Category Archives: Books

Books

Hungry for an offer you can’t refuse? Tey “The Godfather: The Corleone Family Cookbook”

Insight Editions has done it again . . . a gorgeous book that is an offer you can’t refuse. Save the date of May 14 — that’s the day The Godfather: The Corleone Family Cookbook ($35) hits kitchen tables and bookstores. And yes, it has been officially licensed by Paramount pictures.

Now, you’ll finally be able to make your very own authentic Italian meals with recipes inspired by the Corleone family, including delicious pastas, sauces, meatballs, breads and desserts. Immerse yourself in the classic story of the Italian immigrant family determined to keep their long-held traditions intact in the new world. Featuring 75 recipes complete with gorgeous photography for infamous dishes such as “The Best in the City” Veal Marsala, Clemenza’s Sunday sauce, and of course (our fave), “Leave the gun” cannoli.

Liliana Battle whips up the text and the photos by Stacey Tyzzer make the food on the page seem like food in your mouth. Yummy!

Celebrating the strong themes of loyalty, family and tradition, the tasty tome sheds new light on the legendary cinematic trilogy. Including images and quotes from the films, this cookbook is an absolute must-have for all fans of The Godfather–especially those with a taste for the finer foods in life.

 

Books

W. W. Norton offers a pair of must-read books, both true stories and both riveting

W.W. Norton has released a pair of books that will whet the appetite of fans of literary biographies as well as true crime thrillers.

Colin Asher’s Never a Lovely So Real ($39.95) is the definitive biography of National Book Award-winning novelist Nelson Algren (The Man With the Golden Arm), whose career as a writer was stalled by a decades-long FBI investigation into his ties to the Communist Party, and ultimately subsumed by changing tastes in literature. In its starred review, Publishers Weekly calls the book “a generous, stylish portrait of an impulsive, directionless outsider who nonetheless established a place among the lions of mid-twentieth century American literature”.

Noted fans of Algren’s include Don DeLillo, whom Algren mentored, and Russell Banks; he was friends with Richard Wright and had a long affair with Simone de Beauvoir. CUNY literature instructor Colin Asher’s close reading of Algren’s work, and his access to Algren’s FBI file, allow him to reconstruct in vivid detail Algren’s life, from his Depression-era struggles to his Army service to his sudden fame and then his struggles late in his life. A fascinating glimpse into the world of a writer who deserves to be remembered and re-read by new generations of readers.

In The Last Job: The “Bad Grandpas” and the Hatton Garden Heist, ($26.95), New York Times reporter Dan Bilefsky’s offers a riveting account of the biggest bank heist in the U.K. since the Great Train Robbery. Over Easter weekend 2015, a motley crew of six English thieves, several in their sixties and seventies, couldn’t resist coming out of retirement for one last career-topping heist. Their target: the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit, in the heart of London’s medieval diamond district.

Perhaps not the smoothest of criminals—one took a public bus to the scene of the crime; another read Forensics for Dummies in hopes he would learn how to avoid getting caught—they planned the job over fish and chips at their favorite pubs. They were cantankerous and coarse, dubbed the “Bad Grandpas” by British tabloids, and were often as likely to complain about one another as the current state of the country. Still, these analog thieves in a digital age managed to disable a high-security alarm system and drill through twenty inches of reinforced concrete, walking away with a stunning haul of at least $19 million in jewels, gold, diamonds, family heirlooms, and cash.

Books

Simon & Schuster two history lessons, from way back to the baseball field of today

Simon & Schuster has released a pair of must-read, must-have books that offer fascinating history lessons . . . ancient and modern.

In Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine ($28), bestselling classical historian Barry Strauss tells the story of three and a half centuries of the Roman Empire through the lives of ten of the most important emperors, from Augustus to Constantine. The book illustrates the Roman Empire’s constant reinvention and adaptability, and examines its enduring heritage through the lives of the men who shaped it: Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, Vespasian, Trajan, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus, Diocletian and Constantine.

