ferguson
Manufacturer: Amulet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Mysteries, Espionage, & Detectives | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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The Problem Child (The Sisters Grimm, Book 3)

The Sisters Grimm Book 1: The Fairy-Tale Detectives (Sisters Grimm)

Once Upon a Crime (The Sisters Grimm, Book 4)

Magic and Other Misdemeanors (The Sisters Grimm, Book 5)

The Fairy Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book 1)

ASIN: 0810993236

Book Description

In book two of the series, the Sisters Grimm start school at Ferryport Landing Elementary. Daphne's lucky enough to get Snow White for a teacher—she loves little people—but poor Sabrina's stuck with Mr. Grumpner and a class of mildly psychotic sixth graders. When Mr. Grumpner is found hanging in a spider's web, it is up to the Grimms to find the Everafter who did it. If only Sabrina can get over her distrust of all fairy-tale folk. But how can she trust those who just might be responsible for the disappearance of her parents?

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable and clever.......2007-08-24

I've enjoyed reading "The Sisters Grimm", and recommend it.
I particularly appreciate the "Wizard of Oz" references.

One section had me laughing out loud, an unusual occurance (outside of a Stephanie Plum novel). Even today, two weeks later, I still smile thinking about it. Without revealing anything, I'll just refer to the ink "drawing".
...get the series, and read it!

A neat book.......2007-07-27

Reviewed by Nicholas Pettrone (age 9) for Reader Views (7/07)

This is a neat book about these two sisters, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, who after their parents disappear, are sent to their grandmother's house to live. They aren't living in a normal town though because the town they live in is full of everafters, storybook people who are trying to live a normal life. There is Snow White who teaches in the grade school, Mr. Hamlin, the principal who is really the pied piper of Hamlin, Prince Charming who is the mayor, and believe it or not, there is even a boy named Puck, who is sort of an ornery fairy, causing trouble with the two sisters.

Sabrina and Daphne try to get their parents back, but run into one problem after another. Finally they think they have it all figured out and are going to grab their mom and dad and run when it happens -- they meet face to face with the person who grabbed their parents. It is a girl in a red cape with a hood and a nasty smirk on her face. If that isn't bad enough, the book ends here and we never do find out if they are going to save their parents.

I liked "The Sisters Grimm Book 2," and how the author put in all the cool storybook characters. I did wish though that we would hear more about Mr. Hamlin than we did, but since the book was good, it really didn't matter in the end. This was a cool book and one that would be neat read out loud in the classroom. I am taking my book to school next year to share. It's too good to keep all to myself!

BUY THESE BOOKS.......2007-06-01

These are the best books ive read since harry potter...i really hope these get made into films - they are FANTASTIC!!!! HIGHLY recommended...i cannot wait for the next one!!!!!
ps - adults im talking to you too - im 28 and i LOVE these!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just buy one at least - im SURE you will come back for more...

Middle readers will LOVE this book.......2007-04-28

The Sisters Grimm: The Unusual Suspects is the second book in Michael Buckley's delightful series about two sisters, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm. Following their parents disappearance, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm were shuttled from an orphanage to a series of horrible foster homes, homes they ran away from.

The sisters were surprised to learn that the grandmother they thought died, was really alive. While they (at least Sabrina) didn't want to live with Granny Relda, they settled in and immediately learned that their ancestors were the Brothers Grimm (of the fairy-tale Grimms) and Ferryport Landing was not a typical town. The village residents are human and Everafters (fairy-tale characters who fled Europe's persecution).

Sabrina and Daphne didn't want to attend school, but a visit from the cruel child protection worker, Minerva Smirt changed their propensity to playing hooky. It was either school or return to New York. School seemed the lesser evil.

The sisters start school and learn that the principal is the Pied Piper of Hamelin and Daphne's teacher is the beautiful Snow White. The girls soon find that things are a bit 'off' at school. The children seem tired, irritable and some are downright mean. And the teachers, well, one is a cruel bully.

After the first day of school, one of the teachers is found dead. He was tied to the ceiling in a monstrous spider web. An investigation is begun. There's a monster loose and if the case isn't solved, it could have dire consequences for Sabrina, Daphne, their family and Ferryport Landing.

Will the arrogant mayor (Prince Charming) mend his ways? What will happen to Mr. Canis and his nighttime problems? Will Snow White be strong? Will the secret room and Mirror help the girls find their parents?

I love this series. It's exciting and fast-paced. The characters are delightful and the suspense aspect will thrill middle readers.

