Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream

Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream
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The "A-ha" moment

The Suburbia Style In Its Worst - And Real - Perspective + Solutions For The Future Ahead

A must read for anyone involved in real estate development

Good Intro to Urban/Regional Planning

One of the Most Important Books of the 21st Century

Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream
Andres Duany , Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk , and Jeff Speck
Manufacturer: North Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0865476063

Book Description

A manifesto by America's most controversial and celebrated town planners, proposing an alternative model for community design.

There is a growing movement in North America to put an end to suburban sprawl and to replace the automobile-based settlement patterns of the past fifty years with a return to more traditional planning principles. This movement stems not only from the realization that sprawl is ecologically and economically unsustainable but also from a growing awareness of sprawl's many victims: children, utterly dependent on parental transportation if they wish to escape the cul-de-sac; the elderly, warehoused in institutions once they lose their driver's licenses; the middle class, stuck in traffic for two or more hours each day.

Founders of the Congress for the New Urbanism, Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk are at the forefront of this movement, and in Suburban Nation they assess sprawl's costs to society, be they ecological, economic, aesthetic, or social. It is a lively, thorough, critical lament, and an entertaining lesson on the distinctions between postwar suburbia-characterized by housing clusters, strip shopping centers, office parks, and parking lots-and the traditional neighborhoods that were built as a matter of course until mid-century. It is an indictment of the entire development community, including governments, for the fact that America no longer builds towns. Most important, though, it is that rare book that also offers solutions.

Customer Reviews:

The "A-ha" moment.......2007-09-10

I really must thank the authors for putting this together. I just finished Suburban Nation and I now know why I'm so stressed out all the time living in this "ticky-tacky" world (to borrow a line from the Weeds theme song).

I wish I could do more to help combat sprawl at the moment. However, I'm keeping my eyes open all the time for what works, what doesn't work and I will continue to study this subject so that if and when I'm in a position to either make a move or be part of a decision making body, I will be able to intelligently make my opinion known.

The Suburbia Style In Its Worst - And Real - Perspective + Solutions For The Future Ahead.......2007-07-30

It's no wonder that the suburbia style brought so much finance and - why not - mental damage to our everyday lives. We gave up living smartly for living in beautifulness.

I believe that the sense of ownership prevails in suburbia much more than the sense of community. If you live in one for a long time, you probably know what I am talking about. Even if you don't, you might imagine how it feels to be in one.

I lived in one for quite a long time and must recognize its benefits: peacefulness, plenty of space to stroll around and not much of noisy neighbors. Surely it has its advantages. I really admire how beautiful some neighborhoods really are and can remain when apart from the hassles of the inner city.

But the need of taking my car to do absolutely everything from my basic needs just started to bother me as time went by and as my bills started to rise from such crazy oil consumption. One of the reasons why we are the biggest spenders in the entire planet is certainly the suburb predominance all over the country. Any doubt about it?

This book is absolutely wonderful. It traces back to the WWII era when everything started out. Government has promoted all of the land development we see today and which is still in high demand, unfortunately. What once was a success formula to promote economic development is today a "cancer" that we have to live and deal with. We were imposed to a lifestyle that we didn't necessarily want to live, and we now pay high taxes just to keep this "monster" alive. As the book brightly states on its pages: suburbs were made for cars, not human beings.

At some point in the book, authors state something that for me it is absolutely true: the archictecture is a science which is very undervalued in America. Obsolete and outdated zoning ordinances, traffic engineers more worried about the flow and the trucks that could pass on the streets and, most of all, community planning based on numbers and not aesthetics are the major rules when a new development takes place, leaving no room for smart development.

Smart growth requires a lot of thinking, and for the long run, but thinking isn't really one of the best characteristics of land developers and home builders who have no expertise on archictecture issues, but only on how to make money fast and effortlessly. However, I have to recognize that it's not all their fault. Smart growth will also require a major cultural shift from a society which became used with such sprawl standards, whether living this way is beneficial or not.

The book not only shows what went wrong with such aged growth policies, but also proposes solutions for building smarter towns and stimulates the creation of a community sense that today is just missing. Carefully written, is a reading that won't put you at sleep.

A must read for anyone involved in real estate development.......2007-01-16

The authors point out some obvious and not-so-obvious trends and benefits of recent architecture and urban planning. As a small builder and developer of urban "in-fill" housing, I thought this brought an excellent perspective to our industry on the changing climate of urban development in America. Immediatly bought ten copies for our employees to read (and reread).

Good Intro to Urban/Regional Planning.......2007-01-09

This is the first book I've read in the field of Planning. Very easy to read, informative, and really gets you excited about the material. I would recommend it highly

One of the Most Important Books of the 21st Century.......2006-12-13

This book, written for people, sets the stage for one of the most important movements in American: New Urbanism. I've bought a dozen copies thus far, for distribution to friends. The book explains proper community building and lifestyles in terms that can be understood by all. Be prepared to change your way of thinking and living.

Dream City: Race, Power, and the Decline of Washington, D.C.

