Getting ready for Father's Day. Here are some books to hold his interest. Every man's dream of a captain's paradise and every woman's wish for a commitment. Both meet in a new novel by Norman Bogner in HONOR THY WIFE(Forge $25.95). Terry Brett is a lawyer, living with his widower father, Pat, a contractor in Port Rivers in the North west. Both men have their outside romantic interests but they have not bought the women into the home.

That is, until Terry meets Allison, a love child of the sixties who has broken her leg and is receiving physical therapy from Terry's college roommate, Earl Raymond, who has become a has-been in basketball due to physical injuries. Earl is also a deadbeat who owes money to doctors, credit card companies and any restaurant that will take his IOU . He is begging Terry to take his case suing Jonah Wolfe, the owner of his former basketball team, who had reneged on his insurance company's promise to pay.

Terry falls madly in love with Allison who convinces him to help Earl. Pat resents Allison to the point that when Terry is in Los Angeles settling Earl's case with Jonah Wolfe, Pat has the local police hold her for selling drugs. They let her go with the warning to get out of town. She can not reach Terry who has been beaten up by thugs and is in the hospital in Los Angeles. She leaves for India.

Terry returns to Port Rivers and unable to settle down without Allison returns to Los Angeles where he meets and is healed by the wealthy, beautiful Dr. Valerie Holland. They marry, they have a son. Guess who returns to Port Rivers, with her son; but Allison. Terry has never forgotten her and the one thing she wants is to be his wife. Can a man love two women? Can he support two families? And what about the kids? So for the father who likes to day dream, here's a book for him.

For the father who loves baseball trivia, BASEBALL,100 CLASSIC MOMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME (DK $30.00). The book is written in association with the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York by Joseph Wallace, Neil Hamilton and Marty Appel with a foreword by Nolan Ryan. So from 1843 on Boston Common to 1903 when the Boston Pilgrims won the first World Series, baseball and Boston were synonymous. In 1919 the Chicago White Sox breached their fans' faith with a deliberate scheme to lose to the Cincinnati Reds. And then there are the Dodgers. Ebbets Field which was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers until 1957 when they and Pat O'Malley came West and became ours. It was Pat O'Malley who convinced his buddy, Horace Stoneham to keep the Dodgers and Giants competition alive and bring the Giants to San Francisco. The book chronicles the 1998 batters' year with Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire who was the first to break Roger Maris' record and to finish the season with 77 home runs.

Before the Civil War, like Spain was a training ground for Hitler and World War II, the Mexican War from 1846 to 1848 was the training experience for the young, inexperienced army officers who would become the generals and opponents to each other in the Civil War. Jeff Shaara, who picked up his father's pen and knowledge of the Civil War or War Between The States in his two books "Gods and Generals" and "The Last Full Measure", turns to the early years of Robert E. Lee, when he was a Captain in the army with an engineers' skill but with an untested ability in war. Lee is assigned to the staff of General Winfield Scott who has been authorized by President James Polk to defeat the Mexicans.

Polk had convinced Congress to declare war on Mexico on May 13,1846. Why? Because the independent nation of Texas which was annexed by the United States when Sam Houston defeated Santa Anna. The Texans considered the Rio Grande the border, the Mexicans considered the Nueces River the border, with 100 miles difference between the two. The justification for this war and for the land grab were those two magic words, "Manifest Destiny". Shaara makes history come alive using, as he told me, every bit of authentic fact and figures for events but breathing life into the thoughts and words of the participants.

Winfield Scott is willing to try new war strategies because he is in a position where he is vastly outnumbered and he cannot count on replacements or supplies. It is the work of Robert E. Lee in using the navy guns taken on to land that allows them to conquer Vera Cruz without one casualty. There is a scene is the book where Lee has been sent on a scouting mission and he has to hide behind a log in order not to be found by Santa Anna's men. I asked Jeff Sharra if this was author's license. He said that this had actually happened. Lee lived by the code that this was "All God's will", Scott was much more the cynic.

