Customer Reviews (50)

This book should get 10 stars!
I've just finished reading Handling Sin for the second time--something I rarely do, there are just too many books I haven't read yet--and I think I enjoyed it more this time. It is a laugh out loud, fall out of your chair funny story. I loved each of the characters our hero Raleigh takes on the journey his father sends him on. I hated to see the story end -- I want to know what Mingo is doing now, what happened to Gates, and where or where is Weeper Berg. I'm sure I'll read this book again.

Amazing!
This is my all-time favorite book, and I have read a LOT of books. I bought this book over ten years ago at a grocery store, and have read it about once a year since then. I've loaned it to many friends, it's been mailed to Hawaii and Tennessee, I've dragged it across country with me on vacation (I ALWAYS take it on vacation trips). I had to quit reading it while eating lunch because I would laugh so hard, I was afraid I would quite literally choke to death.

"Handling Sin" is an absolute must-read, a hilarious and touching story about family, love, friendship, and accepting life as it comes to you. Raleigh Hayes and his neighbor Mingo set off on a quest to return Raleigh's father Earley to the hospital. Earley has taken off with an unknown young woman, and has left Raleigh instructions to gather several seemingly bizarre and unrelated objects, and bring them to New Orleans. Desperate to retrieve his ailing father, Raleigh approaches this task with the same determination and focus his applies to everything he does. Life, however, has other plans for our hero.

Join Raleigh, Mingo, Raleigh's ne'er-do-well brother Gates, master criminal Simon Berg, saxaphone player Toutant Kingstree and Peaches the pig as they galavant throughout the South, butting heads with the Marines, Hell's Angels, nuns, and gangsters. Enjoy the Infamous Barbeque at Wild Oaks, and thrill at the derring-do atop Stone Mountain. This story is a joyride from beginning to end. Come join us.

One of my favorite books of all time
_Handling Sin_ is, in my opinion, Michael Malone's best book to date. It provides excellent satire on politics, social trends, race relations, "political correctness," classism in general but particularly in the South, relations between the sexes, religious hypocrisy, and many other subjects of weight. It also provides a lot of interesting, well-researched historical information about the South from an author who, even as he pokes fun of its shortcomings, clearly loves it with all of his heart. This book doesn't take itself too seriously and is so downright pointlessly silly over and over that I laughed out loud. By underneath and through all its many forms of humor, biting, silly, sarcastic, slapstick, goofy, or deliciously sly, this book sneaks up on you, surprising with much genuine sweetness and, in the end, unabashed reverence for love, family, God, faith, basic human decency and kindness, and the goodness of life.

Because this book was written in the early 80's, a time before the internet, cell phones, and other technological and cultural trends of our day, someone who reads it today might not find it nearly as funny as I did when I first read it around 20 years ago. And unlike Malone's other books, there are no murder mysteries or many admirable public officials to be found. But as regrettable as that may be for some, I believe that for the underlying messages of good will and faith and sweetness, _Handling Sin_ is well worth reading all the same. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fathers and sons   2. Fiction   3. Fiction - General   4. General   5. Literary   6. Missing persons   7. Southern States   8. Travelers   

Customer Reviews (9)

Not a good holiday read!
When I read this book, to be honest, I couldn't put it down. The friendship of Noni and Kaye is so heartwarming and wonderful from the time they were seven and through their years.
I understand that this is the real world and along with happiness comes sadness, but the real world quite honestly is sad enough at times and maybe it could have ended on a happier note. This book left an ache in my heart....I probably should have paid more attention to the title....

More than a Christmas Confection
"The Last Noel" is elliptical, beginning and ending at Christmas time when all our emotions spike: higher highs, lower lows. This novel is such a joy to read that at first it seems a box of bonbons wrapped in every conceivable variety of seasonal glitter; as light and enjoyable as the snow-starred sled zipping down its stylish vellum cover. Michael Malone's beautiful torrent of carefully chosen words often blurs the line between prose and poetry. This balanced, structured novel is indeed a Christmas confection. That and so much more.

Malone's richly textured work is accomplished using a panoply of methodology: his osmotic knowledge of history, his appreciation of music, his unerring ear for the cadences of idiomatic dialogue, and his encyclopedic compendium of pop culture. These provide the musculature which clothe his elegant twelve day framework. Malone always has great heart, compassion, and humor to spare. This novel is no exception as he takes us deep into the lives of characters who live side by side, but who are poles apart.