Average customer rating:

One of the best intros to DC politics and Marion Barry
Good look at a complicated city
A must read for those involved in city politics
Needs a Sequel
Will the real Marion Barry please stand up

Dream City: Race, Power, and the Decline of Washington, D.C.
Harry S. Jaffe , and Tom Sherwood
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0671768468

Customer Reviews:

One of the best intros to DC politics and Marion Barry.......2005-07-13

The Barry era was more than just the grainy footage in the hotel room, and Jaffe does an excellent job of recounting the hope and promise that many Washingtonians held when Barry was first elected Mayor as part of an grassroots coalition of low-income blacks, liberal whites and a growing gay and lesbian community and how badly that promise was betrayed.

There is no doubt the 80's were an awful time for DC. Crack, violence and economic abandonment by the middle class, nearly killed DC. Most major urban centers faced similar problems in the 80's thanks to Reaganism and white flight but Jaffe clearly documents Barry's inability to anything besides compound the problems faced by DC through financial irresponsibility(largely due to patronage) incompetent and criminal staff and Barry's growing personal addictions to drug and sex. He documents Barry's failings without demonizing him or resorting to the disguised racism of many of Barry's detractors.

It should be added that Barry was recently elected back onto City Council, representing the nearly all black and poverty stricken Ward 8. Many outside DC couldn't believe that DC residents would want this guy back on the City Council, but those folks don't know Ward 8 or Barry's appeal. While DC is booming economically, Ward 8 continued to be ignored by the rest of the city and the Mayor. By voting for Barry against a Mayoral ally, Ward 8 was warning the rest of the city that they will not be ignored.

Good look at a complicated city.......2005-03-01

The urban problems of Washington D.C. are laid bare with some wonderful historical perspective. This is a city where the normal municipal politics (race, poverty, patronage) are complicated by the national politics that weild a veto power over this city.

This book easily could have been an unreadable tome, but the authors did a great job of keeping the book moving and putting the charachters in proper perspective.

A must read for those involved in city politics.......2000-12-26

Fascinating read. Great background.

Needs a Sequel.......2000-10-14

"Dream City" compares with Mike Royko's "Boss" as an excellent expose on urban politics. But while Royko's protagonist, Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago, at least had his city's best interests in mind despite the shortcomings of his political machine, Marion Barry only cared about one thing, Marion Barry. That this vulture perpetuated his own power on the backs of the powerless who were his strongest supporters is sickening and fascinating at the same time. "Dream City" was published in 1994, right before the leech Barry returned to the Mayor's office to do four more years of damage to the capital city. Under Daley, Chicago was "The City That Works." Under Barry, DC was the city that didn't.

Will the real Marion Barry please stand up.......1999-12-15

This fascinating book about the current state and recent history of our nation's capital focuses largely on the story of Marion Barry, who was, when the book was written, both a once and future mayor of the city. How much blame Barry must shoulder for the city's social and economic problems is a question that remains to be answered, but the detail provided by the authors, both journalists with long experience of the city and its politics, offers fascinating glimpses into the reality behind the mask. One story alone is worth the price of the book: Marion Barry, who has long tried to identify with the city's most downtrodden, at one time (when he first went into politics) hired an exconvict to teach him how to 'talk street' so that he wouldn't sound too educated (he has an M.S. in Chemistry and was working on a Ph. D. when he became involved in the civil rights movement - not the Marion Barry I thought I knew).

Book Description

Rich with unforgettable characters and history, intricately plotted and utterly absorbing, City of Dreams is a stirring saga of early Manhattan and the beginnings of medical science told by a master storyteller.

In 1661, Lucas Turner and his sister, Sally, stagger off a small wooden ship after eleven weeks at sea to make a fresh start in the rough and rowdy Dutch settlement of Nieuw Amsterdam.

Lucas, a barber surgeon, and Sally, an apothecary, are both gifted healers and bound to each other by blood and necessity. Yet as their new lives unfold, lust, betrayal, and murder will make them deadly enemies. In their struggle to survive in the New World, both make choices that will burden their descendants -- dedicated physicians and surgeons, pirates and whoremasters -- with a legacy of secrets and retribution. That heritage sets cousin against cousin, physician against surgeon, and ultimately, patriot against Tory.

In a city where slaves are burned alive on Wall Street, where James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams walk The Broad Way arguing America's destiny, and where one of the greatest hospitals in the world is born in former shipwrights' workshops by the East River, the fortunes of the two families are inextricably entwined. Their pride and ambition, their loves and hates, and their willingness to live by their own rules will shape the future of medicine, and the becoming of the dream that is New York.

Customer Reviews:

City of Dream, Beverly Swerling.......2007-08-23

Fantastic Historic read. The story takes unexpected turns through several generations. Characters jump off the page and stayed with me for a long time. Ms. Swerling has a great gift to put you into that space and time.

4 1/2 Stars -- Very Hard To Put Down!.......2007-04-18

Beverly Swerling's City Of Dreams is a sweeping epic of (primarily) two families starting from Manhattan's beginnings as a Dutch colony in the 1660's through the American Revolution, when New York became a new nation's city of dreams. Swerling provides the right blend of interesting historical facts about Nieuw Amsterdam/New York and the early days of medicine, mystery, excitement, sex, a well-developed plot, and a array of fictional and real characters to make City Of Dreams a book that is difficult to put down. Her strong writing ability made me feel that I stepped back over 300 years in time and was right there with the characters experiencing life during a fascinating time in our history. I highly recommend The City Of Dreams if you are a fan of historical fiction. I'm looking forward to reading Swerling's two other books, Shadowbrook and City Of Glory.