Add to the list of memorable characters is Nicholas Trist, who was sent out to negotiate the treaty to end the war. He negotiated the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which provides for the Mexican government to give up all control of the territory of Texas above the Rio Grande, the territory of New Mexico, and all of what is today California.

Shaara portrays the old generals who were used to a volunteer army and who all felt that they deserved to be the next president of the United States jockeying for credit at each victory. The scene where Scott rides into the conquered Mexico City is reminiscent of Caesar riding into Rome, although Shaara told me he was thinking of Cortez' ride. In the Afterword of the book, Shaara informs the reader of what role the participants played in the years before and during the Civil War. Lee became superintendent at West Point, he resigned to take care of family matters. When called, he still performed duties for the army. Lee was in charge of the corps that quelled the insurrection of radical abolitionist John Brown at Harper's Ferry 1859.

Shakespeare must have been thinking of the Los Angeles County Museum when he wrote, "Oh, what fools these mortals be." At least they will have the magnificent book by Timothy B. Schroder that they published , THE GILBERT COLLECTION OF GOLD AND SILVER . In those days, Arthur Gilbert, who truly loved and respected his collection, could often be found at the museum talking to people who admired the objects. Evidently there were unresolved problems between the museum and Gilbert as to space and presentation.

Enter Lord Jacob Rothschild who was instrumental in convincing Arthur Gilbert to return his treasures to the land of Gilbert's birth and to where many of these treasures originated. What ever, how ever, they now reside at the historic Somerset House, a former government building, which has been given a rebirth as a most glorious museum for the Gilbert Collection. Three floors of Sir Arthur Gilbert's treasures. Yes, the Queen recognized the enormity of his gift to England by knighting him. The Gilbert Collection has been called England's greatest gift of all time.

The collection begins on the top floor with his micromosaic tables and artwork, next to the showcase settings of the gold boxes. Each one set like a rare jewel. Gazing at them was Kenneth Snowman of Wartski's who is the author of THE GOLD BOXES and the expert on Faberge. The first floor contains the collection of silver pieces which truly seem to have come home to where they belong . Up to the last minute of the opening Sir Arthur was seeing that the lighting was correct and even then he said to me that the lights were too bright on the silver.

For those of us who had come to say, "Farewell and hail to your new home" Sir Arthur had arranged a day trip to Waddesdon Manor which was built by Baron Ferdinand Rothschild in the 19th century in the French Renaissance style. The house and contents were bequeathed to the National Trust but there to greet us as host and Lord of the Manor was Lord Rothschild who is a most gracious and unassuming person. As for Waddesdon Manor, since words fail me, I suggest the wonderful books that they publish and that can be ordered by fax 01296653224 or by E-mail at TWMMIK @smtp.ntrust.org.uk. The books are "Architecture and Panelling", "The Rothschilds at Wadesdon Manor written by the late Mrs. James de Rothschild and "The James de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor of Gold Boxes" among other books on glass and enamels and on gardens. In keeping with books on gardens, the perfect Mother's Day gift for the gardner in the family is ULTIMATE ROSE from the American Rose Society (DK publishing $19.95). Flowers may die but a book like this goes on giving beauty forever.

While in London, SallyAnn and Ronald Jacobson hosted a gala literary salon which included Lady Elizabeth "Betty" Maxwell, who wrote her autobiography, "My Story" , and who is organizing a monumental convention symposium of Holocaust Survivors to be held in Oxford and London this summer. Betty, who is a French Huguenot from birth, had a great deal to discuss with Charles Fernley Fawcett whom I had just interviewed on his phenomenal part he had played with Varian Fry in rescuing Jewish refugees in Marseilles, which had been recorded in "The Quiet American". Betty told me that Leo Bretholz and Deborah Lipstadt are expected to be key speakers. Deborah is the heroine of London for her defense against the idiot who claimed that the Holocaust never took place.

