Re-Saturday Review of Literature
Oscar Acosta disappeared in Mexico in 1974, not 1971 (the year of his trip to Las Vegas with Dr. Thompson).

Re-Saturday Review of Literature
Oscar Acosta disappeared in Mexico in 1974, not 1971 (the year of his trip to Las Vegas with Dr. Thompson).

This is the most realistic book I have ever seen about Mexican American hippies in Aztlan, the Chicanos of the 1960's neo-freedom movements. It will surely become a collector's item worth saving in this era of gung-ho Americanism which does not know the kind of objectivity Acosta displays with regard to how we think and why we believe as we do. Hunter S. Thompson described the author better than I can in his introduction to the book, highlighting his uniqueness while lamenting his untimely passing. I will write more after I give the book a more thorough second reading.

Although this book is anything but action-heavy and drags a bit at some points, it is Hijuelos' prose that kept me reading. Therefore, if you are someone who needs action and plot to hold your interest in a story then this book is probably not the best for you. As for myself, I enjoyed it because beautifully poetic prose like Hijuelos' leaps off the page at me and keeps me amazed.

The writing in this novel about the musical career of a Cuban composer is itself lyrical. The narrative is prose that aspires to be, and is, both poetry and music. The phrasing and the flow of the syntax is melodious as the composer's experience, because of his name, in a Nazi concentration camp runs counterpoint to the theme. And "Rosas Puras", his most famous and enduring composition, reappears faithfully as a leitmotif throughout the narrative. El Gordito, Israel Levis, and his close relationships with Rita Valladares (singer), Manny Cortez (composer)and his family are full of tender and touching moments. He is simply a man on a quest to find the beauty of life, the music hidden just beneath its surface and awaiting his discovery of its simple melodies. His devotion to his music can be a demanding mistress whom he has no choice but to love with pure devotion and ultimately proves to be his salvation. Hijuelos reinforces his stature as one of America's most supremely talented writers in this sensuously rich and sonorous novel. The close of the book holds moments of heartbreaking tenderness without sentimentality. A Simple Habana Melody is original, germinal, mesmerizing and sung in a distinctive, if not unique, lyrical voice that could only be proffered by a truly gifted writer of the stature of Oscar Hijeulos.

What a wonderful find. This is the first book I have read by Oscar Hijuelos, but it certainly won't be the last. The character of Israel Levis is so real and "historical" that I found it almost impossible to believe he wasn't. The mixture of culture, history, and music is writing at its best. The complexity of Israel's character causes one to be revolted by him, feel sorrow for him, but at the same time admire him. His naive and optimistic outlook on life may cause him suffering, but shows an indefatigable core of goodness tempered by reality. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the human character.

Thomas O'Neil's "Movie Awards" is an absolutely no lose purchase for even a casual movie maven. Serious movie fans should be enthralled. It's all here-all the important awards from 1927-1999. Listed are such disparate grantors as the New York Film Critics, the Writer's Guild, the Screen Actors Guild, the Directors Guild, the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.
Trivia and solid information alike abounds. This reviewer was shocked-shocked!-to read that "The Searchers" was nominated for NO awards in 1956. The pages devoted to 1969 make no mention of the Hollywood aphorism that John Wayne received that year's Best Actor Oscar (for "True Grit") to make up for being bypassed in 1956. The entire cast and Director of "The Searchers" was ignored! I also learned that Clark Gable did not win the Oscar for "Gone With the Wind" and that Tex Ritter's theme to "High Noon" won an Oscar in 1952. I still believe that is the best of the themes because it was an integral part of the actual movie. A trivia section informs us that Walter Brennan won the most Academy Awards for an actor (though not for "My Darling Clementine") and William Friedkin was the youngest Director to an Oscar. For which movie? Buy the book and check page 767. The very fact that there IS a page 767 indicates that this work cannot be devoured at one or two sittings. This is a thick handbook to be appreciated over a span of time as we watch those old classics one by one. Maybe when I read the section on 1949, I will learn why "The Third Man' got 0 Oscar nominations and why the entire cast of "A Letter to 3 Wives" went similarly empty handed. I can't wait.