For over a generatioin, Malone sweeps the reader along with Noni and Kaye as they grow up in the new south. We bring our own memories to the civil rights struggle, to a frightening number of murders and assassinations, Vietnam, and Watergate: events which shook our nation. We sing along with snippets of pop songs quoted, and remember mini-skirts, high boots, Afros, and can luxuriate in recalling Noni's tried and true classical piano music. The love story between rich, white, upper crust Noni and poor, black, lowest rung on the social ladder, Kaye creates a sexual tension which is palpable. The brave and decent struggles of these two who are forbidden to love is captivating and the denouement will prove that you can read while crying and snubbing into an industrial strength tissue.

Sound like too much perfection? Well, one negative criticism might be that Noni is a heroine too good to be true. Shouldn't we be told more about her weaknesses? We know what they are, but they are not as fully developed as Kaye's. However... Charles Dickens (to whom Malone is often compared) created many female characters who are much more lacking in the life-like department than Noni is. Generally, Malone understands the way a woman thinks and feels. More so than most male writers. But is Noni, whom I loved, a smidgen too angelic? Nit picking aside, she is still unforgettable.

When the subject is miscegenation, inevitably, Desdemona and Othello are bound to come to mind. And if not the mixing of the races, then that of social class is the crux. Cathy and Heathcliff are the predecessors of Noni and Kaye, as are, perhaps Estella and Pip. No matter. When the time comes for Dr, Michael Malone to conduct his first seminar in that great class room in the sky, his friends, Shakespeare, Emily Bronte, and Charles Dickens will welcome him as a kindred spirit. And if I am lucky enough to be there, I'll check my wings, settle a cloud against my back and be allowed to audit. That would undoubtedly be Heaven.

Fluffy
Although I admit being choked up in parts of the book, I won't say which parts, I feel "The Last Noel" was a piece of fluff compared to Michael Malone's other books. I have always enjoyed the depth of Mr. Malone's characters but feel the characters in this book were soap opera like in a way. I enjoyed reading the book, but felt it was less than I expected. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christmas stories   2. Fiction   3. Fiction - General   4. Friendship   5. General   6. Literary   7. Man-woman relationships   8. Race relations   

Customer Reviews (3)

Haven't read it yet...
Michael Malone, who has since passed away, was a great scholar. I have his previous writings and intend to read this book as part of research for my own historical fiction project. The Emmons book is also first class and I would recommend both Malone's early writings and Emmons book. The "Copper Camp" written during the Works project is worth looking at but keep it in historical perspective. It is racist to the extreme, in the manner in which it deals with the Native American population.

Great subject matter, but heavy reading ...
This is what most people would call the "definitive" one-volume history of Montana, and I'd have to agree. Written primarily to serve as a testbook for college-level history courses, this is a comprehensive, balanced, and detailed overview of Montana's fascinating history. All three authors knew the state extraordinarily well, and clearly loved its past. (Both Malone and Roeder taught history at Montana State University, and Malone later served as the school's president; Lang edited the Montana Historical Society's journal.)

Still, it's difficult to recommend this book to the casual reader. By striving so diligently for completeness and balance, the authors created a product that is weighty, dense, and largely without style. Montana's vibrant, spirited history has been rendered lifeless here, and reading this book can be very slow going. As a professional historian, I find it to be a great reference tool, but its not something that most folks will want to read for fun. Instead, you might consider these two evocative and beautifully-written histories of the state: Joseph Kinsey Howard's "Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome" and K. Ross Toole's "Montana: An Uncommon Land." Both are classics in their field, and are wonderful reads.

