I'm a french teenager. Before I read this book, I thought that American sens of Humour was limited to things like Jim Carrey's films or else. I apologize a thousand times. Since I've read Joe Keenan's books, I've changed my mind, because that's the funniest book I have ever read, I love the characters' irony, they always cope with crazy situations, but the author always find the most amazing solution to their problems without falling into stereotypes. My only regret is not to have read Keenan's books in english : I only had the french traduction, but I hope I will read tehm one day in their original version... Please, one last thing: I you loved this book, you MUST read Benson's books !!! I swear on my copy of "Putting on the Ritz" that you won't be deceived...

If you're happier listening to Noel Coward than Neil Simon and your idea of a great Sunday night includes Wooster and Jeeves, chances are good you'll love this book. Keenan combines a sharp sense of humor and self-depracating pathos to tell his story of romantic intrigue, impossible egos, and high rollers from Manhatten. Not all pratfalls, the story plays on the things we'll do for love and money. The characters are so well developed you can almost match them tycoon for tycoon in current NYC player politics. One of the few books that could genuinely make me laugh out loud not only while I read it, but while I remember it. Highly recommended for fellow spirits of a lost generation.

Move over, Donald and Ivana, the Chammmmmmmmpions are here! Peter Champion is a low-life who made it big, and he is the epitomy of nouveau riche. His wife, Eliza, who "ovulates Faberge eggs", is a Boston fish-wife dressed in diamonds. But never fear! Our wholesome (sort of) heroes of the "Blue Heaven" fame are here to skewer the Chammmmmmmmmmmmpions for the pleasure (and hysterical laughter) of the audience. Add to it a Malcolm Forbes charicature, whose exploits range from appearing to date divas and actually dating people quite different, and you have a rather nice setting for another Joe Keenan farce. Some words of warning. (1) You *will* laugh out loud: I saw a distinguished actress reading this book on the plane, and she was laughing practically non-stop. (2) You will have a hard time putting this book down: after having read it at least 3 times, I still finish it in one "seating". And (3) if you are homophobic, don't bother: you won't get the humour, and you will only increase your blood pressure. For everyone else who can appreciate a 20s-style romp in the highest of camp styles, this is a great book!

I read this book during my 4th class of Espanol at the university level. This is not an introductory book, so don't bother to read it unless you have a solid understanding of Spanish basics, including basic conjugation, the subjunctive mood, etc.

This book has a lot of tips to sharpen your Spanish. Chapter 8 has "sentence starters" to help you start off your spoken Spanish; evidently these are the equivalent to English's "well..." or "the thing is..." Chapter 9 has "snappy answers" organised according to how you want to respond (e.g. in disbelief, with surprise, etc.) The answers for affirmation are quite useful (e.g. esta bien, claro, de acuerdo). Of course, you can easily get this information from any college-level textbook, but the distribution of these words into nicely organised categories is quite useful. There is also a chapter on how to swear effectively (evidently chingar is a strong word), which I never did in my classroom. An earlier chapter on how to use 64 key verbs was invaluable as well.

One particular chapter I loved was how to choose the correct Spanish word for particular English verbs. This can get tricky for some English infinitives like "to become" and "to happen." Another chapter on the history of the Spanish language was very interesting to read.

One thing I didn't like was the treatment of the subjunctive mood -- it left me a bit more confused, and my Spanish teacher actually told me that some information was incorrect. Finally, one glaring omission that I hope the author writes about in any later edition is the use of "por" vs. "para". To me, this trickiness is right up there with "ser" vs. "estar."

This book was so much fun and so useful I keep re-reading it, and learning something more each time. The author doesn't neglect grammar, but neither does he present grammar as a list of dull rules. Rather, he guides the reader through examples of how Spanish grammar and structure reflect how Spanish speakers think. It's practical, but not in the hackneyed "Can you direct me to the nearest bathroom?" mode. Rather, this book tries to help gringos learn how people really speak Spanish. There's much emphasis on traps which frequently snare native English speakers learning Spanish. The book is well organized, and written with a great sense of humor. My only minor quibble is the absence of an index. I agree with others: this isn't a book for those just starting out, pero cuando quieras aprender un poco más, ¡debes comprar este libro!

