Product Description
A gripping tale of revenge and rivalry from the author of The Oxford Murders

Argentinean author Guillermo Martínez’s work appeals to fans of both literary fiction and mysteries. Now, with this new tale of psychological suspense, Martínez is poised to expand on the success of The Oxford Murders.

The narrator is an up-and-coming young writer who has little in common with Kloster—a literary giant whose disturbing crime novels dominate the bestseller lists. However, they have both, at one time, employed the secretarial services of the alluring Luciana B. Out of the past, Luciana makes a desperate plea to the young writer. She thinks that Kloster is slowly killing off everyone close to her—can he help before her grandmother and younger sister are murdered?

While the narrator suspects her misfortunes have driven her mad, Kloster has a powerful motive; and eerie parallels surface between the murders in Kloster’s books and the real-life deaths surrounding Luciana. As the body count multiplies, the question arises: Can words really kill? Fans of both Alfred Hitchcock and Carlos Ruiz Zafón will be thrilled with Martínez’s literary murder mystery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

He says, she says
Guillermo Martinez is one of those authors who likes to write a seemingly typical Agatha-Christiesque whodunnit, and then twist everything around.

And as he did in "The Oxford Murders," Martinez turns a seemingly ordinary tale of stalking and murder into a complex maze of smoke-and-mirrors in "The Book of Murder." Literary inspiration, madness, chance and the nature of revenge all intertwine around a bizarre series of deaths that may be tragic bad luck... or murder.If only he had ended it half so well.

Ten years ago, an Argentian writer of moderate success "borrowed" the secretary of the brilliant mystery author Kloster.

But now the woman, Luciana, turns up at his door with a bizarre and tangled tale. She says that after she inadvertently caused Kloster's wife to dump him -- which led to the death of his daughter -- he began taking revenge on her. He is systematically killing off her family and boyfriend, by a series of unrelated "accidents" over a period of many years. Now she's terrified for her grandmother and younger sister.

But the situation soon becomes complicated when Kloster gives his own account of what happened, portraying Luciana as a maddened, money-hungry opportunist, and rationally pointing out that her accusations are ludicrous. The writer is left between two similar -- yet strikingly different -- accounts, neither of which has proof. And after a fire which claims yet more victims, Kloster reveals a third -- and more sinister -- possibility...

Like Martinez's previous book "The Oxford Murders," "The Book of Murder" is a massive mind puzzle designed to throw people off the typical whodunnit trail -- there's no evidence, no proof, no easy answers. Just when you think you've figured out what's going on, Martinez suddenly twists the plot in an unexpected direction that may change everything that's come before it. He's pretty good at doing that.

In fact, the first hundred and fifty pages are devoted to the stories of Luciana and Kloster, with the occasional esoteric musings on random chance, the nature of revenge, and the power of literature. When Martinez isn't musing over coin-flips and the Biblical sevenfold revenge, he's citing Henry James, Italo Calvino, Thomas Mann and a host of other writers.

And he strikes a solid balance between the moments of strikingly evocative prose (such as the constant admiration of pretty women's necks) and the darker moments, such as Kloster recounting his nightmarish marriage and child's death. The writing reaches its creepy pinnacle when Martinez introduces a dark, vaguely supernatural twist to Kloster's tale...which is never really explored. Alas.

In fact, the ending is the weak point.Martinez has three possible explanations for the deaths.... and he just leaves it all hanging. Perhaps he wanted readers to decide for themselves what the answer is, but it feels like he wrote himself into a corner and quit before thinking up a clever twist.

The narrator is also typical Martinez -- rather passive, quiet and easily led by those around him, although his professional jealousy of Kloster gives him a bit more of an edge. The other two main characters are much more interesting. Kloster is a charismatic man who may or may not be a criminal genius, and may or may not be haunted by his own vengeful demons. And Luciana is either a woman driven to insane desperation... or just insane, period.

Aside from having a very intriguing title, "The Book of Murder" has a flimsy endingthat derails an otherwise intricate, literate mystery. He said, she said.

Good, not as good as The Oxford Murders, but good
I waited for this book, waited wondering what Guillermo could do after The Oxford Murders (the movie is ok, but the book is better)and then it came out....well it is good, different, but not as strong.While the premise of the Oxford Murders was mathematical, here the premise is more esoteric, fatalistic, almost deterministic with the same altruistic 'it wasn't me, I was good all along and was actually helping' character development.Although he is still a master at creating suspense and has an Agatha Christie' like gift of throwing you off the trail, the denouement is far less climatic and the premise held together with staples instead of nails; it reads wobbly.