Armchair Interviews says: The Sisters Grimm is a series that will become a favorite.

WOW!.......2007-04-26

I teach 4th grade and my students absolutely LOVE this book. I have never seen a class so excited about a read-aloud in my life! They want to read all the time, leave lunch early, read during brakfast and any other free time we may have just to see what happens next. There is so much suspense built up in this book that there is always an interesting place to stop reading so they are excited for the next day. This book is an excellent example of good writing for children to model. We constantly predict what will happen next. To make things even better, I really enjoy the book as well. I have already purchased all 4 that are currently out and anxiously await the remainder of the series. This is my new read-aloud for upcoming years! Warning: be sure you have the 3rd book in hand before you finish this one because it ends with "To be continued...", which made my entire class scream! We cannot wait until the 3rd book arrives!

City of Suspects: Crime in Mexico City, 1900-1931

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City of Suspects: Crime in Mexico City, 1900-1931
Pablo Piccato , and Pablo Piccato
Manufacturer: Duke University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0822327503

Book Description

In City of Suspects Pablo Piccato explores the multiple dimensions of crime in early-twentieth-century Mexico City. Basing his research on previously untapped judicial sources, prisoners’ letters, criminological studies, quantitative data, newspapers, and political archives, Piccato examines the paradoxes of repressive policies toward crime, the impact of social rebellion on patterns of common crime, and the role of urban communities in dealing with transgression on the margins of the judical system.
By investigating postrevolutionary examples of corruption and organized crime, Piccato shines light on the historical foundations of a social problem that remains the main concern of Mexico City today. Emphasizing the social construction of crime and the way it was interpreted within the moral economy of the urban poor, he describes the capital city during the early twentieth century as a contested territory in which a growing population of urban poor had to negotiate the use of public spaces with more powerful citizens and the police. Probing official discourse on deviance, Piccato reveals how the nineteenth-century rise of positivist criminologyâwhich asserted that criminals could be readily distinguished from the normal population based on psychological and physical traitsâwas used to lend scientific legitimacy to class stratifications and to criminalize working-class culture. Furthermore, he argues, the authorities’ emphasis on punishment, isolation, and stigmatization effectively created cadres of professional criminals, reshaping crime into a more dangerous problem for all inhabitants of the capital.
This unique investigation into crime in Mexico City will interest Latin Americanists, sociologists, and historians of twentieth-century Mexican history.

Amy: My Search for Her Killer: Secrets & Suspects in the Unsolved Murder of Amy Mihaljevic

Average customer rating:

This is a dramatization
Sensationalist Garbage
Great topic, so-so writing
A True Mystery!
Renner covers this unsolved case well

Amy: My Search for Her Killer: Secrets & Suspects in the Unsolved Murder of Amy Mihaljevic
James Renner
Manufacturer: Gray & Co., Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1598510193

Product Description

"I fell in love with Amy Mihaljevic not long before her body was discovered lying facedown in an Ashland County wheat field. I fell for her the first time I saw that school photo TV stations flashed at the beginning of every newscast in the weeks following her kidnapping in the autumn of 1989--the photo with the side-saddle ponytail . . ."
So begins this strange and compelling memoir, which delves into the investigation of one of Northeast Ohio's most frustrating unsolved crimes.
On October 27, 1989, ten-year-old Amy Mihaljevic disappeared from the comfortable Cleveland suburb of Bay Village on her way home from school. Thousands of volunteers, police officers, and FBI agents searched for the girl. Her picture was everywhere--anyone who watched the local TV news remembers the girl with the sideways ponytail.
That image also became indelible in the mind of eleven-year-old James Renner. Even at that young age, he vowed to find this girl.
Tragically, Amy's body was discovered a few months later. Her killer was never found.
Fifteen years later, Renner, now a reporter for an alternative weekly magazine in Cleveland, picks up the leads himself and tries to solve the crime.
Filled with mysterious riddles, incredible coincidences, and a cast of unusual but very real characters, his investigation quickly becomes a riveting journey in search of the truth.

Customer Reviews:

This is a dramatization.......2007-08-03

For being a true story, this book was written with little literary or journalistic regard. The author sensationalizes every aspect of this case and writes like an amature high school paper reporter. He manages to make every person involved look bad, from Amy's mother to classmates who found themselves in the horrible situation of being witness to her abduction. He even goes so far as to insinuate that Amy's good friend tries to tempt him into cheating on his wife when he interviews her. Please!

