I was disappointed in this book. A lot of good information was written by Judge Fuchs. However after 1935 he was no longer the owner. This book doesn't explain why and how he lost the team. In one sentence it said he lost Babe Ruth and the Braves. How? Why? Does the author not want us to know the truth or the facts?
Another Baseball fluff book that does not give you the hard facts. Spend your money on a better ending not this one

If you have a passion for baseball history, or even a passing-interest in the subject, this is a must-read book. In 1999, most baseball teams are owned by media companies, or the mega-wealthy. This book recalls a time when an individual of modest wealth could own and operate a team. More importantly, it recounts the behind-the scenes discussions that resulted in important baseball decisions. The faithful description of what actually transpired when Judge Fuchs acquired the Braves, and when the Babe made the decision to return to Boston, transports the reader back in time. Most of all, this book describes a time when owners cared more about baseball than their own amitions. Be sure to pick up this book! Herb Crehan

"Judge Emil Fuchs purchased the underachieving Boston Braves late in 1922, primarily to bring his ailing friend, Christy Mattewson, back into baseball as the club president. Although Fuchs was a fan at heart, he did manage the Braves for one season and gave Boston a competitive team climaxed by the Brave's dramatic pennant race with the New York Giants in 1933. The Great Depression weakened Fuchs' financial position and he was forced to sell the Braves in 1935. Fuchs' son, Robert S. Fuchs, with the aid of his father's unpublished memoirs and his own Braves scrapbooks, writes an engaging portrait of his father, and the Boston Braves. Judge Fuchs was a former semipro catcher and respected New York attorney. Although the Braves never won a pennant during his 13 years as owner, Fuchs contributed greatly to the game, bringing Sunday baseball (which caused quite a flap in Boston), Ladies Day, radio broadcasts and the "Knot Hole Game" to the Braves Field. Among his first decisions was to increase players' salaries. The team payroll increased in his first year as owner from $80,000 to $200,000. Fuchs announced, "The older players are to receive a raise of $1,000 to $2,000, the first year men from the minor leagues a boost of 25 to 50 percent." He began a profit- sharing plan in which the players shared in profits "without any responsibility in losses. Author Robert Fuchs, now an attorney, also had his "day" in baseball. When he was made the president of the Braves' farm team in Harrisburgh in 1934, after serving two years as club business manager, he was asked what changed with the new position. He replied, "I get to drive the team bus." " Judge Fuchs and the Boston Braves, 1923-1935. Robert S. Fuchs and Wayne Soini, MacFarland & Co., 1998, original trade paperback, 157 pages, black-and-white photos, appendices, index, $23.50.

This is a bit of a relief after the very intense predecesser. Here, you're dealing primarily with point shaving in college basketball, not with serial murderers.

However, as usual in a Spenser novel, there's more here than just the primary plot. There's insight into racial relations, a theme that Parker explores deeper in the later PASTIME. There's also the very human theme concerning dealing with a person who's abilities you admire, but who is an insufferable so-and-so.

It's a typical fast read and yet leaves you with a feeling that you've picked up something of value from the reading.

This was my first Spenser book. It was much better than the TV series. I loved the no nonsense character of both Spenser and Hawk. The vulgarity was strong, but believable. Spenser drifts through most of the story wondering what he's supposed to do, since his moral compass is nagging him to correct the wrongs of the world, even if they aren't in alignment with his customer. Will Spenser live to see another day? Given the large number of Robert B. Parker novels, you can bet on it.

This is the first Robert B. Parker novel I've read, and I love it. Spencer (the main character) has an uncanny sense of humour that is both addictive and inspirational. You don't need to know anything about basketball or even like basketball to enjoy this book. It's sharply written with great observations and quirky dialogue. It reminds me of Sue Grafton novels, but with a male lead. I won't go into the story line because other reviews have done that already. Get it!

"The Widening Gyre" is the second consecutive Spenser novel in which Robert P. Parker takes the title from William Butler Yeat's poem, "." In this case the phrase is from the first part of the tercet that ends, "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold." This time around our hero is sitting in his office having a beer when he is hired to provide security for a senatorial candidate. Congressman Meade Alexander, a born again Christian who believes America needs a moral and spiritual awakening is running against another Congressman, Robert Browne, who is reportedly connected to the Mob. If you are wondering what these two are doing running for a U.S. Senate seat from Massachusetts, remember, this is a work of fiction. As often happens in a Spenser novel, there is more that meets the eye: Alexander is being blackmailed to quit the race and throw his support to Browne. There is a videotape of his wife, who has an obvious drinking problem, having sex with some college kid. Meade wants Spenser to make the problem go away. Not because of politics, but because he loves her and does not want to see her hurt. Our hero is having his own problems in the realm of love because Susan is pursuing his doctoral work in Washington, D.C. and will not be home for Thanksgiving. However, Paul Giacomin, the surrogate son that Spenser saved in "Early Autumn," has come home and we quickly realize that as much as Spenser and Susan argue about his macho Weltanschauung, it is Paul who probably understands him best. Although Susan Silverman was much more of a presence in the previous novel, in "The Widening Gyre" she is much more on his mind, and it is there relationship that the title ultimately characterizes. However, Spenser has promised Alexander to do his best, but all he has to go on is the videotape and the inevitable feeling that the coincidences add up to something decidedly more certain. Eventually our hero follows the right people around and comes up with a solution to Alexander's problem that just might work. Now if he could just do the same thing about his relationship with Susan. This is a decent Spenser novel that certainly continues the protagonist's progression.

