The author does a superb job of bringing the reader all the details of the gruesome murder of Pennsylvania Attorney Marty Dillon.... June 2, 1976 Marty and his friend, Dr. Stephen Scher, went hunting.........according to Dr. Scher, Marty got killed while chasing a porpupine, when he tripped and his gun went off.... Before two years were gone by, the doctor married Marty's widow...the town became a little suspicious, and Marty's parents always believed something was "fishy"......... It took 20 years of battling the system, but at last Marty's body was exhumed .... the autopsy showed that the wounds were not found to be self-inflicted and his death was finally ruled a homicide......... I don't read true-crime novels as I find them too gory, gritty and disturbing..........however, while visiting my Mom, and forgetting to bring the book I was reading, I looked through her large pile..........since she's not a reader of fiction, my selection was limited........] This book was a quick and compelling read...My heart broke for Marty's parents......I suggest you read it yourself and draw your conclusions..........as for mine, I'm so glad that our great legal system still (for the most part) works!

I read this book on a bus trip from Baltimore to (ironically) Montrose, and as a former resident of Montrose, I must say that this book was a joy to read. Although I was not a resident of the town in 1976, I have spoken to enough people that knew about the situation Maria has captured the true feeling of this town and their opinion. Yes, Larry Dillon did pass away in 1998, but he lived to see that justice was served. Although, poor Jo has to live with the fact that Stephen Scher was released from prison in 1999 and is a free man once again. I guess the system CAN forgive and forget!

Without a doubt, this is a gripping story. Maria Eftimiades has written a concise and facinating account of a person who thought he really got away with the perfect crime. It is a relief to see that justice finally prevailed. This is one of the few books to give some idea what it costs for a top defense lawyer. There are no words to accurately describe Pat Dillon Scher's actions. I highly recommend this book!

This is a superb book! The photos are excellent, showing Cuba as it truly is today, with whatever still stands after four decades of inattention. Anyone who has not seen Cuba in 40 years should pereuse this book. The photographer does not make a political statement of any sort -- he merely records the beauty that is there. One of the few books about Cuba that I would recommend to anyone, regardless of political sympathies.

My boss gave me this book for Christmas. Boy, did he pick the right gift. Engels' architectural photography is breathtaking. Even thought the splendid colonial buildings depicted in this book appear to be falling apart, one can't help but be mesmerized by the ghostly beauty of it all. Through these photos it appears as if Havana has been become frozen in another, more prosperous era, but has never been maintained since. What you take away from the book is a city that is eerily beautiful precisely because it seems as if it is only a skeleton of what once was. If you are, like me, a lover of architecture, these photographs will make you feel terribly sad because so much grandeur is rapidly vanishing. At the same time, there are more than enough traces of splendid architectural details seen in this book, albeit in crumbling pieces, to make any fan of architecture want to see more of Havana. I gained much from this book, especially seeing, with my sometimes too-American eyes, how a very close and small Caribbean neighbor has architecture that at times seems to rival that of European capitals. I highly recommend this book.

This books presents the beautiful and rich architecture found throughout Havana. Through his pictures Engels lets the architecture speak for itself. Beth Dunlop's 5 page introduction is concise and to the point; a great compliment. Great pictures, a treasure collection.

Until I read "¡Tango!", most of what I knew from tango was what was told by instructors, including Daniel Trenner, Brooke Burdett, half a dozen Argentine nationals, an equal number of Canadians, and a Belgian. It was exciting to get all the information I needed in one place. Tango is more than just music and dance. It is a cultural phenomenon that began in the barrios and bordellos of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and spread throughout the world. At the base of this cultural phenomenon is the relationship between a man and a woman. Tango is not just an American or South American phenomenon. It has spread throughout the world, and is popular in such diverse countries as Finland and Turkey, as well as those areas where it evolved.

The text of the book is outstanding and well documented. I was pleased with the choice of artwork, old and contemporary photographs, and page layout. It gave me a great understanding of the tango as a cultural phenomenon. There is an excellent bibliography and the text is referenced with footnotes for those who wish to go to some original sources. I am one of those people who are always looking for recommendations for music, and I was pleased to see a two-page listing of tangos, which are available on compact disc. For those who travel, there is a listing of international tango centers. It is an incomplete list, but it would be helpful for those who travel a lot for business or pleasure.

If you like tango, this would be a good book to start your collection. Then you can proceed with "Le Grand Tango: The Life and Music of Astor Piazzola."