It hasn't been published in the United States, but I'll bet that all his friends from America who are going to London this summer for the International Variety Club convention will be reading it. The book is ENCOUNTERS, an autobiography by Jarvis Astaire (Robson Books ) which is an engrossing read about a man who has had his finger in every aspect of showbusiness. Currently, he owns six dog racing tracks which can be seen on closed circuit television. When I asked him if he had a dog, he told me that his favorite dog had lost a leg but he was fitted with an artificial leg and he just sired six new dogs. Jarvis relates in the book about his beloved and beautiful wife, Nadine, who died from cancer five years ago. A tragic love story. But those of you who are Variety members going to London look out for the book and maybe there'll be a chocolate dog on top of it at your place.

From London to Paris by the Chunnel is faster than going in traffic to San Diego. My favorite book for getting around in Paris is still EVERY WOMAN'S GUIDE TO ROMANCE IN PARIS by Caroline O'Connell(Avery $11.95). It's easy to carry, Caroline knows the best restaurants and bistros and she gives you the phone numbers for them. The book also tells you about shopping, shipping and where to play tennis. Caroline in her other life which is in Los Angeles runs an excellent public relations company featuring business books. A lot heavier but helpful for streets and museums is FRANCE DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE(DK $29.95). There are little pictures of every place you want to go, including the Allies invasion at Normandy.

Everything you need to know about publishing in the era of computers, best sellers and murder can be found in Donald Westlake's THE HOOK (Mysterious Press $23.95) plus the book is funny as only a Donald Westlake book can be. Picture a best selling author, the type who is successful enough to have his name in gold letters above the title of the book, going through a very ugly brain stultifying second divorce with every book he has written or will write belonging to this hated second wife. He has a million dollar advance for the book he is supposed to be writing but for which he has no story.

He, being Bryce Proctorr, is at the New York Public Library in the research room when he bumps into Wayne Prentice, a midlist author, whom he hasn't seen in many years. Wayne is at the library to research midwest colleges that are hiring teachers for their creative writing courses. Wayne's wife has informed him that she didn't come to New York City years ago in order to find herself returning to the midwest to some small college town. But Wayne, who had a well-received first novel, then a fairly successful novel, then two which ended up being remaindered , has been forced to write his last two books under a new name so that the computer which charts books sales won't recognize his name. Now, despite a plethora of ideas for new novels, he can't get a publisher to take on his books under any name.

Bryce listens to Wayne's tale of woe. He tells him to send him his manuscript, if he likes it, he will put his name to it, split the million dollar advance and give him credit in his acknowledgements , but , before he will send it to his agent and publisher Wayne must do something else for him. Wayne must kill his wife.

By page eighty, all the above has been accomplished. Thus begins a psychological study of literary success, agent behavior, and role reversal. And, of course a New York Detective who wants to write a book is investigating Proctorr's wife's murder.

When Bryce Proctorr offers to take his mistress back to Spain to fight for custody of her children, she,too, tells him that she didn't leave Spain to come to New York City to go back their to live even for her children. When Bryce gives up his West side apartment overlooking Central Park, in order to spend more time in Connecticut, Wayne and his wife buy the apartment . Can one live without guilt and remorse when success and the city beckon?

What do you read to your children at night? These are the precious moments of intimacy between a parent and child. You can read picture books which tell a story and impart historical information, or you can read comic books which impart wasted fat calories like a fast food drive-in. The closenss will still be there, but the parent has lost the opportunity for the child to be enriched by knowledge that comes with the pleasure of reading.

That being my soap box speech, let me tell you about some books both charming , intelligent and which will add to the child's knowledge. Karen B. Winnick has written and illustrated SYBIL'S NIGHT RIDE (Caroline House $15.95). The book is based on the true story of Sybil Ludington , who was born April 5, 1761 , and whose father, Colonel Henry Ludington, was an aide to General George Washington during the Battle of White Plains. Sybil rode , like Paul Revere in Boston, to notify the patriotic farmers that the British were coming and that they must come to the Ludington farm to form an army. Today there is a statue of Sybil and her horse, Star, in Carmel, New York.