All in all, a great read which can be done quite quickly and which reserves a good amount of satisfaction for the end without making you hungry for substance in between. He may show a bit of what I call 'Perez-Reverte' syndrome, that is, great story, good development, can't write an ending for his life, in this case, Guillermo manages far better than reverte. ... Read more

Product Description
Cave 11 at Qumran contained a number of extremely important well-preserved manuscripts such as the Temple Scroll which have been published elsewhere. This volume contains complete editions of the remainder of the Cave 11 manuscripts, including biblical scrolls such as Ezekiel and Psalms, as well as several important extra-biblical texts such as Jubilees, Melchizedek, Berakoth, and Hymns, and a new edition of the Targum of Job. ... Read more

Product Description
Retrace the steps it took for the most famous potter in the Southwest, Maria Martinez, to produce one of her prized pieces of black on black pottery. The history of Maria, her husband Julian, and son Popovi Da, is noted. The book is a tribute to this family, renowned for its contributions to classic pottery. ... Read more

Product Description
Martinez and her husband perfected the magnificent burnished blackware now prized by collectors. This classic volume chronicles the life and work of this major American artist. The 200 color and 140 black-and-white illustrations show techniques, the pueblo ambiance, and numerous finished pieces. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Legend
This is a coffee table style book with beautiful photographs--the writing is less compelling, but that is not the main focus of the book--it is to get people to look at her pots and see what she has created

MARIAPOTTIES
SOME OF SHE WORKS IN CERAMIC ... Read more

Product Description
Nothing could be stranger than the true story of Eva Peron, who began her career as a B-movie actress, won the love of a dictator and the adoration of a nation, and, in death, achieved virtual sainthood status. Out of these facts, Eloy Martinez has crafted a work of fiction that is at once tragic, savagely funny, perversely erotic, and intellectually provocative.Amazon.com Review
Among the great corpses of our age are Lenin, Mao Zedong and Stalin.Mao, at least, is still on view for the masses to see, some two decades afterhis demise. But no corpse engendered as much intrigue as that of Eva Peron.Elevated to near sainthood in Argentina after her death in 1952, herperfectly preserved corpse was seized by the Argentine Army following theouster of her husband in 1955. By then, her corpse was the equivalent of asacred relic, and while army officials wanted to keep it out of the hands ofPeronists, they were loath to destroy the corpse for fear of the wrath thatmight follow. Tomas Eloy Martinez has reassembled the story of the corpse ofEve Peron in Santa Evita, and in the process, produced a riveting,rich book that not only tells the tale of one of the more bizarre sagas inthe history of South American politics, but that also gets to the heart ofthe age-old human impulse to create myths and tell stories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Fascinating, But It Never Really, Um, Came Alive . . .
This book was published in 1995 by Tomás Eloy Martínez, an Argentinian who lived in the United States, and translated into English the following year. It recounted fragmented episodes from Eva Perón's life and decline, recovered mainly from the memories of various people who'd known her, as reported accurately or otherwise by the author. Mixed into this were the story of what happened to her embalmed body following her death in 1952, as the government that had overthrown her husband's regime sought to obliterate her memory, together with the author's fitful meditations on the nature of reality, her life's meaning and the significance of it all.

Making Perón's corpse the center of the novel and focus of everyone's attention was a fantastic conceit. The author searched in the present day for clues to her life, while in the past the paranoid military officials sought haplessly to hide or dispose of her indestructible body and its copies. That a number of these episodes apparently happened or were based on fact was surreal, rivaling imaginary creations of magic realists.

At the same time, putting a silent corpse at the book's center meant certain limitations in the narrative, and eventually this reader's interest flagged. Though the "facts" from life were riveting, in the book's second half the reminiscences and meditations started becoming a bit tiresome. The last few chapters, set mainly in Europe, were barely readable, as if the author had lost interest in narrating events coherently after the government shipped Eva Perón abroad. It was more important for the author to keep her as an unknowable void, a blank screen on which everyone projected their emotions throughout, than to creatively imagine her speaking at the end from the grave.

Given the novel's focus on the officials' obsessions with the body and their unhappy fates, it was a surprise that nothing was made of her husband's own obsession, keeping her body with him near the end of his exile in Spain. And little was made of her eventual return to Buenos Aires and interment in Recoleta Cemetery, the famed city of the dead. One would've thought such circumstances would be rich in symbolism for the author.

Finally, what did it add up to? The novel was a monument, perhaps, to people's capacity to deceive themselves, to trade reality for myth, to lose themselves in absurd dramas, to become unhinged. To the mysterious gap between what Perón started out in life as and what she became, and her transformation again in death. And to her impact on the memory of a nation, and on the author.

Some excerpts:

"Reality is not a straight line but a system of forking paths."

"Why does history have to be a story told by sensible people and not the delirious raving of losers . . .? If history -- as appears to be the case -- is just another literary genre, why take away from it the imagination, the foolishness, the indiscretion, the exaggeration, and the defeat that are the raw materials without which literature is inconceivable?"

"[The Peróns] lied because they could no longer tell what was true and what was false, and because, consummate actors both, they had begun to portray themselves in other roles. They lied because they had decided that, from that moment on, reality would be what they wanted it to be. They did the same thing novelists do."

"She would outdo him by virtue of the weight of her love for him. The one who loves the most has the most power . . . . The vastness of her love included everything. It embraced her husband as well, it encompassed him. In other words, it devoured him."

"Evita is the return to the horde, the anthropophagous instinct of the species, the ignorant beast that bursts blindly into the glassware shop of beauty."

"If we'd killed the embalmer, the body would have decomposed all by itself. It's too big a body now, bigger than the country. It's too full of things. We've all kept putting something into it: s--t, hatred, wanting to kill it again."

