Rating: 
Summary: The Real Americans
Review: Since this is the first book I've read by this author, I can't compare it to her other work. I found it to be somewhat superficial, but still interesting. What I got from the book is that you can't tell who is a real American by looking at the color of their skin, where they born, or who their parents were. The Wrath group headed by Vern Ostergard seems to want to save America for the Americans, but who is that? Being an American is loving our freedom, not abusing it, knowing that each of us has a talent and something to give no matter who we are or where we came from. The first part of the book with the history of the immigrants and the Native American pointed like an arrow for me to the conflict of the racist group. In the end, the real Americans are people like the character Charlie who is willing to risk his life for our country and Lauren who bravely confronts the task of reporting on this situation to protect our freedoms through the freedom of the press. While this isn't the greatest quality novel that one can read, it is interesting and thought provoking enough to spend some time with "Red, White & Blue." Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: The Real Americans
Review: Since this is the first book I've read by this author, I can't compare it to her other work. I found it to be somewhat superficial, but still interesting. What I got from the book is that you can't tell who is a real American by looking at the color of their skin, where they born, or who their parents were. The Wrath group headed by Vern Ostergard seems to want to save America for the Americans, but who is that? Being an American is loving our freedom, not abusing it, knowing that each of us has a talent and something to give no matter who we are or where we came from. The first part of the book with the history of the immigrants and the Native American pointed like an arrow for me to the conflict of the racist group. In the end, the real Americans are people like the character Charlie who is willing to risk his life for our country and Lauren who bravely confronts the task of reporting on this situation to protect our freedoms through the freedom of the press. While this isn't the greatest quality novel that one can read, it is interesting and thought provoking enough to spend some time with "Red, White & Blue." Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: A Great American Novel
Review: Susan Isaacs explores what it means to be American in her cross-genre novel, Red, White and Blue. Part thriller, part history, and part romance, Red, White and Blue is the story of two people investigating an anti-semitic terrorist group in Wyoming. Charlie Blair, a Special Agent for the FBI, is described as the product of what would happen if the Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam had a one-night stand. He personifies the American West: he is independent, has strong character and integrity, and one could see him facing down a gunslinger in a dusty street of an old western town. Lauren Miller, however, personifies the East. She is a tough journalist for the Jewish News in New York, and the bombing of a video store in the Midwest could be her big story. How Lauren and Charlie come together to break a group of white supremicists comprises most of the plot. Interestingly enough, however, they share a great-great-grandmother in common. Susan Isaacs spends a great deal of time showing how they became American by tracing the story of the generations between Dora Schottland, a 15 year old orphan from Budapest, and Charlie and Lauren. Though there would seem to be a schism between the historical section and the mystery/romance, Susan Isaacs smooths over the transitions with a narrative voice strong in irony and humor. Her use of detail to quickly paint the portraits of people in the past is masterful. While not destined to be a classic, Red White and Blue could still be said to be a great American novel. Definitely worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: A Great American Novel
Review: Susan Isaacs explores what it means to be American in her cross-genre novel, Red, White and Blue. Part thriller, part history, and part romance, Red, White and Blue is the story of two people investigating an anti-semitic terrorist group in Wyoming. Charlie Blair, a Special Agent for the FBI, is described as the product of what would happen if the Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam had a one-night stand. He personifies the American West: he is independent, has strong character and integrity, and one could see him facing down a gunslinger in a dusty street of an old western town. Lauren Miller, however, personifies the East. She is a tough journalist for the Jewish News in New York, and the bombing of a video store in the Midwest could be her big story. How Lauren and Charlie come together to break a group of white supremicists comprises most of the plot. Interestingly enough, however, they share a great-great-grandmother in common. Susan Isaacs spends a great deal of time showing how they became American by tracing the story of the generations between Dora Schottland, a 15 year old orphan from Budapest, and Charlie and Lauren. Though there would seem to be a schism between the historical section and the mystery/romance, Susan Isaacs smooths over the transitions with a narrative voice strong in irony and humor. Her use of detail to quickly paint the portraits of people in the past is masterful. While not destined to be a classic, Red White and Blue could still be said to be a great American novel. Definitely worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: A good read but flawed
Review: Susan Isaacs is a great writer. I'm a native Long Islander and identify with her books and have enjoyed them all. This one is definitely the weak link in the chain. The first half of the book gets bogged down in too much generational stuff. I had trouble keeping everyone straight. (Now WHO was Charlie's great grandfather, the guy who jumped the train or the guy who married the rancher's daughter, etc?) By the time Charlie and Lauren were introduced, I didn't know who was who "relatively" speaking. The story line was great, but not enough time was devoted to character and plot development. There should also have been more of a sexual tension buildup before Charlie and Lauren hopped into the sack. My opinion? A quarter of the book should have been devoted to ancestors, three quarters to the main storyline and Lauren and Charlie. Going back two generations would have been sufficient.
