Amazon.com
Part melodrama and part parable, Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven weaves together three stories, all told about the same man: 83-year-old Eddie, the head maintenance person at Ruby Point Amusement Park. As the novel opens, readers are told that Eddie, unsuspecting, is only minutes away from death as he goes about his typical business at the park. Albom then traces Eddie's world through his tragic final moments, his funeral, and the ensuing days as friends clean out his apartment and adjust to life without him. In alternating sections, Albom flashes back to Eddie's birthdays, telling his life story as a kind of progress report over candles and cake each year. And in the third and last thread of the novel, Albom follows Eddie into heaven where the maintenance man sequentially encounters five pivotal figures from his life (a la A Christmas Carol). Each person has been waiting for him in heaven, and, as Albom reveals, each life (and death) was woven into Eddie's own in ways he never suspected. Each soul has a story to tell, a secret to reveal, and a lesson to share. Through them Eddie understands the meaning of his own life even as his arrival brings closure to theirs.
Albom takes a big risk with the novel; such a story can easily veer into the saccharine and preachy, and this one does in moments. But, for the most part, Albom's telling remains poignant and is occasionally profound. Even with its flaws, The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a small, pure, and simple book that will find good company on a shelf next to It's A Wonderful Life. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, a tragic accident kills him as he tries to save a little girl from a falling cart. He awakes in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a destination. It's a place where your life is explained to you by five people, some of whom you knew, others who may have been strangers. One by one, from childhood to soldier to old age, Eddie's five people revisit their connections to him on earth, illuminating the mysteries of his 'meaningless' life, and revealing the haunting secret behind the eternal question: 'Why was I here?'
Customer Reviews:
Existential Food for Thought.......2007-09-30
This tiny book is huge in provoking thoughts about life after death. It provides the reader with another theory of the after-life, the author's. According to Albom, five people whose lives we have touched, meet us in their very own heaven, endowing us with answers and experiences. It is a moving, thought- provoking, and uplifting book.
I would have enjoyed it more if the characters had been more finely developed. But in this little book, there wasn't enough time.
always a great read.......2007-09-29
I love this book. This was the second time I read it and it was better than I remember.
A Parable More Applicable To Life Than Death.......2007-09-08
I have read and liked Mitch Albom's other works, especially the brilliant "Tuesdays With Morrie." I was given this book as a gift, and was a less sure about it because I am not generally fond of fiction, especially spiritually-based fiction. I shouldn't have been concerned: Albom delivers as usual.
The book concerns the life, and more to the point, the death of a man who had lived an ordinary life, and who finds himself entering heaven as Albom envisions it. While I certainly don't agree with or endorse Albom's specific spiritual or religious views, the point of the book isn't really about the specifics of heaven or life after death, but rather it is a reflective parable which focuses the reader on the relationships and situations of genuine importance in life.
The book follows Eddie, an elderly widower, as he meets five people who played key roles in his life on earth, even though their roles were rarely what they first seem to be. I was most impressed with the two lives which intersected Eddie's in wartime, the Captain who was his commanding officer in World War Two, and Tala, a little girl whose life most dramatically intersected with Eddie's in a defining moment of his life. I read the book in one sitting, and while I was captivated by the entire book, the encounter with Tala was one of the most emotionally charged passages I have ever read, and is in and of itself a good enough reason to recommend the book.
This book is easy for intellectual snobs to dismiss with an elitist sniff, but I think that's an inappropriate response. The book, while not conforming to the specific religious beliefs of many (including myself), is a great reminder of the importance and value of relationships in this life, and teaches readers to never take people, especially friends and family, for granted. With that in mind, I can say that the book is generally excellent, and has moments of utter inspirational brilliance. I recommend the book highly.
5 Stars for 5 People.......2007-08-24
I would recommend this book for anyone. It is a smooth good read. Not at all what I thought when it was recommended to me. You will enjoy this book.
Delightful.......2007-08-23
I read this book in one day. As 'Eddie' catches glimpses of his life and some of the people and events that took place, you will be tempted to look back on your own life. There are so many lessons to be learned about yourself as you read about Eddies life and death. This is not a book to keep in your collection; it is a book to pass on because everyone you love deserves to read it.
Book Description
USA Today bestselling author Nina Bangs now delivers the first book in a new trilogy of three extraordinary men who promise fulfillment for the women bold enough to accept their sensual challenges.
Come to the Castle of Dark Dreams, the delicious attraction in an adult amusement park where women take role-playing to new erotic heights with the three brothers-Eric, Brynn, and Conall McNair-who work there. Okay, so they're not human, but that's a secret. Tonight, Eric, the castle's resident vampire, will prove that he's everything bad should be when he drives a female talk show host absolutely wild with desire.