Wonderful overview.
I am from Montana and have never really learned the history. I became interested after seeing a Montana Historical Society art showing. They recommended this book as the best general review out there. It is rare that any author can capture Montana's extrordinary beauty with words, but Mr. Malone does that surprisingly well. I would have to agree with the Historical Society that this is a great book for people unfamilier with Montana's diverse and amazing history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History   2. History - General History   3. History: American   4. Montana   5. United States - State & Local - General   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics   2. Business / Economics / Finance   3. Business/Economics   4. Corporations   5. Economics - General   6. Finance   7. Industrial management   8. Industrial organization   9. Management - General   10. Strategic planning   11. Business & Economics / Management   

In a corporate world where true value is no longer determined by physical assets alone, but instead by a combination of material and nonmaterial resources, businessman Leif Edvinsson and journalist Michael Malone propose a new way to bridge the gap between balance sheet and organizational reality. In Intellectual Capital: Realizing Your Company's True Value by Finding Its Hidden Brainpower, they explain why today's companies must take intangibles seriously--and how to measure them so they can. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Superb Representation of the Breadth and Depth of IC
Edvinsson and Malone do an excellent job with a complex and relatively esoteric topic. The authors have created an enviable work and set up the foundation for companies and managers to act accordingly.

tapping human resorces in central asia
Its difficult to tap the exact talent in a thickly populated country with disturbed economy and democracy.Knowledge based industry cannot achive a break until unless manupulation is stopped in higher grades.Priority must be given to the basic human/mankind nature instead of mechanical approaches.There is a greater necessity of real/civilised kings instead of lion/uncivilised kings.

The Skandia Market Value Model
Intellectual capital is a truly critical topic for twenty-first century business. As known, the subject of intellectual capital appeared on the business world in the 1990s. Patrick H.Sullivan writes, in his 'Value-Driven Intellectual Capital,' "this history actually began in the early 1980s, as managers, academics, and consultants around the world began to notice that a firm's intangible assets, its intellectual capital, were often a major determinant of the corporation's profits...By the mid 1990s it was becoming clear that there were two separate but related paths of thinking about intellectual capital. One path, the knowledge and brain power path, focused on creating and expanding the firm's knowledge. The other path, the resource-based perspective, was concerned with how to create profits from a firm's unique combinations of intellectual and tangible resources."

In this context, by proposing a new intellectual capital measurement and reporting system, Leif Edvinsson and Michael S.Malone elaborate the Skandia Model. According to this model, Skandia divides market value into financial capital and intellectual capital. Intellectual capital is further divided into:

1. 'Human Capital.' The combined knowledge, skill, innovativeness, and ability of the company's individual employees to meet the task at hand. It also includes the company's values, culture, and philosophy. It cannot be owned by the company.

2. 'Structural Capital.' Brands, trademarks, written procedures for processes, and everything else of organizational capability that supports those employees' productivity-in a word, everything left at the office when the employees go home. Structural capital also includes customer and organizational capital, representing the external and internal focus, respectively, of structural capital. Organizational capital consists of innovation and process capital. Process capital is the sum of know-how that is formalized inside the company: manuals, best practices, intranet resources, project libraries are all part of the process capital. Innovation capital is what creates the success of tomorrow: it is the source of renewal for the whole company, and it includes intellectual assets and intellectual property. Unlike human capital, structural capital can be owned and thereby traded.

Finally, they argue that "rather than replacing the current financial measurement system, the product of generations, Intellectual Capital measurement in fact complements and augments it. Orthodox accounting has found its way again. It is relevant once more to our future. And thus the work of much of the last millennium is made ready for the next."

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Accounting - General   2. Business & Economics   3. Business / Economics / Finance   4. Business Life - Inspirational   5. Business/Economics   6. Capital Management   7. Corporate & Business History - General   8. Development - Business Development   9. Intellectual capital   10. Organization Development   11. Business & Economics / General   

Customer Reviews (5)

Intelligent, inspiring and daffy
I first read Foolscap in its hardcover release and was taken with its blend of wacky plot, warm-hearted character development and erudite but accessible literary and historical reference.

As the years have gone by, I find myself returning to the book when I need a good kick in the butt - it makes a marvelous case for taking chances and believing in yourself in order to build a rich, satisfying life.

Also, Michael Malone has a talent for creating some of the most attractive male characters I've ever come across. Theo Ryan from this book and Cuddy and Justin from the Hillston series are great guys to spend some time with.

Great academic satire
As a former academic, I loved this book! Malone does a great job revealing the lunacies which characterize modern academia. The professors at Cavendish University will be very familiar to anyone who has spent any time at all at an American university.

The story itself is also quite fun---even if you aren't a fan of Walter Raleigh (as Malone clearly is---this is not his first book to discuss Raleigh).