During these centuries Rome gained in splendor and territory, then lost both. The empire reached from modern-day Britain to Iraq, and gradually emperors came not from the old families of the first century but from men born in the provinces, some of whom had never even seen Rome. By the fourth century, the time of Constantine, the Roman Empire had changed so dramatically in geography, ethnicity, religion, and culture that it would have been virtually unrecognizable to Augustus.

After the Miracle: The Lasting Brotherhood of the ’69 Mets ($28) is the heartwarming inside account of one of the most iconic teams in baseball history: the 1969 New York Mets—a consistently last-place team that turned it all around in just one season—told by ’69 Mets outfielder Art Shamsky, Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver and other teammates as they reminisce about what happened then and where they are today.

The New York Mets franchise began in 1962 and the team finished in last place nearly every year. When the 1969 season began, fans weren’t expecting much from “the Lovable Losers.” But as the season progressed, the Mets inched closer to first place and then eventually clinched the National League pennant. They were underdogs against the formidable Baltimore Orioles, but beat them in five games to become world champions. No one had predicted it. In fact, fans could hardly believe it happened. Suddenly they were “the Miracle Mets.” Right-fielder Art Shamsky gets together with Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Ron Swoboda, and Bud Harrelson to reminisce on that life-changing year.

A home run in every way.

Books

Murder most mystic: Did lesbian Lizzie Borden whack her parents dead? Count to 41 . . .

Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks
When she saw what she had done
She gave her father forty-one

Or did she?

In The Trial of Lizzie Borden (Simon & Schuster, $28), the definitive account of one of America’s most notorious murder mysteries, Cara Robertson, a lawyer and former Supreme Court clerk, takes a deep dive into this country’s first “trial of the century.”

Mama Abby, dead
Man lying on a sofa
Daddy Andrew dead

You’re likely familiar with the story of Borden—the Massachusetts spinster accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother in 1892. Immortalized in rhyme, told and retold in every conceivable genre from novels and films to ballet to podcasts and stage musicals, the Borden murders have secured a place in the American pantheon of mythic horror.

Lizzie Borden 1890.jpg
Did Lizzie (seen here) have sex with the maid . . . and Mommy caught the, so Lizzie took an axe . . .

Based on 20  years of research and primary source material, including transcripts of the Borden legal proceedings, contemporary newspaper accounts, unpublished local accounts, and recently unearthed letters from Lizzie herself, Robertson explores the stories Borden’s culture wanted and expected to hear, and how those stories influenced the debate inside and outside of the courtroom.

The Trial of Lizzie Borden by [Robertson, Cara]The Trial of Lizzie Borden breaks open one of the most sensational murder trials in American history, showcasing how the Borden murders offer a window onto America’s Gilded Age, and its most troubling social anxieties and deeply held convictions.

Books

Marc Stein’s “The Stonewall Riots” is an important volume that honors LGBTQ history

The Stonewall Riots of 1969, when thousands protested in the streets of New York in response to a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, have long been regarded as the most important event in U.S. LGBTQ history. Whether they are seen as the starting point or turning point in the history of LGBT activism, the riots have become an iconic symbol of resistance to gender and sexual oppression as well as a key episode in the mobilization of one of the most important social movements of the last 50 years.

Despite the widely-recognized significance of the Stonewall Riots, most people know little about what happened over those six days at the Stonewall Inn. Nor do they know much about the earlier developments that contributed to the eruption of queer protests that summer, or the changes experienced by the LGBT movement in the weeks and months that followed, or even the ways in which the riots came to influence the New York City, the country and the world.

That has changed.

In the powerful volume The Stonewall Riots (NYU Press, $35), Marc Stein has collected 200 documents from a variety of sources published across the United States between ’65 and ’73 that consider the diverse perspectives on what actually happened during the Stonewall Riots.  Stein also explores the developments in the ’60s that led to the uprising and the mass mobilization that followed in the ’70s to understand the ways in which the Riots effected change.

The Stonewall Riots offers colorful descriptions of gay bars and bathhouses, campy stories of queer resistance, courageous accounts of protests, powerful narratives of police repression, and inspiring examples of political empowerment.  Stein includes photographs; articles from the alternative and LGBT press including The Village Voice, the Berkeley Bard, The Los Angeles Advocate, Transvestia; state court decisions; first-person accounts; political fliers; and song lyrics.

