"Buffalo Unbound, A Celebration" by Laura Pedersen a book review and how to win a copy of the book

"Buffalo Unbound, A Celebration"
by Laura Pedersen
Published by Fulcrum Books
2010
216 pages

At the end of this review I'll tell you how you can win a copy of this book and and Laura Pedersen's memoirs of growing up in Buffalo, "Buffalo Gal."

Laura Pedersen columnist, trader, humorist and author loves her native city of Buffalo, New York. In her memoirs of growing up in Buffalo, "Buffalo Gal" she told humorous stories of growing up during a time in Buffalo when times were tough. In 2009 "Forbes" magazine ranked Buffalo as one of the top ten most miserable cities in which to live and then had the gall to repeat the insult in 2010. Pedersen didn't stand for this and has written a humorous and at times heartfelt book to retaliate and portray Buffalo, NY as a top-tier city and "The City of Good Neighbors."

Pedersen takes the reader on a wonderful journey through the history of Buffalo from the times when the Iroquois Indians ruled the land to now where the city is thriving with locally made candies, food festivals, multicultural events, theatre and stunning architecture drive away the reminders of great blizzards past.

Each chapter/essay in this book covers something about Buffalo that I found fascinating, whether it was the history or descriptions of the beautiful and even some strange sights. Buffalo is always changing with the times. Laura Pedersen could always throw in some comment that leaves you smiling. Her humor really makes this book one that cannot be put down.

The Buffalo Chamber of Commerce had better have a thank you basket handy for Laura, because every section had me wanting to move to Buffalo and set down roots. My only reservation, was the snow and cold. Pedersen even covers the "Blizzard of '77" and a few other tragedies such as the "Cleveland Hill Fire," when an elementary school burned down killing many children, but the bright side, if there can be one in such a tragedy, is that this New York tragedy created the need for schools nation wide to organize fire drills.

If you like architecture then you already know of Frank Lloyd Wright, but did you know of the many Buffalo area buildings he designed? Architecture is covered as well as sculpture, and other arts, so it seems Buffalo has a bit of something for everyone.

This book is a fun read that not only teaches a little history, but entertains with the not quite dry wit of Laura Pedersen and creates the urge to shuffle off to Buffalo. But there's still that snow thing...maybe if a radio station in the Buffalo area needs an employee and will pay to move me there, for that I would love to see the sights written about in this book, maybe I'll have to plan a vacation to Buffalo, after all Niagara Falls is close by.

Now let's talk about how you can win a copy of this book. All you have to do is comment on this posting and you'll be entered in a random drawing to win not only this book, "Buffalo Unbound," but also Pedersen's memoirs, "Buffalo Gal." Comment and make sure you leave a way for me to contact you. If you don't feel comfortable leaving your email address then email me gil (at) gilwilson (dot) com and let me know you commented. Drawing to be held Friday, October 22, 2010.

Also check out Laura Pedersen's website for more information about her and her other books.
http://www.laurapedersenbooks.com

Your chance to win "Buffalo Unbound" by Laura Pedersen

Laura Pederson is releasing another book and this time she and I are giving you a chance to win a copy. All you have to do is comment on this blog and you'll be entered to win. Make sure you include an email address so I can contact you if you win. The winner will receive a copy of "Buffalo Unbound" and Pedersen's previous book "Buffalo Gal"

I'll be drawing the random winner Friday October, 22 so enter now. Only one entry per e-mail address.


BUFFALO UNBOUND: A Celebration by Laura Pedersen.

When Forbes magazine recently ranked Buffalo, New York, eighth on a list of America's 10 Most Miserable Cities, former New York Times columnist Laura Pedersen set out to celebrate the people and places that make Buffalo the Most Exciting City. In BUFFALO UNBOUND, a follow-up to her award-winning memoir BUFFALO GAL, Pedersen captures the current renaissance in a humorous conversational style that would make former Nickel City newspaperman Mark Twain proud.

Writing about the economic collapse and social unrest of her 1970s childhood in Buffalo, New York, Laura Pedersen was struck by how things were finally improving in her beloved hometown. As 2008 began, Buffalo was poised to become the thriving metropolis it had been a hundred years earlier—only instead of grain and steel, the booming industries now included health care and banking, education and technology. Folks who'd moved away due to lack of opportunity in the 1980s talked excitedly about returning home. They missed the small-town friendliness, and it wasn't nostalgia for a past that no longer existed—Buffalo has long held the well-deserved nickname the City of Good Neighbors. The diaspora has ended. Preservationists are winning out over demolition crews. The lights are back on in a city that's usually associated with blizzards and blight rather than its treasure trove of art, architecture and culture.

"Buffalo Gal"
Growing up in the snowblower society of Buffalo, New York, Laura Pedersen s first words were most likely turn the wheel into a skid. Like many families subsisting in the frigid North during the energy crisis, the Pedersens feared rising prices at the gas pump, argued about the thermostat, fought over the dog to stay warm at night, and often slept in their clothes. While her parents were preoccupied with surviving separation and stagflation, daughter Laura became the neighborhood wild child, skipping school, playing poker, betting on the horses, and trading stocks. Learning how to beat the odds, by high school graduation Pedersen was well prepared to seek her fortune on Wall Street, becoming the youngest person to have a seat on the American Stock Exchange and a millionaire by age 21. Combining laugh-out-loud humor with a slice of social history her hometown was a flash point for race riots, antiwar protests, and abortion rallies, not to mention bingo, bowling, and Friday night fish fries Pedersen paints a vivid portrait of an era.

Read Laura’s account of the rise, fall and rebirth of the Rust Belt city.
More information about Laura Pedersen and her books can be found online at: http://www.laurapedersenbooks.com.