For the fifth grader, who is supposedly growing out of picture books. I say "supposedly" because even adults like picture books which is why I like the books of DK publishers with their illustrations, especially, their new THE VISUAL DICTIONARY OF THE CIVIL WAR ($18.95) by John Stanchak. Included in this book is information about the Black Troops. More than 175,000 African-Americans served in the Union;s armed forces. In July 1862 the U.S.

Congress approved the organization of black units. No book on the Civil War could exist without pictures of Abraham Lincoln which brings me to another of Karen B. Winnick's books, MR. LINCOLN'S WHISKERS(Caroline House $15.95) about the little girl who wrote to Lincoln when he was running for the presidency and suggested that he grow whiskers, which he did. Proving that even youngsters can make a difference when they write a letter or e-mail a political figure.

Back to the fifth grader, Thomas Carroll has written a young adult novel book called, THE COLONY (Sunstone Press $18.95). In Santa Fe, New Mexico, Lawrence Bell is in the fifth grade, and he is picked on by the class bully. His mother has talked to the principal but nothing seems to be helping the problem. When he tries to avoid the bully and his friends going by way of the desert to school, they stop him and throw stones at him. Tony, the bully, threatens him with his knife. Lawrence writes a letter to his parents and he runs away from home.

In the desert he meets Dennis, a Navajo Indian man who gives him a magic turquoise stone to rub when he is in danger. The next time Tony threatens him, he rubs it and they are both reduced to the size of ants. And they have lost the stone which will return them to size and the ability to go home. They must learn to survive in the world of the ants and to defend themselves. Let the imagination begin ! Put away the comic books and the computer games.

If you spent Mother's Day feeling guilty because you don't have children and his or your parents are asking "Where are the grandchildren?" Tell them to read Susan Jeffers, Ph.D., I'M OKAY, YOU'RE A BRAT ,SETTING THE PRIORITIES STRAIGHT AND FREEING YOU FROM THE GUILT AND MAD MYTHS OF PARENTHOOD (Renaissance Books $21.95). Susan , who wrote "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway", has opened up a subject that many will be grateful for. Not everyone is meant to be or has, what she calls the "lbp" gene. That is "loving being a parent". She told me that she brings her daughter to her seminars when she talks about how she gave up custody of them in her divorce.

Her daughter will turn to the class and ask them why they are so shocked that Jeffers did this when no one is shocked that a man leaves the family in a divorce. Susan told me that the book has been a great success in Europe but that it is controversial in America. Do we speak out of both sides of our mouth, maybe? The title came from her son, who is married and is thinking of starting a family. Susan told me that she has already announced that she is NOT available for baby sitting.

Alfredo Vea is a practicing criminal defense attorney and he is one of America's exciting new authors who can tell a superb story with many themes and use the English language like a poet. He has written GODS GO BEGGING (Dutton $24.95).
Alfredo was born into a migrant family, which he wrote about in his book "La Maravilla" and he served in Vietnam, which with his legal background give authenticity to his story . Jesse Pasodoble is a defense attorney in San Francisco. But, the book opens with a coroner examining two women, known as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 who were shot clinging to each other, which Alfredo told me was strange because although he intended to write about men in this book the two women took on a life of their own. As the coroner speaks into his tape, the reader is shown who these two women, Persephone and Mai, were. One is Creole and the other Vietnamese, who had just opened a restaurant called The Amazon Luncheonette on Potrero Hill . Vea shows how their lives have intertwined from the Vietnam War twenty years ago with the implication that their respective husbands had, serving on opposing sides of the war, been responsible for the other's death.

Jesse will be hired to defend the teenager accused of their murder. In his writing, Vea describes the lawyers in the Hall of Justice cafeteria playing a "Can You Top This?" of client stories. "It was icy gallows humor, foxhole laughter soaked with dolor and with the great relief that remains when hours and days of mental trauma are now only harmless memories, though still very painful ones….The rite of laughter was a rhythmic purging". I mentioned to Alfredo that he uses the lawyers like the travelers in the Decameron, which turns out to be his favorite book.