"We thought that in Argentina, which prided itself on being Cartesian and European, there was no place for any delirious notions of reality."

Purchase of Santa Evita
The product was sent to me ahead of schedule and in great condition. The book itself is very well written and interesting. I find the novel to be surprising at every turn. Tomas Eloy Martinez is a fabulous writer. If you get a chance to read the book, please do because it is definitely great to the end.

A great historical novel
T. Eloy Martínez offers a truly special portrayal of Argentina's
first lady, Eva Perón. The story of her wandering cadaver is haunting, tragic and at times quite hilarious, and always mind-blowing. I recommend this novel. (I'm not sure the English translation is decent, so if you can, read it in Spanish). It's a great example of the poststructuralist novel of the 20th century.

Even in death that woman still haunts us...
Spanish author Tomas Eloy Martinez was forced out of Argentina by Isabel Peron (Juan Peron's third wife)so it is no wonder that he is able to speak so passionately about the deposed dictator and his second wife, Evita.

Martinez takes the reader through his mindset while writing the book as he cites interviews with hairdressers, butlers, and other people close to the first lady.He untangles what happened after he death as she is embalmed and shows the life of Moori Koenig, the Colonel who was given the order to get rid of the corpse.

In detail it describes writings and instances that the first lady went through in her final days.Example, her butler rigged her scale so that it would always read 93 pounds.The butler did this so that Eva wouldn't think she was losing weight.There are also instances where he talks about how she would be so persistant to get out of bed that she would get up and get dressed before anyone else came into the room as to not be stopped.

This is a great read particularly if you liked Andrew Lloyd Webber's EVITA and wanted to see what happened to her corpse.I also highly recommend the Argentine film EVA PERON, which details the last year or so of Evita's life.

Eva's death wish come true
A fictional account of the myth of Eva Peron that delves into the latin desire to make icons out of humans. Evita is the quintessential rage-filled femme whose ambition still provokes the world, and at least her native Argentina. Her dying wish was to never be forgotten and in the years since she perished in 1952, it has been fulfilled over and over again while her embalmed body rests in peace in the Recoletta cemetary of Buenos Aires. ... Read more

Product Description
The remarkable story of how a teenager rescued from Castro’s Cuba rose to become a United States senator

The swift and improbable rise of Mel Martinez to the top echelon of America’s government began not with a political race but with a burst of gunfire. In April 1958, an eleven-year-old Martinez huddled on his bedroom floor while Cuban soldiers opened fire on insurgents outside his family’s home in the town of Sagua la Grande.

If political unrest made daily life disturbing and at times frightening, Fidel Castro’s Communist Revolution nine months later was nothing short of devastating. When armed militiamen shouted violent threats at Martinez for wearing a medallion as a sign of his Catholic faith, his parents made a heartrending decision: their son would have to escape the Castro regime–alone.

A Sense of Belonging is the riveting account of innocence lost, exile sustained by religious faith, and an immigrant’s determination to overcome the barriers of language and culture in his adopted homeland. Though his story ends in the United States Capitol, Martinez has never forgotten the boy who experienced the loss of liberty under communism. A Sense of Belonging is a paean to the transformative power of the American dream. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A Sense of Belonging
I was interested in the story behind the "Peter Pan" children. I was disapointed by the writing there are some things in the book that I know could not have happened as described. Also his account of being "middle class" is not true. I am from Cuba. I can assure you Mr Martinez was wealthy. Overall the book lacked real substance. It had the sound of a politician behind it.

Touching regardless of political persuasion
To start, I should state that I am a hardcore liberal in utter, complete disagreement with Mr. Martinez's entire suite of backwards, harmful right-wing political ideals; as a Floridian, I vigorously supported his opponent in 2004 and would have done the same had he run for re-election.However, his autobiography in A Sense of Belonging is one of the most personal and touching memoirs that I have read in recent memory, and it reveals in vivid detail that Mr. Martinez is nothing less than a quintessential personification of the American Dream. Tracing Martinez's development from Castro's Cuba to Florida State Law School to the foremost halls of American power, this engaging and easy-to-read life story is sure to bring a smile to your face as it affirms the greatness of possibilities afforded by our nation.I would highly recommend this inspirational work to friends on all parts of the political spectrum, particularly since it is generally devoid of partisan jabs and insults.

How true, how true!!
As an American born in NY in the 40's of Cuban parents who took us early in the 50's to be raised in Cuba, I cannot even describe how true these feelings that Senator Martinez writes in his book identify with me.AsAmericans we were in danger of imprisonment (even as children) in 62 and were put on a plane without our parents who although were USA citizens, the Castro regime would not permit them to leave.Along with us were babies handed over to strangers to get them to the USA.The only difference with this book and my life is that we (my brother and I) as Americans could not receive any USA benefits since we were not considered refugees in our own country. We actually hid from being separated by the foster home agencies. The rest of this similar story we lived alongside many other Cubans.This is a must read for those who could use a boost as to loving this country of opportunity as they should. People have no idea how lucky we are in this country until you live in another country where you have no rights!From the time that Senator Martinez and all of us left Cuba to now, there has been no change.Thank you Senator Martinez for putting into words what many of us lived as we grew up (fast ) in the USA!