Download Description
"USA Today bestselling author Nina Bangs now delivers the first book in a new trilogy of three extraordinary men who promise fulfillment for the women bold enough to accept their sensual challenges. Come to the Castle of Dark Dreams, the delicious attraction in an adult amusement park where women take role-playing to new erotic heights with the three brothers-Eric, Brynn, and Conall McNair-who work there. Okay, so they're not human, but that's a secret. Tonight, Eric, the castle's resident vampire, will prove that he's everything bad should be when he drives a female talk show host absolutely wild with desire."
Customer Reviews:
I wish it wasn't the end.......2007-09-02
This is the final title in this part of Nina Bangs Castle of Dark Dreams trilogy, and I'm sorry to see it end. I love the "brothers" but was hoping that some of the other characters would get a story of their own. I enjoyed the conflicts nearly as much as the inclusion of other "Powerful beings". While the cosmic troublemakers are in other books, which I have enjoyed, I really enjoyed some of Sparkles revelations in this trilogy.
Hot Hot Hot.......2007-05-23
Wow, I love vampire romances, but this one takes the cake. Very descriptive to say the least!!! LOL
It's Hot... But..........2007-05-17
I'm a fan of Nina Bangs and have been reading her for several years. This is not her best effort. The characters are a little flat, and the secondaries are just annoying. It reads like it was thrown together in a hurry. I was very disappointed, in fact I put it down twice before forcing myself to finish it. It's been on my shelf for a long time so I don't think it was my frame of mind while reading it. I'll continue to read the next 2 in the series (I already bought them) and hope the slump is a one time thing.
Wicked Nights is HOT!.......2007-02-11
I enjoyed this book greatly. I don't know how else to say it. I am hooked on Nina Bangs I have brought 4 more of her books since reading this story.
Enjoyed it.......2006-08-01
Enjoyed it and would recommend it if you're a fan of this genre and don't limit yourself to the dark, brooding vampire stories. I am a fan of vampire romance books, and spend my time on Amazon looking for authors that are writing in the same genre. Bangs does the vampire alpha male character well, with a humorous overlay. I found the sex scenes enticing - Eric would be a keeper if he showed up in my world. The stuff with her recurring characters, Sparkle, et al, is a little annoying, they are pretty one dimensional - although they tie her stories together, and after you've read a couple, you don't need any wasted pages to understand Sparkle's purpose in the book. Donna's choice at the end is intriguing - I felt a little cheated that we didn't get to see some of what comes next.
Book Description
Every summer from 1904 to 1967, for 63 years, Riverview—the world's largest amusement park—opened its gates to millions of people from all walks of life. For three generations, the Schmidt's family park offered rides, shows, food, and music to men, women, and especially children. Riverview survived depressions, two World Wars, labor disputes, Prohibition, and a World's Fair that threatened to take a great deal of its business. Riverview Amusement Park tells the story of Riverview's growth from 22 acres and three rides to 140 acres and more than 100 attractions.
Customer Reviews:
great book.......2006-07-31
a wonderful book about a chicago amusement park - one we miss dearly
Average customer rating:
- An Indispensable Reference Book
- sweet memories
- GREAT GIFT FOR FORMER CONEY ISLANDERS
- A well-done history of Coney Island
- The BEST Coney Island Reference Book Available
|
Coney Island: Lost and Found
Charles Denson
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| Travel
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
New York
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Northeast
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Reference & Tips
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
| Beaches
| Business Travel
| Cruises
| Essays & Travelogues
| Food & Lodging
| Guidebooks
| Pictorial
| Reference
| Spas
| Tips
| Tourist Destinations & Museums
| Travel Writing
General
| Adventure
| Specialty Travel
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Travel Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
jp-unknown3
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Coney Island: The People's Playground
-
American Experience - Coney Island
-
Good Old Coney Island
-
The Automat: The History, Recipes, and Allure of Horn & Hardart's Masterpiece
-
Amusing the Million: Coney Island at the Turn of the Century (American Century)
ASIN: 1580084559 |
Book Description
Coney Island: Lost and Found by Charles Denson
Growing up on Coney Island in the '50s and '60s, Charles Denson experienced legendary amusements and attractions like the Cyclone and Thunderbolt roller coasters, the Parachute Jump, and Steeplechase Park. In CONEY ISLAND: LOST AND FOUND, Denson gives us an insider's look at one of New York's best-known neighborhoods, weaving together memories of his childhood adventures with colorful stories of the area's past and interviews with local personalities, all brought to life by hundreds of photographs, detailed maps, and authentic memorabilia. CONEY ISLAND is a heartfelt chronicle that stretches from colonial times to the island's heyday in the early 20th century and through its subsequent decline and revival, culminating in the 2001 opening of the new ballpark that brought baseball back to Brooklyn.
Customer Reviews:
An Indispensable Reference Book.......2007-06-06
This is the best book I've ever read on the history Coney Island and I've read every one I could find. It is extremely well researched and written, has incredible photographs and graphics, and a personal story that's moving and deeply felt.