Malone has a great sense of humor and the book, which follows the exploits of Theo Ryan, mild-mannered professor turned literary forger, is the kind which makes you laugh out loud. Avoid reading this in public unless you are comfortable having people watch you suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Sensational academic parody
The world of academia has always taken itself very seriously, and so when a writer like Kingsley Amis, Jane Smiley, David Lodge, or Robert Grudin parodies this seriousness, it makes for wonderful reading. Malone's parody of a fictional North Carolina university extends the parody beyond the ivory tower and into the worlds of publishing and theater. It tells the story of biographer, playwright, literary forger Theo Ryan, a professor with a big heart and a sound mind who is a bit naive. It's his touch of innocence that makes his tale so charming as Ryan goes back and forth between England and the USA, trying to do well by all and finding himself in farcical situations, despite his good will. It's a sometimes dark, but ultimately cheering comedy where love wins out and the truth prevail! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. College teachers   2. Dramatists   3. English teachers   4. Fiction   5. Fiction - General   6. General   7. Humorous   8. Theatrical producers and direc   9. Theatrical producers and directors   

Customer Reviews (7)

one of the best mystery novels ever
i'm a big fan of american literature, i'm a big fan of american crime novels, and i must say that "uncivil seasons" was for me an absolute discovery! an excellent literary mystery, where "literary" definitely DOESN'T mean boring or pretentious, but simply an extremely well-written, elegant, funny, convincing book that, before being a "mystery" is an exceptionally well crafted depiction of a complex and credible southern community with its enmities, affections, social and financial relationships. in this sense, the book is a perfect example of the "realistic" novel in its most classic, nineteenth-century incarnation: and how more human and witty than other contemporary overhyped stuff in the social-realistic vein (like, say, a "bonfire of the vanities"). and, in addition to that, the novel is also a coherent, interesting and well developed detection-story with a very satisfying and ironical ending. alas, the other two books in the savile-mangun series, while good (the second more than the third) are far from the level of this "uncivil seasons", which for me is a sure masterpiece in the genre.

"Uncivil Seasons " is Malone at his best....
A great way to start enjoying the works of unheralded author Michael Malone is to read his North Carolina murder mystery, Uncivil Seasons. Malone's anti-hero is Justin Savile, born to a genteel southern family, as his name indicates. The plot is complex, and revolves around Joanna Cadmean, a local psychic, helping Justin to investigate the murder of a member of a prominent family. Both scenic passages and characterizations are compelling, and true to the south. The mystery remains a mystery, and you find yourself pulling for Justin and partner Cuddy Mangum.

There's a romance here, too, and it's played with just the right lightness of touch. It seems as though Malone can do it all, and I can't wait to read more of his works. I'll leave you with a favorite, opening line..."Two things don't happen very often in Hillston, North Carolina. We don't get much snow, and we hardly ever murder one another. Suicide is more our style..."

Enjoy!

Wonderful
His best book by far. Well-written, good dialogue, fully-realized characters, nice setting and backstory. A literate mystery which is a rare combination...buy and enjoy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction   2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective   3. Graphic Novels - General   4. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural   5. Mystery fiction   6. North Carolina   7. Police   

Customer Reviews (3)

Still dreaming of SV
Incorporates a random selection of writings which, in their whole, describes the last 30+ years of SV life.

If you want to understand Silicon Valley,
If you want to understand Silicon Valley, you'll want to read about it through Mike Malone's eyes. There may be individuals with greater business acumen or longer residential histories, but no one can tell the story about Silicon Valley better than Malone. With incomparable journalistic skills and in depth industry know-how, Malone has assembled a series of stories and columns that chronicle the growth of the Valley and, serendipitously, his own career. Because it is an anthology of sorts, the book does not flow in any singular direction. Nonetheless, the collection is rich with insights on technology breakthroughs, towering personalities and company histories. From high tech "scavengers" to venture capitalists But most important, Malone fills us with strands of individual success and failures, the weave of which is the tapestry known as Silicon Valley. Perhaps the only negative about the volume is that its contents are largely a reprise of earlier Malone writings. If only he'd tell us more....

Interesting, but needs real editing ....
Having lived in Silicon Valley off and on since 1977 (I came out to join the now-defunct Ahdahl Corp) I found part of this book interesting/enlightening. However, the writing style meanders way too much; I had real trouble keeping my interest up (I kept reading on "one more page..." hoping it would get interesting, but ...