This book was required for a university class in Spanish conversation. There is so much information in this book that is invaluable to the Spanish student. It is written to show the intermediate student how to "break out" of the textbook Spanish into real, conversational Spanish. It tells you what aspects of the language are really used in common language and speaking, and it tells you what you should and should not say in order to sound more like a native speaker.

This is a book that can be read over and over again, and it is a very good reference tool. You should not expect to be able to remember everything, because there is so much information. It will tell you everything from how to vary your speech, to how to better learn and improve your Spanish, to how to recognize profanity. It gives you information that you cannot get anywhere else - information that they do not teach you in the classroom. I highly recommend it.

Blue Heaven is an exceptionally funny first novel. Though contemporary in its setting, readers are likely to be reminded of classic humorists such as P.G.Wodehouse. Keenan tells his story well: The book reads swiftly, and you just can't wait to find out what's going to happen to the characters next. But here's a warning: Do not read this book in a public place. You will be laughing out loud and people will look at you as if you're an escapee from an insane asylum! The story is about a marriage of convenience that goes awry when certain relatives turn out to be mafioso. The narrator is cajoled - against his better judgement - into being Best Man. The setting is New York, and I always get upset when New York is presented inaccurately in works of fiction. Well, Keenan's got it right. You will enjoy Blue Heaven so much that you'll be elated to learn that some of the characters return in a sequel, Putting on the Ritz. But then, after finishing that, you'll agree with my one complaint about this book: it's too short. Fun while it lasts, you'll wish the fun could go on forever.

A good friend introduced me to the madcap world of Gilbert Selwyn and Phillip Cavanaugh seven years ago. Since then, I have given away more copies of "My Blue Heaven" and "Putting on The Ritz" than I can count. The first time I read "My Blue Heaven" I actually woke up my next door neighbors (in an apartment building) with my laughing.

The plot is wonderfully convoluted, and just when you think you might have things figured out, Keenan throws another hilarious curveball your way.

Mr. Keenan's characters are incredibly vivid -- they manage to be loathsome yet endearing at the same time. Every line is well crafted, and the one-liners fly by with such frequency you will find yourself having to stop and catch your breath.

I re-read "My Blue Heaven" at least once a year. I have to admit it, I am powerless over this book.

A word of advice: Buy several copies. Your friends and family will undoubtedly ask why you are laughing so hard, and it is easier to give them a copy than to stop reading long enough to explain.

In Joe Keenan's first book, "Blue Heaven", he introduces us to characters void of scruples, totally motivated by their own greed, and wholly, unabashedly hilarious.

No, it's not a group of politicians, but gay Gilbert and irascible Moira, two societal climbing spendthrifts who decided to hitch up for the great gifts in a sham marriage. What ensues, through several unexpected plot twists and deceiving and conniving, is a fictional farce that works so well, you actually laugh out loud.

The writing is witty and brilliant, fast-paced and timeless. Most admirable is how Keenan takes these rotten people and truly makes them horrible, back-stabbing folk, yet in a way, you do actually like them.

If you are looking for a light-hearted romp, read "Blue Heaven", as I have been telling all of my friends since diving into this treasure.

While this book may not be for everybody, and it might not include all the aspects that a reader might expect - kind of a one stop shopping to tell everything that is necessary to understand this sect - it nevertheless tells you what the Amish are really like and why they wear the unusual clothes they do, as well as preach against the "worldly wisdom." You get to follow Rosanna through her childhood, youth, courtship, and marriage, and child-rearing. Not only that, you see how her Amish life will differ from that of her Catholic friends, especially when they visit from their Philadelphia home.

While this is not a modern day presentation, it is really useful as a historical piece. Just don't get bogged down by expecting a thorough intellectual examination of the Amish. The book is not intended for that. It is written as a honest, sympathetic and straightforward reflection of these folks from a religious, social, and economic snapshot. The traditions of the Amish are celebrated, and it's done very nicely. Recommended!!!