Like many of the other reviewers of this book I grew up in the Coney Island area (Brighton First Street). Coney Island has an almost magical draw for me, so much so that I recently completed writing and illustrating a novel called, "Coney Island Book of the Dead" that takes place in 1956. Charles Denson's book proved to be an invaluable source of facts, lore, and pictures, but, even more importantly, of inspiration. If my novel ever gets published (I'm looking for an agent as of 6/08/07) I hope all of you coneyislandaphiles read it.
Also, you might also be interested in a new book by Charles Denson called "Wild Ride! A Coney Island Roller Coaster Family." I just ordered it.
sweet memories.......2007-05-02
The Terra and Belgenio patriarchs arrived in Coney Island at the turn of the 20 th centuty--legend has it that they got on a train and got off at the last stop--Stillwell Ave. This wonderful book put me in touch with them and my parents who lived and died on 15 th and 17 Streets between Mermaid & Neptune Aves. up until the mid 70's. My grandfather Anthony Terra sold ice in the summer and coal in the winter while his wife Maria ran a fruit & vegetable store and raised 6 children--one of whom was my father George, who knew everybody and everybody knew him. This book --the narrative and photos--ignited so many memories for me that I cannot read it without shedding some tears --as I am doing now. Buy the book--you'll love it! Dr Anthony Terra
GREAT GIFT FOR FORMER CONEY ISLANDERS.......2005-12-13
I actually got a copy of this book from my grandfather -- who was featured in the book. I enjoyed this book so much that I have since bought this book for every friend and relative who has moved out of state. This is a great gift for any occassion... for any Brooklynite.
A well-done history of Coney Island.......2005-05-27
Like many of the other reviewers, I'm a Coney Island native. Unlike them, I grew in Trump Village, located on the border between Coney and Brighton. Growing up in the 1970's and 80's, central Coney was always a bad neighborhood and I'd only heard vague stories about how great it used to be. While I have since read books and seen documentaries about Coney, Denson's book goes even deeper, especially with his wonderful use of oral history.
I had always been told that before Trump Village and Warbasse, there used to be nothing but empty land in that area. Thanks to this book, I have finally learned the truth, that there used to be a vital, functioning and even happy lower and middle income neighborhood called the Gut, before Fred Trump, Robert Moses and other developers and politicians came along and destroyed all that. Despite it's unfortunate beginnings, Trump still ended up being a decent, affordable place for many middle class Jews and Russian immigrants to live, thanks to this book, I'll always see the ghosts of the homes, theaters and people who came before everytime I go home.
For anyone who is interested in Coney Island or the rise and fall of a city neighborhood, this book is most definitely recommended. And if you grew up in or even near Coney, this book is a must-read.
The BEST Coney Island Reference Book Available.......2004-04-30
Calling all Coney Island fanatics, nostalgia buffs and preservationists - this is the book for you. I hardly know where to start in singing its praises - simply put, it's a heartfelt love-letter to the past, present and future of our beloved Island. The photographs are exquisite, the author's personal experiences poignant, and the history documented fascinating. What more could you ask for?
I was amazed upon first opening Denson's book - for some years I had been photographing the "leftover buildings", as I knew them - faceless, nameless structures from the old days of Coney, unsure of their histories, but endlessly fascinated by them. Charles Denson cleared up most every mystery for me, documenting the pasts of these previously anonymous remnants. For this, I cannot thank him enough. Even further, he has included photographs that he took over a lifetime, of demolitions, which are heartbreaking, but informative, to see. It's as if he's putting his private treasure trove of images out for all the world to see, which, really, is a great gift. I owe him many thanks.
The layout and sequencing of the book is perfect, arranged in a timely, appropriate manner. Unfortunately, it is a very fast read, but not due to a shallow treatment of its subject - rather, that it is such fascinating material, handled with enthralling interest. One can feel Denson's pride and joy in Coney Island - it practically radiates from the pages.
This is one of the few books that I'd recommend buying even if one doesn't have the chance to view it first - it would be well worth three times the asking price. It is a truly landmark reference book on Coney Island - although it's a delight, it's accurate, respectable, and quite sincere, as well. The photographs alone make it worthy of purchase, as do Denson's personal stories of youth and adolescence on the Island. Please, please, please give it a try - you'll find that it is worth every penny, and that it is a book you'll hold onto for a long, long time to come.
Book Description
In an age before jets, air-conditioning, and superhighways, Lake Hopatcong was a major northeast resort. It lay within easy reach of large cities to the east, and its size and setting at over nine hundred feet above sea level made it a perfect holiday destination. From the late nineteenth century through World War II, more than forty lake hotels and rooming houses welcomed thousands of vacationers each year. After the war, the lake continued to be a popular spot for renting a bungalow or buying a summer cottage. But for many, Lake Hopatcong will always be remembered as the home of Bertrand Island Park. ÝÝAlthough Bertrand Island Park closed in 1983, there is no place in northwestern New Jersey that is more fondly remembered. For some seventy years, the park thrilled youngsters and adults alike. The park opened during the peak of Lake Hopatcongís resort years, and its popularity continued as the lake evolved from a hotel resort to a community of second homes and finally into a year-round locale. Generations of school groups, church outings, company picnics, and residents from throughout the region delighted in the wooden roller coaster, the magical carousel, and the scores of other rides and games. ÝÝ
Customer Reviews:
Trip down memory road.......2006-07-15
I'm 28 and went to Bertrand's Island only a few times before they closed.
