Reviews Books

Very good review book for Step 1 neuroanatomy section - since this is very high yield. Cover all you need to know to tackle this field on exam. Covers more than FA but is not as exhausting as Kaplan notes.

First Aid is money for most subjects, but it's weak on neuro. This book is a very good balance between too little and too much for this overwhelming subject. The High Yield series keeps improving in quality, and in the newest edition is even better at showing clinical scenarios and integrating other subjects like pathology or physiology (I used an older version and it's still pretty good, though).

I would like to say this is great for course work, but at least at my school they tended to test on obscure minituae hard to find anywhere.

This is all you should need for Step, which does feature a decent dose of neuro (about 10, more like 20 questions). It's also very good at developing as essential foundation of knowledge applicable for future use, which sometimes gets lost when scrambling to cram for course exams.

My big qualm is the pricing. It's a thin book, not a main text. Use the library, borrow it from a friend, split the cost, etc. High Yield makes a nice line of books but they need to trim prices for medical students.

Getting confused with studying anatomy of the brain? This is a book for you! It is far better than dozen of other neuroanatomy books! It gives you a lot of details and it's easy to read, too! I'm studying for the USMLE step 1 exam and I will keep it handy all the time!

The USMLE has become increasingly focused on neuro over the past few years, and First Aid has become more and more inadequate with respect to neuro. This book is a great way to prepare for the neuro questions on Step 1. It's a slender book and is thus a very quick read --- heck, I'm a slow reader and finished it in 2.5 days. At the beginning of the book are several images of brain sections, with arrows pointing to the most important structures. The book also has radiologic images (MRA, MRI, CT) which were very helpful for me when I took Step 1 --- actually, I remember having 3 distinct questions with an accompanying MRA image. The book does a good job of explaining the basic function/organization of the different parts of the brain in a concise manner. There were a few sections that I thought were a little too detailed for Step 1 --- especially the cerebellum section. Overall, though, it's a wonderful book and it will help you to nail the neuro questions on the USMLE.

This is an excellent book and it's really all you need to prepare for your step 1. I used this book and answered every single question on neuro correctly.

I rarely buy books to keep for myself after I read them. This book was loaned to me by a friend, i read it in one week. One of THE best books ever...and i have read a few. The writing was great and I felt as if I was reading a best selling novel and not a religious book.

This was a great book. My husband and I could hardly put it down. It really helps you realize what it must of been like for Joseph with great detail of the era in which the story took place.

In this book you live with Joseph through his dealings with fate. He is portrayed as human, with struggles and emotions, a developing deepening faith in God. A more accurate portrayal of the time and area than I have seen elsewhere. A great movement from favorite son of a rich man to slave to second ruler of Egypt.

I enjoyed this book so much that I have read it at least four times. In fact, it has been just about long enough for another re-reading.

The Bible says little of the daily life of Joseph, dwelling on the high points of his life. Terri reminds us that Joseph was a real man, with real feelings, likes and dislikes, and questions and doubts about God just as we all have. And yet God worked through him to bring about a rescue, not just for the children of Abraham, but for the entire known world.

Excellent!

I've had read this book ten times. My father gave it to me. Joseph is one of my favorite stories from the Bible. I hope Mel Gibson buys the movie rights and makes a movie out of it in the same way he did with the Passion of the Christ. Thank you Mrs. Fivash and God Bless you and Your family.

This is a great reviewer. You will learn strategies on how to answer questions on the NCLEX. It will improve your critical thinking skills. It also contains practice items in the book as well as in the CD-ROM. And yes, I passed the NCLEX! :)

Kaplan products tell you how to approach each question on the NCLEX exam because exam is very different than the real world of nursing practice. Also exam is not about testing your knowledge and how well you know the facts,for example it will not ask you what CHF or DVT is instead it will ask you how you will utilize the knowledge about these problems,which includes critical thinking and establishing priority. I found Maslow's hierarchy very very helpful in prioritizing client needs. I highly recommend kaplan course,I know it is expensive but it worths passing the exam.

This book is an excellent resource when studying for the NCLEX, I would recommend this to anyone preparing to take the NCLEX.
Thank you

My husband enjoys this product and so far is trying to utilize it daily to hopefully succeed in his future test. Thank you for shipping it out so quickly. And thank you for making this affordable and available.