His stories about Vietnam and the use of United States troops as decoys who were expendable are earthshaking. The story of the priest gone mad is based on a factual figure. Afredo Vea told me that after Vietnam he took off for Paris that even today twenty years later the nightmares still live with him.

I did ask whether he thought it was genetic or education that has given him his literate gift. He told me that when he was five years old in the migrant camp there was a Fuller Brush man who was a survivor from Auschwitz who gave him a ten volume encyclopedia for his birthday which opened his eyes to reading and learning. When he was seventeen and going off to Vietnam the members of the migrant camp chipped in and bought him another encyclopedia. Talk abut the kindness of strangers. This question came out of his telling me that before he writes a chapter he writes a poem about the subject.

Having followed the saga of FenFen, it's not too hard to believe the story that Dr. John Menkes is telling in THE ANGRY PUPPET SYNDORME (Demos $24.95). This is not about weight control, it concerns depression and a drug called Dulcian, which John told me does not exist. Dulcian seems to work at first then the patient goes into a stage of mad anger which comes on suddenly and during which they are out of control, leading to murder and suicide.

Dr. Dan Lerner is doing research in neurology at an unnamed medical school in Los Angeles which is dependant on grants from the government, individuals and drug companies. The school is currently working on a million dollar grant from the company that produces Dulcian. Apart from his research which has lost its funding, Learner sees private patients which is how he sees a patient whose behavior of Episodic Discontrol seems to be set off by his taking Dulcian. Dan gives the name "The Angry Puppet" to the behavior. He discovers that in Boston a fellow neurologist is seeing the same behavior and they decide to write a paper on the syndrome. When, as is the medical school protocol, he submits the paper for viewing by his boss, Dr. Jack Brennan, all hell breaks loose. Dan is ordered not to publish.

Thus begins the adventure which will end in death and disgrace for some of the participants. But, don't tell a doctor who gave three years of his life to the Peace Corps not to publish a factual paper because a grant could be jeopardized.
Dan is separated from his wife and is seeing a female lawyer, Maureen, who gets the case of suing the drug company. Her opponent is Alan Handelsman, a renowned attorney from New York who represents the drug company, right or wrong . Their meeting place for legal dueling is the bar at the Penninsula Hotel which was the elegant spot for John Menkes's book party.

John Menkes has created an interesting hero in Dan Lerner. He is not without human foibles and yet he is a man of ethics and morality. His girlfriend, Maureen, is a real woman, as are the villains of the piece. One believes that the administrator of a medical facility will bend the rules for the grants, one believes that a drug company would give early retirement to a scientist who can no longer tolerate hiding the truth of a drug's potential for harm and one believes that a man who believed that his parents had been heroes in the underground would break when he is told the truth by the drug companies personnel who had investigated his past. One believes because the writer is writing what he knows and has the ability to deliver it in a dramatic fashion.

Dr. Menkes told me of his experience with trying to tell truth to power and money about the whooping cough vaccine thirty years ago. The drugs may change but people don't. Although he has written five plays, this is Menkes first novel ; but I'm sure there will be more and I look forward to the next.

He was detained by the Confederate forces and later released to take the famous photo of the dead Confederate soldier along the Rose Woods. Gardner published a photographic sketch book of the war, it is the finest photographic documentary of the Civil War.

Gardner's photos of the Second Lincoln inauguration are wonderful as a view of that time; but it is his photo documentary of the hanging of the Lincoln assassination plotters that are unique as he was the only photograph When I asked him about the lack of photographs he told me that this is not a photographically visual race , but he hoped he conveyed the cold, the jeopardy, the unique quality of the participants in his writing. John had covered Africa for the Los Angeles Times; when he returned he was assigned to be a political reporter. He told me he hated the way politics is covered today as if the reporters and television commentators are a pack of hyenas fighting for a tidbit of blood.

