Street Charm and Social Commentary
591407
This novel had much of the smooth-street charm that I remember from others in this series.  Given the many changes in Easys life, it was a pleasure to see him grow and transition into responsible fatherhood. Still, to my delight Easy hasn't lost his ability to blend into the streets and return to his doing favors/street-sleuth persona.  These two aspects of his character are needed to add realism to the story and to fit within the social context of the novel.

Speaking of context, although I wasn't completely blown away by this mysterys storyline, I understood that the plot development was used as a device to demonstrate the socio-economic changes occurring in 1960s Los Angeles.  Easys search for Brawly allows him (and by extension the reader) to traverse various aspects of the Civil Rights Movement including: the growth of local entrepreneurial pursuits, changes among social hierarchies within Easys community and increasing turmoil between law enforcement agencies and activist groups.

As with other novels in this series Mosley continues to develop the overall Easy Rawlins story as well.  Readers are left with unresolved feelings about the death of Easys friend Mouse and are somewhat haunted by him throughout the story. Due to this haunting I am left educated, entertained and anticipating answers to questions that will hopefully be revealed in the next book in the series, Six Easy Pieces.

If you are new to this series I suggest that you start with Devil in a Blue Dress, the first book in this series.  Be forewarned, you will not be able to stop with just one book. These mysteries are addictive!

For more, visit my blog, Honey Lemon Tea.  [...]
1712650
Will please a reader with good humor, family bonds and the connection between true friends. I enjoyed it from the minute I started reading it. The small town setting with it's beauty and charm makes you want to be included in the population.
3552015
I received the book as a gift from the author. A really nice companion on my long Tube commutes throughout London. Its speciality is revealing the hidden world - not the dark world, not the rosy, actually, no fabrication - but things we almost instinctively avoid saying. It's the small, the  embarrassing, the annoying. The pin we sit upon while we pretend to smile and to look important. Well said, fictive non-fiction.
4408996
The real treat in this book is the many watercolors and black and white sketches by renowed Chinese-American artist Dong Kingman.  His illustrations are evocative and whimsical, and at times comical.  The reprinted essays by San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen range from gossipy to poetic, and provide a good review of the problems and the promise of San Francisco in the 1960s.  Caen loved the city, but was aware of the realities behind the facade.  As a native San Franciscan who lived through the era, I benefited a lot from this volume as a retrospective.
1365766
Lively and witty. This is a fun read. Lovers of the English cosy will find the classic elements here, along with an extra dose of sparkle and personality.  Here's hoping for a second installment.
389525
Channel Blue kept me turning pages - and laughing - through a gentle social commentary of continual twists.  In a somewhat bawdy romp, surprises keep coming one after another,  down to the very last paragraph. Deft with words, Martel ends with a sly glint of hope, a relief from laughing at our culture's incongruities.
4252743
Andrew Duncan takes the reader on an amusing and informative walk through London's seamier sides ranging from Medieval red-light districts to Jack the Ripper and modern gangsters.  Along the way he provides insights into different social aspects of London's history.  The book is divided into a dozen or so different walks, each of which covers a different neighborhood and concentrates on a different "theme".  Each walk includes a map and a list of pubs and other refreshment points along the way.
2336961
A lovely atmosphere of New York City is not so fun for near-thirty friends trying to establish themselves in a fashion world "with neither relatives nor connections".

Eventually, not-much-new for New-Yorkers and scholastic to the outsiders story is a fun to watch for scenes depicted and performed realistically, humor and sexuality saturating.
And the twist is in&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/How-to-Make-It-in-America-The-Complete-Second-Season/dp/B003L77GOW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">How to Make It in America: The Complete Second Season</a>.
491411
What a treat!!  Getting to know the diverse people of a small town and making new friends. Worrying
about them, laughing with them and praying with them that they make the correct decisions. Looking forward
to my return visit. Thanks for a wonderful  book, Mrs. Baumbich.
3748690
If you are having a down day or just need a smile I am prescribing this book for you. Freddie de la Hay, a Pimlico terrier, is at the heart of this novel about the assorted people who live in the charming old Art Deco style Corduroy Mansions in London. Freddie becomes Williams dog, as William tries every idea he can come up with to get his twenty something son Eddie to move out of the apartment so William can have some adult moments of peace. Terence Moongrove is a nave man who lives in the country and is in a group that dances outdoors with sacred beings of light. An unpleasant MP named Oedipus Snark who is having an affair with Barbara (Terences sister), 4 young ladies who share a flat, some lonely people who want to fall in love, all of these people have a connection to Corduroy Mansion, and plenty of humor ensues. This is the first in a series and I already bought the second book.
3411930
If  you've ever sat on a barstool and had really good conversation with your bartender or the guy sitting next to you, that's what LUSH LIFE is about. I  loved this great collection of caricature-portraits of prominent bartenders, their clientele and their off-beat anecdotes. These characters are a delight to look at and the "confessions" fun to read.
1980308
Good read, interesting characters in urban life!
681472
A fun peek inside upperclass mores re outdoor dining. Anglophiles will pick up some choice bits and Brits will cringe at these entitled (often literally) twits.
231333
The stories are so funny and human. A wonderful slice of life in a time when neighborhood were safe and friends would just hang around. The detail is wonderful and something you will enjoy reading. I wonder how he can remember so much about his youth and then incorporate it into fiction that seems so true.
1342473
A great voice coming from the upper east side.

Engaging and well worth the time it takes to read, loaded with wry charm.
4819830
The travel reveries in China Bus are often full of strange encounters and lovely observations. It seems the author jotted down many of these observations, musings and memories while on what appears to be the Chinatown bus line between Philadelphia and New York City. Often his realizations are rare and humorous, but other times they appear disconnected, especially since we don't have the benefit of titles to frame each prose poem. I enjoyed reading about the old pay phone in Wisconsin, the Himalayan drivers and how they pray to little plastics gods, the reveries on Chopin, among others. His prose poetry calls to a time and place, though honest, is missing detailed encounters that would add to the ongoing, mix of images, and allow for a deeper understanding. The book cover features eye-catching street art that complements the work.
2793820
This is a charming photobook. I enjoyed the funky, retro perspective on international travel and odd little details featured -- such as a sampling of do not disturb signs, ceiling fans, airport food, people sleeping at airports, etc. This is a just for fun book with a beautiful aesthetic.