Tuesday, September 21, 2010

PROFESSOR BINGO PRESENTS DAY: KATIE, UP AND DOWN THE HALL-REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

WELCOME TO
BOOKIN' WITH BINGO'S
"PROFESSOR BINGO
PRESENTS DAY"
PART TWO
I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THIS TUESDAY'S
"PROFESSOR BINGO PRESENTS DAY"
CHILDREN/YOUNG ADULT BOOK
SECOND CHOICE IS....
(ALSO GREAT FOR ALL AGES)
GIVEAWAY ENDED
KATIE
UP AND DOWN THE HALL
BY GLENN PLASKIN


ABOUT THE BOOK:

A personal memoir by bestselling author and celebrity journalist Glenn Plaskin, KATIE is a moving story about a man who discovers the true meaning of family after adopting a cocker spaniel puppy. Through the magnetic personality of his mischievous dog, the author soon makes powerful connections with several of his down-the-hall neighbors in a high-rise located in the unique Battery Park City neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. First, Katie trots into the lives of Pearl and Arthur, a warm-hearted elderly couple just a few doors down from Glenn. Later, John, a single Dad, and his rambunctious young son, Ryan, also move in and are seduced by Katie's charms.

All of their lives are profoundly changed as they are transformed from neighbors to friends to family, with Pearl as matriarch. The motherless boy finds a "Granny"; his Dad inherits a mother, Glenn discovers a confidante. Set in New York City, we witness nearly sixteen years of antics and family adventures spanning Hollywood high times, bad health, accidents, blustery winters, even the terrors of 9/11. Through it all, the family clings to each other, sharing a deep bond that give each comfort, support and security.


Based upon a widely-read article in
Family Circle, here is an unforgettable story about the love that makes a family-one that transcends the hard realities of time, tragedy, and inevitable loss.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Veteran journalist and celebrity interviewer Glenn Plaskin is the bestselling author of Horowitz: The Biography of Vladimir Horowitz and Turning Point: Pivotal Moments in the Lives of America’s Celebrities. His profiles and columns have appeared in the New York Times, the Daily News, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Family Circle, US Weekly, Ladies Home Journal, Cosmopolitan, W, and Playboy. His interview subjects have included such figures as Katharine Hepburn, Nancy Reagan, Calvin Klein, Senator Edward Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Leona Helmsley, Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, Donald Trump, Al Pacino and Meryl Streep. His TV appearances include The Today Show, Oprah, and Larry King Live. He lives in New York City. Visit the author’s websites at www.glennplaskin.com and www.katiebook.com.

MY REVIEW:


I have been reading so many wonderful memoirs lately and KATIE - UP AND DOWN THE HALL by Glenn Plaskin is no exception. It always helps when setting is New York City where my family comes from and I was born, so that had me right away. Knowing the history of Battery Park City at the southern tip of Manhattan, I can picture Glenn’s apartment building and the view of the Lady in the Harbor, the Statue of Liberty. After Glenn had moved to this area, one of his next objectives was to get a dog.

Enter Katie, a blonde Cocker Spaniel who just happened to be the runt of the litter, and like so many of them, turned out to be probably the smartest of the litter as well. Glenn was a writer who interviewed MANY celebrities including Katherine Hepburn (who Katie is named after), Farrah Fawcett, and the Divine Ms. M, Bette Midler, and often Katie went on those interviews with Glenn. But Katie’s real calling came in making friends in the apartment building. She becomes very close, as does Glenn, to an eighty-year-old couple, Pearl and Arthur, and a single dad, John, and his very active son, Ryan.

When Glenn lost his job, it was Katie and this new found family that pulled Glenn through some trying times and out of depression. Then this intrepid group of strangers had a first hand look as their neighborhood came to resemble a war zone on September 11, 2001. Only Katie could get a smile out of “her” family in those dark days.

Glenn recounts how when Arthur died after being married to Pearl for 59 years, it was Ryan, in particular who came to play a big part in her life. As a grandmother figure to the boy, and mother and close friend to the rest, Pearl was able to go on and the group was even closer. I think Plaskin’s talent is put to the test when there are sad or trying times to be described and he passes with flying colors. He gives his characters the depth that made them as real to me as they are, or were, of course, to him. Katie’s hallway antics and as she ages, her loyalty, are described with humor as well as great tenderness. When Ryan and his dad, John, move away to Paris, it is like losing more family members.

And as it goes, the circle of life finds Katie as her work was more than done and Plaskin’s gentle narrative of Katie’s last few days, is told so beautifully that it will touch your heart like it did mine, I am sure. They had spent almost 15 years together and saying goodbye was so very hard for Glenn as it will be for the reader. Glenn carries on with a purpose, however, as he is remains as caregiver to Pearl until is also gone. You don’t really have to be a dog lover to appreciate the fine writing by Glenn Plaskin because the story is really about the love a family…and what defines a family? In this case, Katie did as she brought together these people who were needed, and came to love and care for each other. KATIE-UP AND DOWN THE HALL is a beautiful tribute to Katie.




GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO VALERIE AND MY
FRIENDS AT THE HACHETTE
BOOK GROUP, I HAVE THREE
COPIES OF THIS CHARMING
MEMOIR TO GIVE AWAY!

THE RULES:

--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS IN COMMENT
--ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE
SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT
AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY



HOW TO ENTER
+1 ENTRY: READ THE THE REVIEW AND ESPECIALLY WATCH THE LOVELY VIDEO AND COMMENT ON WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO WIN THIS MEMOIR
+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK AND LEAVE A LINK
+1 MORE ENTRY: GO TO THE "KATIE'S" WEBSITE HERE AND CHECK OUT THE GALLERY OF PICTURES AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS TO SEE THERE. COME BACK AND COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING THERE.
GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, OCTOBER 5!