A true American
I had the privilege of meeting Mel Martinez two years ago. He was instrumental in getting my sister-in-law freed from prison in Vietnam.... although she was a U.S. citizen, and had done nothing more disruptive to the government of Vietnam than to openly speak about individual rights, she was arrested and languished in jail for fourteen months.Senator Martinez lead the effort to secure her freedom, lobbying the Vietnamese Ambassador, and convincing president Bush to make her release an issue to be resolved before the president would travel to Vietnam.When he spoke at her Homecoming in Orlando, he talked about how well he understood the difference between democratic and communist countries from personal experience.I was so impressed by this man's integrity and tenacity .... I can say with complete conviction:THERE is a true American!Read his book, and be reminded what it is that has made this a great country.

a heartwarming story!
His is such an inspirational story of strength and faith in God! I couldn't put it down...well worth the read. ... Read more

Product Description

“Matthew's newest book, Investing in Apartment Buildings, couldn't have come at a more poignant time in our lives. He offers a modern day, step-by-step survival guide for the ever growing economic war on the middle-class. Win your own financial war by arming yourself with Matthew's systematic, hands-on experience and sound principals for investing in apartment buildings.”
--Ryan Zahoruiko, principal, Forest Street Property LLC

Customer Reviews (30)

Practical and an easy-read -- good book for those interested in investing in apartments...
It's easy to lose a pile of money in real estate; if you don't know what you're doing you can sink fast! So, any time you can get good, practical advice from someone who has been there, done that, the wisdom conveyed is worth listening to.

Matthew Martinez, founder of Pangea Select, a real estate investment firm that specializes in multifamily properties, clearly conveys the basic principles for apartment investing. His guidance is on-target, and his insights will be helpful to beginners and old real estate pros alike.

Investors seeking greater financial security and a higher net worth by investing in income-producing real estate will want to read this book from cover to cover.

R. Neil Scott
Middle Tennessee State University

Highly Recommended
As a sole owner of roughtly 2,900 units (between 85-90 projects) located mostly in Silicon Valley, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in multi-family business, as it is informative and practical.

The Support to Excel
"Investing in Apartment Buildings" lays a crisp, solid foundation for the idea of building financial independence through the business of multifamily rental properties.The author is inspiring because he has really thought through the difference between average effort and average opportunities versus extraordinary effort and extraordinary opportunities.Most important, he has consistently executed on that difference.

I do wish the book gave even more time to the emotional and strategic struggle necessary to start from scratch.I am currently reading Matt's first book, "2 Years To A Million In Real Estate," which touches on this point more.But I must admit that I am intimidated and even a little shocked at the difference between sitting down and reading his books versus what it seems like it will take to really make this happen.It frankly still seems quite mysterious here in San Francisco how to pull off a cash flow positive 3-4 unit building that I can also live in.

Yet, that difference is the essence of what drives his books.The books do provide the intellectual and emotional support to excel.It is now up to us, the readers, to execute.

GREAT READ ALL THE WAY !
I just finished reading "Investing in Apartment Buildings: Create a Reliable Stream of Income and Build Long-Term Wealth" I found it a wonderful book. My family has been in the business for over 100 years. And since I was a little boy I have been hearing conversations about apartment buildings and real estate. But I'm just getting started in this business and I learned a lot of things from this book that my father and grandfather never told me. In addition to this I got to tell them some things that they didn't know. That was a great feeling. Great book, it's worth your time.

Investing in Apartment Buildings: Create a Reliable Stream of Income and Build Long-Term Wealth
Awesome book! I'm a slow reader but this book keeps me reading more and more. The information is simple but powerful. Thanks Matthew Martinez for sharing your knowledge in this amazing book. I always thought commercial real estate especially Apartment Buildings is so complicated for me until I read this great book. Another great thing about the author is that when I send an email to the email address he has in the book, I get a reply back from him within a day. I don't think any other Real Estate Gurus would do that if you don't pay thousands for them. This is a recommend book for any Real Estate Entrepreneurs who want to get honest information to begin or continue in your quest of achieving financial independent in Real Estate. ... Read more

Product Description

En DAISY: MAÑANA, MEDIODÍA Y NOCHE: La familia que come unida permanece unida (Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night), Daisy MartÍnez comparte las recetas de los platos favoritos que ella y su familia probaron durante sus vacaciones en EspaÑa, Puerto Rico, RepÚblica Dominicana, PerÚ y Argentina. AdemÁs, incluye recetas clÁsicas de la cocina Latinoamericana tradicional que ella ha "Daisificado".

Dividido en fabulosas recetas para la maÑana, el mediodÍa y la noche, ademÁs de menÚs para fiestas y cenas especiales, y con un glosario invaluable para el lector sobre los ingredientes de la cocina Latinoamericana, que explica la desde las variedades de colores de los plÁtanos a los grados de picante que tienen los chiles.

Disfrute de empanadas rellenas con maÍz cremoso, un jugoso filete de carne con los bordes crocantes baÑado en salsa chimichurri o las celestiales capas de una hÚmeda torta de Ángel, fresas y crema batida del postre Delicia de fresa que Daisy recrea en esta vibrante colecciÓn de recetas.