Most of my memories were "visiting" the closed down park with my buddies, as we road our bikes around the ghost town.
This book brings back many memories and I only wish they had some pics of it after it was closed but still standing.
The condo's there now do NOT do this location justice.
If you remember the park, get the book.
Wonderful Memories.......2003-02-17
Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Kane for sharing their extensive compilation of photos and memorabilia from Bertrand's Island, and publishing them in a book for us all to enjoy. I have fond memories of visiting Bertrand's Island when I was a kid in the 50's and 60's, and of hanging out there as a teenager in the 70's (unfortunately, I missed Peter Frampton). Old fashioned parks like Bertrand's Island, with their rickety wood roller coaster, tunnel of love (Lost River), and gas powered go-carts are now a thing of the past, but the Kane's book brings it all back to us in vivid detail.
Excellent Review of a forgotten NJ institution.......2001-12-19
An excellent review of the old NJ amusement park that everyone loved before the days of Six Flags, Action Park and the multi-million dollar mega parks. My Grandfather owned one of the rides at Bertrand Island and I have hazzy memories of going there when I was very little. Not big enough to be remembered by historians, this is a slice of NJ life that can be forgotten very easily. An excellent book.
Book Description
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Coney Island was the uncontested epicenter of America's emerging mass culture. It was the quintessential American resort: the birthplace of the amusement park, the hot dog, and the roller coaster. Its history is one of breathtaking transformation and re-invention. Celebrated for its glittering amusement parks and its enormous crowds, it was in times past a mecca of grand hotels, race tracks, beer gardens, gambling dens, concert saloons, and dance halls. A new mass culture began to take shape there. Its harshest critics decried it as Bedlam by the Sea, but others deemed it a necessary outlet for the masses where the democratic spirit was granted free rein. Despite its precipitous decline, Coney Island remains a metaphor for the American amusement industry and the hundreds of honky-tonk resorts and amusement parks it has spawned.
Coney Island: The People's Playground is the first new history of Coney Island in almost half a century, tracing its evolution and cultural impact from its earliest development as a seaside resort to the present day Mermaid Parade. Presented in a photo-documentary format featuring more than one hundred vintage photos, archival material, personal accounts, and contemporary sources, the book evokes the atmosphere of the resort as experienced by those who visited it during its heyday. Through the reminiscences of nineteenth- and twentieth-century writers, literary figures, and amusement historians, Michael Immerso traces Coney Island's remarkable evolution and subsequent decline, while at the same time examining the remarkable individuals and complex social forces that contributed to its rise and fall.
Coney Island is not merely a documentary of the amusement industry or the story of a fabled amusement park, but rather a narrative of the way Americans, and particularly immigrants and urban Americans, came to regard the pursuit of leisure as part of their national birthright.
Customer Reviews:
Carry Me Back To Old Coney Island.......2003-07-28
In this excellent book, Michal Immerso meticulously traces Coney Islands' wild history, from its origins as a sandy haven for rabbits to its development as the most spectacular amusement area on earth to its slow and sad decline.
Although this book would be right at home on a coffee-table, readers should know that they will be getting much more than photographs and anecdotes of Old Coney. Immerso's book is fairly serious in tone and crammed with details: I found myself wishing that I had a map of the area before me, so I could trace all the comings and goings of all the attractions that graced the three spectacular parks of Coney Island--Dreamland, Luna Park, and Steeplechase. Immerso also tracks the development of the main streets, the hotels, the great migrations of immigrants (still continuing today). He writes about the destructive fires that regulary swept through large swaths of Coney Island, noting in great detail what was destroyed in each and what grew each time from the ashes.
My favorite sections dealt with the amusements themselves--the many roller coasters (the evolution of which is carefully traced), the carrosels, The Trip To The Moon, Over and Under The Sea, and emporiums with great names such as the Pavillion of Fun and Wormwood's Dog and Monkey Circus.
If I have any criticism, it's that Immerso has given us too much, for in addition to this exhaustive history, he tackles even more ambitious territory: what it all means in the context of the American experience. No doubt Coney Island provided a template for the mega-amusement/entertainment industry that was to develop in its wake. But it also was one of the first, true, democratic vistas, where millions of Americans from every ethnic group have rubbed elbows on one stretch of beach for more than a century. This anarchic democracy born of sand and fun has, according to Immerso, left a profound imprint on the American consciousness.
