These touching short stories left me wanting to know more about the writers, but also reflecting on my own past and future. Well written, sometimes funny and sometimes sad, this book would make a wonderful gift for sisters, moms, grandmothers and friends. Highly satisfying read!

Though these writers have in common their roots in San Francisco and their participation in a writers' group of long standing, each of their voices is distinct. The authors bring to their experiences as girls, sisters, wives, mothers, grandparents, and professionals- in other words, as modern American women - an array of attitudes unique to each of them. Some of these pieces are humorous, some poignant, some even painful, but each illuminates a significant moment or event that will provoke readers to pause and reflect upon moments in their own livesthat might otherwise have gone unacknowledged. An engaging and delightful collection.

Every piece in this collection delights, but several stand out: Sue Renfrew's "Cycle's End"--the life of a washing machine reflects the life of its owner--Margaret Gault's "How To Be Married to a Lawyer and Still Be Happy"--we learn how to win arguments against our husbands no matter what they do for a living--and Rosemary Patton's "The Library"--the story of a daughter helping an elderly mother to dismantle a library of 5,000 books before she moves to a retirement home. Every woman will identify with the life experiences described in this book.

This story is exciting and fun. Once you start to rerad it you can't put it down. Every chapter adds a new twist to the story. At first, the different chapters speak of different stories and characters, but as the story progresses all of the story lines and characters are intertwined. The plot is exciting and the language is up to date. It paints a very realistic picture of the life and times of society in the 1990's. This is a must read for any mystery enthusiast.

Vampire Bytes is a truely riveting contemporary horror/mystery. The horror comes not from blood sucking ghouls, it comes from something far scarier and real - teenagers! A very fun story with a fascinating look into roleplaying (in real life as well as on a computer).

Computer programmer Matt Deming, a fan of LARPING (live action role playing) is murdered on the same night Chloe Dorn disappears. Private Investigator Catherine Sayler is hired by the girl's parents to find the missing teenager. Catherine is also hired by the deceased's employers who want a computer game disc and associated code book that Matt had stolen from them returned.

As Catherine investigates both cases, she soon realizes that they merge. It seems that Chloe was having sex with Matt and was with him the night he was killed. Making the investigation even more difficult for Catherine is that the town's clergy and police are struck by anti-satanic fervor. Though the anti-Satan zeal interferes with her case, Catherine knows that she must quickly stop the killer before the missing girl becomes his next victim.

VAMPYRE BYTES is a well designed mystery that has many viable suspects with reasonable motives for committing the crimes, turning the novel into an almost unsolvable who-done-it. Additionally, the entertaining story line contains serious social issues that are intelligently presented in an informative yet entertaining manner. Linda Grant has scribed a very intriguing Catherine Sayler mystery that will have fans wanting more tales starring the intrepid sleuth.

Harriet Klausner

One day after getting off the San Francisco Muni Train, Nicola thinks she sees her ex-husband who she hasn't laid eyes on for three years. From there her day goes downhill rapidly with a cranky boss and an irate customer. When she goes out to her usual restaurant for lunch, she meets the man she has been non-verbally flirting with for weeks and they finally talk. He asks her out on a date but though she is tempted, she chickens out.

The next bad happening is when two college students kidnap her and by the time Nicola convinces them she has no idea what is going on, they become nervous and call the man who hired them. Just as she suspected, the man turns out to be Scooter who wants to borrow money from her to pay off a loan shark. She agrees to talk to the bookie's nephew who turns out to be a good looking and attractive man who wants to be a food critic. They start dating but the man who Nicola turned downed at the restaurant is looking for her because she's a loose end that needs tying up before he gets out of the snuff film business.

12 BLISS STREET is a funny upbeat chick-lit mystery starring a feisty resolute woman determined not to lose control in any situation. The villain is vile in a funky kind of way but the funniest character is the ex-husband who is always trying to reach for the gold ring only to find it's made foolishly of brass. Martha Conway is writing for the thirty-something crowd who will adore this work.