Per the prose extolling the talents/background of the author I'd have expected a much more well written book; it just wandered from paragraph to paragraph and chapter to chapter. Maybe next time ... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance   2. California   3. E-Commerce - General   4. Economic History   5. Entrepreneurship   6. High technology industries   7. History   8. Industries - Computer Industry   9. Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clar   10. Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clara County)   11. Social Science   12. Sociology   13. Sociology - General   14. Business & Economics / General   15. Business & Management   16. Computing and Information Technology   17. Information technology industries   18. Malone, Michael S   

Customer Reviews (3)

Not what I expected
I recently moved to Colorado (and am living about an hour where this book took place) and was excited to start reading just based on the things we'd "have in common"! But sadly, I wasnt crazy about the author's writing style. He didnt really get you "close" to what they were feeling. He gave the charachters quite interesting personalities...but I think it takes more than that. I really wanted to get to know them. I kept reading along, hoping the storyline and plot would come to a climax or become somewhat exciting...but really when you read book jackete description, well, it doesnt get much more indepth that that. I grew up in the 80s so I didnt relate to this author's accounts of early-70s history. Besides he used them so sparingly that they never seemed to quite flow with the story as a whole, and almost felt like the author was "name-dropping," but with historical facts.

I gave the book three stars, because it wasnt horrible, I just think it takes the right reader to appreciate it. If you really like getting to know characters and solid story lines this isnt the book for you. The cover looked really cool (I'm an artist, okay) which is what first caught my eye. Hey, Kudos on the book cover.

Everything comes around again
Mrs. Amanda Thurston stands out as one of my all time favorite characters. Her stoic love and strength allows the reader to enjoy the craziness of the other characters as they swirl around her.

This book is a kick to read with the quirkiness from the 1970's shining through, yet it is written against the background of the shootings of President and Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King and the war in VietNam. The characters in the book are searching how to make a life in the face of such violence and national upheaval. The Chapter "The Beginning of a Longer Journey" could have been written in 2003 instead of 1976. Not much progress made at all since then.

The Wonderful Michael Malone
Now that Michael Malone's books are finally becoming available again, you'll want to add this one to your collection. As usual, the characters are wonderfully off-beat and no one does characterization quite like Michael Malone. Not as great as "Handling Sin" but still not to be missed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. College graduates   2. Colorado   3. Fiction   4. Fiction - General   5. General   6. Humorous   7. Literary   8. Summer theater   9. Young men   

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Read
This book compares favorably to The Shipping News and should have had more press. It is a delightful tale of a town through the eyes of the current generation and the woes of the previous one. The slimy and the sublime coexist in the small town that sits next to disaster and eats with it, drinks with it and revels in its lunacy. The watershed that feeds this lunacy could well be said to play a major role in its fabulous tale. Malone has done an excellent job. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anonymous letters   2. City and town life   3. Connecticut   4. Fiction   5. Fiction - General   6. General   7. Hate mail   8. Literary   

Customer Reviews (2)

A True Montana Treasure
While working as a Costco employee, we received a shipment of these books and arranged for the late Mr. Malone to come in to our Bozeman store and sign copies for the customers.

Early the next morning, while stocking the books and getting everything organized, I was approached by my manager who notified me that the signing would not be taking place because Mr. Malone had died of, what appeared to be, a heart attack.

This is a true Montana book, filled with gorgeous pictures of what truly is - "The Last Best Place." I found the writing to be very informative, yet easy to lose myself in.

For those of you who already own this book, you know how great it is. You realize how lucky you are to live in one of the most beautiful areas in the world. And you understand the history Montana holds. If you don't have this book and you are from Montana, pick it up...you won't be disappointed.

Lets not forget Mr. Michael Malone. Although his life was cut tragically short, he was able to share with us his lifelong work. And it is amazing.

Big Book on the Big Sky
I am usually allergic to coffee table books. This one is different: edited by historian and president of Montana State University, Bozeman (died December, 1999)Michael Malone, this book includes essays by David Quammen and Mary Clearman Blew on the wildlife and the arts respectively. The other essays, covering a wide range of subjects are written by other knowledgable professionals.

The photographs and captions are equally enticing and informative. The full page photograph of artist, Bob DeWeese, and his Gangster Tie is almost worth the price of the book to me.