My only real regeret is that Immerso did not include a time machine and ticket to transport me back Luna Park to see, hear, feel, and taste for myself the thousand-and-one delights of Coney Island on a summer night in the early 1900s.
Not Just a Pretty Face.......2003-06-22
I just got Michael Immerso's book on Coney Island as a gift to remind me of the excitement and magic I felt when I visited there. I was delighted to get a coffee table book that was not just slick, but edifying as well. I felt justified in this delight as the pictures were given weight by the academic tone of the narrative explanations. Although I hoped for a bit more colorful "sleeze" in both the pictures, and the descriptions, nevertheless I'm not disappointed. I feel both my need for visuals as well as story have been satifactorily met.
All the Sights and Sounds.......2003-04-05
Michael Immerso has taken a slice of America's past and captured it with all the sights, sounds, and glitter that made Coney Island what it was. This book is filled to the brim with history that comes alive on its pages. Mr. Immerso's compelling story telling and vivid descriptions are complemented by many classic pictures. You can't pick this book up without becoming part of one of the great icons of America's history. This is definitely a book to own, enjoy, and share.
An American Wonderland.......2003-03-28
Michael Immerso once again shows he is a cultural historian of the first order. His first book, "Newark's Little Italy: The Vanished First Ward," was near and dear to my heart as a native of Newark myself. This time, though, Immerso had a tougher sell. Not only did I know practically nothing about Coney Island, I had never set foot in it. After reading this book, however, I feel I know Coney Island's history, development, and demise as well as possible for a non-native.
We all know that there is a story behind just about any historical locale. What we need is the story teller. Michael Immerso is that story teller for this magical place called Coney Island.
Newark was better.......2003-03-22
I bought this book after reading Immerso's wonderful and insightful book about his hometown of Newark, New Jersey. His new book on Coney Island was not at all what I expected. It's more like a book report than a book, consisting of bits of information taken from previous Coney books spliced together with trivia from web sites. There appears to be no primary source material or original research. Immerso repeats the traditional Coney Island stories, weaving them into a dry narrative that will be interesting only to someone who is not familiar with Coney Island. The modern color photos are not very good and seem to be used as filler. Overall, Coney Island: The People's Playground is a pedestrian effort by a good writer.
Customer Reviews:
Happy Memories.......2005-10-17
Having gone to Cedar Point with my parents as a child every summer, and having taken my children when the time came, I was very dissapointed to see the "modern " changes that are there now. This book brings back all the memories I have cherished over the years. The pictures are extensive and touches on all the things that made Cedar Point, Cedar Point. It was wonderfull to see the Point as it was when my father went there as a young single man.Alltogether an extensive and wonderful look at Cerar Point over the years.
Customer Reviews:
robfb.......2001-08-04
Although I completely agree with the previous review, I would like to emphasize how well this book is written. This book is part of Twayne's Evolution of American Business Series and, as such, does not hide raw data from the reader. However, one can easily ignore the tables and skip a few paragraphs in each chapter and still feel very satisfied with the book.
I orginially purchased the book to learn the history of the Walt Disney World Resort. What I gained was a thorough review of the amusement park history from the 12th century Bartholomew Fair to Universal Studios Florida in 1990 (the book was published in 1991). From trolley parks to Coney Island, from Disneyland to Cedar Point, Ms. Adams covers all the bases.
A wonderful book!
Academic study, not lighthearted or fun but excellent.......2000-07-04
This is a wonderfully researched, thoughtful treatise on the amusement park industry. It is not for those who want a pictorial history, or a romp with colorful characters like George Tilyou. Tilyou is here, but he is surrounded by demographic charts showing the age breakdown of the New York City population during Coney Island's history. There is a great deal of financial information, as well, such as consumer spending on 23 recreational products or services for the years 1909-1923. You get the idea--it is an academic book (but there are some photos, mainly historical).
But as such, it's awesome. There is probably no other book like it. Many academic books are not only dry, they are poorly written, but this one is neither. Here is a sample (since this is the first review and there is little here about the book):
"The major historian of the amusement industry, William F. Mangels, author of "The Outdoor Amusement Industry from Earliest Times to the Present" (1952) was himself a carousel manufacturer. In 1907 Mangels patented a device that imparted an improved, smooth, galloping motion to the horses and in time became common on all carousels. He and his carver, Marcus Charles Illions, produced finely carved carousels, including the Feltman merry-go-round at Coney Island. This man, who in 1912 also created the first wave machine for the swimming pool at Palisades Park, New Jersey, preserved the heritage of the amusement industry in America by organizing and developing the American Museum of Public Recreation."
For the same reason, here is the Table of Contents:
1. The Origins 2. The Form Emerges 3. Coney Island and the Enclosed Park 4. From Trolley to Automobile 5. The Disney Transformation 6. Theme Parks 7. Walt Disney World Resort 8. Overview and Postscript
A: Some Parks That Established the Traditional, Pre-Disneyland Culture B: Industry Associations and Publications Chronology Notes and References Selected Bibliography
Index
As Mark Twain once said, "If you enjoy this sort of thing, this is just the sort of thing you'll enjoy." I found the book's precision and well-supported opinions very entertaining. Perhaps you will, too.