Mr. O'Neil has done it again! His new book, Movie Awards, is fun to read and chock full of fascinating facts. Long a fan of his (I always watch him on E! network), I'm happy to see Mr. O'Neil finally take on the Oscars, having already covered the Emmy's and Grammy's previously. This book is a great read and is even more fun savored over the course of time as you pick out one fun fact...then another....then another...

OK, so a few typos and mistakes made it into this book's first edition. They'll be fixed in future updates. Meantime, here's what to think of this book over all, according to the pros:

"For the film buff, this year-by-year rundown on the Oscars, the Golden Globes and other awards is a dilly. And dishy, too!" -- PEOPLE MAGAZINE

"Its a vertiable feast for the trivia junkie. Not only does O'Neil list the awards chronologically, from 1927 to 1999, but he also introduces each year with behind-the-scenes, blow-by-blow info culled from the archives of Variety, New York Times and a number of other sources. There's even trivia about each of the awards. While it's undeniably a fantastic reference, it's also a pretty darn good and frequently amusing read. It's a one-stop awards info shop and deserves a place on the bookshelf." -- DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA MAGAZINE

"Numerous excellent books chronicle the Oscars or cite awards, but none combines pure pleasure and fact so well, at such a good price. Essential for all libraries." -- LIBRARY JOURNAL

Andrew Carnegie really epitomized the American Dream. His rags to riches story, while unusual in its extent, was the life every poor person's vision encompassed. His family was poor in Scotland, and even poorer after they immigrated to Pennsylvania. Carnegie's first job in a textile mill paid little, but it was a step in the right direction. Carnegie worked long and hard to support his family, and that hard work paid off eventually.
Once Carnegie had amassed enough money to be deemed 'respectable' he began his real climb to unbelievable wealth. He learned management skills while working for the railroad - a very complex business. It was while working for the railroad that Carnegie became obsessed with costs. It was by controlling costs that he was able to make such huge fortunes in the steel industry. His management techniques would probably not work today, because he was such a bully to his management team.
Carnegie's career mirrored the Industrial Revolution as a whole. He used the latest technology and the most efficient practices to make his factories grow. Unlike his competition, he was concerned with costs, not profit itself, because he knew that low costs led to greater profits. He also was different than the rest of the industrialists because he sold his steel mills and retired to become a great philanthropist.
When Carnegie was starting out, he tried to take care of the people who worked for him, but as his business grew, he saw them more as replaceable parts of a machine. He originally thought labor unions were a good thing, but later fiercely and violently resisted strikes. He needed to retain control over all the workers - hiring and firing, working conditions, even how fast workers were supposed to work. He did not allow his workers any control over their work.
Carnegie left a complex legacy. His many charitable gifts, especially the many Carnegie libraries built around the country, were a blessing for the less fortunate. However, his ruthless behavior in constructing his industry cannot be condoned by today's standards of ethical practices. He was definitely a man of his times and should be remembered as just that.
This book is short, readable, and contains interesting facts without overloading the reader.

the book is interesting i must say. everything pretty much deals with the anglo cycle. You will not read of Carnegie dealing at all with African American people or other Minorities. Everything revolves around the white world, [i am just saying, positively] The author will explain that his mom motivated him since he was little to become a man in life, because his dad was average or just fell short of the expectations his wife wanted out of life. it deals with connections, how the aikens and hogans assisted the carnegies to come to United states when things got bad. I recommend this book to all who want to know some things about this man and his empire that he built, and the people who shaped him to be the man that he became. Life was tough, but his hard work, and optimism helped him thru in life to achieve the rewards that he wanted to obtain. The book does not talk about the women that were in his life. it would have been interesting if the author had mentioned if this guy [CARNEGIE] had any pretty voluptuous ladies after him at the work place, or babes who wanted to marry this future tycoon in his last day. The in side stuff would have been a fascinating chapter on this man.