Another one in the minority here.......2007-02-10

I am sorry, as much as I love historical fiction, and as much as I LOVED Shadowbrook, I could not get into this book. While I appreciate the amount of research the author did into medical history of this time and treatment of slaves, the gore factor is WAY OVER THE TOP. Page after page after page, compounded with unappealing characters who even if one started to care, disappeared into another generation.

I gave up after 200 pages. I give the author kudos for the well done research and keeping with known facts, but as stated before, the gore factor is way over what I can stomach for 600 pages. If you are not sure if this is for you, I suggest you check it our from your local libary. Then, if you absolutely love it, buy it. JMHO.

Outstanding read!.......2006-11-01

I could not put this wonderful work of historical fiction down! Two thumbs up! The author did a fantastic job of weaving this tale and these wonderful characters together. One of the things I like about the book is that I don't always like the attributes of the character, nor do I like what they do or how they act or feel...but I care about what happens to them and can't stop wanting to know more. What a wonderful read....I am on a quest to find more by this talented author.

loved it !!!!.......2006-10-20

wow this author is so good! i could not put this book down. the perfect book. has love, lust, anger, betrayal and it makes you feel as if you were in the actual story!

Dreams in the Golden Country: The Diary of Zipporah Feldman, a Jewish Immigrant Girl, New York City, 1903 (Dear America)

Average customer rating:

the golden country
Gabby
Life's Roads as a Jewish Girl
Dreams in the Golden Country, But is it really golden?
Molly's Review for Dreams in the Golden Country

Dreams in the Golden Country: The Diary of Zipporah Feldman, a Jewish Immigrant Girl, New York City, 1903 (Dear America)
Kathryn Lasky
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0590029738

Customer Reviews:

the golden country.......2007-03-06

I thought the book was awsome. I couldn't put it down there was no part that was boring. I recccomend this book to every one. i read it so fast and i want to read it again

Gabby.......2006-11-08

Have you ever wondered how long and painful a trip across the Atlantic, would be? Leaving your home, your customs, your whole life, all left in the waves. In the book, Dreams in a Golden Country by Kathryn Lasky, a girl named Zipporah Feldman, mostly known as Zippy struggles to adjust to the American way of life. Zippy would not even have had to come to America, but in her small town in Russia Jews were being persecuted. Zippy has a father who decided to come to America first, who is becoming more American everyday. Zippy has a mother who refuses to leave her old ways, and two sisters, one named Tovah who is obsessed with politics, and the other, Miriam who falls in love with a Catholic firefighter. Zippy has to start in 1st grade, since she had never gone to an American school before, but she eventually gets to the grade she should be in. Zippy is the only family member who was allowed to go to school. I like this book because you get to see the easy and difficult times in an immigrant girl's life during the 1800's. I recommend this book to someone who like stories in diary entry form.

Life's Roads as a Jewish Girl.......2006-03-08

Life's Roads as a Jewish Girl

Zipporah Feldman (Zippy) comes to America with her Jewish family. They came from Zarichka. This book was the diary of Zipporah. After coming to America they all have found some sort of dream in this new country. What was it about America that makes you like this, having big hopes and dreams. Her beloved sister has gone away with the guy she loves, who is not a Jewish boy. Mama gets mad ands pretends top mourn over her daughter like she is dead. The family has fallen apart. Zippy is sad. Something happened to one of her friends. She wants to fly an airplane like the first two brothers did. Or be an actress. She had dreams to look up to.

I really liked this book. Because it was a diary. It was interesting and I liked it a lot. Because she wrote in it almost all the time, it was like a story of her life. Another good diary book that I enjoyed was The Diary of Patrick Seamus Flaherty. I like diary books because they are like a life story and very interesting. These books are different diary's and people. But both are excellent books to read!

Dreams in the Golden Country, But is it really golden?.......2006-03-08

Zippoah is a jewish girl coming to America to meet her Father in New York City. They come to New York City from A small village in Russia. They come for a new life away from all the attacks that are going on in Russia. Zipporah starts a diary of what is going on in the new country she is in. SHe Starts school, Makes firends, and new ideas come to her family that they would have never dreamed of thinking about in Russia. Some thoughts are good & some are bad & some frighten her mother. Her mother is a person who likes to stick to old customs but she starts to add some new ones once she is more comfortable with the New country she is in.
Her father is a very nice man who played the violin very well and was a photographer. Zipporah has two sisters Meriam & Tovah. Tovah is a more seriouse and political person she is also the oldest of the three. Mariam is a very romantic girl, she is the middle child. Mariam ends up falling in love with a cathlic boy and her mother is furious when she finds out that they got secretly married.In Zipporah, or Zippy as her firends call her, has to learn how to read & write in english. At School Zipporah recites poems and learns many new things at school. Zippora's life gets better at some points and bad at some points. But let me ask you how would you feel in her shoes?