Harriet Klausner

I was pleasantly surprised how strong Martha Conway's first novel is. 12 Bliss Street is a true rarity -- a gripping, well-plotted crime novel that is taut, funny, and full of interesting, rich characters.

Martha has an incredibly deft hand. She can go from a very delicate, sensitive first date, first kiss scene -- to a savage cruel snuff-film murder. The changes of pace are startling and intense, very filmic material.

Her characters are a pleasure. Nicola, the heroine, is smart, funny, but not your typical hard-beaten crime novel type. She's just a regular web developer with a vivid imagination and a thing for wearing lingerie to work. She gets entangled with criminals, but proves smarter than them!

With many pleasant surprises, laugh-out-loud criminal bumbling, and a stunningly gripping finale, I can't recommend this novel highly enough. Go out and read it right now!

In this book, which is based on 63 dialogues with residents of Paris, San Francisco, and Minsk, Belorus, Francis Feeley has given us remarkable descriptions of ordinary people and events in three cities. This comparative study of urban life ( enfanced by revealing photographs of the people interviewed ) is recommended reading not only for students of French society, of which we are a part, but for students of western societies in general, where similarities and differences are not well-defined in the minds of many. In today's context of " globalization", this book might well remain a essential text for analysing the evolution of convergences and disintigrations of social units in western societies, especially in the three urban centers represented in this book.

This book is a comparative study of daily life in three historic cities. Students of sociology, anthropology, and comparative social history will benefit from reading these first-person accounts of individual aspirations, disappointments, and triumphs.

The cultural differences between the French, the residents of the former Soviet Union, and the Californians are interesting, but what these great people share in common and their attitudes facing daily life are valuable reminders of why we have survived as a species.

Basic Spanish Grammar is an excellent starting point for one who wants to begin learning the spanish language, or is in need of a refresher course. I recently enrolled in a conversational spanish course and this book was one of the two texts used in class.

All of the exercises contained within the book are written in a clear manner which makes them easy to understand. Basic concepts which I hadn't thought of in about 15 years since my last spanish class came back very quickly and I was able to expand upon my previous knowledge at a much quicker pace than I would have thought possible.

The vocabulary is introduced in a logical manner, with examples that show just how they would be used in everyday speech. The sections dealing with the gender of words, plural forms, and definite and indefinite articles is very helpful for one who hasn't been previously introduced to the concepts.

I highly recommend this book to anybody who wishes to learn the language. Beginning students will find the book very informative, especially when combined with the pronunciation tapes or CD's.

In studing with this book with my professor, it has been very easy to understand the principles of Spanish grammar. The book is laid out in a way that a person who does not speak or read Spanish can easily understand and learn. The homework exercises are excellent. The format is excellent as well.

If you need to laugh, and who doesn't(?) get these tapes! They are too funny to describe here - just trust me on this. You'll feel better in the morning if you take two of these before bed!

This stuff is hilarious! I don't know how they do it. John Pinette at the buffet and his hottest day of the year in the amusement and water park are some of the funniest things I've ever heard, and each tape is somehow better than the previous one, Brian Regan, Pablo Francisco, Richard Jeni - just thinking of them makes me want to listen again. I laughed so hard I cried. I needed that. Don't miss this set. Beg, borrow, (well, don't steal), but get them.

The story of two stray dogs who roamed San Francisco's urban streets in the 1860s is a classic which has been embellished over the years, and Bummer & Lazarus provides a new, expanded version of the author's 1984 publication which unravels legend and presents explanations for how and why the embellishments on the stories occurred. News stories, photos and a new introduction enhance this fun survey.

This book is great, if you love fun historical anecdotes about the old days in San Francisco. This book brings alive, through old newspaper accounts and great narration - the exploits of two of San Francisco's favorite dogs, Bummer and Lazarus. Noone owned them, they just roamed around old gold-rush era San Francisco, getting handouts from people at the rowdy saloons. But people loved these dogs, as they displayed very loyal bonds to one another, and their antics always made the newspaper columns. Highly recommended!