He came to Alaska to get away to find the last frontier. It takes a different type of man and woman to face the long winters and the isolation and the challenges. During his years in Alaska he had joined an Eskimo crew as camp cook and went whaling in the Beaufort Sea, he had been a boatman for a wilderness guide but now he was involved with the Yukon Quest on Sunday, February 8, 1998 with thirty four men and four women and 530 dogs ready to pass through the starting chute and no Quest could be called because of the severity of the weather.

Having recognized that he was not up to being a participant, nor a vet helper, he relied on his newspaper skills to function as a public relations coordinator for the Quest people to the German press who are on an all expense paid jaunt by the sponsor, the Frankfurt tire company, Fulda, who had a tire called "Yukon". Fulda issued great yellow parkas with their insignia for all the participants to wear. Up until a few years ago the Alaska to Yukon sled dog race had not been sponsored on any large scale; enter the German tire company which created a different atmosphere.

Balzar sets the scene by describing the various participants and following those who drop out and those who finish. Among the challengers is a French Canadian, Andre Nadeau, who is totally anti-social towards the others and especially towards Balzar. He does not speak English and will not speak French to Balzar. The problem, as John Balzar told me, was what if Nadeau wins and won't communicate with him, there goes the book. Fortunately for him, Bruce Lee won. No , not that Bruce Lee . John Balzar follows the trail of Aliy Zirkle who came in 17th after 13 days,3hours, and 40 minutes, but out of the money. The best time of Bruce Lee was 11 days,11 hours and 27 minutes for this he earned $30,000. The real winners are the dogs who can make or break the mush driver. It takes fourteen dogs to start who are trained to follow orders but often dogs will perish during the race. The driver must take the remains to the race's vet for an autopsy .

During the book Balzar mentions meeting, dating and wooing a woman named Liisa; but he does not resolve the relationship. So, my first question when we met was what happened to Liisa? They are now married and live in Portland; but he still goes back to Alaska.

It began in an experimental graduate seminar at the University of Southern California titled "American Media and Discourses of Violence" and under the editorship of Ronald Gottesman, Professor of English, it has become a brilliant three volume encyclopedia, VIOLENCE IN AMERICA (Scribners $395.00). From A-Abolition to Z-Zoot Suit Riot, violence in America is covered with essays written by the experts. Although the encyclopedia is not inexpensive, it should be a "must" for writers who need to have references at hand.

It's the trivia facts that fascinate me in this book. Such as the origin of self-defense is believed to stem from the cross-fertilization by the Normans subsequent to their conquest of England in 1066 resulting in the Statute of Gloucester in 1278 that allowed defendants who killed by accident or in self defense to apply to the king for a pardon. Or that the majority of Native American Indian tribes supported the Confederacy during the Civil War. Gottesman thanks friends in his acknowledgment, among them is Elaine Attias who helped launch the book with an elegant and literate book party. I suggested to Ronald Gottesman that although the print is easy to read, that his publisher should make available a concise one volume at an affordable price or a trade paper version since the information in the book is so valuable for high school students and others interested in America's history.

Speaking of history and violence and the facts, no book that I've seen has captured the Civil War the way D.Mark Katz' WITNESS TO AN ERA, THE LIFE AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALEXANDER GARDNER- THE STORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S PHOTOGRAPHER, WHO CHANGED THE WAY AMERICA VIEWED THE CIVIL WAR (Rutledge Hill Press $34.95). Gardner was from Scotland, interested in science who came to America in 1856. He went to work for Matthew Brady in Washington, D.C. Brady who is generally credited with the Lincoln and Civil War photos would sign his name and copyright to Gardner's works.

Mark Katz became interested after the Kennedy assassination . In his research he became familiar with Gardner's work. Gardner's photos of Antietam and the Confederate dead are awesome. Gardner, like Brady, made his financial success taking pictures for "cartes de visite" where they used a four lens camera in order to make more copies at one time. Gardner was at Gettysburg. He captioned one photo as "Farmer's Inn and Hotel, Emmitsburg where our Special Artist was captured, July 5, 1863" where he was detained by the Confederate forces and later released to take the famous photo of the dead Confederate soldier along the Rose Woods. Gardner published a photographic sketch book of the war, it is the finest photographic documentary of the Civil War.