Molly's Review for Dreams in the Golden Country.......2005-05-10

Dreams of the Golden Country
By Kathryn Lasky

(Publication: 1998 by Scholastic Inc.) (188 pages) (Genre: Historical fiction)

In summary the book Dreams in the Golden Country was an extremely good book. The book takes place in New York City, 1903. In the book there is a Yetish Jewish family and they live in Russia. The dad of the Feldman family immigrated into the United to States to earn money and buy a place for the family when they came. He worked in a sweatshop factory and had bought an apartment that was shared with an elderly border. When the family immigrated over months later they found that the "papa" they knew and loved had changed. He had cut off this side locks, stopped playing the violin, and did not celebrate any Jewish holidays anymore. Sara, the mom was very upset along with the three children, Zipporah, the youngest, Miriam, the middle child and Tovah the oldest. They were not all impressed with the small unlit apartment either but they had to deal with. As the book went on Zipporah who is keeping the journal is going through school and working hard to learn English along with the rest of the family. The times are pretty smooth until they start to fall apart when Miriam runs away and gets married to a non Jew and the family pretends she's dead. Then more problems come as mama is pregnant and a close friend dies. Times eventually get smooth again and the family resolves their problems and starts their "real" life in America.
I was attracted to this book by the part of the title "Golden Country" it made me wonder what the author was talking about, also the fact that is was a diary.
The main character of the book is Zipporah who is the writer of the journal. Her two friends Blu and Yitzy are immigrant also that have been in America longer than Zippy and her family. The Feldman family, papa, mama, Tovah, and Miriam. The conflict in the book is how the family has to manage being in a new country and not knowing the language there.
My opinion about this book is that the author made a real situation interesting. She made it seem like you were in the book. Very descriptive and hard to put down. I believe the author achieved the purpose of writing this book. The book was powerful, strong, and good and I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a truly amazing story. I would rate this book as a pretty easy read.
The lesson that is taught in this book is that even though life's journey is the most difficult ride you'll ever be on you have to be yourself and stay true to your friends, family and the true you. You also need to appreciate what you have and not take anything for granted.

The Next American Metropolis: Ecology, Community, and the American Dream

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A Small Step
A must read!

The Next American Metropolis: Ecology, Community, and the American Dream
Peter Calthorpe
Manufacturer: Princeton Architectural Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Regional City
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ASIN: 1878271687

Amazon.com

One of the foremost practitioners of New Urbanism, Peter Calthorpe, an urban designer and architect based in Berkeley, California, offers one of the most coherent and persuasive arguments for moving the United States away from sprawl and toward more compact, mixed-use, economically diverse, and ecologically sound communities. This book presents 24 of Calthorpe's regional urban plans, in which towns are organized so that residents can be less dependent upon their cars and can walk, bike, or take public transportation between work, school, home, and shopping. This book is not just for architects and urban planners, but for all concerned citizens interested in developing a cohesive, feasible vision of the sustainable city of the future.

Book Description

Regarding issues of urban sprawl Visit Sprawl Net, at Rice University. It's under construction, but it should be an interesting resource. Check out the traffic in the land of commuting. And, finally, enjoy Los Angeles: Revisiting the Four Ecologies.

Customer Reviews:

A Small Step.......2002-06-12

The one point in favor of this book is that it promotes a much-needed land use concept: Plan and build near transit. The critical downfall of the book is that it perpetuates the auto-centric lifestyle. While Europe and Asia are beginning to perfect pedestrian districts around their transit stops, the best that we Americans can do is to simply build residential units with 2 parking spaces each near metro stops. Too much land (typically 40%) is wasted in providing for streets, alleys, driveways, and the large number of parking spaces for each vehicle.

Such a design is still auto-centric if it makes automobile use the quickest and easiest way to shop at [a physical store] versus providing a pedestrian environment to walk 2 blocks to shop at a Mom & Pop store. Pedestrian environments with local grocery/pharmacy, schools, offices, day-care, sports fields, and other weekly needs are going to be able to eliminate 90% of automotive travel requirements. The other 10% can be easily provided through carsharing, a fast growing market in 21 North American cities now. Parking structures on the periphery of the district provides parking for carsharing and private automobiles (though the latter is retained by a modest percentage of households).

A book that envisions the progression of cities to pedestrian/transit use is Carfree Cities, by J.H. Crawford. There are also many websites that describe the many carfree areas already in place in Europe and Asia, whose residents require very little in the way of imported oil.

A must read!.......2000-05-02

This work is terrific if one is interested at all in the way in which cities could be developed. The ideas which Calthorpe presents are revolutionary and instrumental if one wishes to gain any sort of idea of the concepts and ideas proposed by "New Urbanism". His explanation of his Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is vital in understanding the difference between these developments and traditional versions. His use of specific examples makes the work that much better as it becomes more tangible and less simply theory. I would highly recomend this book to anyone involved in any sort of urban or city planning or simply interested in cities themselves.

