The reader of Trouble in Flatbush is given a picture of 1948-50 Brooklyn in stunning detail through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy. This account is a meticulous biography of place. The voice of the 12 year old is funny and sweet. His adventures are tumultuous and the schemes invariably lead to intrigue and trouble. The sensations of mid century Brooklyn are all there: rose bushes on chain link fences, odors of horse droppings behind horse drawn carts, the excitement and dare of rides at the otherworldly setting of Coney Island and the sanctuary of a dead-end street. The adventures that took...

At the peak of his career and popularity, Russian icon Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky died mysteriously. Rumors were that he died of cholera - unlikely, as Tchaikovsky's house staff was well aware that water should be boiled. There are other possible scenarios of the untimely death of this healthy man in his early fifties.

In 19th century Russia, being gay was perilous. The punishment was severe; knowing someone was gay and not reporting it warranted tortuous sentences if not death. Tchaikovsky was gay.

This account of foreboding doom reveals a secret between...

At the peak of his career and popularity, Russian icon Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky died mysteriously. Rumors were that he died of cholera - unlikely, as Tchaikovsky's house staff was well aware that water should be boiled. There are other possible scenarios of the untimely death of this healthy man in his early fifties.

In 19th century Russia, being gay was perilous. The punishment was severe; knowing someone was gay and not reporting it warranted tortuous sentences if not death. Tchaikovsky was gay.

This account of foreboding doom reveals a secret between...