I purchased this book instead of taking their review class because let's face it, the class is pricey. It was so very worth it. You can review facts all you want, but the thing that makes this book awesome is that it teaches you how to think through the questions and pick the "best" answer. I passed my boards and then lent the book to my friends and co-workers who were taking the boards because it was so helpful for me.

I got this book to help with a drama camp that I was teaching. It helped me organize and plan in a way that kept the kids focused. They had a great time and so did I. I highly recommend this book.

This book is amazing. It gives great instructions for many fun games. The instructions are brief,but fun,and give enough information to make the games easy to implement. I have used the book twice for a group of kids, ranging in age from 9-14, and they have loved the activities! I've purchased a couple other similar books that were not nearly as fun and well-put-together as this one.

I bought this book to use to teach a drama class in my homeschool co-op, and I'm so pleased with the fun games and ideas for teaching basic drama concepts. The kids are loving all the games and I think that the games and exercises really spark their creativity.

I never take the time to write reviews for books but I had to for this one! EVERY activity is great--you don't have to search through picking and choosing. I know this will be an invaluable source for me in teaching drama to both elementary and high school students. Thanks to the author for such a great resource!

I purchased this book before I started teaching creative dramatics in Recreation deprtments teaching K-8. It was wonderful. I loved it. I would reccommend it to every teacher (theatre or not) it has wonderful classroom activities.

There are SO many different posters in this book. There are so many different styles too! Abstract, paintings, puppets, photo manipulation, product ads, world-movie posters; it has everything! I love it. Oh. There's also little descriptions of each poster, however they're a little vague at times... that's the only issue I have with the book. Other than that. Great!

Ok great book with some great poster art in it. Wonderful one sheets and other images. There is very little on spotting bootlegs, however that is a saving grace because the internet has turned things upside down with claims of bootlegs that are just ridiculous! The style A hair on Luke's belt is one of those examples. Apparently alot of people seem to believe that even though there were thousands of these printed off in the late 70's, that none of them would have slight printing differences. Count me in as one of the few who believes this version to be an original one sheet and NOT a bootleg; thats right I said it!! I believe it to simply have come from a different print run during its original printing run. If any of you are confused by now about this let me explain that this one sheet has a small hair line that appears on the poster on Luke's belt. Seriously, if you werent lookin for it, you wouldnt even notice it. These posters were originally meant for advertising and to be unused after use; not as pristine collectors items. On a final note about this particular bootleg claim for this poster. This version, with the hair, was sanctioned by Lucasfilm themselves for their official reprint. I think it highly unlikely that Lucasfilm would hand out a bootleg as a template for their official reprints. Anyway, great book, but never believe all that ya hear.

At the price I got this for and the shape it was in, it was a definate steal!

The artwork in this amazing book speaks for itself! - incredible reference and resource to all the movie posters for this groundbreaking, earthshaking blockbuster that keeps on going into hyper-space year after year.... any collector or artist would LOVE to have this in their collection!

While this book has a ton of Star Wars Posters listed, it's a book for the reader who is not familiar with poster collecting, or the highest level of Star Wars poster collecting. There is no inbetween. The book is basically a giant list with illustrations. But the list includes posters that are so obscure that it's almost not worth putting them in this book (Coca Cola and Burger King advertising posters come to mind.) There is also a few places where they just went overboard; there is one page where they have pictures of about 20 different posters, all from Episode I, all the same poster, just printed in different languages. I would have liked to have seen a little more detail on the things that matter more to collectors like how to spot a bootleg from an original, what the 77/21 means on the bottom right of the Star Wars 1 sheet, details on different poster printers and their posters (Kilian Enterprises for one), etc. I would also like to have seen more information on where to get posters other than "try the internet." Overall an OK book, it just lacks in certain areas of information.

For me--raised on Sherlock Holmes--this novel, first published 1968, is not a detective novel in which morality or heroism triumphs, or in which the hero is able to think his way out. When Conan Doyle invented his hero, he was writing within the context of a moral Victorian society in which Holmes's kind of detective work was able to triumph over perpetrators, or at least able to rationalize his own faults. But the world Sciascia shows us is one in which the police remain silent, and those who inquire and question are punished. Sciascia gives us an intelligent, inquisitive high school teacher, Professor Laurana--not a Sherlock Holmes--but, as a learned and well-meaning man, he is an engaging main character. What sort of society is it in which sensitive, inquisitive people are devalued and ignored?