Gossip Girl #9: Only In Your Dreams: A Gossip Girl Novel (Gossip Girl)

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Very entertaining
Don't waste your money.
great books
Sleazy and Petty
Not as good as the others

Gossip Girl #9: Only In Your Dreams: A Gossip Girl Novel (Gossip Girl)
Cecily von Ziegesar
Manufacturer: Poppy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Notorious: An It Girl Novel

ASIN: 0316011827

Book Description

Welcome to New York Citys Upper East Side, where the girls are dazzling, the guys are gorgeous, and the summer heat is the perfect excuse to throw a fabulous roof-deck pool party. Its their last summer together before heading off to college, and things are sizzlingno, its not just the weather. Despite that steamy kiss on graduation night, Blair, Serena and Nate have gone their separate waysthough not for long. Blair is off to London with her English Lord-boyfriend, Serenas about to become a movie staras if she wasnt a star already!and Nates rolling up his well-worn khakis and heading to the Hamptons. Back in New York, Dan and Vanessa are rekindling their love. Fiery! Watch out, this summer is going to be hotter than ever.

Customer Reviews:

Very entertaining.......2007-06-21

Reviewed by Erin Keith (age 17) for Reader Views (6/07)

It's the beginning of summer and it's off to a hot start. Our main characters consist of Serena, Blair, Nate, Dan, and Vanessa.

Serena is starring in a re-make of the famous movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's," except it's now called Breakfast at Fred's. She thinks that she has the easy life, what with a really hot co-star, that is until she's finding it hard to concentrate on her lines.

Blair is off to England with her new boyfriend, Lord Marcus, but gets a rude awakening when his cousin comes to visit. She finds herself back in the states and is mortified when her mother informs her that she needs a summer job.

Nate is up to his usual getting-in-trouble self and realizes that there's more to life than money and nice cars. When a townie chick opens his eyes to the real world, he begins to question a lot of other things, like what he really wants out of life.

Dan is between a rock and hard place when he asks Vanessa to move back in with him, but meets a new girl with a new perspective on life and the environment. He tries to re-kindle a flame with Vanessa, but sometimes big gestures are not enough. After getting fired from her summer job on the set of Breakfast at Fred's, Vanessa must learn the true wonders of babysitting. But she doesn't realize what she's gotten herself into until it's too late.

All in all, the ninth novel in the "Gossip Girl" series is one to keep you fully entertained this summer. "Only in Your Dreams" was intriguing and displayed a consistency in the series. I would recommend this book to those who like the series, and to those that are looking for a good summer read. The great thing about the "Gossip Girl" books is that you don't have to read them in order!

Don't waste your money. .......2007-01-11

Okay, I really did try to read one of these books once, but that didn't last very long. I honestly don't understand why people even like them. There's nothing good about these books. They're just about materialistic people and their boring, superficial lives. Seems to be that all they do is drink, have sex, and backstab their "friends". How wonderful. Don't waste your money.

great books.......2006-11-19

i have read all the books and they are all great i cant wait for the next book in 2007 and hopefully the movie

Sleazy and Petty.......2006-10-11

This installation of the Gossip Girl series is just as shallow and superficial as all its predecessors are. The entire plot revolves around getting high, having sex, smoking, and guzzling down alcohol. The whole series is pure trash from beginning to end.

Not as good as the others.......2006-09-27

I agree with what some of the other people are saying this book is no where near as good as the other books, it seems as if ever since the kids graduated the author has run out of ideas. And those reviewers who are complaining about how this book isn't apporiate for younger readers, shoud know this book is for ages 16 and up and every 16 year old has heard or used the "f" word at least once in their lives. Yes there is a lot of sex, drugs, and bad language but that's a part of the real world.

The Last Shot: City Streets, Basketball Dreams

Average customer rating:

Hoop Dreams
Symphony of words
Reality Check--I LOVED this book!
The Last Shot
For Any One Who Truly Cares

The Last Shot: City Streets, Basketball Dreams
Darcy Frey
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Heaven Is a Playground (Second Edition)
Ghosts of Manila: The Fateful Blood Feud Between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier
The Miracle of St. Anthony: A Season with Coach Bob Hurley and Basketball's Most Improbable Dynasty
ESPN: The Uncensored History

ASIN: 0618446710

Book Description

It ought to be just a game, but basketball on the playgrounds of Coney Island is much more than that for many young men it represents their only hope of escape from a life of crime, poverty, and despair. In The Last Shot, Darcy Frey chronicles the aspirations of four of the neighborhood's most promising players. What they have going for them is athletic talent, grace, and years of dedication. But working against them are woefully inadequate schooling, family circumstances that are often desperate, and the slick, brutal world of college athletic recruitment. Incisively and compassionately written, The Last Shot introduces us to unforgettable characters and takes us into their world with an intimacy seldom seen in contemporary journalism. The result is a startling and poignant expose of inner-city life and the big business of college basketball.

Customer Reviews:

Hoop Dreams.......2006-03-29

If you like hoops you would love this story. Darcey frey the author who's also a sports writter follows the life of three young men who's dream is to become professional basketball players.Living in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn these three men are faced with durgs violence, and everything you see on the streets of Brooklyn. A very inspirational story, and a indepth look on the career of Stephon Marbury.This is a book you would want to share with a friend.