I have to say that the book is well written by the author. The inner world lives of the Carnegies is explained. The leaving of Scotland due to the machine factories putting the commoners out of work is explained in detail. The goals of Andrew when he is a teenager are also explained, and the man who molded Andrew to become successful in life. The whole world focuses on him, and it is good. The only thing I found interesting was that the book did not say at all if Andrew Carnegie interacted with African Americans at all. It also did not emphasis the women who fell in love with the man[at the work place]. It is bound to happen . Those inner details are not explained , but alot is said in detail in how he got to be at the top. This book does not have any photographs at all inside the book. The book is of good size. book is recommended to all[WOMEN & MEN] who want to know about the man, and the time century-the nineteenth century.

If you like mild, medium, or hot there is something for anyone in Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing up Latino in the United States, and just like nachos, there is a whole lot for everyone. This book is a compilation of first, second, and third-generation Latino writers, and it includes a diversity of writing styles and themes. The combination of the poems captures the essences of Latin rhythms and ways of life in America. Students of all races will relate to different aspects of this book, and two examples of poems that all students should be able to identify with are "Translating Grandfather's House" and "The Aquatic Show." "Translating Grandfather's House" depicts in a semi-sarcastic tone a very common situation. A teacher is looking at a student's sketch, and she tells him that it looks like a house from a Zorro movie instead of a picture of a real house. However, the student says he is drawing the house that his mother was born in and she was born in Mexico. On the finished picture of a Spanish style house in an elaborate natural wild grass setting of his grandfather's town, he titles the picture "GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE." The teacher realizes her error, gives the picture an "A+," and then displays the picture on the "green" blackboard. The teacher-student miscommunication battle is timeless, and the irony or confusion over why green chalkboards are called "blackboards" is classic as well. The "Aquatic Show" is a very charming and funny poem. A kid is talking about singing and sort of dancing in the shower. He explains how much he enjoys this activity. Also, he assumes that the bathroom fixtures, which are his audience, really enjoy it too. He mentions songs from different Latin countries, which is a nice form of cultural exposure for non-Latin Americans. In addition to the poetry, this book has an excellent glossary and an interesting "Biographical Notes" section that gives a brief synopsis of accomplishments for each poet.

Furthermore, the "Editor's Note," provides an outstanding description of what the reader should expect from this book, and it gives a great rationale for the writing of this book. The purpose of this book is to inspire the desire in others to learn other languages. Finally, the introduction, written by Oscar Hijuelos, presents a heartfelt, compelling, and poignant picture of what it was like to live in America over 40 years ago as a Latin American. It relays the trials of a life when people were "Hearing one language on the streets, another at home, and a third at school..."(p.xxi), and one where there were no books or attitudes of sympathy for anyone dealing with this issue.

....

This book is really what it says it is, COOL SALSA...it goes in hot yet cooling to the senses, then slides warmly all the way down to the last page! This book in awesome for anyone who is interested in just reading something that isn't Americanized. These poems are true and real, great for children and Adults.

Some of the greatest Latin Amertican writers are featured in this book like Sandra Cisneros, Oscar Hijuelos, Ana Castillo, etc. There are many books that I think about and this one is at the TOP of my list for children and adults to read, if you like poetry.

Great for offering multicultural poetry to students. Poems are mature and interesting and written in both Spanish and English.

I was a bit reluctant to like this book when I first read it because of its abundance of cartoons that appeared to be quite cheaply drawn. It also belonged to part of a larger series of 'Introducing' books and I'm always reluctant to like those because they always seem to be directed towards making a profit rather than providing good information.

Contrary to my first impressions, the book was actually fairly good and informative. It covers a good part of Stephen Hawking's life as well as some background in fundamentals of physics so you can grasp some of his ideas. Although soem cartoons are completely gratuitous others actually provide extra clarification on the ideas expressed.

The book gives a very broad overview over Stephen Hawking's ideas. Specifically his theories concerning black hole radiation. Some stuff was a bit hard for me to grasp (atleast to understand all the little details was near impossible) but the book illustrates the general ideas very well :)

I read this book as a science work, not as a promotional biography.