Para Daisy, la buena cocina ayuda a mantener unida a la familia y a crear recuerdos inolvidables. Para ella, las suculentas carnes asadas de una parrillada le traen recuerdos de una Navidad en la Argentina, mientras que el pastelÓn de vegetales hojaldrado le recuerda una cena inolvidable en la RepÚblica Dominicana.

Este fabuloso libro de colecciÓn estÁ lleno de colores brillantes y sabores atrevidos que reflejan el estilo de cocinar exuberante e innovador de su autora. AcompaÑe a Daisy en este inolvidable viaje al corazÓn de la cocina Latinoamericana.

¡Buen provecho! ... Read more

Product Description

In a glittering penthouse high above Park Avenue, two beautiful teenagers, students at an exclusive Manhattan girls' school, lie dead under suspicious circumstances. Feeling pressure from the top to solve the high-profile case fast, Melanie breaks all the rules and goes undercover. Teamed with Dan O'Reilly, a hard-to-resist FBI agent with a talent for making her pulse race, Melanie embarks on a wild chase from the rarefied world of New York's elite private schools to the darkest recesses of the city's nightlife. And, ultimately, into a fight for her life against a devious killer who has no intention of getting caught.

Customer Reviews (25)

What a page-turner!
I honestly like MOST WANTED better, but THE FINISHING SCHOOL was a great read too.I am so exciting to have discovered a new female writer of suspense novels!The best thing about THE FINISHING SCHOOL -- as in MOST WANTED, I could not guess the ending!Bring me more, Ms. Martinez -- BRING ME MORE MELANIE VARGAS!

Romance and Intrigue in Martinez' Second Novel
At two o'clock in the morning, Melanie Vargas, a prosecutor for the US attorneys' office is woken up to solve a case involving two teenage girls who have overdosed in an apartment overlooking Park Avenue in New York. Both of the girls attend a school called Holebrook where young and wealthy girls go to get into the top colleges in the nation. It is a school that types like Whitney Seward went to before she was found dead in her father's apartment. The suspects range from Whitney's own father to a shifty nightclub owner that had been with the young girls recently.

Melanie Vargas' investigation leads her to many dark and dubious places that she has to navigate by thinking quickly on her feet.In these adventures she is joined by Dan O'reilly, an old love interest who is back in Melanie's life. Together they will have to figure out who is behind the deaths as more begin to occur that are connected to the case. This book for me was fairly entertaining, Martinez' sophomore effort into mystery genre I would say was a success. The book, while it seemed pretty formulaic to me, kept me turning the pages until I was finished. I would recommend it to those who love mystery and have a soft spot for steamy romantic scenes.

Good Read
Michele Martinez's second book, 'The Finishing School', is a dramatic thriller that makes for a good poolside story - suspense, romance and murder. After the suspicious death of two teenage girls from one of New York's most elite preparatory schools, district attorney Melanie Vargas is taken on a dangerous manhunt through the streets of Manhattan to the forests of Puerto Rico. Accompanied by her sexy crush Dan O'Reilly, Melanie's adventure allows for an exciting page turner that provides more than one captivating plot line. Martinez's book is one that will appeal to a broad audience for its easy read and intriguing storyline. However, if you're looking for a more analytical and realistic read, you may want to search elsewhere.

"The Finishing School" - New York Elite and the Seedy Underbelly
District Attorney Melanie Vargas gets swept up on the wrong side of the case in Michele Martinez's "The Finishing School". Instead of the usual surrounding of desks and paperwork, Melanie goes undercover with the help of hunky FBI agent Dan O'Reilly to solve the case of two dead socialite teenagers. Melanie must also balance her work life with her home life: her one-year-old daughter, with soon-to-be-ex-husband, is ill and yet her boss won't let her off the case. Running on the fumes of sleep and plenty of coffee, Melanie, Dan and their motley crew traipse through New York City's posh Miss Holbrooke's School and the exclusive and constantly moving nightclub Screen. And through all of this Melanie wears heels.

Martinez's sophomore novel is a fun airport paperback read. Not much is below the surface of the fast-paced plot, but it manages to hook the reader into turning the page. If the reader wants, the case can be solved, or one can just enjoy the ride along with Melanie.

A Well Written Crime Story That Kept Me Hooked...
I thought that this installment of the "Melanie Vargas" series was leaps and bounds better than the intro-book "Most Wanted" which showed potential, but never quite got there.

I thought that the way that Ms. Martinez advanced the story of Vargas and all of the central characters was very intelligent and done in a way which brought a very different side out of the main character.Additionally, the twists and turns were all very plausible for me and not contrived.I was definitely impressed with the story line and of the three "Vargas" books that I've read this one definitely provided the most visual-style for me where I could practically picture the "underground subway clubs" and the halls of the boarding school.

Excellent second effort!!I just wish that the 3rd book "Cover Up" kept up with the new bar that was set in "The Finishing School." ... Read more

Product Description
Perico, or parrot, was what Dad called me sometimes. It was from a Mexican saying about a parrot that complains how hot it is in the shade, while all along he's sitting inside an oven and doesn't know it....