"Best Bet" - a novel by Laura Pedersen

"Best Bet" - a novel
by Laura Pedersen
Published 2009
by iUniverse Books


I wasn't really sure what I was in for when I received this book. From the looks of the cover, I was thinking it was some sort of chick book leaning heavy on the romance. But we all know that you don't judge a book by the cover. I'm glad I didn't, judge, that is. I read Laura Pedersen's memoir book "Buffalo Gal," so I knew that she was fun to read. Ms. Pederson has a great sense of humor that is carried into this novel perfectly. In fact that's what kept me going throughout the book, every time something heavy would happen one of the Characters (I'll explain the capital "C" in a bit.) would blurt out something and I would be thankful I wasn't drinking milk else it come out my nose. The humor was very funny and at times unexpected.

The reason I capitalized characters is because these characters were Characters. Maybe that still doesn't explain. As I run throught the summary I think you'll get my drift.

The main character is Hallie, she is about to graduate from a midwestern college and move in with her boyfriend Craig. Hallie is getting her degree in graphic design and Craig quit school to start his now successful pond building business. Their plans are foiled when Hallie finds out that the absent-minded advisor advised her wrong and she is 4 credits shy of graduating. The school knows it is there problem and offer she take the 4 credit sociology class no charge. Hallie was planning on moving and another option is that she could take the class at a community college and transfer the credits, but she would have to pay for the course, or she could just not get her degree. As she is leaving her advisor's office she runs into an ex-"boyfriend" and is presented with a 4th option.

This 4th option, to me sounds like a dream opportunity and I would not hesitate, but then I'm not Hallie, she has a job waiting for and a boyfriend that is ready for her to move in with him. The 4th option is an independent study type of sociology class. The professor has created a study in which she will travel around the world dropping wallets with $20 in cash in them and record the rates of return of the wallets and compare to the sociological standings of the various countries. This would require Hallie to answer within a couple of days whether she could drop everything and travel the world.

Here's where the characters come in. Hallie comes from a large family and during her college years has taken up residence with some friends. These friends are of the parental generation for Hallie but not quite. First are 2 gay men, Gil and Bernard (right here I have to say any book with my name in it is worth reading ) Gil runs a local performing arts theater, and Bernard is always cooking some exotic recipe. The two live together and have adopted two Japanese girls. Bernard has taken on the training of the girls' girl scout troop. This troop being the first to know how to mix cocktails and what are the appropriate cocktails and snacks to prepare for any given social occasion. Bernard's mother, Olivia live with them and is constantly protesting or planning a protest for many political agendas.

Bernard overly frets about the safety of Hallie leaving her hometown and only offers up statistics of deaths in other countries. Olivia, says traveling the world is the best way for a young person to know their world and their place in it. Hallie's boyfriend, Craig, does not want her to go and gives her the ultimatum. Marry and stay or go and never see him again. All this time Hallie and her siblings are shocked at finding out that their fairly recently widowed mother is marrying the church pastor.

To keep things short Hallie goes on the trip and throughout the many experiences around the world with the honesty sociology experiment learns to be honest with herself. The return home Hallie is a changed person, yet still the same ole Hallie. In other words there is so much going on in this book that with all the fun you have reading the various events good, bad and downright funny, you learn Hallie was not honest with herself and where she wants to be in the world.

"Buffalo Gal: a Memoir" By Laura Pedersen

"Buffalo Gal: a Memoir"
By Laura Pedersen
Publisher: Fulcrum Pub (October 31, 2008)


Most of the time when I read memoir type books I get information from a person's life that is very unlike my own. Mary Carr wrote about growing up in Texas during the 60s in "Liar's Club and David Sedaris is always writing about his strange life through his many books. In this book, "Buffalo Gal" by Laura Pedersen, the author takes a look at her life growing up in the 70's which hits more to home for me. While she grew up in frozen Buffalo, New York and I grew up in tornado riddled Oklahoma, many of the same concepts hit home. Laura Pedersen also takes more of a humorous view of her life creating a very funny read.

Just to give you an idea of who Laura Pedersen is, here's the bio listed on Amazon.com: "Laura Pedersen has written for The New York Times and is the author of Play Money, Going Away Party, Beginner s Luck (chosen as a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection), Last Call, Heart s Desire, The Sweetest Hours, and The Big Shuffle. In 1994, President Clinton honored her as one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans. She has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America, Primetime Live, and The Late Show with David Letterman, and writes for several well-known comedians. Pedersen lives in New York City."

This book shows how the author’s comedic talent developed; after all, growing up having to dig yourself out of the snow you pretty much have to find something to entertain. Having a mother who was the neighborhood free clinic helped also.

There are many stories about the author’s mom being ever alert to medical problems, someone could sneeze and her mother would be ready to treat yellow fever. That explains why as a teen Laura’s mother would go back to school and actually work in the medical field.

The book begins with a history and development of what in 1901 was the 8th largest city in the United States, but in the hard times of the 70’s became just another northern city. The book then tells of the history of the author’s grandparent’s and their migration into the United States from Ireland and Denmark and succeeding in the land of the free.

Each story and chapter is told with the perfect mix of humor and history to keep the reader anxious to turn the page. I think the funniest aspect of the book of Laura skipping school to ride her bike into Canada and play the horses, or beating her family at poker, all of which led to her becoming the youngest person with a seat on the American Stock Exchange.

Get ready for some history, humor and maybe even a few flashbacks to your childhood with “Buffalo Gal” by Laura Pedersen.

Check out the author's website here;
http://www.laurapedersenbooks.com/