Gardner's photos of the Second Lincoln inauguration are wonderful as a view of that time; but it is his photo documentary of the hanging of the Lincoln assassination plotters that are unique as he was the only photographer allowed. From the building of the scaffold to the prisoners, with Mary Surratt being shielded by two umbrellas from the heat and in the next photo having a hood put over her head.

Gardner went on to become the official photographer for the Union Pacific Railroad and for the Office of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. Here are the incredible photos of the Sauk and Fox delegation from an original direct-contact albumen print. Or his photos at Fort Laramie in 1868 with the Dakota women and children and the Fort Laramie Treaty Council. This is our history too.

In life, there is that moment that divides your life into before and after. For Dani Shapiro it was the phone call she received when she was at The Golden Door Spa. It was a call from her Aunt Roz telling her that her parents had been in an automobile accident and were in intensive care. Thus begins Shapiro's book SLOW MOTION. A True Story (Random House$23.95).

I had talked with Dani about her fiction; but I never had heard about this story. It seems that at this time in her life, age 23, she was being kept by a very well-known criminal defense attorney. In the book she has named him Lenny Klein, thanks to Random House lawyers. When I asked if he really was a lawyer and did he really go to jail? She told me that anyone with access to a computer could feed in the information in the book, including that he was known for wearing a raccoon coat and giving press conferences on the steps of the court house, and he name would appear on the screen.

Dani met "Lenny" on Parent's Day at Sara Lawrence College. He was the step-father of a girl who became her best friend. That is until Jess found out about Dani and "Lenny". Again, I asked Dani if Jess, also not the real name, had an affair with "Lenny" since there was something a little "kinky" in the relationship as Dani described it. Ah, those Random House lawyers, she wasn't allowed to say it in the book, but she looked at me with a glint in her eye and said, "You were able to tell?"

Once Dani became involved with "Lenny" she dropped out of college and became a part-time actress working in a few commercials under the name, Dani York, and a full time mistress at his beck and call. How he managed his time with a wife and a combined family of eight daughters and still have Thanksgiving dinner with Dani is fodder for another book. I didn't think that he was all bad, he does go to her father's funeral with her, and he does get the grave diggers to re-dig the correct grave. But the "Lenny" and Dani story is just a third of the book, the main story is Dani finding herself , as an only child, responsible for her mother, Irene, and her father, Paul.

From being spaced out on drugs and booze, she has to pull herself together. She has to face the fact that her mother loathes her father's family. And the feeling is mutual. When her father dies, her mother who is incarcerated in the hospital insists that the ultra orthodox funeral be held in the hospital even if she has to be on a stretcher. Without consulting Irene or Dani, Paul's family puts in the New York Times' death notice that the family will be sitting "Shiva "in New York not in Irene's hospital room as if they didn't exist.

Dani does have a half-sister, Susie, who is from her father's first marriage. Paul had a disastrous arranged orthodox marriage and a second marriage to a bride with a fatal illness. Then he fell in love with Irene who was not orthodox.

By the end of the book, Dani has broken up with "Lenny", she is back at Sara Lawrence while going to AA, her mother has moved into her own apartment. One day as she returns to her apartment, Dani's doorman tells her that two men from the FBI were there to see her. When she goes to meet with them they tell her that they know all about her and "Lenny" and they want to know who paid for her plane tickets and what gifts had he given her besides the Mercedes, etc. Seems he was billing his clients for them.

Dani Shapiro is a very talented writer. She has not excused herself in this very open story. But she has shown how affairs can happen when mothers react with double blind reactions. That is, her mother meets "Lenny", knows he is married, knows that Dani can't afford the apartment she is renting in New York, asks no questions and says to Dani how attractive he is. I suppose the next step is to save a cocktail dress with a mysterious stain.