Symphony of words.......2006-01-27

This book should be a classic, if it isn't already. As someone who hasn't a great deal of interest in basketball, I can throughly recommend it simply for the author's style. The man's prose reads like a dream as he brings the characters to life in an inimitable way. He enables you, the reader, to go right into the streets of New York and live the lives of each of his main characters, to get to know them, understand them and - in a sense - to *be* them. A definite must for your library.

Reality Check--I LOVED this book!.......2005-12-16

The book, The Last Shot, journeys into the streets of Coney Island in New York City, and into the lives of four young men aspiring to become basketball all-stars. These boys of Coney Island are Russell Thomas, Corey Johnson, Stephon Marbury, and Tchaka Shipp, all of whom are "to-be" high-school seniors with the exception of Stephon who is yet a freshmen. Corey, Stephen, and Russell live right in the Coney Island "projects", or districts, amidst the violent gangs, drug dealers, and drunks of New York. We learn that even the police are rarely seen in this area although a reason for that is never provided. It seems as if the only way for boys to focus on positive things is through basketball. Numerous basketball courts exist in the projects but one, in particular is important to these four boys called the Garden. Countless hours are spent on this court, practicing shots, dribbling, playing pick-up games, and organized tournaments. Also playing basketball for their high school Varsity team, these young men are recruited by a large amount of NCAA basketball coaches. They all have the potential to play college ball at Division One schools but how do they deal with the negative influences that surround them daily? Missing the required 700 point SAT score would mean, sadly their hopes and dreams of playing high-level college basketball would be shattered. This story reveals the riveting truth behind where many of our NBA all-stars originate from.

S.K. --Grand Rapids, MI

The Last Shot.......2005-10-21

The Last Shot
By. Darcy Frey

The Last Shot by. Darcy Frey takes place in the projects of Coney Island. All the characters are looking to go to a Division 1 Schools. They all have the talent but don't have the smarts to pass the SAT's. This book is a real page turner Darcy Frey is a very talented writer. I like how he actually uses an NBA superstar in this book. All the characters are great athletes. I like how it goes from Coney Island to the Nike basketball camp and follows the best player on the team Tchaka Shipp. There was no climax in this story. It shifts around so much that it couldn't really have a climax. Darcy Frey is a good sports writer. This book was rather long but it is worth reading. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars.

For Any One Who Truly Cares.......2005-08-09

This book was the best written and best depicted book I have ever read. From the beginning it was raw and real. For any one who truly cares about and loves basketball this is a must read. This is as raw and real as it gets in the basketball world.

Dream City: Vancouver and the Global Imagination

Average customer rating:

Must read for residents in Vancouver...

Dream City: Vancouver and the Global Imagination
Lance Berelowitz
Manufacturer: Douglas & McIntyre
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Reference | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Urban & Land Use Planning | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1553651030

Book Description

Vancouver, located at the edge of a continent and the edge of national consciousness, has become the model for post-industrial urbanism. Does it deserve the attention? This provocative new book explores the links between the city’s seductive natural setting, turbulent political history, planning and design culture, and the local and global forces that are reshaping Vancouver’s urban environment at a ferocious pace. Filled with historical and contemporary photographs and maps, Dream City offers compelling insight into how buildings, public spaces, extraordinary landscapes, and civic values have merged to form a uniquely 21st-century city.

Customer Reviews:

Must read for residents in Vancouver..........2005-06-01

I absolutely enjoyed going through this book, I was so encaptured by Berelowitz's understanding of my hometown that I went through the book in just a few days. His view of the city is a pretty balanced one and his insight into Vancouver is genuine. The subjects discussed will probably resonate most with Vancouver residents but for avid tourists that share a passion for Vancouver, the books for you. An informed opinion on the subject, Berelowitz celebrates our city and provides ideas on what could be in the future.

Amazon.com

Tapping the Dream Tree collects 18 stories by bestselling contemporary fantasy master Charles de Lint. One story, "The Witching Hour," is original to this volume, with a few others taken from limited-edition chapbooks; the remaining tales have been drawn from an impressive diversity of magazines and anthologies. The stories are set in and around de Lint's mythic, haunted American city of Newford, and fans will recognize several characters from de Lint's popular series.

The powerful story "Ten for The Devil" is a superb choice for an opener: it showcases de Lint's literary strengths and treats of his recurring themes of magic, music, creativity, and human worth. Musician Staley Cross's grandmother has always warned her to be careful when she plays her blue fiddle. But Staley never quite believed that her music could rouse dangerous magic... until one night, playing in a faraway field, she discovers the Devil doesn't only go down to Georgia. First published before the filming of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, "Ten for the Devil" draws upon the same crossroads myth as does the movie, but takes a very different road as it follows Staley's search for her only hope of soul survival: a mysterious bluesman known as Robert. --Cynthia Ward

Book Description

Charles de Lints urban fantasies, including Moonheart, Forests of the Heart, and The Onion Girl, have earned him a devoted following and critical acclaim as a master of contemporary magical fiction. At the heart of his work is the ongoing Newford series, of which this is the latest volume.The city of Newford could be any contemporary North American city . . . except that magic lurks in its music, in its art, in the shadows of its grittiest streets where mythic beings walk disguised. And its people are like you and me, each looking for a bit of magic to shape their lives and transform their fate.Now, in this latest volume, we meet a bluesman hiding from the devil; a Buffalo Man at the edge of death; a murderous ghost looking for revenge; a wolf man on his first blind date; and many more. Were reunited with Jilly, Geordie, Sophie, the Crow Girls, and other characters whose lives have become part of the great Newford myth. And de Lint takes us beyond Newfords streets to the pastoral hills north of the city, where magic and music have a flavor different but powerful still.