Books, Movies, Music

Olivia Newton-John never stops believin’ in love, courage and compassion

Have you ever been mellow?
We often are, especially when we hear the scrumptious, soothing vocals of Olivia Newton-John. (Yes, even “Xanadu” soothes us in a certain way.)
That’s good news.
Really good news.
More really good news: With candor, humor and warmth, Olivia writes about her life and career and cancer in the must-have Don’t Stop Believin’ (Gallery Books, $28). Available for the first time in the United States, this edition includes a new afterword by Olivia.
She speaks about her childhood, her father’s role in breaking German Enigma codes during World War II,  her feeling about about stardom,her beloved daughter Chloe, meeting the love of her life, and her passion and unwavering advocacy for health and wellness.
“I hope this story of my life from my early years up to today will bring some inspiration and positivity to the reader,” Olivia says. “We all share so many experiences in our own unique way.”
We share, we savor, we pray.

For more than five decades, Olivia Newton-John has been one of our most successful and adored entertainers. A four-time Grammy Award winner, she is one of the world’s bestselling recording artists of all time, with more than 100 million albums sold; numerous Country Music, American Music, Billboard and People’s Choice Awards; an Emmy Award; 10 No. 1 hits and more than 15 Top 10 singles among her successes. Her unforgettable role in Grease catapulted her into super-stardom. In addition to her music and screen successes, Olivia is perhaps best known for her strength, courage and grace.
After her own personal journeys with cancer, she has thrived and become an inspiration for millions around the world. A tireless advocate for countless charities, her true passion is as the founding champion of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Center in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia.  Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992; the diagnosis “came the same weekend my father died of cancer, so you can imagine the shock”, she remembers. Learn more @ onjcancercentre.org.
Olivia has always radiated joy, hope and compassionate.
She continues to be a force for love, for goodness, for strength, throughout the world.
“I also  believe that when you go through something difficult, even something as dramatic as cancer, that something positive will come of it,” she says.
Don’t stop believin’.

Books, Kiddie Fun, Kids' Books

Lucy will have you laughing and on the ball . . . but not that Lucy

Charlie Brown knows the truth: “Happiness is anyone and anything that’s loved by you.”

And though the he thinks he’s not so well liked, people love him. Even Lucy. Even if he doesn’t have a nickel.

Lovable Lucy takes the spotlight in Lucy: Speak Out! Andrews McMeel, $9.99), the latest collection of Peanuts comics for kids.
In this de(lightful collection of classic Peanuts comics for younger readers, Lucy rallies her friends to speak out for equal rights for women.
Between social causes and dropping fly balls in the outfield, Lucy decides to write a biography of Beethoven, much to Schroeder’s dismay.
Meanwhile, life in the Peanuts gang is as hilarious as always: Woodstock takes up farming, Peppermint Patty struggles to make the grade, and Charlie Brown’s rotten luck lands him in the hospital. You won’t want to miss this latest edition of outstanding Peanuts fun.
Books, Kiddie Fun, Kids' Books

Laurie B. Arnold’s Latest in Her Acclaimed “Hello, There” Series is a Main Bain Adventure!

I have a good friend (she was the editor-in-chief of Redbook of which I was the Entertainment Editor) who left Madhattan and moved with her hubby and kids to Bainbridge Island, off the coast of Washington State.

I don’t see her often. And sorely miss her.