Average customer rating:
- Weeki Wachee memories
- A Lovingly Written Tribute to a Unique Florida Icon.
- Underwater Tourist Culture
- Loved this book!
- Serious kitsch
|
Weeki Wachee, City of Mermaids: A History of One of Florida's Oldest Roadside Attractions (Florida History and Culture)
Lu Vickers
Manufacturer: University Press of Florida
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Travel
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| Travel
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
South
| United States
| Travel
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| How-to
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Women's Studies
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Culture
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Tourist Destinations & Museums
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Florida
| States
| United States
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Performing Arts
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
| Dance
| Magic & Illusion
| Theater
General
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Florida
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
South
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Travel Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Glass Bottom Boats & Mermaid Tails: Florida's Tourist Springs
-
Swim to Me: A Novel
-
Weeki Wachee Springs (Images of America)
-
Breathing Underwater
-
Cypress Gardens, FL (Images of America)
ASIN: 0813030412 |
Book Description
"Lu Vickers has written a truly delicious, sparkling history of Florida's own mermaid city of Weeki Wachee, one of the greatest oldtime roadside attractions. Her prose is bright, sharp and funny; combined with the illustrations brilliantly compiled by Sara Dionne, it makes for a wonderful, vivacious, superbly researched but never dry saga of the regular girls who transformed themselves into swimming goddesses and the tiny hamlet which got so famous even Elvis came to pay court."--Diane Roberts, National Public Radio correspondent and author of Dream State
"After 37 years at wonderful Weeki Wachee, one third of that time spent underwater, I can honestly say that this remarkable book tells the fascinating history of the spring like it was. Two fins up for Weeki Wachee, City of Mermaids."--Bonnie Georgiadis
In the postwar explosion of domestic tourism, Weeki Wachee spring offered the quintessential vacation fantasy, a city of colorful mermaids in a natural crystal spring right off the West Coast highway in a sparsely inhabited Florida. In those early days, the mermaids had to stand alongside the highway to flag travelers down, but once word of their charms got out, travelers headed south to playgrounds in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Tampa found Weeki Wachee a tantalizing detour from the grueling two-lane road connecting vacationland with the work-a-day world to the north. Vickers and Dionne show how that local novelty became a stellar international attraction.
Founded in 1947 by Walton Hall Smith and Newt Perry, Weeki Wachee and its featured attraction, mermaids, combined the allure of pinup girls with the wholesome talents of variety entertainers to create a daily schedule of underwater acts ranging from eating bananas and performing ballet to staging underwater musicals. For nearly 60 years, these mermaids with their underwater talents have attracted crowds of vacationers, film crews, and celebrities. Drawing on extensive archival research as well as interviews with dozens of mermaids and other park employees, Vickers traces the park's rise to prominence. Combined with Dionne's arrangement of 250 photos, the resulting work shows what it was like to be a mermaid at Weeki Wachee in its heyday.
Weeki Wachee, City of Mermaids also explores the enduring appeal of the attraction. Once people get past Weeki Wachee's once crumbling, recently restored exterior, they continue to be just as genuinely awed by the mermaids as Elvis was.
Customer Reviews:
Weeki Wachee memories.......2007-09-06
I grew up in a small town just a few miles from the Springs in the 40's and 50's and Weeki Wachee was our old 'swimming hole' where the men of the town would go clean out the 'grass' every summer so we could all swim and play even tho the water was ice cold and we would shiver and shake but refuse to get out and warm up. I remember a lot of the things happening that are included in the book and knew some of the 'mermaids' since I went to school with them and our P.E. teacher was also a mermaid. I spent many summers trying to learn how to eat a banana and drink a grapette under water(I never did accomplish this). This book brings back lots of memories and I think anyone who can 'remember when' would enjoy it and also anyone wanting to see a slice of 'old Florida' would also enjoy this book. I took my grandchildren back to the Springs last summer where we saw the mermaid show twice and once again swam in the icy water. They tried to be mermaids for weeks after and were enchanted with the 'mermaid' idea just as I was back in my day.
A Lovingly Written Tribute to a Unique Florida Icon........2007-07-15
Lu Vickers has captured the history and essence of a very special Florida attraction in this book. This book offers a glimpse into a fascinating place during a very interesting time in Florida's tourist history, where the unusual was the draw. It has obviously been written with great care and attention to detail, and is a beautiful homage to the legacy of Newt Perry's vision & creation. We are very lucky to still have this historical and unique attraction~ perhaps this book will help to further encourage locals and tourists alike to take a trip and visit this special Florida icon. Doing so will help to make the experience of watching such graceful and talented performers available for future generations.
