Vinnie's War


Book Description

Just then came: crump, CRUMP, CRUMP! Three bombs in quick succession, coming frighteningly close. With each explosion, the ground shook. Dust and chips fell from the ceiling. Everyone in the shelter gasped at the same time. Vinnie held his breath, waiting for the fourth bomb, but it didn't come.When Vinnie is sent away from the bombs in London, he has no idea what awaits him. All he has left of his old life is his harmonica.On the train, Vinnie meets fierce Kathleen, sweet Joey and gangly Dobbs. The evacuee children find themselves thrown together in the country town of Netterfold, which seems beautiful and peaceful - until they meet the locals.There is a war raging across Europe, but Vinnie and his friends soon find they have their own war to fight as they face up to terrifying teachers, bad billets, and hostile neighbourhood kids who set out to make their lives as 'vaccies' miserable. And when things start to go missing, they discover that there are mysteries lurking in Netterfold's shadows, just waiting to be solved...Through music and friendship, can Vinnie make peace and finally find a place where he belongs?




Vinnie and Abraham


Book Description

"The true story of Vinnie Ream's courage and persistence in the service of art, and in the service of a friend."--Dust jacket, front flap.







The Runner


Book Description

The Chicago Mob attempts to take-over a black gambling game called "POLICY"







Vinnie Ream


Book Description

She was able, through clever maneuvering and dogged determination, to achieve a commission from the Congress for a life-sized statue of the assassinated president—this despite the very real animus against women artists at that time, which is apparent in the heated arguments against granting her the Lincoln commission—arguments spearheaded in the Senate by Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. Steeped in the history of her time, Vinnie Ream was involved with dozens of senators and congressmen and other powerful men—not least of all Generals Sherman and Custer—and her studio on Capitol Hill became a legendary stopping place for many admirers and tourists. Her statue of Lincoln stands in the rotunda of the capitol building; her statue of Admiral Farragut stands in a Washington, D.C. park; other works are in Statuary Hall and various museums. This is an engaging biography of a spirited female artist, and an effective portrait of Washington, D.C. in the Civil War era.




The Red Heifer


Book Description

Swirling in the melting pot of Manhattan's Lower East Side, the eldest son of religious, Yiddish-speaking parents narrates The Red Heifer from the 1930s, when he is five, through the early 1950s. American-born, he grows to sexual and social awareness amid old-world rabbis, new-world mobsters, Jewish atheists, musicians, and new waves of immigrants. The growing boy struggles with love and death amid poverty, crime, and fervent religion and politics. He passionately evokes the largely vanished working-class Jewish Lower East Side as an unromantic, sometimes violent place, in which characters strive to observe pious duties, make money, and assimilate. Steeped in Jewish-American history, Jewish lore, and Yiddishkeit, Leo Haber tells the stories of people who love learning, family, righteousness—and the pleasures of the flesh. The Red Heifer teams with unforgettable characters like the narrator's idol, hoodlum Feigy Grossman; his father, Reb Yussel, a Talmudic scholar; Aunt Geety, Uncle Oosher; and a street person who claims to be the Messiah. Each grapples, memorably, with traditional values and the cultural enticements of their new goldene medina (golden land). Just as Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes spoke to readers of diverse ethnic backgrounds, The Red Heifer speaks to The Holocaust, taking place from the pogroms.




Run with the Wolves


Book Description

As war theatens to engulf all who live in the Sanctuary, the Pack leader sets off on a dangerous journey to seek the cavern where the Oracle abides. Desperate for find the answers he seeks, he has no assurance that the Oracle will be able to help, yet he must try.




American Historical Fiction


Book Description

This publication will fill a gap in the bibliographic reference shelf by identifying historical novels for both adult and young adult readers. ^IAmerican Historical Fiction^R contains over 3,000 titles set in states and historical regions of the United States. Entries are organized by time period. The newest titles, as well as old favorites, are covered. The volume is indexed by author, title, genre, subject, and geographic setting.




My 50Th Class Reunion from Grammar School


Book Description

I am an original baby boomer, born in 1946, who attended a very strict Catholic Grammar School for nine years. Parents back in the early 50s, not knowing or wanting to raise their own children, made a decision to punish them into submission. Understanding came from a B.V.M. nun with a stern hand wielding a yardstick. How did we survive and how did some of us turn out? From Kindergarten, when only six year old, to thirteen, we made it through the tension and anxiety of attending St. Tarcissus Grammar School. The experience was intended to teach us the correct way to conduct ourselves. Do you think it made a lasting impression in the years ahead? Education has come a long way. Did those good Sisters know what they were doing? Did our parents play a bigger role in our up-bringing? Some of my conclusions actually make sense. The hard truth is history. Our working careers are over. From the craziness of those grammar school years comes our final report card. All of us from that graduating class of 1960 are now senior citizens. Lets find out just what happened. Planning this reunion took six months and made me think about my whole life. It made me realize that life is a struggle, but happiness can be achieved, if you work at it. My other committee member, who was supposed to help me, gave me a migraine. Would this reunion be a success or a bust? It was all on my shoulders. To be sure, it is funny, thought provoking, and I assure you, 100% true.