As popular writings of modern physics go this is a rather good account of modern cosmology. The author has a physics background thus making the science fairly honest. The writing is linear with ample asides to bring the reader up to speed on important concepts. The brevity of the writing bespeaks compatification, not loss.

The problem is that Hawking wants to win the Nobel Prize something fierce. The author is out to lend his support to a fellow Britisher by publishing this unabashed Nobel promo (the closing pages give a summation of why Hawking should win the big one). As far as the cartoony format goes the caricatures seem to be directed at those physicists and religious figures (generally dead) the author wants to relegate to supporting roles to the great one. If you can get around these prejudices you will find a good read.

Cartoons, comic book style, sumo wrestlers - all these will from now on be associated with astronomy and quantum theory, thanks to this book. If like me you are just reading for general interest this book will explain it all, but without bogging it down with detail. A good read, and now I feel confident to read Hawkings book 'A brief history of time'.

Sandra Benitez has woven a haunting tale of a young boy caught in the war-ravaged reality of El Salvador in 1980.

Nicolas Veras had a wonderful mother. She shielded his body from the gunfire of an attack by guerillas at Archbishop Romero's funeral and she passed on to him her earnest faith in the Virgin Mary. After her death, Nicholas must find his way alone to his grandfather's rural home in the El Salvadoran mountains. He finds that the national military has bombed his village, destroying homes, businesses and the church. From the debris, Nicolas removes the slightly damaged statue of Mary and carries it with him to the farm that has been overtaken by pro-Communist rebels.

From here, the story takes flight. Nicolas and his grandfather are compelled to cooperate with the guerillas. Nicolas participates in smuggling fresh blood and medical supplies to the guerilla camp. He is later captured by the army. Other frightening events occur but young Nicolas feels little fear because, miraculously, the statue of Mary comes alive and speaks advice to Nicolas, giving both instructions and encouragement as he precariously maneuvers between the warring factions of ruthless guerillas and the corrupt and equally ruthless army.

The words flow gently in this sadly beautiful novel. I am usually repulsed by stories involving violence or cruelty towards children; however, this story is so adroitly written with a mixture of harsh truth and tenderness that I couldn't turn away.

Benitez does a wonderful job with this novel. As the depiction of the life of an average child during the tumultuous revolution in San Salvador in the 80s, Benitez combines the ability to remain non-judgemental with the innocence of a child. She has thus created a story rich in emotion, but unbiased in fact. In an attempt to remain bi-partisan, Benitez does her best to side with neither party in the war. Instead, she sides with the nation's citizens, and against the war in general.

The Weight of All Things is ingeniously written through the eyes of a young boy; A young boy who can see no evil government, nor the good in revolution. A young boy who can only experience the loss of war, not its rewards. His story is compelling enough to read the novel, but Benitez layers on top of emotion with vivid descriptions of the events in San Salvador at the time, and together, we as readers can feel the story-line unfold in our lap. Rising as falling as Benitez commands.

The Weight of all things was a wonderful novel, and I can not wait to see Benitez' writing progress in future novels. If for no other reason, read this book because it is refreshing and different from anything you've read.

This is the third novel of Sandra Benitez, and it is a pleasure to follow her maturation as a writer. Her first novel, A Place Where the Sea Remembers, was short and simple in concept, but utterly charming. Her second, Bitter Grounds, was more ambitious and heavily political, even partisan. While well written it ended up feeling more polemical than charming. This book strikes a better balance, being charming and nuanced in a way Bitter Grounds didn't manage while still employing a much larger canvass than A Place Where the Sea Remembers. I won't bother with a "book report", there are a couple here already. But this is a book worth reading, and Benitez is an author worth following.