Professor Laurana's questioning opens doors and others shut. And in a town in which people teach each other to keep quiet, we have to wonder what is being taught. It seems that this society is reduced to primitive survival instincts. Only someone like Laurana can break the vicious circle of crime, but Laurana's emotional vulnerability--his sensitivity to literature--is considered a fault. There are clearly characters who do not like anyone asking questions. And there are two characters who are philosophical and analytical, but their ability to understand human psychology disables Laurana's investigation. It's as though too much belief in moral ambiguity can stop a criminal investigation.

While this novel is a comment on Italian or Sicilian society and politics of the 1960s, this setting could be anywhere in the world. We all must be vigilant that through silence and acquiescence, our world does not become like the one Sciascia shows us.

This short novel (158 pages) has so much wonderful, nuanced writing that virtually every page is enjoyable in and of itself. One Amazon reviewer called "To Each His Own" postmodernist, but it also seems reminiscent at times of 19th Century writing that is more character insightful than plot driven. Sicilian master, Leonardo Sciascia, certainly does provide a plot in this novel - an inexplainable double homicide begins the story, followed by the slow accumulation of clues leading to the unlocking of the mystery by a hapless bystander, who reveals his revelations despite himself. The cautious innocent ultimately wanders into the killers' crosshairs betrayed by his own lust and the quiet complicity of the entire community. And it's lust that author Sciascia suggests is at the bottom of everything in the Sicilian town that is the novel's setting.

This is a highly literate and entertaining read that will encourage most readers to seek out other titles by this terrific author.

This book is a well written mystery. The author sets the crime out before you right at the beginning and gives many leads for you to try and draw your own conclusions. His style of writting is very different, but very interesting. It is the type of book that you must continue to read to find out what the ending is about.

The basic principles of right are: to live honorably, not to harm any other person, to render to each his own." Digest of the Emperor Justinian.

The Latin phrase "suum cuique tribuere" or "to each his own" is one of the three fundamental maxims of the law laid down by the Emperor Justinian. The peculiar interpretation of that phrase in Sciascia's native Sicily forms the emotional core of his brilliant "To Each His Own."

"To Each His Own" begins with a double-murder. A local pharmacist, Manno, receives a death threat in the mail, compiled with words and letters cut and pasted from a newspaper. The pharmacist laughs it off. He considers the letter to be a joke and although these threats are usually taken seriously in his town, Manno leads a blameless life and simply cannot believe anyone intends him harm. So he goes off hunting the next day with his friend Dr. Roscio and, without further ado, both Manno and Roscio are shot dead in the woods.

A police investigation follows but it is doomed to go nowhere. Sciascia paints a very explicit portrait of a society in which everyone knows (or suspects) everything but says nothing, certainly not to the local police. The general consensus (on the surface) seems to be that Manno was killed by a jealous husband and Roscio was an innocent bystander. The matter would have ended there but for the curious intercession of Professor Laurana. Laurana is a history and Italian teacher at the local liceo (high school). He walks into the pharmacy where the police are reading the anonymous letter and quickly spots a clue. The police dismiss his information out of hand. Laurana, however, driven by what appears to be no more than a desire to solve a puzzle, decides to follow up on the clue. In short order he seems to have solved the mystery. Laurana is oblivious to the fact that his musings on the crime pose more of a threat to the murderers than a typical local police investigation. Events play out to their natural conclusion, and in Sciascia's Sicily natural conclusions are not quite so neat and tidy as say in Agatha Christie's parlor room England.

The enjoyment to be found in reading "To Each His Own" is not the mystery itself. The fact of the matter is that, for Sciascia, solving a mystery doesn't require great insight. Rather, it simply requires a willingness to actually see that which is self-evident. As blind as Laurana may be to the danger he puts himself in, he can see well enough to understand why Manno and Roscio were murdered and who murdered them. Laurana's problem is not that he knows more than anyone else in town, Sciascia makes it clear that the actual events do not seem a surprise to anyone. No, Laurana's problem is that unlike everyone else in town, he doesn't bother to hide his knowledge.

Sciascia's writing is both precise and enjoyable. He seems to have a keen eye and affection for his native place, but that affection does not diminish, but likely enhances, the despair he feels for a culture in which silence is golden and in which "to each his own" does not bring to mind Roman traditions of equity but, rather, the critical importance of minding ones own business. "To Each His Own" is a cynical, but highly-entertaining piece or work.