I listened to the unabridged audio cassette of this book, while traveling around town. I prefer not to get the condensed versions of the books where you miss the development of the story and characters and get only the basics. While this book did get a little too sentimental, I have to say that it was for the better. To get the insight into Spenser and how he feels in lieu of always getting the stony detective that defeats all his enemies and solves the crime was interesting. I thought the story itself was intriguing. Okay it wasn't as complicated as plots can be, but I definitely didn't find my interest wandering. I have read one Spenser book and listened to a couple of others on tape, and I have to say that this book will keep me going. If you haven't read or listened to a Spenser book before I do not feel that you will be lost out jumping into this one.

This book is an absolute must-read in the Spenser series. Not that the mystery is all that thrilling; it isn't. No real surprises. But for the development of the character of Spenser, flaws and all, it can't be beat. You may not like Susan - I'm not even sure that Spenser himself really likes her - but this book explains his deathless attachment to her. The theme of less-than-perfect relationships, and commitment to a flawed partner, plays through both the mystery (the wife of a fundamentalist congressman is caught cheating on film, and he is loyal to the point of self-sacrifice) and the interraction between Spenser and his own lady love (Susan sells out). One of the things that elevates Parker above other writers is his attempt to tell a universal truth, as all fine authors do. He doesn't always achieve it, but in this book he does. (Not enough Hawk, though.)

Marion Smith has a wealth of information here, but her organization is weak and she repeats herself. Is this a collection of individual articles? This book isn't for the casual reader; he/she needs patience and digging skills. As it's out of print, it's also very expensive (not Marion Smith's fault). Still, anyone interested in the Shaw family will find here, what with Shaws, Lowells, and other collaterals, a geneological history of New England, together with material on Robert Gould Shaw not found elsewhere.

The author is attempting to define a form of Confucianism for non-Chinese. One of the main problems is translating the Confucian notion of ritual/etiquette into Western ideas. Neville relies on Fingarette's study, "Confucius The Secular as Sacred" to do this: basically by using a much wider concept of ritual, referring to all the *signs* in our relationships: signs of friendship, love, commitment... it goes beyond courtesy, to a definition of roles in relationships, although these can be very flexible.
Next Neville, who is a Christian, attempts to reconcile Confucianism and Christianity, and to do this he looks for some form of transcendence (an absolute beyond the perceptible phenomena) in Confucianism to match the transcendent Christian God: Hall & Ames have shown that such a transcendence does not exist in early Confucianism and I don't think that Neville succeeds in proving that they are wrong. He does point though to the Neo-Confucian concept of "principle" that is transcendent since it structures all things and man. This then could be a bridge towards Christianity.
Well the great thinkers (Neville, Hall & Ames) have given us a green light: we can be Western Confucians!
Thomas

This has to be Robert Frost's best piece of writing. I've never read poetry this great. I would really recommend it.

I liked this book because it helped me be better at my work which uses technological innovation to develop new products. The book is also helpful in planning a successful high tech startup company or project inside a company because it outlines the factors that contribute to success and failure of new companies and new ideas. For example, having a specific product in mind versus "I have a cool technology so lets start a company". Also, it emphasizes thinking about the whole enterprise, not just technology, but how to make a company "tick" such as having formal marketing/financing part as well as innovation development part.

Fodor's Boston Citypack is a compact guide small enough to easily fit into a breast pocket. Despite its small size it is packed with concise and practical information about Boston and environs. It contains sample tour days with clear directions as well as a fold-out map inside the back cover. Recommendations for hotels, historical sites, and restaurants are brief and to the point. I found it an easy read and helpful companion as I walked the Freedom Trail and rode the public transportation. Well worth the price.

The beginning of this book is really very average Spenser, which certainly makes it enjoyable enough but not at all noteworthy. Let's see ... Susan drags Spenser into a case he doesn't really want, Spenser wisecracks and offends everyone in authority, Hawk provides trustworthy and able-bodied support ... same old, same old. The story itself isn't very compelling or interesting until the end. That's when Spenser shows us what makes him special. It's his attitude toward Jill Joyce, the care he devotes to her, and the offhanded way he delivers it (as though it's just his duty as a human being) that I found out of the ordinary and very moving.