For Manuel Hernandez, the year leading up to his test of courage, his initiation into a gang, is a time filled with the pain and tension, awkwardness and excitement of growing up in a crazy world. His dad spends most of his time and money at the local pool hall; his brother flips through jobs like a thumb through a deck of cards; and his mom never stops cleaning the house, as though one day the rooms will be so spotless they'll disappear into a sparkle, and she'll be free.

Manny's dad is always saying that people are like money--there are million- and thousand- and hundred-dollar people out there, and to him, Manny is just a penny. But Manny wants to be more than a penny, smarter than the parrot in the oven. He wants to find out what it means to be a vato firme, a guy to respect.

In this beautifully written novel, Victor Martinez gives readers a vivid portrait of one Mexican-American boy's life. Manny's story is like a full-color home movie--sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but always intensely original.For Manuel Hernandez, the year leading up to his test of courage, his initiation into a gang, is a time filled with the pain and tension, awkwardness and excitement of growing up in a mixed-up, crazy world. Manny’s dad is always calling him el perico, or parrot. It’s from a Mexican saying about a parrot that complains how hot it is in the shade while all along he’s sitting inside the oven and doesn’t know it. But Manny wants to be smarter than the parrot in the oven—he wants to find out what it means to be a vato firme, a guy to respect. From an exciting new voice in Chicano literature, this is a beautifully written, vivid portrait of one Mexican-American boy’s life.

1998 Pura Belpre Author Award
1996 Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature
1997 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library)
1996 National Book Award for Young People’s LiteratureAmazon.com Review
It's no wonder that Parrot in the Oven won the 1996National Book Award for Young People's Fiction. Victor Martinez'slush, evocative prose leaps from the page, grabbing the reader by thethroat right from the start. Not only do we witness Manuel Hernandez'scoming of age, we feel every juicy moment of it: his ache forsomething just out of reach, the confusion of seeing his family withnew eyes, the tickle and flood of awakening passion. It's difficult toportray transformation from the inside, but Martinez does so withgrace and power. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (83)

great book
"Mr. Hernandez" We're going to have to take your rifle away." This is a quote from the book Parrot in the Oven about a boy named Manny who is 14 years old and has two sisters and a brother. He is Mexican and lives in the projects in Los Angeles. He lives with his mom and dad. His dad is an alcoholic who gets mad at his family easy. Once he even tried to shoot his wife. His mom cleans the house all day. Manny is trying to get respect but he can't get it. The only way to get respect where Manny lives is to join a gang. He knows that is not the right way to get respect. There are many people who pick on Manny but some get scared because he has a tough older brother. He has a good relationship with his brother Benardo. The main problem is he doesn't get respect
When I was reading this book I could relate a lot to it. His is from a Mexican family. There are many choices he has to make everyday. He has many difficult problems a lot of young Latino immigrants face in their lives. His family is always having a lot of stress in their family. Manny doesn't like the stress because he doesn't get respect. Every time his parents are stressed out and give him respect. Since they are they always worry about money. His family are not the only ones who don't give him respect. Also some of the other kids he knows in his neighborhood He is poor and his mom supports him in going to school.
I will recommend this book to someone who is into life and growing up books. I think he wrote about experiences he had in his life. I think he is also to make right choices.

Parrot Review
The book was okay. The story is about a 14 year old, Mexican-American named Manny. He lives somewhere near the United States, Mexico border. Manny lives with his alcoholic father, his distant mother, his brother and two sisters. Manny's family is very poor, this is because his father refuses to work, leaving Manny and his brother Bernado to support the family. Manny's mother spends all of her time taking care of her youngest daughter, and cleaning the house. Manny is forced to deal with bullies, who pester him and his brother. The book did lack a plot. There was really no point to the story, it was just about the struggles of an average 14 year old boy. This was not a book I would recommend purchasing, it wasn't anything special.

Parrot in the Oven Kids Review
We think that this book is good for kids who are age 10 and up.Our favorite part of the book is when Victor has family problems with his mom and dad.This is one of the most important parts of the book that many students can relate to.The book is about a boy named Victor with family problems, and the reader learns about his entire life.The people who would like this book are people who enjoy real life stories, such as an autobiography.

nothing spectacular in Parrot...
I'm sorry but I really do not see what was special in Martinez' *Parrot in the Oven* that reaped him some awards.I did not see anything special about the story.However, I do agree that Martinez does have a way with words.They were eye-catching and made you wonder.

*Parrot in the Oven* is divided into chapters that each one focuses on one particular topic.While there is a subtle storyline throughout, the overall picture is blurred.There's that "missing link" that prevents you from knowing each characters in the book.Simply, there's no depth other than with Manny.

The book is told from Manny's perspectives.His dad has lost his job.He simply goes to the local pool hall and spends whatever money he can find and gets drunk.The mother is constantly cleaning the house.His older brother is never home and constantly has a new job.His older sister is secretive.His baby sister is simply a brat.

Manny tells his experiences with school, White people, boxing, and the gang.Most of all, he tells how these experiences impact his family and their world-view.

*Parrot in the Oven* is an alright book.It's nothing that you'd go around and recommend this book to friends.Just simply ok.The only best thing is Martinez' ways with words.