Highly recommended. L. Fleisig

Having read "To Each His Own" (or rather, "Il ciascuno il suo") twice, once in Italian and once in English, I find that each time I found new interesting nuances.

Rich, ambiguous characters fill the novel and leaves one wondering who is considered intelligent and who is considered an idiot in Sicilian terms. It also leaves one wondering what exactly is the crime: the killer or the one that deems himself the investigator? Is it the one who deals in politics or the one breaking the law of "omerta"?The novel explores the mafiosi as an institution, as a family, what it is in the government, the church, the peasant village.

Sciascia's novel is a page-turner for both those who want an easy read detective thriller and also for those wanting to dig deeper into the story's message.

Due to ever degrading literary taste of our post-war generation, Stefan Zweig has been forgotten for few decades,in spite of the fact that the first half of the 20th century , Zweig was perhaps one of the most famous and popular authors in the world. He and compatriot Hugo von Hofmannsthal had almost pararell lives.They were both some sort of literary prodigies(Hofmannsthal and Zweig earned their fame in their teens).They began their literary careers as poets and ended up writing various kind of literary genres,including libretto for Strauss. Also both ended up committing suicide. Zweig wrote many memorable fictions ,but only one novel.And, this is "Beware of Pity".
The novel is a kaleidoscope of the Habsburg dual monarchy.Zweig's talent lays on his superb description of human psyche of each character and the representation of comtemporary time. this work well represents decaying , both morally and physically , Habsburg dual monarchy. It shows how anarchoronistic system of mores( of K.u.K) that led otherwise good natured and a bit simple minded Leutenant Hoffmiler conered to the desperate situation. Does Hoffmiler deserve his fate? read book and decide that by yourself. what amazed me was how well Zweig synchronized and symbolized tragic denoument of kekeskalva family with the outbreak of" the war to end all wars". This is both pcychological and historical drama par excellence.One of forgotten masterpiece that recently rediscovered. Thank you NYRB to bring Zweig back.

This is an intense, psychological drama, and a page-turner to boot! What's so great is the wonderful language, the "lofty" writing. I just loved every page, and our poor, tortured hero.

In the introduction to this book Joan Acocella tells Zweig's story as a writer. One of her claims is that despite his enormous popularity as biographer, essayist, writer of great novellas and stories, this novel is his masterpience. The novel is in essence the story of a feeling, of 'pity' of how it becoming the obsession and duty of the main character turns self- serving and destructive. Briefly , the book revolves around the relationship between a poor Austrian officer Hoffstein and a crippled seventeen year old daughter of a wealthy family Edith Kekesfalvas. After he has inadvertently insulted her by having asked her to dance he becomes bound into a relationship with her, in which she falls deeply in love with him without his truly reciprocating. This is how Acocella reads the protagonist's reasoning and its result after her doctor informs him that it would be disastrous for him to abandon her.

"So he descends ever deeper into hypocrisy. In the process, Zweig gives us a piercing analysis of the motives underlying pity. Gradually Hofmiller realizes how much he enjoys the courtesies paid to him for his emotional services, how it pleases him that when he arrives at the Schloss his favorite cigarettes--and also the novel (its pages already cut) that he had said in passing that he wanted to read--are laid out on the tea table. Nor is it lost on him that his own sense of strength is magnified by Edith's weakness and, above all, by his growing power over the Kekesfalvas, the fact that if he, a poor soldier, does not present himself at teatime, this great, rich household is thrown into a panic, and the chauffeur is dispatched to town to spy him out and see what he is doing in preference to waiting on Edith. Beyond the matter of power, however, Hofmiller finds that the emotion of pity is a pleasure just in itself. It exalts him, takes him to a new place. Before, as an officer, he was required only to obey orders and be a good fellow. Now he is a moral being, a soul."

This end in destruction is somehow a foreshadowing of what would happen to Zweig.Having been betrayed with the rise of the Nazis by the Europe he loves, tried to make a new home and life with his second wife in Brazil. But it does not work out and the both of them are found after having taken fatal overdoes of drugs hands intertwined.

It's a fabulously written book about love instigated by pitty, which can be very dangerous. Worth reading as this kind of thing still happens every day.