I loved this book....and was sorry to see it end. The author (son of Rosanna) wrote a beautiful yet simple and compelling biography on the life of his mother, and the people closest in her life. I felt privileged reading this story - almost as if I were a member of this close-knit community. This story of honor and simple values would be wonderful today as it was then. Probably the most surprising statements which helped me to put it in perspective were comments made about Lincoln.....while I would prefer to believe this was a modern day story - stage coaches were in use and Lincoln was the President of the day. I highly recommend this book as an insight into the wisdom of how people should hold respect for one another, how families could work together for each other's good......and how communities can thrive without the aid of much of the electronic gadgetry of our modern times. This is a book of simple wisdom and peaceable lives. I am so grateful to son Joseph for his writing. There is even a very few pages at the end of the book, telling a bit about him......I highly recommend this book and hope you find value in it as I certainly did.

The author is the son of the main character, Rosanna. Rosanna is the daughter of an Irish immigrant who is born around 1840 (my estimate as it is never given in the book). Rosanna's mother dies following Rosanna's birth. She is given to an Amish family on a temporary basis. When her father dies some months later, she ends up being permanently adopted and rasied by this old order Amish woman who later marries and bears more children.

The author tells this interesting story, all the while weaving information about the lives of the old order Amish. I found this an interesting read. Explanations for why the Amish do things the way they do are given. There are details about their religious services, weddings, and funerals. Why they refuse to buy medical or fire insurance, why they refuse government aide, and why they refuse to fight in American wars is all explained.

The author ends up going to college and later leaves the old order Amish to become a Mennonite. The old order Amish don't allow attending college as the author chose to do, to further his formal training as a teacher, so he had to change religious affiliations.

What is missing from this book is a true spirit for Rosanna as a woman. Specifically, there is not much emotion or thoughts about certain things such as what it is like to mother children. There was virtually nothing about the experience of pregnancy, childbirth from her point of view, or how she could balance all that work and rearing so many children. The emotional aspect of losing her only daughter when she was just a toddler was not really elaborated on. I understand that it may be the custom to not verbally express emotions but I refuse to believe that emotions are not experienced...then again, if she was quiet about expressing her emotions I guess she would not have told her son therefore making these thoughts impossible for him to know and write about. Also missing was an explanation for what an Amish childhood is like, how much do they play and work? How much do they contribute to the laborious farm work the families accomplish? How does a busy Amish mother have time to pamper and enjoy her newborn baby? Also I'd like some parenting information such as common philosophies such as "is corporal punishment used"?

Something else that I would have appreciated is a bit of an overview of the differences between the different orders and about the differences with the Mennonites. A better explanation of when and why people are ex-communicated, banned or shunned would put things more in perspective. There is nothing about this except a couple of sentences of inferred information. To get that information will take further research and reading.

The account of the old order Amish is tastefully and respectfully written about in this book. I think this would make a great read aloud book for young children or as a book for a young person to read to themselves, perhaps if learning about American history or just to satisfy a curiosity about the Amish. There is nothing in here that is controversial such as sexual content. Since they live such a clean and virtuous life, there is nothing that needs censoring here for young children.

The old order Amish are portrayed as a content, happy, and peaceful people. If we each changed a few things we non-Amish do to follow in their footsteps we'd be all the better for it.

This is an excellent scholarly review of Orthodox Christianity. But is Orthodoxy willing to practice what she preaches? The philosophy of Orthodoxy is steeped tradition and on a solid foundation. Do not fall in love with the ideaLs and philosophies presented here in this book and expect the same from the actual churches as they are very patriarical and not all churches are the bastion of ethics and Christian love that they might aspire to be. Judge each church not on what you have read Orthodoxy to be as presented in this or any other book, but on a congregation-by-clergy basis. This book covers what the RELIGION is built on, not the individual parishes.

I know Joe Keenan, He was my Grandfather. The only way to tell his story is sitting with a group of his friends and listening. He was a great storyteller and Mr Gannon never captures that fact.