Lacking Plot
Manuel is fourteen years old and living close to the Mexican border.He is Mexican-American himself.His life is full of conflicts, from his father who is alcoholic and abusive and can't seem to keep a job, to his passive mother who lets herself be scared and abused, to his three siblings.

This books is about Manuel's struggle to find himself and to figure out his life.It takes the reader on a journey through about a year in Manuel's life, and we get to see the things he interacts with daily, from his family situation to the bullies who live on his street, to the other people who surround him.Even though he sometimes has problems, like when he is invited to a party full of all white kids and things start to go bad, Manuel always manages to keep his head on his shoulders and get through things okay.Even though his family is dysfunctional, the reader is able to see some good in them.

The language in this book is beautiful; the author has a gift for stringing together very poetic sentences.However, there wasn't any sort of cohesive storyline.I kept trying to wrestle the individual parts of the story into a plot, and was frustrated when they remained disjointed until the end. ... Read more

Product Description
When Shannay's marriage to billionaire Marcello Martinez ended, she returned home carrying with her a precious secret.... Now, four years later, Marcello has tracked his wife down and discovered she has kept knowledge of his child from him! Marcello will make Shannay pay for her deception--by returning her to their marital home...and their marriage bed? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Story About Reconciliation
I disagree with the reviews above. I liked the story.It was very similar to the Italian's Ruthless Marriage Command. He did explain to her that he respected their vows and that everything was a plot between his ex lover and his aunt.She did make herself respect. Altough at the beginninghe was rough through The time sharing with his daugther and with his wife, he became nice.

Agree
with the previous reviewer, I know once again.I don't know what the evidence was either.It wasn't discussed.Yeah she seemed weak and really I can't believe how trusting a three year old can be.I have one.He's not that trusting.This whole getting to the woman through the child is so cliche and overused.Really if Shannay was such a strong indpendent woman why did she fall back in with Marcello so quickly.He did ride roughshod over her and she did back down a lot it seemed.She should have called his bluff and let him take her to court.If he cared that much about the child he wouldn't have gone through with it.Considering that she had such wonderful evidence of her husband's supposed infidelity you think she would have fought more to resist him!!

Not very believable or likeable...
I often like this author but I hated this book. Here are some complaints I have:
Shannay left Marcello four years ago because his aunt and a socialite ex-lover kept insinuating that he was unfaithful to her. The most detail given is in the excerpt: "Seemingly irrefutable proof of Marcello's infidelity just twenty months after their marriage was the ultimate betrayal" The reader never finds out what the "proof" was that breaks her trust. Plus, it's implied that Marcello just brushes her concerns aside and didn't tell his aunt and the ex to back off.
Shannay claims that the reason she never filed for divorce during those 4 years was because she didn't want any contact with him. That explanation bothered me because if she really wanted to break ties with him, wouldn't she have wanted to end their marriage?
The man is an alpha male cardboard cutout who rides roughshod over the woman but that's okay because she's not putting up much of a fight. The woman barely puts up a modicum of resistance when the man starts to seduce her even when she thinks that it's just an act of revenge on his part. I think the author was trying to show their physical chemistry but it just made the woman seem weak-willed.
The secondary characters are fairly cookie cutter and are only in there to force the plot along. Like the adorable daughter or the beautiful, sexy rival who's now married but still wants her man, there's nothing new here. Except for when Shannay goes shopping with the aunt who still dislikes her because that woman has an impeccable sense of fashion.
Even at the end of the book, I didn't really feel the main characters loved each other and their trust issues were never truly resolved. This book is another "I hate you but I love you" that's often seen but rarely pulled off in the romance genre. It fell flat for me.

:0)
I like this story reading it i didn't really get a feel of revenge just Marcello wanting Shannay and his little girl, but even though i didn't get any feel of revenge on his part it was still a good read. ... Read more

Product Description
A Texas chef and restaurateur offers the real lowdown on Tex-Mex cooking with recipes that have been handed down in his family from one generation to the next. Here one will find classics for every time of day, from breakfast Huevos Rancheros to Standard South Texas Fried Chicken to Chile Rellenos to Early Texas Chicken-Fried Steak. 19 photos.Amazon.com Review
Reading Matt Martinez's Culinary Frontier is like digging into heapsof the best food you've ever eaten while listening as a kicked-back,sleepy-eyed hombre tells you how his Mexican grandfather fled to the U.S. toescape hanging, then started the first Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin, Texas.Martinez, who spices up his volume with old family photos, talks about feeding the localpoliticians and famous sports figures who come through town. You want him tokeep talking while you keep eating.

Martinez practices true cowboy and prairie cooking. He claims that all dishes canbe prepared in acast-iron skillet. Hebelieves in lard and homemade chorizo, but also cooks lean food. CarneGasado, an elemental chicken stew, Matt's Jalapeno Coleslaw, and creamy KingRanch Casserole made with sirloin are evidence of his cooking style. Catch the recipes for smoky andhot Chipotle Sauce, unusual Corn Tortilla Quesadillas, and incendiary PrairieMary Cocktail. If you get to Dallas, the Smoked Baked Potato served at Matt's No Place, oneof the four restaurants Martinez has in Texas, is an experience longremembered. Thanks to Culinary Frontier, you can try to duplicate it at home. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The Best Tex-Mex in the State of Texas
I have purchased all of Matt Martinez's cookbooks due to my love of his restaurants.My husband and I drive from Houston to Austin about every 6 weeks just to eat at "Matt's Famous El Rancho" Restaurant.I purchased his cookbooks to make some of our favorites at home and while the receipes are great and everything made from his cookbooks is delicious and easy to prepare, it doesn't compare to the experience of going to one of his restaurants!It does give me a quick fix when I have a hankering for good tex-mex until we can make the roadtrip back to Austin to get the real thing.