And then . . . faster than a dolphin can be seen frolicking in Puget Sound, I found that Hello, There I’m Coming Home!, the third (and final) kids’ book in Laurie B. Arnold’s highly acclaimed “Hello There” series, takes place on Bainbridge Island!
In this third and final book in the series, plucky Madison McGee, along with her magic fanny pack and the MegaPix6000, a TV she uses to teleport into whatever is playing on the screen, is on a fateful trip back to the Island, where she grew up, to spend the summer with her best friends, Noah and Violet.
It’s an emotional journey, shadowed with memories of her mother, and questions about her father’s disappearance. As Madison and her dog Leroy travel from New Mexico to the west coast, she opens her fanny pack and discovers a photo of a black-haired boy. Even though she’s sure he’s a stranger, she intuitively knows that he needs her help. Again, it’s the MegaPix6000 to the rescue, and the “Mighty Trio” enters a weird and frightening world of magicians, shape-shifters and evil doers.
The biggest mystery for Madison to solve is a personal one. Her search for answers leads her to discover that sometimes life changes in unimaginable ways, and that the unexpected can finally lead her home.
And me? Now I can join Madison. And participate in some armchair traveling. Next time I actually visit,  maybe I’ll bump into Laurie, her husband Steve and her “perfect fuzzy dog Scout.” Isn’t he cute? What about the other pooch? That dog, she explains, “is my friend’s golden retriever, Jake, who always likes to get in on the action. “
I think I’ll send a note to the author (below with two of her most charming pooches), asking her (nicely) to have Madison return for yet another adventure! You can write her as well by visiting her @ lauriearnoldbooks.com.
You can find the Madison’s adventure @ amzn.to/2TAYatv.
Books

Undercover at Walmart for three months: The stories that “Walmart: Diary of an Associate” tell!

Walmart. You either love the mega-chain. Or hate it.

In 2012, journalist Hugo Meunier spent three months undercover as a Walmart employee in St. Leonard, Quebec, just north of Montreal. And he survived to write about it.

In Walmart: Diary of an Associate (Fernwood Publishing , $22, March 1), Meunier charts the daily life of an impoverished Walmart worker, referring to his shifts at the box store giant as “somewhere between the army and Walt Disney.” Each shift began with a daily chant before bowing to customer demands and the constant pressure to sell.  And since Meunier and his fellow workers could not afford to shop anywhere else, they became further indentured to the multi-billion-dollar corporation.

Beyond his time on the shop floor, Meunier documents (in great detail) the extraordinary efforts that Walmart exerts to block unionization campaigns, including their 2005 decision to close their outlet in the city of Jonquiere, where the United Food and Commercial Workers union had successfully gained certification rights. A decade later he charts the Supreme Court of Canada ruling that exposed the dubious legal ground on which Walmart stood in invoking closure and throwing workers out on the street.

Walmart: Diary of an Associate will make you think twice before shopping there.

Books

Haven’t heard of Tanguy Viel? You will, when his book “Article 353” debuts in March.

We loved when we come across a book by an author when haven’t met. Yet. Equal parts courtroom drama and psychological thriller, Article 353 (Other Press, $15.99), by internationally bestselling author Tanguy Viel, employs subtle, enthralling prose to raise questions about the pursuit of “justice” within the confines of the law.

We aren’t the only who were caught up with the book: Publishers Weekly raves about the book in a recent review calling it a “beguiling noir” and an “elegant effort” sure to win new fans in the U.S.

With echoes of Herman Koch’s The Dinner and Scott Turow’s Limitations, Article 353 is a noir novel retracing the steps that led to a murder off the coast of Brittany. A bestseller in France, winning the Grand Prix RTL-Lire and Prix François Mauriac, the book has sold in 10 territories to date, including Germany, Italy, Spain, and China.

In a depressed town on France’s northern coast, a man named Martial Ker­meur has been arrested for the murder of real estate developer Antoine La­zenec after throwing him overboard. Kermeur has long led an upstanding life, raising his son as a single father and humbly working as a groundskeeper after he’s laid off from the shipyard. Running counter to his signature ethically driven and measured demeanor, Kermeur finds himself swept up in the glit­tering promises of Lazenec, who entices Kermeur into investing the entirety of his savings. Called before a judge, Kermeur goes back to the beginning to explain what brought him to this desperate point: his divorce, his son’s acting out, layoffs at his job, and, above all, Lazenec’s dazzling project for a seaside resort.

 Kremeur’s story, told in retrospect, takes on an eerie prophetic tenor, acting as a parable shedding light on a timeless undercurrent of societal ills that still resound in today’s climate of financial and judicial turmoil. Here, Viel, a born storyteller, examines not only the psychology of a crime, but also the larger social maladies that may offer its justification.

We tell no more except buy it and read it. It hits shelves March 12.