43 comments:

traveler said...

I am captivated by this wonderful story which is emotional and beautiful. Your review captured it all. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I enjoyed perusing this site and the photos are especially lovely. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

petite said...

Katie sounds like a unique and uplifting book which would be heartbreaking but realistic too. thanks. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

The Glenn and Katie website is delightful and interesting. Such great pictures which show warmth and caring. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

Reading said...

Please count me in. I would love to win this because I love dogs and do believe that animals can truly bring people together.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Reading said...

I just love the pictures on the web page. They truly look happy.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Margie said...

I would love to read this memoir. I'm a real dog lover and would like to see how Katie reacts to the other people in the apartment. It's also interesting to see how a group of non-related people can become a "family".
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

From the website....
Good photos of the author's "extended famnily". And you can't help but love Katie, she is so cute! I also found it interesting to see the list of famous people the author has interviewed. But I bet his favorite subject was Katie!
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

StephTheBookworm said...

OMG! I have been wanting this book so bad since I first saw it. The video is really touching... love the pics of Katie on the video as a puppy. I really want to read this book because I have loved animals all my life and know how much they can change lives. My pets mean so much to me.

stephaniet117 at yahoo dot com

StephTheBookworm said...

I looked at that website too and the pictures are so adorable! I like the last picture of Katie and the older woman. The lady looks so happy with Katie. Wow, the end of the video too is so emotional.

Linda Henderson said...

What a truly lovely video. I do so want to read this book. I've always said it doesn't take blood to make a family and this book shows that to be true.

seriousreader at live dot com

Linda Henderson said...

I tweeted this giveaway.
http://twitter.com/BookOwner/status/25180651157

seriousreader at live dot com

Linda Henderson said...

There were many great testimonials from famous people speaking with glowing words about the author and this wonderful dog.

seriousreader at live dot com

justpeachy36 said...

I just love dogs. I have a faithful service dog named Sundae and she means the world to me. So, this book really sounds great and I'd love to win it. Great review!

Please enter me in the giveaway.

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

justpeachy36 said...

I loved looking at all the great pics of Katie and the author and his family. She must be a very well loved pet.

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

holdenj said...

We had a cocker when I was growing up and I know how kind and special they can be! It looks like a very heartwarming story.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

The book sounds very interesting and good. I would love to read it. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

Anonymous said...

From your review,it is evident that Katie had a bottomless heart that gave and gave to all she meet and she stitched all those lives together with friendship.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

+ 5 SWAG

Anonymous said...

+ 5 SWAG

Goofed! Please delete the entry without the e-mail address.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/2010/09/professor-bingo-presents-day-katie-up.html


I tweeted the above.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Pearl would never be surrounded by the family of friends when she needed so much if Katie had not introduced them. Also, Lucy, a blond cocker spaniel is being raised in a way to keep the ties of the friends together.

Margie said...

+5 Swag
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Linda Kish said...

What a sweet story and video. I'm such a sucker for dog stories.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I really like the neighborhood pictures.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Charleydog said...

I would like to win this book because I love dogs, and stories about dogs.

pboylecharley AT hotmail DOT com

Pamela Keener said...

What an awesome story about how a dog brought together people, who needed each other, together on the same floor of an apartment building. I want to know the whole story.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Pamela Keener said...

The pictures are adorable and heartbreaking. The fact that Ryan moved away & Pearl just down the hall w/o her husband, I want to reach out and hug them all.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

arceli said...

I'd like to win this because it sounds like a touching story that I could really get into.

a(dot)long(at)tcu(dot)edu

nfmgirl said...

As you say, you may not have to be a dog lover in order to want to read this book, but I AM one, and that is precisely why I WOULD love this book. Please count me in. Thank you!

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

Blogged:
http://cerebralgirl.blogspot.com/2010/09/book-giveaways-in-blogworld-09-25-10.html

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

Sandra K321 said...

"I VISITED COWBOY AND WILLS RADIO SHOW". It was very enjoyable. Thanks.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)Com

LeAnn said...

Your review and the video show how this beautiful friendship/family evolves..The video definitely brings forth deep emotions if you have ever had a pet for a long time and witness their decline and death.

Being an empty nester and a widow, I am experiencing how a "new" family (ie. differently defined) will be my next chapter.
sunshine9 at imonmail dot com

LeAnn said...

I went to Katie's site and saw some great photos of her family. I was also impressed with the links/articles that were there.

sunshine9 at imonmail dot com

rubynreba said...

I would like to read this because Katie is so cute and I love to read dog stories!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

I thought this comment on her website was interesting. In these days when families are spread all over the country a surrogate family formed with people in close proximity can become juast as close as a biological one.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

hendy said...

Well I absolutly love memoirs and dogs so this is a great combination. I love that Katie was able to connect the author with his nieghbors in ways he never would have been able to otherwise.
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

hendy said...

Wow, based on the picture I can Glen has made a pretty good living writing. I lived in NYC for 2 years and to have a home and view like that is off the charts expensive.
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

Allison said...

I'd love to read this book because I am a sucker for books with animals.

allisonsbj3(at)gmail(dot)com

Allison said...

I love the picture with Katie in a party hat!

allisonsbj3(at)gmail(dot)com

lag123 said...

I would like to win because I love heartwarming stories about animals.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

Tweeted: https://twitter.com/lag32583/status/26468970572

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I like the Granny Down the Hall picture.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

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