The Tex-Mex master shares cooking and a little history on the side...
For those not familiar with Matt Martinez, he is one of the foremost experts on Tex-Mex and cowboy cooking.I originally picked up this book years ago and have gone to it again and again for both a great set of Tex-Mex (if you don't know the difference between this and the cuisines of Mexico, you're in for some surprises), and a great set of anecdotes about the "original" Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin that include Texas legends such as LBJ and Lady Bird Johnson.The best compliment that makes me recommend this is that our family uses several recipes for our Christmas Eve dinner every year (including the rice and chili recipes).This is a part of our Texas Christmas tradition.The recipes call for easy-to-find ingredients, and represent the flavors that you would expect from this type of cuisine.PS - if you come to the Dallas area, you HAVE to eat the Bob Armstrong dip at one of his restaurants - AWESOME.(Recipe is also in the book).

Another Good Book by "The King of Tex-Mex chefs"
After enjoying one of the best mexican meals we've ever eaten at "Matt's Famous El Rancho Restaurant" in Austin,my wife just had to have the cookbooks. This is the 1st in a series of 3 cookbooks, that we are aware of, by Matt Martinez Jr., whose grandfather opened the very first Tex-Mex restautant in Austin, "El Original", and whose father, Matt Martinez Sr., opened El Rancho, Austin's most popular. . Along with many delicious and authentic recipes, this book has lots of interesting family stories and the history and evolution of "Tex-Mex" cusine. While all 3 books are good,her favorite, by far, is his newest "MexTex: Traditional Tex-Mex Taste".

Authentic & Easy Tex-Mex from a master
I was first introduced to Matt's family restaurant, El Rancho, in Austin 20 years ago during college and still make a point of going there when visiting. I grew up in TX and now live in the wilds of NJ with nary a Tex-Mex joint in sight - or within a days drive. I can make the very simple recipes from this book, close my eyes and feel like I'm home again. After making several of these dishes for a very Italian NY friend of mine she demanded I spend an afternoon showing her how to makeher favorites from this book. Very high praise indeed.

If you are interested in Tex-Mex cooking, do yourself a favor and buy this book. You won't regret it.

Great Tex Mex
I've owned this cookbook since around the time it was released and still use it.The recipes are generally easy and very delicious.I really like Matt's Big Time Eatin' Chili. ... Read more

Product Description
Novel. In CROSSING, Manuel Luis Martinez explores the American obsession with mobility,the irrepressible hope that there must be something better somewhere and the relentless desire to move on in search of this elusive goal. Inspired by a newspaper account of thirteen undocumented workers left to suffocate in a boxcar outside El Paso, CROSSING tells the story of Luis, a boy who leaves his small town in Mexico to seek his fortune in the United States. Martinez was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and is now an assistant professor in the English department at Indiana University in Bloomington. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Breathless
I felt like I was in the smoldering box car with the characters. Could hardly breath! Made me want to do something, anything to help.A very timely story.

Riveting
This novel keeps your eyes glued to the page in white-knuckled suspense. Can't wait to get ahold of Martinez's much anticipated second novel, _Drift_, due out from Picador in April 2003.

Survival of the Fittest
Intrigued by an actual news story relating the deaths of undocumented workers found in a railroad boxcar, Martinez envisions what prompted these deaths in this book.This is an intense story about Luis' crossing to the United States and the unexpected events that take place in the boxcar.Here, Luis must deal with his personal demons and yet stay strong in body and mind in order to survive.Martinez does an outstanding job relating the story with detail and emotion. He gives readers insight to what desperate immigrants attempt at doing in search of a better life and yet no know the risks involved.I agree, this book was hard to put down.

Great Story
Martinez does a great job bring you into the story and making you feel like you are on inside the cramped boxcar with the other men. Martinez also uses his superior talent to use dreams to describe past events.-New York Times Book Review

Crossing
This book is exceptional.The author really puts you where the story is being held, in a box car.It is so well written that I could not put it down.I read this book in 3 days.I recommend this book to anyone whojust reads ordinary novels.This book is not a novel, it will take you ona journey most people never even think about. ... Read more

Product Description
The October Cycle, California painter Enrique Martínez Celaya's most recent work, unapologetically challenges the postmodern denial of meaning. Proactive and strong, Celaya's paintings affirm life and the individual self, rather than deconstructing them. Published in conjunction with Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery/University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where Celaya's traveling exhibition runs from Nov 21.03 - Jan 26.04.Essay by Daniel Siedell.Clothbound, 9 x 11.25 in./80 pgs / 40 color 0 BW0 duotone 0 ~ Item D20277 ... Read more