I found one minor mistake: the 1937 flood in Billings was the result of a break in an irrigation ditch, not the overflow of the Yellowstone River. I know of no better book for getting a feel for this part of the world, nor is that Chamber of Commerce puffery: in 1910 there were about 2,000 African Americans in all of Montana. In 1999 there were about the same number (from the essay on ethnic groups). The reasons for that are clear, and shameful.

Whether you are a Montanan or not, if you want to know more about the state this is a worthy addition to your library. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century   2. Essays   3. History   4. History - General History   5. Montana   6. Photo Essays   7. Photography   8. Pictorial works   9. Subjects & Themes - Travel - General   10. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./West   11. United States - 20th Century   12. United States - State & Local - General   13. Travel / United States / West / Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, UT, WY)   

Customer Reviews (5)

I hoped to read about Aura, or Red.
These student assignments, character studies, and dry runs are riding on the exceptionally broad shoulders of Times Witness and Handling Sin.

A voyeuristic look into the lives of Southern women....
Although I'm not prone to reading short stories, anything by author Michael Malone is usually priceless. This collection is no exception. A terrific concept is this, the grouping of Malone's fictional observations of a dozen Southern women, as diverse a group as the real tapestry of women in the south.

Led by Malone's award-winning "Stella, Red Clay" - which is more of a look into the relationship between a father and son, both of whom admire ex-Hollywood star Stella, from a distance, this story was worth the price of the book and definitely deserved the two national awards it garnered. In the collection, about 7 of the pieces are well-developed, and the rest fall a little short of the artistry you've come to expect from Malone's novels. My personal favorite was the look into the soul of a battered woman in "Charmain, White Trash Noir" - Malone perfectly captures the lack of self-esteem, yet the ladylike manner a real Charmain would display when confronted with the dilemma of airing her marital dirty laundry in order to save herself from a conviction.

I granted 4 instead of 5 stars because I particularly disliked the snapshot of Malone's "Justin-Cuddy" series...all about a local deb in Hillston (Patty, Love & Other Crimes). It definitely did not do the series justice.

From the creation of the concept, the cleverness of the cover in the oversize paperback, the ebb and flow of Malone's poetry written as prose, you'll enjoy this collection. And, if you do, be sure to gather Malone's other gems, his novels, which are amazing!

Okay for short stories
Mr. Malone, I wish you would stick with Cuddy and Justin as they are your finest, in my opinion. The very best story here is Maddie and I wish you had developed her into a full length book. That story was greeeeat. A good mystery, good historical stuff and a good twist in the end although I think I saw it coming. I cannot get enough of Cuddy and Justin so please carry them on into the future. Please???? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction   2. Fiction - General   3. Short Stories (single author)   4. Short stories   5. Social life and customs   6. Southern States   7. Women   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance   2. Business History   3. Business/Economics   4. California   5. Industries   6. Industries - General   7. Microelectronics industry   8. Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clar   9. Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clara County)   

Customer Reviews (23)

The Saga Continues.....
Hillston, North Carolina Police Chief, Cuddy Mangum has his hands full, and it looks like his beloved job is on the line. Just as he's being recognized, nationally, as an innovative crime fighter, and his department is ranked number one in small cities in the south, there appears to be a serial killer loose in Hillston, murdering and mutilating women. To make matters worse, this brazen killer seems to be taunting and challenging Cuddy and his best friend, Homicide Lieutenant, Justin Savile V, personally, leaving the two of them messages on the bodies, and clues in their offices, homes and cars. The entire police department is running in circles, and beginning to look both inept, and incapable of solving these crimes. As the body count rises, North Carolina politics come into play, and Cuddy and Justin are issued an ultimatum...solve these crimes, now, or turn in your resignations..... After ten years, Michael Malone is finally back with a new mystery starring his most memorable characters, Cuddy Mangum and Justin Savile V, from his critically acclaimed novels, Uncivil Seasons and Time's Witness. Unfortunately, First Lady is not nearly as good as the previous two books, and has some problems. Though the writing is crisp and eloquent, and the dialogue, wonderful, the plot is neither tight, suspenseful, nor all that compelling, and tends to ramble all over the place. Instead of being intriguing and intricate, the story line tends to be confusing and unbelievable and Mr Malone ties up the loose ends with a predictable and unsatisfying ending. That said, his characterizations are brilliant and unrivaled, and he brings Hillston and the New South to life with imagination, and great insight, wisdom and humor. If you're a Michael Malone fan, you probably won't want to miss the continuing saga of Mangum and Savile. For those new to this author, go back and read his much better previous works, and enjoy.

great mystery
Michael Malone is a good writer. He has the ability to create diverse and complicated characters, and the intricate plot of 'First Lady' keeps the pages turning. He also has a brilliant insight into the modern South, at its best and worst.