...no, not the book by Dave Eggers, but this masterpiece by Stefan Zweig. I came upon this by accident, and bought it, intrigued by the story outline and the reviews below. Only very, very rarely does a book have the power to draw me into the lives of the characters, probably because they're usually just that - characters. Not so here. Here we have flesh and blood and all that entails. I'm still amazed at Zweig's story telling. He's the kind of writer who could make a shopping list fascinating. I lived and breathed every single word in this incredibly beautiful book, and, as has been said elsewhere, the tension becomes almost unendurable. I can hardly do justice to it in a few words. Weirdly, I often found myself smiling, not because it's a funny book, far from it, but just through an appreciation of Zweig's supreme mastery of his art. This is one of those books appearing only a few times in your life that wring emotion out of you whether you like it or not. A heart-breaking, unforgettable and life-enriching experience.

I'd also like to praise the translation, by Trevor and Phyllis Blewitt. At no time is there even a hint that you're reading a translation - something that occurred to me only after finishing the book. On the contrary, it seems to me that the elegance of the language and all the magnificent virtues that contribute to Zweig's humanity and genius have been faithfully rendered. The proof is in my twin disappointments; coming to the end, and learning that there are no further full-length novels by Zweig. I'll definitely be reading all his other works, though.

ya! it is expensive .. yet itu is a must book for all surgeons who would keep their surgical knowledge ..

This is a fundamental in a surgical education. Some changes since the last edition about 10%. It extremely well written.

This nook is an excellent review of the current surgical therapy. It provides quick and current references for both practising surgeons and trainees

A must-read to prepare for oral exams, or to quickly review concepts of patient management. The new edition has some significant updates in laparoscopy and trauma care, but has lapsed somewhat in quality. Doesn't replace a good surgical reference like Schwartz, Sabiston, or Greenfield.

I'm disappointed by many errors in this edition. Some chapters have some small errors missed by the editing team. Some chapters are also based on the opinions of individual authors, and may not necessarily reflect the current standard of care. It would have been nice to see some more evidence-based material added. For example, the chapter on laparoscopic CBDE may be applicable to large academic centres, but I don't think it reflects most surgical centres in the world. I would have liked to see a bit more on open CBDE.

The many illustrations are mostly illegible. This is unacceptable for a reference-level publication. It reflects poorly on the credibility of the publisher and makes me question the rest of the book.

Overall a disappointment. A previous edition supplemented with a quick internet search might offer better information.

This is THE book for a senior surgical resident to purchase. It is updated every 3 years, and reflects advances in techniques, preoperative and postoperative evaluation, and clinical management decision making for all of the commonly encountered problems in general surgery. The authors do not merely rehash the previous edition, but present the information in a clear, concise, and enjoyable text with good tables and images. It has been very helpful to me in my Chief year, and I expect it to help me pass my boards. A MUST HAVE!!!

I'm the pastor of a Wesleyan church in the US and I have been learning to pray the Daily Office - morning and evening prayer. This little book is great for a travel prayer book, as it is smaller and much less complicated than the Benedictine Daily Prayer.

As a protestant, I have to adjust some of the wording about Mary and the saints, but that is a small sacrifice for the joy of praying with the larger church throughout history!

I heartily recommend this book to anyone who seeks to deepen his or her experience of God through dedicated times of prayer each day!

This book is a perfect introduction into the liturgy of prayer. It is basically a simplified version of the Liturgy of the Hours (simplified in complexity, not content). Each day of the week has morning and evening prayer. There are also prayers for mid-morning, noon, afternoon and evening. Also included is a very nice selection of traditional prayers (the Creed, Act of Contrition, etc.) as well as prayers for various occasions. At the end of the book there is a selection of quotes from the Rules of St. Benedict.

This prayer book is put out by the Benedictine community of Glenstal Abbey in Ireland. The book is a slim volume and is easily carried around. It is perfect for someone (like myself) who wants to develop the habit of prayer and needs a nice introduction to it. There is only one ribbon to move around and it just goes from one day of the week to another. The prayers and liturgies are fairly short and can be done in five or ten minutes. The prayers for mid-morning, etc., are perfect for doing in your car before or after lunch (in the parking lot, not propped up on your steering wheel).

If you are looking for a great tool to help you develop the habit of prayer and that is easy to incorporate into your home and work life, this is it.

Simple reverant prayers in the Benedictine tradition that brings the holy to the every day. A wonderful book to bring along whenever one is seeking a practice to remember the art of spiritual surrender.

The secular prayerful person may find in this prayer book a schema of prayer accessible to and useful for the person who cannot give up their day job for contemplative purposes. I keep a copy on my prayer table at all times, and find it very useful for constant prayer.