In case someone missed this fact, the author had no relation to Amy, did not live in Bay Village at any point in his life and certainly does not understand what it was like to live in a small, suburban town when every parent's worst nightmare comes true. The author made a choice to sensationalize a horrible situation for his own gain. If he really wanted to help find Amy's killer, he would have been careful not to villanize the people who tried so hard to solve this case. He also would have left himself out of the story completely.

Sensationalist Garbage.......2007-08-03

This book leaves the reader feeling like an unwilling participant in the sensationalism of a tragedy that tore apart a small suburb. Through interviews of fellow students, who were at the time only 11 years old and this book exploits the community and tragedy surrounding her disappearance and murder. This book is a disgrace to her memory and the people who still feel the sting of her loss. Not to mention that the writing itself, is juvenile at best.

Great topic, so-so writing.......2006-12-18

I was 21 when Amy disappeared. Like everyone else in northern Ohio, I watched tv to keep track of any new information on her case. Then one day, she was found in a field just a few miles from where I grew up, in my own hometown, an area that I knew like the back of my hand. I remember bawling like a child as I watched the local news. My ex-wife complained that I should be crying about a child I didn't even know--one of the final straws on the way to divorce. I'm very grateful to Mr. Renner for keeping this case alive, and in the first few pages I wanted to like this guy. I have also been to Bangor, Maine, and visited some of the sites from Stephen King's "It." I also admit that I stayed up all night on a Saturday and read this book cover-to-cover. It is a compelling story that draws you in. It's all the more fascinating when you recognize/remember some of the characters in the book. However, the way the book was written and the way information was presented bothered me. I understand that "true crime" is often melodramatic, but Mr. Renner has a tendency to go overboard. For example, he states in the book that he is "from the country" and is familiar with farms/farmland. He is either making this up, or he has a completely different definition of these terms than I. In describing the area where Amy was found, Renner calls it "desolate" and states that it is a "half hour from the highway." WHAT?? US RT 224, an EXTREMELY busy highway, is less than 2 miles south. Apparently the word "highway" is meant to convey only I-71, which is about 1/2 an hour away, a distance that someone who is truly from "the country" doesn't think twice about. "Desolate" is just not the proper description. The area is a field where crops are grown. Drive outside the city, pretty much anywhere in the USA and you'll see alot of them. It becomes apparent that Mr. Renner has a very condescending attitude toward the unwashed masses who have not seen the wisdom of their "progressive" betters in the city, and it truly ruins the story. I also believe it may have slowed his investigation. At one point he is describing a visit to the Ashland County Coroner's office, where he was greeted somewhat less warmly than he expected to be. If he came into my office dripping with officious superiority, I'd have told him to stick it. This is not to say that there aren't self-important bureaucrats in Ashland County--oh, yes, they are there. But throughout the story, so many homes have peeling paint, "rural matrons" have raspy voices, etc., that eventually it seems to be page filler more than information that adds to the story.
There have always been rumors in Ashland County about Amy, and who might have been involved. Renner covers these individuals well, but again does his own investigation a disservice by focusing on the area's supposed remoteness almost as if it were Mars. Anyone with a simple sense of direction (all the roads in the area run parallel and perpendicular) or a rudimentary map could easily end up in that very spot--this is NOT an area that a person would have to know well to get around if they can draw a square. Again, I would commend Mr. Renner for keeping this story in the public eye. Unfortunately, the most telling comments from the book are from a conversation with a co-worker:
"Look at all those people," Kevin said to me. "It's our job to tell them what to care about, you know?"
"I always thought it was our job to protect them."
Kevin sighed. "They don't want us to protect them."
No, guys. Your job is simply to report the truth. We'll figure out what's important and protect ourselves.
Amy, may you rest in peace. God Bless You.

A True Mystery!.......2006-12-15

I found this book to be FULL of twisted tales and dead ends that only made you want to read more. The author does a GREAT job at inserting his own thoughts and comments to make the reader FEEL what it is he is experiencing in the search for Amy Mihaljevic. At times you find yourself as frustrated as the author was and in the end you wished it hadn't ended at all, for Amy, for the author and most of all for you the reader. A GREAT book.

Renner covers this unsolved case well.......2006-12-12

Like most of Northeast Ohio back in 1989 I watched the nightly news reports on Amy's disappearance and hoped she would be found. I delivered newspapers back then and was sad that day in February 1990 when I saw her picture on the front page and that she had been found murdered. You really can't put this book down. Renner interviews detectives, Amy's friends and family, and even some of the possible suspects. Even after 17 years this unsolved case is still very much open.

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