In this particular story, detectives Justin Savile and Cuddy Magnum (the names are almost too good) race against the clock to find a serial killer who leaves clues that are so clever, they are even self-congradulatory. All the while, mega-pop star Mavis Mahar is causing riots in the town with her antics, seductions, and non-appearances. Note that the descriptions of violence and mutilation are very detailed and might be disturbing to some.

For me, the book falls only one star short of perfection because the story comes across as a little formulaic when compared with the other novels by Malone that I've read. In all of these books, a disenchanted but well-meaning white middle-aged guy falls for a glamorous beauty much younger and much less serious than he. I'm not offended, but I admit to a little boredom by now. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed First Lady and would recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written mystery.

Finally
No, not finally did Malone write another book. Finally, I found another top notch, first rate mystery writer. They are few and hard to come by. Take everything good that has been said about this author and the Justin/Cuddy series and multiply it a few times. Start with the first book. Sadly, there are only three. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction   2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective   3. Legal   4. Mystery & Detective - General   5. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural   6. Mystery/Suspense   

Customer Reviews (2)

- As good as history gets
This is a highly readable and well-researched account of what must be one of the most fascinating towns in the United States. As anyone who has visited Butte can attest, the town possesses a cultural richness and idiosyncratic character unmatched anywhere in the US west, maybe the whole country, and Malone's book captures this nicely. I particularly enjoyed the discussion of political machinations in Montana around the turn of the century, which make today's politics look anemic by comparison. If you have any interest at all in Montana/western history, political economy, mining or politics, I couldn't recommend this book more highly.

Good read about town "ugly as sin, and just as fascinating."
Butte, Montana, has a rich history with stories that just seem too preposterous to be true! ("Copper Camp" written in 1930's is good example).

Michael Malone, a historian at Montana State in Bozeman, must have felt the same way. He did some good, scholarly research, and found out that many of the wild tales WERE true!

The book is VERY readable, almost like a novel, filled with some wild stories about how the three "Copper Kings" (Butte's version of "Robber Barons") worked, wheeled, dealed, cheated, competed and conspired to make as much money as they could from "the richest hill on earth."

In the mix are many stories about the everyday Butte residents, who, to this day, are actually friendly, big-hearted people...who put their hearts and backs into the building of the town.

Butte, Montana truly is "as ugly as sin" (quickly verified by any who has been there), "and just as fascinating." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Butte   2. Chemical And Mineral Industries (Economic Aspects)   3. History   4. History - General History   5. History: American   6. Industries - General   7. Mineral industries   8. Mines and mineral resources   9. Montana   10. Montana - State Government   11. United States - 19th Century   12. United States - 19th Century/Old West   13. History / United States / State & Local   

What separates To the Brink from most annals of a team's season is the ending: the Jazz ultimately failed. All the tumult, anxiety, and excitement that led to this failure make Brink a far more textured tale than the one that would have been written had they prevailed over the Bulls in the 1998 NBA championships. Lewis naturally centers on the often brilliant play and moody personalities of future Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone, but he works all sides of the court here, and good stories emerge, from Coach Jerry Sloan's metamorphosis in the face of his wife's cancer to the tense bickering over Greg Ostertag's inflated salary and deflated performance. Regularly counted out and always underestimated, the Jazz surprised the NBA by doing what they do best: playing solid ball and prevailing in the West on what often seemed like a triumvirate of heart, perseverance, and Malone's charismatically gargantuan will. They shocked the talented Lakers, sweeping them in the conference finals 4-0 to earn a return trip to face the Bulls in the title round, where they succumbed, a game too soon, to one of Michael Jordan's more sublime moments. That the loss is preordained riffs; like a bad date with destiny, you keep hoping for the best, but a sad air of resignation prevails. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

COULD BE A HISTORY BOOK
Not only does this book give a remarkable description of the 97'/98' season but also a in depth look at the previous seasons and how the Jazz came to be in Utah. It is the best written Jazz book I have ever read and I will read it over and over. Michael Lewis as wrote the book in away that all the memorable moments come rushing back to you as if you were still in front of the T.V. celebrating with your friends. It brings it back to life.