Once again it's Spenser to the rescue. This time he's called onto the set of a television show to act as bodyguard to the star, and America's sweetheart, Jill Joyce. Unfortunately, she's also a drunk, incredibly difficult to work with, and determined to bed every man within a 5-mile radius.

But when Spenser's on the job it's professionalism all the way which makes for a very fiery employer / employee relationship. It also makes for some most amusing situations and gives ample opportunity for Spenser to display his flair for detective work. The relationship between Spenser and Susan is comfortable, as ever, and between Spenser and Hawk as solid as a rock.

The sanctuary of a Spenser book is always a welcome haven for weary readers with the pace of the book high and the pages turning quickly. Light entertainment at it's best; if you're after mystery with a liberal dash of humour then you're in for a real treat here.

... I thought this was one of the best Spenser novels at the time of its publication, but I do recommend reading it in sequence. Especially, read "A Savage Place" first, because the two books have a certain relation to each other.

This is a bit more of a mystery than others in the series in that you don't discover the murderer's identity until the end, and this is good in adding a bit more suspense than usual.

Spenser's hired to protect a very obnoxius TV star, who's addicted to drugs, alcoholic, arrogant...listed alphabetically, I'd be naming several other character defects before we get to nympho, and that's just past the middle of the alphabet!!! On top of all this, she might be making up all these threats she's supposedly receiving. However, when her double is murdered, Spenser has to take the task of protecting her more seriously. He has a hang-up about protecting women since an unpleasant happening earlier in the series.

I had a suspicion around half way through as to who the murderer was...I won't tell you whether I was right or wrong. However, I believe the suspicion was deliberately & subtly planted by Parker, and if so, I admire him for the way he did it. Like I say, I'll let you find out whether this was deliberate foreshadowing for dramatic effect, or a red herring to distract you.

I do recommend this highly, but if you're not already a Spenser fan, read several earlier books including "The Savage Place" first in order to better appreciate this.

I wouldn't recommend this as a first Spenser book. In fact I'd suggest going to "The Godwulf Manuscript" at the very beginning of the series.

Be that as it may, it is a rewarding read for those familiar with the characters. Especially rewarding is the re-introduction of Cholla who we met briefly in "Stardust".

Parker varies his narrative style this time out. The perspective switches back and forth between the victim Lisa, who's police detective Belson's young wife, and Spenser, so we can see when Spenser gets on the wrong track and when he gets back on the right one.

This isn't quite the best Parker, but it's good and worth your while if you're a Spenser fan.

When "Thin Air" begins with the italicized description of a woman bound in the back of a van, abducted by someone who knows her and is videotaping everything, it is reminiscent of Robert B. Parker's "Crimson Joy," the first Spenser novel to get away from the first person narrative style of the series. When Detective Frank Belson shows up and tells our hero that his wife is gone, we know the identity of the woman in the van. As far as her husband is concerned, Lisa St. Claire has disappeared into "Thin Air" (Parker has been much more mundane with his titles in his recent efforts and it has been years since he started off with any grandiose literary quotations). Each Spenser novel is unique in its own way and for this one the main trick is that we know what has happened to the damsel in distress and we get to watch as our hero gets closer and closer. Belson does not know anything about his wife before the fateful night they met, and, of course, Spenser uncovers a whole lot of information. But what looks like the old story of the beautiful young wife who leaves her older husband is shattered when Belson is ambushed and almost killed.

Whereas the previous Spenser novel dealt with Chinatown, "Thin Air" focuses on the Hispanic elements in the greater Boston area, which forces Spenser to use the assistance of Chollo, the enforcer for the L.A. mobster we met in "Stardust" (Hawk is in Burma--the mind boggles). But while most of the usual supporting cast is not around for this one, Spenser certainly meets a couple of interesting women in the course of his investigation (although I find it strange that Quirk is not a lot more involved in this one). Once again Spenser tries to put all the pieces together and then find a way of making everybody happy, but as usual, things never do work out perfectly. While certainly an atypical Spenser novel, "Thin Air" probably grades out as an average effort for Parker

More plot to this novel ~ more detecting too ~ than some other Spenser stories. Still, plot is not everything, and still not the real reason one reads Parker. The interplay between Spenser and Susan is as strong as ever; Hawk is in Burma ~ don't ask ~ so we miss seeing him and Spenser. There is a Hawk replacement in the person of Chollo, a Latino hit-man from one of Spenser's West Coast connexions and, while not as detailed or intricate as the Hawk conversations, his with Spenser are still pleasurable. The pretext for the action this time is the disappearance of Lisa St. Claire, wife of Spenser's Boston PD friend Frank Belson. When Belson is hit with three shots from behind Spenser activates himself and goes hunting. The trail leads to a Hispanic community in northern Massachusetts ~ hence the introduction of the Latino side-kick. A welcome innovation (from Parker, not for fiction as a whole) is the use of third person sections interspersed, in a different type-face, telling of Lisa's experience. We thus are given both the hunter and hunted points of view.