Rating: 
Summary: A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT
Review: This book disappointed me so much, To think that I've read ALL of Ms. Isaacs's books and loved them all. This book was one big bore! It put me to sleep at night and I had to force myself to hurry up and get it finished. The ending was soooo predictable and the storyline sooooo boring... I just hope next time Susan Issacs goes back to her witty, funny style that is so enjoyable to read. I loved Lily White and Almost Paradise, etc. Reading about Wrath was the most boring torture to have to go through! Was it necessary to go so much into detail about such a stupid and unbelievable organization? Don't waste your money nor time on this one. I should have believed the reviews I had already read in Amazon.
Rating:
Summary: A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT
Review: This book disappointed me so much, To think that I've read ALL of Ms. Isaacs's books and loved them all. This book was one big bore! It put me to sleep at night and I had to force myself to hurry up and get it finished. The ending was soooo predictable and the storyline sooooo boring... I just hope next time Susan Issacs goes back to her witty, funny style that is so enjoyable to read. I loved Lily White and Almost Paradise, etc. Reading about Wrath was the most boring torture to have to go through! Was it necessary to go so much into detail about such a stupid and unbelievable organization? Don't waste your money nor time on this one. I should have believed the reviews I had already read in Amazon.
Rating:
Summary: silly, comicbook characters, movie script obvious
Review: This book is a poorly fleshed out,silly story of a cowboy and a Jewish liberal girl---how together they defeat neo-nazi morons. It is a good book to read on an airline.You can skip the first half of the book and complete the rest in a flight from N.Y. to Wyoming, where the book is set. Suffice it to know that the couple have great-great-great grandparents in common. It's kind of like Barry Goldwater meets Barbara Streisand in the movie, The Way We Were. Definitely a Book of the Month Club pick.
Rating: 
Summary: Whats the point???
Review: This book must have been about something, but I couldn't figure out what. Susan Isaacs is capable of much more than this. I was very disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A story with potential killed by cliche that goes nowhere
Review: This is my first Susan Issac work and I found myself struggling to stay focused. As much as I wanted to get into the characters, Issac would break in with her own witty narrative (A Woody Allen she isn't). I found these interruptions a distraction as well as a poor excuse for character development. All the while I waited patiently for the lengthy introduction to tie itself together at the later part of the book. The book never met my expectations. Her characters are suitable for a Fox Network miniseries. She allowed herself to become trapped in the cliche of the family tree and let it take too much precedence in the story without giving it more than a trite justification. Wrong story for such an idea. The credibility of the characters never succeeded. Ms Issac would serve herself better (as well as the readers) by focusing on the characters and less on creating a "hook" of faraway related individuals caught in a neo-militia-love story-wild west tale. The impact of the book was as dull as Vernon Ostergard's diatribes on ZOG and the government. A disappointment considering there was a great deal of potential lost in the frozen snowdrifts of Wyoming.
|