Amazing!
This book is a summary of the 97-98 Utah Jazz season; and even as a diehard Jazz fan, I didn't know of some of the sticky situations that went on in their season and what a miracle it was that they made the finals. The whole state of Utah (they're all Jazz fans, right?) needs to read this book; along with any other Jazz fan.

What a book!
I just finished this book and I can't say enough about it. It describes the Jazz's season perfectly! If you get 1 book this year make it this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Basketball   2. Basketball - General   3. Basketball - Professional   4. Sports   5. Sports & Recreation   6. Malone, Karl   7. Sports & Recreation / Basketball   8. Stockton, John   

Customer Reviews (14)

How did this book go out of print and where is the movie?
I checked this book out of my little local library several years ago, and enjoyed it tremendously. Malone has an excellent ear for dialogue. As I was reading the novel I kept thinking how well it would translate to the screen. Since then I have found out Malone writes for "One Life to Live", so I guess he has a lot of experience with dialogue.

I always intended to look for more of Malone's books, and found a copy of Foolscap for a pittance in a bargain bin, but had forgotten about him until tonight, when for some reason this book came to mind and I looked for more of the same. I have added Uncivil Seasons to my shopping cart, I just wish you could add Time's Witness to yours.

Perhaps the best from Michael Malone
Malone is an amazing writer. His command of the language, his ability to interweave multiple plots, and, above all, his characterization of people in "the new South" is flawless. Of the Justin/Cuddy trilogy, Time's Witness is by far my favorite. Perhaps that's because the point of view is that of Cuddy Mangum, far more complex than tortured soul Justin Savile, narrarator of "Uncivil Seasons".

An older book that went out of print for awhile and is just now being enjoyed by a new generation of readers, "Time's Witness" covers the controversy of capital punishment, when the criminal is truly not guilty, in a way that Grisham, Turow, and many others are just getting to now. The threads of who actually was responsible for the death of a cop, and later a civil rights activist, are sometimes a little difficult to follow.

But Malone keeps the complex story alive by his references to day to day small dramas, while the large plot unfolds. His phrasing is elegant, and bringing in the funny Martha (Cuddy's dog), the personal lives of cops Nancy & Zeke, and the bond between Cuddy and inimitable attorney Isaac Rosethorn (think Robert Duvall) grounds the reality you look for in a novel, into this fine book.

In particular, the courtroom scenes, near the end of the novel, come to life in a way that many other "legal thriller" novelists would love to emulate. Rising above all is the way Malone brings Cuddy's (and others') beliefs on issues of the day to bear in the story with crisp and believable dialogue. Morally on par on multiple themes in the way that "To Kill a Mockingbird" read, "Time's Witness" is a classic of our times!

Bravo!

It is easy to forget the main story. Mr. Hall was on trial.
I almost didn't finish this book because I was afraid of the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative style. but I didn't think I wanted to read to the end.
Mr. Malone's writing skill makes the story and the characters so absorbing that we can forget that this is a story about a man on trial for his life.
Whether or not you will like the ending depends. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Americans   2. Crimes against   3. Fiction   4. Fiction - General   5. General   6. Legal   7. Mystery & Detective - General   8. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural   9. Mystery/Suspense   10. North Carolina   11. Police   12. Race relations   

Subjects:  1. American First Novelists   2. Fiction   3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective   4. Movie-TV Tie-In - General   5. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths   6. Mystery fiction   7. Mystery/Suspense   8. Serial murders   9. Societies and clubs   10. Suspense   11. Women detectives   12. Fiction / Movie or Television Tie-In   

Subjects:  1. Abused children   2. Bingo   3. Finance   4. Gambling   5. General   6. Government policy   7. Malone, Robert,   8. Mississippi   9. Politics - Current Events   10. Services For Abused Children   11. Services for   12. Social Situations And Conditions   13. Sociology   14. Hathorn, Sue   15. History / General   16. Malone, Robert   17. Moore, Michael C   18. Trials, litigation, etc