~Marina~MeduSirena~
Underwater Tourist Culture.......2007-07-10
American ingenuity can change a place of natural beauty into a roadside attraction, like Mount Rushmore. Florida didn't have mountains to carve, but it had alligators to put on farms for tourists to see, or Cyprus Gardens for those who want to watch acrobatic waterskiing, or various monkey or ostrich farms. It also had beautiful springs of water so clear it was almost invisible. You could get perfect views of turtles swimming below, or fossils of mastodon teeth on the bottom, but for entrepreneurs, that was not enough. And so, the clear springs near the west coast of Florida became infested with mermaids. In _Weeki Wachee, City of Mermaids: A History of One of Florida's Oldest Roadside Attractions_ (University Press of Florida), Lu Vickers has lovingly told the story of a longstanding example of tourist kitsch, accompanied by the photographs compiled by Sara Dionne, who also did research for the book. There are hundreds of photographs here in a lush-looking volume, stills from movies made at the springs, and reproductions of advertisements and brochures. The authors have looked at a wacky place seriously, and told the story of the mermaids with affection and with a larger view to the history and devotion to travel entertainment of the region.
The natural beauty of the springs was appreciated by the ancient Timucua Indians, and by visitors like John Audubon, but commercialism started when the St. Petersburg Springs Corporation bought the land. Newt "The Human Fish" Perry, was the attraction's guiding entrepreneur for decades, putting in an underwater theater, a submerged boxcar-looking room with seats in it and the windows giving a view into the waters. They could see fish, and turtles, but Perry knew they needed entertainment. Somehow, everyday activities became imbued with magic when they were performed underwater. People were amazed to see the swimmers simply eat and drink within the depths. There were an underwater brass band, underwater track meets, an underwater wedding, an underwater fashion show, an underwater beauty contest, and lots of other stunts. The water was so clear that some observers of films of the shows thought that the performers were simply held aloft on wires; bringing fish in didn't work, since the fish would go hide, so bubbles had to be prominent in the pictures.
There were landlubber stars who made their mark at Weeki Wachee. _Tarzan_ with Johnny Weissmuller was filmed in part there. So was _Creature from the Black Lagoon_, taking advantage of local talent and clear waters. Bob Hope, Howard Hughes, and Esther Williams (naturally) all showed up to see the show. So did Elvis, who saw a special show featuring a mermaid holding a placard that read "Elvis Presley's Underwater Fan Club." Introduced to the mermaids afterwards, he was awed by being with the swimmers; he held the hand of one of them, who said afterwards, "I thought he was going to rub my knuckle off, he was so nervous." Times change, and so do fashions, and so do attention spans. The springs have had ecological difficulties. The shows started before a lot of the Florida development boom, before the lawns and fertilizers, which have made algae bloom, making the water murky at times, and leaving a brown scum on the sands of the bottom. Draining a lake nearby caused silty water to enter the springs, clouding them. The resourceful mermaids dreamed up a new show, _The London Fog Mystery with Sherlock Holmes_ and performed close to the glass, until the waters cleared again. The biggest obstacle for the springs has been Disneyworld, whose powerful draw has shut down plenty of other small Florida attractions. Weeki Wachee has barely gotten by at times. It has added and subtracted different attractions, like alligators and birds of prey, and even in 2003 was going to retire the mermaids, who were only putting on irregular shows anyway. That resulted in the successful "Save Our Tails" campaign. Vice President Dick Cheney made a campaign visit there in 2000, and in 2005 the attraction showed up on a list of potential terror targets. There are more important institutions, and more important histories, but the mermaids have provided lots of goofy, touristy fun for decades, and for all its footnotes and references, _Weeki Wachee: City of Mermaids_ delivers curiously oddball entertainment, too.
Loved this book!.......2007-06-03
I absolutely loved this book! It is filled with beautiful, quirky, and amazing photos. The book is full of information and stories that will have you spellbound. My grandaughter and I even shared some bonding time while reading and looking through Ms. Vickers book. We laughed at some of the antics of the mermaids, and we even had our own mermaid beauty contest! Not going to tell you who we picked--have your own mermaid contest.
Lu Vickers has written an amazing book that has everything in it about the Weeki Wachee mermaids. You will love it. Every time you pick it up, you will find more amazing facts. We are planning a visit within the next few weeks to go to Weeki Wachee to see the mermaids for ourselves!
Serious kitsch.......2007-05-14
Mermaids in space suits. Mermaids on a swing set. Mermaids eating a 5-foot hot dog. If you like kooky photographs of bathing beauties then this is absolutely a book for you. It features hundreds of them, each one remarkably clear and full of detail.
But, frankly, they're not the point. As its University Press of Florida pedigree suggests, "Weeki Wachee: City of Mermaids" recounts the serious -- yet never dry -- history of one of America's most funky roadside attractions. Marvelously researched with tons of personal interviews, it tells the sometimes inspiring, often fascinating and always slightly strange tale of how what started as a local novelty grew to be internationally famous, surviving everything from a visit from Elvis Presley to, after one performer nearly drowned, a mermaid strike.
