Camelot

by Caryl Rivers and TurtleMe

Book Overview

Mary Springer, an up-and-coming White House reporter, finds that her personal and professional lives converge when she becomes involved in a crisis when city planners want to raze a mostly black... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0944072968
• ISBN13: 9780944072967
• Release Date: October 2000
• Publisher: Zoland Books
• Length: 372 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.6" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A personal look at a fascinating period of history

To many people, the years when President Kennedy was in the WhiteHouse and Martin Luther King, Jr. preached a message of equality andfreedom were "Golden Years" whose like will never comeagain. That this era was a magical time for Americans can be summmedup in the name that was given to it, and in the title of Caryl Rivers'book: "Camelot."I wasn't alive yet at the time, so Ifound Rivers' book invaluable in bringing the era alive for me. TheCivil Rights movement that coincided with Kennedy's tenure had alasting impact on our society. Many people still carry on thestruggle to keep these hard-won rights in the hands of everyone,regardless of skin pigmentation or gender.Rivers' book brings thisexplosive time alive through the experiences of Mary, Jay andDon. These three young people witness some of history's most pivotalevents firsthand. Rivers presents their reactions and experiences withhonesty and power, triumph and tragedy.Rivers creates distinctindividuals masterfully through Mary's youth and freshness, Jay's moreworldly cynicism and bizarre sexual fetishes -- one could almost callthem hangups -- and Don's eloquent ruminations (Don's experiences aretold entirely from the first person). His weakness for truly horrificbodice rippers is a stroke of genius on Rivers' part.I laughed outloud when the liberated and educated girlfriend of this likewise veryidealistic and principled young man begins mouthing dialogue from hisfavorite author. That I also laughed at Mary and Jay's "Pat andDick" routines almost goes without saying.Whether you wish torevisit this treasured era of American history, or if, like me, youare experiencing it for the first time, you can possibly do it in nobetter company than Rivers' masterful and wonderful creations.

A delightful, funny, thought-provoking read

The great thing about Caryl River's writing is that she can impart real wisdom and still make you laugh out loud. I loved the characters in this book, each one completely human, each one trying to play they hand they've been dealt (including JFK), each one struggling to find a place for herself or himself in a rapidly changing world. The story has the sense of reality that can only be achieved by someone who was there.

Wonderful!

"Camelot" was a wonderful book; one of those that I accidentally found in a small corner book store. Having a fixation with the Kennedys and their legend, I picked it up-- admittedly, it was the cover which drew me to it. I read it in a day and couldn't put it down. Ms. Rivers does an amazing job in creating wonderful characters and wrapping you up within their lives, their trials, their tribulations, laughter, and their tears.It did not have as much to do with JFK as I had originally thought; though there were conversations, and every few chapters Rivers expertly directs you into the mind of one of the most romantic figures in American History. She manages to capture the charisma and charm, the LIFE that JFK is famous for, which is no small accomplishment. Clearly researched for this role.Mary is a great character, filled with charm and personality, as is the young president she chats to so he can learn the truth of what goes on outside the white house walls. Jay is amazing- egocentric to some degree, perverted in others, and has his own sick sense of humour. And Don is wonderful, both perfect and flawed, innocent and sinful with his amazing views of the world from a black man raised Catholic in a white neighbourhood, who struggles with his inner self during the Civil Rights Movement which inevitably climaxes to give the reader an experience of MLK Jr's "I have a Dream Speech", and a sit-down protest. "Camelot" succeeds in presenting the reader a portrait of the 1960's, one which is more than just a history book rendering.This book is worth reading, if just for the "Pat and Dick" (Nixon) segments that I thoroughly enjoyed- Bravo Ms. Rivers! It had me laughing for hours, and then crying afterwards. However, if you're not a fan of 'sick' humour, or the blatent truth as to how things really are/were, don't even bother.