Unlike other such Books of Common Prayer or Monastic Diurnals, it is not overwhelming in its requirements. It gently and lightly suggests a system of prayer for every day of the week, and for the holidays, morning and evening, following the traditional monastic format which dates back before Saint Benedict. No wonder as Glenstal is a Benedictine Abbey.

It also includes much of the traditional prayers once so well known but now difficult to locate, in a very useful and handy lay out. Many of those traditional prayers heard at your grandmother-s knee and not heard since but cherished in memory are represented here, as well as suggestions for prayers at every occassion of the day.

Highly recommended for anyone wishing to introduce regular prayer into their lives (or the life which God has so generously lent to us) as a centering worship of recollection and peace in God-s love. An urgently necessary element of any prayerful life.

I have been looking for a good benedictine prayer book that is easy to follow, and practical for my Oblate studies, and the Glenstal book fits the bill. The monks of Glenstal really put clever thought in putting together this book of prayer for non-monks. Thank you for an excellent tool for lay-monastics, and anyone interested in a solid book of christian prayer.

Beautiful poetry about a very special little filly who was lost much too soon. I love the way this author puts her words together in such a wondrous way. She makes you really get a glimpse of what this racehorse was like. Prices are always great on Amazon.com as well as a fast delivery. Never had any problem at all. I even order other items from other commpanies other than books, and it's really a great way to shop. Try it, you'll love it!

RUFFIAN, is truly a breath taking epic of a true champion.

When we lost RUFFIAN, we lost more than just her. We lost
part of ourselves as well.

Courtesy of Outsider Writers, here are two reviews of Lyn Lifshin's The Licorice Daughter. The reviews are by Miles Bell and Leopold McGinnis.

Reviewed by: Miles Bell

Miles is a UK poet. I don't think he has ever met Lyn, nor has Lyn met him. In fact, I'm not quite certain Miles has ever ridden a horse. However, he does inform me that he has excellent teeth.


Ruffian was a phenomenal racehorse who broke the track record in her first race and was unbeaten in her next nine. As a 3-year-old in 1975, in an ill-judged race against that year's Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure, she broke down while leading the "equine battle of the sexes", continued to try to race even with a badly broken leg, and couldn't be saved. Why should I care? you may ask yourself, and it was the question on my mind as I sat down with this book of poems about the life of "The Queen of the Fillies". After all, I'd no real interest in horses, and had never heard of Ruffian.

I had, however, heard of Lyn Lifshin, as I expect everyone in the small press has. Reportedly the most published poet alive, with more than 100 books to her name, she crops up everywhere there is poetry. I was unfamiliar with her work, and I must admit to being dubious about Lifshin's abilities; surely someone so prolific is just churning poems out?

It is at this point I must apologize to Lyn, for this book is fabulous for the most part, and it drew me into the story of Ruffian much further than I expected. There is a line early in Todd Moore's "The name is Dillinger" which speaks of a time "when horses were still magic", and this book succeeds in helping to explain some of the reasons horses can evoke so many indefinable emotions in people.

Comprising just over 100 short poems, "THE LICORICE DAUGHTER" (named after Ruffian's near-black coat) is actually one long poem in small sections covering the short but brightly-burning life of a horse acknowledged by many as the greatest female horse in history, from her birth, the separation from her mother, the glorious first races, to the tragic conclusion to Ruffian's career and life.

Lifshin writes with great passion for her subject without slipping too far into sentimentality, and the language she uses creates a mythology for Ruffian, as if she was/something in a dream/in the shape of a horse...

There are several other examples throughout of Lifshin using especially descriptive words to evoke a sense of "otherness" about Ruffian, supernatural, ghost-horse, black arrow, mystery, black lightning, and even mentioning Icarus and Pegasus, only to describe her again, finally, as just a trapped animal with wild eyes, as she was led, fatally hurt, to the ambulance after one race too far.

The pacing of the book is perfectly judged too, the poems increasing in intensity and speed like the horse herself, until the quiet last few poems lend an air of reverence more than deserved, it seems, such is the power and sheer story-telling mastery of the rest of the book.

There are a couple of small quibbles I have; the mention of EBay early on jarred me out of the quiet pastures of the 1970s I'd been immersed in, and there are a couple of occasions where descriptions of Ruffian veer towards anthropomorphosis, and I feel Lifshin is a good enough writer not to have to humanize the horse in order for the reader to empathize. That said, these are minor points and only mean I couldn't faithfully describe the book as perfect, just very, very good indeed.