First published in 1886, California: A Study Of American Character: From The Conquest In 1846 To The Second Vigilance Committee In San Francisco is a study providing an early history of California and which seeks to provide a more realistic assessment of the state than most. Josiah Boyce found he could not trust many of the historic narratives about the state's founding, and sought a more candid, realistic view of the pioneers. Fact and myth are contracted in an important history which pulls no punches.

....but Royce is a very fine writer, and his book on California history, though penned long ago, makes very interesting reading. At the center of the book is Royce's discussion of Fremont's role in the conquest of California, and the conclusions he draws after interviewing Fremont himself and even showing him parts of this book. Definitely required reading for the student of California history.

Three decades have passed since Claude McCutcheon and Jesse Hamilton served together in Nam. Though they were best friends while serving in the jungle, it has been almost that long since they last talked. That is why San Francisco Bay resident Claude is stunned to hear a small child crying in his living room. Jesse has disappeared, leaving his son with Claude to protect him.

Soon the security chief of Sentinel Microsystems, Barton Jones, arrives, demanding Claude reveal Jesse's whereabouts. The FBI, making the same demand follows Barton's aggressive visit. When danger hits home, Claude begins to search for his missing friend. Claude learns that Jesse went underground because he uncovered the dark secrets of what his Silicon Valley company was really doing and has a disk to prove it.

CAUSES OF ACTION is an action-packed thriller that highlights the ambience and excitement of the Bay area. Claude is an interesting character and the support cast, especially the San Franciscans, add warmth and depth to a well-designed tale. The story line occasionally slows down, but John A. Miller continues to provide insight into the various mindsets of Viet Nam Veterans as he successfully did with CUTDOWN. An engrossing novel that will bring accolades to the author.

Harriet Klausner

I got my hands on an Advance Readers Copy of this book-which I understand will be available in December. Protagonist Claude McCutcheon is a very modern and yet traditional hard-boiled hero. A practicing lawyer and Vietnam veteran with deep shadows in his past that make the fast-moving action parts of the book highly believable. The action scenes read like verbal lightning. There is also a sense of ideas played out in real life, choices made and prices paid that is genuine in a way not every mystery novel attains. Speaking as a cat lover, I also have to say that in CAUSES OF ACTION, as in CUTDOWN (the first Claude McCutcheon), there is a very fully-realized cat, who plays an important role in the story. CUTDOWN introduced McCutcheon, his law practice in Albany, California, his network of friends in low places-some of them old Army buddies. Like Marlowe with his chess and Travis McGee with his crusades, Claude McCutcheon is true to a code older than Gunsmoke.

CAUSES OF ACTION begins when Claude awakes in the pre-dawn hours to find a 4 year old child in his bedroom with a note pinned to his jacket. The little boy, Earl, is the son of Jesse Hamilton from Claude's old platoon. Although Claude has not seen him since the day 30 years earlier that Jesse was wounded on a battlefield in Vietnam, he feels an obligation to take care of the boy for a few days. Clearly Jesse is in trouble and Claude cannot help attempting to dig him out. This tortuous journey then takes Claude into the minefields of the Silicon Valley business wars, close encounters with a beautiful FBI agent who may or may not be an ally, and a confrontation with old enemies and deep-rooted corruption that threatens his carefully balanced existence and his very life. Miller's first book sparked some controversy among a few people I know who disagreed with the hero's less than politically correct ideas. Having known a few Vietnam veterans, I found McCutcheon's views to be an accurate portrayal of the opinions of many from that particular "lost generation." I personally found both CUTDOWN and CAUSES OF ACTION well worth reading for the story and reading again for the writing.

Rodriguez tells us that edge cities are no longer the center of the urban debate, but rather, as suburbs become more urban, the urban core is becoming more suburban. The paradox is that out of this rearticulation of the city an entirely new form of urbanism is emerging that is on the one hand highly homogeneous, but on the other hand is shaped by local history and the ethnic configuration of cities.

This book turns the study of suburbanization and "new urbanism" on its head. It is a totally new way of thinking about cities and urban change. It redefines the study of cities. It is groundbreaking and paradigm shifting.