Customer Reviews:

Dreams Are Important.......2005-08-28

"Tapping the Dream Tree" is a weighty collection of Newford stories by Charles De Lint, revisiting some of his favoriate characters such as Jilly, Sophie and the Crow Girls. It does include a novelette --'Seven Wild Sisters'. For those of us who have had to search for vanished magazine copies of the stories, this anthology is a wonderful find. His characters are real, in some universe, and it's great to know more about them and their lives. Any De Lint reader needs to have this volume in their collection.

A Former Non-Fan of De Lint .......2005-02-15

After reading the reviews posted here I realize that I have missed out on quite a lot of excellent reading material over the years. The only three de Lint books I have ever come into contact with are The Onion Girl, Tapping the Dream Tree, and Spirits in the Wires. Some die-hard fans will therefore, I am sure, immediately discount my disagreement with the seemingly negative opinion of this book shown by the majority of the reviewers here. In particular, I strongly disagree with the review that states, "This one is for the fans... only" because this is the first De Lint book I ever read.

I will freely admit that I am a sucker for a good short story. I must also say that, if the first de Lint I had read was a continuous novel, I might not have gone around town recommending it to everyone I knew, as I did with Tapping the Dream Tree. This might not be as deep or as emotional or as detailed as some of de Lint's other work, but, from my reading of the stories, de Lint writes into these stories as much detail and emotional description as a short story can possibly contain.

As a short-story writer, one of the most difficult things to do well is to leave out parts that you could write in. If you choose well, these left out pieces add to your characters and stories more effectively than their inclusion. de Lint is excellent in this respect. Some of these characters are so well written that you want to step into their world and find out what they are like on a normal day and if they've ever had a normal day and what they like in their coffee or if they like coffee at all. They are characters that have deep wells of untouchably fascinating personality.

In summary... I loved this book. I loved these characters. This is the first De Lint book I ever read. This is still my favorite De Lint book. If you have never read de Lint, and if you like short stories from Bradbury (all of his shorts, not just his Martian Chronicles), and you would like to find a book of fantasy that captures the same feelings of making all things strange and, in strangeness, strangely beautiful, read de Lint's Tapping the Dream Tree. It is good enough to be worth reading.

People don't understand these stories are not new............2004-04-17

All of these stories are from previous rare Chap books and other small press printings from many many years of Mr. De Lint's body of work.
So some of the stories aren't as well told because well they were written 10-15 years ago.....also this clearly states it is full of SHORT stories..short stories can't go into the kind of detail several folks seem to be demanding from De Lint. If you want more details of some of these characters by the OTHER anthologies of Newford as well as the full length novels. Don't whine and complain because you feel like you got dropped into the middle when the books clearly says it is MORE tales from Newford..not ALL the tales from Newford....sigh.
Beautiful collection lovely lyrical quality and and engaging characters. I have only a few De lints I have not enjoyed and this certianly not one of them.

Sadly, de Lint and Newford stumble -.......2004-03-10

I'm a fan of Charles de Lint, and I love Newford, the city he's created and in which he's set so many good tales. I was eager to get to this fourth volume of Newford stories.

I confess that I'm one of a billion fans silently pressuring de Lint to tell me more about all my favorite characters, and here they are - the Riddels, the Kelledys, the crow girls. Well, mother always said to be careful what you wish for.

These stories are just so disappointing. The characters you love... just coasting, covering no new ground, sad shadows of themselves. Here, for example, is Jilly Coppercorn - mouthing catchphrases and jerking around like an automaton. Christy Riddel meats a ghost - who has a hell of a lot more life than he does. Suddenly the conflicted, intelligent writer is a cardboard cut-out, as deep and nuanced as a french fry. And here's Sophie, on another magical adventure - having the same tired argument with herself about whether the magic is real.

Yes, there are new characters. In one excruciatingly badly written tale, told entirely in dialogue, two young men discover magic power and Learn About Themselves. Bleh. A man and woman save a stranger from getting killed and discover he was being hunted by fallen angels. How to keep the "freaks" (a word he uses WAY too often, here and elsewhere) from coming for revenge?

"Live a good life. Be good people. Keep hateful thoughts out of your heart and mind." This theme is repeated throughout the anthology, over and over and over, just this clumsily. Every tale a morality tale, everywhere a Message.

Really, some of these stories are so bad, one wonders why people published them in their anthologies and magazines and such. I guess because they say "Charles de Lint" on them. Maybe nobody wants to hurt his feelings. And maybe that's a problem. The Onion Girl, and now Tapping the Dream Tree, suggest that maybe de Lint doesn't have anything more to say about our beloved characters, or even magical Newford. Somebody, something, needs to push him to use his powerful, wonderful imagination again. Hey, I know, nobody's perfect. But the time period covered by these stories... that's a long time stumbling.