In summary, I would highly recommend "THE LICORICE DAUGHTER: MY YEAR WITH RUFFIAN", as fine prose poetry and a terrific story/myth, well-told. As I reached the end I must admit to getting something in my eye and having to take a few manly deep breaths, before going online and reading all I could about Ruffian, the horse who lived simply to run.


Reviewed by: Leopold McGinnis

Pold is a founding member of Outsider Writers, and an all around Canadian literary icon.

113 pages, Texas Review Press

I was only vaguely aware of Lyn Lifshin when I was asked to review this book. I'd read an article of hers in a book in which we'd both been published and, a few weeks previously, a poet friend of mine who's opinion I respect raved about her work. When the opportunity to review Lyn's latest book (or second latest at the time of this writing - I think she puts out a book a month!) came up, I was eager to find out what my own opinion was.

The Licorice Daughter is poetry-novella based on the true story of Ruffian, widely considered the best female racing horse in history. I believe Ruffian was even featured in the Sports Illustrated top 100 female athletes of all time. (But not in the swimsuit edition, to my knowledge.) To avoid spoiling the book, I'll say no more than that.

When I realized, about 10 pages in, that this was a book about horses, or about a series of horses I began to regret my offering to review it. It's a subject area of which I have little interest, and yet the poems were good enough that I was enjoying reading it, so I figured that was all that mattered. It wasn't until about a third of the way through the book that I realized that this was all about one horse and, in fact, a continuing narrative. This piqued my interest greatly and, to use the obligatory cheesy book-review metaphor, it was a race all the way to the finish line after this point. Born after the events in the story, I wasn't aware that the story was based on reality until I did some research later, so this also kept my interest for quite a while.

There is a burning inevitability to The Licorice Daughter which I love, and makes the book a thrilling read.

While the book starts off a bit slow out of the starting gate, the book picks up a lot of speed by the middle and is running at full gallop by the last third, even though you know where it's going. Ruffian's story is an engaging one and Lyn does not do it a disservice. A lot of poets try to boost their poetry, or replace a lack of something to say, by co-opting an already existing story. Certainly this is legitimate poetic practice, however, often the poet does nothing more than dilute the strength of the original story for poetic gain. Lifshin, on the other hand, brings a lot to this little known (at least to me!) story, filling in or making up pieces that have not been documented by the papers and historians, and giving a real sense of the passion, the life, and the intimate hopes behind Ruffian and all those involved with her story, from the jockeys, to the fans and beyond. It's a sign of a remarkable poet who can improve upon a classic story.

The book is notable for a number of other features. One thing I enjoyed was that the poems weren't linked like chapters, but more like a grasshopper touching down as it hopped along Ruffians lifeline, allowing the reader to piece together a lot of the details. Often times two or three poems would cover the same event. Rather than being redundant, they offered different views of on singular piece of the story and this was quite refreshing. The book dances close to cliché on a few occasions (what books don't?), but never touches, and often blasts off in some wonderful directions. I particularly enjoyed some of the poems at the end that manage to tie thing like EBay to the story of this horse from 30 years ago. Unexpected and wonderful.

If I was a visionless corporate book producer, I'd target this book towards young girls. I wouldn't target it towards horse enthusiasts because they aren't a big enough market...and we all know that poetry doesn't sell anyway. Unless you're dead and your name is Bukowski. Thankfully I'm not and while this book would certainly delight little girls, it would also be a must for any horse enthusiast. But still that's narrow minded. This book is well executed, fun, a quick read, and contains a great and engaging story. I believe it would be a great book for anyone who loves poetry. Even lovers of sports (if you can convince them to give poetry a try) should like it.

I think the true sign of a good book is if you can get someone who isn't at all interested in the subject to like it. As someone who is highly contrarian, very critical of poetry about hackneyed overdone things like horses, and far from sporty or interested in things equine I greatly enjoyed this book, so I believe anybody will if they give it a try.

For any racehorse enthusiast, this is a must read. Lyn has put into poetry a beautiful, yet heart-wrenching story of this incredible filly. It only takes about a hour to read, but the words will stay with you for a lifetime. I saw the race "live", and I'll never forget it. Long live the memory of Ruffian!

For fans of the late, great Ruffian, this is a must read book. A sensitive, wonderful read about one of our country's great horses.