Even better, the book doesn't limit itself just to Weeki Wachee. There's a whole chapter on Wakulla Springs, the Tallahassee-area attraction with a similar homespun past. The author explains how Wakulla storytellers used tales such as that of Henry, the pole-vaulting catfish, to offer "a better brand of natural history than that found in far more sophisticated circles." (I can vouch for Henry. I've seen him jump that pole many times!)
Produced in the same wide-rectangle proportions as a giant postcard, the book is smartly designed and well printed. It's one you'll love to have in your library.
-- By Julie Neal, author of The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World.
Customer Reviews:
GOOD READ!!.......2006-05-09
I really enjoyed this book. I met Mr. Braithwaite at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books where he was signing this book as well as a mystery cookbook he was featured in. Mr. Braithwaite is quite a charming man, and he is an excellent mystery writer. I'm glad I bought this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Perfect Mystery for Today.......2006-04-18
With the controversy of illegal immigration raging across this nation, Kent Braithwaite's novel, THE WONDERLAND MURDERS is the perfect mystery for today. First off, Braithwaite tells a rip-roaring story about a coastal California private eye who is working on a case involving the murder of several people at a southern California amusement park. Wonderland may be the name of the park, but Wonderland may also be viewed as a name for the United States. Braithwaite uses his fabulous story to address the contemporary themes of immigration and cultural assimilation. The protagonist is the grandson of illegal imigrants yet he is married into the moneyed establishment of the OC. His characters range across the cultural spectrum of modern America, and the story presents insights into our nation in transition. Most importantly, though, THE WONDERLAND MURDERS is one terrific mystery novel. It has a romance. It deals with family challenges. Its villians are believeable, as are the good guys. It is a fair-play whodunit. It has all of the elements of first-class crime fiction, and it is one of the best mysteries I have read in the past several years.
L. A. Mystery At Its Best.......2005-06-14
Kent Braithwaite is a high-profile Los Angeles-based mystery writer, and THE WONDERLAND MURDERS is an L.A. mystery at the top of its form. The author has impressive resume of short fiction, mystery convention speaking appearances, and teaching mystery writing at several colleges. He served as a judge for this year's Edgar Allan Poe Award. This novel marks an important point in Mr. Braithwaite's career.
THE WONDERLAND MURDERS tells the story of a string of homicides along the southern California coast. It is set in a fictionalized suburban L.A. beachfront community. Its lead is a Latino private eye. The novel tackles serious social issues and provides an intriguing crime puzzle. NEWSWEEK magazine wrote that it was a great book. I have to agree.
The Best Book I've Read This Year.......2005-06-09
Reading this Jesse Ascencio novel is like settling down and listening to an old and reliably entertaining friend. Kent Braithwaite is the quintessential noir detective writer, and Jesse Ascencio is one of his most well-known series leads. Writing in a noirish style harking back to Hammett and Chandler, Braithwaite tells a contemporary story of modern southern California. Society has changed since the classic days, and Braithwaite has helped the PI form evolve with society. Every element of a classic mystery is in this book. Ascencio and his supporting characters make up a cast worthy of Parker's Spenser or Pronzini's Nameless. The story is a fair-play whodunit with serious social overtones. As with the rest of Braithwaite's works, this novel succeeds on many levels. I hope to soon see more of Braithwaite's Ascencio, oceanfront California, and authorial attitude. I'm also hoping to soon see more of his other series leads such as Casey McGraw and Matt Thornton, of short story fame.
Wathch out...This book has NOTHING to do with John Holmes.......2005-01-17
Braithwaithe must be making a lot of money off suckers like me who bought his book, thinking it had to do with THE Wonderland murders.
And I think it terribly wrong that Amazon is placing this piece of fiction in with the non-fiction of the Wonderland story. Amazon must count on people like me who'd rather just donate the book to a library, rather than go through all the damn trouble of sending the thing back.
I am pissed, not at Braithwaite, but at Amazon.
Books:
- The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-be Southerners
- The Marvel Encyclopedia
- The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (20 Volume Set
- The New Media Monopoly
- The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music
- The One Percent Doctrine: Deep Inside America's Pursuit of Its Enemies Since 9/11
- The Rite of Spring in Full Score
- The Secret
- The Tao of Willie: A Guide to the Happiness in Your Heart
- The Twilight of American Culture
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences
- The Mini Zen Gardening Kit
- The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality
- Lonely Planet Iran
- Texas Hold'em For Dummies
- The Search for Life in the Universe
- Specials
- Macromedia Authorware 6 Training from the Source
- Miller Gaas Guide 2003: A Comprehensive Restatement of Standards for Auditing, Attestation, Compilat
- Compendium of Questionnaries and Inventories
Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson
For One More Day
The Secret Life of Bees
The Da Vinci Code
Life of Pi