Fans may want to grit through this collection, despite the flaws and disappointments. "Ten for the Devil," "Pixel Pixies," and "Big City Littles" are worth reading, and harken back to the GOOD collections of Newford tales, in spirit.

Honestly, though, it's a waste of time, money, and hope. And a sorry waste of Charles de Lint.

Charming modern folk tales--convincing and emotional.......2003-06-28

A killer who reads minds, a group of young women who find pixies coming from their computers, hobs in their bookstores, and lovers in their dreams, people who sell their souls to the devil, and seven red-haired sisters who live in the forest and discover the war between the sang fairies and the bee fairies. Author Charles de Lint provides a delightful assortment of modern fairy tales. De Lint's stories are charming and fresh, dealing with authentic people rather than shallow fairy-tale heros--and with real magic.

TAPPING THE DREAM TREE is a wonderful collection of stand-alone stories, connected stories about the dream tree and a dream city, and a short novel of the seven sisters. This isn't a dark cyber-punk return-of-magic story, but a modern version of folk stories where fairie creatures may be powerful and beautiful, but are frequently indifferent to humans. Most of the stories are set in the countryside rather than in the city and reflect a peaceful pacing.

De Lint's writing paints pictures for his stories, compelling the reader without any sense of hurry. I found myself savoring the stories even though a part of me wanted to plunge on and find out what happens next. If you've read de Lint before, you know what to expect and you'll be delighted to find it. If you haven't, you're in for a treat. De Lint is a winner and TAPPING THE DREAM TREE is a powerful collection of stories that needs to be added to your must-read pile.

The Moon Came Down on Milk Street
Average customer rating:

teamwork!

Who Will Help Make Things Right Again?

The Moon Came Down on Milk Street
Jean Gralley
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Ages 4-8 | Children | Bargain Books | Stores | Books
General | Literature & Fiction | Children | Bargain Books | Stores | Books
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ASIN: B000KJTOG2
Release Date: 2004-09-09

Book Description

The Moon came down on Milk Street, came down with a very soft sound.Shh-shhh, shh-shhhhh, in pieces on the ground.A compelling story with a strong message of community and togetherness When the moon suddenly falls on Milk Street, a little boy wonders, "Who will make it right again and set it in the air?" His question is soon answered, as firefighters, rescue workers, and the entire neighborhood of Milk Street come together to restore the moon in the sky. Jean Gralley's dynamic images and spare text brilliantly illustrate the power of the human spirit during difficult times. This is a story of community, comfort, and brave men and women everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

teamwork!.......2004-12-08

Late one night on Milk Street the moon falls from the sky! What should the people do? They all come together and work as a team to set in right in the sky! Everyone helps! The fire chief, worker dogs, rescue workers and citizens of the community work until the job is done!

The book teaches the values of teamwork, cooperation and sense of community to young children.

I would recommend this book to kids who are just learning to read on their own. The will enjoy the simple text. Only a few words are on each page making the book very easy for them to read in one sitting.

Who Will Help Make Things Right Again?.......2004-11-20

It's a Lunar 9-1-1 on Milk Street when the moon comes down-and it's up to everyone to help put it back in the sky. I discovered this book purely by accident while I was browsing the picture book section, but I'm glad I did-it's a beautiful little treasure for any childhood library.

In the urban setting of Milk Street one night, the moon comes down. And all the children come to help dressed as firemen and policemen, all eager to fix things. The text is very simple, perfect to be read to a very young child or read by a child just learning to read. In some ways the restful and gentle nature of the lyrical words reminds me of GOODNIGHT MOON, but the similarities end there. The warmly colored gouache and mixed media pictures are simply drawn, depending on a soft cartoon style rather than detailed-realistic. They work perfectly with the words and subject, creating an almost dream-like feel to this story. All the characters are children in their pajamas and animals, all running to help. This is a proactive tale, a positive story of an emergency that is solved by cooperation. And, by the time the children wish each other goodnight and go off to bed, readers know they well deserve their peaceful sleep.

This book tackles some important issues. Anyone familiar with what happened on 9/11 in 2001 will be quick to see similarities here. The pictures of children clothed in police and firefighter gear gathered in the street and all pitching in to help is an echo of similar images people saw after the events of 9/11. The moon dust on their pajamas even echoes the soot. But the reflection isn't brutal or dark; the similarities are gentle reminders-not scary. And the message is positive, and essential for children to hear. When an emergency happens, people will band together to help "set things right again." It teaches children a powerful lesson within a fairly gently told tale that will inspire hope, not fear.

This isn't a book about 9/11, of course. It can be read to cover many different traumatic events and emergencies. On the first page of the book, the author makes mention of Fred Rogers "when he was a child, if he ever came across a car accident or some other terrifying scene his mother would tell him, `Look for the helpers.'" And that's what this book is about. Helpers. It is a tribute to them, and an inspiration to a new generation of them.

I'd recommend this book for children anywhere from age 1-4, and especially for children who might be coping with fears or worries that this addresses. This is a remarkable little book and deserves some recognition for the beautiful art, musical prose and important message.

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad

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