This is not a book for the general public but for leftists.
And it isn't about HISTORY but about Communist mythologie.
Contains several omissions:

.It forgets to informate the readers about what Che Gue Vara did
when he and his guerrileros went to Bolivia to "Liberate" the Bolivian peasants: they assassinated about 50 people ( peasant and soldiers in ambushes ) BEFORE he himself was captured and executed.
The Bolivians felt strange about this "Liberation" and not even one (!) joined his "red terror" band ( they actually told the Bolivian army the precise local where the che's band was ).
In other words, CHE GUE VARA TASTED HIS OWN POISON but the author (and some reviewers) made him a martyr and think America is the real guiltie....
it hurts the intelligence of a rational person

.it says very little about Che's cruelty and crimes: in Las Cabanas prison he ordered the execution of hundreds of people( some of them former brothers in arms which refused communism and stayed democratic ).SOME OF THEM WERE SHOT BY HIM, to give the example...
CHE incentivated their followers during those executions: « DON'T WAISTE TIME WITH THE CAUSES, THIS IS A REVOLUTION, DON'T USE LEGAL METHODS OF THE BURGUEOSOIS, THE PROVE IS SECONDARY.
IT'S NECESSARY TO ACT BY CONVICTION!»
We bet they did.
And the Mass Killings of the "enemies of the people" in Santa Clara Prison (some years later )is practically omissed by the author.
etc etc i could go on AD INFINITUM..

Omited too is the TROPICAL GULAG, the concentration camps and prisons system( or "REEDUCATION" CAMPS like CHE used to called them),where have been imprisioned since 1959 until today about 100 000 political prisioners.
Read how they were and still are beaten and forced to drink they own urine in AGAINST ALL HOPE of Valladares in Amazon.com

Filled with photos of Che from childhood until his death, if you want to know more about him thru photography then this book is a fine start. Also to read Che: A Revolutionary Life by Jon Lee Anderson, the best biography ever written about him.

Anyone interested in one of the 20th centuries most enigmatic and charismatic figures will love this book. This is an excellent source to compliment the book by Jon Anderson or to enjoy by itself. Filled with over 400 photgraphs, many rare and never seen before, this book captures the image of the man in the various years of his life, most notably his years spent in Cuba. To see the man in all his glory, whether it be sipping his beloved mate, smoking a cigar or fighting his guerrilla war somewhere, his face is unforgetable and this book shows the many facets of his personality. The text is an easy read that can be read in one sitting but the pictures are priceless and require one's attention over and over. This is a book that sits prominently in full view in my house for quick browsing. The photos are exquisite, taken from various sources including one's taken by Che himself. Of particular interest is a section of the book that deals with the now fanous photo taken by Korda that is the image most people know of Che. This is the image that adorns everything from t-shirts to money that was taken during a service for for the victims of an explosion on a ship in 1960, one of the images of our times. The contact strip is included and the various degrees of differences can be noted. Of even more interest is the image of Che's corpse that was displayed by the Bolivian authorites and a comparison to the art of Mantegna's Dead Christ. The resemblance is uncanny. The open eyes of Che, even in death, are more alive than many of the people alive who walk around with tombstones in their eyes. This is an excepional book that chronicles the life and times of Ernesto Guevara, portraying an image in text and magnificent photographs of the man, not the myth, known as Che.

Oscar Wilde touches here a fundamental subject in Christian lore : Salome and John the Baptist, and through them Jesus and the prophesy that he is the Messiah. It would be a perfect subject for an opera because the events are contained in too short a time and the feelings and motivations are too simple and intensely concentrated for a dramaruc play. Salome asks for John's head out of spite because she could not possess him, because he refused to acknowledge her, and also because she knows this will mean the downfall of her step-father, the killer of her own father, and the incestuous husband of her mother. So vengeance is her second motivation. Those motivations are too simple to build up the tragical force of a play, but they are so intense that they could have inspired the most dramatic and powerful music. Oscar Wilde's language is beautiful in many ways but this beauty does not give any complexity to the simpleness of the emotions and motivations. This beautiful language could have become the carrier of a beautiful music. Actually we can hear the music of a Scarlatti, or of a Purcell behind the words, maybe even a Haendel. But as a play it is a little bit flat and without enough depth to build a beautiful performance. As a matter of fact the centrepiece of the play, the dance of the seven veils, is not a dramatic event but a visual and musical event. And we cannot in anyway escape the recollection of the fantastic little black and white film by Clive Barker on the subject. Salome is worth more than just a dramatic play. She can only find her full strength when music and dancing come into the picture, when it is fully visual and musical.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Perpignan

I found this book to a very quick and interesting read. Salome is both loved and feared by men. She uses her deadly seductive power to get anything she wants, almost.
The price of the book is so cheap how can you resist not buying it.

