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Review Date: 11/3/2016
Recommended for die-hard Betty completists only. Fans will learn very little that they didn't already know from Betty's books. There are a few pictures I'd not seen before, but much of the rest is the author merely paraphrasing Betty's books. I loaned my copy to someone to read without giving my opinion and she came to the same conclusion. Even the cover photo looks like a third generation photocopy. I consider this a waste of money. Paula Becker's "Looking for Betty MacDonald" is much better.
Review Date: 11/23/2016
A superior juvenile mystery. Longish but atmospheric. Unique setting, unusual plot, realistic characters, well-written, excellent illustrations.
Review Date: 9/2/2016
This is not a collection of comic strips, but an original novel based on the title character, with 25 original illustrations. It's very much of its time, with Nazis, "Japs" and "darkies," but nostalgia fans--like me--will know to make allowances for this datedness. Almost nonstop action in many different locales. An easy read; great fun.
Review Date: 12/19/2016
Cover pictured is misleading, this is not an adult gothic romance novel, but a juvenile mystery and an exceptionally good one (not surprising, coming from the author's expert hand). The woman on the cover is actually a 12-year old girl in the book and the young man is actually a 15-year old boy! An excellent balance of atmosphere, plot and character. Although categorized for 9-12 year olds, I think young teens would enjoy this, too.
Review Date: 2/24/2015
Members should know that the author only reads part of this book. The rest is by an unnamed narrator.
Review Date: 1/23/2016
This is a music cd, not an audiobook or paperback. However, I have to list it here because the Team says that's how Amazon has it listed.
As for content, just okay. I found all the tracks on the serious and solemn side--even things like 12 Days of Xmas and Santa Claus is Comin' to Town--and not reflecting the fun and joy of the season that I feel.
As for content, just okay. I found all the tracks on the serious and solemn side--even things like 12 Days of Xmas and Santa Claus is Comin' to Town--and not reflecting the fun and joy of the season that I feel.
Review Date: 10/16/2016
Calling this "gay & rollicking" is a slight overstatement, but I nonetheless enjoyed it very much. Light-hearted but not really laugh-out-loud; midway between Betty MacDonald's down-to-earth fun and Margaret Halsey's more literary, restrained style. The slender page count includes several charming full-page illustrations by James R. Hamil, but the narrative is fully realized.
Review Date: 9/10/2016
I'm a fan of juvenile series books, so I had to try this and am glad I did. Because it was published in 1980, I wasn't expecting too much, but I was pleasantly surprised. Susan Sand reminds me very much of Nancy Drew & Beverly Gray--smart but modest, plucky and determined. What most pleased me about this book is the author's style--before too long, I actually felt I was reading an undiscovered Nancy Drew or Beverly Gray series book. The author's use of terms like "chums" and "laughing gaily" and restrained use of contractions ("there is" instead of "there's", e.g.) made this book seem like it was written in the "golden era" of juvenile series books, which to me is a big plus. I hope to find others in this series.
Review Date: 9/26/2016
Recommended for those looking for something different. The story is fairly predictable--the ups and downs of a jazz musician in the early 1960s. It's the way the story is told that makes this stand out for me: Practically dripping with atmosphere, and no wonder--the author is a respected jazz scholar/historian with several nonfiction books to his credit. Many unique characters and lots of early-60s jazz slang, including what has to be one of the very earliest uses in print of "hipster"! Great cover, too.
Review Date: 1/1/2017
The story is pretty routine--the ups and downs of jazz musicians in NYC and LA in the early 1960s. It's the writing that makes this stand out for me--practically bursting with atmosphere and lots of sharp dialogue. And no wonder: The author is a respected jazz music historian & scholar and has published several well-regarded nonfiction books on the subject. All this plus what must be one of the very first uses in print of the term "hipster"! Great cover, too!
Review Date: 9/26/2016
Not as much action as I expected, but still a good, solid read. DJ is colorful and there is a different 1/3 page illustration at the beginning of each chapter which added much to my enjoyment of the book. The Gold Coast mentioned in the book was a British colony in Africa and is now known as Ghana.
Review Date: 2/24/2015
One of the better showbiz memoirs I've read. To be fair, this book will probably be of interest only to Anglophiles who are particularly keen on UK tv. The author's unique style really makes this special. It's much more than a recital of facts and I finished it liking the author even more than before (which I can't say about every memoir I've read). I wish there'd been an audio version, as I can almost hear her distinctive Liverpudlian accent in every sentence. Prospective readers should be aware that there are a number of sad and even shocking events recounted, but I didn't find even a trace of self-pity in the story. Includes a number of photos.
Review Date: 1/13/2017
Although this book doesn't reveal anything that we in the 21st century don't already know about celebrities, when it first came out it must've been a hot item! The writing style is certainly brisk and unapologetic without being vicious. Readers who are interested in or remember the 1950s and 1960s movies will get a kick out of this, as will film buffs. Includes 16 pages of now-amusing b&w photos.
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