For a person just discovering the Argentine tango (or who wants to), this is an interesting, beautiful, coffee table book. It's filled with gorgeous illustrations and photographs, as well as poetry, lyrics and fun, historical tidbits about the music & history. It rambles, but that just makes it more fun to open it up and start reading from anywhere. It's been the kind of book that has made even my non-tango friends interested in the dance and cultures behind it.

Este libro es excelente. Relata la vida de Maria y la de Jesus de una manera tan bonita que los hace palpables. Es como un diario de Maria, hermoso. Relata todos los sucesos biblicos desde la anunciacion hasta la muerte de Jesus. Presenta la vida humana de Maria y Jesus y aclara muchos vacios que existen en los Evangelios. Realmente es un libro que todo cristiano debe leer.

Anna Maria Ortese is an Italian writer well received in her homeland but hardly known in America. I discovered her by accident while browsing in a used book store in Venice (the one that's a district in Los Angeles). She practices a form of magical realism that is more subtle than the Latin Americans favor, and I found this makes her work a degree or two more haunting. In this collection of ten stories, all set in an enchanted urban reality, Ortese explores interior lives at moments of transformation, when her characters discover they lead blessed or cursed existences -- or both. She writes in a wonderfully moody, poetic prose and uses vivid descriptive passages to detail layers of emotion. Even in English translation, the language has a clear, crisp ring. Not all the stories are worth a second read, but those that are offer endless rounds of pleasure.

I liked the book, What a Woman, because it had specific information about taking control of your financial matters. The information was well presented in an easy to read and understandable form. Much of the book's information was thought provoking and led the reader into searching for personal answers for her own financial and emotional situation. Th chapters are well connected and lead the reader into a clear picture of how things could be in making a fresh start after a major life change. I would highly recommend this book. It could be helpful to men as well as women and it would be an excellent text book for small group discussions.

The book was great. There were a lot of beautiful pictures to look at. I love it. The only thing is that the author made quite few mistakes. In the Mexican soap one of the groups members was Sasha not Sacha. In the Mexican play he worked with Angelica Maria and her daughter Angelica Vale not the other way around.

I bought the book as a birthday gift for my 11 year old daughter and I proofread it first to see what kind of celebrity she is looking up to. This book reveals that Ricky Martin is not a 'flash in the pan' star. He has an impressive history in the arts and seems to be ultra- talented as well as one nice guy. Our kids could use more idols like Ricky Martin these days.

The book was sooo good!! I love Ricky Martin. He is so sexy and good looking! I loved the book because it tells all about Ricky and a LOT of great photos and things like that!

this is an excellent little book packed with useful information that is well organized. you will not have any problem finding the particular area in which you are having problems. there are many examples from different perspectives illustrating how each grammtical principle can be used. quite a bargain for the price!

I purchased this book with the idea of having an easy to use reference for Spanish grammar. I am currently about a third of the way through the Pimsleur level one program and wanted a concise reference to help me better understand some of the grammar involved. This book does just that. The Table of Contents and Index make it easy to find what you're looking for. I recommend this book highly.

I should add, that this is not an extensive textbook, but rather a reference guide. It does, however, cover a lot of ground in its small package.

The following quotes are from the back cover, and appear to be an accurate description:

** The handiest, easiest-to-use reference for learners of Spanish

** Grammar rules expained in jargon-free English

** Packed with examples illustrating the language as it's actually used

** Precise explanations and clear layout make this book easy to follow

** Comprehensive indes helps you find information quickly and simply

** For learners from beginner level to intermediate and beyond

I am currently teaching from this book, and I am saddened that it is geared towards Spain.

Other than that, it is fun and lively and well-thought out. Great for those who haven't had Spanish in a while.

I found this book really useful as I used it in school. I have now bought the teachers edition to help my husband learn as we are moving to Spain in the next year. I really recommend this book. *****

Rigoletto is a wondeful opera that can be used as an introduction for beginners who want to explore the art of operas. Although I like the concept of Black Dog Opera Library that provides an attractive book and recording of a famous opera in a bargain price, I cannot recommend this book of Rigoletto. The major drawback lies in the recording that accompaies this book. I would say it is probably the most disappointing Rigoletto ever recorded by big names in the opera world.

I've always enjoyed opera music but I had trouble understanding the words and the plot. This guide gives some background on the Opera's Composer (Verdi), some historical background as well as a brief but interesting summation of the plot. The two CD's that accompany the book provide the complete audio of the opera. (Beverly Sills in the Gilda role and Sherrill Milnes in the role of Rigoletto) The Libretto provides the text of the opera both in Italian and English. I enjoyed this guide so much that I am hoping to collect the whole series.

What is the cast? And could somebody tell me if it contains sheet-music? And if it contains it is for piano or vocal?