Wilde was the Irish Lord of the Language (English or French, it is the same). I concede that Michael Flatley is the Lord of the Dance... In any case, Wilde's words are worth being listened to. Salome possesses a rich texture of fine images and figures of speech that come to life through the voices of the actors.

This performance of "Salome" is a radio recording from a Canadian station broadcasted in the late sixties. It is too bad that radio theater be a rather defunct art. It has many values of its own. This abridged performance is based in the Alfred Douglas's translation of the original French play (Wilde wrote it directly in Frech, and it was the cause of his breaking up with Pierre Louys and serious trouble with Doulgas). I refrain from rating it with 4 stars because it is edited and abridged -slightly-.

Every interpretation is correct and some outstanding. It has even a fit original score. Wilde fans wouldn't be disapointed.

It is never clear to what extent Oscar Lewis relies upon his fieldwork and to what extent he relies upon his imagination in this story about an impoverished Mexican family. Lewis certainly has an ax to grind and a theory to prove--that there is a "cycle of poverty" that entraps the poor in their own cultural malaise. This theory, popular in the 50s and still popular in its neo-liberal version today, is ill served by Lewis's fictionalized accounts that are disguised as fact. How did Lewis know this family so well? The answer is he probably didn't, but made up what he lacked in data so that his theory would come out on top. In this story it becomes tragically clear that the decisions of the individuals themselves are what are holding them back. From Lewis's liberal point of view, the failures are understandable but lamentable. The problem is, as I note above, it is really just a story. The family certainly did exist, and people in the neighborhood (Tepito) can point their house out to the curious stranger, but the details are all Oscar Lewises. The proof of the pudding is that Tepito is now a vibrant urban center despite its apparent poverty, and the likelihood is that it was always so--but Lewis couldn't see the forest for the theory.

Needless to say the neighborhood and the family felt ill-used when they discovered the use to which Lewis put his time with them (to say nothing of the ethnical dilemna of the fact that he was writing very salacious material about them when everyone around them knew who they were.

This book certainly makes interesting literature, but the reader should be aware of the author's profound biases. It also makes an interesting example for anthropologists--of how NOT to do research and how NOT to abuse your subjects.

This book certainly lacks scientific data and all the other scholarly details usually found in an anthropological study. But there's nothing scientific about poverty. Footnotes and graphs have no place in this kind of examination. It's an emotional book, intimately conveying the scorn and contempt of family that's half-starved and forced to live in claustrophobic conditions.

"The Children of Sanchez" documents all the petty hostilities within the fragile family unit. And it documents them accurately. Living in Mexico City is hard. Rich or poor, chilangos are constantly forced to deal with incredible violence and instability; the city is unforgiving and cruel, with terrible pollution levels and wild corruption. Lewis has perfectly captured the daily horrors of this urbanized mess. Using the Sanchez family as a case group representative of many families in the capital, he shows how people are slowly crushed by their relatives, the justice system and the congestion.

Nothing in this book is false or misleading. I have lived and worked in Mexico City; I have lived with a middle-class Mexican family; and I have started a family in Mexico. The experiences of the Sanchez family mirror my own experiences. I have met and have known many people like the people in this book. I have seen my own family spend countless hours attacking each other. And I have seen people desperately trying to make ends meet in a city with no opportunities.

Read this book. It's all true!

I haven't found a bopok so compelling years! What's fascinating is each of the protagonists have a decisive moment when they could have changed their lives and yet they fall back on their old ways.As sad as the story is, it's incredibly moving and in odd moments, uplifting. If ever there was a case to end the CUlture of Poverty, this is it.